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 63

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 63
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 63

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).

TIMES DURING THE EXPEDITIONS TO THE GOLD FIELDS OF CALIFORNIA.

In less than three years from the time the last body of troops departed from Ft. Leavenworth for the Mexican War the California gold excitement had burst upon the country, and Platte county was again the scene of busy preparations for expeditions across the plains. Being at that time on the western border of civilization, many from other counties than this one and even from other States than Mis- souri made final preparations here for their long journeys to the Pacific coast.

Three places on the Missouri became the principal fitting-out and starting points for these expeditions - Independence ( near the river), Weston and St. Joseph. The latter was virtually made by the busi- ness drawn to it from this source. Weston and Independence, already prosperous business centers - the former the leading place of the two - each did an immense business as frontier supply stations for the emigrants. At each were kept wagons, teams, provisions - supplies of all kinds needed for overland travel to California. Even those from other States who fitted out their trains before reaching these points generally laid in their supplies of provisions at one of them. The difference in price not being too great, it was much better to buy them here, as far on the way as possible, than to buy them further East and haul them 100, 300 or more miles before reaching these points. Furthermore, additional teams and wagons were often needed, even by those who had thought their trains complete.

All this of course made a home market at good prices for every- thing the farmer, the mechanic and the business man had to sell. Wagonmakers, blacksmiths, saddlers, artizans of almost every trade

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY. 593

profited not less by the great exodus than the merchant and agricul- turist. All classes prospered. Plowing for gold in the rich soils of Missouri proved more profitable, as a rule, than digging for it in the mountains and valleys of California.

Weston, as the business center of Platte county, drew practi- cally all of its supplies, in the way of farm productions, from the county. Farmers had had two good cropping seasons since they stripped them- selves of everything to supply the army, and their granaries were again full. Their stock, young then, two and three-year old cattle and horses, were now full grown and ready for the market. Their supply of pork was hardly less than inexhaustible. All these were needed by the emigrants, and they found ready sale. The era of prosperity which began a half-decade before was still growing brighter, and the future seemed glad with promise. For several years all that could be produced in the county was required to supply expeditions for Cali- fornia.

ARGONAUTS FROM PLATTE COUNTY.

A number of trains for the gold regions were organized in this . county during the years 1849 and 1850. Probably not less than three hundred persons left the county the first year, and that number and half as many more the following year. The principal trains fitted out in 1849, so far as the writer has, been able to learn, were those of Geo. P. Dorris, Jas. H. Johnson1 and Perry Kuth, W. R. Bain, R. Matt. Johnson, and R. D. Johnson, all from Platte City or vicinity. Ben. Holladay2 and T. F. Warner,3 Capt. Richard Murphy and - - Basey, and G. P. Post were the leading train proprietors of the county in 1849 from Weston. From other parts of the-county there were numerous prominent organizers of trains that year.

In 1850 Jas. H. Johnson fitted out a large train at Platte City and this time went, himself, to California, taking with him his family also. The others of his party, so far as remembered now, were W. C. Hat- ton, Jas. J. Hatton, E. Bain, Jackson Ripley.

N. M. Owen also took a train from Platte City in 1855. His train and J. H. Johnson's united and crossed the plains together. Mr. Owen was elected captain of the train men, who formed a company for defense against the Indians. One of the other trains that year was one headed by the Adkins brothers (James,4 Bluford and

1 Jas. H. Johnson, himself, didn't go until the next year.

2 The noted Ben. Holladay of Pony Express fame.

3 Mr. Warner, himself, didn't go.

4 Late member of the Legislature from this county but now deceased.

594

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

Granville ). Nearly all who went from the vicinity of Platte City in 1849 united in one large train for mutual protection and assist- ance.

