USA > Missouri > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Mo. , carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns, and villages > Part 32
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The following item will have a historic interest to the younger class now, and to future citizens of the county: January 4, 1847, the county court makes this record: "Now at this day comes Harriet, a free mulatto woman, wife of Henry Dorsey, a free mulatto man, and makes applica- tion to the court here for a license to reside within this state; and it appear- ing to the satisfaction of the court here, that said Harriet is of the class of persons who may obtain such license. It is therefore ordered that a license be issued authorizing the said Harriet, (aged about 32 years, five feet and one inch high, with a scar in the palm of the left hand,) and also the two children of the said Harriet and said Henry Dorsey, to-wit: Charlotte Ann, aged about 13 years, and Ellen Chester, 4 years old, to reside within this state as long as she, the said Harriet shall be of good behavior, and no longer."
STEAMBOAT EXPLOSION-1851.
The river was high, a good deal of ice floating, and the steamboat " Saluda," with a heavy load of freight and crowded with Mormon emi- grant passengers, had tried in vain for two or three days to stem the cur-
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
rent and get away from Lexington. On Friday, April 9th, the captain determined to make another desperate effort to go on up the river, and ordered an extra pressure of steam to be carried. About 9 o'clock the signal was given to start, and at the second revolution of the wheel both boilers burst at once, blowing the boat all to slivers forward of the wheel- house, so that she sunk immediately. The captain and clerk were blown half way up the bluff, and two pilots as far the other way out into the river and instantly killed. The boat's iron safe, weighing about six hun- dred pounds, with a dog chained to it, was thrown clear over the levee warehouse and part way up the bluff. Eighty-three persons were buried at Lexington from this wreck, and it was never known how many more bodies were lost in the river.
EVENTS IN 1856.
This' was the historic year of the Kansas troubles, which form a marked period in Lafayette county history. In August of this year, a handbill, headed "War in Kansas," and calling a meeting of citizens of Lafayette county at Lexington, August 20, 1856, was widely circulated. It contained about one and a half coumns of ordinary newspaper matter, reciting many bad things the abolitionists were reported to have done in Kansas; and then made a strong appeal for volunteers, from which we quote:
Now, men of Lafayette, what will you do? Will you stand still and see the enemy approach, step by step, until he stands upon your door-sill and finds you unarmed, or will you go out to meet him, and drive him from your soil. We have stood still long enough. The time has come when we must do something to protect our firesides. * We must have * men to go to the territory immediately, or all will be lost. The intention of the abolitionist is to drive us from the territory and carry the next election and get possession of the reins of government. This we must not sub- mit to. If we do, Kansas is lost to the south forever, and our slaves in upper Missouri will be useless to us, and our homes must be given up to the abolition enemy. Come, then, to the rescue! Up, men of Lafyette! Meet at Lexington on Wednesday, at 12 o'clock, August 20. Bring your horses with you, your guns and your clothing-all ready to go on to Kansas. *
*. We want two hundred to three hundred men from this county. Jackson, Johnson, Platte, Clay, Ray, Saline, Carroll, and other counties are now acting in this matter. All of them will send up a com- pany of men, and there will be a concert of action. New Santa Fe, in Jackson county, will be the place of rendezvous for the whole crowd, and our motto this time will be ' no quarter;' etc., etc.
This was signed by twelve well known citizens. The meeting was held, and a company sent. This is a historic incident which shows the feeling and action of Lafayette county at that time; a copy of the original handbill referred to being before us. Persons wishing to investigate the
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
subject further, in its political relations and aspects, will find the pro- slavery or southern view, in Pollard's " Lost Cause," chapter IV; the anti-slavery or northern view, in Greeley's " American Conflict," Vol. 1, chapter XVII; the Missouri statesman's view, in Col. Benton's " Thirty years in the United States Senate," Vol. II.
ASSESSMENTS FOR BUSHWHACKER DAMAGES-1862.
