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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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Daniel A. Million, se ¿ nw } sw ¿ ne 4 and s } sec. 35, November 13, 1833.
Robert H. Cochran, ne ¿ nw ¿ sec. 35, April 10, 1837. George G. Hawkins, nw ¿ ne ¿ sec. 35, April 10, 1835. Benjamin L. Hayth, se ¿ sw ¿ and w } sw } sec. 36, November 21, 1833. John Glover, se } sec. 36, July 2, 1836.
In Congressional Township 62, Range 10, now Myrtle Town- ship:
Robert McReynolds, e } lot No. 3 ne } sec 1, August 17, 1835. Thomas Lillard, w } se } and lots No. 1 and 2 ne ¿ sec. 1, April 29, 1837.
George H. Botts, ne ¿ se ¿ sec. 1, May 15, 1837. Burdett McReynolds, w } sw } sec. 1, May 13, 1839. William McReynolds, e } ne ¿ sec. 2, January 15, 1838.
John J. Henderson, sec. 8, April 19, 1836.
Charles T. Macknett and William Shugard, sec. 9, April 19, 1836. William McMurtry, e { nw ¿ sec. 10, November 15, 1839. Richard Donevan, w { ne } and se } nw ¿ sec. 11, May 13, 1839. John Stephens, se ł ne } and ne } nw ¿ sec. 11, May 13, 1839. William T. Norris, w ¿ se 4 sec. 12, April 23, 1838. Alonzo Adams, e ¿ sw } sec. 12, May 14, 1838. Charles Turpin, e } se & sec. 12, April 1, 1839. William Stephens, e } nw } sec. 12, May 13, 1839.
Alexander N. Dougherty, n ¿ sec. 13 and n } sec. 14, April 19, 1836.
Samuel Moore, e ¿ se 4 sec. 13, November 18, 1837.
Allen Dodd, sec. 15, April 19, 1836.
Samuel Condit, sec. 17 and sec. 20, April 19, 1836.
Israel Crane, secs. 21 and 22, April 19, 1836. James Crane, sec. 23, April 19, 1836.
Moses Dodd, sw ¿ sec. 24, April 19, 1836. John G. Post, se ¿ sec. 24, April 19, 1836. Lewis M. Lindsay, w } sw } sec. 25, April 19, 1836. William Jenkins, ne ¿ sec. 25, April 19, 1836. James McMillin, se ¿ se & sec. 25, November 26, 1838. Ira Dodd, sec. 26, April 19, 1836. Caleb D. Baldwin, sec. 27, April 19, 1836. Ebenezer Seymour, sec. 28, April 19, 1836. Hester Jane Crawford, n } s } sec, 30 April 19, 1836. William Eastin nw 4 sec. 30, March 28, 1839. Abraham R. Pierson, s } sec. 33, April 19, 1836. William Randle, nw ¿ sec. 33, April 19, 1836.
576
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Sheldon I. Gilbert, ne ¿ sec. 33, April 19, 1836.
Henry S. Johnson, sec. 34, April 19, 1836. Samuel Hays, sec. 35, April 19, 1836. Isaac Coffman, e } ne } sec. 36, December 28, 1835.
In Congressional Township 63, Range 10, now Colony Township:
Adam Hays, nw } and w } ne ¿ sec. 1, May 9, 1836.
John B. Davis, e } sw } and w } se } sec. 1, May 15, 1837. -
Samuel J. Davis, e { se ¿ sec. 1, August 10, 1837.
Aquilla Standiford, nw } and n } sw ≥ sec. 2, December 30, 1835. Thomas Price, n } sec. 3, November 10, 1835.
Abner H. Johnson, sw } sec. 4, and w / sw 1 sec. 5, October 7, 1835.
Alfred Johnson, w } ne 2, e { nw ¿ and ne ¿ sw } sec. 5, November 29, 1836.
Alpheus H. Jackson, se ¿ sw ¿ sec. 5, December 15, 1837.
Reuben Cornelius, lot No. 2, nw ¿ sec. 6, August 29, 1835.
James Hicks, lot No. 2, ne ¿ and w } swą sec. 6, December 25, 1835. Anthony N. Hicks, w } lot No. 1, ne } sec. 6, September 4, 1837.