In 1851 the company of the Adkins brothers returned by sea on a sail vessel, or rather attempted to return that way. The vessel, how- ever, was caught by a gale on the Pacific and driven far out of its course to seaward. A dead calm then set in and continued for many days, leaving them in the great solitude of the ocean. They were out 70 days without ever sighting even a sign of a human being. Finally their food gave out and for several days they were without a mouthful to eat. In this condition they were still helpless on the sea and must have starved had not a friendly ship come in sight, by the merest ac- cident, and rescued them. They were then taken to the west coast of Mexico, from which they made their way by land, and through many hardships and privations, to their old, old homes in Platte county. How nearly the lines written, alas ! too truly, of the ship " President," with poor Power, the great tragedian, on board and more than 100 others, came of being equally true of the ship and all on board on which the Adkins brothers sailed, they fully realized : -

" There is no ray

· By which her doom we may explore; We only know she sailed away, Was seen, but never heard of more."

SALT LAKE AND INDIAN TRADE.

During the first year of the California exodus an important busi- ness venture was made by a couple of enterprising merchants, then of Weston, which proved a great success and resulted in establishing a trade that continued for a number of years and contributed very materially to the prosperity and general interests of the people of the county. We refer to the Salt Lake trade.

The Mormons had been driven from the States some years before and had gone to Salt Lake, where they had made a settlement and built a city. Up to this time they had established no trade relations worthy of mention with any outside community, and as there were several thousand of them their trade was well worth securing.

At that time Benjamin Holladay, a man then unknown to fame and a small tradesman at Weston, but possessed of great enterprise and large, liberal ideas in regard to business and other affairs, conceived the idea of securing the trade of the Mormons, believing that if he could obtain it, it would prove the beginning, if not the establishment, of his fortune.

595

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

But he was without means. He went to Mr. Theo. F. Warner, now county clerk of Platte county, but then a leading merchant of Weston - one of the leading business men in fact of all Western Mis- souri - and laid his plan before him. Mr. Warner was, and is a man of large business experience and good judgment, and with courage and heart to act upon any measure which his judgment approves or where a friend can be served. The enterprise suggested by Mr. Holladay met his approval, and he promptly advanced the means necessary to put it on foot.

The firm of Warner & Holladay was formed early in 1849, and in a few months a train loaded with merchandise valued at $70,000 was on its way across the plains and over the mountains, bound for Salt Lake ; Holladay was in charge ; and after months of travel through the great solitudes of a trackless wild, where only the appearance of a band of Indians now and then or an occasional herd of grazing buffalo relieved the monotony of the journey, he at last espied, from a mountain slope, far down in the " Valley of the Jordan, " the glittering spire of a Mormon temple piercing the sky and reflecting back undimmed the brilliant rays of a summer's sun.

Holladay is a born courtier and diplomat. Of fine presence, prepos- sessing manners, suave, musical, fascinating conversation, what good address, tact and talent can bring about he can accomplish. Only a little before, the Mormons had been driven out of Missouri, their houses burned, their homes and property all destroyed or taken and confiscated, and their fathers and brothers, in many instances, killed - shot down in their own doors, or on the public way or in jail. Now, a Missourian completely in their power with $70,000 worth of merchandise - the first one perhaps whom they had seen for many years ; a Missourian, Holladay, burdened with rich merchandise, had come to solicit their good offices, their friendship, their trade. Did ' vengeance suggest itself to them, vengeance profitable if not just, when this rich caravan came moving down their streets, reminding them by the extreme of contrast of their own sad flight from Missouri - from their desolated, ruined homes?

It is not in the human heart to harm another who is pleasant, suave, pleasing. Holladay was all these and more. Bearing himself as if he was of course among his friends- gentlemanly, courteous, unaffected and agreeable - they met him, talked with him, liked him. Young invited him to the temple. Bread was broken with the prophet. Dining and wining with others followed. Holladay was now safe, and the first stone of the foundation of his fortune laid.

596

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

In a few days all his business was transacted, and all were satisfied. Everything was sold, - merchandise, wagons, teams, - all but Holla- day and his men, not excepting the prophets and the saints. Thus commenced the Salt Lake trade of thirty years and more ago.

