USA > Missouri > Mercer County > History of Harrison and Mercer Counties, Missouri : from the earliest times to the present : together with sundry personal, business, and professional sketches and family records : besides a condensed history of the State of Missouri, etc > Part 43
USA > Missouri > Harrison County > History of Harrison and Mercer Counties, Missouri : from the earliest times to the present : together with sundry personal, business, and professional sketches and family records : besides a condensed history of the State of Missouri, etc > Part 43
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Half Rock, a small village in Medicine Township, was founded in 1874 by Thomas Cooper; but several years before John Garrett had erected a small mill, and opened a store on No Creek about one-fourth of a mile from where the town was laid out. The first merchants of the town were John Garrett, John Cooper and Thomas Cooper. Garrett was succeeded by his nephew, S. N. Garrett, who in turn sold out to A. J. Hill. John Cooper remained in business until 1883, when he retired. Other firms and individuals who have been located at Half Rock have been J. McMurray & Son, Duff & Hill, dealers in general merchandise; W. R. Edwards, J. H. Moses, and J. B. Robin- son, druggists, and J. N. Ragan and T. L. Hill, dealers in hardware. During the past two or three years the village has been somewhat on the decline. The business of the present consists of a general store conducted by A. J. Hill, a grocery, hardware and drug store, by J. T. Sanders and A. E. Hamlin, and a harness shop and grocery by D. L. Lowry.
An Odd Fellows Lodge has been successfully maintained at this place for a number of years.
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
Goshen, a little hamlet on the Bethany and Princeton road six miles from the latter place, was laid out just prior to the war by James McKinney, who owned the land, and lived in the house now occupied by Calvin Moss. It was at first called Mckinneysville. The second house erected was the log building now occupied by David Goin. At about the close of the war Anderson Owens and Henry Neal opened general stores, Elisha Puett, a grocery, and Charles Scott, a drug store. From 1870 to 1876 the town enjoyed a season of prosperity, having about seventy-five inhabitants, but since that time the popula- tion has decreased to less than twenty-five. From 1878 to 1885, a general store was kept by David Goin. The only store in the place at present is a grocery, opened about two years ago by George Flogger. The postoffice was established in 1866 with Anderson Owens as post- master. He was succeeded in 1871 by David Goin, who continued until 1885. The present postmaster is George Flogger.
Marion is a small village and station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, about ten miles north of Princeton, and is of com- paratively recent origin. The site was originally entered by R. W. Rockhold. The first house was erected by A. A. Alley, who engaged in a general merchandise business in 1879, and who also operates a saw and grist mill. The remaining business interests are as follows: W. D. Alley, general merchandise; Marion Merritt, drugs and groceries; and S. A. Newlin, groceries and hardware. It was incorporated as a town by the county court in 1886. The officers are S. T. Willford, mayor; J. M. Snyder, marshal; and John D. Humphreys, Lyman Hughes, S. H. Croft, Marion Wells and Warren Graham, trustees.
Somerset, a village in Somerset Township, was laid out in 1856 by Frederick Royse and Albert Bruse. The first house erected in the town was a hewed-log dwelling built by William Royse. The first merchant was Thomas M. Laughlin, who continued in business for several years. Within the next five or six years Joseph Burkhammer and David Templeton opened a store, Albert Bruse, a harness shop, Hickman Bruner, a wagon shop, and Eli Bruner, a blacksmith's shop. Among those who have been in business in Somerset since the war are Jacob Baumgardner, Samuel Butcher, John J. Johnson, Humph- rey Leighton and William M. Summers. The present business interests are represented as follows: J. S. England, who began in the general merchandise business in 1873; P. F. Baumgardner, dealer in general merchandise, and Julius Scott, druggist.
