USA > Missouri > Ray County > History of Ray county, Mo. > Part 52
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SEC. 4. This ordinance is to take effect and be in force from and after its publication.
Approved, December 21, 1874. J. T. QUIRK, Mayor. Attest: A. J. RIFFE, Clerk.
AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO COMMITTEES.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Richmond, as follows :
SECTION 1. The mayor shall, at the first regular meeting of the city council after his election, appoint seven standing committees, to consist of three members each, viz:
1st, A committee on finance; 2d, a committee on ordinances; 3d, a committee on improvements and repairs; 41h, a committee on claims; 5th, a committee on judiciary; 6th, a committee of ways and means; 7th, a committee on printing.
Approved, December 21, 1878.
Attest: W. C. PATTON, Clerk.
GEORGE I. WASSON, Mayor.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
AN ORDINANCE IN RELATION TO THE TIME WHEN THE FOREGOING ORDINANCES TAKE EFFECT.
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Richmond, as follows :
SECTION 1. That all the foregoing ordinances of the city of Richmond are hereby approved and shall take effect and be in force from and after January 1, A. D. 1879.
SEC. 2. All ordinances and parts of ordinances inconsistent with the provisions of the said ordinances, are hereby repealed.
SEC. 3. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after January 1, A. D. 1879.
Approved, November 21, 1878.
GEO. I. WASSON, Mayor.
Attest :
W. C. PATTON, Clerk.
RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
RULE I. Regular meetings of the council shall be held on the first Wednesday of each month. Notices of special meetings shall be served by the marshal on each councilman, and the marshal shall have charge of the council rooms and give his attendance on the meetings of the council.
RULE II. At the hour appointed for the meeting, the recorder, or some one appointed to supply his absence, shall proceed to call the roll of members, and announce whether a quorum be present. Upon the appearance of a quorum, the council shall be called to order, the mayor taking the chair, if present. The council shall appoint a temporary chair- man in the absence of the mayor. The council shall then proceed to do- business in the order following:
1. The reading of the minutes of the proceedings of the last preced- ing meeting or meetings, which, if approved by the council, shall be signed by the mayor, and then attested by the recorder.
2. The presentation of petitions and reports of officers.
3. The reports of standing committees.
4. The reports of select committees.
5. Communications to the council, which may be considered at any time.
6. Unfinished business.
7. Motions, resolutions and notices.
8. Miscellaneous business.
RULE III. The mayor shall preserve order and decorum, and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the council.
RULE IV. When the council adjourns, the members shall keep their seats until the mayor shall declare the council adjourned.
RULE V. Every member, previous to his speaking, shall rise from his seat and address himself to the mayor, and say, "Mr. President," but shall not proceed until recognized and named by the chair.
RULE VI. When two or more members rise at once, the mayor shall name the member who is first to speak.
RULE VII. No member shall speak more than twice on the same question without leave of the council.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
RULE VIII. When a member is speaking, no member shall enter into any private discourse, or pass between him and the chair.
RULE IX. A member called to order shall immediately take his seat, unless permitted to explain. The decision of the chair on points of order shall be conclusive, unless there be an appeal to the council, in which case, the council shall decide the point of order without debate.
RULE X. Every member present shall vote upon all questions stated by the chair, unless excused by the council.
RULE XI. No motion shall be stated by the chair unless it be seconded. When a motion is seconded, it shall be stated by the mayor before debate; and shall be reduced to writing, if required by a member.
RULE XII. If the question in debate contains several distinct proposi- tions, any member may have the same divided.
RULE XIII. When a motion is under debate, no motion shall be re- ceived unless for the "previous question," to postpone indefinitely, to adjourn to a certain day, to lie on the table, to amend, or to adjourn the council.
RULE XIV. A motion for the "previous question, " to lie on the table, or to commit it until decided, shall preclude all amendment and debate; and so also, a motion to postpone indefinitely, or to adjourn it to a certain day, shall, until decided, preclude all amendment to the main question.
RULE XV. The "previous question " shall be as follows: "Shall the main question now be put?"
RULE XVI. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when a member is speaking, or a vote is being taken, or when a motion to adjourn was the last preceding motion.
RULE XVII. If any member require it, the ayes and noes upon any question shall be taken and entered on the minutes.
RULE XVIII. All committees shall be appointed by the chair, unless otherwise ordered by the council.