The venture of Messrs. Warner & Holladay proved a gratifying suc- cess. The following year they sent out another train, this one valued at $150,000. It was also successful. Others at Weston and else- where in Missouri, and some even of other States, now engaged in the trade. During the " Fifties " the Salt Lake trade was one of the great business interests on this side of the Missouri. The business of this kind done by citizens of Platte county in the year 1852 has been esti- mated to have been over $500,000. It was an interest of great value to the county - one of the principal causes which united to place this county in advance of all others in the State during that period, ex- cepting only St. Louis. Warner & Holladay, Livingston & Kincaid and Garrish & Co. were among the leading houses of this county en- gaged in the trade. All were at Weston.

INDIAN TRADE.

About this time the Indian trade also developed into importance. It had always been of some value to the business men of the county and the community generally, but now it was of more importance than it had ever been before and has probably ever been since.

Most of the Indian tribes formerly north and west of the Ohio to the Lakes and to the Kansas-Nebraska line were now settled in Kansas, either near to or within trade distance of this county ; and as there were no towns on the west side of the Missouri, the business points on this side very naturally and of necessity received most of the Indian trade. The Indians generally drew annuities from the Govern- ment, and other stipends, so that this trade was safe and almost with- out exception on a cash basis. They usually required a flashy and cheap class of goods- goods, though, which sold at satisfactory profits. Besides, a large share of the provisions - breadstuffs, beef, pork, etc., - furnished the Indians were obtained in the county, which gave farmers a good market at their doors for the products of their farms. Afterwards, in the opening of Kansas and Nebraska for settle- men't, this trade gradually withdrew and centered further west.

THE FOUR YEARS PRECEDING THE KANSAS TROUBLE.

During the four years preceding 1854, nothing of importance occurred to interrupt the steady and rapid development of the country

597

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

and the prosperity of the people.1 It was a period of perfect calm,' in which all were intensely, yet quietly and peaceably, occupied with the work of improving their circumstances : accumulating property, providing better homes than they had previously had, improving and enlarging their farms, in originating and carrying forward public im- provements, establishing schools and colleges, building additional church accommodations and supplanting old church buildings with ' new and better ones ; in fact, improving and building up the country in every particular. In the opinion of Mr. L. L. Fleshman, an old and well informed business man of the county, more buildings and better ones were erected during this time than were or have been during any equal time before or since. It was a period of peace, of progress and prosperity.

But notwithstanding all this and the apparent propitiousness of the . time, events were transpiring in national affairs which must have caused every one of foresight and concern for the welfare of the country to look forward with the gravest apprehension. Before the fair, prosperous cities of Campania - Herculaneum, Pompeii and Stabia - were buried forever under sands of the mighty Vesuvius, slow, deep-toned rumblings were heard, and strange, unnatural tremors felt from the depths of the earth. So now, hardly less ominous signs than those of the fatal eruption of Vesuvius were given out from time to time of an approaching catastrophe in this country ; but a catastrophe as much greater and more terrible in its effects, in the ruin and desolation, the sadness and sorrow it was to cause - as the continent which it befell is greater than the burning mountain of the Philagean plains.

The stormy question which had come up again and again in former years, and each time was disposed of differently and permanently, as it was hoped by many, came to the surface again in 1853-54, this time to remain the great question of government - of life and death, until settled by the conflict of arms and with the desolation of one- third of the Union, and the greatest sacrifice of blood and treasure known in modern times.

DRAWBACKS DURING THE KANSAS TROUBLES - DROUGHT OF 1854.

The Kansas troubles, in which the first blood of the " irrepressible conflict " was spilled, a fitting forerunner of the mighty catastrophe

1 In 1850 the cholera appeared in the county and caused widespread alarm. Some eight or ten cases occurred in the vicinity of Platte City and probably twenty-five or thirty in the county. There were ten or twelve deaths in the county.

598

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

that was to follow, was precipitated upon the people along the Mis- souri-Kansas border, in 1854, by the passage of the Kansas and Nebraska bill, early in that year, which left the question of negro slavery and manumission an open one for the people of the territory themselves to decide when they should come to adopt a State constitu- tion and apply for admission into the Union.

