USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Dade County and her people : from the date of the earliest settlements to the present time > Part 5
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
On the northeast corner of Main and Garrett streets was the Presbyterian church of brick, since torn down and replaced by the present structure. A short distance north was the residence of Dr. Bowles, since remodeled by J. L. Wetzel, its present owner. On the west side of the street and a half mile north of the square was the house owned by Matthias H. Allison, then, the residence of Columbus Talbutt and family. It was in this house, the first session of the Circuit Court was held, after Greenfield had been located and established as the county seat of Dade county. The first building south of the square on Main street (after the frame at the southeast corner, before described) was the home of Wm. H. Brasington, the first furniture dealer in the town after the war. This house was a part log and part frame, since remodeled and now owned by Silas Montgomery. Across the street south was the resi- dence of Wm. Griggs, father of J. L. Griggs, now owned by C. W. Montgomery, Judge of Probate. Opposite, on the west side of the street was a one-story frame occupied by Robt. L. Butterworth and family. On the southeast corner of the block where Jos. Rubenstein has built his residence stood a one-story frame occupied by Temple E. Bell and his sisters, Annie and Nannie. South of Wm. Grigg's resi- dence on the east side of the street was a story and a half log house, afterward remodeled and now owned by G. L. Carr. South and on the west side of the street is the
56
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
John F. Johnson place, then owned by Nelson McDowell. The east end was of log with oak siding, on the west a one-story frame has been added with a two-room ell on the south. Judge McDowell afterwards added a story to the first two rooms and the building still stands there, but so changed by alterations and additions that it bears no resemblance to the original structure. Although nearly fifty years, have passed, my mind's eye can see, so clearly, those two rooms, for it was there I courted and married the brown eyed girl, who now sleeps so peacefully in Greenfield's beautiful little cemetery.
East of the Silas Montgomery corner, on the brow of the hill where P. L. Montgomery now lives, was the log house of his father, J. M. Montgomery. Down the hill northeast on the east side of the alley was a two room log house and on the west side another log, but unoccupied. About the rear end of Jas. Rubenstein's brick at the south- west corner of the square, there was a small one-story frame, unoccupied. On the southeast corner of the block, R. B. Cook, had his blacksmith shop, with Joseph H. Kimber, his partner. On the opposite side of the street in the rear of the now opera block, there was a two-room log house fronting the street where Win. Griggs had a wagon repair shop, and south on the corner, was Henry Grigg's blacksmith shop. About where the water tower stands, there was a frame building with a loft used by Mr. Kimber as a stable. South across the alley from R. B. Cook's Shop, Arch M. Long lived with his family. About the spot where Howard Wetzel's cottage stands was a three or four room house occupied by Mr. Kimber and family, with whom I boarded several months after arriving in Green- field. At the west end of South or Water Street on the site of the present M. E. Parsonage was a one-room log bonse with a "lean to" of frame, unoccupied. Near the north end of the depot grounds and close to the present track was W. G. McDowell's residence with a broad lawn on the north and cast shaded by a natural growth of oaks. On west College street where County Clerk Webb's resi- dence stands, a three-room cottage was being repaired and
GEORGE W. WILSON.
SAM McMILLAN.
57
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
later, occupied by Francis Clark and family. West of the place now occupied by Mrs. W. K. Pyle, W. H. Mc- Bride lived with his family and across the street in a one- story frame was the two brother, Jas. S., his wife and daughter. D. B. Bailey lived in a small frame on the lot where he built the present two-story brick. Farther west near the electric light plant, was the house where the owner, Benjamin Ragsdale, Sheriff, lived. On the north side of this street, east of the square and two-thirds of the way down the hill was a two-room log house unoccupied. Mrs. Sarah M. McCluer with her children, Kate and H. H., lived in a one-story frame on the lot where the briek now stands and occupied by the owner, Uel Murphy. Opposite on the corner of the alley where J. E. Shaw erected his garage, R. S. Jacobs had a small frame stable. At the then north end of the street, on the lot where Dr. Weir lives, was the two-story and ell frame of W. K. Lathin and family. On Garrett street that Reverend had just finished a two-story frame, since added to and now the residence of Jno. E. Scroggs. Northwest of this and nearly opposite the present residence of Judge Talbutt, stood a one-story building of four or five rooms, owned and oc- cupied by Dr. Samuel Bender, wife and daughter. Coming back to east Garrett street and on the south side was the log house of John Harrison, since remodeled and changed out of all resemblance to its old self. A one story frame stood on the lot where Amos Helphenstine built the pres- ent two-story brick. In the school lot east, was the two- story brick, facing west, and called "in ye olden time." The Masonic Academy occupied the lower floor as a school room and the upper by Washington Lodge No. 87, A. F. & A. M. owner of the building. Opposite on the south side of the street there was a small frame where Prof. W. R. Ben- nington lived with his family.
