USA > Missouri > Platte County > History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 11
USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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Merchants' licenses were $15 ; grocers', $5 and $10.
From the records of the county court - indisputable evidence - it appears that among other industries Lewis Scott had a tanyard in 1825 ; Ely & Curtis operated a distillery in 1826 ; and John Baxter had a saddle and harness shop in Liberty in 1827.
Mills followed the first settlers. Smith's sketch in the Atlas says the first horse-mill was built near Liberty in 1821, by Samuel Tilford
1 At that date a "grocer " sold more whisky than coffee and sugar, and a " gro- cery " was understood to be a place where ardent spirits were retailed.
(100)
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
" and ground only corn." Probably there was nothing else to grind. The buhrstones of this mill were made of " lost rocks," as are some- times called the granite boulders scattered over the county, relics of the glacial period. Four other mills were in existence certainly as early as 1826 - Manchester's mill, on Shoal creek; William and Joel Estes' mill, on Fishing river ; Smith's mill, on Smith's fork, and Hixon's mill.
David D. Moore had a mill on Big Shoal creek, in the south- western part of the county, in 1830.
A serious obstacle to the settlement of Clay county was the diffi- culty of crossing the Missouri, then more so than now a turbid, troublesome stream, with its shifting currents and channels, its treach- erous bars and shoals, and, when at a high stage, its almost irresistible tides. Trifles and insignificant circumstances often directed a settler's location, and many a man located on the south side of the Missouri because of the difficulty of crossing to the north side. The first ferries whose owners lived in this county were Joseph Boggs', established in 1825 ; Richard Linville's the same year; John Thornton's in 1826, and Frost's about the year 1828. Linville, in 1826, disposed of his ferry to an old Frenchman named Calisse Montargee, commonly called " Calisse " ( pronounced Caleece ). He ran it until in 1830, when he sold it to Benj. Hancock.
Old Calisse was an eccentric character. He was one of the first settlers in the county, coming here soon after the War of 1812, first as a trapper and voyageur. He had a landing on the river, known as Calisse's landing, on fractional section 18-50-32, or a mile south of the present site of Moscow. He ran his ferry from this landing.
Aaron Overton had a ferry over the Missouri, at the mouth of Rose's branch, in May, 1830. It and all the other ferries were pro- pelled by oars, or sweeps, and it was a good half day's work to take the boat over to the south side and bring back an emigrant wagon.
Schools were established early. Smith's sketch states that a few steps south of the Baptist Church, in Liberty, was built a log school- house as early as 1821, the first in the county, and that the first school was taught there by Judge Sibron G. Sneed. There may be and probably is a mistake in the statement that this house was built as early as 1821, but there was certainly a school-house in Liberty in 1823. In 1825 there was a good school-house near Benjamin Samp- son's in the southwestern portion of the county (elections were held in it), but the name of the first teacher can not here and now be given.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
There was also a church, or as the records call it " a meeting- house," near Mr. Sampson's, in 1825.
Upon the first settlement of the county Government land was $2 per acre, and the nearest land office was at Old Franklin, in Howard county. In about 1825 the price of land was reduced to $1.25 per acre, and the land office was removed not long afterward to Lexing- ton.1 A number of the farms in this county were taken as "New Madrid claims."
The term "New Madrid claim " may thus be explained to those who do not understand it: After the great earthquake at and in the vicinity of New Madrid, in December, 1811, Congress passed an act for the relief of the settlers who had been injured by that great con- vulsion of nature, giving each of them certain favors and privileges in regard to re-entering or locating land in other parts of the State. In some instances this relief amounted to an absolute grant of land. The act was passed February 17, 1815, and was entitled, " An act for the relief of the inhabitants of the late ( ?) county of New Madrid, in Mis- souri Territory, who suffered by earthquakes."
In 1827 a United States military post was established on the site of the present Fort Leavenworth, an incident of importance to this county, since it furnished a market for horses, mules and supplies, and also gave employment to a number of our citizens, contractors and others. In a letter to the compiler, Gen. R. C. Drum, Adjutant- General of the United States, says : "It appears from the records of this office that Cantonment Leavenworth, on the site of the present Fort Leavenworth, was first established by Cos. B, D, E and H, Third Infantry, under Col. Henry Leavenworth ( who was its first commandant, and for whom it was named ), about April 1, 1827."
