USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 6
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The Bates fine sandy loam forms an irregular belt along the south- ern and eastern edge of the residual prairie region. It occurs most ex- tensively in Barton, Vernon, Cedar, St. Clair and Henry counties, although numerous small areas are found in adjoining counties. The general loca- tion of the area is indicated on the soil map. However, it must not be considered as occupying all the country indicated as this type on the map. In many places small patches of Cherokee silt loam are included which are usually only a few acres in extent and therefore too small to be indi- cated. Near the eastern edge of the area there are included small amounts of stony loam that belong to the Ozark soils.
The surface features of the Bates fine sandy loam vary from level to steeply rolling. The former represents the typical prairie land, while the latter includes the mounds or hillocks, and timbered land bordering the streams. Practically all of the type can be easily cultivated.
Corn, grass and cowpeas are the most important crops grown. A considerable part of the type remains as virgin prairie sod. Corn is extensively grown, and where the soil is well supplied with organic matter fair yields are obtained. Wheat is not extensively grown except on the silty areas, and it usually requires fertilization to produce profitable crops. Cowpeas and kafir thrive remarkably well. The lighter textured soil is highly prized for small fruits and truck. Strawberries and bush fruits are successfully grown in some localities. Wherever areas of Bates fine sandy loam are located near transportation lines, so that potatoes do not need to be hauled more than three or four miles to the shipping point, this crop may prove an excellent money crop. Alfalfa has been tried with some success but owing to the deficiency of lime carbonate in both soil and subsoil and the rather low fertility, this land is not par- ticularly adapted to the crop.
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
While the Bates fine sandy loam is not considered a strong soil, and while it quickly deteriorates under bad management, it can, by the use of proper rotations and treatment, be maintained in a fairly high state of productiveness. The cultural methods ought to be such as to counteract as far as possible the droughty tendency and to prevent erosion. It is not a grass soil, although orchard grass and clover can be made to grow fairly well. Greater dependence must therefore be placed on forage crops, such as sorghum, kafir, cowpeas, soybeans and rye to supply feed for the livestock.
Although the greater part of the Bates fine sandy loam has been brought under cultivation, much of the sandier and more rolling land remains timbered. The latter occurs extensively in Cedar, Dade and St. Clair counties. The silt loam phase and most of the loam are under cultivation. In general, the proximity to railroads determines the extent to which the type is tilled, the more remote areas being thus only partially developed.
Land values range from ten dollars to twenty-five dollars per acre for the timber and poorly improved areas and fifty dollars to eighty-five dollars per acre for the better land near the towns. Farm improve- ments are of fair quality. Better transportation facilities would add greatly to the extension and profitableness of farming on this soil type.
Soil management on this land varies with the phase of the soil and the location. It can not be considered particularly valuable agricultural land, although areas of it are very good and proper systems of manage- ment will bring good money returns. It is a soil which is well drained so that the principal problems are those of erosion and of fertility main- tenance.
The composition of this soil area, showing the Bates silt loam samples and the Bates fine sandy loam samples averaged separately, is given in the following tables :
Composition of Bates Silt Loam.
(Average of 7 analyses.)
Lime re-
Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium quirement
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
In 2,000,000 pounds of soil __
2920
1260
25425
4845
In 2,000,000 pounds of subsoil
2795
760
22645
2040
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
Composition of Bates Fine Sandy Loam. (Average of 4 analyses.)
Lime re-
Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium quirement
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
Ibs.
