USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 4
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Included within these limits there are over nine hundred thousand square miles of land, or six million acres; all of which was obtained by this purchase for sixteen million dollars, or two and two-thirds dollars per acre-a good buy certainly, when we take into consideration the fact that Randolph County was included in this purchase.
Ten days after the ratification of the treaty, October 21, 1803, tem- porary measures were taken for the government of the Louisianans, and Amos Stoddard was appointed Commandant of Upper Louisiana. This temporary provision came to an end by act of congress which went into effect October 1, 1804.
This act provided that Louisiana be divided into two territories, all south of the thirty-third parallel being designated as the Territory of Orleans, and all north of that line as the District of Louisiana. The Terri- tory of Orleans was given its own territorial government, but the Dis- trict of Louisiana, for governmental purposes, was placed under the gov- ernment of the territory of Indiana which then embraced all the then Northwest Territory. The Territory of Louisiana was of the lower grade, and all of the officers were appointed; the people had no voice therein.
This governmental arrangement, however, created universal dissatis- faction in the district of Upper Louisiana, so much so that five days before it was to go into effect, the representatives of the five administra- tive divisions of the district, all in Missouri (St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Geneveve, Cape Girardeau and New Madred) joined in a petition protest- ing against the act, and so cogent and convincing was this petition and protest that on March 3, 1805, congress by an act of that date, provided for a separate territorial organization for Upper Louisiana, thereby creat- ing the Territory of Louisiana, instead of the District of Louisiana. No material change was made in this arrangement until 1812. By this time the population had doubled; 10,000 in 1804 had grown to 20,800 in 1812, in consequence of an influx of settlers from the states east of the Missis- sippi. These hardy pioneers bought with them not only their dogs, their
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
rifles and their families, but very positive convictions as to the right of local self-government, at the earliest date possible. In consequence they submitted to congress, between 1810 and 1812, fifteen petitions praying for a higher and better form of territorial government.
Congress, on July 4, 1812, changed the name of Louisiana Territory to Missouri Territory and organized the same with a governor and gen- eral assembly. The governor, legislative council and the house of rep- resentatives exercised the legislative power of the territory, the governor's vetoing power being absolute.
The legislative council was composed of nine members, whose tenure of office lasted five years. Eighteen citizens were nominated by the house of representatives to the President of the United States, from whom he selected, with approval of the senate, nine councillors to compose the legislative council.
The house of representatives consisted of members chosen every two years by the people, the basis of representation being one member for every five hundred white males. The first house of representatives con- sisted of thirteen members, and, by act of congress, the whole number of representatives could not exceed twenty-five.
The judicial power of the territory was vested in the superior and inferior courts and in the justices of the peace; the superior court hav- ing three judges, whose term of office continued four years, having original and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases.
The territory could send one delegate to congress. Governor Clark issued a proclamation October 1, 1812, required by congress, reorganiz- ing the districts of St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and New Madrid, into five counties and fixed the second Monday in November following for the election of a delegate to congress and the members of the territorial house of representatives.
Captain William Clark, of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, was the first territorial governor of Missouri Territory, appointed by the president, and began his duties in 1813.
Edward Hempstead, Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond and Matthew Lyon were candidates in November for delegates to congress.
Edward Hempstead was elected, being the first territorial delegate to congress from Missouri. He served one term, declining a second term, and was instrumental in having congress pass the act of June 13, 1812, which he introduced, confirming the title to lands which were
90
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
claimed by the people by virtue of Spanish grants. The same act con- firmed to the people "for the support of schools," the title to village lots, out-lots or common field lots, which were held and enjoyed by them, at the time of the cession in 1803.
Under the act of June 4, 1812, the first general assembly held its session in the house of Joseph Robidoux, in St. Louis, on the 7th of December, 1812. The names of the members of the house were:
St. Charles: John Pitman and Robert Spencer.
St. Louis: David Music, Bernard G. Farrar, William C. Carr and Richard Clark.
Ste. Genevieve: George Bullet, Richard S. Thomas and Isaac Mc- Gready.
