USA > Missouri > Howard County > History of Howard and Chariton Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most official authentic and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 19
USA > Missouri > Chariton County > History of Howard and Chariton Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most official authentic and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 19
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VISITING COMMITTEE.
Appointed by the Missouri annual conference : Rev. T. J. Gooch, Rev. J. A. Mumpower, R. E. Anderson.
FORMER PRESIDENTS.
Mrs. J. P. Fuller, Miss A. E. Cooper, associate principals, 1870-73; Miss A. E. Cooper, principal 1873-74 ; R. H. Pitman, president, 1874-76 ; Rev. J. H. Pritchett, president, 1876-81.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
ALUMN.E.
1876 .- Mies Katie Wright, M. E. L., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Emma Fisher, M. E. L., Favette, Mo. ; Miss Daisy Herndon ( Mrs. Davis ), M. E. L., Salisbury, Mo.
1879 .- Miss F. A. Penn, A. M., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Ella Fisher, A. M., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Annie Root ( Mrs. Violet ), A. M., Stur- geon, Mo. ; Miss Minnie Connevey, A. M., Moberly, Mo.
1880 .- Miss Bessie Morrison, M. E. L., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Dixie Duncan (Mrs. Wills ), M. E. L., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Stella MeKinney, A. M., Fayette, Mo.
1881 .- Miss Fannie Davis, M. E. L., Hannibal, Mo. ; Miss Willie Cardwell, A. M., New Florence, Mo. ; Miss Rosa Fisher, A. M., Fay- ' ette, Mo. ; Miss Fannie Prosser, A. M., Brunswick, Mo. ; Miss Min- nie Morrison, M. E. L., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss India Swinney, M. E. L., Fayette, Mo.
1882 .- Miss Lillie Bryan, M. E. L., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Sallie Denny, M. E. L., Fayette, Mo. ; Miss Jennie Houck, M. E. L., Fay- ette, Mo. ; Miss Lulu MeCafferty, M. E. L., Burton, Mo. ; Miss Min- nie Morrison, A. M., Fayette, Mo.
OFFICERS OF ALUMNE SOCIETY.
Mrs. John Morrison, president ; Mrs. A. F. Davis, vice.president ; Miss Emma Jackson, secretary ; Miss Katie Wright, treasurer.
PUBLIC SCHOOL AT FAYETTE.
Fayette has a good publie school, under the management of A. F. Willis, county commissioner. The school building is a brick struc- ture, ereeted in 1871 ; it is two stories, and contains four rooms. The teachers are : Prof. A. F. Willis, principal ; Miss Sudie Morrison, Miss Evaline B. ---- Willis Anderson, teacher in colored school. One hun- dred and thirty-eight pupils now enrolled ; eighty in daily attendance.
There is also an excellent school for the colored people. Two hun- dred and twenty-three white children are of school age in the district : one hundred and thirty colored children are of school age in the district.
The public schools of Fayette were opened in 1867, under the man- agement of Thos. G. Deatherage, assisted by Miss Lon Forster.
FIRE.
Unlike many towns not even half so old, Fayette has been wonder- fully exempt from fires, none of any consequence occurring until July
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
13th, 1882. We copy the following from the Howard County Adver- tiser:
" Fire ! Fire : Fire ! Fayette is on fire ! "
This was the wild cry which startled the inhabitants of our usually quiet city and tore them in rude haste from their peaceful slumbers at about four o'clock on last Thursday morning, the 13th inst.
Leaping from their beds and donning the first articles of wearing apparel that came to hand, they rushed almost with one accord, and without regard to personal appearance, into the streets, and made their way by the lurid glare of flames to the principal business block of town, on second Main eross street, south of the court-house. Here a sight met the gaze which struck terror to the hearts of the bravest men. Great sheets of livid flame were bursting forth and darting their fiery tongues heavenward from the rear of Norris & Knaus' for- niture establishment, situated about midway of the block. About one-half of the block was composed of frame buildings, and the fire spread with almost lightning-like rapidity, and in a few moments two- thirds of the block was a rolling, surging, roaring mass of flames. The scene simply beggars description - men, women and children mushing hither and thither, carrying out goods, shouting, screaming, and gesticulating ; the blaze throwing a weird, unearthly brightness for miles around.