RULE XIX. All reports of committees shall be made in writing.
RULE XX. These rules may be temporarily suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the council present; and be repealed, altered or amended, by the concurrence of two-thirds of all the councilmen elected.
RULE XXI. The standing committees shall consist of three members each, and shall be appointed by the mayor, annually: and the first person named on the committee shall be the chairman thereof. The standing committees shall be:
First-Finance.
Second-Ordinances.
Third-Improvements and repairs.
Fourth-Claims.
Fifth-Judiciary.
Sixth-Ways and means.
Seventh-Printing.
RULE XXII. All bills proposing to become ordinances shall have three separate readings.
RULE XXIII. All questions of order not herein otherwise provided for, shall be decided upon the principle laid down in Jefferson's Manual, so far as the same may be applicable.
Adopted December 23, 1874.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
The population of Richmond, per tenth United States census, is 1,424; but as this only includes those living within the corporate limits, which are quite narrow, it is much less than the population of the town proper- which is certainly not less than twenty-five hundred. Its population in 1870 was 1,218.
TAITSVILLE.
In 1833, a settlement was made where Taitsville now stands. In that year Alfred Williams built the first house erected in what afterward became the corporate limits of Taitsville. His house stood a short dis- tance southwest of lot No. 1, and was burned the year after it was built. Williams died in 1868.
About the same time that Alfred Williams settled at Taitsville, his brother, Thomas Williams, also settled there and built a house on the southeast part of the area now forming the limits of the town.
In 1858, one J. P. Morrison built a small steam mill in Taitsville. The mill was provided with but one run of burrs, and the flour was bolted by hand. The engine first used is still in use. After several changes in ownership the mill became, and is now, the property of John Tait, who has repaired and improved it very much. The mill was burned down in 1875, but was immediately re-built. It now has two run of burrs.
In the spring of 1869, McGlothlin & Bailes built on lot number one, the first store house in Taitsville. They occupied the building as a store house, but it is now occupied by W. G. Tait & Bro. In 1873, T. B. Hat- field & Brother established the second store in Taitsville.
There are, also, two drug stores in the town; two blacksmith and two wagon shops.
Taitsville is situated in the south part of section seventeen, township fifty-four, range twenty-seven, on the west side of the west fork of Crooked river. It is not on any railroad, but is pleasantly situated in a very good farming country. Timber of superior quality and in considera- ble variety abounds in the neighborhood. The town was made a post office May 24, 1872, and J. H. Hatfield was appointed postmaster. It has mail to and from Richmond, sixteen miles distant, two times per week.
Taitsville was incorporated November 16, 1878, with James Tait, John Tait, William C. Syler, T. B. Hatfield and G. W. Cones, as trustees, appointed by the county court. The same persons were elected members of the town board, the first Tuesday in April, 1880. The population of Taitsville, per census of 1880, is one hundred and eight.
KNOXVILLE.
Knoxville is fourteen miles north and inland from Richmond, situated in Knoxville township, in center of section thirty-five, congressional town- ship fifty-four, range twenty-eight; has a population, according to the
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
tenth U. S. census, of eighty-eight, four stores carrying stocks of general merchandise, two drug stores, two wagon shops, one saddle and harness shop, two blacksmith shops, a hotel and a post office, with daily mail.
The town is unincorporated, and as its limits can not be sharply defined, eighty-eight is; of course, only the approximate population. We have received one statement estimating the population at two hundred, which is probably more nearly correct than the other.
It has a justice of the peace, a constable, and two physicians. There is, also, a Masonic lodge, and a church building in the town. Services are held in the latter by two denominations.
In the spring of 1834 a Mr. Hatfield occupied a small house, near the present site of Knoxville, which took the name of "Buncombe." The first store-house was erected in the summer of 1834, by one Jacob Stol- lins. He carried a small stock of general merchandise. At that time there were only two or three houses in the place.
There is now a very good school-house in the village, and school is kept open from six to eight months in the year.
About three and a half miles southwest of Knoxville, on the west fork of Crooked river, is situated the saw and grist mill of J. B. Belch er Esq.
While this mill is operated exclusively in Ray county, it is not station- ary, but is moved from one locality to another, in order that it may be kept convenient to suitable timber. When the timber of one locality has been used, the mill is removed; and our apology for giving an account of it in connection with the history of Knoxville, is that the writer is informed it is now located nearer that village than any other.
