History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri, Part 44

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 998

USA > Missouri > Cedar County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 44
USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 44
USA > Missouri > Barton County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 44
USA > Missouri > Hickory County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 44
USA > Missouri > Polk County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 44

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, located four and one- half miles west of Greenfield, was organized about the year 1876, and has now a membership of forty-four persons. Elder B. W. Davis is the present pastor.

Sharon Missionary Baptist Church, located five miles east of Greenfield - near the site of the old Grassy Hollow Church - was also organized about the year 1876, and its membership now numbers seventy-four. The present pastor is Elder W. Z. T. Kimbler.

Arcola Missionary Baptist Church was organized September 3, 1881, by Elder W. F. Parker, embracing the Brown, Brickey and Parker families and others. It was organized at Elm Grove . school-house, but worships now in the Methodist Church edifice at Arcola. The membership now numbers forty-seven. The pastors have been: W. F. Parker, four years; D. G. Young, two years; Elder Meacham, one year; and Elder Craftree, one year.

Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church, three miles northwest of Greenfield, was organized in 1884, and has now about fifteen members. The pastor is Elder B. W. Davis.

Lockwood Missionary Baptist Church was organized in Jan- uary, 1882, as the First Baptist Church of Lockwood, by Elders D. G. Young and S. L. Collins, with fifteen original members. The membership has since grown to thirty-eight. As yet the society has no church edifice. The pastors have been A. C. Bradley, D. G. Young and J. D. Craftree.

Cave Spring Missionary Baptist Church was organized in 31

490

STATE OF MISSOURI.

1883, by Elders Harvey, Shelton and Gilmore, with fifteen mem- bers, and the membership has since increased to about thirty. A frame church edifice, 24x40 feet in size and costing about $300, has since been erected. The pastors have been Elders William McCord, C. F. Fain and W. A. Dyson. Other denom- inations assisting, claim an interest in the church building.

South Greenfield Missionary Baptist Church was organized January 23, 1886, by Elders Fain and Collins, with a very small membership, which has since increased to twenty-five in number. Their present church building, 32x48 feet in size, and costing $3,500, has since been erected. The pastors have been Elders S. L. Collins and W. A. Dyson.

Greenfield Missionary Baptist Church was organized July 20, 1872, by A. W. Pickett, William Wasson and six others, at a school-house three miles northeast of Greenfield, and was then called " Pleasant View Baptist Church." In August, 1879, the place of meeting was changed to Greenfield, and the name changed to correspond. The present frame church edifice, cost- ing about $1,400, was erected in 1884, and was dedicated June 1-5 of that year, by Elder J. R. Maupin. The pastors have been Elders D. G. Young, A. J. Alexander and W. A. Lindsey. The membership numbers ninety-three at this writing. Seymour Hoyt is church clerk.

Cave Missionary Baptist Church was organized March 6, 1887, by Elder C. F. Fain, and it has now a membership of twenty- five. The pastors have been C. F. Fain, W. F. Parker and J. H. Moore. The meetings are held at the Carlock school- house, near Dadeville.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- This church, on account of the hostility it received from the institution of slavery, had no substantial existence in Dade County before the Civil War. Soon, however, after the institution of slavery was destroyed, it gained a foothold, and an organization was effected at Greenfield, in 1864, by Rev. William Denby. The constituent members were W. R. Bennington, F. A. Cardwell, William and Mary Theoble, M. A. Foster, Nancy, Robert, Amanda, William and Victoria McBride, and twelve others. Afterward, in 1871, this society built its present frame church edifice in Greenfield, at a cost of

491

HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY.

$2,800. It was dedicated in 1872, by Dr. B. F. Crary, editor of the Christian Advocate at St. Louis, Mo. The pastors have been Revs. William Denby, Isaac Routh, S. R. Reese, F. S. Houghaout, C. L. Howell, T. S. Benifiel, A. R. Nichols, I. J. K. Lunbeck, R. W. McMasters, Frank Lenig, J. R. Wolf, C. E. Evans, N. H. Buck, William Buck and W. J. Simmons. The present membership is ninety-two.

Another Methodist Episcopal Church was organized near Arcola in 1886, by Rev. Isaac Routh, with Rev. E. H. Travis, Margaret Travis, Archibald and Polly Morris, Nancy Ball, Mary Ball, Rev. G. W. Murphy, Mary C. Murphy, Will and Lewis Murphy, Benjamin and Louisa Appleby, J. M. Travis, and Jesse Arbagast and wife as constituent members. In 1871 the society built a frame church house costing $600, one mile and a half south of Arcola. The following year it was blown down in a storm. In 1873 it was rebuilt at Arcola at a cost of $800. It was dedicated in 1875, by Rev. J. J. Bentley. The pastors have been the same as at Greenfield - it being a part of the Green- field charge. The membership at present is seventy-five.

