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 50
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To the " Board of Domestic Missions of the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America " $ 5,000 To Board of Foreign Missions, of the same. 5,000
To Board of Education, of the same 5,000
To the American Bible Society 5,000
To the American Tract Society 500
To the Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Mo. 500
To the Presbyterian Church in New Castle, Delaware 500
To the Presbyterian Sabbath School of Lexington.
200
To the Lexington Fire Company . 100
Toward founding a female seminary, real estate ($10,000), and money ($10,000), amounting to. 20,000
But the conditions of this last bequest were not carried out, and the seminary ultimately only obtained a lesser property than that described in the will, and $5,000 in money. (See history of "Elizabeth Aull Semi- nary," in another place.) 252
LEXINGTON ARTISTS AND CONNOISSEURS.
Prof. Charles Gimbel, of Lexington, is the author of over fifty pieces of sheet music, published by reputable houses, in St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, etc., and has a national reputation. He is con- nected with the Baptist Female college.
Mrs. Dr. Boulware is wonderfully skilled in worsted work, feather work, wax work, etc. Some of her historic pictures wrought in worsted almost rival the original oil paintings. She is the instructor in fancy work in all three of the female colleges of the city.
Henry Boothman is a scenic and landscape painter of considerable tal-
455
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
ent. He painted the drop curtain, stage scenery etc., at the opera house, and other works elsewhere.
Charles Teubner's archæological collection is one of the best (probably not below third), private collections of the kind in the United States.
Dr. J. B. Alexander is a student of science, of wide information, and in some branches has attained masterful knowledge of natural laws.
Joseph L. Thomas is so enthusiastic an amateur scientist, that he has a microscope which cost him $1,100 in London.
Mr. Tevis, the druggist, is collecting a museum of specimens in natural history.
Howard Dunn is a superior civil engineer and topographical draughts- man.
A. W. Smith is an inventor of ready and practical genius, and has obtained some very useful patents.
All the above have given credit to Lexington by their talent and labors. There may be others entitled to similar mention but these are all we gained knowledge of in this particular line of intellectual and art work.
Opera House .- This building is built of brick, 40x100 feet, and located on the corner of Franklin and Laurel streets. The building was con- structed by Mr. Henry Hagen, in the fall of 1879, at a cost of $5,000, inclusive of the ground upon which it was built, and the furnishing of the building with furniture and scenery was an additional cost of $1,000. The building is capable of seating 800 persons comfortably. The receipts of the past year were about $700. This enterprise is solely that of Mr. Henry Hagen who is owner and proprietor.
Lexington Manufacturing Items .- The Morrison foundry at Lexing- ton is said to have been the first iron foundry established west of the Mis- sissippi river, but no statistics were furnished us concerning its history, capacity, etc.
In 1869, a pottery was started by Messrs. Macey & Morton, in the south part of the city, a bed of good pottery clay having been found about six miles out southward. The works were accidentally burned down, then rebuilt. But the proprietors could not make a financial success of the thing, and had to give it up.
In March, 1867, Schaefermeyer & Peck started a woolen factory, out toward the Missouri Pacific depot. It was burned down in August of the same year.
In 1866-7-8, G. W. Baker run a tobacco factory in Lexington, and did a good business in manufacturing for market the tobacco raised in Lafay- ette and surrounding counties.
A man named Jordan has an iron foundry in the city, but neglected to furnish statistics.
There is also a pressed brick factory, a vinegar works, a hemp works,
456
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
and the old Morrison foundry, but no statistics were furnished us, after due solicitation on our part. Hence their omission is no fault of this his- torian.
The furniture factory of H. and F. Winkler, located on the corner of Elm and South streets, Lexington, was established by the above named gentlemen in 1856. Up to 1870, the work was principally done by hand, but during that year a building 25x50 feet was erected, and machinery introduced. Since then, additions have been made, and other buildings erected, so that at the present time, 1881 the firm is occupying two build- ings for manufacturing purposes, one 130x45 feet, and the other 35x65 feet. These buildings with their lumber piles etc., occupy four lots 75x140 feet each. These gentlemen have invested $6,000, in grounds and build- ings, $6,000 in machinery, and $12,000 in raw material, making a total investment of $24,000. The machinery is run by an engine of 20 horse power. Forty-five workmen are employed, and furniture to the amount of $50,000, was manufactured during the past year, 1880, and sold in the surrounding country. Their office, store and ware house is situated on Franklin street, between Cedar and Pine streets. The principal part of the lumber used is obtained in this vicinity, such as walnut, ash, bass-wood maple, etc. They manufacture all varieties of common household furni- ture, and also school desks.