So intense was the heat, and so panic-stricken did the spectators seem, that some time had elapsed before any well directed efforts were made to check the devastating course of the devouring element. At length the " bucket brigade " was formed, and did valuable ser- vice in throwing water on the roof and rear of the Tolson Hall build- ing, by which means the flames were subdued, after eight business houses had been completely consumed.
But a small portion of the contents of the buildings were saved. The wildest excitement prevailed for some time, and in the effort to save goods and effects they were hurled indiscriminately and promiscuousty into the streets. After the first panie had somewhat subsided, both men and women, without regard to class or condition, went faithfully to work to remove everything of value possible to places of safety.
Following are the estimated losses and the insurance, which are believed to be very nearly correct : -
Wills & Nipper, groceries and queensware - goods partly saved in damaged condition ; stock $3,000 ; insurance $1,500.
Win. Barnes, barber, loss small ; no insurance.
J. S. Dickerson, saloon, loss $1,500 ; no insurance.
M. Skillman, saddlery and harness, stock partly saved, loss $2,000; insurance $550.
Norris & Knaus, furniture, total loss $4,000; insurance $1,600. I. N. Houk, Independent office, loss $2,000 ; no insurance.
C. J. Walden, Advertiser office, total loss $6,000; insurance $1,500.
John Kuehn, saddlery and harness, loss $2,000; no insurance, stock partly saved.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
Henry Rose, boots and shoes, hats and caps; goods mostly saved ; loss $1.000 ; insurance $1,000.
John C. Graves, loss on saloon $3,000 : insurance $1,825.
The following losses are from moving goods, which were damaged to an unusual extent and much rendered entirely useless : -
L. S. Prosser, dry goods and notions ; stock $25,000; damage by removal, $1,000; insurance $10,000.
Dudgeon & Swetland, druggists, stock $6,000 ; insurance $4,000 ; damaged by removal $1,500.
Boyd & Shafroth; stock $6,000; insurance $2,500 ; damaged by removal.
J. H. Robertson, damage to law library, by water, $150.
" Spot " Jones lost about $300 worth of carpenter tools and mate- rials, which were in his shop over Wills & Nipper's ; no insurance.
William Robertson lost about $300 worth of household goods, which were stored in the rear of Dickerson's saloon.
The losse- on buildings are : -
William Shafroth, one large double brick store house, $8,000; insurance $4,000; and on two two-story frame business houses. total loss of $4,000 ; no insurance.
Jordan Collar, two one-story frame houses ; value $3,000 ; insur- anee $800.
Dan Kelly, frame house, total loss, $1,200. No insurance.
B. R. Patrick, two-story frame house, total loss, $2,500. No in- surance.
J. D. Tolson, damage to store rooms and hall, $1.500.
The entire loss is estimated at $50.000, of which $15,820 are cov- ered by insurance in companies, as follows :
German-American
$1,750 00
Springfield Fire, Mass.
400 00
Queen, of Liverpool
700 00
Ins. Co. of North America
1,700 00
Atna, of Hartford
2,000 00
Fire Association
2,300 00
Home, of New York
2,300 00
Phoenix, of Hartford
1,170 00
Pennsylvania Fire
.
3,500 00
AFTER THE FIRE.
By eight o'clock the fire was under control, and while some of the people, weary. dirty, smoke begrimed, with clothes torn and disher- elled and hearts made sore by the terrible catastrophe, returned to their homes to breakfast and gather their bewildered thoughts, others remained on the scene to guard the property from pillagers and make arrangements for its disposal.
