USA > Missouri > Ray County > History of Ray county, Mo. > Part 55
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Snowden was subsequently apprehended and placed in jail. His case came up for trial at the July term, 1824, of the circuit court; a change of venue to Lillard (Lafayette) county was granted.
Afterwards, however, he was brought before the judge of the Ray circuit court, on a writ of habeas corpus, directed to the sheriff of Lillard county.
Appearing in court, Snowden plead not guilty, and for trial, put him- self on God and his country.
For want of sufficient evidence, he was acquitted under the law of the land; but whether in the eyes of his countrymen and his God, is quite another matter.
The early records of the circuit court show that Love Snowden was arraigned before that tribunal no less than thirty times, within little more than three years, variously charged with assault and battery, stabbing, disturbing the peace, and finally with murder-after which his name dis- appears from the records.
At the close of the trial alluded to, Snowden went immediately to the house of his father, with whom the former's wife had been staying. The father and son became involved in a quarrel over a saddle, which the latter claimed belonged to his wife. The old man refused to give up the saddle, and the younger Snowden in order to get possession of it, brutally belabored his aged father. After this unfilial attack, Love Snowden left the community, to the delight, not only of the public in general, but even of his kindred, and has never been heard of since.
About the year 1838, the Mormons began to infest the country; and after numerous skirmishes and affrays had occurred in Jackson, Clay,
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
Caldwell and other counties, together with theft, arson and robbery, com- mitted by the Mormons, the people became exasperated and resolved to expel the intruders from the community.
In October, 1838, a portion of a company of "minute men " commanded by Captain Samuel Bogart, having heard that a body of Mormons was camped near the northern line of Ray county, on Crooked river, deter- mined to meet, and, if possible drive them back.
On the afternoon of October 24, Captain Bogart and his followers, marched to the neighborhood of the Mormon headquarters, and camped for the night on the river bank. All was quiet till about day-light the next morning, when the pickets of the "minute men " fired upon an approaching column of Mormon " saints," and retreated to camp.
Captain Bogart sent out two of his men to reconnoiter, with a view to ascertaining the strength of the enemy. Having found that the Mormons numbered about two hundred and fifty, and there being only forty-seven of the "minute men," the latter commenced a retreat under fire, which continued thirty minutes.
The " minute men " lost one killed -- Moses Rowland. Samuel Tar- water and Thomas H. Lloyd were left on the battlefield for dead; they survived, however, and are still living-April, 1881. Two men, Edwin Odell, shot in the arm, and James Lockhart in the hip, were wounded.
Wyatt Craven was taken prisoner by the Mormons, but after taking him with them about twelve miles, he was released, and commanded to go in a certain direction. Fearing they meant him some further mischief, he darted off in a direction opposite to the one he was ordered to follow. A Mormon, in ambush, called to him to halt, but Craven only ran the faster. The Mormon fired upon him, inflicting a slight wound, but he escaped.
R. L. McCoskrie was in the engagement. A ball passed through his clothing.
In another part of this work will be found the statement that the first death by violence in the county, of which an official took cognizance, was that of James Buchanan. We here state that at the time of losing his life, Buchanan was alone in the woods. A hunter, coming along, chanced to descry him in a thicket of tangled undergrowth, and, mistaking him for a bear, fired and killed him. The accident occurred in the month of August, 1823.
A man named Lard and wife had raised to the age of ten a bright and attractive little girl, whose mother was dead. They were tenderly devoted to the child, and the latter, in turn, was warmly attached to its foster- parents. The child's father, a man of low character, besides being quite
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
indigent, lived in the neighborhood. Envying Lard and wife the happi- ness the little one afforded them, he demanded its possession, and threat- ened violence if the child was not returned to him. In taking the child to their home-upon the loss of its best friend on earth-its protectors were actuated by the purest motives of sympathy and humanity; they had learned to love the little orphan, and were unwilling to part with it. Fearing the father's threats would be put into execution, they determined to escape with the child to the south side of the Missouri; and at dusk one evening they, with old Mr. and Mrs. Wallace (Mrs. Lard's parents), entered a covered wagon and started southward. They reached the river, opposite Lexington, about midnight. The ferryman's hut was hard by; he was aroused, but at first refused to attempt to cross the river, as the water was high and the current swift; he portrayed the danger of the undertaking, and protested that he could not row them over-but Lard's story excited the ferryman's sympathy, and he consented to go. The summer night was calm and clear, yet lonely. The moon and stars were aglow in the heavens, and their lambent light, kissing the current's face, touched it to ripples of silver. The prow of the little flat-boat was drawn against the shore; the murmuring waters uttered a solemn warn- ing, but the trembling little band, half heeding, half heedless, stepped aboard. Old Mr. and Mrs. Wallace sat in the wagon, which, with the horses attached, stood in the middle of the boat.
