USA > Missouri > Gentry County > History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri > Part 4
USA > Missouri > Daviess County > History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri > Part 4
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Coffey .- Located in Salem township is a small town platted under the name of Salem but the post-office is known as Coffey. The official name of the town is now seldom used. It was platted in 1856, and the plat recorded July 29th of that year. In an account of the life of William Galbreath the following data was obtained: "Uncle Billy Galbreath came to Daviess County in Oct., 1848, and settled on the site of what is today Coffeyburg .** *** He gave the ground on which Pennebakers store now stands to Cole Brown and Frederick Westpheling in the early Fifties, provided they would establish a general merchandise store, which they did, ****** Uncle Billy was one of the committee, which secured the crossing of the old state roads from Plattsburg to Trenton and Hamilton to Bethany at Coffeyburg and the store located at the crossroads did a thriving business." The first residence was built by Edwin McIntire. William Triplett had the first blacksmith shop and William Gillispie the first cabinet shop. The town be- gan to get daily mails in 1876.
The building of the K. C. & I. Railroad which passes through the town made it an important center in that part of the county. The population in 1920 was 367.
Winston .- The 1882 history makes the following statements regard- ing Winston: "It has a greater extent of rich farming country tributary to it than any town in the county, not even excepting Gallatin, and if a public spirit of enterprise is exhibited will soon rival in population and wealth the seat of justice of Daviess."
The Chicago and Southwestern railroad was completed in the summer of 1871. At that time a station was established about halfway between Gallatin and Cameron. This station was at first called Crofton. The land upon which the town was built was owned by Mrs. Susan Ethington, Fred-
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erick Croft, Jacob Fleisher and Henry Koons. A large portion of the site was donated to the railroad company for railroad and town purposes. The railroad conveyed the land to a group of men in Gallatin known as the Gal- latin Company. The company pushed the sale of lots. The town then be- came known as Winson or Winstonville. The postoffice was established at this point in Feb., 1872, and F. B. Brown was the first postmaster. There being another postoffice in the state called Winson the postoffice here was called Emporia. Up into the eighties the town was frequently referred to by this name.
T. J. Jefferies was the first station agent and the first store was open- ed by Joseph Swike in 1871. Henry Koons established the first hotel. The first physician was Dr. Wilson, and Dr. D. M. Clagett came in 1874.
The town was incorporated in March, 1878, and T. J. Jefferies, D. M. Clagett, Jonas Potts, John T. Taylor and Otho Preston were the first trustees.
A commercial club was organzied in 1906.
The town has a population of 339.
Pattonsburg .- The plat of Pattonsburg is filed under the name of Elm Flat. It is located in the bottoms of Sampson Creek and took the name from the number of elms growing there. About a mile and a half north of the town stood old Pattonsburg. When the Chillicothe and Omaha Railroad was being built through the county in 1871, Benton Township subscribed $20,000.00 to the road, said road to run through the old town of Patton- burg. But instead the company built to Big Creek and there stopped for a time. Business men from Pattonsburg began to move to the railroad and soon the old town was deserted. The new town grew rapidly. A list of business references in 1876 contains the following names. E. H. Tillery, proprietor of the Valley house, Alex Edson proprietor of the Forest House.
Elm Flat was first incorporated Aug. 7, 1877, but an error had been made in the description of the land. On Sept. 10th, the court granted the amended petition.
W. G. Weldon, John W. Casebolt, F. E. Venable, Thomas J. Mattingly and E. B. Christie constituted the first board of trustees.
On May 28, 1895, the business section was almost entirely destroyed by fire. The loss was estimated at more than $50,000. New buildings were soon put up.
In 1909 the county was subjected to the most disastrous flood in its history. On July 6th, the flood began. Big and Sampson creeks and Grand river rose rapidly. A band of some thirty men headed by Mayor Maupin started working on the dike near Pattonsburg, thinking that by rip-rap- ping a great of the danger could be averted. Within a few hours the town
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was under water except some of the houses in Highland addition. The new drainage project which is on foot in that section of the county will when completed, prevent the recurrence of a like disaster.
The population is 1068. The town has always had a group of business men who were interested in good roads and they have managed to secure the location of a number of trails thru Pattonsburg.
The citizens have recently opened a country club house.