Cape Girardeau: George F. Bollinger and Spencer Byrd.
New Madrid: John Shrader and Samuel Phillips.
John B. Lucas, one of the territorial judges, administered the oath of office. William C. Carr was elected speaker and Andrew Scott, clerk.
The house of representatives proceeded to nominate eighteen per- sons from whom the president of the United States, with the senate, was to select nine for the council. From this number the president chose the following :
St. Charles: James Flaugherty and Benjamin Emmons.
St. Louis: Auguste Chouteau, Sr., and Samuel Hammond.
Ste. Genevieve: John Scott and James Maxwell.
Cape Girardeau: William Neeley and Joseph Cavenor.
New Madrid: Joseph Hunter.
The legislative council, thus chosen by the president and senate, was announced by Frederick Bates, secretary and acting governor of the territory, by proclamation, June 3, 1913, and fixing the first Monday in July following, as the time for the meeting of the legislature.
In the meantime the duties of the executive office were assumed by William Clark. The legislature accordingly met, as required by the acting governor's proclamation, in July, but its proceedings were never officially published. Consequently but little is known in reference to the workings of the first territorial legislature in Missouri.
From the imperfect account published in the Missouri Gazette of that day, a paper which had been in existence since 1808, it is found that laws were passed regulating and establishing weights and measures ; creating the office of sheriff, providing the manner for taking the cen-
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
sus, permanently fixing the seats of justices and an act to compensate its own members. At this sesion laws were also passed defining crimes and penalties, law in reference to forcible entry and detainer, establish- ing courts of common pleas, incorporating the Bank of St. Louis, and organizing a part of Ste. Genevieve County into the County of Wash- ington.
The next session of the Legislature convened in St. Louis, Decem- ber 6, 1813. George Bullet of Ste. Genevieve County, was speaker elect, and Andrew Scott, clerk, and William Sullivan, doorkeeper. Since the adjournment of the former Legislature, several vacancies had occurred, and new members had been elected to fill their places. Among these was Isreal McCready, from the county of Washington.
The president of the Legislative Council was Samuel Hammond. No journal of the council was officially published, but the proceedings of the house are found in the Gazette.
At this session of the Legislature many wise and useful laws were passed, having reference to the temporal as well as the moral and spiritual welfare of the people. Laws were enacted for the suppression of vice and immorality on the Sabbath day; for the improvement of public roads and highways; creating the offices of auditor, treasurer and county sur- veyor; regulating the fiscal affairs of the territory and fixing the bound- ary lines of New Madrid, Cape Girardeau, Washington and St. Charles counties. The Legislature adjourned on the 19th of January, 1914, sine die.
The population of the territory as shown by the United States census in 1810, was 20,845. The census taken by the Legislature in 1814 gave the territory a population of 25,000. This enumeration shows the county of St. Louis contained the greatest number of inhabitants, and the new county of Arkansas the least, the latter having 827, and the former, 3,149.
The candidates for delegate to Congress were Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond, Alexander McNair and Thomas F. Riddick. Rufus Easton and Samuel Hammond had been candidates at the preceding election. In all the counties, excepting Arkansas, the votes aggregated 2,599, of which number Mr. Easton received 965, Mr. Hammond, Mr. McNair 853 and Mr. Riddick (who had withdrawn previously to the election) 35. Mr. Easton was elected.
The census of 1814 showing a large increase in the population of the territory, an appointment was made increasing the number of the repre-
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
sentatives in the Territorial Legislature to twenty-two. The General Assembly began its session in St. Louis, December 5, 1814. There were present on the first day twenty representatives. James Caldwell of Ste. Genevieve County was elected speaker, and Andrew Scott who had been clerk of the preceding assembly, was chosen clerk. The president of the council was William Neelwy, of Cape Girardeau County.