The dauntless ferryman hove anchor, and pushed out on the turbulent torrent. The party had proceeded some distance, when the boat, becom- ing unmanageable, was borne down by the strong current, and finally overturned. All went down-old Mrs. Wallace to rise no more, alive. Lard seized the little girl, swam with her to land, and heroically returned to the res- cue of his wife, but met the ferryman gallantly swimming ashore, bearing the lady on his back; she was saved. Neither of the horses, nor the wagon was even seen again. The party, safe on land, bewailed the aged couple, supposing them both "beneath the wave; " but about two o'clock next day, old man Wallace was observed about three miles below the ferry, far out in the stream, clinging to a "sawyer," and partaking, of course, of its ceaseless upward and downward motion, a ride he had enjoyed for several hours, having for a saddle a large feather bed; for, when reached by the rescuer, it was found that in clasping the log, the old man's arm's also passed around the aforementioned article of household furniture.
Subsequently, on a less hazardous occasion, Lard, his wife, and the little girl, were rowed to the Lafayette shore.
Wallace was a man of seventy winters. His remaining years were therefore few. What became of him, the writer has not been informed.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
DEATH AT A THRESHING MACHINE.
July 10, 1880, Messrs. Wolf aad Youngblood were running a threshing machine on the farm of Mr. Wolf, in township fifty-two, range twenty-nine. A young man named Andrew Pollard, was employed by the proprietor as driver, and while the machine was in rapid motion, under full power, he stepped from his place where he was driving, to tighten a tap at the front boxing of the line shaft. The shaft was about eight inches above the ground, and Mr. Pollard stepped backward so near it, that the protruding bolt from the ring coupling caught in the strap of his boot. He was thrown to the ground with great violence, and revolved with the shaft many times, as the power was very high, and the machine could not be readily stopped. He was, of course, instantly killed, his body being hor- ribly crushed and mangled.
Andrew Pollard was the son of Humphrey Pollard, Esq., and his death was not only an irreparable loss to his family, but a misfortune to the community, as he was an industrious, promising and honorable young man. He left to mourn his untimely death an amiable and affectionate young wife and three little children.
BLOODY TRAGEDY.
Christmas night, 1874, two men were together, one at his home near New Garden P. O., in Fishing River township, the other his visitor. They were having a good time together, partaking quite freely of strong drink, when, seeing, doubtless, that the tipplers were becoming too much intoxicated, a member of the host's family hid the jug containing what remained of the liquor; whereupon the other made some remark, expres- sive of what he would do in the event his wife or children should dare to hide his jug. This remark excited a quarrel and the two men began cut- ting each other with terrible effect, and continued till, from sheer exhaus- tion and loss of blood, they fell over on the bed. The wounds of one proved mortal, while the other recovered.
It is not intended to give the remote origin of the above tragedy, nor to rest blame on either combatant, but simply to recite an instance of the many unfortunate results, growing out of the use of ardent spirits.
The following list of homicides, committed in Hardin, was furnished us by Captain Thomas McGinnis, ex-sheriff of Ray county, and at one time a justice of the peace in Hardin, viz:
In 1856, James Hall was killed by Milton Farris, who stabbed the former to death with a knife.
Love Snowden (relative of the Love Snowden mentioned elsewhere in this work), was shot by the Union soldiers, in 1862.
In 1872, Burton Snowden was killed by one Sam White.
In 1869, Michael Vaha was stabbed to death by one Dick Brady.
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
On the 24th day of June, A. D. 1876, Richard Reeves and William Witcher lost their lives at the hands of a dastardly assassin, named Brice, who stabbed them with a knife. (Brice was apprehended and hanged by the outraged citizens the same night.)
William Dawson, in April, 1871, was killed by William Webster.
In 1871, Thomas P. Campbell severed the throat of James Smith, with a knife.