The stocks of Messrs. Dudgeon & Swetland and Boyd & Shatroth were returned to their rooms.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
L. S. Prosser's stock is temporarily stored in one of Tolson's new rooms on First Main street, where he will remain until his former stand is refitted.
H. Rose is located in the same building, where he will probably remain permanently.
M. L. Skillman can be found in the room two doors south of the post-office.
The small remnant of Wills & Nipper's stock is stored in Mrs. Rich's building north of the court-house.
Kuehn's stock was removed to the room four doors north of the post-office.
Wm. Barnes may be found on First Main street, two doors be- low Mr. Prosser. He will be back to the old stand as soon as build- ing can be erected.
Before the ground in the burned district had become cool, Messrs. Dickerson and Graves had their forces at work erceting temporary wooden structures, in which to do business until more substantial buildings can be built.
E. C. Stowe, photographer, with his usual characteristic enter- prise, managed to secure three excellent views of the smoking ruins. of which he is having an immense sale.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE - DEEDS HEROIC, WISE AND OTHERWISE.
To Miss Hattie King belongs the honor of having given the first alarm. And bravely did she earn it. She was awakened by the light from the fire shining in at her window, and hastily arising, she snatched up a linen duster and drawing it about her as she went, ran into the street screaming " fire !" and with wonderful presence of mind made her way to the seales near the court-house, and seizing the scale bell began a vigorous ringing that soon brought the startled peo- ple to the scene.
The ladies deserve great credit for the part they took in the morning's work. Their flashing eyes and encouraging voices urged the mnen to strain every nerve to check the raging fire fiend, and their hands did noble service in the work of saving.
J. M. Coller sustained his reputation as a hero in cases of emer- geney, and to him, perhaps, more than any other man, are we indebted for the saving of the remainder of the block, and much more valuable property. By almost superbuman effort, and at imminent risk of his life, he ascended to the roof of Tolson's building, where by the aid of other brave and willing hands water was brought, and the fur- ther spread of the fire prevented.
James Tindall (colored ) performed a rash and rather foolhardy act of bravado. Rushing into Graves' saloon while the walls were tottering on their foundations, he seized the large clock and carried it out, reaching the street just as the walls fell with a crash, missing him but a short distance.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
While many of the better class of colored people rendered good assistance, a number of proverbially worthless ones stood about and absolutely refused to make any effort, either to check the fire or save property. No words of condemnation are too severe for any man, be he who or what he may, who will stand idly by and see his neighbor's property destroyed, without making some attempt at rescue.
Fortunately no lives were lost, and the personal injuries sus- tained by any one were very slight.
Harry Bumstead had his right hand burned and shoulder bruised by being crowded against a hot brick wall while removing goods.
Mr. W. A. Dudgeon received a bruise on the arm while helping to carry a soda fountain.
Major M. A. Boyd sprained an ankle while tearing down a stair- way in the rear of the Fayette bank, and was the worst hurt of any one.
POSTMASTERS.
Fayette post-office, with the date of appointment of postmasters. Established May 22, 1824 : -
May 22, 1824, L. J. Daly.
January 13, 1840, B. F. Jeter.
March 26, 1841, William Taylor.
February 20. 1841, Nathaniel Ford.
March 26. 184-, William Payton.
April 9, 1850, Henry W. Kring. April 17, 1851, W. T. Mallory.
October 20, 1863, M. A. Mallory.
October 25, 1865, Miss Alice Gardenhire.
September 9, 1867, William A. Dudgeon.
December 23, 1874, James F. Agee.
BUSINESS HOUSES OF FAYETTE.
