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 12

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1156

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 12
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 12

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).

MISCELLANEOUS.

A special session of the county court in June, 1822, was devoted to arranging for the collection of taxes. A levy of 50 per cent of the amount of the State tax was made for county purposes, and it was

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

ordered that " all taxes collected for county purposes be paid in gold or silver coin." In August following, however, this order was rescinded, the court saying that they " doubted the legality " of making nothing but gold and silver receivable for taxes. The collec- tor was ordered to pay back what specie he had already received on the receipt of its equivalent in loan office or county certificates.

At the August term, 1822, the court made an order for the erection of the first public structure built by the county. This was a " stray pen " or pound for the restraining of animals running at large under certain circumstances. It was 60 feet square, built of posts and rails, by Jonathan Reed, and cost the county $29.871.

Road commissioners, to lay off roads and allot hands to work the same, were appointed, viz. : For Fishing River township, John Hutchings and Thomas Officer; for Gallatin, John Thornton and James Gilmor. Chesley Woodward was appointed overseer of the road leading from Liberty to the prairie, "in the direction of Magill's."

In November, 1822, Jesse Gilliam, the county collector, made his first report. The total tax list of the county was $142.772, and of this he had collected $140.271, leaving a delinquent list of but $2.50. What the delinquent list would have been had the court insisted on the payment of gold and silver can only be conjectured, but doubtless it would have been much larger.

At this term the first guardians were appointed : Richard Linville and Thomas Frost were appointed guardians of Gilbert, Thomas, Josiah, Joshua, Benjamin, Polly, Ann and Hannah Frost, children under fourteen, of Elijah Frost, deceased.

The county court was in session nine days in the year 1822.

In November, 1824, the court appointed the first patrol, one company for the entire county, as follows : Captain, Leban Garrett ; privates, Claiborne Rice and Charles Magee. There were only enough slaves in the county at the time to justify the appointment of but this one · company.

The tax list in 1824 amounted to $225.524.

Merchants in 1824 were Wm. Samuels & Co., Ely & Curtis, Hick- man & Lammes and Robert Hood.

In February, 1825, six saloons or dram-shops and one billiard table were licensed in the county. The latter was charged $50 for the priv- ilege of running one year. Our first settlers were men like some of their descendants and loved their toddy. But while Clay county, in 1825, with a population of 4,000 had six saloons, in 1885, sixty years

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

later, with a population of nearly 20,000, she has not one saloon, and has not had for many years.

In the fall of the previous year ( 1824) a road had been established through the county leading to " the Council Bluffs," and in the early spring of this year another was laid out from Liberty to the Missouri river, " at a certain blue bank."

Under an act of the Legislature, passed the previous session, the jus- tices of the peace of the county constituted the county court, and at the March term, 1825, there assembled at Liberty George Burnett and Sebron G. Sneed, Esqs., of Gallatin township, and George Huf- faker and Howard Averett, of Fishing River. They paid Benj. Simms " for repairing the court house and for furnishing benches " and also paid Nathaniel Patton, of Old Franklin, Howard county, for publishing in his paper, the Boone's Lick Democrat, the receipts and expendi- tures of the county for the year 1824. At that time the Democrat was the paper published nearest to this county.

Thornton Strother and Sebron G. Sneed were recommended to the Governor for commissions as justices of the peace of Gallatin town- ship, at the August term, this year. At this time Sneed's house, in Liberty, was used to hold courts and elections in, and was called a court house. It is said that it was a vacant building owned by Judge Sneed.

TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES DEFINED - FORMATION OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

At the March term, 1825, Liberty township was created by the fol- lowing order of the county court : -

Ordered, That the following boundaries hereafter constitute the townships of this county : -

All that part of this county which lies between the line dividing Ray and Clay counties to the sectional line running north and south, di- viding sections 9 and 10, in the tier of townships in range 31, be and constitute Fishing River township.

All that part of the county which lies between said sectional line dividing sections 9 and 10, in townships 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57, in range 31, to the first sectional line running north and south in range 32, be and constitute a new township, to be called and known as Liberty township.

All of that part of the county which lies west of said sectional line dividing sections 1 and 2, in townships 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57, in range 32, to the western boundary of the county constitute and hereafter be known and designated as Gallatin township.