Jameson .- The St. Louis, Chillicothe & Omaha Railroad completed its road as far as the location of Jameson in June, 1871. A surveying party from Chillicothe laid out a town at this point, completing the work on June 12, 1871. Benjamin G. Kimball was appointed as agent for the company and on the following Monday, he began selling lots at $100 each. The land upon which the town was laid out was entered by Charles Cravens on Oct. 2, 1854, and a year later a tract adjoining it by Ark Briggs. Henry Briggs owned the land at the time the town was laid out. At first the postoffice was known as Feurt Summitt, but the name was afterwards changed to Jameson.
Herbert D. White put up the first building, a small frame building used for a grocery and restaurant. The store building of a Mr. Threlkeld and James F. Hamaker were erected within a short time. Elijah Hubbard was in charge of the first hotel. J. W. Wanamaker, a blacksmith and wagon- maker, soon opened a shop and did a lively business. William McCoy start- ed a livery and feed stable. The first drug store was owned by Dr. William Allen, who was also the town's first physician. The first lumber yard was owned by Leeper & Grappler.
John A. Brown was the first postmaster, but was soon succeeded by Dr. Walker. Squire Scott, one of the justices of Grand River Township, held the first court in Jameson. The railroad books show that 24 cars of grain and 53 cars of stock were shipped from the new town during Oct. and Nov., 1871.
On Oct. 12, 1876, Jameson was incorporated, and A. O. Siple, W. T. Stovall ,J. M. Raley, A. Ingraham, and S. F. Howell were appointed trustees.
In 1882, a plot of ground was laid off for a public park. Here has been held the annual event of greatest social importance to Jameson and the surrounding community, the K. P. picnic, held each year on Aug. 9th.
The population of Jameson was 329 in 1920.
Carlow, an incorporated village in Jackson Township, is a station of the Wabash Railroad. The town has several stores and a bank. A con- solidated school has recently been built on a site a short distance north of the village.
Lock Springs is in the southeast part of Jackson Township on the
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Wabash railroad. In 1890, it had 212 inhabitants; in 1900, 246; in 1910, 255; and in 1920, 288.
Altamont is the youngest town in the county. In the early nineties, the C. R. I. & P. Railroad built an extension of its line to St. Joseph. Win- ston had expected that the division point would be at that place. Instead the junction was located about three miles nearer Gallatin, and called Alta- mont, meaning "High Mountain", and so named because of its elevation of 1,002 feet at the railroad depot.
All of the members of the present town board are women, with one exception. It is the first town of the county to elect women to such posi- tions. The population in 1920 was 349.
Civil Bend is an unincorporated village located in Marion Township. It was laid out by Gilbert Canfield in 1868. The first business house was built by John T. Price, and N. B. Brown was another of the early merch- ants. In 1880 the population was 78. With the coming of the railroads, other towns located along the railroad prospered at the expense of Civil Bend, which has declined in population and business importance since 1880.
Mill Port was a thriving village when Daviess county was organized in 1836. At that time the settlers on Lick Fork, Honey creek and Grind- stone creek combined and managed to have the county seat located south of Grand river. This marked the end of the prosperous career of the first town in the county. Mill Port merchants lost no time in removing to the county seat, where they were among the first merchants of the new town of Gallatin. In the fall of 1838 Mill Port was burned by the Mormons and no attempt was made to rebuild it.
Adam-ondi-Ahmon .- Early in 1837 Mormon immigrants began to flock into Daviess County. They settled mainly south of the river. At the time the administrative headquarters of the Mormon church had just been established at Far West in Caldwell County. In April, 1838, Joseph Smith, Jr., had one of his famous revelations which resulted in the establishment of a Mormon town in Daviess County. Following the vision he tells in his History of the Church how in May of that year he came up Grand river until he came to the home of Lyman Wight, one of the most prominent of his followers. Here they selected a town site, four miles south and one- half mile west of Gallatin. This place had been called Spring Hill, but by order of the prophet it was now named Adam-ondi-Ahmon.
Cravensville .- After the Mormons were driven from Adam-ondi- Ahmon, a new town was established on the same site by Dr. John Crav- ens, who had come from Virginia and had settled in Saline County, a short time before the outbreak of the Mormon trouble. The town was called Cravensville. For a number of years Cravensville contested with Gallatin
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for the county seat. At one time 93 of the 280 taxpayers of the county petitioned to have Cravensville made the seat of justice, but the county court rejected the proposal. The town had ten or twelve dwelling houses, several stores and about 60 inhabitants.