Somerset Lodge, No. 206, A. F. & A. M., was organized in Novem- ber, 1860, by Jonas J. Clark, with John W. Stockman as Worshipful
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Master; Albert Bruse, Senior Warden; Douglas Brown, Junior Warden; James Brown, Treasurer; Matthew Crawford, Secretary; - - Middle- ton, Senior Deacon; and J. Russell, Tyler. The first member initiated was John Snyder. A two-story frame building was erected by the lodge in 1860. It was occupied until 1886, when the present hall was completed and dedicated. The lodge has been very prosperous since its organization, and has initiated between 200 and 300 members. Much of its success has been due to John W. Stockman, who was master of the lodge for eighteen years, and who has always taken an active interest in it. The present membership numbers upward of fifty. The following members of the lodge are Past Masters: John W. Stockman, Albert Bruse, Benjamin Van Buskirk, David Lowery, Thomas Draper, John C. Norcross and William J. Madden. The present officers are John C. Norcross, Worshipful Master; D. Wilder, Senior Warden; E. E. Stockman, Junior Warden; William Bowlin, Secretary; L. C. Laughlin, Treasurer; and John Robinson, Tyler.
THE GREAT REBELLION.
Loyalty of the County .- The part which Mercer County bore in the War of the Rebellion was one of credit and honor, and no county in the State can point to a better record. During the events preceding the war the people were, as a rule, conservative in their political opin- ions. There were very few "black Republicans " or Breckinridge Democrats. The large majority were thoroughly loyal to the Union, although at the first outbreak there was a considerable sprinkling of Southern sympathizers. As the war progressed, however, their num- ber grew smaller, and before the close the Union sentiment was practically unanimous. At least outwardly it was so, for the loyal portion of the community would tolerate no expression of disloyal sentiment. Another evidence of the loyalty of the county is found in the fact that of over 1, 000 volunteers, probably less than twenty joined the Confederate army.
Active War Measures. - Immediately after the attack on Fort Sum- ter, and the call for troops by the President in the spring of 1861, the loyal men of Mercer County began to organize and drill in mili- tary companies, and when Gov. Gamble issued a call for six months' militia they responded promptly. Toward the last of August or first of September a battalion was organized with Jonas J. Clark as lieuten- ant-colonel; A. O. Nigh, major, and J. H. Shelly, adjutant. The companies were recruited and commanded as follows: Capt. Isaac Smalley, Ravanna and Somerset Townships; Capt. Eli Bruner, Som-
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
erset Township; Capt. Jacob Bain, Lindley and Marion Townships; Capt. Elisha Vanderpool, Madison Township; Capt. C. P. Loveland, Washington Township; Capt. Isaiah Guyman, Medicine Township; Capt. J. D. Randall, Morgan Township, and Capt. James Bradley, Madison Township.
Upon being called into service, the regiment went into camp at Edinburg, where it remained for two or three weeks. It was then ordered to Chillicothe, thence to Utica, where it did escort duty until the following spring, when it was mustered out on account of the expiration of the term of service.
Sketch of Military Organizations .- Following is a brief account of the various companies and regiments which contained any con- siderable number of troops from Mercer County. The exact number of men furnished by the county could not be ascertained. The state- ment of the enlistment, up to December 1, 1863, is taken from the adjutant-general's report. It does not include, of course, troops which entered regiments from other States, and there were a large number that enlisted after that date.
Up to December 1, 1863, the whole number of men that had enlisted in the United States service from Mercer County was 424, distributed as follows: Twenty-third Infantry 116; Twenty-fifth Infantry 1; Twenty-seventh Infantry, 79; Thirtieth Infantry, 1; Thirty-fifth In- fantry, 67; Second Cavalry, 77; Seventh Cavalry, 12; Eleventh Cav- alry, 2; Twelfth Cavalry, 69. The total number enlisted in the Mis- souri State Militia was 228, distributed as follows: First Cavalry, 16; Third Cavalry, 178; Sixth Cavalry, 8; Seventh Cavalry, 26.
