USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 9
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When the first bank was organized, if the stockholders could have been selected so as to interest the leading men who possessed the capital so necessary to the development of the new community, much would have been accomplished towards uniting the community and both the bank and the new town would have been placed on a much firmer basis. But a controversy arose growing out of personal disagreements and dis- likes more than anything else, which forfeited the support of the strong- est men, financially with the result that their influence and money went to Garden City. Not only did the bank suffer from the loss of money that would have been controlled by it, had the wealthier men who were left out been included in its organization, but doubtless the loose method of conducting banking business would have been checked, and the great- est disaster that ever came upon the town would have been avoided. The bank closed its doors in October, 1895, a little more than ten years after the town was founded.
There was no exception to the general rule that with business dis- aster everything that affects the welfare of man languishes. It was soon discovered that the depositors would suffer practically a total loss of the money which they had intrusted to its keeping. Nothing will enrage a community more than having the money they have toiled for taken from them by an institution, managed and controlled by men in whom they had recently the greatest confidence. Interest in school, church
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and public enterprise sank to a degree hardly possible to conceive. The prestige of the town was sacrificed. Men who had lost money in the bank were ready to charge the whole community with trickery and dis- honesty. For more than three years things drifted towards chaos, and while more than twenty years have elapsed since that disaster, you may yet find a few distempered individuals who are still trying to find a few new "cus" words in order to give vent to their feelings.
Six months after the Farmers and Merchants Bank closed its doors, the agitation, which waxed warmer with the lapse of days and the dis- covery of illegal practices, caused the Farmers Deposit Bank to close its doors and the town was left without a bank. The Farmers Deposit Bank paid its depositors in full, principal and interest, and thus W. A. Wade, who was president of the institution, vindicated himself before the people; but his advanced age made it impossible for him to come forth as a leader to better things, financially. The towns on either side, not unnaturally took advantage of the adversity that had befallen Creighton. Enraged depositors who had lost their money readily found words of encouragement to lend their influence to the support of a community that had never taken money without rendering value received. It was tauntingly said, and with much truth, that our institutions were all without money and our prosperity had been built up on watered stock and hot air.
But the bank disaster was not the only impediment that the new town had to contend with. Creighton is just three and one-half miles north of Grand River, which forms the dividing line, at this point, between Bates and Cass Counties. Forty per cent. of the trade which rightfully belongs to Creighton should come from Bates County. Grand River bottom has always been a great hinderance and has much impeded the development of the town. When the bridge over Grand River was built, three roads led to it from the south. Each of the roads cross the bottom at some place, and the bottom is one mile wide. It was early recognized by all parties that a good road from the upland of Bates County to the bridge was essential to the development of the town. The bone of contention was and still is, where should the road be built. One group of people contended for the center road, one for the west and still another for the east road. A sum of money was raised sufficient, had it all been spent on one route much would have been done towards accomplishing the desired end, but the money was divided between the adherents of the center and west road, with the result that
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little of a permanent nature was accomplished. Had the people been united, the money spent on one road and a few hundred dollars added when needed, we would now have a good road to Bates County.
Grand River bottom was not the only road impediment. There are men of good business judgment in most things, who know the value of farm land and property of every description and have a liberal education, but when it comes to a question of public highways, use less judgment than a child. Just one-half mile west of Creighton there is a high eleva- tion or bluff that is on the section line along which the public road runs, which leads to town from the west. This hill or bluff is perhaps fifty or sixty feet high, of clay and limestone formation and so steep that it is almost impossible to establish a reasonable grade over it. The owner of the land adjoining the road offered for the sum of fifty dollars to grant a right of way around the hill which would avoid all but a moderate grade and make the distance less than two hundred and fifty yards further, but the stanch old farmer who controlled the situation insisted that the road should remain on the section line. More than a thousand dollars have been spent trying to establish a road over the hill and while a great deal of work has been done it will require a much larger expenditure to make a good road on the line. The foregoing are only a few of the many mistakes made during the early life of the town. Had the early inhabitants of the town foreseen the evil effects of their folly, doubtless many of the mistakes would have been corrected and Creighton would, today, have been a town of more than one thousand inhabitants and among the first in the county as a business center.