In 2,000,000 pounds of soil __ 2235
610
18115
1630
In 2,000,000 pounds of subsoil
1190
595
21570
3120
The analyses show decided deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, particularly in the more sandy areas. While little experi- mental data dealing with this land is available there is little doubt from its general composition that it will respond to both phosphates and potash while in many cases lime will be needed for successful legume growing. The fact that the land is not very good bluegrass land warrants the recommendation of hardier grasses, such as orchard grass, timothy, and meadow fescue, combined with alsike and white clover for pastures. Red clover will grow satisfactorily on much of this land which is not too acid and it can be combined with timothy for a hay crop. Liming and the use of phosphates will usually make red clover satisfactory on practi- cally all of this soil. On the better areas, alfalfa may be grown eco- nomically, where lime and manure are used. * *
The Oswego silt loam, like the Summit silt loam, forms part of the dark prairie soils of southwest Missouri. In fact, where these two types come in contact, separation is extremely difficult and the boundaries therefore are in some places more or less arbitrary. Geographically and agriculturally the Oswego silt loam lies between the Summit silt loam on the north and the lighter Cherokee and Bates soils on the south. In its physical properties it is characterized by a dark gray silty surface soil, nearly level topography ,and a compact clayey subsoil. Typically the surface soil is a dark gray or grayish brown to black, mellow silt loam, becoming somewhat lighter in color at about ten or twelve inches, or in the lower six inches of the top silty layer. This light colored subsurface is not always present, although in general, the subsurface is lighter colored than the surface soil. Usually the well-developed gray layer occurs only on broad, level areas, and is absent where the surface is rolling. The subsoil at a depth of about sixteen to eighteen inches is a dark drab to yellowish gray, stiff, tenacious clay, passing gradually at about thirty to thirty-six inches into a more friable silty clay, mottled
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
gray and yellow. The layer of heavy clay outcrops in banks and cuts as a brown, granular clay. Where the heavy subsoil is hard and compact as on the flat poorly drained areas, it is locally known as hardpan. In very wet or dry seasons these areas give considerable trouble to the farmer. The impervious character of the subsoil seems to be due to a compaction of the clay, rather than to a cementation of iron or other material.
The Oswego silt loam occurs as an irregular belt extending from Moniteau county to the Kansas State line, and includes parts of Cooper, Pettis, Johnson, Henry, Bates and Vernon counties. In the latter two counties it forms the level basin-like areas within the Summit silt loam, but to the east it occupies the broad interstream divides. The character- istic topography, which is level to undulating, is due largely to the uni- form weathering of the shales from which the soil is derived and the underlying horizontal beds of limestone upon which the type rests. In general, the surface drainage is well established, but subdrainage is de- ficient.
The Oswego silt loam is a general farming soil, and in its pro- ductivity compares rather favorably with the Summit silt loam, although the average yields are considerably lower. Corn is the chief and usually the most profitable crop. Wheat and oats are also extensively grown. Clover is not an important crop on this soil but in recent years cowpeas and soybeans have come into wide use. Alfalfa can be made to grow only where the land is limed and sometimes drained and fertilized. In general, a large percent of the Oswego silt loam is used for grass and small grains than of the Summit silt loam. Systematic crop rotation is little practiced. Where rotations are used they do not usually include enough legumes. Land values range from $40 to $100 per acre.
The table given shows the composition of this soil:
Composition of Oswego Silt Loam.
(Average of 8 analyses.)
Lime re-
Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium quirement
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
In 2,000,000 pounds of soil __
2910
1510
27785
5440
In 2,000,000 pounds of subsoil
1905
1575
28935
1425
The deficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus are the important ones in this soil area. The need of lime, while variable, is usually significant.
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
Proper soil management includes the establishment of a crop rotation which contains a leguminous crop at least once in four years. Where lime can be secured cheaply it should be applied in order to make clover grow- ing more certain and clover should then be included in the rotation. Soybeans and cowpeas may be substituted for clover under some condi- tions. Farm manures should be carefully saved and applied to the land. Phosphates can be applied with profit to wheat and usually to corn. Good results may also be expected on clover and grass.
Fall plowing is practiced quite largely on this soil. Where this is done the fields can be worked earlier in the spring, and a good seedbed can be secured more readily than in the case of spring plowing. Spring plowing is often late because of the rather poor subdrainage of this land. On the more level areas and under careful systems of farming, tile drainage will be found profitable. Certain areas such as seepy hill slopes and low lying tracts in the rolling areas will also respond to tiling.
The following statistics are taken from the last report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and give the surplus products of Henry County for the year 1915, the last year available at the present time:
Live Stock .- Cattle, 11,203 head ; hogs, 51,168 head ; horses and mules, 3,148 head; sheep, 3,620 head ; jacks, stallions, 5 head.
Farm Crops .- Wheat, 270,912 bushels ; corn, 243,017 bushels ; oats, 98,- 736 bushels; rye, 64 bushels; millet seed, 900 bushels; hay, 413 tons ; broom corn, 204 pounds; popcorn, 204 pounds; bluegrass seed, 41,790 pounds ; nuts, 7,508 pounds.
Mill Products .- Flour, 63,955 barrels; corn meal, 150,000 pounds ; bran, shipstuff, 9,500,000 pounds; feed, chops, 850,000 pounds.