Aaron J. Lewis, se ¿ sec. 7, and ne } sec. 18, January 6, 1836. James L. Jones, w { nw } and ne } sw ≥ sec. 7, July 11, 1837.
John Wiseman, s } se ¿ sec. 8, and w } ne ¿ sec. 17, June 30, 1837. Thomas J. Wiseman, se ¿ sw ≥ sec. 8, August 21, 1837.
Thomas McMurry, se ¿ sec. 10 and n } sec. 15, November 2, 1835. Justus Boies, se } sec. 11, June 15, 1837.
Nehemiah Clark, nw ¿ sec 11 and sw ¿ sec. 22, June 16, 1837. Henry McDole, e { sw } sec. 11, November 17, 1837.
James Stovall, e { ned, nw } ne } and ne } nw } sec. 12, January 23, 1836.
John Vannoy, w ¿ nw ¿ sec. 14, October 22, 1835. John C. Walker, sw ¿ sec. 14, November 16, 1835. James Stovall, e { se } sec. 15, December 21, 1833. McCune Henry, e { sw } sec. 15, May 20, 1837. John Ward, w } sw ≥ sec. 15, October 6, 1837. Augustus Leflet, sw ≥ sec. 17, March 18, 1836.
Richard Van Carnip, nw ¿ sec. 18, October, 1835.
Harvey H. Beach, sw ¿ sec. 18 and w } sec. 19, June 5, 1837.
Abraham Stafford, e { se ł sec. 22 and nw ¿ nw } sec. 26, May 25, 1837.
John W. Standiford, w ¿ se } sec. 23, March 31, 1834.
Noah C. Summers, e { ne } sec. 23, May 13, 1837.
Isaac Stafford, se ¿ se ł sec. 23, May 25, 1837.
Israel Standiford, sw ≥ ne ¿ sec. 23, August 24, 1837.
Harvey Shopson, e { ne } sec. 24, January 18, 1836. Basil Brewer, sw ≥ sec. 25, July 24, 1835.
William McMurry, 500 acres in sec. 24, January 19, 1836. Hugh Henry, 280 acres in sec. 26, April 2, 1835.
Hugh F. Henry, sw≥ nw + sec 26, January 30, 1836. Malcolm Hill, se ¿ ne ¿ sec. 26, January 11, 1838. Thomas Robertson, w } se } and sw } sec. 27, May 28, 1836. Paschal C. Conyers, nw ¿ and e } ne } sec. 27, July 1, 1836. Joseph Price, sw ¿ ne ¿ sec. 31, May 11, 1838.
577
STATE OF MISSOURI.
Edward Milligan, w } nw } sec. 32, November 6, 1830 .* Walker Lillard, w ¿ se } and e { sw ≥ sec. 35, April 29, 1837. Joseph McReynolds, w } nw } sec. 36, August 14, 1834. Josiah McReynolds, e { nw ¿ sec. 36, August 14, 1834. Burdette McReynolds, se ± sec. 36, June 8, 1835.
William McReynolds, e { sw } sec. 36, February 1, 1836. Jefferson M. Board, ne ¿ ne } sec 36, November 27, 1837.
In Congressional Township 60, Range 11, now Bourbon Town- ship:
Andrew Sloan, w } lot No. 1, ne } sec. 1, December 23, 1839.
Horace Rice, sw ≥ sw ≥ sec. 2 and w } ne } sec. 12, February 6, 1839.
Knud Erikson, w ¿ sw ¿ sec. 13 and e ¿ se ¿ sec. 14, March 2, 1839. John B. Willson, w ¿ se ¿ sec. 13, September 30, 1839.
Ole Erikson, e } ne ¿ sec. 14, March 2, 1839.
John Johnson, s & sec. 18 and e } nw ± sec. 20, October 29, 1838.
Tilghman Todd, nw ¿ sec. 18 and w } se { and e } sw ≥ sec. 20, October 29,1838. Charles L. Kinkead, ne ¿ sec. 19 and w ¿ nw ¿ sec. 20, October, 1838.
Briant Cockrum, sw ≥ sec. 19, October, 1838.
Andrew Hunsaker, w } se ± sec. 19, January 14, 1839.
George C. Cockrum, sw ≥ nw ¿ sec. 19, April 23, 1839.
