History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri, Part 19

Author: Leopard, John C
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1164

USA > Missouri > Gentry County > History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri > Part 19
USA > Missouri > Daviess County > History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri > Part 19

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John Huggins, after whom the township received its name, came from Ohio, about the year 1845, and settled west of the Middle Fork, at Hugginsville, which also took its name from John Huggins, where was afterwards established a post office. In 1868 and '70 he was one of the county judges of Gentry County. John Armstrong, son-in-law of Hug- gins, located about the same time near Hugginsville.

William and Elisha Poole came from Ohio, at an early day.

Elisha and Isaac Enochs, from Ohio, located also near Hugginsville.

Frederick Watson, a native of Scotland, but from Ohio to Gentry County, was one of the earliest settlers, locating west of the Middle Fork of Grand River.

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James Hall, from one of the Eastern States, settled near Grand River, where he died.

James McGuire came from Kentucky in 1842 or 1843, with his father, both settling on the West Fork of Grand River. His father went to Oregon.

In 1845 William Rhoades came from Clay County, Missouri, and set- tled on the Middle Fork of Grand River, in the bottom.

Andy Mackey located between the Middle and East Forks.

Valentine Waltrip settled here at an early day.

Among the earliest settlers was Solomon Graybill, from South Mis- souri.

Morris B. Huggins, John Armstrong, Francis H. Alexander, Corne- lius Enochs, David Buckridge, James F. Hall, Samuel Gunter and Wilson T. Canaday, were all among the earliest settlers of Huggins Township.

A church was built in Huggins Township as early at 1848. It was a brick edifice, and the land was donated by William J. Canaday, as was also the cemetery, which is one of the oldest in the county, and is the last resting place of many of the old pioneers and their wives. The first min- ister to officiate within its walls was Hiram Warner, who continued to fill its pulpit for nineteen consecutive years. As above stated, he was from Kentucky, and an Elder in the Christian Church. Among the persons organizing this church were William J. Canaday and wife, George Brown and wife, Uriah Wells and wife, Henry Carlock and wife, George O. Carlock and wife, Edwin Miller and wife, and - - Constance and wife. Jasper H. Coffey succeeded Warner. Rev. Ripley and wife, each of whom proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation, also labored irregularly for some years in this church. Barton W. Wadkins is the minister in charge at the present time. The brick church (Christian) was wrecked by storm in 1883. A frame building soon took its place and the work of this church has been continued.

The Capel, located at Hugginsville, was erected about 1854, by the M. E. Church society. Meredith Shockley and Herald Johnson were among its earliest ministers. John Huggins and wife, William Poole and wife, Robert Morris and wife, John Ross, Sr., Mrs. John Armstrong, and others, assisted at its organization.

Miller Township .- Miller Township is bounded as follows :| Begin- ning at the northeast corner of section 24, township 62, range 30; thence west 12 miles; thence south nine miles; thence east 12 miles; thence north nine miles to place of beginning, containing 108 square miles.

Miller Township was the first settled in the county, that is to say, the first emigrants coming to the county located in Miller Township, and

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near what are now known as Greenwell Ford and Gentryville. It is the southeast township of the county, the line of Daviess County forming its eastern boundary. Daviess County was organized in 1836. Settlements, however, had been made in that county several years prior to that date. Because of its contiguity to Daviess County, which had been settled from twelve to fifteen years, Miller Township received the first emigration coming westward. The Grand River, with its affluents, affording ample water-power for mill sites, and the abundant supply of timber which fringed these streams, as well as the fertility of the soil, constituted at- tractions such as were sought after by the pioneers, coming from the well watered and well timbered districts of the Eastern and Southern States.