In this sketch I have to the best of my recollection named every residence, business, church and school build- ing as they stood in April, 1867. Several were outside the town corporations, but are now within the corporate lim- its. Saturday has always been a busy day in Greenfield,
58
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
and on that day every tree in the court yard would have one, sometimes three or four animals hitched to it. What struek me forcibly was the absence of vehicles. Each visitor came in on a horse or mule. The young people of that day may viznalize the town as it was then while those of the present cannot, with the most vivid imagination, see those detached buildings with the waste places be- tween. There were no graded streets, no walks of any kind, only here and there a few boards or "platforms" in front of the store buildings. There was a great sufficiency of loose rocks in the streets from the size of a basket ball down. The only street work of that year consisted in picking up the larger ones and dumping them into gullies on the side of the hill east of the square. Nearly all the citizens liable for poll tax worked it out that year. As before related the Circuit Court sessions were held in the east room of the brick, since rebuilt and called "The Del- monico." Imagine, if you can, the scene in that room when an important case was up for trial. There was the judge, John C. Price, with his six feet of brawn, often with a stubble of gray on his face of three or four days' growth, a home made corn-eob pipe in his mouth, the clerk at his side at a table about large enough to hold a minute book and ink bottle; on the west side a jury of twelve men, some smoking, the Cirenit Attorney, Joseph Estes, Benj. Ragsdale, Sheriff and his deputy, Decatur (Dick) Under- wood, the lawyers on both sides, perhaps a half dozen at a table some larger than the clerk's, a chair for witnesses and as many spectators as could crowd in, standing around. All this and these in that room not larger than eighteen by twenty feet. Can you imagine it? Striet order prevailed, however, no matter how crowded. Be- sides the officers named above, the County Court consisted of E. G. Travis, Presiding JJustice; J. L. Hombree and Sam'l. A. Harsbarger, Associates; Benj. Appleby, Judge of Probate; Wm. L. Seroggs, Public Achministrator. My memory fails as to the treasurer, surveyor and coroner. I think I have named the head of every family living in the town when I arrived, with one notable exception. Dr.
59
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Wm. H. Jopes. Quite likely he lived in the house, which stood on the site now covered by the M. E. parsonage. The population of the town did not exceed two hundred. Some of these had their peculiarities, and striking ones. Dr. Bender was a very eccentric person. Pages could be filled with an account of his peculiar ideas. One is sufficient here and is inserted by request of Mr. States. The Doctor was partial to the perfume of the polecat and would ex- tract it from the animals' gland and bottle it. He was bitterly opposed to the use of tobacco and should a man enter his office smoking he would immediately uncork the polecat bottle and sprinkle the contents over the floor, saying "You like your stink, I like mine." "Nuff Sed." October, 1916.
UNCLE DANIEL WENTWORTH SCOTT.
Personal and Reminiscent.