King's Point Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in November, 1869, by Rev. C. L. Howell, with Robert Taylor, D. Powell, M. A. Powell, T. H. Morgan, Elizabeth Morgan, L. E. and Sidney A. Powell, J. W. and Sarah J. Powell, Matilda E. Taylor and others as original members. This society has no church edifice. The pastors have been: Revs. C. L. Howell, R. S. Benifiel, A. R. Nichols, I. J. K. Lunbeck, J. W. Jacobs, R. W. McMasters, J. R. Wolf, William Buck, Jacob Miller, J. J. Martin, and M. Bell. Twelve members constitute this class at present.

Lockwood Methodist Episcopal Church .- This society was organized in the summer of 1881, by Rev. Frank Lenig, with W. B. Hoel, Mary J. Hoel, Cora E. Hoel, C. E. Hoel, Mary E. Hoel, Jasper and Mary Lemon, J. R. J. Appleby, M. A. S. Appleby, J. K. Ford, and Mary and Irene M. Ford, as constituent members. This society has been building its first church edifice --- a frame 24x40 feet in size, completed in June, 1889, and costing about $1,200. The pastors have been: Frank Lenig, 1881; J. R. Wolf, 1882; Charles E. Evans, 1883; J. N. Buck,

492

STATE OF MISSOURI.

1884; J. J. Martin, 1885; Jacob Miller, 1886; M. Bell, 1887-88. The membership is thirty-three. The first quarterly meeting was held in Lockwood in the fall of 1881, by Rev. Jesse L. Walker, presiding elder. The next presiding elder was I. J. K. Lunbeck, and the present one is W. V. Hamel. These Methodist Episcopal Churches belong to the Carthage District of the St. Louis Conference. There is also a society of this denomination at Dadeville, which belongs to the Dadeville Circuit of the Spring- field District. Rev. H. Threlfall is the circuit minister at this writing.

Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, located one and a half miles east of Seybert, was organized at the close of the Civil War by Rev. Isaac Routh, with seventeen members. In 1870 the society erected their present frame church edifice, at a cost of about $1,400. It was dedicated in 1872 by Presiding Elder Bentley. The pastors have been T. S. Benifiel, William Hub- bard, G. Windle, Carpenter, Smith, Moffit, Burris, W. R. Rus- sell, William F. Yeager, Isaac Entwissle, E. F. S. Darby and H. Threlfall. The present membership is about fifty in number, and the society belongs to the Dadeville Circuit.

Methodist Episcopal Church, South .- Societies of this denom- ination were organized in Dade County in an early day. Of this church, the Greenfield Circuit of the Springfield District, South- west Missouri Conference, contains most, if not all, the charges within the county. At this writing, the minister of the Green- field Circuit is Rev. T. C. Puckett.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at South Greenfield has a neat and comfortable frame church edifice. This denomi- nation, though weaker in numbers than some others within the county, has held its field, and is also doing good work in the cause of Christianity.

Christian Churches .- Of this denomination there are several organizations within the county. Dadeville Christian Church was organized in 1838 by Elder Hazleton, with James Hembree and wife, and Matilda and Nancy Hembree, as constituent mem- bers. About 1853 this society built a frame church edifice in Dadeville, and in 1856 they built a log church at Cave Springs, and, in 1886, a frame church at Dadeville, the latter costing $800.

493

HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY.

The pastors have been Elders Hazleton, McBride, Harlan, Mulkey, Nathaniel Fisk, Cochran, Davis and Randall.

Lindley Christian Church was organized in May, 1882, by W. L. George, with S. H., J. W., and Amos Perkins, J. C. Lind- ley, Samuel Baker, J. A. Freeze, John Long and W. R. Allen as original members. Their present church edifice, a frame, costing about $850, is situated six miles north of Dadeville. It was built in 1887. The pastors have been W. L. George, H. Drennan, J. W. Randall and P. W. Shick. The present membership is 102.

White Oak congregation, in Sac Township, was organized in 1871, by Elders E. Goodnight and William Pyle, with about sev- enteen constituent members. This congregation has no church edifice, but worships in the district school house on Section 3, Township 32, Range 26. The elders of this church have been William Pyle, John Wilkson, F. M. Wilson, D. W. Duncan, James A. Fox, F. M. Montgomery and William L. Grisham, The present membership is 145.