The Twenty-third Regiment .- Among the first volunteers for the United States service from Mercer County were those that joined Com- panies A and C, of the Twenty-third Regiment Missouri Infantry. Com- pany A was organized at Wintersville, in Sullivan County, about one- half of its members being from Mercer County. The officers selected were J. T. Dunlap, captain; J. C. Webb, first lieutenant; William O. Seaman, second lieutenant, and T. C. McNabb, orderly sergeant. Com- pany C was recruited principally in the south part of the county, and was organized with Jacob A. Trumbo as captain, J. H. Munn, first lieutenant, and J. P. Martin, second lieutenant.
The regiment was organized at Chillicothe, Mo., in September, 1861, with J. T. Tindall as colonel; J. Martin, lieutenant-colonel, and John McCullough, major. It went from Chillicothe to St. Louis, and thence to Shiloh, where it participated in the battles of April 6 and 7, suffering severe loss. Among the killed was Col. Tindall, who was
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then succeeded in the command of the regiment by W. B. Robinson. After the battle of Shiloh, the regiment returned to Missouri, and after recruiting, guarded prisoners in St. Louis until July, 1862, when it was sent to Rolla, Mo. It was employed there for some time in get- ting out timber, and was subsequently placed on guard duty along the railroad from St. Louis to Jefferson City. In the fall of 1863 it was sent to McMinnville, Tenn .; thence to Murfreesboro; thence to Christiana, and from there back to Stone River Bridge. It then returned to McMinnville, and from that place proceeded to join Sher- man's army for the Atlanta campaign, being assigned to the Four- teenth Army Corps. It was on duty all the time on this campaign, but was not engaged in any of the battles. After the capture of Atlanta, all except the veterans and recruits were mustered out, on account of the expiration of their term of service. Those continued with Sherman on his march to the sea, and at Savannah were consoli- dated into four companies. Prior to this time the officers of Com- panies A and C had undergone many changes. Lieut. J. C. Webb, of Company A, resigned in the spring of 1863, and was succeeded by W. O. Seaman. In July, 1863, Capt. Dunlap resigned, and Lucien Eaton, of St. Louis, was promoted to this vacancy, but never joined the company, which was then commanded by Lieut. Seaman, who was killed at Atlanta on July 29, 1864. T. C. McNabb was then commis- sioned captain, and E. D. Giles, lieutenant; but both, within a week, were mustered out, and during the march from Atlanta to Savannah, the company was without a single commissioned officer. Upon the consolidation, J. R. Hill, of this company, was made captain of Com- pany D, with W. W. Mock as first lieutenant, and F. M. Broughton, second lieutenant; but none of these officers were mustered.
Of Company C, Capt. Trumbo was promoted to'major in October, 1863, and was succeeded by J. A. Brewer. In February, 1863, Lieut. Munn resigned, and was succeeded by B. F. Wyatt, who had become second lieutenant upon the promotion of J. P. Martin, in March, 1862. Wyatt was succeeded as second lieutenant by William F. Hughes.
The Twenty-seventh Regiment .- Company A, of this regiment, was recruited in Mercer County, and organized September 4, 1862, with Cyrus C. Bemis as captain, F. M. Shelton, first lieutenant, and Thomas Smith, second lieutenant. Four companies of the regiment were mustered into service on September 25, 1862. During the next six weeks two more companies were added, and the organization was completed by the assignment to the regiment of three veteran com-
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
panies, which in the Fifth and Sixteenth Missouri had done good service at Donelson, Shiloh and Pea Ridge, and by the muster in of the tenth company January 8, 1863; it was placed under the com- mand of Col. Thomas Curley, with A. Jacobson as lieutenant-colonel. During its organization it did guard duty, first at Chillicothe and afterward as provost-marshals, St. Louis. After organization it was ordered to Raleigh, where it remained until March 1, 1863, when it marched to join the army before Vicksburg. It arrived on March 20, and was assigned to the brigade of Gen. F. P. Blair, First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, under Gen. Stoneman. It was in the whole campaign around Vicksburg, and went on the long march to Chat- tanooga. It participated in the fight at Tuscumbia, Ala., and held the advance of Osterhaus' division, at the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, in the last of which it captured nearly double its numbers in prisoners. On the Atlanta campaign it participated in seven different engagements besides the siege of Atlanta. It then went with Sherman in his famous march to the sea, and about January 12, 1865, was transferred from Savannah to Beaufort, S. C., and afterward participated in the battle of Bentonville. It entered Raleigh, N. C., April 16, 1865, where it remained until May 1, when it went to Washington City. It was mustered out June 18, 1865.