7 Attorneys.
2 Real estate dealers.
6 Physicians.
2 Shoemakers.
1 Dentist.
6 Saloons.
3 Druggists.
1 Restaurant.
5 Dry good stores.
2 Banks.
4 Hardware houses.
1 Photographer.
2 Agricultural and implement dealers.
2 Hotels.
1 Flour mill.
1 Saw mill.
3 Blacksmiths and wagon-mak- ers.
2 Furniture dealers.
HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
203
2 Livery stables.
2 Harness makers.
2 Jewelers.
2 Lumber merchants.
1 Tailor.
2 Meat markets.
2 Grain dealers.
1 Tobacco house.
2 Insurance agents. Depot of Missouri Kansas and
Texas railroad. Express office.
2 Millinery stores. .
..
CHAPTER IX.
CHARITON TOWNSHIP.
Boundary - Physical Features -Early Settlements - Glasgow - Its Early History - First Churches and Ministers -Town Incorporated - City Officials - Growth and Busi- ness- Banks and Bankers - Railroad Bridge, Telegraph, and Telephone - The Ad- dress of W. Pope Yeaman, D. D. - Salt, Sulphur, and Mineral Springs - Palmer House -Stockholders -Description of the Building - Palmer House Opening - Secret Societies - Early Schools - Pritchett School Institute - Morrison Observatory - Lewis College - Public School -Lewis Library - Present Business of Glasgow - Postmasters.
BOUNDARY.
The territorial limits of Chariton township have not been changed since the creation of the same by the county court, in 1821. It is in form something like a triangle, and contains about seventy square miles. It is bounded on the north by Chariton and Randolph eoun- ties ; on the east by Prairie and Richmond townships ; on the south by Boone's Liek township, and on the west by Saline and Chariton counties, being separated from Saline county by the Missouri river.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
The land away from the river is generally high and rolling, and was originally covered with a dense forest, the greater portion of which has been eut to make room for the well cultivated farms which are now seen in every portion of the township. A number of limestone quarries have been opened and worked by the local trade. Rock is, however, found in many parts of the township.
Among the streams are Doxey, Bear, Richland, and Hurricane ereeks, all of which flow westwardly and empty into the Missouri river or one of its tributaries.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
Among the early settlers of Chariton township, were Thomas M. Cockerill, who located about two miles east of Glasgow. He after- wards became a resident of Glasgow. He died about the breaking out of the late war. H. Clay Cockerill, the present editor of the
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
Glasgow Journal, is a son of his. He had another son and two daughters, who are still living.
Stephen Donohoe located two miles east of Glasgow, and died before the war. He left a family, but none of his children are now living in Howard county.
Henry Lewis came from Virginia at an early day and settled also in the township. He was an unele of Major J. W. Lewis, and died before the war.
John Wilhoit and Talton Turner were early settlers, and are re- membered to this day as being the only two Whigs who voted that ticket for years in the township.
Edmond Lewis, Wm. D. Swinney, James Earickson, Daniel Estill, James B. Bouldin, Horton R. Barton and John Bull, were all among the pioneers of Chariton township, and all emigrated from Vir- ginia. Horton R. Turner now resides in Linn county, Missouri. John Bull was at an early period a representative in congress. Pat- riek Woods was an early settler. So was Austin F. Walden, who was at one time a judge of the county court. William Warren was the first justice of the peace in the township.
GLASGOW.
Glasgow owed its early existence to two facts : the healthfulness of its location and the superior advantages that would acerue to that location as a future trading point. Other towns had been founded near it, one of which ( old Chariton ) had attained considerable impor- tanee, and at one time contained from one to two thousand inhabitants, but after surviving a number of years, the site was finally abandoned, on account of the malaria and other diseases, which annually proved to be unusually malignant and fatal. Old Chariton was laid out in 1817, hy Gen. Duff Green ( who has since been noted in the history of Missouri as one of her shrewdest politieians), Thomas Joyce and Major Finley, near the mouth of the Chariton river, two miles north of the present eity of Glasgow. The town grew so rapidly, and prom- ised so much for the future, that William Cabeen, one of the pioneers of the place, actually exchanged his lots in St. Louis, for an equal number of lots in Chariton.