The flouring mill of W. F. Kerdoff, Sr., was established in 1848 by Henry Smith, Jesse Raper being miller, and Jim Tandy, engineer. Mr. W. F. Kerdoff, Sr., is the present owner, and Thomas M. Dicken is the present miller, and W. H. Cullum, engineer. The mill is built of brick, 45x30 feet, and the engine room, 40x30, also of brick. The capital invested is, grounds, $5,000; warehouse, $15,000; machinery, $8,000; uumbe of hands employed, five; value of Product past year $57,600; market, Lexington and St. Louis.
There is another flouring mill in the city, but no statistics were fur- nished. Likewise an elevator.
Gas Works .- The Lexington Gaslight Company was incorporated, July 7,1875, by Tilton Davis, J. S. Ambrose, Charles H. Boyle. Davis was made president and Boyle, secretary and superintendent. Capital stock, $50,000. The works are located on the corner of Pine and Shaw- nee streets, opposite the end of Third street, and consist of the main building, brick, 35x35, one story, and containing the gas making machinery and apparatus; also the gasometer, 30 feet in diameter and 14 feet high, capable of holding 11,800 cubic feet of gas. Ambrose and Boyle built the works on contract, September 1, 1881; a new company bought and took charge of the works, consisting of A. D. Cressler, pres- ident; R. R. Dickey, secretary and treasurer and superintendent of the works; E. H. Dickey, A. C. Cressler and J. Longdon. The company
457
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
has now about four miles of pipe laid; has 65 street lamps to serve, and on October 1, 1881, had about 90 private customers. The city. pays $27.50 per lamp per year, one-half payable in city scrip; the colleges are furnished with gas at $3.00 per 1,000 feet, and to private consumers it is furnished at $4.00 per thousand feet. The street lamps use 780,000 cubic feet of gas per year, and private consumers use about 840,000 feet. Five hands are employed in operating the works.
Marble Works were established by John Goehner, May 15, 1867, on . the corner of Franklin and Laurel streets, where he built a brick building, 50x20 feet, at a cost of $2,500, inclusive of the grounds upon which the building stands; and has the best of tools which cost $100; also has in raw material, $500, and employs five hands. The. amount of products of the last year was $5,800, which have been chiefly sold in Lafayette, Saline and adjoining counties.
Brewery .- Mr. E. Hoffman established a brewery in the year 1875, which is located on Franklin street, numbers 80, 81 and 82. The building is of brick 80x65 feet, two stories high. The capital invested in grounds and building is, $8,000; in machinery, $200, and at the present time has to the value of $300 in raw material. Employs three hands steadily. The products of the last year was 1,300 barrels of beer, which was sold in Lexington, at $9 per barrel; the government revenue was $1 per barrel.
Wagon Manufacture. John E. Quandt established a blacksmith shop in 1863 and began the manufacture of wagons, manufacturing annually about twenty wagons, also doing all the repairing that comes to him, of which he has a large amount in that line. He employs from three to four hands. The capital invested in grounds is $4,000. The products of last year was twenty wagons, which he sold at $70 per wagon at the shop. The building is of brick, 40x25 feet. The blacksmith shop is a smaller building of wood, on the corner of Franklin and Poplar streets.
Manufactories in 1870 .- The Lexington Caucasian of September 10, 1870, contains a summary of the industrial enterprises of the city at that time, to-wit: Marshall & Easter, flour and meal; W. F. Kerdoff, the same; one woolen factory; Excelsior stove works, by Morrison; Jordan's foundry; D. Russell & Co., carriages; J. Cloudsley & Co., the same; Nicholson & Hall, wagons, plows, etc; Wilkening, wagons, etc; McFad- den, wheat fans; J. S. Morton, earthenware; one soda factory; three lum- ber mills; one marble yard; three hemp hacklers; three large beer brew- eries-Clink & Co.'s not finished yet; three brick yards; ten boot and shoe makers; four tin and copper workers; six tailor shops; one furniture factory; three cabinet makers; all sorts of blacksmithing. Mr. Farrar is trying the experiment of making fire brick. Mr. Morton has made some fine terra cottaguttering and piping. Good pottery is made by Messrs. Morton &Taylor.