It would take a volume by itself to give all the official orders, proclama- tions, and other public documents affecting Lafayette county, during the war time. But a few pertinent extracts will serve to show some impor- tant features of the situation. On June 23, 1862, Gen. Schofield issued his general order No. 3, from which we quote:
II. The sum of $5,000 for every soldier or union citizen killed; from $1,000 to $5,000 for every one wounded; and the full value of all prop- erty destroyed or stolen, by guerrillas, will be assessed and collected from the rebels and rebel sympathizers residing in the vicinity of the place where the act is committed.
The order provided that the money collected in such cases should be paid to the legal heirs, or else the person suffering the injury or loss. Also, that division commanders should appoint a civil board in each county, to " consist of not less than three members, who will be selected from the most respectable and reliable citizens of the county, who will take an oath to discharge faithfully and impartially all the duties required of them by this order." Then each board must " proceed to enroll all the residents and property-holders of the county who have actively aided or encouraged the present rebellion." If an assessment was made, and not paid within the time allowed by the board, then property was to be seized and sold till the amount was realized. Another paragraph said:
In making an assessment of damages, the Board will be governed by the wealth of an individual, and his known activity in aiding the rebellion -particularly in countenancing and encouraging guerrillas, robbers, and plunderers of the loyal people. Each county Board will keep an accurate record of its proceedings, and will send a duly certified copy of each case to District Headquarters.
It was more than a month after Gen. Schofield had issued the above order before it was enforced in Lafayette county. This county was then embraced in the Central Division, under Gen. Totten, with headquarters at Jefferson City. And on Aug. 6th he issued " Special Orders No. 140," in which he said: "The following named gentlemen, citizens of Lafayette county, are appointed and hereby announced as the 'County Board ' for said county, to wit .: R. C. Vaughan, Wm. Spratt, Eldridge Burden, John F. Neill, John F. Eneberg." They were required immediately to " meet in Lexington and organize for business." And all officers and soldiers, whether of U. S. army or state militia, were " ordered to render said
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Board protection and assistance in the execution of their duties, whenever and wherever called upon."
At that time Col. Dan. Huston, Jr., was in command of Lexington post; ·
and, on August Sth he issued his " General Orders No. 13," saying: " All persons in the county of Lafayette who have suffered any loss of property, or injury to person, since the date of said Orders, (Gen. Schofield's Order No. 3, above cited,) or may hereafter sustain injury or loss of property, are hereby notified to report the circumstances of their several cases to these headquarters, in order that assessments may be made to indemnify them."
The next day, August 9th, the county Board published a card, with their names signed to it, announcing their appointment as such Board, and that they intended " promptly and fearlessly to discharge their duty without favor or affection."
May 6, 1862, Capt. N. Cole, then commanding Lexington post, had issued a circular, composed of extracts from sundry general orders, to show the people what the military were authorized or required to do. From this document we quote a few points: " Treasonable language is to be punished, upon trial and sentence by a military commission, under the charge of 'encouraging rebellion against the government of the United States, while enjoying its protection.' Neither sex nor age (after the age of legal responsibility) will be overlooked. All must be taught to obey and respect the laws of the land, or submit to punishment for their dis- loyalty, whether it consist in word, act or deed." Any who had been in arms under Gen. Price but had returned to their homes, were required to " surrender themselves to the military authority, and give bonds for their future loyal conduct, or they will be arrested and tried as spies, being within the lines of our army, and in citizen's dress:" etc., etc. (These were from Orders issued by Gen. Halleck.)
June 18th, Col. Dan Huston, Jr., being in command at Lexington at this date, issued his General Orders No. 9, in which he notifies all who have been in arms against the U. S. government, to report themselves to the provost marshal and take the oath of loyalty and give bond for their future good conduct, or "they will be considered as spies," etc.
And he says further-
" III. All bushwhackers or guerrillas taken with arms in their hands or without arms, will be shot upon the spot where they are found. Command- ing officers are strictly enjoined to enforce this order rigorously. (General Orders No. 18, by Gen. Schofield, May 29th.)