It appeared that James Maxwell, the absent member of the Council, and Seth Emmons, member elect of the House of Representatives, were dead. The county of Lawrence was organized at this session, from the western part of New Madrid County, and the corporate powers of St. Louis were enlarged. In 1815 the Territorial Legislature again began its session. Only a partial report of its proceedings are given in the Gazette. The County of Howard was then organized by bill approved January 13, 1916, from St. Louis and St. Charles Counties, and included practically all that part of the state lying north of the Osage and south of the dividing ridge between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
The next session of the Territorial Legislature commenced its session in December, 1916. During the sitting of this Legislature many im- portant acts were passed. It was then the "Bank of Missouri" was chart- ered and went into operation. In the fall of 1817 the "Bank of St. Louis" and the "Bank of Missouri" were issuing bills. An act was passed chart- ering lottery companies, chartering the academy at Postosi, and incor- porating a board of trustees for superintending the schools in the town of St. Louis. Laws were also passed to encourage the "killing of wolves, panthers and wild-cats."
The Territorial Legislature met again in December, 1818 and among other things, organized the counties of Pike, Cooper, Jefferson, Franklin, Wayne, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery, and three counties in the southern part of Arkansas. In 1819 the Territory of Arkansas was formed into a separate government of its own.
CHAPTER V
ADMISSION AND ORGANIZATION OF STATE.
TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE CONVENED - "MISSOURI QUESTION" - STATE AD- MITTED UNDER CONDITIONS-COUNTIES-STATE CONSTITUTION-FIRST GOV- ERNOR-GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTED-GOVERNORS OF MISSOURI-UNITED STATES SENATORS FROM MISSOURI-REPRESENTATIVES FROM RANDOLPH COUNTY.
The Territorial Legislature convened in December, 1818 and at this session which continued into 1819, application was made by this legis- lature that Missouri Territory be admitted into the Union as a state. Slavery existed generally in the territory at that time and the presenta- tion of this application for admission, fanned into flame the slavery ques- tion, not only in Congress, but throughout the states of the Union and for the next three years the "Missouri Question" was the bone of con- tention, the absorbing political theme. Finally by an act of Congress, concurred in by both House and Senate on February 28, 1821, Missouri was admitted on conditions. At a special session of the Legislature held at St. Charles in June following, assent was given to the conditions of admission and thereafter, on August 10, 1821, President Monroe by proclamation announced the admission of Missouri into the Union as a State.
At the time Missouri was so admitted, its territory was divided into twenty-seven counties, and by subdividing later, we now have one hundred counties within the state as admitted, and six others organized within the Platte purchase, and added to the State in 1833, and the city of St. Louis which is a county, making a total of one hundred and fifteen counties. Any reader, curious to know, may trace the trend of the set-
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
tlement of the state by the dates of the organization of the counties given in the table following :
County. Adir,
January 29, 1841
Andrew,
January 29, 1841
Atchison,
January 14, 1845
Audrain,
December 17, 1836
Barry,
January 5, 1835
Barton,
December 12, 1835
Bates,
January 29, 1841
Benton,
January 3, 1835 March 1, 1851
Boone,
November 16, 1820
Buchannan,
February 10, 1839
Butler,
February 27, 1849
Caldwell,
December 26, 1836
Calloway,
November 25, 1820
Camden,
January 29, 1841
Cape Girardeau,
October 1, 1812
Carroll,
January 3, 1833
Carter,
March 10, 1859
Cass,
September 14, 1835
Cedar,
February 14, 1845
Chariton,
November 16, 1820
Christian,
March 8, 1860
Clark,
December 15, 1818
Clay,
January 2, 1822
Clinton,
January 15, 1833
Cole,
November 16, 1820
Cooper,
Crawford,
December 17, 1880 January 23, 1829 January 29, 1841
Dade,
Dallas,
December 10, 1844
Daviess,
December 29, 1836
De Kalb,
February 25, 1845
Dent,
