USA > Missouri > Cooper County > History of Cooper County, Missouri > Part 16
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Muster day was, for a long time after the commencement of the custom, a gala day for the citizens, and was looked forward to with con- siderable interest, especially by the different officers, who appeared in full military dress, captains and lieutenants with long red feathers stuck in the fore part of their hats, and epaulettes upon their shoulders. The field officers mounted on their fine steeds, with continental cocked hats, epaulettes upon their shoulders and fine cloth coats ornamented with gold fringe, rode around among the men and gave orders, making themselves the "observed of all observers." Also the venders of whiskey, ginger- cakes, apples and cider took no small interest in the anticipated muster day, for on that day, every person being excited, bought more or less of these things. Always on muster days, after the muster was over, the rival bruisers of a neighborhood tried their strength upon one an- other, thus furnishing a great deal of amusement for those who attended. The little folks were also happy in the anticipation, if not in the enjoy- ment, of being presented with a ginger-cake and an apple upon that day.
But after a lapse of time these musters became tiresome to a por- tion of the citizens, as they were obliged to lose so much of their valuable time in order to attend them, or were compelled to pay a fine of one dollar for each failure to attend on muster day; besides they could see no real
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use in continuing the organization, as there seemed no prospect soon of the state requiring any troops, as all was peaceful and quiet within its borders. Also, at the elections for officers, many of them were chosen on account of their personal popularity, instead of their qualifications to fill the office for which they were elected. Musters, after their novelty had worn off, became very unpopular, the citizens believing them to be an unnecessary burden upon them.
Therefore, some time before the battalion muster, which was to take place at Boonville, during the year 1842, a company, the existence of which was known only to its members, was formed at that place, among the members of which were some of the best citizens of the city. This company was styled the "fantastic company," on account of the queer costumes, arms, etc., of its members, they being dressed in all manner of outlandish costumes, carrying every conceivable kind of a weapon, from a broom-stick to a gun, and mounted upon horses, mules and jacks. The company was intended as a burlesque upon the militia, and to have some fun at their expense.
The regiment of the state militia which was to be mustered out at the above mentioned time was commanded by Col. Jesse T. Turley and Maj. J. Logan Forsythe, and was composed of all the companies then in the north half of the county. On the morning of the muster day Colonel Turley formed his regiment in front of the court house. After they were organized and ready for muster and drill, the fantastic company, which was commanded by John Babbitt, each member dressed in his peculiar costume and carrying his strange weapon, marched up into full view of Colonel Turley's command, and commenced preparations to drill. Colonel Turley, feeling indignant that his proceedings should be inter- rupted by such a "mob," and believing that it was intended as an insult, ordered his command to surround the fantastic company.
There was a high fence on the eastern side of the vacant lot on which they were mustering, and Colonel Turley's command surrounded the "Fantastic Company." by approaching on High street, on the alley between Fifth and Sixth streets, and on Sixth street, thus hemming them in on the vacant lot. The latter, being closely pressed, retreated back across the fence, and then commenced a fight by throwing brickbats. The fight immediately became general and promiscuous, and resulted in seri- ous damage to several members of the State militia. Col. J. J. Turley was struck in the side by a stone, and two or three of his ribs broken. Maj. J. Logan Forsythe was struck by a brickbat in the face, just below
KEMPER MILITARY SCHOOL, BOONVILLE, MO.
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his right eye, and died the next day of his wounds. The members of the fantastic company then dispersed and scattered in every direction.
The death of Major Forsythe caused great excitement throughout the county, and great indignation was felt against the citizens of Boon- ville, so much so, that a petition was immediately circulated, asking that the "county seat of Cooper County be removed from Boonville," to a more central point of the county." So great was the excitement that some persons living within three miles of Boonville signed this petition. But the county seat, after a severe struggle before the County Court, was retained at Boonville.
The death of Major Forsythe was greatly regretted by all parties, for he was an excellent citizen and a very popular officer. It produced an ill-feeling throughout the county, which lasted many years. After the fight was over, the militia went through with their usual exercises, under the command of their subordinate officers, as Colonel Turley and Major Forsythe were unable, on account of their wounds, to drill them.
