USA > Missouri > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Missouri > Part 5
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In an unsurveyed region a point of marked and changeless topo- graphical features is selected as an initial point. The exact latitude and longitude of this point is ascertained by astronomical observation, and a suitable monument of iron or stone to perpetuate the position. Through this point a true north and south line is run which is called a Principal Meridian. This principal meridian may be extended north and south any desired distance. Along this line are placed at distances of one-half mile from each other, posts of wood or stone, or mounds of earth. These posts are said to establish the line, and are called section and quarter- section posts. Principal meridians are numbered in the order in which they are established. Through the same initial point from which the principal meridian was surveyed, another line is now run and established by mile and half-mile posts as before, in a true east and west direction. This line is called the Base Line, and like the principal meridian, may be extended indefinitely in either direction. These lines form the basis of the survey of the country into townships and ranges. Township lines extend east and west parallel with the base line, at distances of six miles from the base line and from each other, dividing the country into strips six miles wide, which strips are called townships. Range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridian, dividing the country into strips six miles wide, which strips are called ranges. Township strips are numbered from the base line and range strips are numbered from the principal meridian. Townships lying north of the base line are "townships north," those on the south are "townships south." The strip lying next the base line is township one, the next one to that, township two, and so on. The range strips are numbered in the same man- ner, counting from the principal meridian east or west as the case may be.
The township and range lines thus divide the county into six-mile squares. Each of these squares is called a congressional township. All
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
north and south lines north of the equator approach each other as they extend north, finally meeting at the north pole; therefore north and south lines are not literally parallel. The east and west boundary lines of any range being six miles apart in the latitude of Missouri or Kansas, would, in thirty miles, approach each other 2.9 chains, or 190 feet. If, there- fore, the width of the range when started from the base line is made exactly six miles, it would be 2.9 chains too narrow at the distance of thirty miles, or five townships north. To correct the width of ranges and keep them to the proper width, the range lines are not surveyed in a continuous straight line, like the principal meridian, entirely across the State, but only across a limited number of townships usually five, where the width of the range is corrected by beginning a new line on the side of the range most distant from the principal meridian, at such a point as will make the range its correct width. All range lines are corrected in the same manner. The last and west township line on which these cor- rections are made are called correction lines or standard parallels. The surveys of the state of Missouri were made from the fifth principal meridian which runs through the state, and its ranges are numbered from it. The state of Kansas is surveyed and numbered from the sixth. Con- gressional townships are divided into thirty-six square miles, called sec- tions, and are known by numbers, according to their position.
Sections are divided into quarters, eighths and sixteenths, and are described by their position in the section. The full section contains 640 acres, the quarter 160, the eighth 80 and the sixteenth 40.
Jackson County, Missouri, lies north of the south line of township 47 north, and west of the center of range 29 west from the fifth principal meridian, and extends to the Missouri River on the north, and to the western side of range 33 on the west where it joints range 25 east from the sixth principal meridian, from which Kansas is surveyed. Congress- ional townships, as we have seen, are six miles squares of land, made by the township and range lines, while civil or municipal townships are civil divisions, made for purposes of government, the one having no reference to the other, though similar in name. On the county map we see both kinds of townships-the congressional usually designated by numbers and in squares; the municipal or civil township by name and in various forms.
By the measurements thus made by the government, the courses and distances are defined between any two points. St. Louis is in township 44 north, range 8 east, and Independence is in township 49 north, range 32 west; how far, then, are we apart on a direct line? St. Louis is 40
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
townships east-240 miles-and five townships south-30 miles; the base and perpendicular of a right-angled triangle, the hypothenuse being the required distance.