February 10, 1851
Douglass,
October 19, 1857
Dunklin,
February 14, 1845
Bollinger,
Organized.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Franklin,
December 11, 1818
Gasconade,
November 25, 1820
Gentry, Greene,
February 12, 1841
Grundy,
January 2, 1833 January 2, 1843
Harrison,
February 14, 1845
Henry,
December 13, 1834
Hickory, Holt,
February 15, 1841
Howard,
January 23, 1816 March 2, 1857
Iron,
February 17, 1857
Jackson,
December 15, 1826 January 29, 1841
Jasper,
Jefferson,
December 8, 1818
Johnson,
December 13, 1834
Knox,
February 14, 1845
Laclede,
February 24, 1849
Lafayette,
November 16, 1820
Lawrence,
February 25, 1845. January 2, 1833
Lincoln,
December 14, 1818
Linn,
January 7, 1837
Livingston,
January 6, 1837 March. 3, 1849
Macon,
January 6, 1837
Madison,
December 14, 1818 March 2, 1845
Marion,
December 23, 1826
Mercer,
February 14, 1845
Miller,
February 6, 1837
Mississippi,
February 14, 1845
Moniteau,
Monroe,
Montgomery,
February 14, 1845 January 6, 1831 December 14, 1818 January 5, 1833 October 1, 1812
Morgan, New Madrid,
Newton,
December 31, 1838
Lewis,
McDonald,
Maries,
February 14, 1845
Howell,
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Nodaway,
February 14, 1845
Oregon,
February 14, 1845
Osage,
January 29, 1841
Ozark,
January 29, 1841 February 19, 1861
Perry,
November 16, 1820
Pettis,
January 26, 1833
Phelps,
November 13, 1857
Pike,
December 14, 1918
Platte,
December 31, 1838 March 13, 1835 December 15,
Putnam,
February 28, 1845
Ralls,
November 16, 1820
Randolph,
January 22, 1829
Ray,
November 16, 1820
Reynolds,
February 25, 1845
Ripley,
January 29, 1841
St. Charles,
October 1, 1812
St. Clair,
January 29, 1841
St. Francois,
December 19, 1821
Ste. Genevieve,
October 1, 1812
St. Louis,
October 1, 1812
Saline,
November 25, 1820
Schuyler,
February 14, 1845 January 29, 1841
Scott,
December 28, 1821 January 29, 1841 January 2, 1835 January 2, 1835
Stoddard,
Stone,
February 10, 1851
Sullivan,
February 16, 1845
Taney,
January 16, 1837
Texas,
February 14, 1835
Vernon,
February 17, 1851
Warren,
January 5, 1833
Washington,
August 21, 1813
Wayne,
December 11, 1818
Scottland,
Shannon,
Shelby,
Polk, Pulaski,
Peniscot,
Santafe Trai
EARLY DAY TRANSPORTATION.
97
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Webster,
March 3, 1855
Worth,
February 8, 1861
Wright,
January 29, 1841
Prior to the admission of Missouri as a state, a convention to frame a constitution was assembled on July 19, 1820; a constitution was framed and adopted in anticipation of admission as a state. One provision of this organic law proved to be distasteful to Congress, and by the terms of the Missouri Compromise, Missouri was to be admitted upon condition that this objectionable feature of its constitution be eliminated, which was accordingly done, as we have seen in a preceding paragraph.
This constitution provided that an election be held on August 28, 1820 to elect a governor, and other state officers, members of the Gen- eral Assembly, county officers, United States Senators and a member of Congress. Alexander McNair was elected governor, a total of 9,132 votes being cast. John Scott was elected to Congress and other state and county officers were voted for and elected throughout the territory.
The General Assembly so elected in August, met on Sept. 19, 1820 and after organizing by their votes elected David Barton and Thomas H. Benton to the United States Senate. Mathias McGirk, John D. Cook, and John R. Jones were appointed judges of the Supreme Court, each to hold office until he reached the age of 60 years. When the territory a year later finally became the State of Missouri, these state and county officers had already been installed in office and when Congress convened in De- cember, 1821, these senators and the representatives were sworn in and became members.
Thus it came about that Alexander McNair became the first governor of Missouri, and Mathias McGirk, John D. Cook and John R. Jones the first judges of the Supreme Court and David Barton and Thomas H. Benton the first United States Senators from the State of Missouri.
Both of these senators were men of ability, and served their State, and the nation as well with fidelity. David Barton served for ten years, and was succeeded by Alexander Buckner. Senator Benton served there- after continuously for thirty years, until 1850.