John Ralls, lot No. 1, nw { sec. 19, October 14, 1839. David Parsons, w { ne ¿ sec. 20, November 12, 1838. Alfred Reid, e { se ¿ sec. 20 and e } sw } sec. 21, November 13, 1838. Abraham Lewis, w } sw ≥ sec. 20, November 20, 1838.
Lewis Larson, sw ≥ sw ≥ sec. 21, November 12, 1838.
Charles H. Baldwin, se ł sec. 22 and w } sw } sec. 23, May 22, 1839. Willis Anderson, ne ¿ sec. 24, October 27, 1838.
Robert Hamilton, sw ≥ and w { se ł sec. 24, July 17, 1839. William G. Bragg, e } sw ≥ sec. 25, October 29, 1838.
Benjamin G. Riney, 360 acres in sec. 25, December 5, 1838. Michael Hickman, 320 acres in sec. 26, October, 1838.
John Arrasmith, w { sw ≥ sec. 26, October 25, 1838.
Richard Welsh, e } se ¿ sec. 26 w } sw 4 sec. 35 and 160 acres in sec. 36, December 17, 1838.
Ruth Woolery, ne ¿ sec. 27, October 26, 1836.
William W. Vanlandingham, w ¿ se ± sec. 27, October 27, 1838.
Robert B. Knight, nw ¿ sec. 27, October 29, 1838. William Moss, e ¿ se ¿ sec. 27, October 29, 1838. John Nesbit, ne 4 sw ≥ sec. 27 December 22, 1838.
Allen Deer, ne ± sec. 28, October 29, 1838. John Reid, ne ¿ nw ± sec. 28, November 13, 1838.
William Testman, se ¿ nw ¿ sec. 28, November 13, 1839.
Hans Testman, nw ¿ nw ¿ sec. 28, November 18, 1839.
Joseph Staten, nw 2 sec. 30, December 18, 1838. James W. Staten, w } ne ¿ and ne } ne } sec. 30, December 18, 1838. John Hunt, w } ne { and e { se ± sec. 35, October 30, 1838.
Joseph Johnston, e ¿ ne ¿ sec. 35, and w } nw ¿ sec. 36, November 16, 1838.
*Although the date of this entry is shown plainly by the records to be 1830, it is probable that no such entry was made at the time.
578
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
George W. Pulse, ne } nw 4 sec. 35, January 16, 1838.
Jacob Hickman, sw ≥ sec. 36, November 1, 1838.
Michael Smith, n } ne 4 sec. 36, December 14, 1838.
William Ahern, se ¿ sec. 36, October 12, 1839.
In Congressional Township 61, Range 11, now Bee Ridge Township:
Silas Turner, w { lots 1 and 2 ne } and e { lots 1 and 2 nw } sec. 3, Septem- ber 8, 1839.
In Congressional Township 62, Range 11, now Liberty Township:
David Davis, w ¿ nw } sec. 2 and e } ne ¿ sec. 3, June 12, 1839.
Anthony Snelling, se 4 sec. 12, June 10, 1839.
Samuel C. Scott, w } sw } sec. 15 and ne } sec. 21, November 1, 1839.
Andrew Davis, e { sw 4 sec. 15, December 28, 1839.
Benjamin Baker, w } nw } sec. 17 and 240 acres in sec. 18, October, 1838.
George Haines, e } nw 4 sec. 18, October 29, 1838.
Charles S. Thompson, e } se } sec. 18, October 30, 1838.
John W. Kerfoot, w } se 4 sec. 18 and ne 4 sec. 19, October 29, 1838.
Jesse Elder, w } nw 4 sec. 18 and 240 acres in sec. 21, October, 1838.
Josiah Robertson, sw ≥ sec. 19 and w } sec. 30, November 12, 1838.
John Bradfield, se ł and e { nw } sec. 19, December 1, 1838. George Brown, se 4 sec. 20, October 27, 1838.
John L. Smith, e } nw 4 sec. 20, November 1, 1838.
Walter Ellis, 320 acres in sec. 20, e { nw ¿ sec. 21 and e { nw 4 sec. 29, De- cember 8, 1838.
William Eastin, se ł sec. 21 and e } ne 4 sec. 25, March 30, 1839.
David Smallwood, se 4 sec. 22, October 15, 1838.