In the summer of 1826 came the first " big rise " in the Missouri. The bottom lands were overflowed and the settlers thereon were forced to remove to higher ground. Though there was some inconvenience and even damage and distress at first, the flood proved a blessing in disguise to the county in general. Many of the pioneers were afraid of the highlands, and especially of the prairies, but now they preferred them to the bottoms, which, as they could see, were liable annually to be submerged by the mighty, tawny waters of the Missouri, bringing destruction and devastation and leaving malaria and pestilence. So now, the uplands of the county were tested and found to be good, and thus the whole county began to settle up.
1 The Atlas sketch says this was in 1822, but there was no Lexington in 1822.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
Upon the first settlement of the country many of the pioneers shared the expressed opinion of Dr. Beck, given on another page, and held that the prairies were and always would be practically valueless ; but there were others who knew good soil when they saw it, and did not hesitate to say that the Clay county prairies were fertile and would produce well. There was a serious obstacle in the way of their cul- tivation, however. At that day there were no plows strong enough to tear up the thick, tough sod. The plows then in vogue were light affairs, with small iron ( chiefly cast-iron) points, and wooden mold- boards. These were wholly insufficient for prairie breaking. After a time stronger plows were introduced, the prairie sod was trodden and became less substantial, and prairie farms became very popular.
FIRST SESSIONS OF THE COUNTY COURT.
February 11, 1822, the first county court of Clay county convened at the house of John Owens, which stood on what is now lot 186, on the northwest corner of Water and Mill streets, in the city of Liberty. There were present the county justices, John Thornton, Elisha Cam- ron 1 and James Gilmor, who exhibited their commissions, signed by Gov. Alexander McNair, and took their seats. (Thornton and Cam- ron had previously been justices of the county court of Ray county ). William L. Smith was appointed county clerk, with Col. Shubael Allen and John Shields as secretaries. Smith had been clerk of Ray county.
The court first proceeded to the appointment of certain other officers of the county for the year 1822, viz. : William Hall, assessor ; Jesse Gilliam, collector ; Samuel Tilford, John Hutchings, Howard Averatt, 2 Richard Linville and Benjamin Sampson, commissioners " to preserve from waste the school lands lying in this county." All of these, except William Hall, were present in court and took the oath of office. John Harris was sheriff; he had been sheriff of Ray county.
It is said that the court room was Mr. Owens' sitting room, vacated by the family for the occasion. Old Zadock Martin was present, and seemed to hold the entire proceedings in contempt, and so the first order of the court was the imposition of a fine of $1 on Mr. Martin for his said contempt. Whereupon Zadock awoke to a realization of
1 Judge Camron died in this county June 2, 1853, aged sixty-nine. As he wrote it himself his name was spelled as here printed, but latterly it is spelled with an e. The city of Cameron was named for him.
2 Afterward and now spelled Everett.
2
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
the fact that this really was a court, with power to protect its dignity and punish affronts thereupon, and so he made apology, and the fine was subsequently remitted. Martin was afterward a county judge himself, and he it was who is said to have been the first American actual settler in Platte county, whither he removed in 1827, and established a ferry on Platte river, at the crossing of the military road from Liberty to Fort Leavenworth.
On the second day of the term the newly appointed assessor, Wm. Hall, appeared and took the oath of office. The court determined to establish a precedent for economy in the administration of the county government and made the following order: -
Ordered, That the sum of one dollar only per day be charged by the justices of this court for their services ; and it is further ordered that the same economy be observed by all persons who shall have claims against the county.
Money was scarce that day, and the judges wisely determined that the county ought to live within its income. Mr. Owens was allowed $2 for the use of his house as a court room during the two days' ses- sion, and then the court adjourned.
The court made no order dividing the county into municipal town- ships - at least none is to be found. It seemed to accept the division which had previously been made by the Ray county court - of two townships, Fishing River and Gallatin. The line between these town- ships ran north and south, dividing the county nearly into halves.
A special session was held at Owens' March 9, 1822, at which Judges Thornton and Gilmor were present. Jesse Gilliam gave bond as collector, and Wm. Hall was appointed assessor in Gallatin town- ship, and Pleasant Adams assessor of the State taxes for Fishing River.