Both Barton and Benton were men of ability, Benton, especially so, and during this long service ranked in the Senate as one of its ablest members. He was not possesed of the peronal charm nor persuasive oratory of Henry Clay, nor the overpowering eloquence of Daniel Web- ster, but in practical statesmanship, he was probably the superior of either of them.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
GOVERNORS OF MISSOURI.
Name.
County.
Elected.
Alexander McNair,
St. Louis,
August, 1820
Frederick Bates,
St. Louis,
August, 1824
Abraham J. Williams,
Boone,
Pres. Senate
John Miller,
Cooper,
Dec. 8, 1825
John Miller,
Cooper,
August, 1828
Daniel Dunklin,
Washington,
August, 1832
Lilburn W. Boggs,
Jackson,
August, 1836
Thomas Reynolds,
Howard,
August, 1840
M. M. Marmaduke,
Saline,
Lieut .- Gov.
John C. Edwards,
Cole,
August, 1844
Austin A. King,
Ray,
August, 1848
Sterling Price,
Chariton,
August, 1852
Trusten Polk,
St. Louis,
August, 1856
Hancock Jackson,
Randolph,
Lieut .- Gov.
Robert M. Stewart,
Buchanan,
August, 1857
Claiborne F. Jackson,
Saline,
August, 1860
Hamilton R. Gamble,
St. Louis,
Appointed Lieut .- Gov.
Thomas C. Fletcher,
St. Louis,
November, 1864
Joseph W. McClurg,
Camden,
November, 1868
B. Gratz Brown,
St. Louis,
November, 1870
Silas Woodson,
Buchanan,
November, 1872
Charles H. Hardin,
Audrain,
November, 1874
John S. Phelps,
Greene,
November, 1876
Thos. T. Crittenden,
Johnson,
November, 1880
John S. Marmaduke,
St. Louis City,
November, 1884
Albert P. Moorehouse,
Nodaway,
Lieut .- Gov.
David R. Francis,
St. Louis City,
November, 1888
Wm. J. Stone,
Vernon,
November, 1892
Lon V. Stephens,
Cooper,
November, 1896
Alexander M. Dockery,
Daviess,
November, 1900
Joseph W. Folk,
St. Louis,
November, 1904
Herbert S. Hadley,
Jackson,
November, 1908
Governor Majors was elected in 1912 and Governor Gardner in 1916.
Willard P. Hall,
Buchanan,
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
UNITED STATES SENATORS FROM MISSOURI.
When
Elected. Name.
Politics.
Residence.
1820. David Barton,
Whig,
Howard St. Louis
1820.
Thomas H. Benton,
Democrat,
1824. David Barton,
Whig,
Howard
1826. Thomas H. Benton,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1830. Alexander Buckner,
Democrat,
C. Girardeau
1832.
Thomas H. Benton,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1834. Lewis F. Linn,
Democrat,
St. Genevieve
1836. Lewis F. Linn,
Democrat,
St. Genevieve
1838. Thomas H. Benton,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1842.
Lewis F. Linn,
Democrat,
C. Girardeau
1843. David R. Atchison,
Democrat,
Platte
1844. David R. Atchison,
Democrat,
Platte
. 1844.
Thomas H. Benton,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1849.
David R. Atchison,
Democrat,
Platte
1851.
Henry S. Geyer,
Whig,
St. Louis
1857. James S. Green,
Democrat,
Lewis
1857. Trusten Polk,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1861. Waldo P. Johnson,
Democrat,
St. Clair
1862. Robert Wilson,
Conservative,
Andrew
1862. John B. Henderson,
Republican,
Pike
1863.
B. Gratz Brown,
Republican,
St. Louis
1867.
Charles D. Drake,
Republican,
St. Louis
1869. Carl Schurz,
Republican,
St. Louis
1870. Daniel F. Jewett,
Republican,
St. Louis
1871. Francis P. Blair,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1873. Lewis V. Bogy,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1875.