The bushwacker devilment had been carried on with impunity, until it had become an absolute necessity for the government authorities to out- law them, and the soldiers to hunt them down just as they would hunt ravenous wild beasts. And a knowledge of the above and similar official
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
orders is necessary to an understanding of many things done by the state militia which are still matters of bitter remembrance in Lafayette county.
The military body known as "enrolled militia" was provided to secure an organized local police under the militia laws of the state, for prompt and ready action against the bushwhackers and guerrillas. General orders No. 19, issued July 22, 1862, said:
"An immediate organization of all the militia of Missouri is hereby ordered, for the purpose of exterminating the guerrillas that infest the state." Every man, subject to military duty, was required to report him- self, bringing whatever arms he had, or could procure, and be enrolled. And it was ordered that "all arms and ammunition of whatsoever kind, and wherever found, not in the hands of the loyal militia, will be taken possession of by the latter, and used for the public defense. Those who have no arms, and cannot procure them in the above manner, will be sup- plied, as quickly as possible, by the ordnance department."
These extracts are sufficient to show the animus of the order, which was promulgated by Gen. Schofield, with the indosement and sanction of the governor, H. R. Gamble. In Lafayette county, probably not one- third of the population was, at that time, on the union side; and the work- ing of the above orders, in such a community, can be readily imagined. It was grim-visaged war, glaring and scowling, at every man's door.
ENROLLED MILITIA PETITION-1862.
To the Honorable the County Court of Lafayette County :
We, the undersigned citizens of Lafayette county, most respectfully ask your honorable court to appropriate a reasonable sum out of any money of the county treasury, not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of pur- chasing suitable clothing, blankets, etc., for the militia who have or may enroll themselves as militiamen, in Lafayette county, under the late order of Gov. Gamble:
William Spratt, Franklin Winkler, Edgar Youngs, C. B. Shelton, J. J. Perdur, Hillory Simcox, Jerry Goodwin, W. S. Payne, D. G. Prigmore, James B. Johnson, Benj. Pointer, Henry Brockman, W. C. Long, Samuel Norris, Samuel Vanhook, James Ware, Gilbert Pointer, B. Whitworth, I. M. Hickman, D. Worthington, William Cain, B. H. Wilson, W. H. Wert, H. M. Simcock, J. M. Gain, William Lake, Uriah Farrell, J. B. Taggart, S. G. Wentworth, R. M. Henderson, H. F. Coolege, John F. Nielle, James L. Pointer, Samuel J. Drysdale, William H. Meinecke, Frederick Bruns, G. Brockmann, L. Shinkle, S. S. Earle, W. L. Hick- man, David Tevis, David M. Welborn, J. W. Zeiler, G. Clayton, John E. Bascom, R. C. Vaughn, A. Persiver, S. F. Currie, Harrison Smith, John R. Runyon, Street Hale, James Hays, J. A. Price, Charles Bergmaster, John E. Ryland, C. A. Bussen, William H. Davis, M. Morrison, Thomas Adamsen, Thomas B. Clagett, John B. Alexander, P. W. Whittlesey, J. H. Delap, A. Hoffuth, E. Burden, William Spratt, John F. Neille, Alex. Mitchell, C. H. McPheeters, Henry Turner, W. H. Bowen, Oscar V. Purdue, J. J. McConicks, W. B. Waddell, John Peffer, E. Winsor, Thos.
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Wernwee, Henry A. Self, D. Leny, John B. Fleming, E. Stratton, Strather Renick, E. W. Carpenter, W. D. Wainright, S. T. Wentworth, G. M. Jaques, S. H. Graham, Frederick Zeigler, John Kirkpatrick, Washington Johnson, D. W. B. Lewis, William H. Davis, J. A. Price, F. Cooledge, James W. Waddle, Jr.
On the back of the petition the following note is written:
"John F. Ryland* says, wait, and see how much can be spared, and is needed. Not to exceed two thousand dollars now."