At the regular May term, 1822, all the justices were present, and John Thornton was made presiding judge. George Halfacre and James Williams were nominated to the Governor as suitable persons to be commissioned as justices of the peace for Fishing River town- ship. Preparations were made for holding the August election in the two townships, as follows : -
In Fishing river, the house of James Munker was designated as the voting place, and Thos. Officer, Howard Averatt and Bailey George were appointed judges of the election. In Gallatin township, the house of John Owens, in Liberty, was named as the voting place, and the judges of election were James McClelland, John Evans and John McKissick.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
The first roads established by the Clay county court were ordered surveyed or reviewed at this term. Those already in use had been make by the Ray court. The first road established by our court was one from Liberty to the intersection of a road leading to Bluffton, on the Missouri river, which was then the county seat of Ray county. This road was directed to be surveyed " from the county line, where the road leading from Bluffton strikes said line; from thence by Col. [Martin] Palmer's, taking the dividing ridge between Fish- ing river and the Missouri; thence with the said ridge to the line ranges 30 and 31, and from thence to the county seat by the nearest between and most practicable route." The commissioners were Joseph Hutchings, Jacob McKoy, Thos. Estes, Elisha Hall and Elijah Smith.
Other roads were established as follows: A road leading from the north end of Main street, in Liberty, " the nearest and best way to the prairie in the direction of Magill's.". Commissioners, John Owens, Eppa Tillery, Ezekiel Huffman and John Hall. A road " leading from the court house [John Owens'] in Liberty, the nearest and best way to Andrew Russell's, from thence to the [State ] boundary line." Commissioners, Mitchell Poage, South Malott, Aaron Roberts and Andrew Russell. The settlers had already begun to push out as far as possible, or was safe, and settlements were being made on the western frontiers, and roads were needed for communi- cation with the outer world.
At this term David Manchester was appointed county surveyor, and Joshua Adams assessor for Fishing River township. Mr. Adams was selected to assist Mr. Hall, the county assessor, who, owing to the size of the county at that time, could attend to his duties in but one township, Gallatin, in time for the June levy.
Some idea of the character of the county at this time can be gained from the report of Jesse Gilliam, the county collector, who stated to the court that he had issued six retail licenses (at $5 each), thus showing that there were six retail stores in the county in the spring of 1822. These, of course, were not comparable with the establishments of to-day, but their stocks were limited to the necessaries of pioneer life at that day. Some of the merchants in the county this year were Essex & Hough and Robert Hood.
FIRST CIRCUIT COURT.
March 4, 1822, the first circuit court of Clay county was held at the house of John Owens -in Liberty - David Todd, judge ; Wm. L.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
Smith, clerk ; Hamilton R. Gamble, circuit attorney,1 and John Har- ris, sheriff. The court was in session two days, and had for grand jurors : Richard Linville, foreman ; Zachariah McGree, Benj. Samp- son, Robert Y. Fowler, Zachariah Averett, Howard Averett, John Ritchie, James Munker, John Evans, Thomas Estes, Andrew Robert- son, Richard Hill, David Magill, Walker McClelland, Robert Poage, Samuel Tilford, David Gregg, Wm. Allen, Elisha Hall and James Williams. There was no trial jury until the July term, in the case of " The State vs. Jonathan Camron." Indictment for affray. The jurors were : Abijah Means, Richard Chaney, Abraham Creek, John Bartleson, James Gladdin, Francis T. Slaughter, Enos Vaughn, Andrew Copelin, John Carrell, Matthew Averett, Eppa Tillery and Samuel Magill. Verdict, " Not guilty." There was no fixed place for holding court, it being sometimes held under the arbor of a tree, until 1832, when the first court house was built.
The first attorney admitted to practice before our circuit court was Dabney Carr, at the first term.
Judge David Todd was born in Fayette county, Ky., in 1790. He came to Missouri at an early day and located at Old Franklin, How- ard county. He was well known and long remembered as an able and upright judge and a pure man. Judge Todd died at Columbia, Boone county, in 1859. Hamilton R. Gamble was born in Winchester county, Va., November 29, 1798 ; came to St. Louis in 1818, and in 1819 to Old Franklin ; was appointed prosecuting attorney in 1822; Secretary of State in 1824, and Supreme Court Judge in 1851. In 1861, when Claib. Jackson was deposed, he was made Provisional Governor. He died in 1864.
THREE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES.
In the month of May, 1823, a roving band of Iowa Indians passed through this county on their way down to the Grand river country. Three of these Indians stole three horses from Ezekiel Huffman and other citizens of this county, and carried them off to the encampment on Grand river, above where Brunswick now stands.
The chiefs of the tribe gave information to the authorities, and on . an affidavit of John P. Gates, the Hon. David Todd, then judge of the first judicial circuit, issued a warrant directed to the sheriff of Chari- ton county, where the Indians then were, directing him to arrest the
1 At this term Mr. Gamble was not present. Hon. Abiel Leonard, then deputy cir- cuit attorney for the first circuit in the counties of Clay, Ray, Lillard, Saline and Cole attended.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
three culprits, whose names were given as Cha-pa-har-lar, or Buffalo Nose ; Mon-to-kar, or White Briar, and Ton-tar-ru-rhue-che, or Where he is Crossing. Subpoenas were also issued for War-sen-nee, or The End of Medicine ; War-hu-kea, or Moccasin Awl; Monk-she-kon-nah, a Valiant Man, Won-chee-mon-nee, " chiefs of the said Ioway nation of Indians."
