USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 13
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Probably the first merchant to open a store in the county was a Frenchman by the name of Blois, who in 1833 opened a store on sec- tion 12, township 46, range 30, on what was known in early days as the "old Mordecai Phillips" farm, three miles east of Pleasant Hill in the edge of the present Polk Township. The store building was quite a primitive structure and was built of poles. It was short of life for in the same year, it is said, was moved to what is now known as "Old Town, Pleasant Hill."
In 1837, Henry F. Baker became the pioneer merchant at Harrison- ville. His store was in a log house, located at the southwest corner of the public square, where Briles' business block is now located. Soon after this Wilson & Brooks opened a general store in about the middle of the west side of the square, in a log house. A short time thereafter Price & Keller opened a store where Will Clemments now has his hard- store, on the south lot of the west side of the square.
From primitive startings have arose throughout the county a great business in merchandising. Where then only a few thousand dollars worth of goods were sold in a year, it now counts up into the many millions. Commercial enterprises of late years are as well and honestly managed with all respect to the public's rights, along with the individuals' private gain. Transportation is dealt with. We have the late estab- lishment of the large creamery farm on the old "Billie Ryan" farm; the oil line and reservoirs; the foundaries both at Harrisonville and Pleasant Hill; the creameries at Harrisonville and Garden City; ice plants at Pleasant Hill and Harrisonville; the drainage projects for making use- ful and reclaiming the bottom lands of Big Creek and Grand River; the telephone and telegraph lines throughout the county. What wonders are wrought since those primeval days of our pioneer ancestors!
CHAPTER XXIX.
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SCHOOLS.
EARLY SCHOOL LEGISLATION -- CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS-EARLY OPPOSI- TION-INFLUENCE-OPPORTUNITIES-STATE INSTITUTIONS-HIGH SCHOOLS AND COMMON SCHOOLS-LIST OF COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS FROM 1853.
In the very forming of the State, there was provision made for schooling the young. Even prior to coming into the Union as a State, viz : by act approved January 30, 1817, the territorial legislative body made provisions for schools (laws of 1824, pages 520 and 521).
The framers of the Constitution of 1820 made provisions for edu- cating the poor. The establishment of the public school system, the bases practically, of our present, was not put in formal law until 1839. The public school or free schools was not popular. The wealthy, the churches and particularly large property holders, with some exceptions, fought the public schools. This school system has grown in favor as time passes. To it is largely due the happiness of the home, and the intellectual growth of our republic and of necessity broadened and liberalized our citizenship.
Honor to the educators of our State, who by experience and advance- ment have added the best obtainable to our system, until it has reached the mighty power the school now wields. Lands have been given by the general government and the State has added to the funds arising from the sale of these lands until today the school funds of this county alone amount to millions of dollars, and is augmented by taxation from year to year.
Today our great system provides for special directors for the schools, rural as well as city. There is absolutely no reason why any child, even of the most humble parentage, should not receive an education. Pro-
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vision is widely made for higher education by the establishment of high schools, State normals and State universities. All are within the reach of the humblest and the poorest. The public schools are well supple- mented with valuable local private schools and church colleges established in many parts of the State.
The insane are cared for by four extensive eleemosynary institu- tions of the State. The blind, deaf and dumb are alike cared for, and educated at the State's expense. During the past, nearly a century, no political party in all this history of the State has ever arrayed itself against our free school system. From 1817 to 1917 our people have been earnest advocates of a broad and liberal system of education of the masses. Notwithstanding this liberal policy of the State, the schools of Cass County were in a large measure kept up by private subscription. Private or subscription schools have disappeared in the last third of a century.
At present we have in the county one hundred and twelve well man- aged, useful schools. There are in addition eleven high schools, located at Harrisonville, Pleasant Hill, Belton, Garden City, Drexel, Archie, Ray- more, Freeman, Peculiar, East Lynne, Creighton, all doing thorough high school work. All these high schools have creditable buildings, well equipped with the necessary machinery for good work for the pupils.
Under the efficient guidance of Prof. Charles A. Burke, county school commissioner, our schools are making remarkable strides toward front among all the counties of the State.
