History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records, Part 23

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.)
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: St. Louis, Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1308

USA > Missouri > Scotland County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 23
USA > Missouri > Lewis County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 23
USA > Missouri > Clark County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 23
USA > Missouri > Knox County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 23

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).

The busy bees are still at work in the hollow trees, and many a valuable one along Fox River is still cut by the hunters for wild honey, who do not always obtain permission from the owners before cutting them.

OLD SETTLERS' REUNION.

In the early decade of the seventies the survivors of the old settlers of Clark County met and organized an Old Settlers' Society, which has met and will probably meet annually as long as enough are left to form a quorum. In August, 1879, there were living in Clark County several old ladies, among whom were Mrs. George K. Biggs, aged seventy-one years; Mrs. Jere-

256

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

miah Wayland, aged seventy-seven years; Mrs. Rebecca Tull, aged sixty-eight years; Mrs. Harriet Conway, aged sixty-eight years; Mrs. Martha Sodowsky, aged eighty-nine years; Mrs. Hortense Billings, aged eighty-six years, and Mrs. Susan Combs (widow of George Combs), aged eighty-seven years. At that time the combined ages of these seven old ladies were 546 years. Some of these ladies are still living, but Mrs. Susan Combs, died August 2, 1887, and the sermon at her funeral was preached by Rev. John Martin, who was one of the pioneer ministers of the county.

GOING TO MILL.

The first mill in the county was a horse mill built in 1831 or 1832 by Dr. Trabue, when he settled on Honey Creek, in what is now Clay Township; and the next was a water mill built by Jacob Weaver on Fox River, about three miles below the site of Water- loo. The latter was afterward known as "Moore's Mill." Before the building of these mills the settlers had to go to Palmyra to get their grinding done, and the following was the manner of going. One man would furnish a wagon, another an ox team, a third a wagon-cover, and one person would be selected to make the trip for the neighborhood. Then, to get ready, each neighbor would gather two or three bushels of the ripest corn, and dry it in the sunshine on a scaffold, or on the roof of his humble cottage, and the young folks would then assemble at night, and shell it by hand and have a jolly time. And for pies and cakes a little wheat had to be ground, so a threshing floor would be prepared, and a few bushels of wheat tramped out or pounded out with a flail.

Then the neighbors would assemble, on a day appointed for the starting, with their " grists " and commodities of trade, con- sisting of deer hides, beeswax, wild honey, etc. All would send for something-boots, shoes, salaratus, indigo, calico dresses- and the little brown jug was always sent along to be filled with the " ardent." Tea, coffee, sugar and the like must be purchased and brought back. A supply of tobacco also had to accompany. And thus they gathered in on the day of starting, and the agent appointed to make the trip was charged with every particular.

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STATE OF MISSOURI.

Then with a supply of " corn dodgers," cooked venison, coffee pot and tin cup, and some fodder for the oxen, the agent set off on his journey, and camped over night at a good watering place, where grass and pea vines were plentiful. Arriving at the mill in the morning, after camping the second night, he meets other settlers from other portions of the new country, does his trading, and then, while his grist is grinding, he engages with the other settlers in shooting at a mark with his trusty rifle which- he brought along for protection. He also gets the latest news; hears of a steamboat explosion on the Ohio River, which occurred two months before; sleeps in the mill among the sacks, and next day starts on his journey home. The children meet him a mile away, and tell him the news --- " Pa-pa, the old red sow has got pigs up the branch, and ma had to set up all night, and make a fire to keep the wolves off, but we have got a pen around her now. There is five red ones, four spotted ones, and one white one; that one is mine, ma says so. Home at last, the neighbors assemble to get their goods, and something to quench their thirst. These were the good old times when cabins were built with auger and axe, and county and state taxes were paid with wolfs' ears."*

WILD ANIMALS.

The buffalos, which once roamed over the plains in countless numbers, had become extinct before the settlement of the county began. But when the first settlers came they found that a num- ber of bears and a few elk still remained. Deer, wolves, panthers, wild cats, wild hogs, foxes, raccoons, and other smaller animals were found in great numbers. Many a herd, containing fifty deer each, were seen by the early settlers, who first supplied their families with an abundance of venison. But, as the settlers became numerous, the deer were hunted, chased and killed, until they too became extinct. The wolves were very troublesome, and preyed extensively upon the sheep and hogs of the settlers. Not being fit for food, they were hunted and killed with a view of exterminating them; however a few still remain, but not suf- ficient to do any damage. The wild cats are also about extinct. The elk became extinct soon after the settlement began. Foxes,

* From an article published in 1882 by P. S. Stanley, entitled, "Going to Mill Fifty Years Ago."