Mr. Belcher operates this mill with no other assistance than that afforded by members of his family, thereby practicing a very laudable economy, as well as having his work done in a prompt and satisfactory manner. Mr. Belcher displays a judgment worthy of emulation, in so thoroughly utili- zing the force represented by his own family.
The engine is a twenty-four horse-power, and, with good saws, in per- fect order, does excellent work.
There is considerable walnut timber, of good quality, in the neighbor- hood of Mr. B.'s present location. This he saws for other parties, and it finds its way to distant markets.
The mill is also provided with a good pair of burrs for grinding corn.
MILLVILLE.
Millville, a bright and thriving little village of about two hundred souls, ten miles northeast of Richmond, in the north part of section fifteen, township fifty-three, range twenty-seven, is pleasantly situated at the base of some beautiful wooded hills, in the midst of a rich, partially timbered and partially prairie country, highly improved and exceedingly productive
450
HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
The land upon which Millville is located, was entered by one Leighton Ewell, who sold it to Robert Mitchell.
In 1837, the latter gentleman erected, on the present site of Millville, a water power grist mill, for grinding corn, only.
The same year Robert Mitchell, and one "Buck" McGaugh, laid out the town into lots, streets and alleys.
In 1837, C. W. Stillwell built the first blacksmith shop in Millville. The first store was opened about the year 1842, by Milton and S. L. McCuistion. .
This was the only store in Millville till 1845, when George A. Mason engaged in the mercantile business in that town. Since that time various persons have been engaged in merchandizing in Millville, among whom we mention the following: T. B. Fowler, R. C. Wild, J. Y. Coppage,
Everett, Brice, Steele, I. Mansur, Graham & Craven, and J. P. Grimes & Co.
There is a good steam flouring mill in the town, and also, a church building, a school house and Masonic lodge.
The town was originally called "Buck Snort," probably on account of "Buck " McGaugh, who helped to lay it out into town lots.
MORTON.
A hamlet of about one hundred inhabitants, is situated in the heart of the most beautiful and fertile agricultural region in northwest Missouri, is in Crooked River township, near the center of section eighteen, con- gressional township fifty-two, of range twenty-six.
The town is situated on a very eligible site, commanding a fine pros- pect of the surrounding country.
W. P. Shaw, Esq., built the first house in the place, and T. J. Porter owned the first store.
The school-house was built in the year 1856. It is a frame, and cost three hundred dollars. Miss Sarah Bohannon was the first teacher. She had about twenty pupils, and received as a salary twenty dollars per month.
The first marriage solemnized in Morton is said to have been that of George Ewing to Miss Lyda Tisdale, but we have been unable to ascer- tain.
The first regular practicing physician was Doctor W. F. Yates, who is living in Morton. He is a native of Scott county, Kentucky. .
A postoffice was established in Morton in 1874, with R. V. Wall as postmaster.
Two dry goods stores, a saddle and harness shop, two blacksmith shops and one drug store constitute the business establishments of the town. There is also a very handsome union church in the place.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
Like every town in Ray county, Morton is surrounded by a hospitable, intelligent and enterprising people, and is supported by inexhaustible natural sources.
HARDIN.
Hardin was laid out in 1868, and incorporated in October, 1870. James Darby was the first mayor; John D. Reyburn built the first house, and Fountain Roselle was the owner of the first store in Hardin. The first school-house in the town was built in 1870, at a cost of seven hundred dollars.
C. W. Clampitt taught the first school. He had seventy-five pupils, and his compensation was seventy dollars per month.
The first death that occuored in Hardin was that of William Hunt, who died in 1870. His remains were interred at Knoxville, Ray county, Missouri.
Dr. A. H. Buchanan, who came from Kentucky, was the first regular physician. He is now dead.
Reverend F. Bone, of the M. E. Church South, was the first minister in Hardin. Religious services were held at the Union church, described elsewhere in this volume. The town has a handsome cemetery, three- fourths of a mile to the southeast.
The present officers of Hardin are as follows: B. B. Babcock, mayor; L. H. Noble, marshal; W. J. Roach, secretary; C. W. Dawson, J. J. Moore, S. B. Chase, and R. L. Reyburn, councilmen.