In the organization of Jackson County into townships, no regard was had to the congressional township boundaries; the county lines, rivers and creeks have, as a rule, determined the limits of civil townships in this county. The "township," as the term is used in common phraseology, in many instances, is widely distinguished from that of "town," though many persons persist in confounding the two. "In the United States, many of the States are divided into townships of five, six, seven, or per- haps ten miles square, and the inhabitants of such townships are vested with certain powers for regulating their own affairs, such as repairing roads and providing for the poor. The township is subordinate to the county." A "town" is simply a collection of houses, either large or small, and opposed to "country.'
The most important features connected with this system of township surveys should be thoroughly understood by every intelligent farmer and business man ; still there are some points connected with the understand- ing of it which need close and careful attention. The law which estab- lished this system, required that the north and south lines should corre- spond exactly with the meridian passing through that point; also, that each township should be six miles square. To do this would be an utter impossibility, since the figure of the earth causes the meridians to con- verge toward the pole, making the north line of each township shorter than the south line of the same township. To obviate the errors, which are, on this account, constantly occurring, correction lines are established. They are parallels bounding a line of townships on the north, when lying north of the principal base; on the south line of townships when lying south of the principal base, from which the surveys, as they are con- tinued, are laid out anew; the range lines again starting at correct dis- tances from the principal meridian. In Michigan these correction lines are repeated at the end of every tenth township, but in Oregon they have been repeated with every fifth township. The instructions to the sur- veyors have been that each range of townships should be made as much over six miles in width on each base and correction line as it will fall short of the same width where it closes on to the next correction line north ; and it is further provided that in all cases, where the exterior lines of the townships shall exceed, or shall not exceed six miles, the excess or deficiency shall be specially noted, and added to or deducted from the western or northern sections or half sections in such township, according
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
as the error may be in running the lines from east to west, or from south to north. In order to throw the excess of deficiencies on the north and on the west side of the township, it is necessary to survey the section lines from south to north, on a true meridian, leaving the result in the north line of the township to be governed by the convexity of the earth, and the convergency of the meridian.
Navigable rivers, lakes and islands are "meandered" or surveyed by the compass and chain along the banks. "The instruments employed on these surveys, besides the solar compass, are a surveying chain thirty- three feet long of fifty links, and another of smaller wire, as a standard to be used for correcting the former as often at least as every other day, also, eleven tally pins, made of steel, telescope, targets, tape measure and tools for marking the lines upon trees or stones. In surveying through woods, trees intercepted by the line are marked with two chips or notches, one on each side; these are called sight or line trees." Sometimes other trees in the vicinity are blazed on two sides quartering toward the line; but if some distance from the line the two blazes should be near together on the side facing the line. These are found to be permanent marks, not only recognizable for many years, but carrying with them their own age by the rings of growth around the blaze, which may at any subse- quent time be cut out and counted as years ; and the same are recognized in courts of law as evidence of the date of the survey. They can not be obliterated by cutting down the trees or otherwise, without leaving evi- dence of the act. Corners are marked upon trees if found at the right spots, or else upon posts set in the ground, and sometimes a monument of stones is used for a township corner, and a single stone for section corner ; mounds of earth are made where there are no stones nor timber. At the corners the four adjacent sections are designated by distinct marks cut into a tree, one in each section. These trees, facing the corner, are plainly marked with the letters B. T. (bearing tree) cut into the wood. Notches cut upon the corner posts or trees indicate the number of miles to the out- lines of the township, or if on the boundaries of the township, to the township corners." When Jackson county was first divided up into town- ships it contained three, two of which, Fort Osage and Blue, were each larger than the present county. The following order of the County Court, bearing date of "Tuesday, 22d May, A. D. 1827," defines first, the bound- aries of Fort Osage, Blue and Kaw townships respectively. The court met pursuant to adjournment, all the members (Abraham McClelland, Richard Fristoe and Henry Burris) present.
Ordered: That this county be subdivided into three townships, to be denominated as follows, to-wit:
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
1st. Fort Osage Township .- To commence eastwardly at the east- ern line of this county; thence running with the Missouri westwardly to Prine's Ferry on the Missouri; thence southwardly by a direct line so as to strike Little Blue at Fristoe's Fish Trap; thence up the said creek to the mouth of the Cedar Fork; thence due south to the southern boundary of the county; thence east to the southeast corner of the county; thence north to the beginning-all of which territory lying within the limits of the above described boundary shall compose the township of Fort Osage.