Notwithstanding the many mistakes made and the disasters that have befallen it in the past, Creighton is at this writing, a good busi- ness town. As brute strength in a mortal combat will finally overcome scientific training, so must natural endowment outstrip artificial pre- tenses. After thirty years have elapsed since the founding of the town the seeming insurmountable things which have long retarded its growth are at last to be solved. The banking business is now in the hands of well trained business men with the wealth and influence of the entire community giving them full support. Grand River bottom is to be drained within the next few years and when the bottom is drained the question of a road to Bates County, the greatest problem with which the town has had to deal will be solved. Already steps have been taken that will give Creighton a good road from the west. The town is on the line of the Clinton and Harrisonville County Seat Highway and the
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Osage Valley Trail passes through the city limits. More work has been done to improve the roads in its vicinity in the last three years than in any other community in the county.
The town has an excellent school building with four large commod- ious school rooms, a like number of cloak rooms, a good basement and during the present season will be made modern in every respect. The school board employs four teachers. The work done has the approval of the state board of education and school spirit is fast reviving. The churches and Sunday schools are well attended; social life is on a high plain and the lawless element that at one time gave the town an unde- served reputation, is no longer in existence. The farms surrounding the town are fast passing into the hands of thrifty German farmers and our business houses are enjoying a fine trade. Our clay industry which has languished for the last few years on account of the fire which destroyed the plant is being re-established. It is only a question of a short time when our coal mines will again be in operation and with the development of the farming, stock, poultry, mining and manufac- turing interests have we not a good right to expect Creighton to make rapid progress in the near future.
CHAPTER XIX.
TOWN AND CITIES, CONTINUED.
GARDEN CITY.
ITS LOCATION-SIGNIFICANCE OF NAME-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES-LODGES-TOWN INCORPORATED-A CITY OF WEALTH-SURROUNDED BY A PROSPEROUS COUNTRY-PROGRESSIVE-BANKS-MERCHANTS-PARK.
Southeast of Harrisonville, the county seat of Cass County, Mis- souri, twelve miles on the Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield Railway, is situate the beautiful little city of Garden City. It is so named from the landscape view and fertile agricultural lands surrounding. The city has a population of, approximately, 1,200. The country surrounding was originally a broad expanse of rolling prairie, unsurpassed in fertility. Here is the home of wheat, oats, corn, grasses, in fact every cereal indigenous to the soil and this climate, thrives.
Garden City boasts of as well equipped high school as is to be found anywhere in small towns. An imposing high school building adorns the town. Four handsome church buildings, viz: Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Episcopal South, the Christian and the Bap- tist. The communicants of these churches are active and doing great service for the Master's cause. The Masons and Independent Order of Odd Fellows and fraternal orders lend a valuable aid to the betterment of social conditions.
The town was organized in 1885 by the county court, ordering its incorporation, and appointing L. W. Burdette, J. S. Halcomb, Thomas Huett and S. K. McBride, the first officers.
There is and has been from its first start as a city a wealthy class in and about the country tributary thereto. Garden City is now and has ever been well governed. Its population is a peaceful, law abiding peo-
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ple. They seem to have been imbued with the idea of making the city of tomorrow an improvement of what it was yesterday. In this the people have succeeded admirably.
There is nothing new in improvements which this city does not at once appropriate. It has lights, telephone, graded streets, concrete and brick sidewalks, beautiful lawns and, in fact, everything in public and private improvements, in the home and for the public, that the heart of the citizen or public could crave.
The banks, two in number, are up to date in equipment and man- agement. The merchants and other branches of business would be creditable to a city of much larger pretentions. Complimentary to such business the farmers surrounding patronize there home institutions and trade with and in Garden City. Go where you may and return to this city of handsome homes and well kept lawns, facing the wide streets well cared for, you will receive a hearty welcome by this hospitable people.