Francis M. Cockrell,
Democrat,
Johnson
1877. David H. Armstrong,
Democrat,
St. Louis
1879. James Shields,
Democrat,
Carroll
1879. Geo. G. Vest,
Democrat,
Pettis
1881. Francis M. Cockrell,
Democrat,
Johnson
1885. Geo. G. Vest,
Democrat,
Jackson
1887. Francis M. Cockrell,
Democrat,
Johnson
1891. Geo. G. Vest,
Democrat,
Jackson
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
1893. Francis M. Cockrell,
Democrat, Johnson
1897. Geo. G. Vest,
Democrat, Jackson
1899. Francis M. Cockrell, Democrat,
Johnson
1903. William Joel Stone,
Democrat,
Jefferson City
1905. William Warner,
Republican,
Kansas City
1909. William Joel Stone,
Democrat,
Jefferson City
1911. James A. Reed,
Democrat,
Kansas City
As we have seen Randolph County was a part of Howard County auring the territorial days from 1816 until 1820. Chariton County was organized in 1820 and therefore until 1829 Randolph County was a part of Chariton County. After Missouri was admitted as a state the first representative to the General Assembly from Chariton County was Hon. George Burckhartt, who resided about six miles and a half from Hunts- ville in the now county of Randolph. Mr. Burckhartt was reelected in 1824 and again in 1826, and was afterward twice elected to the General Assembly from Randolph County.
The following is a list of members of House of Representatives from Randolph County :
Charles McLean,
1830
Dr. William Fort,
1832
Dr. William Fort,
1834
Dr. Waller Head,
1836
George Burckhartt,
1838
George Burckhartt,
1840
James B. Dameron,
1842
Robert Wilson,
1844
Thomas P. Ruby,
1846
P. T. Oliver,
1848
Dabney C. Garth,
1850
James F. Wight,
1852
Dabney C. Garth,
1854
May M. Burton,
1856
Henderson D. Wilcox,
1858
J. F. Cunningham,
1860
George M. Quinn,
ยท 1862
Joseph L. Minor,
1864
Thomas P. White,
1866
John G. Burton,
1869
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
John G. Burton,
1871
Henry A. Newman,
1873
William Quayle,
1875
James F. Wight,
1877
Franklin P. Wiley,
1879
Franklin P. Wiley,
1881
Walker Wright,
1883
W. J. Hollis,
1885
Henry A. Newman,
1887
Willard C. Hall,
1889
William B. Mccrary,
1891
George O. Powell,
1893
William A. Rothwell,
1895
William A. Wight,
1897
William A. Wight,
1899
Stephen W. Creson,
1901
Stephen W. Creson,
1903
William T. Heathman,
1905
William T. Heathman,
1907
John E. Lynch,
1909
John E. Lynch,
1911
Rich R. Correll,
1913
Rich R. Correll,
1915
CHAPTER VI
EARLY CONDITIONS.
BOONSLICK COUNTY WITHIN RESERVATION OF SAC AND FOX INDIANS-INDIAN CLAIMS EXTINGUISHED-COMING OF SETTLERS-FIRST SETTLEMENTS-IM- MIGRATION-PIONEER I FARMING-THE "RAZORBACK"-INDIAN MENACE- BLACK HAWK WAR-SALE OF PUBLIC LANDS.
Prior to 1808, the Boonslick country, north of the Missouri River was within the reservation of the Sac and Fox Indians. By the terms of the treaty of Paris, the French government ceded Louisiana Territory to the United States subject to the claims of the Indians to the land. These claims, our government recognized, consequently the United States could convey no clear title to any part of these lands until the claims of the Indians had been extinguished by purchase. It appears that prior to this time the claim of the Indians had been so extinguished in the lands north of the river and east of a line drawn from a point opposite the mouth of the Gasconade River, northerly to said river and thence down said stream to the Mississippi.
The question of the ownership of the lands in the Boonlick country, was finally set at rest in the fall of 1818 when government land officers at St. Louis and Franklin opened their doors and began to sell these lanus. after the Indian claims had been so extinguished. With the end of the War of 1812, the tide of immigration which had been stayed by this war, again flowed westward in an ever increasing volume.
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