2d. Blue Township .- To commence on the Missouri River at Prine's Ferry and run with the western boundary of Fort Osage township to the southern boundary of the country ; thence west with said boundary to the southwest corner of said county; thence due north with the State line to where it crosses the main fork of Big Blue; thence with said creek to its junction with the Missouri River; thence down the middle of the main channel of the Missouri to the point of beginning-all which described territory within the aforesaid limits shall constitute the township of Blue.
3d. Kaw Township .- To commence at the mouth of the Big Blue, thence up said creek to the state line, thence north with said line to the middle of the main channel of the Missouri River, thence down said river to the point of beginning; all of which territory contained within the above boundary shall compose the township of Kaw.
On the same day the County Court recommended to the Governor of the state for the justices of the peace for Fort Osage township, William J. Baugh, Jesse Lewis and Joel P. Walker; and justices for Blue town- ship, William Yates, Lewis Jones, James Chambers and William Silvers; and justices of the peace for Kaw township, Samuel Johnson and Andrew P. Patterson.
The boundaries of these townships have undergone many and ma- terial changes, till at the present time they contain only a portion of what they contained in 1827. At that time Fort Osage contained its present territory, together with Sniabar and Van Buren townships, and the whole eastern portion of Cass and Bates Counties.
Blue township contained what is now Blue, Brooking, Prairie and part of Washington, also more than a half of Cass and Bates Counties. Kaw township then contained its present dimensions, Westport and a part of Washington.
Soon after the county was organized and the County Court qualified, public roads received considerable attention as will be observed from the following reports of road commissioners and petitions for roads. The
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
first commission of road viewers consisted of the following named per- sons :
"On petition of twelve householders, inhabitants of Jackson county, presented to the Court by Mr. Aaron Overton, praying for the appoint- ment of suitable persons to view and mark out a road from Joel P. Walker's on the "Six Mile" by the nearest and best way to the county seat of this county. It is therefore ordered by the court that David Lynch, Jacob Powell, David Dealy, Daniel Musno and William Williams be appointed commissioners for that purpose.
May 22d, A. D. 1827."
The next petition of the same kind was during the August term of court and read as follows: "On petition of twelve or more househo ders, inhabitants of this county, presented to the court by Edwin F. Hicks, praying for the appointment of suitable persons to view and mark out a road from the public square of the town of Independence to intersect the Missionary road on the east side of Little Blue, crossing Little Blue at Fritoe's fish trap. It was ordered by the court that John Cornett, John Cook, James Ross, Perry Brock and Joshua Yates, be appointed commis- sioners to view and mark out said road the nearest and best way, and make their report to this court on the first Monday in September next."
Various other roads were ordered viewed and marked out, and sev- eral commissions reported, the first of which was as follows:
"We the undersigned, commissioners appointed to view and mark out a road leading from the wagon ford of Little Blue to Prines Ferry, in pursuance of an order of Court to us directed, we have viewed and laid out and do report for public use the following road, to-wit: Beginning at the wagon ford of Little Blue and running near a west course with very little variation from the present road as now traveled as the nearest and most practicable route from the said wagon ford of Little Blue to Prines Ferry, and to the greatest east and convenience of the inhabitants, and as little as may be to the prejudice of any person or persons.
Given under our hands this 6th day of August, 1827.
(Signed) JAMES LEWIS, ISAAC ALLEN, BENEDICT WILDER, JAMES BLAKELY, DABNEY JOHNSON.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
Ordered .-- That the above road be established as a public highway, agreeably to the foregoing report.