William J. Smallwood, w } sec. 22, October, 1838.
George B. Snell, sw 4 sec. 23, October 29, 1838.
Jacob Shuffitt, e } sw 4 sec. 25, October 27, 1838.
William Snell, w } ne 4 and e { nw 4 sec. 26, October 23, 1838.
Thomas M. Turpin, w } nw } sec. 26 and e } nw } sec. 27, October 29, 1838.
Thomas Lewis, e { sw } and w } se } sec. 26, November 1, 1838.
Henry Callaway, se 4 ne ¿ sec. 26, March 2, 1839.
Joseph F. Brodrick, e } nw 4 and w } nw 4 sec. 28, October 29, 1838.
Patrick Cooney, s } sec. 28 and 480 acres in sec. 33, December 1, 1838. Jackson Bryant, w } sw 4 sec. 29, November 29, 1838.
David Munns, e } sw } sec. 29, February 26, 1838. Sampson Kinney, e { se } sec. 30, November 29, 1838.
Lorenzo D. Nichols, ne 4 sec. 30, January 15, 1839.
Joshua W. Baker, nw ¿ se 4 sec. 30, October 24, 1839.
Isaac Coles, ne ± sec. 32, December 1, 1838.
Lucinda Snelling, w 3 nw } sec. 32, June 13, 1839.
Spencer B. Menefee, e } nw 4 sec. 36. November 26, 1838.
Ambrose Rucker, se ¿ se ± sec. 36, November 30, 1838.
In Congressional Township 60, Range 12, now Central and Eastern Salt River:
William E. Jones, nw ¿ sec. 3, December 18, 1838.
579
STATE OF MISSOURI.
John Lewis Faber, w } sec. 7, January 9, 1839. Jacob Olson, w ¿ se ¿ sec. 11, October 25, 1838. Cleng Pierson, e ¿ sw ≥ sec. 11, October 25, 1838. Peter Testman, e ¿ se ¿ sec. 11, November 17, 1838. Andrew Simonson, w ¿ se ¿ sec. 12, October 25, 1838.
David W. Major, sw ¿ sec. 12, October 30, 1838. William Testman, se ¿ se } sec. 12, November 12, 1839.
Omund Olson, e ¿ ne ¿ sec. 13, November 16, 1838.
Jane Jones, nw ¿ ne } and ne } nw } sec. 13, December 27, 1838.
Ivory Boylston, w ¿ sw } sec. 17, and e } sw } sec. 18, April 16, 1839.
Frederick Rook, 240 acres in sec. 18 and ne ¿ sec. 19, October 30, 1838.
Richard H. Chipley, e + se ¿ sec. 19, and 160 acres in sec. 20, November 20, 1838.
Thomas Glascock, w ¿ sw } sec. 19, and nw ¿ sec. 29, November 1, 1838. Henry T. Sheets, w ¿ ne } and e } sw ≥ sec. 20, November, 1838.
Morgan Ralls, e + ne ¿ sec. 23, November 13, 1838.
Henry Rhoads, w ¿ ne & sec. 24, October 25, 1838.
John Johnson, nw ¿ sec. 24, October 30, 1838.
Enoch Hunsaker, e { ne ¿ sec. 25, November 11, 1839.
Truman Oakes, sw ¿ sec. 27, October 30, 1838.
John I. Taylor, 240 acres in sec. 29, and 400 acres in sec. 32, May 29, 1839. James M. Mills, e + sw } and se ± nw } sec. 31, March 25, 1839.
Margaret R. Houston, e { se } sec. 31, and 240 acres in sec. 32, May 23, 1839. Aaron McPike, ne ¿ sec. 34, October 30, 1838.
Henry Towson, e { nw ¿ sec. 34, October 30, 1838.
Zedekiah Hammond, e } se ¿ sec. 34 and w } sw 4 sec. 35, October 31, 1838. Rives H. Townsend, nw ¿ se ¿ sec. 34, April 3, 1839.
George A. Wallace, e } sw ≥ sec. 35, April 20, 1839.
In Congressional Township 60, Range 13, now Western Salt River:
Phineas Block, se ¿ sec. 12, and ne } sec. 13, November 1, 1838. Cyrus A. Saunders, ne ¿ se ¿ sec. 13, April 16, 1839. Jesse Brown, sw ≥ sw ¿ sec. 15, September 24, 1839. Daniel M. Fisher, nw ¿ sec. 22, April 15, 1839. .