At the edge of the city is a large seven acre park, always open to the public. You see on every side the evidences of intelligence, energy, thrift and success. Garden City is a good place to do business, as well as a good place to live. These people do things. They realize anything worth having costs money. The citizens simply go down into their jeans and voluntarily contribute and Garden City has its desire.
The future of Garden City is great; it is already fixed; its moral uplook is high, and it has the wealth and business energy. Nothing can excel this. Come and see.
CHAPTER XX.
TOWNS AND CITIES, CONTINUED.
HARRISONVILLE.
LOCATED FOR COUNTY SEAT-NAMED IN HONOR OF ALBERT G. HARRISON-TOWN PLATTED-FIRST SETTLERS-PIONEER MERCHANTS-OLD COURT HOUSE- FIRST BRICK DWELLING-FIRST CHURCH-FIRST COURTS-EARLY USES OF COURT HOUSE-FIRST JAIL-DEVELOPMENT-INSTITUTIONS.
In 1835, pursuant to act of the Missouri General Assembly, David Waldo of Lafayette County, and Samuel Hink and William Brown, both of Jackson County, located Harrisonville. These commissioners were directed to locate the "seat of justice" near the center of the county (then Van Buren). In the performance of this duty they proceeded to the land which James Lackey had pre-empted, located in section 4, town- ship 44 of range 31, being parts of lots 4, 5 and 6 of the northeast quarter and parts of lots 4, 5 and 6 of the northwest quarter, all in section 4, township 44 of range 31, Cass County, Missouri, and there located the future metropolis and seat of justice of Cass County, Mis- souri. The land was donated by act of Congress for county seat pur- poses.
Fleming Harris was appointed by the county court of then Van Buren (now Cass) County, by order dated April 8, 1837, as town com- missioner for the town of Harrisonville, Van Buren County, Missouri. The patent for this original plat was issued by the general government to Fleming Harris, commissioner, bearing date July 1, 1845, recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds for Cass County, Missouri, in book 145 at page 572.
The town was named after Albert G. Harrison, member elect of
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the House of Representatives of the United States. He was one of the first two members elected in 1836 from Missouri.
The town was surveyed and platted into lots and blocks in 1837 by Martin Rice, county surveyor. The original plat of the town had but four streets, two running north and south on each side of the square (now Lexington and Independence streets), and two running east and west on each side of the square (now Wall and Pearl streets). Each of these streets were forty feet wide. The blocks (with few exceptions) were separated by fifteen foot alleys. On the 12th day of June 1837, appears this order: "On motion of the county court it is ordered that the town commissioner of the town of Harrisonville shall go on this day selling lots as follows: sell all the front lots facing on the public square at $20 each; if not sold at that price to be retained by the county, all other lots to be sold for $10 each or reserved by the county." The commissioner was further directed to commence selling lots at the north- east corner of the square.
The first settlers on and near the site of the town were James Lackey, John Blythe, Humphrey Hunt and Dr. Joseph Hudspeth. There may have been others whose names are not preserved to us.
Henry F. Baker was the pioneer merchant of the town, coming from the State of New York in 1837. His business house was built of logs at the present site of William T. Price's jewelry store. Here he kept a stock of general merchanidse, everything used in the country, from trace-chains to wearing apparel. The next merchants here were Wilson and Brooks, who located on the rear part of the lot where "The A-C Mercantile" store is now located. Soon following these came the Hans- brough brothers from Kentucky, Enoch, Milton and Dr. Gilford Hans- brough, and Joseph January, Price and Keller from Virginia, all mer- chants. Dr. Lynch Brooks from Kentucky was the first physician. The Wilsons, Joseph Davis, John Yancey, James Black, William Cook, Laswell and John Cummins were some of the other early business men of the town.
A few of today recall the brick court house removed for the present building. This old structure was let by contract in 1844 to Henry F. Baker. This structure when torn down showed brick on which deer track were imprinted. The story went that while Baker was forming and drying the brick for the building, droves of wild deer tramped over the yard and brick.