Born in Kentucky on the 21st day of January, 1826 near the Cumberland River. The farm home was in Ken- tucky, while the barn and other farm buildings were in Tennessee. His father's name was Daniel Wentworth Scott. Elizabeth Flinn-Scott was the mother. The sub- ject of this sketch was the second child. In 1830 the fam- ily moved from Kentucky to Morgan County, Illinois and remained there until 1837 when he moved with his family to Dade County when Uncle Bud was about twelve years old. He settled in the western district of Pennsylvania Prairie near where Pennsborro now stands. The son still owns a part of that old home. The Snadens came to this district about two weeks after the Scotts arrived. Lewis Spain was already here at that time and had a home in the same district. There were but few families in this portion of Dade County at this time. The newcomers in those early days were from Kentucky, Virginia and North Caro- lina. The Scotts came to this country in a wagon drawn by oxen. It took them nearly five weeks to make the jour- ney from Illinois. Horses were then scarce. Oxen were
60
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
used almost exclusively. The man who owned a span of good horses was considered a rich man. There was not a buggy in the entire country. The nearest mill in those days was at Orleans over in Polk county. When they had corn to grind it was taken to a little mill on Turnback which was owned by Tom Beardon. In those days the citizens depended upon Sarcoxie for their mail. One of their number would go about once a month after the mail for the neighborhood and to mail his neighbors letters. Some of the mail was gotten at Springfield. At the time the Scotts came to Dade County there was not a home from Orleans to Turnback, the Frye ford.
In those days the Indians were numerous. In the upper Limestone distriet there were at least five hundred Indians camped the most of the time and they were at most all times friendly with the new settlers. At one time Unele Bud and Rufus Hudspeth heard that the In- dians were fond of dogs and having a good supply of their own they determined to do a little trading with the In- dians. One night these two, then youngsters, went over to the Indian camp where there were many hundred of the red skins and bantered them for a trade. They failed to do any trading, the Indians saying they had dogs enough. There was a real Indian trail from the Cherokee Nation to the northern country. They would go north in the spring and in the late fall return with loads of fur and buffalo hides which they would sell to the settlers. This they kept up until the beginning of the Civil War.
The father of Uncle Bud died in July, 1860, the mother died in 1856, August 18th, during an epidemic of flux which sent terror to many a home at that time. They were buried in the cemetery near Pennsboro. The first one buried in that cemetery was Mathias Speer, an old bachelor who died about 1840. He was a lover of sports and took great delight in horse racing. There were several mile tracks in those days and when Mr. Speer died he ro- quested that he be buried as near a race track as possible. David Hudspeth who owned the land between the Scott home and where Pennsboro now stands, permitted the
61
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
body of Mr. Speer to be buried near the race track that passed through it and that was the beginning of the Pennsboro cemetery.
On the fifteenthi day of October, 1848 Mr. Scott and Miss Mary Ann Springer were married in the little old cabin that stands just north of Pennsboro. Soon after mar- riage he made the trip to California just after the famous forty-nine enactments. Made the trip in a schooner which was drawn by oxen. They were four months and ten days making the trip from Greenfield to Sacramento. When they arrived there the most of their provisions were gone and a part of their stock was dead. They had to sell what remained of their stock in order to get things to eat. They remained in California a little over a year and then pro- ceeded to return home via the Isthmus of Panama. When they got to a point in the Mississippi River their boat col- lided with another boat and it was some days before he was able to buy a horse in order to make his way home. He was reasonably successful in his Californa trip. When he got home with his horse and his little budget, he went to his farm duties and when the war came, thieves came also, and took his horse. He was present at the Dildy Mill meeting in 1861, when the people met to declare on what side of the rebellion they were interested.
U'nele Bud remained absolutely neutral. He says he never killed a man in his life and he never had any desire to take life in times of war as well as in times of peace. The most of the people were in sympathy with the Con- federates. He lost his first Presidential vote in being for Lewis Cass of Michigan. His second presidential vote was for Franklin Pierce in 1852. He has been a true Democrat all his life with the exception of casting his vote in 1864 for Lincoln. At that time he and the late Perry Farris were going across the country to Illinois. When they got to Quincy over in Hickory county, they were anxious to get a place to stay over night. They went to a home and asked for accommodation, the master of the home asked Uncle Bud who he would vote for and the reply came, "Uncle Abe, of course." This gave him a
62
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
passport to all the good things in that home and in almost all that community as it was pretty well filled with Fed- erals.
The old Antioch Church was organized in 1844 and in later years Uncle Bud became a member. It was a log structure with an old fashioned fire place on one side. This old church has a history. The Stampers, the Saters, the Willis' and the Gambles, the Mallorys and the Funks. Harland Mulkey was one of the pioneer preachers and he is still remembered because of his sweet singing and he was a most excellent preacher. Allen Scott was another old minister, who still lives in the minds of the old timers and especially in the mind of Uncle Bud.