Chariton being regarded in 1829, as too unhealthful to live in, the town of Monticello was then located, one mile to the rear of it, on high land. In 1832, another town was started on a point Iprojecting into the Missouri river, at the mouth of the Chariton, which was called Thornton-burg. This name, however, not suiting the citizens of the
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15
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
place, many of whom, had emigrated from Kentucky, they determined to change it, and finally bestowed upon the bantling for commercial honors, the more euphonious, albeit longer appellative, Louisville-on- Missouri-river.
We have often heard it remarked, that too much name was not only burdensome, but at times proved fatal to its owner. Whether the name in this instance had any effect upon the aspirations of the town, we cannot say, but it is a fact that Louisville-on-Missouri-river. together with its predecessors, Monticello, Thorntonsburg and Chari- ton, have long since been unmbered with the things of the past.
None of the above situations being just what was desired, upon which to rear a permanent town or city, they were all abandoned, and the present town site of Glasgow was selected, as possessing all the requisites necessary for such an enterprise. Accordingly, in the fall of 1836, the town was laid out originally on parts of sections 8, 9, 16, 17, township 51, range 17, by William D. Swinney, James Earickson, Talton Turner, JJohn F. Nichols, W. F. Dunnica, James Glasgow, T. N. Cockerill, Richard Earickson, Joseph A. Blackwell, Thomas White, James Head, Stephen Donohoe, John Bull, C. D. W. Johnson, Benj. G. Pulliam and Wm. J. Moore. The proprietors of the land from whom the town site was purchased, were Talton Turner and James Earickson. The name Glasgow was given in honor of James Glasgow, above named, who was one of the early settlers of Chariton and who afterwards moved to St. Louis, where he died.
The first sale of lots occurred on the 10th of September, 1836, the land still being covered with the native forest trees. One hun- dred lots, one sixth of the whole number, were offered for sale, and these were selected with a view to an equal distribution of the lots sold and reserved, in the more desirable or less desirable portion of the town.
The pioneer business man of the place was a Mr. Walker, who erected the typical log cabin on the spot where the blacksmith shop of James Davi- now stands, and opposite to the Palmer house. Here he opened a small stock of goods, and his prime articles of trade were whiskey and tobacco, the former being the matutinal drink of the old settler, and the latter his chief article of luxury.
The next building was that of Charles Purdon, which was erected on the corner of Howard and Second streets. It was designed as a residence and chair factory, Mr. Purdon being a chair-maker. This building, which was also constructed of logs, was destroyed by fire during the late war. Many of the old settlers still have Purdon's
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
chairs, and prize them highly for the solid comfort they afford as well as for their durability. The earliest " village blacksmith " was Green W. Plunket, who came from Kentucky. The old citizens who now reside here, remember the roar of his furnace and the din of his sounding anvil, as he " sharpened " the plow, or shod the horse. Plunket is dead. Noah Swacker, who was, however, a contemporary of Plunket, still resides in Glasgow.
The first store and warehouse combined was opened by W. J. Moore & Co. Then came Dr. John Bull, Joseph A. Black- well, Dunnica & Barton, Mann & Ball, B. W. Lewis & Bros., Lewis, Nanson & Co., Bartholow, Lewis & Co., John D. Perry, Damran Bros. & Co., William Spear & Co., White & Earickson. H. W. Smith, Skinner & Priee, and a number of others, some of whom are now dead, while others reside elsewhere ; a very few still remain in Glasgow. The first horse-mill and carding machine was operated by E. Fisher. Mr. Fisher had the honor also of supplying the town and travelling public with the first steam ferry boat, which was named " Clark H. Green," after the editor of the Glasgow Times, one of the early newspapers of the town. Mr. Fisher is still a citizen of Glasgow. The first physician was Dr. James Livingston, who went to Grundy county, Missouri. Dr. I. P. Vaughan, was also among the first physicians in the town, and has since remained here, excepting a short period of time spent in St. Louis. He now resides in Glasgow, and is still devoted to his profession, in which he has achieved much prominence and success. Among the pioneer attorneys, were James A. De Courcy and Thomas Shackelford. The former came in 1842, and edited a newspaper called the Pilot. Mr. Shackelford came in 1840, from Saline county, Missouri, where he was born, but did not begin the practice of law until a few years later. He has constantly resided in the town and has been one of its most prominent and successful citizens.