Mine and Quarry Products .- Coal, 157,233 tons; clay, 650 cars; ma- cadam, 14 cars.
Forest Products .- Lumber, 3 cars ; logs, 2 cars ; walnut logs, 16 cars; cordwood, 72 cars; excelsior or sawdust, 8 cars.
Farmyard Products .- Poultry, live, 1,815,752 pounds ; poultry, dressed, 1,164,750 pounds ; eggs, 3,136,410 dozen; feathers, 51,440 pounds. Stone and Clay Products .- Brick, clay products, 41,055 tons.
Packing House Products .- Hides and pelts, 34,966 pounds; dressed meats, 18,244 pounds ; tallow, 1,600 pounds.
Flowers and Nursery Products .- Nursery stock, 750 pounds; cut flowers, 750 pounds.
Dairy Products .- Butter, 99,181 pounds; ice cream, 2,100 gallons; milk and cream, 73,340 gallons.
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
Wool and Mohair .- Wool, 15,546 pounds.
Liquid Products .- Soda water, 22,300 cases; vinegar, 300 gallons; cider, 300 gallons.
Fish and Game Products .- Game, 68,258 pounds ; furs, 10,194 pounds. Medicinal Products .- Roots and herbs, 10 pounds.
Vegetables .- Vegetables, 682 pounds; potatoes, 15 bushels; sweet potatoes, 200 bushels; tomatoes, 10 bushels; onions, 13 bushels; canned vegetables and fruits, 3,256 pounds.
Fruits .- Miscellaneous fresh fruits, 500 pounds; dried fruits, 150 pounds; apples, 306 barrels; plums, 170 pounds; grapes, 100 pounds ; peaches, 550 pounds ; pears, 1,150 pounds.
Apiary and Cane Products .- Honey, 881 pounds; beeswax, 100 pounds; sorghum molasses, 145 gallons.
Unclassified Products .- Paper bags, 216,000 pounds; mining machin- ery, 105 tons; coke, 914 tons ; junk, 38 cars; ice, 249 tons; coal tar, 8,937 tons; cigars, 120,000.
CHAPTER XIV.
FROM 1840 TO 1860
SETTLEMENTS IN DEEPWATER TOWNSHIP-NEAR CALHOUN-EARLY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS-NEW TOWNSHIPS-INCORPORATION OF CLINTON-WIND- SOR SETTLED-GERMANTOWN-MONTROSE-OSAGE TOWNSHIP-LEESVILLE -COALESBURG.
While it has been repeatedly stated that it is not the purpose of this part of the History to be a biographical account, yet the author has in preceding chapters suggested a few of the names of men and women who came among the early settlers. Prior to this chapter, he has discussed the arrival of many who came earlier than 1840. In that year, Deepwater township was organized. In 1841, Alexander Gregg was appointed justice of the peace. In the following year, a number of settlers had moved to the township; it was more than ten years later, however, before Doctor Stewart built the first house in Germantown and the first store there was opened in the year 1857 by Jacob Goldsmith. Mr. Goldsmith used for his store-room a little frame building which Doctor Stewart had put up for his office. This was the beginning of the town of Germantown. In 1850 a postoffice called Deepwater, was opened at John C. Stone's, some three miles east of Germantown. In 1855, John H. Austin took it to his cabin, where he held it until 1860, when James Gates moved it to his home, two miles farther north. Two years later, it was returned to the widow of John H. Austin, where it remained until 1864 when it was removed to Germantown, although the name of the postoffice was never changed. As stated elsewhere, William Tyree was the first man to settle in the open prairie; here, in this part of the county, he raised his family.
In the northeastern part of the county, there was also a scene of set-
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
tlement activity. As was also stated in another chapter, the town of Calhoun was laid out by Mr. Nash, in 1835. The first tavern license was granted in November, 1845, to John Taylor, who paid twenty dollars for the privilege. Mathew Arbuckle, in February, 1846, received a license to open a saloon in Calhoun; in August, 1844, was held the first election in the town of Calhoun.