458
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Coal Works .- The Lexington and Kansas City Coal Company was for many years under the presidency of Col. John Reid, of Lexington, and was the largest productive industry and business enterprise of the city; but we could not get any statistics of its operations. In September, 1881, the business passed into new hands, A. A. Talmage becoming pres- ident and James C. McGrew superintendent and general business mana- ger. The whole business was reconstructed, re-organized, enlarged and . extended, so that Lexington is now perhaps the most extensive coal min- ing town in the state. This company owns the shaft mining works, ope- rated by steam hoisting apparatus, in old town Lexington near the Mis- souri Pacific railroad depot, and six drift mines in west Lexington which open out upon the Lexington and Kansas City narrow gauge railroad. Mules are used in all the mines to haul the coal trucks. About 1000 men are employed in the mines, and more will be put in as fast as facilities can be provided for them to work and men obtained. Some of the miners are English, and some Irish, but the majority of them are colored men; they receive five cents per bushel for the coal , they get out, and fifty bushels is considered a fair average day's work. This company does no retail business; its coal is all shipped to Sedalia, Independence, Kansas City, and other points, on contract in car-load lots. In addition to his extensive operations at his home town of Lexington, Mr. McGrew is also carrying on steam power coal works at Camden, in Ray county, on the St. Louis- Wabash line of railroad. There he has over 300 men at work, and has twenty coal cars of his own, of 500 bushels capacity each, to carry his coal from Camden to Kansas City.
Major Thomas B. Claggett is operating some coal mines about half a mile down the river from foot of Pine street. These works have been in operation about fifteen years. They are drift mines, of cource, starting into the coal vein where it outcrops at the foot of the bluff. From twelve to fifteen men are employed here, and their product is sold entirely in Lex- ington, to the colleges, and to private consumers. The vein is twenty- twn inches, and the output last year was of market value about $3,500.
A Mr. Bell, and several others, are also operating coal mines for the local supply of Lexington, but no statistics were furnished us. And C. M. Pirner is sinking a shaft for local-supply coal works, a few rods west of the old Masonic College.
The Lafayette County Bank was established December 28, 1870, by Jas. Aull, John Aull, Geo. Wilson, Geo. Wilson, Jr., J. A. Wilson, Maria Pomroy and John C. Wood, who were the incorporators. The first offi- cers were George Wilson, Sr., president; John Aull, vice president ; James Aull, cashier, and Jo. A. Wilson, assistant cashier. The present officers are George Wilson, Jr., president; Robert A. Wilson, vice president, and Jo. A. Wilson, cashier. Capital invested, $28,000. This bank succeeded
1
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
the banking house of Robert Aull, which was established in 1849, the old- est private bank in western Missouri.
There are also in the city the Morrison-Wentworth bank and the Lex- ington savings bank; but they either neglected or declined to furnish us with data for a sketch of their history.
City Finances .- In June, 1865, B. W. Wilson took his seat as mayor of Lexington, and in his inaugural address he makes the following state- ments: Outstanding debt against the city, $38,486; total revenue for the year ending June 1, 1865, $5,678; the city treasurer has paid on bonds, $3,756; on improvements and repairs, $715.50; incidental expenses, $969; Balance in city treasury, $175.
Post-Office Business .- The following is the official statement of stamps, stamped envelopes and postal cards sold at the Post-office at Lexington, during the quarter ending June 30, 1881.
Denomina- t'ns of ordi nary sta'ps.
No. sold
Amount.
No. sold
Amount
1
cent
6,867
$ 68.67
30-cent .
48
$ 14.40
2
cent
767
15.34
90-cent ..
3
2.70
3 cent
25,967
779.01
Newspaper stamps
10.79
5 cent
172
8.60
Postage due stamps.
16.16
6 cent
125
7.50
Postal cards-1 cent ..
14,538
145.38
10 cent
313
31.30
Postal cards -- 2 cents.
15
30
15 cent
74
11.10
Total
48,889
$1,111.25
Total number of stamped envelopes sold
7,719
Total amount for stamped envelopes
$ 195.85
Grand total.
$1,307.10
H. W. TURNER, Postmaster.
The Lexington Register of July 15, 1869, gives the following account of the most destructive windstorm that has ever visited this county:
" On yesterday (Wednesday,) about two o'clock P. M., our city was vis- ited by the most terrific hurricane ever known in this part of the country. The oldest inhabitants say that the like has never been seen. For a few minutes before the gale began, there was some appearance of rain, and the merchants had pretty generally taken the goods from their doors. With the first few drops of rain the hurricane began, and at the first onset sent the shingles and bricks flying through the streets. It came at the begin- ning squarely from the west, and went roaring through the length of Main street with frightful results.
The large three-story warehouse on the levy at the foot of Pine street, occupied by Reinhard & Co. and Goodin Bros., was completely unroofed and the roof carried a considerable distance up the bluff. The walls are considerably damaged; further up, Winsor's hemp factory, partly unroofed; McGrew's hemp factory, unroofed. The chimneys to the saw-mills were
Denominations of ordinary
stamps.
