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 28

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 28
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 28

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).

County Teachers' Institute. - The County Teachers' Institute was first organized in 1854, and held its first annual session at Mt. Gilead Church, August 29, 1855 (James Love was president and L. R. Slone secretary ). This is believed to be the first county teachers' institute ever held in the State. It continued to hold annual, and, sometimes

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

semi-annual sessions, until the public schools were suspended, in 1861. When the public schools were again organized after the close of the Civil War, the county institute was also reorganized, and held annual sessions until monthly institutes and county normal institutes supplied its place in the educational work of the county.

WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE.1

The founding of this institution is the result of a necessity for higher education which was felt by the Baptists of Missouri at an early day in the history of the State. This feeling was manifested as far back as the year 1833. The Baptists in the State, even at that date, appreciated the supreme importance of establishing a college of the first order, wherein their youths, under denominational influences, might receive the benefits of education beyond an academic course.

Their General Association, on the 25th day of August, 1843, appointed Uriah Sebree, Wade M. Jackson, Roland Hughes, Fielding Wilhoite, David Perkins, Eli Bass, Jordan O'Brien, R. E. McDaniel, Wm. Carson, G. M. Bower, Jason Harrison, James W. Waddell and I. T. Hinton, trustees, to receive the offer of Dr. William Jewell of $10,000 toward the endowment of a college to be under the direction of the Baptist denomination, fix the same within 15 miles of the Missouri river, not east of Jefferson City, nor west of Glasgow, and " to do all other acts usual and necessary to organize and carry on a literary institution." On the 26th day of August, 1844, the General Associ- ation declined the offer of $10,000 made by Dr. Jewell, for the reason that in the opinion of that body it was not possible, under the circum- stances of the Baptist denomination in Missouri at that time, to raise the sum required by him, as the condition of his donation ; and so the persons named as trustees - in effect the committee on college organization - were discharged. The General Association met in August, 1847, at Walnut Grove, Boone county. The attendance of delegates was large and embraced quite a number of leading gentle- men of the Baptist denomination in the State. The movement in favor of the founding of a college was plainly taking a more definite shape and becoming more energetic. The General Association, with-

1 Much of the information in this article has been derived from a sketch written by Hon. D. C. Allen and published in the History of the Baptists of Missouri. In many instances Mr. Allen's exact language is used.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

out dissent, as it appears, on the 26th day of August, 1847, adopted the following resolution, offered by Rev. S. W. Lynd, viz. : -

Resolved, That a committee of five persons be appointed as a pro- visional committee on education, whose duty it shall be to originate an institution of learning, for the Baptist denomination in this State, provided the same can be accomplished upon a plan by which its en- dowment and perpetuity may be secured.

Roland Hughes, William Carson, Wade M. Jackson, R. E. McDaniel and David Perkins were appointed the committee contem- plated by the resolution.

The committee appointed in 1847 reported to the General Associ- ation on the 26th day of August, 1848. The report of the commit- tee in substance was : That for the purpose of erecting and endowing a college in the State, they had secured subscriptions to the amount of $16,936 and that they believed, from the success which had at- tended their limited exertions, that a vigorous prosecution of the en- terprise would finally end in success. On the recommendation of the committee the General Association passed the following resolution, viz. : -

Resolved, That so soon as the provisional committee may think it advisable to make a location, they be instructed to make such loca- tion according to the condition expressed in the subscription which the agents have been authorized to circulate.

At the same time the General Association appointed the gentlemen of the last preceding committee a committee also to make applica- tion to the General Assembly of the State for a charter for the col- lege, and to appoint a board of trustees. Through the agency of this committee, the Fifteenth General Assembly of the State granted a charter for a college (which was approved by the Governor on the 27th day of February, 1849), in accordance with the wishes of the Baptists of Missouri. (Session Acts, 1849, page 232). The title of the act granting the charter is : " An act to charter a college in the State of Missouri." The preamble of the act begins as follows : -

" Whereas, The United Baptists in Missouri and their friends are desirous of endowing and building up a college in the State," etc.