Old Harmony Township .- Before the first general election had tran- spired another township was formed from the south part of Ft. Osage township. This township was named Harmony from the name of the mission to the Indians. It included about one-half of Bates County. The county there was first settled in 1818 by missionaries sent to the Osage Indians by the American Board of Foreign Missions. Harmony mission was established August 2, 1821, and maintained with good success until 1835 when it was abandoned, the Indians having removed farther west and south. The missionaries traveled from New York in keel boats and landed near the present site of Papinville. The Indians received them in the most friendly manner and the missionaries had no difficulty in taking possession of the three sections of land which the government had donated them. They selected for their establishment a beautiful location above high water level partly timber and partly prairie near a little brook which they called Missouri Branch; this with the Marias des Cygnes River which at this place is about two hundred feet wide running over a gravelly bed and easy of access afforded plenty of water. They built a mill, store, blacksmith shop, church and several dwelling houses, also planted an orchard of apple trees. They called the settlement Harmony Mission and dwelt among the Osage Indians for many years, doing what they could to teach and civilize them. After the Indians were removed to the Indian Territory, the missionaries broke up the establishment and located in different parts of the county. In 1861 and subsequent years of the war it suffered greatly. being on the border it became the prey of the Kansas Jayhawkers, and Missouri Bushwhackers. In 1863 Gen. Ewing issued his famous "General Order No. 11," ordering the inhabit- ants to leave the county within fifteen days, and when that time had ex- pired nearly every inhabitant had crossed its border, and for three years its history was a blank. During these years the prairie fires swent over the land adding to the desolation. In the spring of 1866 some of the for- mer inhabitants returned, but with a very few exceptions not a vestige of their old homes was left, save the chimneys rising above the beds of rank weeds.
The order of court organizing Harmony township was during the May term, 1828, and clothed in the following language :
"Ordered: That there be established in this county a new township with the following boundaries and be denominated the township of Har-
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
mony. To commence at a point on Grand River where the eastern line of Ft. Osage township crosses the same, thence with the meanderings of Grand River westwardly to the line between Ft. Osage and Blue town- ships, thence with said line southwardly to the southern boundary of the county, thence with the said southern boundary of the county east- wardly to the southeast corner of the county, thence with the eastern boundary of Ft. Osage township northwardly to the point of beginning on Grand River, all the territory comprised within the aforesaid limits shall constitute the township of Harmony, and it is further ordered by the court that the northern boundary of the Harmony township shall be the southern boundary of Ft. Osage township. And that the clerk be directed to certify the same to the Secretary of the State. May 5, 1828."
At the first general election held in Jackson county, for governor, August 5, 1828, the number of votes cast by the four townships were as follows :
Fort Osage township cast.
44 votes.
Blue township cast
231 votes.
Kaw township cast
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
29 votes.
Harmony township cast
12 votes.
Total
316
The Presidential election which occurred on the first Monday of Na- vember, 1828, at which selection Andrew Jackson was elected President of the United States, the election in the respective townships, was held at the following named places: The election in Fort Osage township was held at the house of Joel P. Walker. For Kaw township at the house of William Johnson. For Blue township at the court house. For Harmony township at the Harmony Mission School House at Harmony on the Marais des Cygnes River ; and the judges of the elections in the respective voting precincts were for Fort Osage, Thomas Williams, Stuart Lewis and Zebadiah Baker; for Blue, Aaron Overton, William Yates and Solomon Flournoy ; for Kaw, Andrew P. Patterson, James Welch and William Lewis; for Harmony, Nathaniel B. Dodge, Amasa Jones and Samuel B. Bright.
At the same sitting Eli Wadkins was ordered recommended to the Governor for Justice of the Peace for Fort Osage township in place of William J. Baugh who had removed.
The following constables were appointed May 31, 1828, and their term of office commenced July 8, 1828: James W. McClellan, constable
1
1
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
for Fort Osage township; Solomon G. Flournoy, for Blue township; Wil- liam Lewis, for Kaw township.