The Arcola Christian Church was organized in 1882, with Eber E. White and wife, William Lewis and wife, W. P. Whitley and wife, S. H. Bales and wife and others to the number of fif- teen in all as original members. Since the organization the society has erected a frame church edifice, in which it worships, at Arcola. It was dedicated in June, 1885, by Elder W. B. Cochran. The elders, in the order they have served, are: W. H. Watson, John W. Randall and W. H. Bryan. The present membership consists of fifty in number. R. M. Cruther is the church clerk.

The Greenfield Christian Church was organized January I, 1882, by Elder W. B. Cochran, with Joel T. Hembree, Sarah J. Hembree, J. F. Ackers, N. M. Ackers, J. R. Grider, Clovis Depee, Mary J. Depee, Mollie Pyle, Syra Pyle, Mary E. Bailey, E. D. Hamner, W. T. Hamner, and others as constituent mem- bers. The present handsome frame church in which this organi- zation worships was erected in Greenfield in 1884, at a cost of $2,600, and was dedicated in June of that year by Elder Mor- gan Morgans. The elders of the church have been W. B. Coch- ran, N. R. Davis, T. E. Sheppard and J. C. Davis. Elder Coch-

494

STATE OF MISSOURI.

ran served a second term. The membership at present numbers about sixty.

German Lutheran Church .- In 1882, a society of this denomination was organized in Lockwood with eleven constituent members, and the membership has since increased to about fifty. In 1883 this society built its present frame church edifice at Lockwood. Rev. W. Shust was pastor from 1883 to 1888, since which time the society has had no regular minister. Another · society of this denomination was organized about the same time as the foregoing, at a point four miles south and two miles west of Lockwood, and two years thereafter they built their present frame church edifice. This society has now about twenty-five members, and, since 1884 Rev. Fred. Schreifer has been the pastor. Before Mr. Schreifer became pastor of this society, Rev. Shust preached for it, and since the latter left the society at Lockwood, it has been supplied with preaching by Rev. Schreifer. The members of these two societies are mostly Germans, and are advancing the cause of Christianity.

United Brethren Church .- In 1884, a society of this denom- ination was organized at each of the following places, viz .: Lock- wood, Sylvania, King's Point, and at the Keller school-house - the latter being southwest of Lockwood. The society at Lock- wood was organized with J. M. Confer and wife, C. E. Confer, Rev. A. L. Best and wife, and Rev. E. L. Joslin and wife, as constituent members. The same year the society built its pres- ent frame church edifice, at a cost of $1,400. This building was dedicated to the worship of God by Bishop E. B. Kephart, of Iowa. The membership of this, and the other societies named, all of which belonged to one circuit, and under the charge of the same minister, have increased largely. The pastors in charge of the circuit has been: Revs. R. C. Thomas, J. L. Condon, R. S. Rose, G. W. Keller, L. A. Blevens, and now again R. C. Thomas.

HISTORY OF BARTON COUNTY.

TOPOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL.

Location and Boundaries. * - One of the most fortunately located of the 114 divisions which enter into the composition of Missouri, Barton is in the western tier of counties, bordering on Kansas, about 120 miles south of Kansas City, between the thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth degrees of north latitude, and the seventeenth and eighteenth degrees of longitude west from Washington, fairly in the center of a splendid farming, grazing, fruit and mineral region that at the present time is attracting as much popular interest as any district in the Southwest. It has an area of 580 square miles, or 375,000 acres. It is bounded north by Vernon County, east by Cedar and Dade Counties, south by Jasper County, and west by Crawford County, Kansas, and comprises all of Townships 31, 32 and 33, and the northern two tiers of sections of Township 30, Ranges 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 west of the fifth principal meridian, which extends north and south across the States of Arkansas and Missouri, passing about thirty-six miles west of St. Louis. These townships also lie north of the base line, which runs east and west across the State of Arkansas, passing about five miles south of Little Rock.

The Ozark Divide - Drainage .- Extending through this county east and west, a few miles north of Lamar, is the famous Ozark Divide. The water on the north flows into Drywood Creek, through its two branches, and thence into the Osage, and thence into the Missouri River. Here, too, are the headwaters of one of the tributaries forming the Sac River. Only a few

* To Ed. G. Ward, Lee Chiswell, A. J. Wray, Dr. A. Van Meter, the county press and the county officials, the writer is indebted for data used in the following pages.