460
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
blown off and the buildings much injured. Up in the city the house that is not injured is an exception. Arcana hall is unroofed; Mr. Easter's res- idence, unroofed; Catholic church, partially unroofed and otherwise dam- aged; woolen factory of Schaefermeyer & Peck, wholly unroofed and walls injured. The south wall of the Virginia hotel was blown down and the roof torn off. Schwartz's grocery store, partially unroofed and front blown into the street. Residence of H. Turner, Sr., partially unroofed. Tevis' building on the corner of Main and Pine streets, occupied by Mr. Tevis, druggist, on the first floor, and by the Caucasian office on the third floor, was unroofed at the beginning and the roof deposited in the street in front of the court house; afterward the upper part of the wall on Pine street tumbled in on the Caucasian's type and cases. The hands and pro- prietors had made their escape. This, we are informed by the proprietors, will not deter the publication of that paper. It will appear on Saturday as usual. Eastwood's house was partially unroofed. Haberkorn's stable, blown down. A new frame house, near the colored M. E. church, belong- ing to a colored man, was blown down. The chimneys of the M. E. church, south, were blown off and the cupola partially twisted around. Adam- son's and Benning's stables, blown down. A house across the ravine belonging to a colored man was blown down. Masonic college, partially unroofed; a frame house near by, wholly unroofed. John E. Ryland's house, considerably damaged. A timber was carried more than a hundred feet and driven through the brick wall of the house, striking Mrs. Findlay and breaking her shoulder blade, which, it is thought, will cripple her for life. Longdon's house, unroofed; Carroll's and Easter's house, partly unroofed; Mrs. Pomeroy's residence was wholly unroofed and otherwise damaged.
Over on Ridgeway street, Mr. Farrar's stable was blown down. John Cowie's house unroofed and otherwise seriously injured. Pat. Mitchell's house, knocked off its pins and slid down the hill. John Hagood's, twisted almost off its foundation. Add to these as many more, and then the out- buildings, the porches, the awnings, the chimneys, the signs, the window- glass and sash, which were tumbled over and scattered about, and some idea can be formed of the extent of the injury. We forgot to state that a piece of the roof of the Presbyterian church was blown off and carried over the Market house and dropped before Scott's grocery store. We think we are safe in saying that one-half of the large trees in the city are blown down. Singular though it may seem, fruit trees which in the morn- ing were hanging full of fruit, were found, after the hurricane, to be entirely stripped of fruits and leaves.
We take the following report of a very destructive fire, from the Lex- ington Register of February 22, 1866:
" Yesterday about two o'clock, the high wind carried the sparks from
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ST. LOUIS, Mo.
GOVERNOR McNAIR'S RESIDENCE, IN 1820. THE FIRST ELECTED GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI.
461
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
the smoke stack of Burn's saw mill to the hemp works of J. W. Waddell, . setting fire to the tow and almost instantly the whole building was in flames. The wind drove the flames to the next building belonging to Mr. Wamsacus, and the fire being so fierce and rapid, they could save nothing. The fire next spread to the Lexington flouring mills owned by Messrs. Marshall & Easter, which was burned to the ground."
River Events .- September 21-22, 1880, a river improvement convention, was held in Kansas City, in which Lexington was represented by Joseph Davis, Col. John Reid, George 'S. Rathbun, W. V. L. McClelland, John E. Corder, J. O. Plattenburg. The government work to protect the north bank of the Missouri river, so as to throw the channel more to the south side, and again open the Lexington steamboat landing, is sup- posed to be partly an outcome of that convention.
The Lafayette Advertiser of July 13, 1865, says: "Ten steamboats arrived at our wharf last Monday-six up and four down."
PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S FUNERAL-1881.