In the following August these boundaries were changed. The

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

western boundary of Fishing River was made the section line between sections 2 and 3, in range 31, which is now (1885) the eastern line of Liberty. The western boundary of Liberty was made the line be- tweeń sections 2 and 3, in range 32, a mile west of the present bound- ary of the township. Gallatin township comprised the western portion of the county. All the townships extended northward from the Missouri river to the northern boundary of the State.

The previous year, at the August term, a petition was presented for the creation of Liberty township out of Gallatin, but the court refused to grant the prayer of the petitioners, saying: -

Upon consideration, it appears to the court that the signers to said petition, or a large majority of them, reside in or near to the town of Liberty, the county seat, and therefore can not labor under much inconvenience in consequence of the size of the township ; and it moreover appears that said petition, being presented so soon after the election, has been gotten up on improper grounds, and is, therefore, rejected.

ROADS AND FERRIES IN 1825.

In May a road was laid out from Liberty to Thornton's ferry, on the Missouri, " at or near the Blue bank." Another from Liberty to the Missouri river, " at the boat landing at the town of Gallatin." Another from Liberty " to the mouth of the Kansas river."

In September Joseph Boggs was licensed to keep a ferry across the Missouri river, " from the bank near where Wyatt Adkins lives." He was allowed to charge the following rates : " For a loaded wagon and team, $2; empty wagon and team, $1.50 ; loaded cart and team, $1 ; for a dearborn and horses, or gig and horses, 622 cents; man and horse, 37¿ cents; single person, 182 cents; horses, each, 182 cents ; sheep, hogs, and cattle, 3 cents each." In November Richard Lin- ville was licensed to keep a ferry on the Missouri, from a point in section 18, township 50, range 32, " where Louis Barthelette now lives," a mile south of the present site of Moscow. Judge Linville was allowed to charge the same rates as Boggs.

MISCELLANEOUS.

In the spring of 1825 Philip Logan and Wm. Murray engaged in an affray, or fisticuff, one day, in Liberty, and were arrested and con- victed before Esq. Seron G. Sneed, who sentenced them to pay a fine and costs. Not having any money they were sent to Lillard county jail. When they had served " in gaol " a sufficient time to liquidate the fine they were released upon making oath that they were unable

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

to pay the costs and the county court ordered their release. Thomas Young, another convicted and imprisoned fighter, asked for his release, but the court said he should remain in confinement "the time pre- scribed by the verdict of the jury." Logan and Murray were arrested the same summer charged with arson.

Elections in 1825 were held : In Gallatin township, at. Benj. Samp- son's ; judges, Zadock Martin, Sr., Harmon Davis and Benj. Sampson. In Liberty, at the town ; judges, John Evans, George Lincoln and John Bartleson. In Fishing River, at James Munker's ; judges, Wm. Miller, Thos. Officer and Jeremiah Rose.

New merchants this year were Joshua Pallen and F. P. Chouteau, the latter a well known trader. This year, 1825, the county court records mention " a meeting house, near Benj. Sampson's," in the southwest part of the county.

COURT PROCEEDINGS IN 1826.

In February, township 51, range 31, including Liberty and the country east and south for five or six miles, was incorporated as the first school township in the county under the act of the Legislature of 1825.

At the same session the court provided for a seal of the following design : " Device - A plough and rake, with the sun immediately over the plough, the rays of which point in every direction." The words : "Seal of Clay county, Missouri," were to be " on the outer margin and circle."

In May the first steps were taken to build a court house ; Wm. Averett was allowed $30 per year for the support of his insane son ; and Abraham Lincoln (uncle of the " martyr President " ), Reuben Tillery and Abraham Creek were appointed reviewers of a road from Liberty to Estes' mill, on Fishing river.

Elections were held this year in Gallatin township, "at the school house near Mr. Sampson's, in said township ;" judges, Wm. Todd, Benj. Sampson and Hermon Davis. In Fishing River, at James Mun- ker's ; judges, Peter Writesman, William Miller and Travis Finley. In Liberty, at the court house ; judges, James E. Hale, John Evans and Samuel Tilford.

This year Reuben Tillery, the county assessor, was twenty days in assessing the county.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Patrolers were appointed in 1827 as follows: In Fishing River township, Roland Starks, captain ; Smith Story and Littleberry Sub-

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

lette. In Gallatin, Hiram Fugate, captain; Robert Cain, John Gumm, Daniel Hughes, John S. Mallott. In Liberty, Thos. Estes, captain ; David Lincoln, Lewis Scott, Robert Johnson. Their duties required them to patrol at last 24 hours in every month.