The temporary capital of Dade County was near the Scott home. It was located near the big spring. He was present at the first circuit court that was ever held in Greenfield. The county seat was moved from Dadeville to Greenfield in 1841. This was in the year 1842 or 1843. Judge Yancey was then on the bench. Joe Allan was then the county and circuit clerk. The famous Asa G. Smith was then sheriff. He is the man who absconded with the funds of the county, being county tax collector as well as sheriff. He attended the first 4th of July celebration ever held in Greenfield and he attended the last one. The first one was in 1841. Is there another living man who can say this? He was present at the first dance ever held in Greenfield. It was at the home of William Latham, just before he had completed his new house. The house still stands. Uncle Bud says when a man once gets music in his feet he cannot keep still. The first jail in Greenfield was built of logs and it stood near the old spring. It was built high and there was a trap door near the roof. A prisoner was taken to the top of the roof and then he was compelled to descend a ladder into the jail. When he was once safely inside the sheriff would take the ladder out and close the trap door. In this jail the notorious Pete Douglas was confined, waiting his trial for the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, his master and mistress. This jail had three walls and it was impossible for a man in those
63
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
days to get out unless aided by man or the law. Pete was found guilty and he was hanged about a mile south of Greenfield by Sheriff Hedspeth. He was driven to the place of hanging sitting on his coffin, and when the wagon arrived at the right place the rope was tied around his neck and the wagon was removed leaving the body dang- ling in the air.
Mr. Scott is the only one living that was living in the Pennsboro district at the time he came there. He and Mrs. Scott lived happily together sixty-four years, seven months, and six days. This is by far the longest period of wedded life that has ever been alloted to any Dade county couple and it is doubtful whether or not there is another instance covering as many years in the history of the southwest. They courted three years and still courted sixty-four years afterwards. It touches his heart every time these days are mentioned to him. The memory of his wife is still very sweet to him and he loves to speak of her many splendid sterling qualities. She was a most excellent woman and her going is still lamented by the scores of friends who remember her as a true woman and a true companion to her husband and her home. There were eight children born to this home. Two died in in- fancy. The rest are living in or near the old vicinity. Tom who lives in Kansas City, is the only child away from home. Mr. Scott was a director in the Honey Creek School for thirty years and he at one time was township collector of Smith township. George Carmon brought the first reaper to the Pennsboro district some years before the war. Uncle Bud says it was a wonder. He saw the first railway train at Tipton in the latter fifties. He is well acquainted with the flint in making morning fire and many times he was sent by his parents to a neighbor to borrow fire. He is of Scotch-Irish descent. The old homestead was entered by the father and he and Uncle Bud have owned it ever since. No trouble to get abstract. While justice of the peace he was present at the marriage of one couple, Thomas Stovall and Martha Jane Douglas. The young couple rode up to Mr. Scott's front gate and told
64
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
the errand. Mr. Scott climbed on top of the fence and pronounced them husband and wife while they were seated on their horses. He has perhaps been on more juries than any other man in Dade county. He could not serve on a murder jury because of the fact he does not believe in capital punishment.
He is making his home with his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Poindexter over in the Antioch district, his young- est daughter. The elder daughter, Mrs. Lucy (Scott) Sater lives at Miller. Dennis, is the youngest son and he lives at Pennsboro. Thomas lives in Kansas City, Mrs. Amanda Speer is a stister. There are twenty-three grand- children and twenty-five great grand-children. In 1839 there was a school house built of round logs in twenty feet of the present home of Dick Daigh. The neighbors as- sembled and in less than a day the house was built and daubbed inside and out. There was no such thing as a nail in those days. He attended school in that building. The Moores, the Penns and the Pritchards, the Allisons, the Myries, the Finleys and the Snadons also attended this school. They went to school early in the morning and stayed until late in the evening being in study for at least ten hours. His first church was Antioch. Hiram Sampsel and his wife, John Adams and C. C. Coble were among the charter members. The first lights were made by obtaining a flat rock with a hole in it and then fill the hole with grease and place a string wick in it, the fore- runner of the tallow dip and the common candle. These lamps were extensively used in the early primitive days.