Andrew Fisher, w ₺ se & sec. 25 and w { ne } sec. 36, November 1, 1838. Joseph Morris, w } sw } sec. 25 and ne ¿ se 4 sec. 26, October, 1839. William Saling, e + sw } sec. 25, October 21, 1838.
Smith Thompson, w } nw ¿ and ne } nw 4 sec. 26, February 7, 1839. Charles Bowen, e } ne 4 sec. 26, June 1, 1839.
William Bowen, se ł nw } and nw } sw } sec. 26, October 2, 1839.
Edward Mumford, se ¿ ne } sec. 35 and 120 acres in sec. 36, May 23, 1839.
In Congressional Township 61, Range 12, now Central and East Shelton:
Joseph Unruh, se ¿ se ¿ sec. 1, December 17, 1839.
Latney M. Wood, e } nw 4 sec. 3, July 6, 1839. John Bradfield, sw 4 sec. 6 and n } sec. 7, December 1, 1838. Joseph Price, se ¿ sec. 6, April 9, 1839.
Abraham Stansifer, se 4 sec. 7 and w { sw 4 sec. 8, October 30. 1838.
580
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Edward Beatty, e { se ¿ sec. 8 and w } sw ≥ sec. 9, November 22, 1839. Matthew L. Thompson, se ¿ sec. 11 and nw } swą sec. 12, May 7, 1839. William Vanlandingham, e { ne } and sw ≥ ne ¿ sec. 12, June 15, 1839. Oliver I. Threlkeld, w } sw ≥ sec. 15, October 30, 1838.
Joseph C. Threlkeld, e { sw ≥ sec. 15, November 30, 1838.
Simeon W. Souther, s { sec. 17 and w } nw } sec. 20, October 31, 1838. Hezekiah G. Lyon, sw ≥ sec. 23, October 30, 1838.
James T. Holliday, 320 acres in sec. 25, December 10, 1838. James Swane, 160 acres in sec. 25, September 23, 1839.
Malachi Everman, e } ne ¿ sec. 25, November 22, 1839.
Robert Smith, 240 acres in sec. 26 and 160 acres in sec. 27, October, 1838. Jane Jones, e } se ¿ sec. 33, December 18, 1838.
Sarah M. Jones, w } sw ¿ sec. 34, December 18, 1838.
William Everman, e } ne ¿ sec. 36, October 5, 1839.
In Congressional Township 61, Range 13, now Western Shelton :
Nicholas Conkle, se ł sec. 3, June 6, 1839.
Joseph Price, e { sec. 14 and e } ne } sec. 23, May 21, 1839.
William A. J. Gupton, e } sw ≥ sec. 15, May 18, 1839.
William Montgomery, w } nw ¿ sec. 22, February 15, 1839.
Kindred S. Feltz, s ¿ sec. 22 and nw ¿ sec. 27, April 9, 1839.
James Chadwell, se ł sec. 23 and e { ne ¿ sec. 26, April 4, 1839.
Levi Lansbury, w ¿ ne } sec. 23 and nw } sec. 25, April 4, 1839. William Musgrove, e } sw ≥ and sw ¿ sw ≥ sec. 23, May 21, 1839.
Isaac Coles, s ± sec. 25, December 1, 1838.
Josiah Wells, nw } nw ¿ sec. 26 and e } ne 4 sec. 27, November 19, 1838.
Andrew Fisher, Jr., w } nw 2 sec. 34, November 1, 1838.
John Chadwell, w } se } sec. 34, April 4, 1839.
In Congressional Township 62, Range 13, now Western Lyon: George Conkle, ne ¿ sec. 13, June 6. 1839.
Peter Conkle, s ± sec. 13, June 6, 1839.
PIONEERS AND PIONEER LIFE.
It is customary to indulge in a great deal of gush and extrav- agant adulation in speaking of the first settlers of a country. Their virtues are extolled immoderately, their weaknesses-it is never admitted that they had any vices-are seldom or ever hinted at. The true-hearted pioneers of Knox County would not wish to be written of other than fairly. Our first settlers were mere men and women, with all of the virtues and graces, and all of the vices and frailties of that number of people taken at random from rural communities. They were neither any worse nor any better than their descendants.
