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 6
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 6
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).
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On the 2d of October following the Mormons were overpowered, and compelled to lay down their arms and agree to leave the county with their families by January Ist on the condition that the owner would be paid for his printing press,
HISTORY OF MISSOUSI.
Leaving Jackson county, thererossel the Missouri and bound is Chy, Carni. Callwell and other countries, and Heated in Chanel comity a town site, which they cant. d . Far West." and where they entered more liel for their future bomies.
Tim 's inden ne there pasionarias, who were exerting themselves in the Fast and in Mebrott portions of Europe. & Beats hal constantly focaok to their stat. Jard. and " Far West," end etkes Mormor settlements. rapidly prospered.
In 1837 they commebord the erecti : of a magnifient temp'e, las Dever finished it. As their settlerients iereused in numbers, they became bolder in their practices and Seeds of law lessness.
During the summer of Isas two of their leaders settled in the town of De Witt. on the Mis-out: River, Having parchased the land Som an Iliadis merebist. De Witt was in Carroll county, and's good point from which to forward goods and immigrants to their torm - Far West.
Upon its being escertaines that these parties were Mormon leaders. the credits cried a pasis acceding, which was alldressed by some of de prominent didizers of the chant. Nothing, Lowever, was done st this meeting, but at a subscesent meting, which was held a the days afterward, a committee of offress was appointed to notify call Him- kle (one of the Mormon leaders at De Witt ), what they intended to do.
Col. Hinkle upon being costel by this committee became indig- nant, and threatened este Fination to all who should attemrys to moles: him or the Saints.
In anticipation of trouble. anl believing that the Gentiles would attempt to force them from De Witt. Meeting recruits Blocked to the town from every direction. the pitched their tests in and around the town in great numbers.
The Gentiles, nothing daunted. planned an attack upon this ex- campmient. to take place on the 21st day of September. Is3. and. secordingly, one hundred and fifty men bivouacked near the town on that day. A condiet ensued, but nothing serious occurred.
The Mormons evacuated their works and ded to some ing houses. where they could the more successfully resis; the Gentiles, who had in the meantiere returned to their camp to avait reinforcements. Troops from Saline. Ry and other counties came to their Mesist- ance, and increased their number to five hundred men.
Congreve Jackson was chosen Brigadier- General : Ebenezer Price,
56
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
Colonel ; Singleton Vaughan, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Sarshel Woods, Major. After some days of discipline, this brigade prepared for an assault, but before the attack was commenced Judge James Earickson and William F. Dunuica, influential citizens of Howard county, asked permission of General Jackson to let them try and adjust the difficul- ties without any bloodshed.
It wa. finally agreed that Judge Earickson should propose to the Mormons, that if they would pay for all the cattle they had killed be- longing to the citizens, and load their wagons during the night and be ready to move by ten o'clock next morning, and make no further attempt to settle in Carroll county, the citizens would purchase at first cost their lots in De Witt and one or two adjoining tracts of land.
Col. Hinkle, the leader of the Mormons, at first refused all attempts to settle the difficulties in this way, but finally agreed to the proposi- tion.
In accordance therewith, the Mormons without further delay, loaded up their wagons for the town of Far West, in Caldwell county. Whether the terms of the agreement were ever carried out, on the part of the citizens, is not known.
The Mormons had doubtless suffered much and in many ways -- the result of their own acts - but their trials and sufferings were not at an end.
In 1838 the discord between the citizens and Mormons became so great that Governor Boggs issued a proclamation ordering Major- General David R. Atchison to call the militia of his division to enforce the laws. He called out a part of the first brigade of the Missouri State Militia, under command of Gen. A. W. Doniphan, who pro- ceeded to the seat of war. Gen. John B. Clark, of Howard county, was placed in command of the militia.
The Mormon forces numbered about 1,000 men, and were led by G. W. Hini:le. The first engagement occurred at Crooked river, where one Mormon was killed. The principal fight took place at Haughn's Mills, where eighteen Mormons were killed and the balance captured, some of them being killed after they had surrendered. Only one militiaman was wounded.
In the month of October, 1838, Joe Smith surrendered the town of Far West to Gen. Doniphan, agreeing to his conditions. viz. : That they should deliver up their arms, surrender their prominent leaders for trial, and the remainder of the Mormons should, with their
57
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
families, leave the State. Indictments were found against a number of these leaders, including Joe Smith, who, while being taken to Boone county for trial, made his escape, and was afterward, in 1814, killed at Carthage, Illinois, with his brother Hiram.
FLORIDA WAR.