Among the early organizations of Henry County, was the organiza- tion of the Bear Creek Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It is not necessary to try to recall the names of the original members; suffice it to mention the fact that in 1855, they built Bear Creek Church, a frame structure which cost at the time, $700; the first pastor was Rev. McDaniel and the first presiding elder, Rev. Jamison. In Leesville township, the Tebo Baptist Church, organized in 1841, also erected a building in the year 1855, at a cost of some $600; this congregation, however, had pre- viously erected a log building in the year of their organization; the first pastor was Daniel Briggs. Mount Olivet Church, of Springfield township, was organized in 1844; the Rev. William A. Gray, who had taught school several years, but who had been ordained a minister in 1843, secured the organization and building of a local church. Rev. P. C. Colwell, of Johnson County, helped to complete the organization, but the Rev. William A. Gray was installed the first pastor. For a number of years, the church also served as a school house. In 1852, however, another church was erected, it being displaced in 1874 by a modern church building.
The years between 1850 and 1860 marked a steady growth all over the county. Two new townships were organized, Bogard being organ- ized in 1857 and Osage in 1858. The settlers in the town of Clinton thought it worth while to incorporate and consequently, in the year 1858, the following petition for incorporation was filed with the County Court:
"Whereas, a petition was presented to the court siged by sundry citizens of the town of Clinton in this county, praying to have said town incorporated, and setting forth the metes and bounds thereof, and it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that two-thirds of the taxable inhabitants of said town have signed said petition, and, also, that the prayer of said petition is reasonable. It is therefore ordered by the court that the said town of Clinton be declared to be incorporated within the following metes and bounds as set forth in said petition, towit: The southeast quarter of section number three, and that part of the west half of the southwest quarter of section two, lying south of Franklin street,
121
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
contained in Davis' Addition to said town, all in township number forty- one (41) of range number 26, and to be known, styled by the name of the "Town of Clinton"; and the court do hereby appoint George H. Warth, William H. Schroeder, William H. Cock, Jerald G. Dorman and Andrew M. Tutt, a board of trustees for said town, according to the statute in such cases made and provided."
"February 6, 1858."
Twenty-three years after Clinton was first settled, or in the year 1860, it had a population of 500.
In 1855, R. F. Taylor, who had located in Henry County in 1839 and who had purchased the ground upon which the city of Windsor now stands, platted the town which was first called Belmont. An attempt was soon made to change the name of Belmont to Spring Grove; upon taking the matter up with the postal authorities, it was found that there was not only another Belmont in the State of Missouri, but also another Spring Grove. It was then that Robert D. Means urged the name of Windsor. Two years before the town was platted, the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, was organized. The old school house erected about a' half mile west of the present town site of the city of Windsor, was used as the first building. In this church, the first pastor, Rev. J. M. Kelley preached. He was succeeded in turn by Rev. Joseph Wood and Rev. Bond. The first postmaster of Windsor was Jefferson Means, serving only three months, some three years before the town was laid out. It must be remembered that the postoffice was not called Windsor at this time. In fact, in the year 1862, Mrs. Egbert King took the postoffice over into Pettis County, some two miles from Belmont, as the town was called.
The year 1857 saw the beginning of the town of Germantown. Here John H. Austin bought a lot of about one-half acre in extent for $38. After the village of Germantown was started, the Catholics moved their church from about a mile and a half away on Mr. Schmedding's land, to the present site of the Germantown Church. This old stone church, which still remains, has since that time received many additions and much alterations; it still stands, however, a monument to the work of the men and women who have lived in that community and who have followed the faith of their fathers all through the years.
Prior to 1870, ther seemed to be a bright future for Germantown; the coming of the railroad, however, through Montrose, four miles away,
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
made Montrose and not Germantown the center of business, and therefore the populous town in the southwestern part of the county. During these ten years, Tebo township boasted of about one-fourth of the population of the county. In 1850, the number was 1,164; this had more than doubled by 1860.
Another church was organized in the neighborhood of the Fields' settlement in the year 1857. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was built at the cost of about $600. The first minister was Rev. Durant; later, Rev. J. Headley, Rev. Henry Webster and Rev. J. C. Thompson, ministered to the congregation. This church was near the well-known Fields' settlement; Joseph Fields was one of the first settlers and after- wards, the first sheriff of the county. His brother, Nathan, settled in Henry County in 1834. On account of this settlement, the creek was called Fields Creek-it had formerly been called Lake Creek. This fact brings out the significance of many of the names of the streams. of water; the little stream running through Clinton was called Town Creek, because it ran by the town. The names of Fields Creek and Town Creek still survive.