The trustees named in the charter are as follows : Tyree C. Harris, Isaac Lionberger, Jordan O'Brien, W. C. Ligon, Robert S. Thomas, A. W. Doniphan, T. N. Thompson, W. D. Hubbell, Robert James,

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Samuel T. Glover, T. L. Anderson, R. F. Richmond, S. D. South, T. E. Hatcher, John Ellis, Wm. Carson, David Perkins, W. M. Jackson, Roland Hughes, William Jewell, W. M. McPherson, R. E. McDaniel, John Robinson, M. F. Price, E. M. Samuel and R. R. Craig.

It was about March 1, 1848, when the first definite and practical action was taken to secure the location of the college at Liberty. On that date a meeting was held at Liberty and committees were appointed for each township to solicit subscriptions to the endowment. J. T. V. Thompson, E. M. Samuel and Madison Miller were at the head of the movement. During the following summer the county was thoroughly canvassed and nothing left undone to secure for Clay county the loca- tion of the much desired institution. This work was continued for a year thereafter, or until the summer of 1849.

The provisional committee appointed by the Baptist General As- sociation, August 26, 1848, called a meeting of the donors to the endow- ment, to be held at Boonville, August 21, 1849, for the purpose of determining the name of the college and fixing its location. The donors met pursuant to the call. The number of shares - each share being valued at $48-represented was 883. The subscriptions, in addition, were $7,000 by the citizens of Clay county, for the erection of buildings only.

The Clay county donors were represented in the meeting by Col. A. W. Doniphan and Hon. J. T. V. Thompson, who, with E. M. Samuel, had been appointed at a meeting held in Liberty, August 3. Four towns in the State contested for the location -Liberty, Fulton, Palmyra and Boonville. Col. Doniphan presented the claims of Liberty. When it came to the vote on the location the contest was animated and eager. The subscription of Clay was larger than that of any other county, but did not constitute a majority of the votes, each share being entitled to a vote. Finally, the location at Liberty, Clay county, was made by the votes of Howard county being cast solidly for it. The final vote stood : For Liberty, 528 ; for Palmyra 194 ; for Boonville, 107 ; for Fulton, 44.

Immediately after the fixing of the location, Rev. Wm. C. Ligon moved that the college be named William Jewell College, in honor of Dr. Wm. Jewell, a prominent, well known and universally respected citizen of Boone county. Col. Doniphan seconded the mo- tion, and it was adopted unanimously. Dr. Jewell was present in the meeting, and arose and returned his thanks for the honor. In con- clusion he said he had long had his will written remembering this institution, and he now desired the secretary to write his obligation

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

for $10,000 worth of land - 3,951 acres situated in Mercer, Grundy and Sullivan counties - which he desired to donate to the college. The conveyance was immediately completed. Subsequently, Dr. Jewell, in his will and by sums of money voluntarily expended out of his own pocket to contractors for the erection of the college edifice, gave the corporation not less than $6,000.1

The certificate of location and naming of the college was filed in the recorder's office of Clay County, August 25, 1849, and thereupon the name of the corporation became that which it still retains - " The Trustees of William Jewell College."

The site of the college was donated by Hon. J. T. V. Thompson, who, though not a church member, was all his life a friend and liberal patron of the institution. At first the corporation was liberal and almost non-sectarian in the organization of its faculty. From Sep- tember, 1853, to June, 1861, one of the professors was uniformly a member of some other church denomination than the Baptist. This liberality was of decided advantage to the institution, in one respect at least.

The first meeting of the board of trustees was held November 12, 1849. The members at that time were Dr. Wm. Jewell, of Boone county ; Roland Hughes, Wade M. Jackson, David Perkins, of Howard; M. R. Price, of Lafayette ; W. C. Ligon, of Carroll ; A. W. Doniphan, Edward M. Samuel, J. T. V. Thompson, R. R. Craig and Rev. Robt. James,2 of Clay. Roland Hughes was elected first president of the board and Rev. Wm. C. Ligon, secretary. The board at this meeting decided to open a department of instruction - a preparatory school in the basement of the Baptist Church, in Lib- erty, the first session or term to begin January 1, 1850.