In September, 1837, the Secretary of War issued a requisition on Governor Boggs, of Missouri, for six hundred volunteers for service in Florida against the Seminole Indians, with whom the Creek nation had made common cause under Osceola.
The first regiment was chiefly raised in Boone county by Colonel Richard Gentry, of which he was elected Colonel ; John W. Price, of Howard county, Lieutenant-Colonel; Harrison Hl. Hughes, also of Howard, Major. Four companies of the second regiment were raised and attached to the first. Two of these companies were composed of Delaware and Osage Indians.
October 6, 1837, Col. Gentry's regiment left Columbia for the seat of war, stopping on the way at Jefferson barracks, where they were mastered into service.
Arriving at Jackson barracks, New Orleans, they were from thenee transported in brigs across the Gulf to Tampa Bay, Florida. Gen- eral Zachary Taylor, who then commanded in Florida, ordered Col. Gentry to march to Okee-cho-bee Lake, one hundred and thirty-five miles inland by the route traveled. Having reached the Ki-semmee river, seventy miles distant, a bloody battle ensued, in which Col. Gentry was killed. The Missourians, though losing their gallant leader, continued the fight until the Indians were totally routed, leav- ing many of their dead and wounded on the field. There being no further service required of the Missourians, they returned to their homes in 1838.
MEXICAN WAR.
Soon after Mexico declared war, against the United States, on the 8th and 9th of May, 1846, the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma were fought. Great excitement prevailed throughout the country. In none of her sister States, however, did the tires of patriotism burn more intensely than in Missouri. Not waiting for the call for volunteers, the " St. Louis Legion " hastened to the field of conflict. The " Legion " was commanded by Colonel A. R. Easton. During the month of May, 1846, Governor Edwards, of Missouri,
58
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
called for volunteers to join the "Army of the West," an expedition to Sante Fe - under command of General Stephen W. Kearney.
Fort Leavenworth was the appointed rendezvous for the volunteers. By the 18th of June, the full complement of companies to compose the first regiment had arrived from Jackson, Lafayette, Clay, Sa- line, Franklin, Cole, Howard and Callaway counties. Of this regi- ment, A. W. Doniphan was made Colonel; C. F. Ruff, Lieutenant- Colonel, and Win. Gilpin, Major. The battalion of light artillery from St. Louis was commanded by Captains R. A. Weightman and A. W. Fischer, with Major M. L. Clark as field officer; battalions of infantry from Platte and Cole counties commanded by Captains Murphy and W. Z. Augney respectively, and the .. Laclede Rangers," from St. Louis. by Captain Thomas B. Hudson, aggregating all told, from Missouri, 1,658 men. In the summer of 1846 Hon. Sterling Price resigned his seat in Congress and raised one mounted regiment, one mounted extra battalion, and one extra battalion of Mormon in- fantry to reinforce the "Army of the West." Mr. Price was made Colonel, and D. D. Mitchell Lieutenant-Colonel.
In August, 1847, Governor Edwards made another requisition for one thousand men. to consist of infantry. The regiment was raised at once. John Dougherty, of Clay county, was chosen Colonel, but before the regiment marched the President countermanded the order.
A company of mounted volunteers was raised in Ralls county, com- manded by Captain Wm. T. Lafland. Conspicuous among the eu- gagements in which the Missouri volunteers participated in Mexico were the battles of Bracito, Sacramento, Canada, El Embudo, Taos and Santa Cruz de Rosales. The forces from Missouri were mustered out in 1848, and will ever be remembered in the history of the Mexi- can war, for
"A thousand glorious actions that might claim Triumphant laurels and immortal fame.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
CHAPTER X.
AGRICULTURE AND MATERIAL WEALTH.
Missouri as an Agricultural State -- The Different Crops- Live Stock -- Horses -- Mules - Milch Cows-Oxon and other Cattle -Sheep - Hogs -Comparisons -- Missouri adapted to Live Stock -Cotton - Broom-Corn and other Products - Fruits -- Berries -- Grapes - Railroads - First Neigh of the " Iron Horse " in Mis- souri -Names of Railroads - Manufactures -- Great Bridge at St. Louis.
Agriculture is the greatest among all the arts of man. as it is the first in supplying his necessities. It favors and strengthens popula- tion ; it creates and maintains manufactures ; gives employment to navigation and furnishes materials to commerce. It animates every species of industry, and opens to nations the safest channels of wealth. It is the strongest bond of well regulated society, the surest basis of internal peace, and the natural associate of correct morals, Among all the occupations and professions of life, there is none more honorable, none more independent, and none more conducive to health and happiness.