[This paper was filed August 6, 1862.]
August 25, 1862, the county court passed an order to issue $5,000 of county bonds at 10 per cent. interest, to " be expended in the purchase of blankets, clothing, tents, etc., for the militia companies raised and to be raised in the said county of Lafayette, for the purpose of putting down and suppressing the inhuman guerrilla warfare in our county and state." Jesse Schofield, one of the county judges, was appointed agent in this - matter.
In November Judge Schofield reported that he had sold the bonds at par, and used the money as follows:
Two bonds of $1,000 each to Farmers' bank of Missouri .. $2,000.00
One bond to Wm. H. Ewing for 500.00
One bond to Christian Catron for 400.00
One bond to John Catron for 300.00
One bond to S. G. Wentworth for 500.00
Three bonds to Wm. Cain, two for $500 each and one for $300
1,300.00
C
Amount of bonds sold at par . $5,000.00
CONTRA.
Paid out for blankets, clothing, etc. (vouchers filed) $4,794.33
Expenses to St. Louis to make purchases 35.25
Discount on Farmers' Bank notes 103.43
Total expenditure. $4,960.01
Balance on hand.
39.99
JESSE SCHOFIELD, Agent.
Lexington, Mo., Nov. 3, 1862.
The balance was used up afterwards.
EVENTS IN 1863.
In April, 1863, Lieut. Col. King, with one hundred soldiers from Lex- ington Post, killed four bushwhackers, named Joe Fickel (brother of the noted Miss Anna Fickel), Wagoner, and two Wingates, near the house of Wm. Holmes; about fifteen miles southwest of the city on the road to Chapel Hill. Others of the gang escaped.
*Ryland was then judge of the circuit court.
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Sept. 9, 1863, a man named Carlyle, one of Quantrell's band, who had been captured after the massacre at Lawrence, Kansas, was executed by . the military at Lexington, Col. B. F. Lazear commanding.
In 1863 Dr. J. F. Atkinson was post surgeon, and his report of Nov. 28 showed 40 sick aud wounded in hospital-then known as the " Ander- son house," but now owned by Tilton Davis, Esq.
Sept. 14, 1863, an order was promulgated for a commutation tax on all who refused to serve in the "enrolled Missouri Militia;" and the order said: "The district commander shall cause all such persons to be arrested without delay, and require them to perform militia duty until said tax is fully discharged." Brig. Gen. R. C. Vaughan, of Lexington, was then commanding the fifth military district, E. M. M., which included Lafay- ette county, and M. Chapman was his adjutant.
The law under which this order was made was part of the act or ordi- nance to provide for the issuance and ultimate payment of the union defense bonds of Missouri; and many of our citizens had promptly paid the tax long before the above order in regard to delinquents was issued. The Lexington Union of June 6 says:
The following persons have paid their exemption fee within the last week:
James P. Reinhard $ 30.05
A. Brockman . $30.00
C. B. Russell .
112.50
Henry Koopman
30.50
John W. White
56.00
Henry Allers 30.00
Gilbert Jennings.
81.20
Martin Goodwin 31.50
Charles L. Ewing 68.50
D. J. Walers.
43.75
A. F. Sheets. 30.00
Thomas R. James 30.00
A. J. Armstrong
30.00
John Johnson 53.75
T. Brockman
36.25
L. B. Gordon
63.00
J. W. Graddy
58.50
W. H. Grigsby 30.00
Henry Oetting
36.00
Daniel Roberts. . 30.00
We did not find any other reports in regard to this matter.
EVENTS IN 1864.
On Monday evening, February 22, a couple of Federal soldiers, going home on furlough, stopped for the night at Arthur G. Young's house, five miles out from Lexington, on the Sedalia road. About ten o'clock in the night, five bushwhackers came and captured these two men, tied their hands behind them, took them out into a field and shot them. One was a sick old man, name or residence not known, as the murderers took away all money and papers he had. They had shot him just over the left eye. The other man was Elzy Sanders, of Independence, Jackson county, who had enlisted in the 6th Kansas Volunteers, at Westport, Missouri, in May, 1863. The bodies were brought into Lexington and buried by the military.