It should be stated that most of the affrays above recited, were between men of extremely low character. Many of them were transients-tie choppers. Hardin is now a quiet, peaceable and progressive town.
OVERFLOWS OF THE MISSOURI RIVER.
A memorable overflow of the Missouri river occurred in 1827. All the bottom lands in Ray county were overflowed, forcing the people to abandon their homes, and seek safety on the higher ground farther to in- land. Several houses were washed away and considerable damage was done to stock, fencing and farm lands. But on the 14th, 15th and 16th days of June, 1844, took place the greatest and most distressing overflow of the Missouri river, known to the memory of any living man. Millions of property was destroyed, human lives lost, and untold personal suffering engendered. The bottom lands of this county were entirely inundated, buildings of every kind were swept away, stock killed, and plantations laid waste.
The crops of that season were well advanced, and promised a glorious harvest. Vast fields of wheat, oats, rye, and corn were submerged, and the water receded to leave them a desolate waste. Great suffering neces- sarily followed. The corn in the bottoms was especially luxuriant, and many persons were dependent upon the successful cultivation of that staple for a living. When it was destroyed their only resource for the necessities of life was the charity of the people.
No lives were lost in Ray county, but no other disaster, before nor since, has been so destructive of property.
April, 1881, will long be remembered as the month of another great and devastating overflow of the Missouri. The rise of 1881 was at an unusual time, being about six weeks earlier than the annual June rise.
In 1844 the tributaries to the Missouri were all greatly swollen, and, of course, helped to swell the vast volume of water. This was not the case in 1881, and accounts for the fact that in the latter year, above the mouth of the Kansas river, the volume of water was considerably greater than it was in 1844, and below that point much less.
As in the case of the two former rises mentioned, the bottom lands were all under water, and a great deal of damage done, but crops had not been planted. Very little preparation of the soil to receive the seed, had
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
been made, and as the flood began to recede after about three days, the land became dry in time to be plowed and cultivated in the usual way the ensuing season.
The bottom lands of Ray county are very seldom overflowed, and, in point of fertility and depth of soil cannot be excelled.
About twenty-seven years ago, Captain Thomas McGinnis forded the Missouri river, horseback, without getting wet, a short distance below Lexington and in sight of that town. The act was witnessed by about thirty persons, standing on the river bank. The water was very low, of course, lower perhaps than any person, now living, will remember to have seen it at any other time.
Captain McGinnis is doubtless the only man in this part of the state who ever forded the Missouri river, so low down as Lexington.
PETRIFIED STUMP.
On the premises of D. C. Noffsinger, of Tinney's Grove, is a petrified stump, found in 1858, northeast of Tinney's Grove, in section one, town- ship fifty-four, range twenty-six.
The stump is about two and a half feet in height, and perhaps three feet in diameter. The roots are not yet entirely petrified, and will weigh doubtless five hundred pounds. Every growth of the timber is plainly visible, as also are the marks of the axe, made in severing the trunk; and in places indications of the inside bark still remain.
The petrifaction is of a Whitish gray color, very hard and flinty, and will strike fire readily.
There was also found in 1847, on section fourteen, same township and range, portions of a petrified tree, in pieces from one foot to four feet in length, and about one foot in diameter. They are of the same color as the petrified stump, and are also very hard and flinty.
HOMICIDES.
In March, 1841, a man named Martin Adams was killed on Main street, in Richmond, near Darneal's store, at the southwest corner of the public square. He met his death at the hands of one Ben White. It was late in the afternoon, and White stood in the street holding his horse, pre- paratory to starting for his home at Elkhorn. Adams was hard by. Gentlemen remarked the wild and infuriated visage of White, and told the sheriff, Colonel Brown, who was standing near, that he had better arrest him. Whereupon, hearing the caution, White begged to be searched, declaring himself unarmed.
Some words of altercation then passed between White and Adams, when the former threw a rock at the latter, and immediately ran toward him, drawing, as he ran, a large butcher-knife from a scabbard, con-
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
cealed about his person, with which he stabbed Adams seventeen times, inflicting ghastly wounds and causing his death almost instantly.