" In ancient times the sacred plow employ'd The kings, and awful fathers of mankind; And some, with whom compared your insect tribes Are but the beings of a summer's day. Have held the scale of empire, ruled the storm Of mighty war with unwearied hand, Disdaining little delicacies, scized The plow and greatly independent lived."
As an agricultural region, Missouri is not surpassed by any State in the Union. It is indeed the farmer's kingdom, where he always reaps an abundant harvest. The soil, in many portions of the State, has an open, flexible structure, quickly absorbs the most excessive rains, and retains moisture with great tenacity. This being the case, it is not so easily affected by drouth. The prairies are covered with sweet, luxuriant grass, equally good for grazing and hay ; grass not sur- passed by the Kentucky blue grass -- the best of clover and timothy in growing and fattening eattle. This grass is now as full of life-giv- ing nutriment as it was when cropped by the buffalo, the elk, the an- telope, and the deer, and costs the herdsman nothing.
-
60
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
No State or territory has a more complete and rapid system of nat- ural drainage, or a more abundant supply of pure, fresh water than Missouri. Both man and beast may slake their thirst from a thousand perennial fountains, which gush in limpid streams from the hill-sides, and wend their way through verdant valleys and along smiling prai- ries, varying in size, as they ouward flow, from the diminutive brooklet to the giant river.
Here, nature has generously bestowed her attractions of climate, soil and scenery to please and gratify man while earning his bread in the sweat of his brow. Being thus munificently endowed, Missouri offers superior inducements to the farmer, and bids him enter her broad domain and avail himself of her varied resources.
We present here a table showing the product of each principal crop in Missouri for 1878 : -
Indian Corn.
23,002,000 bush -Is.
*Wheat.
20,196,000 = Rye
732,000
Oats
19,584,000
Buckwheat 46,400
Potatoes.
5,415,000
Tobacco
28,023,000 pounds.
Hav.
1,620,000 tons.
There were 3,552,000 acres in corn; wheat, 1,836,000; rye, 48,800; oats, 640,000; buckwheat, 2,900; potatoes, 72,200; to- bacco, 20,900; hay, 850,000. Value of cach crop: corn, $24,196,- 224; wheat, $13,531,320; rye, $300,120; oats, $3,325,120; buck- wbeat, $24,128; potatoes, $2,057,700; tobacco, $1,151,150; hay, $10,416,600.
Average cash value of crops per acre, $7.69 ; average yield of corn per acre, 26 bushels ; wheat, 11 bushels.
Next in importance to the corn crop in value is live stock. The fol- lowing table shows the number of horses, mules, and milch cows in the different States for 1879 : -
61
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
States.
Horses.
Mules.
l'ows.
Maine ..
81,700
196,100
New Hampshire.
57,100
98,100
Vermont
77,400
217,500
Massachusetts.
131,000
100.700
Khode Island.
16,200
22,000
Connecticut.
53,500
116,500
New York.
898,900
11,800
1,446,200
New Jersey
114,50)
14,400
152.200
Pennsylvania
614,500
24,900
528,00
Delaware.
19,900
4.000
23,200
Maryland ..
108,600
11,800
100,500
Virginia ..
203,700
80,000
236,200
North Carolina.
144,200
71,000
292,200
South Carolina.
50,500
51.500
101,300
Georgia.
110,200
97,200
273,100
Florida
22,400
11,000
70,000
Alabama
112,800
111,700
216,200
Mississippi
97,200
100,000
158,000
Louisiana.
79,300
80,700
110,900
Texas ...
618,000
180,200
644,500
Arkansas
180,500
89,300
187,700
Tennessee ..
323,700
99,700
:45,700
West Virginia.
2,200
2.400
180,500
Kentucky
256,900
117,800
257,200
Ohio
772,700
26,700
714,100
Michigan
333,800
4,00)
416,900
Indian4
698,800
61,200
420,200
Illinois ..
1,100,000
135,000
702,400
Wisconsin.
254.400
8.700
377.500
Minnesota.
247,800
7,000
278.000
Iowa.
770,700
43.400
676,200
MISSOURI.
627,300
191,900
516.200
hansa
275,000
50,000
$21,900
Nebraska.
157,200
13,000
127,600
California
273,000
25,700
4.5,600
Oregon ...
100,700
3,500
112,400
Nevada, Colorado, and Territories.