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

raccoons and the smaller animals still remain in considerable numbers. The panthers and wild hogs have also become extinct.

On one occasion, soon after the settlement began, Jonathan Clark and his two brothers, and John and Bill Hurst, came over from Hancock County, in Illinois, and set out from the thick underbrush, at the mouth of the Des Moines, on a bear hunt. Bill Hurst had a powerful dog which accompanied the party. They had not gone far when the dog ran something up a tree. John Hurst fired, but succeeded only in wounding the animal, a large panther, which sprang to the ground and was immediately seized by the dog. Seeing the dog was about to be overpowered, his master, Bill Hurst, caught the panther by the tail, and the dog, seemingly glad of this assistance, let go. Then came the tussle. The animal turned upon Hurst, who defended himself by making severe jerks of its tail, and thus keeping its "fighting end " away from him. Meanwhile John tried to reload his gun, but choked the ball. The faithful dog, now seeing his master in imminent danger, renewed his courage, and again entered the ring, and succeeded in getting a firm hold of the animal's nose. This changed the main engagement of the panther from rear to front. Hurst then retained the " tail holt " with his left hand, while with his right he drew his knife and disemboweled the savage beast. His strength was then almost exhausted.

On another occasion, in 1834, Robert P. Mitchell, John Montgomery and George K. Biggs set out one morning when the snow was about a foot deep, on a wolf hunt. They soon found a pack and each selected his wolf to run down. Off they started, but, when the wolves separated, Mitchell's horse fell and threw him off, and by the time he was again in condition to go forward, the game was out of sight; so he gave up the chase and returned home. Montgomery chased his wolf until he came in sight of Monticello, when it took the back track, and he killed it near the starting point. Mr. Biggs' wolf ran toward the Mississippi, and having but little difficulty in keeping up to it, he took off one of the iron stirups of his saddle with which to slay the animal, but while striking at it from his horse, the saddle turned, and he fell headlong into the snow, and at once the wolf was on top. Then came the struggle for life with both man and beast. Mr. Biggs,

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STATE OF MISSOURI.

being a large and strong man, and in full possession of his strength, soon put the wolf, which was nearly exhausted by flee- ing from its pursuer, on the under side, and then with his pocket knife, which he opened with the aid of his teeth, he dispatched it. In the struggle the wolf made an attempt to catch his antagonist by the throat, but only succeeded in getting a firm hold on his coat collar.

On one occasion when Judge Murdock Cooper was on a hunt, he encountered a bear which succeeded, in the conflict, in getting the under hold, and but for the timely assistance of his dog, who bravely attacked the animal in the rear, Mr. Cooper would have probably lost his life. Getting loose he retreated to his horse and made his escape. " The bites and scratches on his person prevented him from having an easy seat, and he required consid- erable ' coopering ' before he was able to get around in the brush again.

"A bear was captured near Waterloo after that, by B. Rebo, but they were not numerous or troublesome like the wolves. The latter were a constant annoyance to settlers, destroying pigs, for which they appeared to have a particular fancy ' or perhaps appe- tite.' An old black female wolf was known to most of the settlers between St. Francisville and Keokuk for her cunning and audac- ity. She would carry off an eighty-pound shoat with ease, and at one time stuck her nose in Stillwell's cabin door, at Keokuk, and would have carried off a ittle child, but for the timely assist- ance of its father. She was finally shot by Floyd, who lay in his hog pen for several hours watching for her."*

John Wade, who came from Ohio in 1838, and settled in what is now Jefferson Township, was one of the most successful deer hunters. He kept count until he had slain 500, and then quit counting. Wild turkeys were also very abundant in an early day, and " Uncle Joe " Benning says that on one occasion he and Isaac Gray and Jonathan Sellers set out on a turkey hunt, but had not gone far when Gray and Sellers found, in the snow, a fresh wild cat track. Then they were anxious to change the sport to that of hunting the wild cat, to which Benning objected, so off they started on the track, but Benning amused himself by looking

* Stanley.

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

around for turkeys. . Presently he discovered a hole in a bluff, which curiosity led him to explore. Putting his head into the hole he discovered a monstrous wild cat therein, ready to pounce upon him. Withdrawing instantly he got his gun, and shot and killed the animal, and then signaled his comrades and informed them that he had their wild cat. Wild hogs were abundant, at certain localities, along the Wyaconda River. These localities were first at a point about four miles below Luray, second about six miles above that village, and at another place at the head of that river. These animals kept in large herds for self protection. They were very savage and dangerous. They would tole the domestic hogs out into the woods, and then as Harvey Combs says, " cut them all to pieces." There was one wild boar which inhabited the upper Wyaconda, that was a terror to the settlers, so they made up a hunting party and set out to kill the dreaded animal. On being attacked the boar killed three of the hunters' dogs, and wounded several more. He also disem-

boweled and killed one of the hunters' horses, and wounded an- other. Then making his escape, the hunters pursued him to the Fabius River, near Memphis, and then gave up the chase. He was lean and tall, and was estimated to weigh about 400 pounds.