In 1832 Isaac Miller and his brother, Tobias, came from Garrett County, Kentucky, to Clay County, where they remained for two years. During the fall of that year and the succeeding fall, 1832-33, he came to Gentry County in company with a number of young men in search of game and wild honey. His immediate companions in the fall of 1833 were his brother, Moses Miller, David Henderson, Lewis Arnold and William Arnold, all from Kentucky. There were three wagons in the company, containing from three to five men each, besides the wagon under the control of Mr. Miller and his party. They crossed Grand River near what was afterwards known as Patton's Ford, and after remaining in the vicinity of what is now Gentryville and Greenwell Ford for sev- eral weeks, they returned to Clay County, taking with them an abun- dance of honey. Having, during his sojourn in Clay County, made the acquaintance of William Martin and John Roberts, both of whom were from Tennessee, they concluded to come together to Gentry County, and accordingly in the winter of 1834, in February, they arrived at Green- well Ford. They built a cabin on the north side of the river, about forty steps from the bank, north of the ford. At that time the locality had not been named, nor had a ford or crossing place been established. When Mr. Miller and his companions reached the end of their journey they found a large band of Fox and Sac Indians, who had been camping there that winter. They soon erected their cabin and prepared to raise a small crop of corn in the spring of 1834, putting in fifteen acres. At that time there were no mills or trading posts nearer than Clay County, where they were compelled to go for their supplies, at long intervals, a distance of about seventy miles. After spending the winter and summer in their cabin, Martin, Roberts and Tobias Miller, each took a claim. Martin located three-fourths of a mile east of the ford, on what was not inaptly called then "Poverty Point," from the fact that the location was poor, sandy and barren. Here Martin died many years ago.

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John Roberts, of whom we have spoken in the history of Albany, lived a short time near Greenwell Ford, and then moved on to the town site of Albany, from which place he went to Illinois.

Tobias Miller, settled southeast of the ford, on the east side of the river. After two or three years he removed to Daviess County, Mo., and died there, about the year 1857. Isaac Miller then became and continued the solitary occupant of the old cabin near the ford, until he located on the northwest quarter of section 23, township 62, range 31, two miles south of Greenwell Ford, where he lived until 1881, when he sold to his son. While living at Greenwell Ford, Mr. Miller observed a large bald- headed eagle, which had built her nest in a dead sycamore tree near his cabin. The top of the tree had been broken off by the wind, leaving about 70 feet of the trunk standing. Upon this stump the proud bird had built her nest, where for two or three succeeding summers she raised her brood.

This region of country was the hunter's paradise, and it was annu- ally visited for several years after its settlement by the whites, by the Indians of the Platte Purchase, who always returned to their homes with a winters' supply of elk and deer.

In the fall of 1835, Mr. Miller, while standing upon the brow of an upland prairie, saw on the plains below 127 deer in a single herd. Such were visions which not unfrequently delighted the eyes and gladdened the hearts of the brave pionrees who pitched their tents upon the banks of the Grand River.

In 1835, the year following the first settlements made in the county, emigration began to come quite rapidly. During that year, among those who settled in Miller Township were John Culp, from Tennessee; Mil- ton Foster, from Kentucky ; a German by the name of Taughlemyer, who afterwards removed to Platte County ; Benjamin Culp, from Tennessee; Elisha Cameron, from Tennessee, and a number of others, principally from Kentucky and Tennessee, all locating within a few miles of Gentry- ville.

Nancy J. Miller, daughter of Isaac Miller, was the first white child born in the county, the date of her birth being October, 1839. When grown to womanhood she married W. P. Garten.

Among the earliest settlers of this township was Judge Jacob Jones, who came from Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1839, arriving here on the 1st day of February, of that year. He came by land, through the newly settled states of Indiana and Illinois, crossing the Mississippi River at Quincy. He purchased from John McCully, his claim, located five miles east of Gentryville and one mile from the Daviess County line, subject

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to a survey. McCully was a Kentuckian and had lived on his claim about two years, and then moved to Daviess County, Mo. Judge Jones contin- ued to reside upon this farm, where he made substantial improvements, until 1865, when he located at Albany, the county seat. He was one of the prominent citizens of the county and was one of the county judges in 1862 and in 1866.

Jesse Green, from Kentucky, located near the center of the town- ship, prior to 1839. Shortly after the discovery of gold in California, he, in company with a number of others from Gentry County, went to that state, where he afterwards died.

Clayton T. Robinson, also a Kentuckian, located in the northwest part of the township prior to 1839. Charles Gay, from Ohio, came to the county prior to 1839 and settled at or near Gentryville, and was one of the men who built at Gentryville in 1840 the first water mill that was ever erected in the county, the place being called at that time Gay's Mill. This primitive structure was built of logs, about 24 feet square, and was operated with one pair of stones and had an upright saw. These stones were made in the county by Joshua Potter out of what is called "Nigger Head," or lost rock. This mill was washed away by the freshet of 1844, and was rebuilt in 1844 and 1845, constructed in the second in- stance of logs, but had two runs of stones. It was washed away in 1851, and again rebuilt.