250,000
25,700
428,600
It will be seen from the above table, that Missouri is the fifth State in the number of horses; fifth in number of milch cows, and the leading State in number of mules, having 11,700 more than Texas, which produces the next largest number. Of oxen and other cattle, Missouri produced in 1879, 1,632,000, which was more than any other State produced excepting Texas, which had 4,800,00. In 1879 Mis- souri raised 2,817,600 hogs, which was more than any other State produced, excepting Iowa. The number of sheep was 1,296,400. The number of hogs packed in 1879, by the different States, is as follows : -
States.
No.
States.
No.
Ohio
932,878
MISSOURI ..
965.839
Indiana.
622,821
Wisconsin.
472,108
Illinois
3,211,896
Kentucky.
212,412
Iowy .....
569,763
Milch
62
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
AVERAGE WEIGHT PER HEAD FOR EACH STATE.
States
Pounds.
States.
Pounds.
Ohio.
210.47
MISSOURI.
211.32
Indiana
1% .50
Wisconsin
220.81
Illinois
225.71
Kentucky
210.11
Iowa ..
211.98
From the above it will be seen that Missouri annually pack, more hogs than any other State excepting Illinois, and that she ranks third in the average weight.
We see no reason why Missouri should not be the foremost stoek- raising State of the Union. In addition to the enormous yield of corn and oats upon which the stock is largely dependent, the climate is well adapted to their growth and health. Water is not only inex- haustible, but everywhere convenient. The ranges of stock are boundless, affording for nine months of the year, excellent pasturage of nutritious wild grasses, which grow in great luxuriance upon the thousand prairies.
Cotton is grown successfully in many counties of the southeastern portions of the State, especially in Stoddard, Scott, Pemiscot, Butler, New Madrid, Lawrence and Mississippi.
Sweet potatoes are produced in abundance and are not only sure but profitable.
Broom corn, sorghum, castor beans, white beans, peas, hops, thrive well, and all kinds of garden vegetables, are produced in great abun- dance and are found in the markets during all seasons of the year. Fruits of every variety, including the apple, pear, peach, cherries, apricots and nectarines, are cultivated with great success, as are also, the strawberry, gooseberry, currant, raspberry and blackberry.
The grape has not been produced with that success that was at first anticipated, yet the yield of wine for the year 1879, was nearly half a million gallons. Grapes do well in Kansas, and we see no reason why they should not be as surely and profitably grown in a similar climate and soil in Missouri, and particularly in many of the counties north and east of the Missouri River.
RAILROADS.
Twenty-nine years ago, the neigh of the " iron horse " was heard for the first time, within the broad domain of Missouri. His coming presaged the dawn of a brighter and grander era in the history of the
63
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
State. Her fertile prairies, and more prolific valleys would soon be of easy access to the oncoming tide of immigration, and the ores and minerals of her hills and mountains would be developed, and utilized in her manufacturing and industrial enterprises.
Additional facilities would be opened to the marts of trade and commerce ; transportation from the interior of the State would be se- cured ; a fresh impetus would be given to the growth of her towns and cities, and new hopes and inspirations would be imparted to all her people.
Sinee 1852, the initial period of railroad building in Missouri, be- tween four and five thousand miles of track have been laid ; addi- tional roads are now being constructed, and many others in contein- plation. The State is already well supplied with railroads which thread her surface in all directions, bringing her remotest districts into close connection with St. Louis, that great center of western railroads and inland commerce. These roads have a capital stock ag- gregating more than one hundred millions of dollars, and a funded debt of about the same amount.
The lines of roa.ls which are operated in the State are the follow- ing : -
Missouri Pacific - chartered May 10th, 1850; The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, which is a consolidation of the Arkan- sas Branch; The Cairo. Arkansas & Texas Railroad; The Cairo & Fultou Railroad ; The Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway ; St. Louis & San Francisco Railway ; The Chicago, Altou & St. Louis Railroad ; The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad ; The Missouri, Kan- sas & Texas Railroad : The Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluff's Railroad ; The Keokuk & Kansas City Railway Company ; The St. Louis, Salem & Little Rock Railroad Company ; The Missouri & Western ; The St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railroad ; The St. Louis, Hannibal & Keokuk Railroad ; The Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railway ; The Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad ; The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway ; The Burlington & Southwestern Railroad.
MANUFACTURES.
The natural resources of Missouri especially fit her for a great man- ufaeturing State. She is rich in soil ; rich in all the elements which supply the furnace, the machine shop and the planing mill; rich in the multitude and variety of her gigantic forests ; rich in her marble, stone and granite quarries ; rich in her mines of iron, coal, lead and
64
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
zine; rich in strong arms and willing hands to apply the force ; rich in water power and river navigation ; and rich in her numerous and well-built railroads, whose numberless engines thunder along their multiplied track-ways.