The last effort was as stated, in 1844, by the people of Palestine township. The citizens of that township held a meeting in March of that year, and agreed to submit the question of changing the county seat to a vote of the people, which was accordingly done at the succeeding August election. The question was decided adversely to those who favored the change.
The second court house erected was completed in the year 1840. The County Court at its May term ordered that the public square be laid off into lots and sold to raise money to build a new court house and at the same time it was ordered that the old court house (the first court house) be sold. The money, however, realized from the sale of these lots and the sale of the old court house was not sufficient to erect the new build- ing. The first appropriation made in money for this purpose by the court was the sum of $10,800. Other appropriations were made from time to time until the completion of the building, the entire amount appro- priated being about $30,000. This building, now wrecked and upon whose site stands the present handsome court house, was the scene of many political gatherings of the past and spirited legal contests by the best legal minds of the state. It will be cherished in the memory of the pres- ent generation. A picture of this building appears in this volume, as well as one of its successor, the present elegant structure. We can but wonder how those that come. after us will look upon our last effort in
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erecting a court of justice. In 50 years will they consider it as inade- quate, as antiquated, as dangerous and unsanitary, as we of today con- sidered its predecessor? Doubtless more so, for the human race, not with mincing steps but with giant strides, is moving forward.
There are few living at the present time who recall the intense excitement of the years 1849 and 1850 caused by the discovery of gold in California. At this time, the period of its greatest excitement, the people generally throughout the American Union became deeply inter- ested and thousands upon thousands were filled with the lust for gold. It would be strange indeed, if this mania did not penetrate Cooper County and arouse to action the hardy and adventurous settlers of that day. While it may not be a beautiful sentiment, yet in a measure mankind responds to the expression of the poet,
"Gold is the strength, the sinews of the world; The health, the soul, the beauty most divine."
Cooper County sent forth to the gold fields of California many of her sons, some of whom were past the middle age with silvered locks, others were boys still in their teens, all animated with the hope and strong desire that their labors, their sacrifices, their dangers, and their bravery would be rewarded with an abundance of the glittering and precious ore. The desert plains over which they traveled to reach the gold fields were littered with broken wagons and carcasses of beasts of burden and here and there the mouldering remains of men. Joaquin Miller, the poet of the Sierras, has said, "The coward never started and the weak did not arrive." We are unable to give the names of all those hardy seekers after gold who left our county at this time, however, we here give the names of a portion of the companies of Capt. Robert Mc- Culloch and Solomon Houck :
Robert McCulloch's company: Spotswook McCulloch, Joseph McCul- loch, John McCulloch, Robert Douglass, Charles Lewis, Merriweather Lewis, Nicholas Lewis, Abraham Weight, John Simmons, Joseph Potter, Nelson Potter, John Hornbeck, Perry Taylor, Alfred Hornbeck, C. W. Sombart, Julius Sombart, Robert Allison, Love Wadly, Erhart, Sr., Au- gust Erhart, Albert Erhart, William Hardcastle, Reuben Stevens and James Humes, of Monitean County; Ewing Kelly, Joseph Hess, John Kelly, Peter Kelly, Bear, Sr., Frank Bear, John Carey, William Son, George Kelly, Oldhausen and son and Richard Bidel, of St. Louis County; Louis Brant, Dr. Antrim, and Abraham Reidmeyer, William Reidmeyer and John Hahn, from Ohio; Joseph Byler, Calvin Wilson, Simon Boyd, Doctor
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Cooper, Universalist preacher; C. B. Combes, Thomas Chambers, Charles Mitchell, Absalom Meredith, John Baldwin, Jacob Gype, John Mars, Cal Mason, John Oglesby, Thomas Mitchell, Jacob Harrier, Horace Hutchin- son, William Samuels, William Wheatley, Samuel Row, John Porter.
Upon the eve of his departure for California, one of the Cooper County boys thought to be the late Col. Horace A. Hutchison penned the following beautiful and touching farewell:
Farewell, farewell, my native land, I leave thee only with a sigh, To wander o'er a foreign strand, Perchance to live, perchance to die. Adieu, my friends, whom kindred ties
Unite, though distant we may rove,
ยท How ardent as time onward flies, Fond memory clings to those we love.