The Legislature of 1827 repealed the law providing that the justices of the peace should be ex-officio county judges, and in June, pursuant to this act, the county court of Clay assembled, being composed of Elisha Camron, Samuel Tillery and Joel Turnham, all of whom pre- sented commissions signed by Gov. John Miller, appointing them county judges for a term of four years.

The first deeds of emancipation were issued in 1828. In February Henry Estes emancipated " Tom, a man of color," and John Evans set free " Sylvia, a woman of color." In May Joseph Collett, who was himself a " man of color," but free, purchased and emancipated " Hannah," a slave woman, and her two children, " America " and " Eliza." It is quite certain that the woman was or became Collet's wife. In 1836 Collet and his wife were granted license to remain in the State as long as they should be of good behavior. No other cases of emancipation are recorded until 1834, when John Robidoux, the founder of the city of St. Joseph, gave freedom to one Jeffrey Dorney.

The receipts of the county from all sources during the year 1829 were $1,231.39 ; the expenditures were $960.26.

Wm. L. Smith, county clerk, resigned in January, 1831, and Wm. T. Wood (afterwards the distinguished lawyer and jurist of Lexing- ton) was appointed in his stead. David R. Atchison and Andrew S. Hughes were licensed to practice before the county court at this time.

VALUATION OF PROPERTY IN 1829.

Perhaps a definite idea of the value of personal property in Clay county in early days may be obtained from the appraisement of Ar- chibald Holtzclaw's estate, in 1829, and the prices at which the pro- perty was sold. Mr. Holtzclaw's estate was very large and valuable, and his property was divided among his children at the following values : -

Jincy, a crippled slave girl, 30 years old

$100

Anthony, Jincy's child, 1 year old

100

Susan, a slave, 14 years old .

300

Henry, a slave, 13 years old

. 336

Isaac, a slave, 25 years old

· 450

George, a slave, 13 years old

. 316

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Other personal property had the following sworn values : A horse and side-saddle, $40 ; cow and calf, $7.50 ; sow and five pigs, $1.50 ; sheep, each, $1; a flax wheel, $3 ; a cotton wheel, $3; flag-bottomed chairs, 50 cents each ; Bible and hymn-book, $1.50 ; skillet, $1.25; a good horse, $25.

THE INDIAN ALARM OF 1828.

In the summer of 1828 there was another Indian alarm in this county. Some white men up in what is now Clinton county had sold some whisky to a band of Iowa Indians. The latter became uproar- iously drunk, and in the absence of a town, began to paint the prairies red. Of course, an alarm spread that the Indians were on the war- path, and were about to descend on the settlements in Clay.

Capt. Wm. Stephenson, of near Liberty, at the head of 63 armed and mounted men set out at once for the scene of the reported troubles, intending, if the Indians were really advancing, to meet them at least half way. The men furnished their own horses, rifles, provisions and equipments. Some of the members of this company were Anthony Harsell, Alex. B. Duncan, Thos. Vaughan, Wm. Campbell and " Pelig " Ellington.

The company was organized at Liberty, and rendezvoused the first night out at John Owens', three miles north of Smithville. From thence it went up on Big Platte - being accompanied by Gen. Andrew S. Hughes - then north of where Plattsburg now stands, and over on to Crooked river; from here it went as far back as the waters of Grand river, and then turned back and returned home, after an ab- sence of 14 days. Not an Indian was seen. The men were afterwards declared to be entitled to 40 acres of land each for their services.

About the same time Capt. Leonard Searcy, the well known tavern- keeper of Liberty, took out a company for the protection of the can- tonment and garrison at Fort Leavenworth. This company, like Stephenson's, accomplished nothing but the fatigue of its members and their loss of time. On its return it encountered a band of 15 peaceable, friendly Iowa Indians and brought them to Liberty, where they were released.

An incident that occurred during the stay of these Indians in Lib- erty is remembered by some of the old pioneers, as it was one in- stance wherein an Indian " played off" on a white man, Mr. Gill E. Martin, a young son of old Zadock Martin, being the victim. The In- dians were excessively fond of sugar, and were known to consume inordinate quantities when they could get it.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Young Martin accosted a strapping " buck," and told him that if he would eat three pounds of sugar he would buy it for him. With extravagant demonstrations of joy and delight, the Indian accepted the proposition, and Martin bought the sugar. The savage set to work with great gusto and ate handful after handful. Martin and some companions stood watching him, eagerly awaiting the time when the limit of his appetite should be reached, and he should become first satiated and then sickened.