It would seem B. C. Hawkins was school commissioner in 1853, yet the laws seem to mark the year 1857 empowering the county court to appoint this officer.
The names of the several county superintendents or commissioners are as follows :
B. C. Hawkins
1853 to 1857
T. R. Russell
1857 to 1860
William Jones 1860 to 1866 1
William J. Terrell
1866 to 1868
James C. Hall
1868 part of the year
C. F. Spray
1868 to 1870
John T. Weathers 1870 to 1872 1 1
Gage S. Spring
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NEW SCHOOL BUILDING, HARRISONVILLE, MO.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Hugh R. Steele
J. Jay Berry
John T. Weathers
Joseph C. Watson
S. G. Barker
Wm. A. Stair
Amos T. Fisher
Mary Jean White A. A. Wirt
Thomas J. Walker Curtis W. Smith
C. A. Burke
Prof. C. A. Burke is now county school superintendent. This office was changed in name from county school commissioner to county school superintendent by legislative act of 1909.
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1880 resigned
1880 to 1881
1885 to 1887 1881 to 1884
1887 to 1893
1894 to 1899
1899 to 1901
1901 to 1903
1903 to 1907
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CHAPTER XXX.
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CHURCHES.
INTRODUCTION OF PROTESTANT RELIGION IN THE WEST-FIRST MINISTERS- FIRST PROTESTANT CHURCH IN UPPER LOUISIANA-SOME SINGULAR INCI- DENTS-MORE CHURCHES ORGANIZED-MISSIONARY SOCIETY-FISHING RIVER ASSOCIATION-CAMP MEETINGS-EARLY MINISTERS-BLUE RIVER BAPTIST ASSOCIATION-AMISH MENNONITE CHURCH.
Little do we realize what we sing when we sing that good old hymn, "Old Time Religion Is Good Enough for Me." The early Spanish authorities, the rulers of forest and prairie, of that great empire west of the Mississippi River, strenuously objected to the introduction of the Protestant religion in the vast domain of the west. The ordinance issued by those in authority in 1797, granting "the privilege of enjoying liberty of conscience," was carefully construed so that settlers of the Protestant faith might come and own property, but should abstain from all intercourse with their brethren of like faith elsewhere. Particular care was taken that no Protestant preacher or one of any other sect other than the Catholic should introduce himself into the province. The anxiety to secure settlers induced liberal concessions to all parties rela- tive to property rights, after a vague and general examination on the subject of their faith. It is not surprising that the French settlers entertained no exalted opinion of the American settlers' religion, saying they had no religion at all. Nor did the conduct of the early Protestant settler give an exalted idea of their piety.
The first Protestant ministers to cross the "great water" were prob- ably Rev. John Clark, a Methodist, who came in 1796, and Rev. Josiah Dodge, a Baptist minister, who came in 1794. Clerk is described as a man of "singular simplicity of manners and unaffected piety." Dodge
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
was a bold aggressive preacher, and probably preached the first Protest- ant sermon ever preached west of the "great river." It is related of him he took his four first converts across the "great river" and bap- tized them in order not to violate any Spanish ordinance. In 1799 Rev. Thomas Johnson, a Baptist preacher from Georgia, arrived. This John- son baptized Agnes Ballew in a small stream in Cape Girardeau district. This was the first Protestant baptism administered west of the Mis- sissippi River.
Deprived of religious influences it is not strange the people retro- graded morally. Sunday became a day of festivity, instead of worship. In 1810 Hempstead, an early adventurer, writes of the American set- tlers as being "depraved, possessing little or no religion."
In 1803 Rev. Samuel Weyberg, a preacher of the German reformed church, a highly educated minister, came to the territory. It is said in praise of this young man's patriotism, that during the Revolutionary War, when the English soldiers marched through the streets of Phila- delphia, yelled loudly, "Hurrah for General Washington," and came near causing serious trouble. He was educated classically for the law, but gave up the law for the ministry. It was well understood at this time, 1803, that this part of Louisiana was about to be ceded. to the United States, and this young minister, with other Protestant peoples, became bolder in their utterances. He preached with great power and became instrumental in building up a strong Protestant following in the pres- ent limits of Missouri.