O'er the broad plains, far away, Beyond the Rocky Mountain's crest, Our wayward feet awhile shall stray, And press the gold-besprinkled west. But 'mid the gaudy scenes of strife, Where gold to pride enchantment lends, We'll ne'er forget that boon of life -- Companions dear and faithful friends.
And in the lapse of coming years, Should fortune be not too unkind, We'll hope reward for parting tears, In smiles from those we left behind. We go-yet hoping to return, Friends of our youth, to home and you, For these do cause our hearts to yearn, E'en when we sigh Adieu-Adieu.
There are few now living in Cooper County who were old enough in 1853 to remember the intense excitement and the bitterness incident thereto, caused by the temperance movement inaugurated by the Crystal . Fount division of the Sons of Temperance in that year.
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Sixty-six years ago saloons were common in Boonville, and in all probability, there were four times as many as at the present time. Whiskey was cheap, and its use was common. The "worm of the still" could be found wherever the thirst demanded. As a rule drug stores, grocery stores, general merchandise stores, dry goods stores, and nearly all mercantile establishments carried their barrel or barrels of whiskey. Although a merchant may have depreciated the sale of intoxicating liquors, he was practically forced to yield to the common custom by reason of the practise of his competitors.
The Sons of Temperance secured the services of Rev. William Ross, Deputy Grand Worthy Patriarch of Missouri, who delivered a number of stirring lectures in the Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches in this city. The Reverend Ross was pugnacious, possessed of fervent eloquence, and used a trenchant tongue. Like the woodman he cared not where the chips flew. He was more belligerent than dis- creet, but withall, his methods were well calculated to arouse intense interest and excitement in his hearers. He was radical in his views, and by the bold and denunciatory manner in which he spoke of the liquor traffic, and those who drank, incurred the resentment and displeasure of the saloon-keepers of the town, as well as those who patronized them.
The interest in his subject by his listeners deepened and continued to increase from day to day until it reached its culminating point on July 17, 1853. Upon that Sunday, a meeting of the friends of temper- ance was advertised to be held at the Presbyterian Church, where Rev. William Ross would deliver one of his interesting lectures.
H. D. Benedict was the mayor of the city of Boonville at that time. Fearing serious results from the bitterness manifested on both sides, on the 16th of July, the day preceding the day of the lecture, he had published the following proclamation, which speaks for itself :
"Whereas, a certain itinerant lecturer, calling himself "Billy Ross," has been disseminating discord and dissention in this community, by vituperation and abuse, under the guise of temperance lectures; and, whereas, it is said that sundry persons have armed themselves and threatened to assemble for combat-some to encourage and others to stop said Ross in his course-these are therefore to forbid all such riotous and unlawful assemblages. And the police of this city are hereby re- quired to suppress and disperse all riotous and unlawful assemblies in this city.
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In testimony whereof, I, H. B. Benedict, mayor of the city of Boon- ville, have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the city, at office, this 16th day of July, 1853.
"H. B. BENEDICT, Mayor."
Following his proclamation by action, the mayor immediately organ- ized a force numbering 62 men, of which he was the leader, and marched to the Presbyterian Church on the 17th of July, where he took posses- sion of the church and premises. Many came to the church, at the ap- pointed hour, but were prevented from entering the building by the mayor and his force, and the assembled crowd was quietly dispersed. No resistance was offered nor was there any riotous demonstration. The partisan of the respective parties to the controversy commended and condemned in turn the action of the mayor, according to the respective inclinations, and their interest in the imbroglio.
However, a committee was appointed by the temperance organiza- tion of Boonville, and in the following language, gave vent to their feel- ing, and thus expressed their views of the action of the police force:
"Who made up that (so-called) police force? Everybody in Boon- ville knows. Whisky traders, grog-shop keepers and their bloated cus- tomers, black-legs, infidels-some known long and truly, to be infidels alike towards all that is divine in Christianity, and pure and sacred in the principles of a well-ordered domestic and social life. When Mr. Ross together with his peacable, forbearing, but deeply outraged audience, assembled at the church-yard gate, around the church enclosure, and looked over, they saw men who for weeks before had been breathing "threatenings and slaughter" against Mr. Ross (for no other reason than this only; that he had assaulted within the walls of the churches of this city, the Hydra monster whisky), herded together, all who heart- lessly trade in, and fatten upon the profits of the poison.