The deed was committed in the presence of citizens, whom the homi- cide kept at bay, flourishing his weapon and threatening violence to any who should dare to approach him. He continued to stab the prostrate and helpless Adams, till a gentleman from the crowd struck him on the back of the neck with a large rock, at which he rose with all the rage of an infuriated demon, and demanded to know who struck him; no one responded. Brandishing his bloody weapon in the air, and uttering oaths and threats, he defied arrest, till the intrepid Alexander Harwood, who carried a sword-cane, stepped in front of him, with weapon drawn, and commanded him to surrender, or be pierced through and through. Then, for the first time, White seemed to realize the enormity of what he had done, and was seized by the passion of fear. Trembling in every muscle, the butcher-knife fell from his nerveless hands, and he quietly submitted to arrest.
White was a shoe maker and lived in Elkhorn; Adams was a farmer, residing in the neighborhood of that village. They had previously had a fight at Elkhorn, and in the breast of each rankled the spirit of revenge.
On the evening of the homicide, both men had been in Richmond throughout the day. Adams, it is said, followed after White, insisting that they should "fight it out," while the latter, professing a desire to avoid further difficulty, but really, it was believed, watching an opportu- nity to gain an advantage, told his pursuer to keep away from him, as he did not wish to " fight."
White was tried, condemned and hanged; and this was the last legal execution in Ray county.
James Robinson was killed in the streets of Richmond about the year 1844, by one William Balser. A quarrel arose in a crowd near where the Wasson House now stands, in which a rough, named Tanner, was the most conspicuous participant. He was, however, a notorious coward, and upon his refusal to fight, when a braver man than he, at last, offered him battle, the crowd gathered around and began jeering him; he then retreated, followed by the party, among whom were James Robinson and William Balser, the former preceding the latter in the pursuit. Balser, for what, or whether for any provocation is unknown, struck Robinson about the back of the head or neck, either with his fist or open hand; whereupon the latter turned upon his assailant, and, stabbing him but once in the abdomen, with a pocket-knife, inflicted a wound, which, in the course of the ensuing night, proved fatal. For this act, Robinson was sent to the penitentiary for ten years.
About the year 1855, a man named Wingo was a wagon-maker in
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
Richmond. Richard Allen, a worthy and respected farmer, who resided a few miles southeast of Richmond, was one day riding by the shop of Wingo, when the latter, with a double-barrelled shot-gun in his hand, stepped in the street in front of Allen and caused him to halt. Wingo told Allen he had been talking about him (Wingo)-slandering him-and commanded him to recant; but the latter denied the accusation, and Wingo discharged the contents of one barrel of his gun into the head of the defenseless Allen, making a horrible wound, of which he soon died. Wingo started to run, but had gone only a short distance when he was apprehended by a crowd of pursuing citizens. He was taken to jail, and confined till Judge Dunn called a special term of the circuit court for the purpose of trying him. On being brought into court, he was asked if he was ready for trial; he replied that he was not, and also refused to have any counsel, protesting that he needed none. The sheriff then started to return him to jail, and upon reaching the outer steps, was overpowered by a number of citizens, who, forcibly taking Wingo from him, threw a rope around his neck, and dragged him (part of the way over a newly macadamized street) on his face and hands, to a place a few hundred yards north of Colonel Child's present residence. There he was hanged by the neck to the limb of a tree. It was thought by some, however, that life was extinct before he was hung up.
Wingo's body remained dangling in the air till the next morning, when it was taken down and buried. He was a very quarrelsome, desperate, and dangerous man, and the community. was well rid of him.
In connection with Wingo's seizure by the citizens, the following ludic- rous incident occurred:
Old man Woolard was a man whom everybody liked, though he had been somewhat wicked, but he had recently joined the Presbyterian Church, and his friends observed, with much satisfaction, that he had completely reformed. Wingo was to Mr. Woolard a source of great annoyance, having frequently threatened his life, and otherwise caused him considerable trepidation; in fact, kept him in constant dread. Com- ing up just as the party were in the act of dragging the culprit from the court house yard, the old man exclaimed in a loud but trembling voice: " Boys, if I must swear, hang him, - - him, hang him !"
VERY UNGENTLEMANLY.
The first steamboat ascended the Missouri river as far as Council Bluffs, in September, 1819.