But when the Indian had eated a pound or so, he coolly wrapped up the remainder and thrusting it under his blanket and prepared to take his leave. " Hold on !" exclaimed Martin, " you agreed to eat all of the sugar - stand to your bargain, sir!" With something of a shrewd look the " untutored savage " rejoined : " Ugh ! All right - me eat him all - maybe some to-day - maybe some to-morrow - maybe some one odder day - Injun no lie - me eat him all - good-by !"

CHAPTER III.

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1830 TO 1840.

General Sketch of the County from 1830 to 1840- Early Days in Clay County - The Deep Snow of 1830 - Building the First Court House - The First. Jail - During the Black Hawk War - Origin of the Platte Purchase - The "Hetherly War " - Clay County in 1836 - The Mormon War.

GENERAL SKETCH OF THE COUNTY FROM 1830 TO 1840.

In about 1830 steamboats began to make regular trips from St. Louis up the Missouri as high as Liberty Landing, and occasion- ally a boat laden with government freight ascended as high as Ft. Leavenworth, or even up to Council Bluffs. Landings were estab- lished at divers available points on the river in this county. Col. Shubael Allen established a landing on his plantation in about 1830. He had a licensed warehouse and near by Wm. Yates had a ferry in the spring of 1831. In the fall of 1831 Col. Allen obtained the ferry, and operated it from his warehouse. One informed on the subject thus writes of Allen's Landing in the Missouri volume of the U. S. Biographical Dictionary, p. 313 : -

From 1829 until Col. Allen's death (1841), Allen's Landing was the main point of exit and entrance of nearly all the business and travel of Northwest Missouri, in its communication with the outer world by the river, and hence there were visible at that point a degree of activity and a multitude of commercial transactions utterly unknown in these days of the degeneracy of the river traffic in Missouri. It was also for many years the starting point of a large number of the employ s of the American Fur Company in their expeditions to the plains and mountains of the great Northwest. The scene presented annually on the assemblage of these employes - embracing, as it did, swarthy French voyageurs; tall, half-breed Indians, straight as arrows, and dressed in wild garbs ; the display of arms of all kinds, the tents scattered over the lawn, the picketed animals, the many-colored gar- ments - this scene was unique, semi-barbarous, but animated and highly picturesque.

Liberty Landing, in the boating season, was a point of some activity. Joel Turnham built a tobacco warehouse here in the winter of 1830- 31, and had it licensed in February of the latter year ; James Rob- erts was inspector. A great deal of freight was shipped from St.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Louis to this landing, and a great many passengers were landed here from the boats - emigrants and prospectors.

In November, 1831, Aaron Overton had a ferry at Overton's Cross- ing. Shrewsbury Williams operated one in 1832, and Samuel Gragg established one in the spring of 1833. Col. Allen's ferry was suc- ceeded by Fielding McCoy's.

Some of the grocers in the city in 1834 were S. & A. S. Ringo, Shubael Allen, Charles Carthrae, Abraham Croysdale, George Wallis, J. & R. Aull, and Arthur, Turnham & Stephens.

The Big Shoal meeting-house was built in 1835, and is mentioned in the county records of 1836.

The first public bridge, that is, built by authority of the county, was erected across Fishing river, at the crossing of the State road, in the spring of 1836. Reuben Long, Solomon Fry and Littleberry Sublette were the commissioners. Soon after, another bridge was built by the county across a small branch near Uriel Cave's, on the Big Lick road ; but as it cost but $37 it could not have been a very elaborate or important structure. To be sure, there were other bridges prior to these, but they were built by private subscriptions.

As the county was now pretty well settled, and roads were nearly as numerous as now, it became necessary to systematize the matter of establishing new roads and keeping them in repair. In February, 1836, the county court divided the county into 42 road districts, and appointed overseers.

The nearness of Fort Leavenworth to the county and the desire for military life, induced some of our young men to visit the barracks and enlist in the regular army. They imagined, from what they could see from the service, that the life of a soldier was one of smart uniforms, dress parades, and an easy time generally, with $8 a month and " board, clothes, and doctor's bills." Some of them who en- listed soon grew disgusted and desperate at the drudging, menial life they were compelled to lead, and deserted. Others sought to back gracefully out. In March, 1836, our county court took upon itself the responsibility of ordering one Charles D. Stout discharged forthwith from the U. S. service ! Whether or not the military authorities obeyed the order can not here be stated.