Strenuous efforts were made by those on both sides to colonize the territory and hold it, with a view to ultimately bringing it into the Union as a slave or free-soil state, according to their preferences and interests. Colonists flocked in, both from the slave and free-soil States, and particularly from Missouri and New England. Bitter personal antagonisms inevitably followed. At first the contest was carried on only with words and ballots. But blows and bullets soon succeeded less harmful weapons, and the people of the whole border on both sides were thrown into the most intense excitement. This was as early as 1854.1 Excitement continued with little or no abatement for over three years, and most of the time a semi-state of civil war prevailed. Indeed, entire peace was not restored when the clash of arms in the South announced that the Kansas War had be- come National.

From the beginning the people of Platte county were profoundly stirred by the events transpiring across the river. Many went there from this county to make their permanent homes, and others intended to go. All here, as a pro-slavery community, were intensely interested that Kansas should become a slave State. Such, indeed, was the magnitude of the exodus from this county to the territory, and such the absorbing interest most of those who removed took in the excited condition of affairs at the time, that all branches of business and in- dustry were seriously affected. Trade was almost paralyzed, and farming for the first time in the history of the county seemed to be at a standstill, or worse.

In 1854 the condition of affairs was made even worse than it other- wise would have been by an excess of rain in the early part of the cropping season and a complete absence of it afterwards, until crops were almost ruined. After the beginning of July no rain fell until it was too late for the crops to be benefited by it. This was the first serious drought from which the farmers of the county ever suffered, and later experience has proved it to have been the severest of the only three ever known in the county.

1 For an account of the part the people of this county took in the Kansas War, see the chapter in the war record of the county further along.

599

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

During the summer the price of corn rose to a dollar per bushel, and before the year was out it had risen to a dollar and fifty cents.

Wells and springs generally failed, and water to drink was extremely scarce. The waters of the principal mill streams fell so low that the mills could not run, and often stock off from the main streams died of thirst.

As it has heretofore been intimated, there was a large immigration into Kansas early in 1854, and there the drought was more severe than it was here. Many of the immigrants were extremely poor, and their condition became truly pitiable. Large numbers of them came over into Missouri soliciting aid for themselves and friends in Kansas, and notwithstanding the bitter feeling of the times, much was done for them. For a time the roads in Platte county were fairly lined with them.

The people of the county lost much by the failure of crops ; but there was considerable grain in the country from the yield of the pre- vious year, so that there was no danger of destitution in the household. They struggled through the year as best they could, and in 1855 were blessed with good crops again.

But this year and the following one (1855-56) the Kansas excite- ment increased in intensity and was the absorbing subject of conversa- tion and thought. The number of participants from this county increased, and for a time it seemed that the county itself would become the scene of violence through the indiscretion and ill-advised conduct of a few extreme free-soilers. People who would hang a man for stealing a sixty dollar horse were not disposed to endure with patience one in their own midst who openly proclaimed it to be a duty and vir- tue to run off his neighbor's negroes, valued at perhaps $1,000 apiece.

FOUR YEARS PRECEDING 1861.

After the fall election of 1856 a truce followed in the Kansas troubles, not by any agreement between the parties, but as often hap- pens between two antagonists who, both being exhausted by their strug- gle, mutually stop for a moment to recover breath in order to renew the fight with greater energy and resolution. This state of " armed peace," with only occasional disturbances of small importance, con- tinued until the beginning of the final struggle in 1861.

During this period the people of Platte county spent their time to good advantage in their several occupations. Upon the whole the seasons were good, and times more prosperous. The year 1857 was one of great productiveness, as was also that of 1859; and although

600

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

there were unusually heavy rains early in 1858, the crops were little below a general average, compared with those of other years. The waters, however, were higher than they had been since 1844, and much damage was done by the floods.

In 1859 there was considerable emigration from this county to Pike's Peak ; but, as usual, most of the emigrants returned.

POPULATION AND PROPERTY VALUATION FROM 1840 TO 1860.

The following tables, prepared from the assessor's returns, when not otherwise noted (except population, which is taken from the United States census returns ), will exhibit very clearly the material progress of the county, expressed by dollars and cents, during the 20 years comprehended in this chapter: -

1840.1

WHAT RETURNED.

No.

Valuation.

Population

8,913

Slaves

858

$223,620

Moneys, Bonds, Notes, Etc.