496

STATE OF MISSOURI.

feet from the source of the stream that is a feeder to the Mis- souri, is that of another rivulet, which, in wet weather, flows into one of the forks of Spring River, known familiarly as Muddy," thence south into White River, and into this flows Coon Creek. In the northeast part of the county is Horse Creek; in the north center, Little Drywood; while the east and middle forks of Big Drywood wind their course through beauti- ful vales in the northwest corner. Turning thence southward are the waters of Duval Creek. Along the south line of the east half of the county is Coon Creek, forming an almost divid- ing line between Jasper and Barton. In the center are West Fork and Pettis Creeks, while Muddy Creek enters the south- east corner of the county, taking its course north, northwest, west, thence south, southwest, leaving the county in the south- western portion, forming a semi-circle, and giving thirty-five miles of water line, which is of incalculable benefit to farmers and stock-raisers.

Geology .- The stratified rocks of this section of country belong to the following divisions, mentioned in their order from the top down: (1) Quaternary, (2) Tertiary, (3) Cretaceous, (4) Carboniferous, (5) Devonian, (6) Silurian and (7) Azoic. The. first or Post-Tertiary system comprises the drift and all deposits above it. Within it are four distinct formations: alluvium, bot- tom prairie, bluff and drift. The second is made up of clays, shales, iron ores, sandstones and sands. The third embraces sandstones and clays. The fourth embraces the coal measures of this section. That division of the coal measures to which the rocks in this county belong is the lower part of the lower coal measures, and lies below all known coal formations of North Missouri. It includes belts of sandstones, shales, ochre, soft hematite and. bituminous coal. The sandstones are generally coarse grained, micaceous and often ferruginous, being deep and bright brown and red in color. The lower beds are very coarse, sometimes partaking of the character of a conglomerate, and are particularly ferruginous. The equivalent of the Clear Creek sandstone of Vernon County often occupies the highest ridges, and is generally even bedded, forming a good building stone, and a pretty good material for grindstones. Mud cracks, fucoids

497

HISTORY OF BARTON COUNTY.

and ripple marks are often characteristic of this formation. In a mineralogical point of view, the coal in this county may be con- sidered about the most valuable product. The iron ore in the coal measures is generally soft and light, occurring as a red, yel- low and brown ochre, and as a soft, porous limonite. The fifth or Devonian system contains the different groups of limestone and sandstone, and its rocks are, in this section, found in narrow belts along the Carboniferous strata. The Chemung group includes Chouteau limestone, vermicular sandstone and shales and lithographic limestone. The Upper and Lower Silurian series comprise the numerous sandstones and limestones of the sixth system, which contain many remains of organic life. No such remains are found in the series of siliceous and other slates, below the Silurian rocks, which are referred to the Azoic age.

Coal Interests - Building Stone .- Barton County's coal inter- ests are of more than secondary importance. Coal veins of minable thickness and commercial value are found in Ozark, Barton City, North Fork, Milford, Newport, Lamar, Southwest and other townships, though, practically speaking, commercial mining is restricted to Ozark and Southwest Townships, with latterly some minor operations in Lamar, the industry being yet in its infancy. A large scope of Eastern Barton, as well as Bar- ton City Township, abounds in excellent coal, but the absence of railway transportation facilities has prevented a development of these rich fields, just enough mining being done to supply local demands. The mine inspector has reported that 22,000 acres of county lands are underlaid with coal of minable thick- ness, but this is only an estimate, and the figures will doubtless be doubled under the stimulus the industry is expected to receive. Of superior qualities for all purposes, this coal is in demand in every market, and, when the mining industry has reached a little more advanced stage, the annual revenue from the mines will foot up into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The quarries throughout the county constitute not its least important prospective source of revenue. They contain sand- stone of every shade up to brown, which rivals the famous stone which adds so much to the beauty of metropolitan architecture, and is of such excellence for building purposes that of all the stone

498

STATE OF MISSOURI.

in the Southwest it was selected for the large depot buildings of the Gulf road, in Springfield. Only recently, attracted by the fame of this stone, several Kansas City gentlemen invested largely in quarry lands in this county, and it is reasonably cer- tain that at no remote period this excellent stone will be a most potent auxiliary of coal in swelling the revenue in this county. The Gulf road has drawn extensively on the Lamar quarries . for construction work, and has obtained a large supply of stone from the quarries at Liberal for bridges along the system. The new court house is being largely constructed of native stone. .