The following incident is historic:
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1864.
To the Commander of Post, Lexington:
We, M. L. Belt and David Pool, commanding Confederate forces, demand an immediate surrender of the city, in the name of the Confed- eracy. If the surrender is made, citizens and their property will be respected and all soldiers paroled. If it is not made, we will burn the town, and kill all men that fire upon us.
Respectfully,
BELT & POOL.
As Belt and Pool were not confederate soldiers in the regular way, but only bushwhackers, Lieut. Shumate, then in command of the post, made no official reply, but told the alarmed citizens to "let them come on, we're ready for them!" They had compelled Mr. Lewis Smallwood to bring in their note. Alarm bells were immediately rung and the Home Guards mustered promptly at the call. The bushwhackers came up Franklin as far as Oak street, but were met and driven back by a few men under command of Serg. Stone of Co. M. 1st M. S. M. One bush- whacker was shot through the shoulder and another had his horse killed. They robbed Mr. Kellerman's store in Old Town, and took Mr. Small- wood's horse from him, and made their escape.
August 10, 1864, the doctors of the county adopted a rule to increase their charges 50 per cent. for medicines and medical services, owing to the general increase of prices. It may be interesting to see who were our doctors at that time, and here is the list: Wm. T. Lamkin, M. M. Robinson, A. B. Hereford, D. K. Murphy, O. F. Renick, B. D. Ragland, W. H. Ruffin, J. Bull, J. F. Atkinson, W. P. Boulware, Geo. W. Love, J. B. Alexander, F. Cooley, G. W. Young, John Vaughn, T. S. Smith, S. P. Smith, M. Chapman, Thomas H. Bolton.
In 1864 Gen. W. S. Rosecrans passed through Lexington on his way to the Little Blue, and while here he appointed Dr. Boulware as surgeon, in charge of the Federal hospital, in the Anderson House, Dr. Atkinson being then on duty in St. Louis.
TWO WOMEN CONSPIRATORS.
The Lexington Union of February 27th, 1864, contains the following bloody incident:
It will be remembered by our readers that some time in December last, Otho Hinton, a noted guerrilla and robber, was captured at Mrs. Neill's, twelve miles from this city, on the Sedalia road. Hinton was kept closely guarded with ball and chain attached, until last Monday night, when he was killed by his guard. The facts are as follows:
Blount, the captain of the band of guerrillas to which Hinton belonged, entered into a conspiracy with Miss Anna Fickel, daughter of Helvy H. Fickel, near Greenton, Mr's. Ann Reid, of this city, and a soldier whom they believed they had bribed, to kill the guard and rescue the prisoner. The soldier was to have it so arranged that the prisoner, at precisely
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
seven o'clock, on Monday evening, would be at Mrs. Reid s house, which is near the college, where the prisoners are kept, under the pretext of get- ting his supper; the soldier of course to be ignorant of what was going on. The time rolled round, and prompt to the moment, Hinton, under guard of Sergeant Kinkead, walked down to Mrs. Reid's, where every- thing was arranged as had been preconcerted, and as their supposed accomplice had stated it would be.
The signal to commence and plan of carrying out the conspiracy was as follows: At precisely seven o'clock Mrs. Reid was to step into another room, when Hinton was to gather up his ball and chain and propose to his guard to return to the guard house, and at the same time to advance to the door, open it, and step leisurely out and to one side, and as the guard came out he was to be met and killed by Blount, the guerrilla, and John Burns, a member of Company I, 5th Prov. Reg. E. M. M. They were to cut the guard's throat if possible, otherwise to shoot him, then remove Hinton's shackles, and take him away. Mrs. Reid, at the appointed time, stepped into the adjoining room. Hinton gathered his ball and chain and proposed to return, and advanced to the door, but no sooner had he placed his hand upon the latch than Sergeant Kinkead fired and killed him.