The school opened at the time specified, Rev. E. S. Dulin princi- pal, with Rev. Thos. F. Lockett as assistant. The course of study

1 Dr. William Jewell was born in Loudoun county, Va., January 1, 1789, and re- moved to Gallatin county, Ky., in 1800. He received a good education and took the degree of M. D., in Transylvania University. In 1820, he came to Missouri, and in 1822 located at Columbia. Accumulating something of a private fortune, he became a liberal patron of various laudable enterprises, and was well known as much for his general benevolence as for his public spirit. He gave $1,800 to secure the location of the State University at Columbia. He served two or three times in the Legisla- ture as a representative from Boone county. In 1822, he united with the Baptist Church, and was a consistent member of that denomination until his death, which occurred at Liberty, August 7, 1852, of illness caused by over-exertion in a personal supervision of the work of erecting the building which bears his name. His noblest monument is William Jewell College.

2 Father of the bandits, Frank and Jesse.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

adopted was admirable and thorough. The faculty for the year 1850-51 consisted of Rev. E. S. Dulin, Rev. Thos. F. Lockett and Rev. Wm. M. Hunsaker, the latter being the principal of the pre- paratory department. Rev. E. S. Dulin, Rev. Terry Bradley, and James G. Smith constituted the faculty for the year 1851-52. Mr. Bradley was professor of mathematics and Mr. Smith principal of the preparatory department. Rev. Dulin terminated his connection with the college in June, 1852.

During the year 1852-53 the departments of instruction were simply under the patronage of the trustees, who permitted Rev. Terry Bradley and Geo. S. Withers to maintain a school in the rooms rented by the trustees, and take all the fees for tuition.

February 11, 1850, the trustees elected Dr. Jewell commissioner to superintend the erection of the college building. May 13 follow- ing, the board ordered contracts let for the erection, and work was begun on the foundations the ensuing fall. By August 7, 1852, the date of Dr. Jewell's death, the foundations were completed and the superstructure had been built to the height of twenty feet. Dr. Jewell supervised the work with the utmost vigilance and care. By the 1st of August, 1853, the building was complete except the flooring and plastering of the rooms of the south wing and what was then the lower chapel; these were completed about 1858. The building was occupied partially in the summer of 1853.

The architect of the college edifice was J. O. Sawyer, of Cincinnati, Ohio ; the superintendent, B. McAlester, of Columbia ; the brick- makers, Hunter & Alford, Lexington ; the stonework was done by R. Ainsworth, of Jefferson City ; the plastering by John Burbank, of Weston ; the painting by A. H. Maxfield.

In the summer of 1853, the first faculty was elected with Rev. Robt. S. Thomas, of Columbia, as president ; Terry Bradley, professor of Latin and Greek ; James Love, professor of mathematics and natural sciences ; Leonidas M. Lawson, tutor. The composition of the fac- ulty for 1854-55 was the same as the previous year, with the addition of Wm. P. Lamb, who was principal of the preparatory department.

The first graduation in the college occurred on the third Friday in June, 1855. The graduating class consisted of five members.

From June, 1855, until September, 1857, instruction in all the departments was suspended for want of funds. By September, 1857, the financial condition of the institution had improved to an extent that warranted the reopening of the college, which was done. The faculty for the year 1857-58 was composed of Rev. William Thomp-

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son, LL. D., president, elected May, 19, 1857; M. W. Robinson, adjunct professor of ancient languages and literature; Jno. B. Bradley, professor of natural philosophy and astronomy ; W. C. Garnett, principal of the academic department, and Grandison L. Black, assistant tutor.

August 12, 1861, the Civil War having broken out, and the country being in a highly disturbed condition, all departments of instruction were closed, and the college remained practically in a state of sus- pension for seven years, though irregular instruction was given at intervening periods during the war. After the battle of Blue Mills the college building was used for some days as a hospital for the reception and care of the Federal wounded. In August, 1862, the building and grounds were occupied by the Federal troops for some weeks, and some slight intrenchments constructed. No serious dam- age was done to the property by these occupations.

June 24, 1867, Rev. Thompson Rambaut, LL. D., was chosen to the presidency of the college, and for a year thereafter he and the trustees were engaged in reorganization, and September, 28, 1868, the college reopened with the following faculty : Rev. Thos. Ram- baut, president ; R. B. Semple, professor of Latin, French, and Italian ; A. F. Fleet, professor of Greek and German ; John F. Lan- neau, professor of mathematics ; James R. Eaton, professor of natural sciences and theology.