The Indians were duly arrested,1 and brought before Judge Todd, at Fayette, on the 5th of July. Their preliminary examination resulted in their commitment to the Howard county jail. On the 7th they were again brought before Judge Todd by Sheriff Ben B. Ray, of Howard county. The judge ordered " the said Indians committed to the custody of the sheriff of Chariton county, to be forthwith re- manded to the sheriff of Clay county, to await their further trial before the circuit court of Clay county on the first day of the next term, in default of giving bail in $200 each." 2
But on the night of the 8th of July the prisoners contrived to escape from their guards, as witness the following return of the deputy sheriff of Chariton county, in whose custody they were : -
On the 7th of July the within named Indians were delivered into my custody. I summoned Thos. Smith, Joel King and Thos. Jack as a guard, who kept them under custody until the night of the 8th inst., when the said Indians made their escape and have not since been apprehended.
ALEXANDER TRENT,
July 11, 1823. Deputy Sheriff Chariton County.
The Indians were never recaptured, but it is understood that the stolen horses were recovered by Huffman and his neighbors. This is the only instance now to be found where the Indians committed any seri- ous offense against our people after the year 1822, or the organization of the county.
THE FIRST MURDER CASE - EXECUTION OF THE MURDERESS, A NEGRO WOMAN.
Some time in the summer of 1828 (probably in June ), a slave woman named Annice murdered her children, and the crime having been discovered she was arrested and indicted. At the July term of the circuit court following she was arraigned and tried before a jury 1
1 The arrest was effected by a posse composed of Maj. Daniel Ashby, John M. Bell, Peregrine Earickson and Christian Houser, who, the return says, were " on the search for three days."
2 See the papers in this case, on file in the circuit clerk's office.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
composed of Charles English, Benedict Weldon, Mayberry. Mitchell, David Bevins, Abraham Creek, Josiah Thorp, John Hardwicke, Ed- mund Munday, David Hamilton, James Gray, Lewis Shelton and Nathan Chaney. Of these David Bevins and Josiah Thorp are yet living.
Annice belonged to a Mr. Prior, who lived near Greenville, in the northeastern part of the county. The family went away from home, and the negress decoyed her children to the woods and to a small stream, a branch of Fishing river. In a deep pool formed by a small water-fall she threw two (or three) of her youngest children and drowned them. She was chasing another, her oldest, when she was discovered.
The proof was positive as to the guilt of the accused, and Judge David Todd sentenced her to. be hung on the 23d day of August following. There was no appeal of the case, no pardon, no com- mutation, no postponement of the execution, and the wretched crea- ture was hung on the day appointed, by Col. Shubael Allen, the then sheriff. The execution came off in the northern part of Liberty.
DR. BECK DESCRIBES CLAY COUNTY IN 1822.
Beck's Gazetteer of Missouri, published in 1823, has the following concerning Clay county : -
Clay county was erected from Ray in 1822. It is bounded north and west by the boundary lines of the State, east by the county of Ray, and south by Lillard. Its form is that of a parallelogram, about 100 miles in length, and 21 in breadth ; containing an area of about 2,000 square miles. The southern boundary is washed by the Mis- souri river ; the interior is well washed by Fishing river, and several other small streams, running in a southerly and westerly direction. The lands are generally elevated, and in the northern part approaching to hilly. Of the fertility of this county and the inducements which it offers to emigrants, I need not adduce a more convincing proof than the fact that but two or three years since it was a complete wilderness without a single white inhabitant ; while at present its population is not less than 1,000. The country north and west is owned and in- habited by hordes of Indians.
Clay county is attached to the first judicial circuit ; sends one mem- ber to the House of Representatives, and with Ray, Lillard and Chari- ton, one to the Senate.