The soldier who disclosed the whole plan to Lieut. Kessinger, the com- mander of the post, was with the lieutenant and Captain Johnson, who, with a dozen men were laying in ambush one hundred yards from Mrs. Reid's house, waiting for the approach of the guerrillas. In a few min- utes after Hinton was killed, Burns and Blount came walking up instead of being on horseback, as was expected they would, and the officers sup- posing them to be soldiers and ignorant of what was going on, halted them. Burns answered, " I am a friend." Lieut. Kessinger replied, "Advance friend and give the countersign." Burns advanced boldly; Blount kept his position while Burns approached. Billy Savins, the noble boy, whom they had attempted with women and money to bribe, recog- nized Burns (he had served in the same company with him), and at the top of his voice cried out, "Blount and Burns! shoot!" Burns was instantly killed, but Blount wheeled and ran. Volley after volley was fired at him, but without effect. He ran through gardens, over ravines and was pursued by Cavalry. He jumped Judge Tutt's high paling fence, and at this moment, young Asher, of company H, rode to him, but before he could fire, Blount turned and shot him dead, then ran through Judge Tutt's garden into the woods, and made good his escape. Mrs. Reid is seventy-eight years old, and Miss Fickel is not twenty. These women. will be sent to Warrensburg where they will be tried by military commis- sion.
The above occurred on Monday evening. The next Wednesday night, Mrs. Reid's house was burned down by a man named Dennis Gaughan, for which he was promptly arrested by Lieut. Kessenger, and delivered to the sheriff, Jacob A. Price for trial by the civil authorities.
Anna Fickel was sent to the state penetentiary by the military court; but on February 4, 1865, she was pardoned by President Lincoln. She was afterwards sent into the confederate lines.
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
· LADIES' UNION AID SOCIETY.
Early in the war time a Union Aid Society was formed in Lexington -by those men and women whose sympathies were on the federal side in the great conflict, and their services were in full demand to aid the sick and wounded federal soldiers, some of whom were constantly in the Lexing- ton post hospital. (Those on the other side were equally faithful to their sick and wounded, but we found no account of any definite organization, though there doubtless was one.) Mrs. Dr. Boulware was president of the Union Ladies' Aid Society, and the following were members: Mes- dames Dr. Alexander, J. M. Fleming, Adam Young, Dr. Chapman, S. Zeiler, S. G. Wentworth, S. Price, John Eneberg, Wm. H. Green, Fin- ley, Bascomb, A. Comingo, Gen. Vaughan, J. Wallace, A. H. McFad- den, Macey, B. Wilson, George Sedgwick, Schofield, Col. Morton, Ardin- ger; Misses Mattie Runyan, Whalan, Mary Boulware, Belle Wainwright, Clara Fall, Virginia Fleming, Sue Alexander, Mary Adamson, Mary Wernway, Bettie Haley, Rebecca McPheeters.
The following letter was received by them and explains itself:
ROOMS OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY SANITARY FAIR, ST. LOUIS, Mo., April 2, 1864. Mrs. Dr. Boulware, President of Union Aid Society, Lexington, Missouri:
DEAR MADAM :- Your favor of the 29th ult., addressed to Samuel Copp, Jr., Esq., treasurer of the Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair, enclos- ing a donation of $350.00 from the Union Aid Society of Lexington, Missouri, is before me. It affords me the greatest pleasure to observe the truly loyal and patriotic sentiments of your letter. While it challenges the wonder of all good citizens of our great and free country, to see and realize that so many of our citizens-forgetting what is due to honor, pat- riotism, self-interest and self-respect, are found in arms against that coun- try's peace, and conspiring for its overthrow,-our admiration rises in pro- portion for those, who, under the circumstances that surround you, boldly, unflinchingly and with fidelity to God and the country, stand up for the right. May heaven bless and prosper the good union people of Lexing- ton, and especially the patriotic ladies.
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