The Thirty-fifth Regiment .- Company C, of the Thirty-fifth Missouri Infantry, was made up at Chillicothe, Mo., from members of Capt. James Bradley's and Capt. Elisha Vanderpool's companies of Home Guards, who were on a scout after Quantrell. The officers elected were Elisha Vanderpool, captain; William H. Roberts, first lieutenant; W. L. Jerome, second lieutenant, and John Stevens, orderly sergeant. Jerome resigned in about three months, and was succeeded by Julius Karnash, who died July 5, 1864.
The regiment was organized December 3, 1862, with Samuel A. Foster as colonel; Thomas F. Kimball, lieutenant-colonel, and Thomas H. Penny, major. After several transfers: from St. Louis to Jefferson City; from that place back to St. Louis; thence to Columbus, Ky., it was ordered to Helena, Ark., where it arrived in January, 1863. From that time until April, 1865, the headquarters of the regiment were at Helena, but several quite extensive expeditions were made by different detachments. One of these detachments, consisting of men from Company C, under Capt. Vanderpool, was ordered on a scout into Mississippi on October 24, 1864. It made a cir- cuit of some forty or fifty miles, captured several prisoners, some arms and ammunition, and returned without the loss of a man. In April,
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1865, the regiment was transferred to Little Rock by steamboat, and on June 28, 1865, was discharged. The men then proceeded to Ben- ton Barracks where they were paid off.
The Forty-fourth Infantry .- Company D, of the Forty-fourth Mis- souri Infantry, was organized at Princeton, Mo., and mustered into service on September 10, 1864. The officers were William B. Rog- ers, captain; Robert Pixler, first lieutenant, and Aaron McIntosh, second lieutenant. Pixler died at Memphis, Tenn., on February 11, 1865, and McIntosh was promoted to the first lieutenancy.
The regiment rendezvoused at St. Joseph, where a part of it was mustered in, but before the organization was fully completed it was or- dered to Rolla to oppose Gen. Price, who was expected there. The regi- ment reached there by train on September 18, 1864, and the organiza- tion was then completed. The officers were R. C. Bradshaw, colonel; A. J. Barr, lieutenant-colonel, and Roger A. De Bolt, major. On November 6 the regiment was ordered to Paducah, Ky., where it arrived on the 16th. This order aroused much disatisfaction, as the volunteers had been promised that they would not be ordered out of the State. Every one, however, did his duty, and no regiment in the army made a more honorable record for the time it was in the service. From Paducah, Ky., it proceeded to Nashville Tenn., where it arrived on November 27. It was sent at once to Columbia, and assigned to the Twenty-third Army Corps. It took an active part in the battle at Spring Hill, and rendered effective service at Franklin. In the latter battle, just before sunset, it was ordered to charge the line in front of it, which outnumbered it five to one. In this charge Col. Bradshaw received seven wounds, and two lieutenants and thirty-five privates were killed. It was subsequently charged four times by the enemy, but repulsed them each time. It reached Nashville on December 4, 1864, having lost altogether about 300 men. It was placed in the command of A. J. Smith, and thus was engaged in the battle before Nashville. It followed in the pursuit of Hood's army to Clifton, and then went by steamboat to Eastport, Miss. It remained there until February 6, 1865, then went to New Orleans; thence to Spanish Fort, in the siege and capture of which it participated. It afterward went to Montgomery, Tuskegee, Vicksburg, and finally arrived in St. Louis on August 15, 1865, having traveled over 5, 700 miles, 740 of which were on foot.