"Large numbers of ladies, with the general multitude, lingered around the gate, and gazed with mingled feelings of pity, suppressed indignation and contempt upon the motley mass of disgusting, animan and moral putrescence that made up almost the entire number of the legalized mob that invested, by barbarian, bacchanalian authority the peaceful premises of that deeply dishonored sanctuary."
From the past, we often learn the present. Thus it is seen that in those years long past, the men and the women who passed their brief hour upon the stage, and whose memory we honor and revere, gave vent
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to their feelings and convictions, in language at times virile, vigorous and bitter, much as we today are wont to do, losing sight of the senti- ment and the poet's vision,
"Life is too brief Between the budding and the falling leaf, Between the seed time and the golden sheaf,
For hate and spite.
"Life is too swift Between the blossom and the white snow's drift,
Between the silence and the lark's uplift, For bitter words."
As heretofore stated, the admission of Missouri into the Union aroused such intense and bitter agitation throughout the whole country that it was feared by some of the wisest statesmen of the day that it would disrupt the Union. Throughout the years succeeding the admis- sion of Missouri until the close of the Civil War, the pro-slavery and anti-slavery agitators were busy and active. In 1855 the feeling became intensified. Cooper County at that time was settled mostly by people from the southern states and their deep sympathy was with the pro- slavery cause. At this time the German population of Cooper County was not large, yet not being slave holders nor attached by tradition to the slave holding cause, they were not in sympathy with the pro-slavery movement.
At a meeting of the citizens of Cooper County, held at Bell Air, on Saturday, June 30, 1855, for the purpose of appointing delegates to attend the pro-slavery convention to be held at Lexington, Mo., on the 12th day of July, 1855, the following delegates were appointed: Boonville town- ship, J. L. Stephens, W. Douglass, A. W. Simpson, J. M. Nelson, J. W. Torbert, W. N. Ragland, Isaac Lionberger, John Combs, T. V. Hickox, Benjamin Tompkins; Lamine township, Freeman Wing, Jesse B. Turley, S. W. McMahan; Saline township, John L. O'Bryan, W. T. Thorton, J. K. Ragland, A. W. Lucky; Clarks Fork township, Robert McCulloch, Henry Mills, A. Greenhalgh, Charles Q. Lewis; Moniteau township, A. K. Longan, D. Jones, D. P. Swearingen, J. Baughman, Dr. William H. Ellis; Kelly township, W. McCurdy, A. Nelson, Dr. E. Chilton ; Palestine township,
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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY
William Bradley, R. L. Bradley, B. C. Clark, R. H. Menefee, James L. Bell, L. C. Stephens, R. A. Ewing ; Clear Creek township, James B. Harris, George S. Cockrill, Samuel B. Mahan; Pilot Grove township, Dr. W. W. Harriman, Dr. J. K. McCabe, W. M. Taylor, John Miller; Blackwater township, N. Sutherlin, Thomas L. Williams, Richard Marshall, John A. Trigg; Lebanon township, Richard Willis, Thomas McCulloch, Dr. Sam- uel H. Saunders, H. W. Ferguson, Geo. Harland. L. C. Stephens, presi- dent; William Bradley and J. M. Nelson, vice-presidents ; Bennett C. Clark, secretary.
About this time great efforts were being made by both the contend- ing forces in the slavery controversy to settle the State of Kansas with their respective adherents. It would be difficult and it is not the purpose in this volume to portray the unreasonable bitterness arising therefrom, but that our old citizens of Cooper were active in the controversy and the Kansas troubles of 1856 is evidenced by the fact that on Aug. 20, 1856, a call was made in Boonville for men and money from the citizens of Cooper County to aid the pro-slavery party in Kansas. One of the posters announcing the call is as follows: "A meeting of the citizens of Cooper County will be held at the court-house, in Boonville, on Satur- day, the 23rd, for the purpose of raising men and money to aid the law and order men in Kansas. Let every pro-slavery man attend. Bring your guns and horses. Let us sustain the Government, and drive back the abolitionists who are murdering our citizens." The above was signed by some of the prominent citizens of the town, who sent men and money to Kansas.