The next township formed was Boone, the order of court defining its boundaries given in the month of May, 1830: "In the petition of several inhabitants of Fort Osage township, it is ordered that the follow- ing district or country be erected into a separate township and to be known by the name of Boone township, to-wit: Beginning east of the county line between townships number forty-seven and forty-eight, thence running due west until it intersects the line of Blue township, thence south to the main channel of Grand River, thence down Grand River to the county line, thence north to the beginning. It is further ordered that Joel P. Walker and David G. Butterfield be appointed as justices of the peace in said township, and Isaac Dunaway constable." At the general election in 1830, polls were opened at the following places:
For Fort Osage township at the house of Nathan Russell, with Anderson Davis, James Lewis and John Patten judges of the election.
For Blue township, at the court house, with John Davis, G. Johnston and John Smith, as judges.
For Kaw township at the dwelling house of Michael Farns, with Andrew P. Patterson, James Welch and William Lewis as judges of the election.
For Boone township at the house of Reddin Crisps, with David G. Butterfield, William Dunaway and Joshua Adams as judges of the election.
For Harmony township at Harmony Mission school house, with Samuel Bright, Leonard Dodge and M. Moderal as judges of the election.
On the first day of November, 1830, the boundaries of Fort Osage and Boone townships underwent further changes.
Sniabar (or Shnee-a-bar, Shne bar) township was defined and named May 5, 1834.
"On petition of sundry inhabitants of the township of Fort Osage, praying for the division of said township, the court doth order that said township be and the same is hereby divided and formed into two distinct townships as follows, to-wit: Commencing on Little Blue creek at Benja- min Mayor's mill, on the upper road leading from Independence to Lex- ington, thence on a line with said road east to the line of Lafayette county, and that all that section of territory lying north of the aforesaid road, and within the boundaries of the aforesaid Fort Osage township, be and the same is hereby erected into a separate township to be known and designated by the name of Shne-bar township, and that all the territory
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
of land lying on the north of the aforesaid road and within the boundaries of Fort Osage township, be known and designated by the name of Fort Osage township."
On the 23d day of July, 1836, the fractional part of Boone township which still remained within the boundaries of Jackson County, after the organization of Van Buren (now Cass), was attached to "Shne-bar" township.
An order of the county court, February 9, 1836, defines the bound- aries of a new township, largely from Blue township, and called Wash- ington. The order is as follows :
"On application of the inhabitants of the south and of Blue and Kaw townships, in Jackson County, the court orders that a new township be formed out of said townships, said new township to comprise the follow- ing bounds, to-wit: Commencing at Cummins' mill on Big Blue, so as to include said mill, thence running due west to the boundary line, thence south with said boundary line to the corner of Van Buren (now Cass) County, thence east with said county line to a point opposite the head of Little Cedar Fork of Little Blue, thence down said Cedar Fork until it intersects the main fork of Little Blue, thence a straight direction to the beginning, all which territory lying within the limits of the above de- scribed boundary shall compose the township of Washington."
Van Buren township was laid off by order of court May 3, 1837. "The court divides 'Shnee-a-bar' township in this county into two town- ships by an east and west line running through the center of township 48 in all the ranges that were included in 'Shnee-a-bar' township and make all the county south of said line that formerly belonged to Shnee-a -. bar township into a new township to be called 'Van Buren.'" All of the above order was made on the petition of the inhabitants of Shnee-a-bar township.
Prairie township was ordered organized June 4, 1860. "Now at this day comes William Dupuy and S. Maddox and presents a petition of sundry citizens of the west part of Van Buren township in Jackson County, praying the court to divide said township of Van Buren into two municipal townships by the following line, viz .: Beginning at the farm owned by Thomas M. Field and running southward along the line of the county road and terminating at the Cass County line at the southeast corner of the farm formerly owned by Col. James A. Fisher, which said petition being by the court here seen and understood and for the reasons set forth in said petition the court doth divide said municipal township of Van Buren by
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