Daniel Ferrill volunteered in Capt. Sconce's Ray county company, in 1837, and served in the Florida War. It is believed that two or three more Clay county men enlisted with Ferrill.

The population of the county in 1830 was 5,338 ; in 1836, it was 8,533.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

The following were the post-offices and their respective postmasters in the county in 1836 : Liberty, John Hendly ; Barry, P. Flemming ; Elm Grove, James Duncan ; Platte, W. Turner.

The vote for President in this county in 1832 can not here be given, but in 1836 it stood : For Van Buren, Democrat, 347; for Harrison and Hugh M. White, Whigs, 282.

"An old resident " writing in the Tribune, in 1859, thus mentions the first Sunday-school in the county : -

In contrast with the present public opinion of the county, I will re- late the history of the first Sunday-school established in Liberty. At the request of an aged minister of the gospel, I had purchased some Sunday-school books in Philadelphia, and when they arrived a school was opened in the court-house, and I consented to be one of the teachers. The news spread over the county that such an institution was established, and that I had taken part in it. Several of my friends advised me to quit - that it was calculated to " unite church and State," and that I would lose my custom if I persisted. I did quit, and the school soon broke up, the old minister not being able to procure help to carry it on.

Intercourse with Fort Leavenworth was frequent and quite intimate. Many parties, balls, and merry-makings in Liberty were participated in by Gen. Bennett Riley, Lieutenants Nate, Cady, Cooke, Walters, Wickliffe, and others. Liberty was noted for its dancing parties, which were frequently attended by excursionists from Lexington, Richmond, Independence and Leavenworth.

In 1834, Gen. A. S. Hughes brought to Liberty the old Indian chief, White Cloud, and his daughter, Sally. They attended a party at Leonard Searcy's tavern, and the next morning Miss Sally purchased a new leghorn bonnet, trimmed with flaming red ribbon. Her father bought for himself a fur hat, with the crown 15 inches high, but with a narrow brim. The father and his daughter paraded the streets in their new clothes, proud of their new acquisitions, and the observed of all observers.

EARLY DAYS IN CLAY COUNTY.

A writer in the Liberty Tribune of December 19, 1846, under the head of " Clay County 17 Years Ago," thus narrates certain incidents in the early history of this county. Who this writer was can not here be stated, as he signed himself " Old Settler," and his name can not now be identified : -

In the month of December, 1829, I saw for the first time the county of Clay and the town of Liberty. I remember it well. I entered the

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

county by the way of Meek's (then Jack's) ferry, and I had not rid- den more than a mile or two before I saw an opossum, and I got off my horse and killed it.

What changes have taken place since that day ! The whole Platte country was then inhabited by the Iowa, Sac and Fox Indians ; there were only one or two families in what are now Clinton, DeKalb, Gen- try, Caldwell, Daviess and Harrison counties. Clay county was the ultima thule of Western emigration, and Liberty was regarded as the very paradise of Western towns. Compared to the neighboring towns it was so, for Richmond, Lexington and Independence scarcely de- served the name of towns, and Plattsburg was not then in existence.

In these days Liberty was a thriving town. It was the headquarters of the Upper Missouri, and Liberty Landing was the head of naviga- tion, except that occasionally steamboats would go up to Fort Leaven- worth. There was no warehouse then at our landing. The arrival of a boat was announced by the firing of a cannon four or five miles below, and by the time it reached Col. Allen's all the merchants would be there, as well as half the town and neighborhood. Freight was high but money was plenty, and everybody thought that there was no such a place as Clay county. The thought of ever being in want of a mar- ket for the surplus productions of the county never once entered into any of our minds.

The change is wonderful in this and the surrounding country since 1829. The Indians have left the Platte country, and now there are at least three counties in it that contain as heavy a population as Clay, viz. : Buchanan, Platte and Andrew.

In 1830 an election for Senator, Representative and sheriff took place. I attended a muster at Judge Elisha Cameron's and heard the candidates speak. Jacksonism at that time was in its zenith, and rode over everything else. A candidate had but little else to say besides de- claring himself " a Jackson man." That was enough to defeat the best men who were opposed to Jackson. I recollect the speech of the famous " Neal " G- [Cornelius Gilliam ] at the muster above spoken of. He was a candidate for sheriff and of course was elected. He mounted a big elm log and said : -

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Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1156

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1156