Emerson & Thornton ( after the latter the old town of Thorntons- burg was called ) established the first ferry here. Samuel Steinmetz, was the original shoemaker of the place, and attended faithfully to the soles of his patrons for many years. Jesse Arnott ran the first livery- stable, Christian Matthews the first butcher shop, and Dr. Thomas M. Cockerill opened the first drug store. Oliver S. Coleman was the first tailor to exercise his trade in town. Under him worked Jos. G. Williams, who has continued to live in Glasgow since 1837. The first hotel-keeper, was Thomas McCoy, who was also a tailor His house wa-
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
located on Commerce, between Second and Third streets, north side, and is now standing. Walter G. Childs was the first man who met his death by violence. He was a Virginian, and was also the pro- prietor of a hotel. Soon after he opened his house, one of the citizens of the town happened to be intoxicated, and while in front of the hotel became quite noisy. Childs politely requested him to go away. The man immediately left, bat returned again, soon after procuring a large knife, and stepped up to Childs, who was standing near the door of his house, and without uttering a word of warning plunged it into his breast, killing him. The murderer started in the direction of the river, pursued by a few outraged citizens who had seen the bloody deed, and leaped into the water. The parties began to pelt him with rocks, sticks and other things that they could get hold of, until he was finally struck on the head with a chair hurled at him from the bank. After this he sank and was seen no more. Louis Robion opened the first saloon. John F. Nichols started the first tobacco manufacturing establishment.
Glasgow possessed at an early date ( 1837 ) very good mail facilities for a remote and distant town from St. Louis. A tri-weekly stage was put on the route between the town and St. Louis. The stage was large enough to carry nine persons, and the fare was $10 to St. Louis.
W. F. Dunniea, now an old and respected resident of Glasgow, got aboard of the stage soon after the line had been established, bound for St. Louis, but after going about twenty miles the stage broke down. He, with others, " footed " it to Columbia, went to the river, bought a skiff, and continued their journey to St. Louis. where they arrived in good time.
FIRST CHURCHES AND MINISTERS.
The first religious denomination to bear aloft the banner of peace in Glasgow was the Methodist. Rev. Thomas Patton and Rev. Ben- jamin Johnson, the circuit riders for this district, held services here prior to 1840, and met at the houses of some of the citizens. Mr. Patton is dead, and Mr. Johnson went to California. Rev. Charles D. Simpson, Old School Presbyterian, held religious services soon after. He was, as stated elsewhere, among the early school teachers. He died in St. Louis. The first church edifice was erected by the Methodists, on Fourth and Commerce streets (lot 1, block 27), frame building, and is still standing and used as a boarding-house. The Old School Presbyterians built the next church in 1843.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND CHARITON COUNTIES.
TOWN INCORPORATED.
The first government of the town was derived from the county court, the immediate governing or corrective power being in the hands of a constable and justice of the peace. On the 27th of February, 1845, the legislature passed "An act incorporating the city of Glas- gow," which act established the city limits, provided for the election of officers, and defined their powers and duties.
In 1853, an amendatory act was passed, extending the corporate limits as follows : " Beginning at the main channel of the Missouri river, opposite Gregg's creek ; proceeding thence up said creek one mile ; thence due north to Bear creek ; thence down Bear creek to the main channel of the Missouri river ; thenee down said channel of the Missouri river to the place of beginning."
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