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John Cummins built the first brick dwelling in 1846 on the site where M. C. Robbins now lives. The next brick dwelling was built in the fifties by Abe Cassell, and is now standing across the street north from the present Cumberland Presbyterian church and known as the Dr. Thomas Beattie home place.
The first church erected was a frame building by the Baptists, on the present site of their church. It was the old New Hope congrega- tion first organized three miles southwest of Harrisonville, removing to town in 1844. This was removed in 1854, and replaced by the oblong brick building on the same lot, which in turn in 1883 gave place to the present brick building, which has undergone some remodeling.
The first fraternal order was the Masonic lodge, the Old Prairie Lodge No. 90, which ceased its activity at the opening of the war.
The first county court met at the residence of James W. Mcclellan, about three miles southeast of the present town of Peculiar, on Septem- ber 14, 1835. Present, James W. McClellan and William Savage, gen- tlemen justices of said court. William Lyon was appointed clerk, Grand River township was organized, other business transacted, and court adjourned to meet the second Monday in December next.
Judge John F. Ryland held the first term of the Circuit Court at the James W. McClellan home on the seventh day of December, 1835. At this meeting among other business transacted, Russel Hicks and Richard E. Rees were admitted to practice law.
The county court met, it is not known where, whether at the resi- dence of James Blakley or James W. McClellan, and made an order for the first court house to be built. This was April 8, 1837. The plan and specifications for the building were quite elaborate, but you could not tell from the order in what State or county it was to be built. Some tradition is that this building never was put up. The writer is of opinion this was the old log court house which early timers have said stood where C. Kelley's dwelling and the Deacon warehouse now stands. February 14, 1843, an order was made for a court house, and Charles Sims was appointed superintendent. This was the brick structure built in 1844 in the middle of the public square. This was the building which was torn down for the present court house. In 1860 an order was made for a new court house, but as the war came on the order was never carried into effect.
It would not be out of order here to recall the uses the early fron-
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tier court houses were put to. They were adapted to a variety of pur- poses and were of great usefulness. School was taught in the building, and here the gospel was preached and justice dispensed. Ministers of every sect and denomination eagerly expounded the simple truths of a sublime and beautiful religion. On the Sabbath sermons of the pioneer, with the earnest songs, called many erring wanderers to repentance. On Monday the building changed character of service; men went thither seeking not the mercies of God, but justice as administered by man. When not used for court, children were sent to the old time teacher there. New things largely have done away even with the present day inhabit- ant, with that regard and awe in which the old court houses were held.
In 1838 the first jail was erected on the Patrick lot north across the street from the present new Christian church; when and how this disappeared we are unable to learn. The second jail was erected north across the street from R. S. Woolridge's present residence, and east and on the same lot as A. S. Deacon's three story brick building prop- erty, on lot 12, block 4 of the original town of Harrisonville. The third jail building is the present, and which has undergone remodeling since its first erection or completion in 1871.
Passing over time of more than four score years, Harrisonville has witnessed but one bank failure, the First National, which closed its doors in July, 1893. This was not on account of its own mismanagement, but resulted from the failure of its correspondent in Kansas City. This bank was soon reorganized and continued business. At times, dark has been the shadows overhanging our time in social and business ways.
The sterling integrity and able business qualifications of the lead- ing men have developed the town with credit. Harrisonville has never enjoyed any "mushroom boom," but has always been safe and depend- able. Harrisonville of today presents a great field for both laborer and investor. A little city of the fourth class, located forty miles south of Kansas City, the mighty city of the center of the Union, with resources of brawn and bullion unlimited, we are but a suburb and share in all the city's prosperity. Our wideawake and progressive men have come to the front by sheer force of merit and energy. Around us stretch out these beautiful prairies, graceful hills and valleys, all ready to deposit their prodigious products into our little city. It is surrounded by an agricultural district such as is no where else to be found. The corn, the fruits, the grasses, the wheat, what is it that nature hasn't given us !