John T. Hunter, a son-in-law of Charles Gay above named, came with Gay from Ohio, settling also at or near Gentryville, and became the partner of Gay in the erection of the water mill above mentioned. In 1851 the mill was sold to J. C. and T. J. Patton and rebuilt in 1853-4. John Graham & Brother bought it in 1863, and was washed away again in 1865. Mr. Hunter afterwards became a citizen of eastern Oregon. Aristippus Brown, from Kentucky, located near Gentryville, prior to 1839, and finally went to California.

Taylor McCully, from Kentucky, settled about four miles east of Gentryville, about the year 1836. He erected the first horse mill worked by lever power in the county, as early as 1837 or '38, at or near the place of his residence. It was afterwards operated by Levi Baldock. The facilities for obtaining breadstuffs then were very meagre and in- complete. An entire day was doubtless consumed by mills similar to this in grinding form two to five bushels of corn, and it is said that Levi Bal- dock, the last proprietor of this mill, possessed an old hound that some- times lapped up the meal as rapidly as the mill ground it, and in the in- tervals looked up towards the hopper and barked for more. The origi- nal settlers of the county generally grated their meal at home, which

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made very excellent bread, especially when eaten hot, with native honey, of which at that time, the forests along the streams abounded.

George and Wm. Weese located west of Gentryville prior to 1839. Charles Roberson, from Kentucky, settled north of Gentryville in 1839.

John Patton, of Kentucky, settled in the northeast corner of the township prior to 1839. Being smitten with the gold fever, which pre- vailed so universally in this country in 1849, he went to California. Upon his homeward voyage from California, where he had remained a short time, he died on board of a ship, in the Gulf of Mexico. Byron Linville and James M. Howell, from Tennessee, were also early settlers in this township. William McNatt and Paschal O. Roberson, from Kentucky, the former locating east of Gentryville two miles and the latter north of Gentryville, were also among the prioneers. Charles Pryor and William Newby settled south of Gentryville. John D. Burton, from Kentucky, lo- cated on the Taylor McCully farm, at an early day. Caleb Sampson set- tled one mile southeast of Judge Jones, prior to 1836.

James C. Patton was born in Augusta County, Va., July 24, 1787. In 1809 he emigrated from Virginia to Knox County, Tennessee, where he continued to reside till March, 1819. He then moved to Monroe County, Tennessee, where he lived till the spring of 1841, when he came to Daviess County, Missouri, where he lived till Sept. 14, 1841, when he came to Gentry County, Missouri, settling in Miller Township, not far from Gentryville. He died in 1862, at Albany.

In 1840, E. W. Dunegan, a native of Kentucky, but from Montgom- ery County, Indiana, to Missouri, located in Miller Township. In June, 1841, Mr. Dunegan commenced a three months' school two miles above Gentryville, on the east side of Grand River. A few days before his school opened, the neighbors of the vicinity, living in a radius of per- haps ten miles, met and erected the school house, which was a log build- ing, 16 feet square, a portion of one of the logs being taken out for a window. There were enrolled 22 pupils in this the pioneer school of Gen- try County, the names of 20 of whom are here given: A. J. Ward, A. Ward, Joseph Ward, Daniel Gay, J. S. Ward. James W. Crawford, G. W. Crawford, William Osborn, William Ward, Miriam Foster, Susan Foster. Margaret Foster, Nancy Ready, Ellen Ready, Louisa Smith, Ju- dith Smith, Barbara Smith, Loretta Warren, Sarah Osborn, Sarah A. Ward.

Wilson Township .- Wilson Township is bounded as follows: Be- ginning at the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 3, town- ship 64, range 33; thence east six and a half miles ; thence south six miles;

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thence west six and a half miles; thence north to the place of beginning ; 39 square miles, 25,000 acres.

One of the first pioneers to pitch his tent within the limits of what is now known as Wilson Township, was Abraham Enyart. He came from Clinton County, Mo., where he had gone from Kentucky, before Clinton County was organized, about the year 1831. He was an elder in the Christian Church, and a physician. As early as 1837 or 1838, he made visits to Gentry County, where at regular intervals he conducted religi- ous services. Finally, in 1840, he settled in the northern part of Wilson Township, about four miles north of Alanthus. He was instrumental in securing the first post office in the township, and named it Alanthus.

In 1842 or 1843, John Bryson from Tennessee, located in the north- east corner of the township. He has filled the position of justice of the peace for a number of years.