Harvey Combs says that, on a certain Sunday, he and his two brothers, and Bradford Hanan and William Price, went out coon hunting, on the Wyaconda, above Luray, and killed thirty-five coons, and treed five more. They and their dogs were then so tired that they left the last five up the tree, and returned home.

PUBLIC LANDS.

The United States survey of the public lands of the territory, comprising Clark County, was made by deputy surveyor Thomas C. Rector, in the year 1820. And the first entries were made by Jacob Weaver, George Heywood, Samuel Bartlett, the Waylands, and other early settlers. The title to all the lands of the county originally vested in the United States Government, and all per- sons who entered their land at a government land office received, upon payment for the same, a patent deed directly from the gov- ernment. The public lands subsequently became classified and known as Congress lands, swamp lands and school lands. The

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STATE OF MISSOURI.

swamp lands were donated to the State and conveyed accordingly, and then sold and patented by the State to the individual pur- chasers. This was done in accordance with an act of Congress, approved September 28, 1850, which provided that the proceeds derived from the sale of such lands should be appropriated to drain and reclaim the same and make them fit for cultivation. The following is the amount of swamp lands in Clark County, which was conveyed by the United States to the State of Mis- souri by a patent dated July 30, 1858, to-wit:

Township 64 north, Range 5 west. 319.94 acres.

Township 64 north, Range 6 west. 40.00 acres.

Township 65 north, Range 6 west. 200.00 acres.

Township 63 north, Range 7 west. 703.45 acres.

Township 64 north, Range 7 west. 36.13 acres.

Township 64 north, Range 8 west.

120.00 acres.

Township 65 north, Range 8 west.

86.82 acres.

Township 63 north, Range 9 west.

80.00 acres.

Township 65 north, Range 9 west

600.00 acres.

Township 66 north, Range 9 west. 136.22 acres.

Township 67 north, Range 9 west.

400.00 acres.

Total.

2722.56 acres.

Then again, on June 22, 1860, the General Government pat- ented to the State the following amount of swamp lands in the several congressional townships, to-wit:

Township 63 north, Range 8 west. 101.44 acres.

Township 64 north, Range 8 west. 160.00 acres.

Township 65 north, Range 8 west. 40.00 acres.

Township 63 north, Range 9 west. 283.79 acres.

Township 64 north, Range 9 west. 40.00 acres.

Township 65 north, Range 9 west .. 160.00 acres.

Township 66 north, Range 9 west

40.00 acres.

Total. 825.23 acres.

The school lands, consisting of section sixteen in each Con- gressional township, were donated by the General Government to the State to be sold, and the proceeds derived therefrom to be constituted a perpetual fund, the interest of which should be expended annually to provide schools, for the benefit of the inhab- itants of the township in which the section was located. In frac- tional townships, having no section numbered sixteen, other lands were donated in lieu thereof. Individual purchasers of school lands derived their title directly from the State. These lands were

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

sold at prices varying from $1.25 to $4.00 per acre. The fol- lowing table shows the amount derived from the sale of the school lands in each congressional township in Clark County:

Township 64 north, Range 5 west. $3,136 35

Township 63 north, Range 6 west. 1,261 60

Township 64 north, Range 6 west. 1,456 00

Township 65 north, Range 6 west. 1,596 10

Township 63 north, Range 7 west. 906 40

Township 64 north, Range 7 west. 1,334 90

Township 65 north, Range 7 west. 890 00

Township 66 north, Range 7 west.

1,514 20

Township 67 north, Range 7 west.

200 00

Township 63 north, Range 8 west.

1,224 00

Township 64 north, Range 8 west.

1,448 40

Township 65 north, Range 8 west.

1,095 20

Township 66 north, Range 8 west. 1,564 20

Township 67 north, Range 8 west. 406 40

Township 63 north, Range 9 west. 1,002 00

Township 64 north, Range 9 west. 884 00

Township 65 north, Range 9 west. 1,615 50

Township 66 north, Range 9 west. 2,160 80

Township 67 north, Range 9 west.

€00 00

Total.

$24,296 20

AGRICULTURE.