The first voting precinct in Big Creek township was at the house of Thomas Kimsey. The Kimsey school house was designated as the voting precinct in 1858. In 1865, the County Court ordered the voting precinct to be changed to Huntingdale, where it has since remained.
Osage township was organized in the year 1858. Judge Hillegas, one of the county judges, settled in this township in 1856. The order of the court organizing Osage township, is as follows:
"Ordered, that a municipal township be established within the fol- lowing boundaries, towit:
"Beginning at a point on Grand River, where the county line be- tween Benton and Henry intersects said river; thence south to the corner of the county; thence west along the county line dividing Henry and Saint Clair Counties to where the range line between ranges 26 and 27 intersects the county line; thence north along said range line to where it intersects Deepwater Creek; thence east down the main channel of said Deepwater Creek to where it intersects Grand River; thence down the middle of the channel of said river to place of beginning.
"And that the house of George W. Bowles be constituted and declared the voting precinct of said township, and that said township be known
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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY
1
and called by the name of Osage township and that the same be certified forthwith."
In 1853, Grand River township petitioned the County Court not to grant a dramshop license in the township; so far as is known, this is the first case where there was any organized attempt to prevent the issuance of dramshop licenses in the county.
The town of Leesville was laid out by A. J. Lee and John French, in the year 1834. French built the first store and Lee, the first residence. Lee occcupied the store, however, as the first merchant and became the first postmaster. He called the name of the town, "Tebo," after Tebo township. The second residence in the town was built by Doctor Hill, who was the first physician. The first blacksmith was A. Dempsey. D. B. Reavis had a horsepower sawmill and sawed out the lumber for both his own dwelling and for that of A. J. Lee. Robert Briggs taught the first school, near Tebo Church. In 1857 the name of the postoffice was changed from Tebo to Leesville, because the name of the town had been so changed. Mr. Lee remained postmaster until 1860, at the time he closed out his business. He was succeeded by William L. Pigg.
A few miles from Leesville, a little village which went by the name of Coale's store, was settled in 1859. The village which grew up around the store was called Coalesburg, after 1880. The postoffice which had been known as Galbreath, was called Coalesburg after that time; later, the name was changed to Coale, as it still remains, although the postoffice has been discontinued, patrons being served by rural routes out of Clinton. On the 6th of September, 1854, the Bethlehem Baptist Church was organ- ized in the residence of Mr. James Lee. In 1856, the first church was built, Elder Peter Brown serving as its first pastor. In the same year, but two months later, the Surprise Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized, the Rev. J. H. Houk being the first pastor.
CHAPTER XV.
-
CIVIL WAR DECADE
DECLINE IN POPULATION-COMING OF THE RAILROAD-ORGANIZATION OF CLIN- TON CHURCHES-THE SILVER CORNET BAND-WINDSOR CHURCHES-CAL- HOUN INCORPORATED -SHAWNEE MOUND AND HUNTINGDALE - 'SQUIRE WILLIAM PAUL-COUNTY FARM BOUGHT-CLINTON BECOMES CITY OF FOURTH CLASS-DESTRUCTIVE FIRE-WINDSOR INCORPORATED-"THE BIG FIRE" IN MONTROSE.
The period between 1860 and 1870 was marked by the Civil War that tore families apart and retarded the growth not only of Henry County, but of all the rest of the United States; elsewhere in this volume, appears a discussion of Henry County's part in this war. The effect of the war on the county may be seen by the following statement, which is taken from the first issue of the Advocate, January 1, 1866:
"Clinton has a population of 250 inhabitants, white and black."
The following boundary of Clinton was described in November, 1866:
"The west half section No. 2, and the east half section No. 3, town- ship No. 41, of range 26, or in other words; commencing at a rock near a peach tree, in the yard and directly south of the residence of Doctor McLane, running east to the northwest corner of the fair ground; thence north, to the township line, near one acre, owned by Charles Snyder at the north end of Seventh street; thence west, one mile to the line of George W. Hancock's, or to the northeast quarter of section 3; thence directly south, one mile, to the southwest corner of Oak Grove Cemetery; thence east, on Ohio street, to the place of beginning."
In 1870, the census gave Clinton a population of 840, a gain of fifty per cent in four years' time. On the 23rd day of August, 1870, the town . celebrated the building of the railroad and the coming of the railway locomotive to the little village. The year 1870 also marked the building
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