Almost immediately after the cession of Louisiana to the United States, in 1805, there came another Baptist minister, Rev. Daniel Green, a native of Virginia, following some of his former parishioners to this wilderness of the West. Green preached with power and effectiveness. Green organized the Bethel Baptist church in 1806, the first protestant church west of the Mississippi River, with a possible exception of the German Reformed church organized about the same date. In 1807, a Mr. William Mathews was elected "singing clerk."
In 1806 Bethel church erected a church building, a small log struc- ture, the first Protestant church erected in upper Louisiana. Bethel church was received into "Red River Association," at its meeting in 1809 at Red River church, near Clarksville, Tennessee. Thus did the Protestant church secure a foothold in the great west.
Some singular incidents occurred, worthy of repeating here. One
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brother was expelled from the church "for holding Armenian views," another was expelled "for joining the Masonic lodge." A resolution was passed allowing a sister "to wear gold ear-rings for the benefit of her health." At a conference of the church the question was discussed and voted upon, "If a member is constrained to shout, shall the church bear with it?" The church voted "yes."
Rev. Benjamin Thompson held a revival at Bethel church in which some four or five hundred converts were made. It happened that Thompson was not, then, an ordained minister, and could not administer the ordinance of baptism. A messenger was sent to call an ordained minister residing some forty miles distant to come and officiate. This old minister came as suited his leisure. He was jealous of this young licentiate. He seemed distant and gruff and unwilling to baptise the people. His reasons were that "He had been afflicted sometime before with ague, and going into the water might bring on a relapse, and that he was to weak to perform the labor." These many excuses he made, such as perhaps no Baptist had been known to make before. Thus early do we find jealousy in the ministry. The question came up of ordaining Brother Thompson, the Tennessee Association to which Bethel church belonged had a rule that ordination could only take place under the official direction of "two regularly ordained ministers in good and regular standing in the denomination." So Rev. Thompson had to secure another ordained minister besides this brother. The messenger found the man at some distance, but he too was jealous of Thompson, "he was crusty and distant" and absolutely refused to accompany the messengers, nor could he be persuaded to do so.
Thompson continued to preach religious fervor, "the work of the Lord was progressing gloriously," "Saints were happy, rejoicing in the display of God's power and grace," the "young converts were singing the praises of their Savior." These ordained ministers were there during these exciting times, and finally they ordained Rev. Thompson "to the gospel ministry." One of these ministers preached the ordination ser- mon from the text "Simon, Son of Jonas, Lovest Thou Me?" As was the hardships, privations, vexations and jealousies in the eastern part of the State, so did such move west across prairie, forest and wilderness with advancing civilization.
A common idea among the members and even the ministry of the Protestant churches, which made the work of the early preacher unusually
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laborious and often humiliating, was that the minister ought to preach without hope or promise of compensation from the congregation. Pio- neer preachers thought the gospel should be free, "Without money and without price." Too often the members considered they were entitled to the time and talent of the minister, thus "robbing of the support due from him to his family." . Some have not advanced beyond this idea to this day. The families of these faithful servants were fre- quently neglected, often poorly fed and still more poorly clothed. The families of the early preacher in order to subsist cultivated small crops and truck patches .. Venison, bear meat and sometimes hog meat with baked corn bread in form of a pone, frequently hard as a brick-bat, constituted their living. They saw coffee and tea only on special occa- sions. Their children, in common with the early settlers grew up without the advantage of the rudest elements of schools.
The preacher was generally the best educated man of the com- munity and when not preaching devoted himself to teaching, all with- out charge or expectations of remuneration in any manner. A con- spicuous example of this class of ministers was Rev. Luke Williams, who in 1820 had pushed his way far up the Missouri River. He had traveled to the western part of the territory, possibly in this neighbor- hood, at his own expense and sacrifice receiving nothing for his valuable spiritual work. No one aided him, he died in poverty in 1824. After his death his followers attempted to redeem his lands for his destitute family, but many failed to pay their pledges to this benevolent cause. This picture does not prove the early settlers were "bad" or "even indisposed to religion," nor that the people were degenerate, but rather that evil is found in human nature under abject circumstances.