Dr. Rambaut resigned in January, 1874, since which time the duties of president have practically been performed by Rev. W. R. Roth- well, D. D., who came to the college in June, 1872, as professor of Biblical literature. The present faculty consists of Dr. W. R. Roth- well, professor of moral philosophy and theology ; R. B. Semple, professor of Latin and German; James G. Clark, professor of mathematics and French ; J. R. Eaton, professor of natural science ; R. P. Ryder, principal of the preparatory department ; A. J. Emer- son, professor of English literature and history.

Ely Hall, named in honor of Lewis B. Ely, was built in 1880.

The total wealth of the college is about $150,000.

CHAPTER XIII. LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

Position and Description - Early Settlers - Liberty Landing -Country Churches - City of Liberty - First Incorporation - Liberty in 1846 - Churches of Liberty - Secret Societies - Biographical.

POSITION AND DESCRIPTION.

Liberty is the south-central municipal township of Clay county and its present boundaries are as follows : Beginning at the northeast corner, at the northeast corner of section 15, township 52, range 31; thence south to the Missouri river ; thence up the river to the mouth of Big Shoal creek ; thence up and along Big Shoal creek, on the eastern bank, to the southwest corner of section 22, township 51, range 32 ; thence due north to the northwest corner of section 3, town- ship 52, range 31 ; thence east to the northeast corner of section 1, same township and range; thence south one mile to the southeast corner of said section 1; thence east one mile to the northeast corner of section 7-52-31 ; thence south one mile to the southeast corner of said section 7 ; thence east three miles to the beginning.

Although the country is naturally broken and hilly throughout the greater part of the township, some of the best farms in Missouri are here to be found. Without the least exaggeration some of the manor lands in Liberty are equal in point of development and improvement to many of the best estates in the famed blue grass region of Ken- tucky, or the much lauded farms of Central Ohio. To be sure many of the Liberty township farms have been cultivated for sixty years, but their possessors have not been slothful or unenterprising.

WATER SUPPLY.

The tributaries of Fishing river, Rush creek, Big Shoal and all of Little Shoal creek, furnish abundant water supply and adapt the town- ship to stock raising, and this natural advantage is thoroughly well. improved upon. The bottom lands along the Missouri are of course of the highest fertility, but difficult and hazardous of improvement, owing to the liability of overflow.

Among the many reputable farmers of this township may be men- tioned J. W. Park, Esq., who resides near Liberty.

13 (279)

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

EARLY SETTLERS.

As to the first settlers in what is now Liberty township, it is proba- ble that they were Richard Hill, Robert Gilmore, James Gilmore, Samuel Gilmore and Elijah Smith, who settled on Rush creek, in the southeastern part of the township, in 1820. The two first-named Gil- mores, Hill and Smith came first in the spring and built cabins and put out small crops, leaving their families down in the Petite Osage bottom (commonly called Tete Saw) in Saline county. In the fall of the year they returned with their families.

Richard Hill settled on section 9, nearly two miles east of Liberty ; the others were lower down the creek. All of these families were re- lated. Samuel Gilmore was the father of Robert and James, and the father-in-law of Hill and Smith. Mrs. Mary Poteet, a widow lady, who was the sister of Elijah Smith, and the mother-in-law of James and Robert Gilmore, came with the party and made her home with her brother. She raised Mary Crawford, an orphan, who became the wife of Cornelius Gilliam, and was the first white woman married in Clay county. (See Fishing River township. )1

Other settlers came in quite numerously and located in the south- ern portion of the township in 1821, and in 1822, when the county was organized and Liberty laid out and made the county seat, there were still other additions made to the settlements in what is now the Liberty municipal township - then about equally divided between Gallatin and Fishing River, the two original townships of the county. Anthony Harsell says that in 1821 there was but one house north of Liberty - that of James Hiatt, who lived a little more than a mile from town, due north (section 31-52-31), now known as the Baker farm.

LIBERTY LANDING.

Liberty Landing, on the Missouri, three and a half miles south of the city of Liberty, was established many years ago. The site was for many years a place of importance. All merchandise for Liberty and other interior towns north was put off the steamboats here for many years. From 1858 to 1862 a large hemp factory, owned and operated by Arthur, Burris & Co., was conducted at this point. The

1 Three weeks after the Gilmores came to their new homes permanently, David Mc- Elwee settled in Fishing River township, and from his daughter, Mrs. Margaret How- deshell, the information concerning the early settlement of the township has been ob- tained.