Prairie City .- The plat of Prairie City, located in the northern part of the county, was filed by J. R. Vancil on June 1, 1857. As late as 1870 the village had an assessed valuation of $365, but at that time it had prac- tically disappeared.
Crittenden was located in the southwestern part of Lincoln Town- ship. Stage lines passed through it four times a week. In 1860 Joseph H. Herndon was postmaster. After the war practically nothing was heard of the village.
Eclipse had practically no existence except on paper. The plat was recorded Dec. 15, 1856 by James Blizzard.
Old Pattonsburg was located about one and one-half miles north of the present town of that name. About 1845 Matthew Patton built on Big Creek the first water-mill in Benton Township. The settlement which sprang up near the mill was at first called Patton Mill, but was later chang- ed to Pattonburg.
In 1872 the Wabash Railroad built as far as the present site of Pat- tonsburg, which was then known as Elm Flat. The business men soon be- gan to remove to the Flats, but they took the name of the town with them. The old town rapidly disappeared, and is now a cornfield.
Victoria .- Jefferson Township furnished sites for two towns, which are now extinct. Victoria, named for the English queen, was laid out in in 1855 by John Osborn, and was located less than a mile from the southern line of the township in Section 32.
When the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad was built, trade was di- verted to Cameron and when later the Rock Island was built thru the country, Victoria was again overlooked and has been practically extinct since 1880.
Alta Vista, also located in Jefferson township, was laid out by M. D. Hines, in 1856. Mr. Hines conducted the first store located in the new town. Alta Vista had the distinction of giving the first barbecue in the county on July 4, 1858. Alta Vista has also disappeared, the name remaining only to designate the neighborhood.
Bancroft was situated about a mile from the Sullivan County line in Lincoln Township. In 1859 John Oram and Thomas Mickels each gave five acres for the town site. The first merchant was Washington Nichols and Lon Chaplin had the first blacksmith shop. This town enjoyed a greater prosperity than its contemporaries. About 1890 the Omaha and Quincy
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Railroad was built through the county, missing Bancroft by about a mile. Gilman was built at that distance from Bancroft. From that time on the town fought a losing fight and has now ceased to exist.
CHAPTER V.
MILITARY HISTORY.
BLACK HAWK WAR-HEATHERLY WAR-MEXICAN WAR-COL. WICKHAM'S MILITIA COMPANY, COMPANY A, SECOND MISSOURI REGIMENT, N. G. M.
Black Hawk War .- Settlers had just begun to come into what is now Daviess County when all of North Missouri was aroused over the threaten- ed attack of Indians under Chief Black Hawk. In the fall of 1831, many of the settlers took their families back nearer the Missouri River where the county was more thickly populated and better protection was offered, in case of attack by the Indians. It is said that Daniel Devaul when the first alarm came announced his intention of staying and seeing the thing through. He made a very heavy door to replace the thin slab one, and cut holes through which to shoot. A few of the neighbors decided to stand by him and the Devaul cabin was arranged to withstand the seige. About this time a second alarm came, conditions seemed much more terri- fying. Mr. Devaul and his two friends decided not to risk their lives any longer and followed the neighbors to a place of safety. Some of the pio- neers who did not leave the county built a block house surrounded by pali- sades near a spring on the old John Merritt farm. Scouts were sent out and every one was ready for business if the Indians appeared. But there was no need for alarm as the Indians who sometimes visited the county were very peaceably inclined.
A company of rangers was organized in Ray County by Colonel Skouts and many young men living within the boundaries of the present Daviess County joined the company. Among them were Hardin Stone, Theodore Peniston and Milford Donaho. Maj. McGee relates this incident which occured while the men were in service:
"It was while scouting at the head waters of the Chariton river that the rangers met a company from Howard County on a similar warlike mis- sion. During the meeting the question of markmanship came up and a shooting match was arranged between the two companies. A Mr. Josiah Davis was selected by the Howard County boys to show Daviess County youngsters how to handle shooting irons while the gallant hunter and rang- er Milford Donaho was selected as the Ray and Daviess County representa-
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tive to show the Howard County boys that while they could hold a full hand at brag, when it came to a sharp eye and a steady hand the rangers were at home to all comers. It was reported a close match, but Mr. Donaho was declared the winner."
The Indian War was soon over and with the danger removed the set- tlers soon began to return and many others came with them.