The Second Cavalry .- Company G, of the Second Regiment, Mis- souri Cavalry, composed mainly of Mercer County men, was organized by Capt. C. G. Marshall, at Chillicothe, Mo., and was mustered into service as an independent company on August 15, 1861. On the 28th
-
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
day of the same month it started for Benton Barracks, St. Louis, where it joined a regiment then being organized by Lewis Merrill, which was afterward known as "Merrill's Horse." There the com- pany was reorganized with J. W. Baird, as captain; C. W. McLain, first lieutenant, and George F. Lovejoy, second lieutenant. The regimental officers chosen were Lewis Merrill, colonel; William F. Schaeffer, lieutenant-colonel, and George C. Marshall and C. B. Hunt, majors. On October 3 the regiment left Benton Barracks, and marched to Springfield, Mo., from which place, after a reconnoiter in the direction of Wilson's Creek, it was ordered to Sedalia, where it remained until January, 1862, scouting and dispersing guerrillas, in an engagement with whom Maj. Marshall was killed. He was suc- ceeded by J. Y. Clipper, who in May, 1863, became lieutenant-colonel of the regiment. From Sedalia the regiment was ordered into Northeast Missouri, where it was divided into four squadrons, which were stationed at different points. The detachment to which Company D belonged was first stationed at Glasgow, afterward at Sturgeon, and finally was ordered to Warrenton, where it remained until March, 1863. A part of the regiment on July 18, 1862, met the Confederates under Joe Porter, near Memphis. This detachment numbered only
200 men, but with the aid of Maj. J. B. Rogers, with the Ninth Mis- souri, succeeded in routing the enemy, numbering about 800 men. They followed the enemy into Boone County, where they were joined by 100 more of "Merrill's Horse," and other reinforcements. The enemy was also reinforced. A second contest ensued, which resulted in the same manner as the first. On August 6, 1862, another engage- ment with Porter took place at Kirksville. Here the Union troops were under the command of Col. John McNeill, who had joined them. The fight lasted about two hours and forty minutes, and resulted in a complete rout of the Confederates, with a loss in killed and wounded of not less than 500. Porter's force numbered about 2,500, while the Union troops did not much exceed 500. Poindexter, who was striving to join Porter, was attacked by a detachment of the Second Cavalry, under C. B. Hunt, and defeated.
Company D, after leaving Warrenton in March, 1863, marched to Mexico, but in May, following, returned to Warrenton where the regi- ment was concentrated. Up to this time several changes had taken place in the company and regimental officers. Capt. Baird was killed on September 6, 1862, and was succeeded by Lieut. C. W. McLain, who in turn was followed as first lieutenant by J. N. Condrey. On July 1, 1862, J. W. Rohrer became second-lieutenant, vice Bradshaw,
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promoted to be first lieutenant of Company A. Rohrer continued as second lieutenant until May, 1863, when he became first lieutenant of Company F, and was succeeded by G. W. Bradshaw. In November, 1862, Maj. Hunt was promoted to be lieutenant-colonel, in which position he continued until March, 1863, when he resigned, but was afterward reinstated after the resignation of his successor, J. Y. Clipper.
The regiment, as before stated, concentrated at Warrenton, Mo., and in July, 1863, marched into Arkansas, by the way of Pilot Knob. It participated in the capture of Little Rock, and, during the winter of 1863 and 1864 was stationed at Brownsville, Ark. In March, 1864, it went on an expedition to Arkadelphia, Camden and Princeton, returning to Little Rock. It was then engaged in scouting after guerrillas, guarding railroads, breaking up rebel bands, and such other service as the cavalry in the west was called upon to perform. It was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., September 19, 1865. In February, 1864, a part of the regiment re-enlisted, and the fol- lowing July went to St. Louis, where it was reorganized. It then went to join the army of the Cumberland, on the Atlanta campaign, after which it returned to Chattanooga, where it remained about two months.