The first lumber was sawed by a whip saw. His father and Thomas McBride sawed the first lumber in Dade county. Some of the first plank ever sawed in the county are still in existance on the Scott homestead in Pennsboro. The scales in those days were rudely made and rocks were used as weights. In those days about all that was needed was to plant, the crop would sure follow without much cultivation. The soil was new and rich and crops never failed. The hospitality of those days was never equalled. He delights to talk about the generosity and the faithful- ness of the people of that early day.
J. W. CARMACK.
65
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
The Poindexter home is one of the best country homes in the Pilgrim-Antioch district. Mr. Scott is tenderly cared for by his daughter and her family and here is where he will no doubt spend his last hours. He has been ill for some months, the result of old age. He has been a reader of the St. Louis Republic since 1848. He was mar- ried in a brown green coat with the elbow out.
EARLY DISCOVERY OF COAL IN DADE COUNTY.
The coal belt of Dade County is located in the north- western portion and consists of a large, uneven tract or territory underlaid with a vein of bituminous coal, of ex- cellent quality from five to fifty feet beneath the surface. It was discovered by accident. About the year 1850, Robert Courtney, an early settler in the Sons Creek neigh- borhood was hunting wolves in the prairie near where Sylvania now stands. After an unusually long tramp he sat down on the ground to rest and in examining a craw fish hole noticed that the out-put was filled with fine cut- tings of coal. The next day he returned with tools and uncovered a wagon load which he hauled to Springfield and sold for $1.00 per bushel. It was then used exclusively for blacksmithing. This load of coal was taken from section 17-32-28.
Since that time coal has been mined extensively for local use, mostly by stripping and in some cases by slope or drift. In 1854 when the Homestead Company was formed in Allegheny City, Pa., headed by John Dyer, Sr., for president; Hugh McCluey. Alexander Pitcairn and John P. Flemming as agents of the company came to Dade county and placed land warrants on several thousand acres of land in the vicinity of Sylvania. The promoters intended to build a manufacturing city at Sylvania to be supported by a surrounding population of farmers. The civil war blasted the enterprise and the ideal city was never built.
Robert McCluey is a son of Hugh McCluey, one of the original Homesteaders, and has been identified with the coal industry of the country from the beginning.
66
HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
SAMUEL JACKSON WEIR, JR. Personal and Reminiscent.
Samuel J. Weir, Jr., was born in Cooper County, Mis- souri, on December 27, 1830, some eighteen miles south of Booneville. Booneville was then a prosperous little vil- lage town. The father, Samuel Weir, Sr., went to Cooper County from Tennessee in 1818. He was a young man and had lately married Miss Polly B. Stevens, of Kentucky. The elder Weir established a home in Cooper County and lived there until the spring of 1840, when he moved to Dade County and established the Weir homestead near the north- cast limits of the city of Greenfield. While a citizen of Cooper County, Father Weir first began the ministry, but did not enter the profession to any great extent until he became a citizen of Dade County. It is said that Father Weir married the first couple ever married in Dade County. He at once entered a large tract of land, and most of it is still very fine in productiveness, and it is now furnishing homes for many of their descendents. He was a hard- working man and a splendid financier, very successful in everything he undertook. He built the old log church on the Weir Camp Ground about 1842. Alexander Long was one of the elders of that congregation. Father Long was the father of the late Arch M. Long, who is still re- membered by all the older citizenship. Rev. Jeff Montgom- ery was one of the ministers of this church. He came here in the early forties. Rev. Mr. Smith and Rev. Mr. Johnson were ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian church at that time. Joseph Davidson, the great-grandfather of James Davidson, did some preaching for the Methodist. Rev. Pensor. a teacher as well as minister, was the first Presbyterian minister. The latter forties, Rev. Mulkey came to this section and ministered for those of the Chris- tian church faith.
The old log church on the Weir Camp Grounds was open to all faiths, including the Baptist, who were led by Messrs. Buckley and Buckner, two splendid pioneer min- isters, whose work shows to this day. The old log church
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.