21,642

Other Personal Property

123,814

Lands and Town Lots 2

Total

$369,076 3

1850.

WHAT RETURNED.

No.

Valuation.

Population

16,929

Slaves .

2,045

$ 714,195

Moneys, Bonds, Notes, Etc.

132,649

Other Personal Property

287,639

Lands and Town Lots 4

1,684,710

Total

$2,819,193

1 " After the organization of the county and the first meeting of the courts, in the spring of 1839, an assessment of the personal property of the county (the lands not being taxable) was made, which amounted in round numbers to $256,000. - Atlas Map of the County. We failed to find that assessment list, but certainly it did not include the slave property of the county.

2 Lands not then entered.

3 Valuations estimated; there was no assessment list in the county clerk's office for that year, and no abstract.

4 The assessors' return of valuation of real estate in 1849 was $1,091,155. That is the earliest return of real estate we could find. For 1843 the total valuation of the county has been estimated to have been $412,000, not including real estate. For 1844, the first year the lands were assessed, their valuation has been estimated at $576,000.

601

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

1853.

WHAT RETURNED.

No.

Valuation.

Population

Slaves .

· $934,585

Moneys, Bonds, Notes, etc.

447,191

Other Personal Property

351,811

Lands and Town Lots .

.2,546,876

Total

$4,280,463

1854.

WHAT RETURNED.

No.

Valuation.

Population. .

Slaves .

$1,323,300

Moneys, Bonds, Notes, etc. .

592,550

Other Personal Property

449,976

Lands and Town Lots .

3,278,550

Total

$5,656,559

1855.

WHAT RETURNED.

No.

Valuation.

Population

Slaves

2,935

$1,264,860

Moneys, Bonds, Notes, etc.

695,962

Other Personal Property

429,104

Lands and Town Lots.

2,813,240

Total

$5,167,166

1860.

WHAT RETURNED.

No.

Valuation.

Population

18,495

Slaves

3,069

$1,414,010

Moneys, Bonds, Notes, etc.

811,203

Other Personal Property

689,562

Lands and Town Lots

4,339,054

Total

$7,272,834

1 No census year; not known.

2 Not given.

602

HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

From the tables of 1840 and 1860 it appears that there was an in- crease during the decade in the valuation of the property of the county of over 300 per cent ; 1 and by the tables of 1850 and 1860 a further increase is shown of $4,454,641, or nearly 200 per cent during the decade preceding the last named year. The number of white male inhabitants in the county above the age of 21 in 1860 was about 3,084 ; the valuation of property was $7,272,834. These figures show that there were about $2,323 worth of property to every white male inhab- itant at or above the age of majority. A similar computation shows that in 1840 there were but $436 to each white male person of suffrage age.

The tables for the years 1853, 1854 and 1855 are given that the means of forming some idea of the effect of the Kansas troubles on the prosperity of the county may be at hand. It will be seen that the year before the troubles began in 1853, the valuation of the county was $4,280,463 ; the next year, or the year the troubles commenced in 1854, it was $5,656,559, showing an increase just preceding the troubles of $1,376,096. If the same rate of increase had been kept up, notwith- standing the excitement, the valuation of 1855 would have been $7,032,655. But instead of that it was only $5,167,166, showing a loss from what it ought to have been of $1,875,489, and an actual falling off from that of the previous year of $489,393. So in the " polls " of the county, or those liable to a poll tax for the support of the roads, there was an actual falling off and a failure to reach the number there ought to have been of nearly 600. Verily the Kansas troubles were no blessing to the people of Platte county.

True, the drought of 1854 had something to do with the retrogres- sion shown by the above figures, but that was only temporary, whilst the progress of the county was crippled for several years. From 1850 to 1854 the increase of valuation was$ 2,836,446 ; but from 1854 to 1860, two years longer than the period just mentioned, it was only $1,626,275. These figures point out unmistakably the true cause of the slackening noted.

Furthermore, the opening of Kansas for settlement presented an in- viting field to emigrants beyond this county, and hundreds who would otherwise have settled here went across the river. A large number of residents of the county also went.

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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