The Heatherly War .- What is usually styled the "Heatherly War" is important chiefly because of the excitement it created in the northwestern counties. A family by the name of Heatherly lived in what is now Grundy County on Medicine river. With them were four men, Thomas, Watkins, Hawkins and a colored man. All were regarded as rather desprate charac- ters .. In 1836 they were organized into a regular horse-stealing band, and made raids wherever there was any chance of meeting with success. In the fall of that year they took horses from a man by the name of Dunbar and his companion. Both men were killed trying to defend their property. The character of the Heatherly gang being pretty well known, they were under the necessity of doing something to divert suspicion. They there- fore invented the story that the Indians, the Iowas and the Sacs, were on the warpath, scalping and killing and burning the homes of the settlers. Any mention of an attack by the Indians was terrifying to the settlers and they had visions of whole armies of savages pouring in upon them. The inhabitants at Moore's and Thompson's settlements assembled. Those at Moore's hastily built a block house. The militia was ordered out by Gen- eral Thompson, two companies were ordered out from Ray, and two from Clay, a number joining from Daviess and Livingston. It was soon learned that it was a false alarm and the settlers determined to find out the cause. It was soon traced to the Heatherly gang, who had stated that Indians had been murdering. The bodies of the two men were found in the river. De- tection being practically certain, Hawkins, one of the gang, turned state's evidence. The gang was sent to the penitentiary.
The Mexican War .- The exploits of the Missouri troops in the Mexi- can War are too well known to need repetition. Daviess County's part in the struggle is harder to determine. In 1846 a volunteer company was raised in Ray County and mustered into service on the first of August. This company, Company "G", Battallion of Missouri Mounted Rifles, was com- manded by Captain Israel R. Hindley. A number of Daviess County men joined this company. Captain Hindley was killed at the Battle of Mors, and William M. Jacobs then became captain. This company was a part of the command of Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan. A company was raised in northern part of Daviess County, and in Harrison and Gentry Counties. This group became Company "H" in a regiment which went from Jackson
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County. Captain Simons, who had raised the company, died on the way out and Benjamin Salmon, of Daviess County, was elected to fill the vacancy. In July, in a fight with the Apache Indians and Mexicans, Captain Salmon was severely wounded. After the battle he was removed to a hospital at Toas where he died the following February. Other members of Company "H" from this county were Nathaniel H. Blakley, Granville D. Sego, James A. Robinson, John M. Conkle, Samuel Gunter, Henry Johnson, Jacob Hoover and Captain Meredith Morris.
William Y. Slack of Livingston County organized a company in that county, and a number of Daviess countians enlisted. Among them were Captain John W. Sheets, Francis Peniston, Jack Edwards, Thomas Latham, James Wynne and John B. Comer.
Major S. P. Cox was a member of Company "D" of the Oregon Battal- ion. This battalion was ordered to Mexico, but before they got out of reach were ordered back and sent to Nebraska to keep the Indians quiet. Stokes and English (first names not known,) Thomas B. Lynch, A. T. Pat- ton, George W. Nickell, J. L. Haynes, W. P. Young (Ohio), and Henry Akins Roberts (Illinois) were also veterans of the Mexican War. Stokes died in service. There were, no doubt, many others from Daviess County or who at some time have lived in the county who served in this war.
The return of these soldiers was not allowed to pass unnoticed and the homecoming is described by Major McGee, "The citizens to honor them had a great barbecue. Colonel Doniphan, their commander, was invited to be present and deliver the speech of the occasion. The ground selected was what is now enclosed in Block E, McGee's Addition to the city of Gal- latin, all the ridge east of town being then heavily timbered. The tables were spread on the top of the hill. The trenches for roasting the meat were dug on the brow of the hill just above the spring now owned by Will- iam Adams. Colonel Doniphan was present and talked for about an hour in his usual style. He gave the boys a great deal of credit."
Col. Wickham's Militia, Co., A, 2nd Missouri Regiment, N. G. M .- About 1882, Col. J. A. Wickham of Gallatin was made a field officer of the Second Missouri Regiment, N. G. M. Company "A" was organized in Gal- latin, but some of its members lived in other parts of the county. The armory was over Etter's store. A list of the officers of Company "A" was published in the Gallatin Democrat of May 27, 1882, which is given below:
A. M. Irving, Captain; Frank Clingan, First Lieutenant; George T. Crozier, Second Lieutenant.
Non-commissoined Officers: William Johnson, First Sergeant; O. A. Smalley, Second Sergeant, C. A. Stout, Third Sergeant, J. A. Selby, Fourth Sergeant; George H. Smith, Fifth Sergeant.