These early ministers and Christians did what they could; they bore with meekness, patience and Christian fortitude the burden which was theirs to carry. Comforts were few, money scarce, yet in all these disadvantages the faithful were ever ready to lend aid when in their power. The latchstring of the home of such hung on the outside and the wayfarer was welcome to share their frugal belongings. We refer to the pioneer Baptist as they seemed to be among the foremost to penetrate the west. Other denominations had like privations for His glory.
Sometimes, but not as frequently as in after years, there would a "wolf in sheep's clothing," pretending to be a preacher of the gospel
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when in reality he was nothing more nor less than a would be "clerical swindler." In 1820 somewhere near the present western boundary of Missouri was organized a Sunday school. At this place there were small congregations of Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodists. We are unable to ascertain whether this was a denomination or union school. These early ministers, you are to understand, are not a lot of illiterate men. Not at all. The story is related of an eloquent young Presbyterian divine named Blackburn. A French lady of culture listened to him and wept freely. A few days after the priest of the parish met her and said, "Ah, madam, I hear that you have been to hear the heretic priest, and that you cry whenever you hear him. Why is it that you never cry when I preach?" She answered, "If you will preach like him I will cry all the time."
Prior to 1819 the churches had gone further westward on the north side of the Missouri River than on the south side. In that year Mount Pisgah church was organized, south of the river, in the present bound- aries of Cooper County, about twenty-five miles south of Boonville. The rapid increase of immigrant churches began to multiply. The central control and official directors of the churches remained for a time north of the river, as did the home associations. Presbyteries and conferences existed in Tennessee and in eastern Missouri in earlier days. Ministers and delegates to the church assemblies would go horse back, traveling hundreds of miles to the places of meeting. People then as now were stiff-necked, self-opinioned, yet religious-devotedly so. It is told of one of the faithful and forceful ministers at one of the assemblies, preach- ing was generally the case, in a private dwelling, on the subject, "The ample restoration of the church," took his text from Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 20, "The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, the place is too straight for me; give place to me that I may dwell." The sermon did not edify his asso- ciates, "A set of crude and erroneous opinions had been stereotyped into their minds about gospel doctrines and moral obligations and were fixedly resolved to learn nothing else." The cold shoulder was turned to the brother by his fellow-ministers, and he moved further west where he "was kindly and hospitably entertained."
In an early day the Baptist denomination organized a society for "spreading the gospel" and for "promoting common schools in Western Missouri, both for whites and Indians." All "persons of good moral
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character by paying five dollars annually" were eligible, but in order to be equipped as a missionary of the society, it was requisite that the applicant "be in full standing in the Baptist churches, and give satis- factory evidence of genuine piety, good talents and fervent zeal in the Redeemer's cause." It was expressly provided no person of immoral habits should be employed as a school teacher. It is written that this enterprise, after three years, established many useful and influential schools to take the place of preexisting nuisances with drunken teachers.