At the settlement of the county, the prairie lands were cov- ered with a tall grass, which grew to such a height that a man could hide himself in it while on horseback. But little, if any, blue-grass or white clover could then be seen. As soon as the settlers broke the soil and commenced to till it, the blue-grass and white clover took hold, and spreading rapidly, soon covered the entire surface of the county. The prairie grass disappeared and gave place to the blue-grass, even on tracts of land that had never been plowed. The soil is so well adapted to the growth of of the blue-grass, that after it produces a crop of grain and is allowed to rest, it will immediately return to a stiff blue-grass sod. It is well adapted to the growing of all kinds of grasses, but for hay, it is best adapted to the growing of clover and timo- thy, both of which are extensively grown by the farmers, and hay is produced and exported in great quantities. Of the grains, the soil is best adapted to the growing of corn and oats, of which great quantities are annually produced, both for home consump-

263

STATE OF MISSOURI.

tion and exportation. Formerly but little wheat was grown, but the farmers are now raising it more extensively, and find the soil also well adapted to its growth, though not equally as well as to the growing of corn and oats. Vegetables are produced in great abundance, and it would be difficult to find a soil better adapted to their growth.

Corn, oats and wheat have been the principal cereals raised in the county, ever since its settlement. The following is a state- ment of the number of bushels of cereals produced in 1869 and 1879, and the number of pounds of other productions for the same years, as shown by the United States census for 1870 and 1880, respectively :

1870.

1880.

Indian corn

505,152 bushels.

2,168,222 bushels.

Oats.

239,298 bushels.

484,078 bushels.

Wheat

90,159 bushels.

97,253 bushels.

Rye.

55,336 bushels.

32,232 bushels.

Potatoes.

33,815 bushels.

33,235 bushels.

Tobacco

1,231 pounds.

6,278 pounds.

Hay.

not given.

18,494 tons.

On account of the excellent grazing, and the easily obtained supply of water, in Clark County,it is exceedingly well adapted to the rearing of live stock, and much attention is now being given to the raising of the most improved breeds of all kinds. The following gives the numbers of the live stock in the county, at the dates given, as per United States census:

1870.

1880.

Horses

5,655.

7,810.

Mules and Asses.

781.

904.

Cattle*

4,747.

21,977.

Sheep

18,980.

16,346.

Hogs

14,971.

39,856.

In addition to the foregoing, there were produced, in 1869, 60,196 pounds of wool, and 181,507 pounds of butter; and in 1879 the production of wool reached 77,301 pounds, and that of but- ter 267,305 pounds. By reference to the foregoing, the increase or decrease may be observed. For instance, the production of wool in 1879 largely exceeded that of 1869, while the sheep had decreased 2,634 in number. This shows that a vast improvement had been made in the quality of the sheep, during the ten years.

*Includes only milch cows and working oxen, other cattle not given.

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

It will also be observed that the production of butter in 1879 was nearly 50 per cent greater than in 1869.

No figures can be given to show the increase of farm produc- tions, and of live stock since 1880, but it has certainly been very great. A few special productions have demanded the attention of the farmers, at different times. Before the late war the grow- ing of hemp was an important industry, in this county, and, at the present time, the growing of cucumbers and water-melons, especially in the eastern part of the county, is a very important industry. During the summer and fall of 1886, there were 703,- 600 pounds, equal to 14,700 bushels, of cucumbers shipped from the town of Wayland alone, besides a large quantity that was hauled directly, by the producers, to the pickle factory, at Keo- kuk. And 474,440 pounds of water-melons were shipped from the same point during the same time. At the present writing, (summer of 1887), there are about 1,000 acres of cucumbers under cultivation in the county; the greater part being on the sand ridge and second bottom, in the eastern part thereof. And in the same locality there are about 200 acres of water-melons, under cultivation. The prospects are that the growing crop of cucumbers and melons will far exceed that of last year.

CLARK COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATION.

At the November term, 1881, of the county court, C. W. Meryhew, W. H. Martin, R. L. King, H. C. Thompson, W. T. Moore, William M. McDermott, S. Murdock, H. M. Hiller, William Pollock, H. T. Kendal, H. L. Hardy, D. W. Kelly, M. E. Bishop, A. J. Oiler, Adam Kirchner, George L. Pribble, Christopher Kuntz, C. W. Kearns, A. F. Clark, S. Neeper, M. D., F. A. Scoville, John W. Howard, Christian Hummel, How- ard Huff, John M. Kramling, S. J. Morris, W. G. Reid, James McNally, G. G. Childers, Charles McCoy, L. H. Kenney, E. B. Christy, Jacob Wickham, D. C. Creger, Perry Meeks, John Meeks, Orin Springer, Joseph Myers, Lucius Reid, William Berkheimer, John Wagner, L. Zellers, J. W. Loomis, A. Kearns, R. V. Wayland, B. F. Snyder, Arthur J. Buckner, Thomas A. Doran, J. J. Geyer, William Thompson, Benjamin Gilhousen, Peter C. Carr, T. L. Montgomery, O. J. Snyder, T. T. Barron,