The practical unanimity among the citizens of Cooper County as to the slavery issue was manifested in the elections of 1856 and 1860. In 1856 there were three candidates for President in the field, namely : James Buchanan, Democrat; Millard Fillmore, American; and John C. Freemont, Republican. There was no ticket in Cooper County for Free- mont. Millard Fillmore carried the county over James Buchanan by about eight votes, so nearly even were the two parties, but so small the adherents of the Republican party that no ticket was in the field.
At the next presidential election in 1860 the candidates were Stephen A. Douglas, Union Democrat; John C. Breckenridge, Southern Democrat ; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; and John Bell, Union.
Douglas carried Cooper County by a small majority, Bell running him close. Breckenridge had a small vote and Lincoln but twenty votes.
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So strange it seemed at that time that any one should vote for Lincoln that the names of those who voted for him were afterwards published in the newspapers as an item of curiosity. The result of the foregoing elections demonstrates that while the citizens of Cooper County were for slavery, yet they were against secession and loyally in favor of the Union.
CHAPTER XII.
CIVIL WAR PERIOD
CIVIL WAR A MEMORY-BATTLE BELOW BOONVILLE-HOME GUARDS IN COOPER COUNTY-PRICE'S RAID-SHELBY'S RAID-PRICE'S RAID INTO COOPER COUNTY.
The novelist will take the most fragile thread of fact, and from this, with cunning skill, weave a fabric of romantic and surpassing beauty. The historian in comparison must be prosy, eschewing all of the myths, and avoiding legends, the essence of poesy and songs. As one has said, he must "nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." History is a skeleton of the past. It is not in the power of man to visualize it with flesh and blood, make the dead past the living present.
After the lapse of more than half a century, the bitterness of the Civil War is but a memory, and with the younger generation, only a tradition. It is not intended in this chapter to discuss the causes and long chain of events that led up to the sanguinary and internecine war of 1861-65. Suffice it to say that human slavery is abolished. Who can now regret it? The Union is established, one and inseparable. The hand of God has fashioned a nation. In the time of need, He has been the giant of strength, to stay the ruthless onward rush of might. To the peoples of the earth, and the powers of the world, our country pro- claims the doctrine that the right of man must prevail over the might of kings and classes.
To give a detailed account of all that transpired here in the war of rebellion, or the Civil War, would require a much larger volume of space than we have at our command. The following pages only profess to give without comment, some of the facts as they occurred.
Cooper County suffered a great deal during the war. Her territory was nearly all the time occupied by either one party or the other, and
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the citizens were called upon to contribute to first one of the contending forces and then the other. Again, some of the most inexcusable crimes and murders were committed within the territory of Cooper County, which, while not a part of the war proper, will be given in another chapter.
Battle Below Boonville .- Governor Jackson and General Price, on June 11, 1861, left Jefferson City, where the Legislature was in session, sought an interview with Generals Lyon and Blair, and made proposi- tions for a compromise, on the basis of neutrality, etc. The two last mentioned generals refused to make any compromise whatever. They claimed the "unrestricted right to move and station the troops of the United States throughout the State, whenever and wherever, in their opinion, they thought it to be necessary, either for the protection of loyal citizens of the Federal Government, or for the repelling of an invasion.
Governor Jackson and General Price, after this unsuccessful en- deavor to bring about peace, returned to Jefferson City, and the Governor issued a proclamation, calling into the active service of the State 50,000 men. General Lyon, a few days afterwards, issued a counter proclama- tion, in justification of his course in refusing to compromise with Gov- ernor Jackson and General Price.
General Lyon then moved his troops to Jefferson City, and on his arrival at that place, he found that Governor Jackson had moved his forces 50 miles above, to Boonville, cutting the telegraph lines, and destroying the bridges on the railway as he proceeded. General Lyon, leaving Colonel Boernstein in command of a small force at the capital, on the afternoon of the 16th day of June, 1861, embarked his forces on three steamers, and ascending the Missouri River, they arrived at Roche- port about six o'clock on the following morning. There he ascertained that the State troops, under General Marmaduke (Price at that time being sick), were in full force a few miles below Boonville, and that resistance might be expected from them; should he attempt to reach Boonville by that road. Leaving this place, and taking the steam ferry- boat, Paul Wilcox, General Lyon's command ascended the river to the island, eight miles below Boonville, which was reached at about seven o'clock a. m., and on the southern shore of which the command disembarked.
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