July 2, 1881, the president of the United States, James A. Garfield, was assassinated by a wretch named Guiteau. The president lingered in great suffering until September 19, when he died. His funeral obsequies were observed throughout the United States and it was a historic day in Lex- ington. Arrangements had been made for a public procession and memo- rial services. The court house, city hall, post office, some of the churches and most of the business houses of the city were draped in mourning. National flags were suspended across Main street, looped at half mast and draped. R. Taubman and Capt. A. A. Lesueur were marshals of the day. The procession was headed by the Lexington Guards' brass band, of sixteen instruments all draped in mourning; the Lexington National Guards, state militia; followed by civil orders-the Odd Fellows' encamp- ment and minor degree lodges; the Lexington Turnvrein (German), Lex- ington Liederkranz (musical), the Lexington Land League (Irish), the negro orders of Masons, Knights of Tabor and Sons of Protection. After the procession memorial services were held in five of the city churches, and addresses delivered, as follows: At the Christian church by Rev. C. S. Lucas, Hon. Xenophon Ryland and Col. Rathbun. At the Baptist church, by Rev. George L. Leyburn, Hon. H. G. Wallace and Rev. Dr. Talburd. At the German Evangelical church by Rev. Mr. Johns, of Sedalia, and Revs. Klimpke and Demand, of Lexington. At the Catholic church by Rev. Father Lilly. At the Zion African M. E. church (colored) by Rev. J. A. Quarles, Judge John E. Ryland and Wm. Young, Esq. As the deceased president had been a life-long church mem- ber and a man of deep and fervent piety, the several choirs had taken
Q
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HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
pains to select and sing on the occasion such hymns as were known to have been favorites with him in his lifetime,
COLORED PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATIONS.
St. Johns M. E. Church, (colored) .- Organized in 1865. The orig inal members were: Briston Ragsdale, Howard Inman, Dolly Ragsdale, L. Hagood, John Clady, Mary Inman, Neal Davis, Bartlet Martin, D. Smith, Fanny Buford, Z. Foster. In 1868 a brick edifice was built at a cost of $3,000. Since the organization of this church, the following pas- tors have been in charge: Revs. Crawford, J. Flamer, S. Taylor, R. H. Smith, A. Lee, H. H. Brown, H. Thompson, J. Dager, L. M. Hazard and R. Rush; the latter being in charge at the present time. The church has a present membership of 75. A regular organized Sunday school is connected with the church, numbering 72 pupils; superintended by Mrs. Mary Turney, assisted by a corps of ten teachers.
Zion Chapel-The African M. E. Church, was organized October 13, 1867, on College street, in Lexington. The names of the members of the first organization were: Nelson Coleman, Bettie Langhorn, Edith Wilson, Dandrage Johnson, and Daniel Jenkins. The first church building was built of wood, in 1867. The building cost $2,000. A new building of brick was built in the year 1870, at a cost of $4,000, and was dedicated by Bishop T. M. D. Ward, of Anacostia, D. C., July 3, 1881. Their pastors have been Revs. S. Washington, James Madison, John M. Wilkerson, J. N. Triplette, W. L. Harroad, W. A. Dove, J. C. C. Owens; number of membership is 137. Nelson Coleman is the oldest member now alive, and is a local minister, and lead the way to the organization. Bettie Lang- horn died March 29, 1880, at the age of 103 years. The church is clear of debt. They also have a Sabbath school organization, with an attend- ance of about 80 pupils, and a library of 260 volumes. The first super- intendent was P. R. Coleman; its present superintendent is G. L. Hughs.
There is a colored Baptist church also; but the pastor neglected to fur- nish statistics, although requested to do so.
Dickson Lodge No. 11, A. F. and A. M., instituted by Moses Dickson, grand master, January 19, 1869. Charter issued in July of same year.
The charter members were as follows: James Madison, D. Jinkins, George May, George Washington, B. Jackson, C. R. Colman, P. Colman, J. Jackson, Albert Walker, Nelson Berry, B. Martin, Jackson Arnold, B. Arnold, A. Bailies, Thornton Doniphan, Lewis Johnson, J. McGee, Lafe Johnson, A Steele, Geo. Homes, P. Jackson.
The first officers were: Rev. James Madison, W. M .; D. Jinkins, S. W .; Martin May, J. W .; A. Steele, S. D .; Albert Walker, J. D .; Jessie McGee, Tyler; C. R. Colman, treasurer; George Washington, secretary.
The present officers are: Albert Walker, W. M .; H. Gates, S. W .; S.
463
HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
Slaughter, J. W .; Hinson Baker, S. D .; H. Colly, J. D .: John Moune, Tyler; J. Haygood and J. Hawkins, stewards; Martin May, treasurer; S. Lewis, secretary.
The members at the present time number 36. The lodge meet in a frame building, rented for that purpose. The following are Grand Lodge officers: Charles Colman, grand pursuivant; P. Colman, grand steward; Albert Walker, grand S. D .; James Madison, grand chaplain.
The following deaths have occurred among the members of this lodge since its organization, the funeral services have been conducted under its auspices: George Washington, Alexander Poindexter, Wm. Martin, and George Walker.
The colored people have several other organizations of their own, as ' Knights of Tabor," "United Sons of Protection," etc., but no reports were furnished.
A few years ago they had a fine brass band, well equipped and well drilled, but the members nearly all moved away. They started another band in September, 1881. They also have a musical institute.
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