Speaking of the prairies in this quarter of the State, Dr. Beck says : -
The prairies, although generally fertile, are so very extensive, that they must for a great length of time, and perhaps forever, remain
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
wild and uncultivated; yet such is the enterprise of the Ameri- can citizens - such the immigration to the West, that it almost amounts to presumption to hazard an opinion on the subject. Perhaps before the expiration of ten years, instead of being bleak and deso- late, they may have been converted into immense grazing fields, cov- ered with herds of cattle. It is not possible, however, that the interior of the prairies can be inhabited ; for, setting aside the difficulty of obtaining timber, it is on other accounts unpleasant and uncom- fortable. In winter the northern and western blasts are excessively cold, and the snow is drifted like hills and mountains, so as to render it impossible to cross from one side to the other. In summer, on the contrary, the sun acting upon such an extensive surface, and the southerly winds, which uniformly prevail during this season, produce a degree of heat almost insupportable.
It should not, by any means, be understood these objections apply to all the prairies. The smaller ones are not subject to these incon- veniences ; on the contrary, they are by far the most desirable and pleasant situations for settlement.
There are those of this description in the county of which we are treat- ing, surrounded by forests, and containing here and there groves of the finest timber, watered by beautiful running streams, presenting an elevated, rolling or undulating surface, and a soil rarely equaled in fertility.
" THE RING TAILED ' PAINTER.' "
In 1826 the first State Senator for the district composed of Ray and Clay was elected. Hitherto the district had been represented by Gen. Duff Green, of Howard. The successful candidate in 1826 was Martin Parmer (or Palmer), of Clay, who lived on Fishing river, in the southeastern part of the county. Parmer was a " statesman" somewhat of the David Crockett species, uneducated, illiterate and uncultivated, but possessing natural good sense, a considerable amount of shrewdness, and an acquaintanceship with the ways of the world. An incident that occurred during Palmer's career as State Senator is thus described in Wetmore's Gazetteer : -
When the time approached for the meeting of the Legislature, Palmer loaded a small keel with salt on the Missouri, above Harde- man's plantation, and having taken the helm himself, manned the vessel with his son and a negro. Uniting, as he did, business and politics, while afloat on the river he stood astride of the tiller, with a newspaper in hand (not more than six weeks old ), out of which he was spelling, with all his might, some of the leading points of a poli- tical essay. At this critical period the assemblyman was reminded by his vigilant son in the bow of the break of a " sawyer head." " Wait a minnit," said he, " until I spell out this other crack-jaw ; it's longer than the barrel of my rifle gun," but the current of the Mis-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
souri was no respecter of persons or words, the river " went ahead," and the boat ran foul of the nodding obstruction, and was thrown on her beam ends. The next whirlpool turned her keel uppermost. The cargo was discharged into the bowels of the deep, and there his " salt lost its savor." The negro, in a desperate struggle for life, swam for the shore, but the steersman, who, like a politician, determined to stick to the ship as he would to his party, as long as a timber or a fish floated, continued to keep uppermost.
Having divested themselves of their apparel, to be in readiness for swimming, the father and son continued astride the keel, until the wreck was landed at the town of Franklin. Here the old hunter, who was a lean citizen, was kindly supplied by a stout gentleman with a svit of his own clothes, which hung, like the morals of the politician, rather loosely about him. The sufferers by shipwreck were invited into the habitation of a gentleman who dwelt near the shore on which they had been cast.
While recounting their perils at the breakfast table, the lady, who was administering coffee, inquired of the politician if his little son had not been greatly alarmed. "No, madam," said he, " I am a real ring-tail painter, and I feed all my children on rattlesnakes' hearts, fried in painter's grease. There are a heap of people that I would not wear crape for if they was to die before their time; but your husband, marm, I allow, had a soul as big as a court house. When we war floating, bottom uppermost (a bad situation for the people's representative ), past Hardeman's garden, we raised the yell, like a whole team of bar-dog on a wild cat's trail; and the black rascals on the shore, instead of coming to our assistance, only grinned up the nearest saplin, as if a buck possum had treed. Now, madam, I wish God Almighty's yearthquakes would sink Hardeman's d-ned planta- tion - begging your pardon for swearing madam, with my feet on your beautiful kiverlid here. May be you wouldent like me to spit on this kiverlid you have spread on the floor to keep it clean ; I'll go to the door - we don't mind putting anything over our puncheon floors. " The river, marm," continued the guest, " I find is no respecter of persons, for I was cast away with as little ceremony, notwithstand- ing I am the people's representative, as a stray bar-dog would be turned out of a city church ; and upon this principle of Democratic liberty and equality it was that I told McNair, when I collared him and backed him out of the gathering at a shooting match, where he was likely to spoil the prettiest kind of a fight. 'A Governor,' said I, ' is no more in a fight than any other man.' I slept with Mac. once, just to have it to say to my friends on Fishing river that I had slept with the Governor."
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