The pioneers were hospitable and generous as a rule; their
581
STATE OF MISSOURI.
posterity and successors practice the same virtues. Some of them would get drunk and fight, so will some of their succes- sors. There was the doing of good works, the rendering of gen- erous deeds, and there was cheating also in early days. There was industry and there was laziness. There were thrift and pen- ury, misery and happiness, good men and bad men; and, after all, in very many respects, Knox County people in 1833 were about like Knox County people in 1887.
The life of the early settlers of Knox County was that of the pioneers of the West generally, which has been written of and described so frequently that it need not be detailed here. The people, while they dwelt in log cabins, and were plainly appar- eled and fed on humble fare, lived comfortably, happily and well. It can not be said that they suffered hardships, since the depriva- tion of certain modern luxuries and conveniencies was well sus- tained by ample substitutes.
There was a scarcity of purple and fine linen, but there was an abundance of comfortable and durable linsey and jeans and homespun cotton, much better suited to the rough and tumble life. Fine clothes and gay raiment would have been as much out of place in the primitive log cabins and among the clearings of early days as would coonskin caps and buckskin breeches in the parlors and drawing-rooms of the elegant residences that stand upon the well-improved manor lands of the county to-day. In that day, as now, people lived and dressed according to their circumstances.
In their somewhat isolated positions the settlers were de- pendent upon one another for many things. Men were willing to help a neighbor, because they felt that they might at some time need help themselves. A house-raising would start all the settlers for ten miles around. A new settler was always gladly received. He first selected his claim, cut his house logs, and hauled them to the spot he had chosen for his home, and then announced his raising. It did not take long to put up the cabin. The neighbors came from far and near, and whoever refused to attend a raising that could do so, and had heard of it, was guilty of a serious offense. The work of raising a cabin was often fa- cilitated by a jug full of whisky - plenty and cheap in those
582
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
days-and when the work was all done, there were those not too tired to indulge in a scuffle or other rough sport, and sometimes there was a fisticuff.
In the early history of the settlements mechanical conven- iences were few and of an inferior character. Few of the settlers had been regularly trained to the use of tools, and, in conse- quence, every man became his own mechanic. Vessels and articles for household use were hewn out of blocks and logs of wood. Although these articles presented a rough and uncouth appearance, they answered every purpose, and the families were as happy in their use as are the most favored people of later generations with the multiplied devices of modern invention.
AGRICULTURE.
The first farms were opened up in the timber. The timber was all cut down. That which would make rails or fencing was so utilized; the rest was piled and rolled together and burned. A log-rolling was always a festive occasion, often succeeded by a dance in the evening. The stumps of the saplings were grubbed up, and then plowing began. The plow used was a very simple affair, with an iron point and a wooden mold-board. The soil was generally like an ash heap for mellowness, and almost anything in the shape of a plow would serve to fit it for the reception of seed corn. There was, of course, the usual difficulty in plowing re- garding the stumps, and, as the most of the pioneers were not profane men, their sufferings at times were intense.
Up to 1835 not much farming had been done in the county, and, indeed, not a great deal attempted. Every settler had his " truck patch," wherein grew potatoes, a little corn, a few vege- tables, etc .; and he had also a corn-field corresponding in extent to the length of time he had been in the county, his means or his desires. Corn was the principal crop, and if enough of this was raised to supply the family with pone and johnnycake, the settler was satisfied. No wheat of any consequence was raised.
Flax was among the first crops. It was cultivated for the bark, of which linen and linsey were made-the seed was rarely sold. Nearly every family had a flax-patch and a flock of sheep- the dependence for clothing supplies. To be a good flax-breaker
583
STATE OF MISSOURI.
· was at one time considered a great accomplishment among the men, and the woman who was a good flax or wool spinner and weaver was the envy of many of her sisters.
WHAT THEY WORE.
The dress of the pioneers comported well with their style of · living. The male portion usually wore an inner shirt of linsey, flannel, cotton or coarse linen, a hunting shirt of some sort of cloth or buckskin, a pair of buckskin or jean pantaloons, a coarse wool hat or a coonskin cap, and a pair of homemade shoes, of home tanned leather. The tanning was done in a trough dug from the trunk of a tree, and by a decoction or preparation of oak bark.