Hardin is a progressive, enterprising little village, situated in sections thirty-two and thirty-three, congressional township fifty-two, range twenty-six, and in sections four and five, township fifty-one, range twenty- six, on the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railway, six miles east of R. & L. Junction. It has twelve business houses, one church, owned and used by several denominations, a good school-house, one hotel, and an elevator, and is in as fine a farming country as there is in Missouri. The town enjoys a large trade, comparatively speaking, and as a shipping point for grain and live stock, is one of the most important in the county. The Telegraph steam flouring mills are located here, and no similar mills in a town of equal size will suffer disparagement by comparison with them.
Old Hardin is situated one-half mile southeast. It contains a Union church. and several old and decaying houses.
The population of Hardin was not separately reported by the enumera- tor, who, in June, 1880, took the census of Crooked River township, in which it is located; hence, the number of its inhabitants cannot be defin- itely stated; it is safe to say, however, that it is from two hundred and fifty to three hundred.
The town stands at the head of the famous sugar tree bottom of Carroll county. The greater portion of the surrounding country is prairie, inter-
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
spersed with groves of excellent timber. To the eastward, below the "bluffs," are the Kilgore and Heisinger lakes, and the land is low and marshy.
CAMDEN.
Camden is situated on the north bank of the Missouri river, on the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway, five miles west of Richmond and Lexington Junction, and six miles southwest of Richmond; was incorpo- rated in May, 1838.
It is a town of some importance, in a part of the county most admirably adapted to the culture of grain and fruit, as well as inexhaustibly rich in ยท mining resources.
The coal mines in the vicinity are a source of considerable wealth to the town, and afford employment to one hundred and fifty to two hundred men.
It has eight stores, two hotels, two school houses, one church, owned and used by all denominations, and one large flouring mill.
Wood, coal and water being convenient and abundant, Camden pre- sents decided advantages for manufacturing. Population, according to United States census of 1880, five hundred and nine.
The bluffs in the rear, and on either side of Camden, rise to consider- able height, and present a grand and picturesque appearance.
ORRICK.
Orrick, situated in east half of section twenty-three, township fifty-one, range twenty-nine, on the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railroad, (formerly North Missouri railroad,) was laid out in March, 1869, by the North Mis- souri railroad company, and named in honor of W. W. Orrick, Esq., of St. Charles, Missouri.
The village was incorporated in 1872, with John G. Hearn as its first mayor. A postoffice was established in Orrick in 1873, and Arthur W. Stickle appointed postmaster.
John G. Brown built the first house in the town, and owned the first store.
In 1873 a good substantial school house was built, at a cost of eight hundred and fifty dollars. It is a two-story frame building; the second story, which is owned by a joint stock company, being used as a public hall.
W. D. Ward was principal of the first school taught in Orrick. Twenty-five pupils attended his school, and he received for his services as teacher, forty dollars per month.
The first marriage ceremony pronounced in the town was that uniting as man and wife, Peter Gerry and Sarah Stewart. .
March 26, 1870, occurred the first birth. It was that of a daughter, born to Frank and Melvina Warner.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
The first male child born in Orrick was William, son of Zachariah and Nelly Campbell, born May 14, 1872.
The first death occurred April 1, 1870; it was that of Melvina War- ner, whose remains were buried at South Point cemetery.
R. S. Kestler, M. D., from Macon county, Illinois, now a citizen of Tiblow, Wyandotte county, Kansas, was the first practicing physician in the town of Orrick.
There is no cemetery yet established in the town; but South Point ceme- tery, laid out by the Christian congregation at that place, is one mile away, and is used by the people of Orrick as a place to inter their dead.
The present (1881) officers of Orrick are as follows: B. A. Miller, mayor; Louis H. Wood, Marion Leakey, D. B. Shepard, W. A. Wells, councilmen; George Brown, marshal; G. W. Mitchell, treasurer; M. S. Bissell, city attorney; George Dale, clerk.
The population of Orrick, per tenth U. S. census, is one hundred and ninety-three.
Mrs. Mary Gordon has lived longer in the town than any other person.
LAWSON.
Lawson, a bright and attractive little village of two hundred and twenty-three inhabitants, is situated on the St. Joseph branch of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railway, twenty miles northwest of Rich- mond, in Polk township, near the Clay county line.