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We invite all peoples to a clean well governed town. Good streets and granitoid sidewalks all over the city, electric light, telephone and water work system. Transportation here is unrivaled, with four main lines of railroad, diverging in all directions. There are three well capi- taled and well managed banks. Three newspapers creditable to any county, factories, mills, foundries, and every conceivable business are found here. All are well and honestly managed. It is a delightful and pleasant place to make a home. For business, for home comforts, for investments, the city stands without an equal. The center of a great county, the home of a God-loving and God-serving people, her churches and schools speak loudly of the culture and character of her people.
CHAPTER XXI.
TOWNS AND CITIES, CONTINUED.
PLEASANT HILL.
LOCATION-LARGEST TOWN IN COUNTY-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES-BANKS-NEWS- PAPERS-LODGES-FIRST MASONIC LODGE IN THE COUNTY-BUSINESS EN- TERPRISES-PLATTED IN 1844-FIRST SETTLEMENT-EARLY MERCHANTS- COUNTY SEAT TROUBLE-ERA OF GREAT PROSPERITY.
This is one of the old towns of the county, situate in north and eastern part of the county, on the main line of the Missouri Pacific railroad where the Lexington and Southern connects with the main Missouri Pacific railroad, thirty-three miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, and twelve miles northeast of Harrisonville, the county seat. The original town was located on a high hill about two miles northeast of the present railroad depot. When the town moved to the railroad it retained the old name. It is the shipping point of a very rich agri- cultural and stock raising country. The city is probably the largest town in the county and is substantially built. There are three public schools. The Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Congregational, Protestant Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South, Old School Presbyterian and Cumberland Presbyterian denominations have pleasant commodious buildings and their several devotees work at their religious professions.
The finances of the city and surrounding country are managed by the Citizens Bank, the Pleasant Hill Banking Company, the Commercial Bank and Farmers National Bank. The city has two well managed and edited papers, "The Local" and "The Times," both democratic in politics. The Masons and Odd Fellows have long held lodges there. There is a claim that the Masons organized a lodge there in 1854, and that this
SHELTER HOUSE, OAKLAND CEMETERY, HARRISONVILLE, MO.
ANGLER'S CLUB HOUSE, PLEASANT HILL, MO.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
was the first lodge in the county. This lodge suspended during the War of the Rebellion and reorganized, following the close of the war. Other lodges are well represented.
A great business is done here, besides its flouring mills, elevators and the Kellogg Flower Garden. Many other manufactories and shops are doing a thriving and successful business. The present population is about 2,500. The town now extends over the old hill as well as over and around the bottoms or railroad yards, by reason of the several addi- tions to the town.
Uptown was platted in 1844 by M. W. Wright. It was incorpo- rated as a city in 1859. Dr. Logan McReynolds was the first mayor. In 1866 the old act of incorporation was amended and specially chartered by act of the legislature (Acts 1867, page 53).
The first settlements on the town site were made by William H. Duncan and Walter H. Taylor, who bought out an old French trader and storekeeper and moved the store to this place. Other early mer- chants were William Ferrell, M. W. Wright, N. E. Harrelson, Rice and Davy, Clayton VanHoy, William H. Palmer and John M. Armstrong. During the War of the Rebellion the town was practically depopulated.
Following this war came the troubles between Pleasant Hill and Harrisonville over a new county and the county seat. This aided and precipitated our county bond troubles, treated elsewhere.
From the close of the war, up to 1873, this town experienced a phenominal degree of prosperity. Its trade was simply immense. It reached far west into Kansas, as far south as Arkansas and divided the trade east to the Missouri River. Town lots then sold for thousands of dollars each, the same lots can now be bought for ten dollars each. The panic of 1873 wrought havoc to Pleasant Hill, as it did to many other towns, and in fact the whole country.
All these effects have passed away, the business of this city is again substantially founded and prosperous. Pleasant Hill is on the map and is a desirable place to live, invest your money in its property and to do any business, trade or establish manufactories. Its people are wide- awake, hospitable and up to latest business methods.
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