The women usually went barefoot in the summer, and in in- clement weather wore shoes made of home tanned leather. When they could procure enough calico to make caps for their heads, they were happy, and the woman who could wear a dress made of store goods, was the envy of many of the less favored of her sex. It is said that when the pioneer women first came into pos- session of a pair of calfskin shoes, they were very careful of them, and wore them only on important occasions. They would walk barefoot, and carry their shoes until within a short distance of the meeting or wedding, or whatever they were attending, and then stop and clothe their feet. This is a story told of all pioneer ' women, and may or may not be true.
The early settlers of Knox and Lewis Counties raised almost everything they ate, and manufactured nearly every thing they wore. Their smoke-houses were always well supplied with meats of various kinds. Deer abounded, and honey in abundance was to be had for the taking. After the first year or two there was plenty of meal in the chest, and butter and milk in the cellar. Very little coffee and sugar were used, tea was almost unknown. The family that had coffee through the week were," high livers." Often it was only used once a week-Sunday morning for break- fast.
The hogs and cattle of the settlers increased very rapidly, fattening on the wild "mast," then to be found everywhere in abundance, and which was almost their exclusive food. Bacon
584
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
and lard were plentiful-beyond the wants of the owners, but there was no home market for them.
PIONEER PREACHERS.
Following close upon the footsteps of the first settlers came the ministers. Sometimes they were the first settlers themselves. They labored without money and without price. They did not make merchandise of their mission; freely had they received, and freely they gave. Some of them gained their subsistance as did their neighbors, by the rifle, and by their daily toil in the clear- ings and corn fields. Nearly every pioneer preacher was as ex- pert in the use of the rifle as any of the laity.
Services were usually held in a settler's cabin, notices of the "meeting " were promptly and widely circulated; and the people generally attended, sometimes bringing their rifles, to procure game going and coming. The assertion of Scripture that he who will not provide for his own, "and especially for those of his own household, is worse than an infidel," found credence with the pioneers. The practice of carrying firearms was not aban- doned even on the Sabbath.
It is claimed that the first sermon preached in the county was by Rev. George C. Light, a Methodist, at the house of Hugh Henry, in Colony Township, in 1836. A class was organized at the same time, but it can not now be stated who composed it. Rev. Still, a Methodist circuit rider, held services in Edina, in 1840. Rev. Shoats and Elder John Shanks, of Lewis, both of the Christian denomination, preached in this county at different periods, prior to its organization.
PIONEER SCHOOLS.
The first schools of Knox County were established some years after the first settlements. For many years the only schools were subscription schools. Although, upon the admission of Missouri into the Union, the general government had made lib- eral provision for the support of a public school system, by set- ting apart for that purpose the sixteenth section of every town- ship of land, yet not much use was made of the fund so derived until quite a late day in the history of the county. The branches
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taught in these early schools were usually the Hoosier's three R's-"readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic." The schoolhouses, the text books and the methods of teaching, were far different from those now in vogue. Usually a vacated log dwelling house was used as the schoolhouse. The books were the Bible, the New Testament, and almost any kind of book for reading. Pike and Daboll were the authors of the arithmetics, with an occasional- Western Calculator; while writing was taught with quill pens and home-made ink-the latter usually a strong decoction of oak bark into which a piece of iron had been dropped-and the writing was done on what would now be considered a very poor article of paper. The school furniture was of the very simplest sort; rude benches served for seats, a huge fireplace furnished warmth in cold weather; desks there were none, and blackboards, globes, etc., were not needed. The teachers, while they did good work, and no doubt did it well, were as a rule not persons of pro- found scholastic attainments. The terms of school were usually in the winter season, with occasionally a spring term for the smallest children, because the " big boys " being occupied with farm work, could only attend after the crops were gathered and before the next year's planting. The "big boys" were the class most considered in the arrangement of school terms, and they were also the element which made it most interesting for the teacher of that day. Many a pedagogue has been taken out and "ducked," or, in settlements where the boys were mildly disposed. only "locked out," if he failed to " treat " during the holidays or on the last day of school. No doubt the boys were often assisted by the buxom girl pupils, who, if they failed to lend a helping hand, looked on and heartily enjoyed the sport.
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