It was laid out in June, 1870, named in honor of- Lawson of the New York banking house of Donnell, Lawson & Co., and incorporated November, 7, 1871.
George Young, of the firm of Young, Brown & Co., built the first house erected in Lawson, and also owned the first store.
There is a very pretty school house in the place, built in 1870, at a cost of five hundred dollars. Miss Lutie Palmer, with twenty pupils, and for twenty-five dollars per month, taught the first school. It was a public school.
Lawson is a growing town, very important as a shipping point, and is situated in the midst of a fine farming area of rich and beautiful gently undulating prairie land.
Dr. C. N. Palmer, from Liberty, Clay county, Missouri, who is still a citizen of Lawson, was the first regular practicing physician.
The church building in Lawson, owned by the Methodists and Presby- terians, is a neat and substantial structure.
Perhaps no town in this part of Missouri is more pleasantly located than Lawson.
Following are the names of the present officers of the town: Council- men, P. H. Cates, chairman; J. H. Titus, M. O. Robinett, W. H. Hat- field and J. W. Asbury; W. M. Allison, treasurer; R. M. Miller, marshal;
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
G. W. Robinett, street commissioner; G. W. Montgomery, assessor and collector.
VIBBARD.
Vibbard is on the St. Joseph branch of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway, fourteen miles northwest of Richmond, sections twenty-two and twenty-seven, township fifty-three, of range twenty-nine, and is the center of another very rich and beautiful rolling prairie district. Vibbard is, also, quite an important shipping point. Cattle, horses, mules, hogs, grain, and general produce are shipped from here in large number and quantity every year.
The town has eight business houses, one church, used by several denominations, a school house and a hotel. We are unable to give the exact population of the place, as the census enumerator failed to report the town separately. It has, however, a population of about one hun- dred and seventy-five.
ALBANY.
Albany, formery called Ashton, was founded by Judge Eli Carter. The town was incorporated in 1871. Daniel Turner was the first mayor.
In 1854, a post office was established at Albany, and Judge Eli Carter appointed postmaster.
A Dr. Scroggins was the first practicing physician in Albany.
The first religious services were held by members of the M. E. Church South, at Judge Carter's tobacco factory in Albany. Rev. E. M. Dorkra was the preacher.
Albany is in southwest corner of section thirteen, township fifty-one, range twenty-nine, three-fourths of a mile northeast of Orrick. It is a brisk little village, surrounded, as are all the towns mentioned, by an excellent farming country, and has seven business houses, one school house, one church building, property of M. E. Church South, and Baptists.
The Albany flouring mill, located at this place, was built in 1853, by Eli Carter & Co. It has two pairs of burrs; one to grind wheat, the other for corn. It grinds from eighty to one hundred bushels of wheat per day, and from fifteen to twenty bushels of corn in the same time. The mill is now owned by Brasher & Taylor; is in good repair and does very good work.
The town was not reported separately by the census enumerator, but it has a population of about one hundred and fifty.
HALLER STATION-RAYVILLE POST OFFICE.
This small village is on the St. Joseph branch of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway, about eight miles northwest of Richmond, in Rich- mond township. It was laid out in 1871, and the same year a postoffice was established there, with J. O. Davis as postmaster. Thomas Hankins built the first house and owned the first store.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
In 1880, the district public school building was moved near the town, and is now used by the town and neighborhood.
The first religious services in Haller station, were held at the railroad house by the Catholics. Father O'Riley, a Catholic priest, was the first minister.
The only official in Haller station, at present-April, 1881-is Henry Clark, postmaster and justice of the peace.
ELK HORN-CRAB ORCHARD POST OFFICE.
Elk Horn is a postoffice, nine miles northwest of Richmond, in section thirteen, of township fifty-two, range twenty-nine-Fishing River.
NORTH LEXINGTON.
North Lexington is the terminus of the St. Joseph branch of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway, on the left bank of the Missouri river, opposite Lexington.
SWANWICK.
Swanwick is a railway station and postoffice, five miles nosthwest of Richmond, on the St. Joseph branch of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway.
RICHMOND AND LEXINGTON JUNCTION-HENRY POST OFFICE.
Henry postoffice is situated in the north part of section sixteen, township fifty-one, range twenty-seven, at the crossing of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific railway, and the St. Joseph branch of that road.
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