STATE OF MISSOURI. 265

Benjamin E. Turner, W. H. Robinson, George Rauscher, John M. Shepperson, W. J. Phelps, I. E. Schermerhorn, G. N. San- som, F. Karle, Linus Clark, Charles A. Kinkade, T. J. Reid, J. L. Greenlee, William Ackland, C. Todd, William Neil, J. M. Wood, J. H. Heath, Philip Williams, William Davidson, I. E. McPherson, J. S. Davidson, William Snyder, Julius E. Clark, L. F. Moore, L. R. McKee, S. F. Sackett, Corydon Matlock, N. T. Cherry, J. W. Reed, D. N. Lapsley, James R. Hume and W. G. Moseley presented their petition, setting forth that they desired to organize and be incorporated, for the purpose of pro- moting improvements in agriculture, manufactures, and the raising of stock.

And the court, after examination of the matter, ordered and declared: " That the said petitioners be incorporated for said pur- pose, and thenceforth the said petitioners shall be a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of The Clark County Agricultural and Mechanical Association, and by that name they and their successors shall be known in law, have per- petual succession, sue and be sued, and shall have power to purchase, hold and receive any quantity of land, not exceeding 100 acres, with such buildings and improve -. ments as may be placed thereon, and any other property not exceeding in value $50,000."

Soon thereafter, the incorporators met at the courthouse and adopted a constitution and by-laws for the government of the association, and elected the first officers and directors as follows: Officers-C. W. Meryhew, president; William H. Martin, vice- president; W. H. Bishop, secretary; S. Neeper, assistant secre- tary; William McDermott, treasurer; D. McKee, marshal; W. D. Moore, superintendent of grounds; S. Neeper, superintendent of floral hall; Thomas A. Doran, superintendent of stalls; Jo- seph Vandolah, chief of police. Directors-C. W. Meryhew, William H. Martin, William McDermott, W. D. Moore, J. M. Turner, David Mckee, John Schee, W. H. Bishop and A. J. Buckner.

According to the constitution, the members of the society should consist of such persons as would subscribe one or more shares to the capital stock of the association. And the shares

266

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

were made to consist of the value of $25 each, and the whole amount of stock was limited to $5,000, with a proviso that it might be increased by a vote of the majority of the stockhold- ers. The society then purchased thirty acres of land lying about one mile east of Kahoka, for the consideration of $1,800, and procured title thereto by a deed executed by Harmonia A. Meryhew, and C. W. Meryhew, her husband, and -dated Febru- ary 18, 1882. These grounds were fitted up, and the first annual fair was held on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th days of September of that year. Fairs have been held annually ever since, in the early part of September. The association has been very successful in promoting the objects for which it was organized, and it has also been very successful financially. It now has a well-estab- lished and valuable fair ground, consisting of the aforesaid thirty acres, with a good half-mile race track, amphitheater, art hall, barn and the necessary sheds and buildings for all stock. It is also well supplied with an abundance of pure water, which is obtained from its seven wells. The society is entirely out of debt, and has money on hand. It has always given liberal pre- miums, and paid them in full.

The receipts from all sources at the annual fair in 1886 amounted to $3,169.10, and the expenditures to $3,033.40, thus leaving a balance on hand of $135.70. This amount, added to former balances on hand, gives the society several hundred dol- lars, which it is now using to improve the grounds. The present officers are John Schee, president; T. L. Montgomery, vice-presi- dent; H. M. Hiller, secretary; George Rauscher, treasurer; John B. Gray, marshal; Joseph Vandolah, superintendent of grounds; Jacob Trump, superintendent of floral hall; T. A. Doran, super- intendent of police; W. M. Boulware, superintendent of gates, and C. B. Sherwood, superintendent of stalls.

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

Prior to the organization of Clark County, the territory now composing it consisted of the civil townships of Jefferson, Des Moines and Jackson, all of which were attached to and formed a part of Lewis County. And the reader is referred to the history of that county for information anterior to that event. Jefferson

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History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records, Part 23

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.) Publication date: 1887 Publisher: St. Louis, Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co. Number of Pages: 1308

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.)
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: St. Louis, Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1308