At the time of its muster out the regimental officers were Lewis Merrill, colonel; C. B. Hunt, lieutenant-colonel; and C. W. Mc- Lain and George M. Houston, majors. The company officers were J. W. Rohrer, captain; W. J. Cripps, first lieutenant; and John K. Wilson, second lieutenant.
The Twelfth Cavalry (of which one company was recruited in Mercer County) was not fully organized until March 23, 1864. The officers were Oliver Wells, colonel; R. H. Brown, lieutenant- colonel; J. M. Hubbard and Edward Nash, majors. The regi- ment was assigned to duty in St. Louis, where it remained until June 1, when it was ordered to Memphis. It was then assigned to the First Division of cavalry of the district of West Tennessee, com- manded by Gen. Hatch. It was first under fire on the old battle ground of Grant, on the Tallahatchie, losing two killed and three wounded. It formed a part of A. J. Smith's force in his expedition to Oxford, Miss., and after its return remained at Whites' Station until September 30, 1864, when it marched across the Tennessee River to intercept Forrest at Lawrenceburg, but missed him one day. It encamped at Clifton until October 27, when it went to Pulaski to meet Hood. He came up on the 8th of November, and the regiment
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
was engaged with him daily until the 22d. On the 19th, while in camp at Lawrenceburg, it was attacked by an overwhelming force, and fell back. On the 24th it was engaged at Campbellsville, and brought up the rear of the army, losing eight men in killed and wounded, and one hundred prisoners. It arrived at Columbia on the 25th, and from that time until the army reached Nashville was continually skirmish- ing. On the 12th of December it crossed the Cumberland River, and took position on the right of the Sixteenth Army Corps. On the first day's fight it lost fifteen killed and wounded. After the retreat of Hood it was ordered to Eastport, Miss., where it was mounted on mules, and did much scouting in Mississippi and Alabama. On May 12, 1865, it was ordered with the brigade to the support of Gen. Dodge, commanding the department of Missouri. The brigade arrived at St. Louis on the 17th. The Twelfth Regiment was then ordered to Leavenworth, Kas., thence to Omaha, and finally, with the Second Artillery (Missouri), to Fort Alexander, on the Yellowstone. On September 20 it went to Fort Conner, and on the 4th of October arrived at Fort Laramie.
The Fifth Kansas Cavalry comprised two companies from Mer- cer County. Company B was organized near Ravanna, Mo., in July, 1861, with John R. Clark as captain, Jacob Loutzenhizer, first lieutenant (succeeded before muster by A. J. McIntosh), H. J. Alley, second lieutenant, and E. J. Abrams, orderly sergeant. It was composed of men from several Home Guard companies, and was organized for the Eighteenth Missouri Infantry, but Col. John- son, from Leavenworth, Kas., who was organizing a cavalry regiment, induced this company to enter his regiment. It left Princeton on August 7, 1861, and went to Trenton, where it was joined by company C, also from Mercer, and a company from Iowa. All then proceeded to Leavenworth, Kas., where they were mustered into service on August 12. The regiment was organized by electing John Richey lieutenant-colonel, and James H. Summers, major. It then went to Fort Scott, where it remained a week. It then had some skirmishing with Price's army which was on its way to Lexington under command of Gens. McLain and Montgomery. It was afterward ordered to Kansas City, and on the way there captured Morristown with the loss of Col. Johnson and three other men. Col. Johnson was succeeded by
Powell Clayton. After about three weeks the regiment was ordered to Springfield, Mo., but soon returned to Fort Scott. About January 1, 1862, it went into winter quarters, and in the spring was ordered to Lamar, Mo., thence to Carthage, at which place it was at the time
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