Samuel and Captain Bryson were also among the early settlers to this portion of the county.

Thomas Stanley was also one of the pioneers, settling in the north- east part of the township. He left the county many years ago.

Squire Chapman located near Alanthus.

Lemuel Wadkins, who was also an elder of the Christian Church, was among the early settlers.

Two or three families of Wrights, Levi and Riley Osborn, George Smith and one of the Granthams, all came at an early day, as did Lean- der and Jesse Coffey from Indiana. Jesse Coffey was a physician, resid- ing at Alanthus.

William Richardson settled south of Alanthus.

Enoch Liggett, was also an early settler. In 1856, in 1862 and 1864, he was one of the judges of the county court.

CHAPTER IX.

CITIES AND TOWNS.

ALBANY -- AT FIRST CALLED ATHENS-LOCATION-FIRST HOUSE-FIRST BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MEN-TOWN INCORPORATED-FIRST SCHOOLS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS-NEWSPAPERS-CHRISTIAN CHURCH-PRESBYTERIAN-METHO- DIST EPISCOPAL-BAPTIST-LIBRARY.

Albany .- Albany, the county seat of Gentry County, was laid out in May, 1845, by Elisha Cameron, the commissioner of the county seat. It was first known as the town of Athens. The following is his report of the same :

"Now comes Elisha Cameron, commissioner of the seat of justice of Gentry County, and State of Missouri, and submits a report to this court, which is ordered to be recorded as follows, to wit: By order of the county court, met on the 8th day of May, A. D. 1845, at the town of Athens, the seat of justice of the county of Gentry, and proceeded to lay off a portion of the tract of land known as the southeast quarter of sec- tion number twenty-four (24), in township number sixty-three (63) of range number thirty-one (31), west of the fifth principal meridian, into a square, lots, avenues, streets, lanes and alleys. Commencing in the northeast corner of the above mentioned tract of land, at the half mile stake, on the range line dividing ranges 30 and 31 ; thence running south 173 feet; thence west 12 feet, which constitutes the northeast corner of block number one (1), and lot number one (1); thence running west 198 feet to the beginning, constituting one block, containing lots num- ber (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5) and six (6), each lot 66 feet in front and 93 feet back, making an alley of 12 feet, running east and west through said block; thence commencing at the southeast cor- ner of block number one; thence running south 66 feet and cornering, composing Clay Street, running east and west; thence proceeded to lay off 15 blocks, each block containing six lots and a 12-foot alley. Blocks, lots, alleys and square, each of the size of the above mentioned block, lots, streets, alleys and square, making 90 lots, six streets, three of which

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running east and west and three north and south, each 60 feet wide."

As will be seen, the town of Athens was laid out during the month of May, 1845, by Elisha Cameron, commissioner of the county seat, and the first sale of town lots was made on the 16th of June thereafter.

The town is handsomely located, about five miles northeast of the geographical center of the county, in the midst of a beautiful and fertile country. The original town site is a broad elevation, gently sloping to- wards the south and southwest, and commands a fine view of the coun- try, stretching out in the latter direction. The northern part of the town is upon ground still more elevated, from which the observer may see in the distance the green fields and attractive homes of the farmer, and still beyond, the dark timber belts which skirt the higher grounds to- wards the east, and fringe the affluents of Grand River to the south and westward.

Albany has a population of 2016 according to the census of 1920.

The original proprietor of the quarter section of land, upon which Athens was located, was John Roberts, a native of one of the Southern States. When he located here, is not definitely known. Judge Kingsbo- rough came in 1838, and says that the cabin which Roberts had built on the town site, looked as if it had been standing several years. This cabin was located southeast of the jail, where the Central Hotel now stands, and was constructed of white oak logs. Roberts sold his interest in the land to William Dailey, from Ohio, about the year 1842. Dailey died in Montgomery County, Illinois, in 1852, where he had moved in 1846, hav- ing exchanged 200 acres of land, north of Athens, for land in Illinois, with Robert C. Canaday. Dailey quit-claimed his interest in the land, where the town was located, in August, 1845, and Elisha Cameron pur- chased the same at the land office, at Plattsburg, Mo., for the sum of $200 in the name of the county.