Farming, Fruit Culture and Stock. Raising .- Corn is the great staple product of the soil. With such cultivation as the Eastern farmer gives his corn, a failure in the crop would seldom occur. As the methods of primitive farming are disappearing, crops of all kinds are improving. As corn is king, so grass is queen, the two combined being the great wealth-producing crops of the county, and the farmer who would prosper must cultivate corn and grow grass and feed them to stock of approved kinds. It is now established beyond controversy that timothy, clover, bluegrass and other grasses recognize this soil as their native heath, and produce wonderful crops. Thousands of tons of hay are shipped to the Southern markets annually, and so prolific is the grass crop that, though grasses are practically in their infancy, a large and increasing surplus product is shipped away from the county every year.

Barton County is in the great fruit belt, and, possessing innu- merable fine orchards, its luscious fruitage finds its way in great quantities to Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Alabama and Tennessee. Consequently fruit growing, which demands very little care and expense, proves amply remunerative to those who engage in it. Vegetables of all kinds produce well, and the older the land the better the crop. It is doubtful if there is any section in the United States where vegetables are more abundant or cheaper in season.

While to the farmer Barton County offers a rich and productive soil, a healthful climate and abundant crops, yet to the stock- raiser are presented greater inducements than to all other claims combined. As evidence that these advantages have long attracted

499

HISTORY OF BARTON COUNTY.

attention, the following extract is given from the "History of Missouri," published in 1876 :

While the agricultural advantages of this county are surpassed by few in the State, yet to stock-raisers it presents extraordinary inducements. With a mild climate that renders little shelter necessary during any portion of the year; with her broad, rolling prairies, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass that furnishes free pasturage during the summer months, and which, upon the bottoms, remains fresh and green all winter, and from which large quantities can be annually cut for a winter's supply ; with a soil capable of producing in abundance the grain needed to fatten the stock in winter that feed on the prairies in summer - Barton County is destined to be one of the great stock-producing counties of the West.

A few years ago cattle were driven here to " winter " from North Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and the Indian Territory. The climate is so mild that it was not necessary to furnish other shelter than was afforded by the belts of timber along the various streams flowing through the county. To-day there are not so many cat- tle; but the stock is finer and better cared for. The day of free pasturage in Barton County is past, but wherever grasses grow abundantly it will pay to handle stock, and many far-seeing stock- men have come to Barton and occupy large farms for the purposes of stock raising.

Timber .- There is abundance of timber to supply all needful demands. From one-tenth to one-sixth of the land is covered with fine groves, embracing hickory, walnut, elm, sycamore, maple, hackberry and all the different kinds of oak, with other valuable varieties of timber. These groves are scattered through- out the different portions of the county, principally along the streams.

Climate .- The climate of Barton County is a benediction. It has the mildness of Middle Virginia and Central Kentucky, without their humidity. The winters are generally dry and open, with little snow. Young stock of all kinds run at large in the bottoms all winter. The summer is long and warm, with cool, refreshing nights. While the rainfall is ample, the climate is naturally dry, and the west winds dissipate whatever malaria may be generated by decaying vegetation; and there are no swamps or marshes to breed fever in this region.

500

STATE OF MISSOURI.

RESOURCES AND STATISTICS.

Assessments of 1880 and 1888 .- No more graphic illustration of the wonderful growth of Barton County can be produced than is found in the assessment books for the years 1880 and 1888. The tables are given below, the figures they contain carrying their own explanation. At the former period county organization . prevailed and one official assessed the entire county, but the township system of government is now in force, thus necessitating an enumeration of each township:

1880.

Horses, 4,990

$ 102,904

Jacks and jennets, 19.

295

Mules, [,044.

31,569

Cattle, 19,836.

169,636

Sheep, 10,134.

10,134

Hogs, 13,914.

14,942

All other live stock.

I34

Money, notes, etc.

79,900

All other personal property. .

117,505

Acres, 370,837.

1,104,135

Town lots, 514.

87,325

Merchants' tax, estimated.

60,000

Total

$1,778,476

1888.

Acres, 394,704. .

$2,772,220

Town lots, 2,993.

585,085

Horses

253,831

Asses.

2,433

Mules

63,207

Cattle.

960,289

Sheep.

1,802

Hogs.

27,995

Money, notes and bonds.

326,189

All other personal property

191,496

Insurance companies, merchants, railroad and telegraph property.

713,999

Total.

5,907,546

The Common School Fund .- Following is a statement of Barton County's common school fund, interest and principal, for 1888:

HISTORY OF BARTON COUNTY.

501

SCHOOL FUND. - PRINCIPAI ..

Balance in treasury at last settlement.

$ 1,158.28

Amount from bonds maturing. 13,628.12

Amount from shows ..

25.00

Amount from fines ..

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri, Part 44

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co. Number of Pages: 998

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 998