Missouri contains over fourteen thousand manufacturing establish- tuents, 1,965 of which are using steam and give employment to 80,000 hands. The capital employed is about $100,000,000, the material annually used and worked np, amounts to over $150.000,- 000, and the value of the products put upon the markets $250,000,000, while the wages paid are more than $40,000,000.
The leading manufacturing counties of the State, are St. Louis, Jackson, Buchanan, St. Charles, Marion, Franklin, Greene, Lafay- ette, Platte, Cape Girardeau, and Boone. Three-fourths, however, of the manufacturing is done in St. Louis, which is now about the second manufacturing city in the Union. Flouring mills produce annually about $38,124,000; carpentering $18,763,000; meat-packing $16,- 769,000; tobacco $12,496,000 ; iron and castings $12,000,000 ; liquors $11,245,000; clothing $10,022,000; lumber $8,652,000; bagging aud bags $6,914,000, and many other smaller industries in propor- tion.
GREAT BRIDGE AT ST. LOUIS.
Of the many public improvements which do honor to the State and reflect great credit upon the genius of their projectors, we have space only, to mention the great bridge at St. Louis.
This truly wonderful construction is built of tubular steel, total length of which, with its approaches, is 6, 277 feet, at a cost of nearly $8,000,000. The bridge spans the Mississippi from the Illinois to the Missouri shore, and has separate railroad tracks, roadways, and foot paths. In durability, architectural beauty and practical utility, there is, perhaps, no similar piece of work manship that approximates it.
The structure of Darius upon the Bosphorus ; of Xerxes upon the Hellespont ; of Cæsar upon the Rhine ; and Trajan upon the Danube, famous in ancient history, were built for military purposes, that over them might pass invading armies with their munitions of war, to de- stroy commerce, to lay in waste the provinces, and to slaughter the people.
But the erection of this was for a higher and nobler purpose. Over it are coming the trade and merchandise of the opulent East, and thence are passing the untold riches of the West. Over it are crowd-
-
65
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
ing legions of men, armed not with the weapons of war, but with the implements of peace and industry ; men who are skilled in all the arts of agriculture, of manufacture and of mining ; men who will hasten the day when St. Louis shall rank in population and importance, sec- oud to no city on the continent, and when Missouri shall proudly fill the measure of greatness, to which she is naturally so justly entitled.
CHAPTER XI.
EDUCATION.
Public School System - Public School System of Missouri - Lincoln Institute - Off- Cer- of Public School System - Certificates of Teachers - University of Missouri- Schools -Colleges - Institutions of Learning - Location - Libraries - Newspa- pers and Periodicals-No. of School Children - Amount expended - Value of Grounds and Buildings - " The Press."
The first constitution of Missouri provided that "one school or more shall be established in cach township, as soon as practicable and neces- sary, where the poor shall be taught gratis."
It will be seen that even at that early day ( 1820) the framers of the constitution made provision for at least a primary education for the poorest and the humblest, taking it for granted that those who were able would avail themselves of educational advantages which were not gratuitous.
The establishment of the public-school system, in its essential fea- tures, was not perfected until 1839, during the administration of Gov- ernor Boggs, and since that period the system has slowly grown into favor, not only in Missouri, but throughout the United States. The idea of a free or public school for all classes was not at first a popular one, especially among those who had the means to patronize private institutions of learning. In upholding and maintaining public schools the opponents of the system felt that they were not only compromis- ing their own standing among their more wealthy neighbors, but that they were, to some extent, bringing opprobrium upon their children. Entertaining such prejudices, they naturally thought that the training received at public schools could not be otherwise than defective ; hence many years of probation passed before the popular mind was prepared
5
66
HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
to appreciate the benefits and blessings which spring from these insti- tutions.
Every year only adds to their popularity, and commends them the more earnestly to the fostering care of our State and National Legis- latures, and to the esteem and favor of all classes of our people.
We can hardly conceive of two grander or more potent promoters of civilization than the tree school and free press. They would indeed seem to constitute all that was necessary to the attaiment of the hap- piness and intellectual growth of the Republic, and all that was neces- sary to broaden, to liberalize and instruct.
"Tis education forms the common mind; * * * * For noble youth there is nothing so mvet As learning is, to know the good from ill; To know the longues, and perfectly indite, And of the laws to have a pertect skill, Things to reforin as right and justice will; For honor is ordained for no cause But to see right maintained by the laws."
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