The history and appearance on the frontier of any protestant denomi- nation is practically a fair statement of all others, only changing the personnel-the names of its early ministers. As far back as the early eighteen twenties the Baptists of this part of the country were members of the "Old Fishing River Association," the strongest part of which was north of the Missouri River. In 1832 the "Fishing River Associa- tion" met at the Big Shoals meeting house in Clay, Missouri. At that meeting, or perhaps the following year, steps were taken to form a new association, composed of the churches south of the Missouri River. Letters of dismissal were granted to ten churches south of the river. In 1834 at Little Sniabar Meeting House, in October, could be seen faithful clergy and laymen coming horse-back for hundreds of miles. On this occasion that venerable parson, Moses A. Stayton, preached the intro- ductory sermon from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 8, "For by grace ye are saved." It was resolved at this meeting that at future meetings of the association each church should be entitled to four delegates and no more. It is interesting to recall the names of some of these early worthies who were delegates to the meeting in 1834. John Warder, Enoch Finch, John Fielden and Ellis B. Wilson were delegates from Big Sinabar church, Robert Fristoe, Jackson Tandy and H. Holman from Little Sniabar church. Jeremiah Harrelson, Thos. Potts and Abraham Brown from Six Mile church. Gabriel Fitzhugh, Richard Fristoe, James Shepard, John Sanders, Daniel King and John Davis from Pleasant Grove church. Thomas Stayton and John B. Flan- nary from Salem. Moses A. Stayton, Arthur Stayton, William Brown and Thomas A. Stayton from Round Grove church. Nathaniel Teague and John Robeson from Little Blue church. William Savage, James Savage, Hiram Savage and Wm. B. Savage from Pleasant Garden church. William Simpson, John Ricketts and Henry Avery from High Point church and Joseph White, John Kitchens, William Adams and Urial
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Murry from Blackwater church. These ten churches were located along the south side of the Missouri River, in the present boundaries of Jackson, Lafayette and Saline Counties, and most of them have passed out of memory of the oldest, and yet there is a sweet memory in the mention of their names and the names of their devoted adherents.
It would be quite interesting today if we could give the accurate history of such pioneer churches. Such churches thus early planted in the wilderness formed as they were of the hardy pioneer composed and established the vanguard of civilization and christianity in this the great west and then and here laid deep and firm the foundation of the reli- gious liberties we enjoy today.
It is written, the Big Sniabar church referred to was formed on Tabo Creek a few miles west of Lexington, Missouri, in 1820 with Robert Smith and wife, Violet Wallace, Sally Ewing as some of the con- stituent members. Rev. William Thorp and Luke Williams organized the church. Little Sniabar near the east line of the present Jackson County was the next church in order of time organized in this western part of Missouri. These faithful servants of the Master, Thorp and Williams, with Robert Fristoe, constituted this church in 1825. In quick succession Protestant churches sprung up around Lexington and Inde- pendence and outlying tributary territory. Tradition gives us the infor- mation that two Baptist ministers, Rev. James Savage and Joel Powell, held services in 1831 at Thomas Hamlin's house near Pleasant Hill and next year, 1832, organized Pleasant Garden church with Rev. James Sav- age as pastor. Possibly this church was within the boundary of Cass County. We have like information that Rev. John Jackson, a Baptist, and Rev. William Johnson, a Methodist, preached in 1830 at the Mcclellan house, four miles northwest of Harrisonville.
Camp meetings were common in these early days. The nearby Indians attended in great numbers. In 1834 Rev. William Ferrell, Rev. McKinney and N. E. Harrelson, all Methodist preachers, preached through- out the county with great power and success. At the same time the Farmers were preaching in this county for the Baptists. Joshua Page, a Christian minister, preached in 1840 at Knob Creek in the southeast part of the county. These faithful servants served practically without remuneration. And so devoted were they to their holy calling that when one of their number was appointed to a county office, declined the office, that he might devote his time and talent to the ministry.
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In 1835 the Baptist denomination held its annual meeting with the Six Mile church in Jackson County. At this early date we find a church, Elk Fork, in Henry County, was received into the association. It had a membership of eleven. A great missionary move was made at this meet- ing for work among the Indians. In 1836 "Hopewell," now Harrison- ville, was received into the association. This church was formed about two miles southwest of Harrisonville, probably in 1833 and afterwards erected a meeting house and moved to Harrisonville. The pleasant Garden church was most probably organized prior to the Hopewell church. At a point near the present site of Lonejack. It is not cer- tain whether within the limits of Cass or Jackson Counties. In 1838 we find Union church was admitted to this association. This church was located north of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, near the county line.
As early as 1839 we find the names of early faithful ministers, John Farmer, Henry Farmer, Jeremiah Farmer, Luke Williams, John Warden and A. P. Williams. Some of these are still remembered by a few very old settlers of the county. It is not uncommon to find in the county now old men and women bearing the name of some of these servants of the Lord,evidencing their parents had been admiring mem- bers of flocks once presided over by these preachers. In 1841 New Hope church was organized in the western part of this county, in the neighborhood of "Old West Union."
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