A crowd of curious countrymen, from various parts of our county, gathered at Old Bluffton, on a Sunday afternoon, to see the boat pass. Their horses were hitched near the river to limbs of trees and saplings. In due time the boat came along and paused at Old Bluffton. When
ยท
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
ready to start, the captain caused the whistle to be blown, at which every horse took fright, broke loose, and ran away. One irate old gentleman, whose bridle was broken to pieces, angrily exclaimed: "The captain of that boat is no gentleman! He's no gentleman! He's a grand scoundrel! There goes my critter with a brand new bridle that cost me two-and- thre'pence! He's no gentleman; if he had of been, he'd a called out to the people: 'Take care of your critters, men, take care of your critters! I'm about to blow my whistle!'"
" WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS, 'TIS FOLLY TO BE WISE."
The dearborn, a vehicle no longer known by that name, was a kind of light, four-wheeled carriage, generally covered with white canvas, and much used by emigrants at an early day; but there lived on "timber ridge," in this county, a pioneer family, none of whom had ever seen a dearborn, nor a ship either, though the mother fancied she knew how the latter looked, and described it to her daughter, a maiden in her teens. One day a dearborn, covered as above, came in sight of the girl who was in the yard, whereupon she ran into the house, exclaiming, "Oh, mother, mother, there's a ship! it's a comin' right here! it's a ship! it's a ship! look mother, it's a ship!"
VERY LIKELY.
Mr. James Hughes, a worthy and prominent citizen of Richmond, on one occasion, at an early day, was traveling across the county, probably on an errand of business, or, it may be of pleasure; at any rate, he desired to ascertain the hour, and for that purpose called at the house of a lady, who he happened to know had recently purchased a clock from a well-known peddler, at that time canvassing the county. Riding up to the fence, Mr. H. politely inquired-" What time is it madam?" Looking at the brand new clock, the lady quickly responded-" Well, I don't know 'xactly, mister, but it's some whar 'twixt .the " strikin's."
STATISTICAL.
At the January term, 1822, of the county court, John Harris, sheriff of Ray county, settled with the court as follows: DR. CR.
To amount of fine imposed on Love Snowden by circuit
court at its October term, 1821 . $10.00 $ By amount of his account rendered 13.15
Balance in favor of sheriff,. $ 3.15 Amount of county tax collected in 1822, by John Scott, collector, $52.88 William Downey, for assessing the county of Ray in 1823, received . $36.00
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
.
Amount of state and county revenue collected in Ray county, for the year 1823. $120.05
County tax collected for the year 1827 $172.00
November, 1829, William S. Miller, for erecting jail in town of Richmond, received $378.00
Tax collected in Ray county for the year 1828
$276.30
State and county tax collected in Ray county, for the year 1833.$708.05} Amount paid for erecting brick court house, in the town of Richmond, in 1833, $3,350.00
WEALTH.
Valuation of the county per census of 1870 $10,000,000.00
Taxation, 1876-total tax $1.30 per $100.
Taxation, 90 cents per $100; school tax, 40 cents per $100.
.INDEBTEDNESS.
Railroad debt .. $200,000.00
Interest on railroad debt. 48,288.00
Bonded debt, exclusive of railroad debt. 23,101.38
RAIRLOADS.
Twenty-five miles of track of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific rail- road passes through the southern part of the county, traversing southeast part of township fifty-two, and northwest corner of township fifty-one, range twenty-six; and township fifty-one, of ranges twenty-seven, twenty- eight and twenty-nine.
Twenty-eight miles of track of the St. Joseph branch of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railroad, passes diagonally across the county, from southeast to northwest, traversing townships fifty-one, fifty-two and fifty- three, of ranges twenty-seven, twenty-eight and twenty-nine.
LIVE STOCK.
The number of live-stock in Ray county, in 1876, according to the state census of that year was:
Horses
7,893
Mules 3,018
Jacks.
45
Jennets
67
Cattle .
. 16,400
Sheep .
11,103
Hogs
43,935
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
PRODUCTS.
1876-Bushels of wheat 166,339
Bushels of corn
2,164,366
Bushels of oats. 40,430
Bushels of barley
1,293
Bushels of rye ..
28,802
Pounds of tobacco 520,896
Pounds of wool.
24,856
Pounds of sugar
3,715
Tons of hay.
16,913
Tons of hemp ..
137
Gallons of whisky
J.
100
Gallons of wine. 800
Gallons of molasses
46,354
ABSTRACT OF ASSESSMENT RETURNS
of Ray county, for the year 1878, of 1879 taxes, as fixed by state board of equalization :
LANDS-
Number of acres
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