The first house erected in the town, after the location of the county seat, was that of Elijah P. Howell. It was a log house, with shed at- tached, and stood near the Central Hotel. Howell built this for a busi- ness house, and sold goods and general merchandise, being the first mer- chant who sold goods in Athens. Howell came from Clinton County to this place. He was one of the pioneer merchants of Plattsburg, having sold goods there as early as 1833 and 1834, or soon after the location of the town. He was the first county and circuit court clerk, and went to California in 1849, where he died. He was a great hunter, and killed 30 deer near the town, in the winter of 1848.

John Handy, came from Montgomery County, Illinois, locating first in Howard Township, and built the next house in the new town of

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Athens, which he used as a hotel, or as it was called in those days- tavern. Joseph Cole, from Virginia, was the first saddler.

John Patton had the honor of keeping the first saloon in Athens, and built a log house, wherein to vend whisky, hickory nuts and soft soap.

John B. Hundley built the next house. He afterwards built a brick store on the same lot. Mr. Hundley came from Green County, Tennes- see, in 1845, and located near Evona.

The first blacksmith in the town was John W. Shockley, from Gas- conade County, Missouri. John T. and Lewis Rowe were also among the earliest blacksmiths. William Armstrong and William Cook, from Ill- inois, also put up a blacksmith and repair shop on the west side of the public square.

The next hotel was erected by John Thompson.

The first shoemaker was James Shelby, George B. Clover, from In- diana, coming next in 1853. Joseph Kingsborough, from Ohio, was the pioneer shoemaker of Athens Township and probably the first shoe- maker in Gentry County, as he came as early as 1838. Kingsborough made the boots worn by Dr. Williams to the legislature in 1846.

Walter Savage was among the first carpenters. He came from Clay County in 1846, and built a house south of the Gentry County Bank.

Robert C. Canaday, erected the first frame house in 1846, in the north part of town. The sills, studding, rafters and sleepers were hewed. The boards (four feet boards) were cut and split from a white oak tree, and shaved, and with these a house, 20x24 feet was made, containing two rooms below and one above. It was considered the most magnificent structure of that day in all this region of country. It was taken down in 1880.

The first brick building was erected by C. B. Hartwell, who came from Montgomery County, Illinois, in 1847. It stood about half a block north of the Evans House. Hartwell was a builder and contractor, and built this for a business house, two stories high. The upper story was oc- cupied by the Masonic order, the first organized in the town. The first floor was a store room. Here a man named Lehman sold goods, as did Isadore and Francis B. Robidoux, one of whom was a brother and the other a nephew of Joseph Robidoux, the founder of St. Joseph, Mo. Hartwell went to Lincoln, Neb.

P. K. Price was the first saddler in the town, and built a brick house (which was probably the second brick) south of the public square. Price went to Texas.

John B. Hundley and Alexander Patton built and operated the first

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steam mill (grist and saw) in the town. This mill had two pairs of burrs. The mill was afterwards moved to Island Branch.

Dr. J. W. Stapleton came from Daviess County, Missouri, formerly from Virginia, in 1847, and opened a tan yard, about four blocks west of the public square. He sold his tannery to Samuel Fry, from Ohio, and Fry sold to Joseph Davidson, from Virginia.

The first physician to practice his profession in the town was Dr. William G. Williams. The doctor was the second physician in the county -Dr. Hood, of Miller Township, being the first. Dr. Williams came to Gentry County in January, 1845, and settled a half-mile north of Al- bany. He was a native of Taswell County, Virginia, whence he moved in October, 1843, sojourning a short time in Harrison and Grundy Coun- ties, Missouri, and arriving here, as stated, in 1845. At the time of his locating there was much malaria, the field of his practice reaching to Gentryville on the south and to the Iowa line on the north. Shortly after his arrival he was absent from his home two days and nights, pro- fessionally engaged, and during this time he treated 40 .patients, all of whom were suffering with fever and ague.

The next physician was Cyrus Hubbard, a graduate of the Univer- sity of Maine and a brother of Governor Hubbard, of that State. He lo- cated at Sandsville. The doctor was not only a thorough physician, but a man of fine classical and literary attainments, and notwithstanding his many eccentricities, he is said to have been eminently successful.

The first attorney was Colonel E. H. Wood, who was appointed one of the commissioners from Daviess County, formerly from Bucyrus, Ohio, to locate the county seat of Gentry. He soon after moved to Albany, and engaged in the practice of law. He died in 1847, being the first person who died in the town.

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History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri, Part 19

Author: Leopard, John C Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1164

Author: Leopard, John C
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1164