CHAPTER VI.
THE MORMONS IN DAVIESS COUNTY.
LYMAN WIGHT THE FIRST MORMON TO SETTLE IN DAVIESS COUNTY-HEADQUAR- TERS AT FAR WEST-JOSEPH SMITH, JR., SELECTS SITE OF STRAKE IN DAVIESS COUNTY-GROWTH OF TOWN-FIRST MORMON TROUBLE-LATER DEVELOPMENTS-THE MORMON WAR-MOBOLIZATION OF TROOPS-EXTERMIN- ATION ORDER-MAUN'S MILL MASSACRE-MORMONS SURRENDERED TO MILITIA LEADERS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENCE-SUBSEQUENT TRIAL-REMAINS OF MORMON OCCUPATION.
The facts included in this chapter are taken largely from "Early Days on Grand River and the Mormon War," by R. J. Britton, who has made a most thorough investigation of the subject.
The first Mormon to settle in Daviess County was Lyman Wight, who came in 1837. He had left Ohio, hoping to be allowed to live in peace, and settled first in Jackson and later in Ray County. Being driven from both counties he came to Daviess County.
At this time the Mormons had just located their administration head- quarters at Far West, in Caldwell County, and Joseph Smith, Jr., the pro- phet began to select various places in the neighboring territory as stakes. On May 18, 1838, Joseph Smith Jr., and others traveled north to the mouth of Honey Creek, and the next morning crossed Grand River at the mouth of Honey Creek and Nelson's Ferry, and followed the river to the home of Lyman Wright. Near this place Smith selected the site of the city, "which the brethern called 'Spring Hill,' but by the mouth of the Lord it was named Adam-ondi-Ahmon, because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the ancient of days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel, the prophet." (Smith, History of the Church.)
The new town grew rapidly, soon having over 500 inhabitants. a good wagon road was built between Adam-ondi-Ahmon and Far West, making communication easy between the two points.
A number of Mormons entered land, and it seemed for a time they had indeed reached a land where they might live peacefully. But soon friction
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arose between them and their Gentile neighbors. The Gentiles grew sus- picious of the Mormons and no doubt held them responsible for many acts of depredation with which they had nothing to do. A secret society called the Danites was organized by the followers of Smith. The highest degree in this order was that of "Destroying Angel." Whatever the real purpose of this organization may have been, the other settlers in the county believed that its purpose was to plunder and rob those who were not be- lievers in their doctrine. The wrath of the Gentiles can be easily imagined.
The first outbreak came in Aug. 6, 1838. A general election was being held in Gallatin. The Missourians attempted to keep the saints from vot- ing and a general fight followed. One man was stabbed, and about twenty others injured, but no one was killed. The Missourians were victorious, and the saints had to leave. After this, according to the phophet, "The brethern held a council about one-fourth of a mile out of town, where they saw mobbing recruits coming in, in small parties of from five to 25 in num- ber, armed with clubs, pistols, dirks, knives, and some guns, cursing and swearing. The brethern, not having arms thought it wisdom to return to their farms collect their families, and hide them in a thicket of hazel bush, which they did, and stood sentry around them through the night, while the women and children lay on the ground in the rain."
The news of this engagement reached Far West the next day, it being reported that several of the saints had been killed, and were refused burial by the Gentiles. Accordingly a group started to the scene of hostilities. Thinking that Adam Black, then a justice of the peace, was largely respon- sible for the difficulty, the saints called on him and secured his promise not to do them any violence so long as he was not molested.
A meeting was arranged between some of the citizens of Mill Port and the saints of Adam-ondi-Ahmon -- Joseph Morin, John Williams, James B. Turner and others representing the Missourians ; Lyman Wight, Vinson Knight, John Smith, Reynolds Cahoon being the leaders for the saints. At this meeting each agreed to preserve the others' rights, and that neither would uphold wrongdoing, and that all offenders would be dealt with ac- cording to the law.
Shortly after this, Aug. 10th, affidavits were sworn to in Ray County by William P. Peniston, William Bowman, Wilson Mckinney and John Netherton, stating that Adam Black had been intimidated by the Mormons, and that their leaders intended to "intimidate and drive from the county all the old citizens, and possess themselves of their land, or force such as do not leave to come into their measures and submit to their dictation."
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