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machinery in this establishment cost about $30,000, and the firm handled thousands of tons of hemp. The business was broken up by the war and the machinery sold to McGrew Bros., of Lexington. At present there is a railroad station on the Wabash road at the Land- ing.

COUNTRY CHURCHES.

Little Shoal Creek, Old School Baptist. - This church has the dis- tinction of being the first church organization in Clay county. It was constituted May 28, 1823, by the well known pioneer minister, Elder William Thorp. The constituent members were : William Monroe, A, Monroe, Enos Vaughn, Patsy Vaughn, A. Groom, Daniel Stout, Ailsey Hall, Patsey Stout, Elisha Hall, Elizabeth Monroe, Sally Stephens and Jane Groom. The first church building was a log house, erected in the year 1824. In 1881-82 the congregation built a good substantial brick house, costing about $2,300. The first pastor was Elder William Thorp, who served the church for 28 years. After him came Elder D. Bainbridge for six years ; Elder Henry Hill, three years ; Elder James Duval, 21 years ; Elder Lucius Wright, two years. Elder James Bradley is the present pastor. Since the organization of the church it has received 317 members in all, but the most of them have backslid, leaving the membership of the church at the present time only 34.

Providence Missionary Baptist Church. - April 29, 1848, at the house of Peyton T. Townsend, this church was organized by Revs. Robert James and Franklin Graves, P. N. Edwards being the first clerk. The organization commenced with a membership of 44 persons, but has increased until at present writing there are 190. The first church building was erected in 1850, and was destroyed by fire in February, 1880, but was rebuilt the same year at a cost of $2,000. The pastors have been Revs. Robert James, John Major, I. T. Williams, A. N. Bird, W. A. Curd, G. L. Black and A. J. Emer- son. The church is a brick building, and is situated in Liberty town- ship, on the southeast quarter of section 15. The Sabbath-school has 25 scholars, the superintendent being J. P. Marr.

THE CITY OF LIBERTY.

Upon the organization of Clay county, in January, 1822, the land on which the city of Liberty now stands was owned by John Owens and Charles McGee. Owens had built a house on what is now the north- west corner of Water and Mill streets some time the previous year, and kept a sort of tavern, or house of entertainment. His house was

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

a rather large and roomy affair, and, as elsewhere stated, was used to hold the first courts in, and for other public purposes. McGee and Owens donated 25 acres to the county for county-seat pur- poses, which donation was accepted, and soon after the town was laid out. -

The legislative act creating the county appointed John Hutchins, Henry Estes, Enos Vaughan, Wyatt Adkins and John Poage commis- sioners to select a " permanent seat of government " for the county, and provided that, until such selection, courts should be held at the house of John Owens. William Powe was afterward appointed on the commission. In their report to the circuit court July 1, 1882, as a reason for their selection; the commissioners say : " That, in pursuance of the object of their appointment, they assembled together on the 20th of March last, to examine the different donations offered the county, and continued in session three days examining the sites for a town ; that after mature deliberation and minute investigation the tract of land owned by John Owens and Charles McGee was thought best adapted for the object for which it was designed, as being more central for the population, surrounded with good and permanent springs, lying sufficiently elevated to drain off all superfluous waters, in a healthy and populous part of the county, and entirely beyond the influence of lakes, ponds, or stagnant waters of any kind ; they, there- fore, unanimously agreed to accept of the proposition of Mr. Owens and Mr. McGee of a donation of 25 acres each for the use of the county."

As soon as the town was laid out, which was in the early summer of 1822, improvements began to be made. The first sale of lots was on the 4th of July, and at that time nearly all of those fronting on the public square were disposed of. But up to about 1826 there were not more than a dozen houses in the place, and these, with perhaps one exception, were log cabins.

Early hotel-keepers were Leonard Searcy, who had a licensed tavern in the fall of 1826, and continued in the business for six or seven years ; Laban Garrett, who opened a licensed tavern in Decem- ber, 1827, and John Chauncey, who began in about 1832. These hotels, or " taverns," as they were universally called, were simple affairs, but were comfortable enough, furnished plenty of good, whole- some food, and were adequate to the demands of that day.

Probably the first store in Liberty was kept by Wm. L. Smith, the county clerk, who brought up a few goods with him from Bluffton in 1822, and sold them in his dwelling-house.

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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