USA > Missouri > Saline County > History of Saline County, Missouri > Part 23
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The father and son were invited into the habitation of a worthy gen- tleman to rest and refresh themselves. While recounting their perils, at the breakfast table, the lady who was administering coffee, inquired of the shipwrecked legislator, if his little son had not been greatly alarmed. The " Painter " of the circle-striped-tail variety, replied :
" No, madam. I'm a raal Ring-Tailed Painter, and I feed all my chil- dren on rattlesnakes' hearts fried in ' painter's' grease. There are a heap of people that I would not wear mournin' for if they was to die; but your husband, marm, hez a heart ez big ez a court house. When we wuz a floatin' bottom uppermost (an unpleasant predicament for the people's rep- resentative) past Hardeman's garden, we raised the yell like a team of bear dogs on a wild cat's track, and the black rascals on shore, instead of comin' out to help us, stood thar and grinned as if they had ketched a fat buck 'possum. Now, marm, I wish God Almighty's yearthquakes would sink Hardeman's d -- d old plantation-beggin' your pardon for swearin', marm.
" I spose you wouldn't like me to spit on this kiver-lid you've spread on the floor to keep it clean; I'll go to the door; out in Saline we don't mind puttin' anything over our puncheon floors. The river, marm, I find, is no respecter of persons; for, notwithstanding I am the people's represen- tative, I was cast away with as little ceremony as a stray dog would be turned out of a city church; and upon this principle of democratic liberty and equailty, I told McNair, when I collared him and backed him out of the rumpus at the capital, when he was likely to spile the prettiest kind of
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a fight. 'A governor,' sez I, 'is no more in a fight than any other man.' I slept with Mac once, just to have it to say to my friends in Saline, that I had slept with the governor."
About the year 1830, "the Ring-tailed Painter" removed to Texas, took part in her war for independence, and at its close was chosen a mem- ber of the council of the then republic, on the strength of his legislative experience in Missouri.
HISTORY FROM 1820 TO THE BLACKHAWK WAR.
In 1822 occurred an event which was long remembered by the citizens. This was the first murder ever perpetrated in the county. The circum- stances were as follows:
The time of the tragedy was August 12th, of the year named. The locality was at the ford of Cow creek, at the lower edge of the grove, on the Lexington road. There stood a large elm tree on the spot, and under it, lay down to sleep, on the evening in question, an old Frenchman, named Jean Estelquay, alias Jean Sterkey, alias John Starkey. He had been a soldier in the war of the revolution, and had been granted a pension. He lived in Lafayette, or some other of the western counties, and had made a journey on foot to Booneville, the government agency, to procure his pen sion money.
A scoundrel, named Andrew Turpin, described as a villainous-looking fellow, with his nose pierced like an Indian (he had probably belonged to an Indian tribe at one time), also a Frenchman, was in Booneville, saw the old veteran get his money, and followed him all day, seeking an oppor- tunity to kill and rob him. This opportunity presented itself when the old soldier lay down to pass the night under the famous big elm. Turpin had no weapons, and so he fashioned a lance, or spear, and with this killed the unfortunate Starkey, as he lay with his blanket around him, uncon- scious of any danger whatsoever. After robbing his victim, Turpin fled. The next day the body was found by some travelers, on their way east from Lexington. An inquest, conducted by Esquire Bartholo- mew Gwinn, was held, and the body buried at the foot of the big elm.
Turpin was apprehended, and at the next term of the circuit court (in November), was indicted for murder. He was confined in an out-build- ing, at Jefferson, and one night in December, pretended to have frozen his feet very badly. The sheriff thereupon allowed him a good many liber- ties, and he was not slow to avail himself of his advantages, and soon made his escape. He was afterward heard of in Ray county, and a capias was sent up to the sheriff of that county, but that official failed to arrest him, and soon after he went west, and, it is said, joined a band of Indians.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
The courts took what seems now to be very singular action in this case. The following extract from the records of the circuit court, November term, 1824, will fully explain:
SATURDAY, Nov. 20, 1824.
The Court met pursuant to adjournment. Present, the Hon. David Todd, Judge.
THE STATE OF MISSOURI,
VS. -
ANDREW TURPIN, Defendant.
This day came the prosecuting attorney for the state and it appearing to the court here that at the circuit court held for the county of Saline at the November term, 1822, an indictment was found by the grand jury of said county against the defendant, that he did, on the 12th day of August, 1822, murder John Starkey, in said county, and that the said Andrew Turpin was in custody to answer the same and escaped before his trial thereon; and that by the court of Saline circuit a capias was awarded to the sheriff of said county where the fact was committed, and the said defendant being supposed to be in Ray county, a capias was awarded to said county of Ray and was delivered to said sheriff two months before the return day of the writ, and that upon both said writs the sheriff's of both counties returned that the said defendant was not found in said counties; and that a court held for Saline circuit at the July term, 1824, did award a second writ of capias directed to said county and to the sheriff thereof, and that, therefore, at the return day thereof at this term the said sheriff hath returned that the said defendant is not found in his bailiwick, and that he did cause a copy of the said writ of capias to be published in the Missouri Intelligencer, a newspaper printed at Franklin, in said State; and further that the sheriff did cause public proclamation to be made at three several days in the circuit court of Saline county between the test and the return day of said writ; that the said Andrew Tur- pin should appear before the said circuit court of Saline county on the third day of the present term, being the return day of said writ, to answer the indictment or to prosecute his traverse thereof, or else that through default he should at this day be outlawed and stand convicted of the murder of which he stands indicted; and now, on this third day of the present term, the said Andrew Turpin, being solemnly called, did not yield himself to the sheriff of this county, or to this court, or stand histrial for the said murder- the court on consideration thereof, doth order, declare, and pronounce him, the said Andrew Turpin, outlawed and convicted of the crime of murder upon the body of him, the said John Starkey, alias Jean Sterkey, alias Jean Estelquay, and do declare and pronounce the said Andrew Turpin therefor shall be hung by the neck until he be dead."
It seems strange, it may be repeated, that a judge of the reputed ability of David Todd, a candidate for governor, member of congress, etc., should sentence a man to death without trial, without being confronted with the witnesses against him, without any of the rights vouchsafed to criminals, but it seems he did so, and it is said he had law for so doing.
Some time after the murder and burial of poor Starkley a laughable incident occurred under the same big elm. Another Frenchman, travel-
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
ing alone, overtaken by night, lay down to sleep just where his fellow- countryman had laid down and taken his last long sleep two years before. The last traveler was unconscious of what had happened, however, and slept serenely. The locality was said to be haunted, and the superstitious people of the neighborhood regarded it with something of dread and fear. A horseman living in the neighborhood came riding along. His horse, frightened at the object prone on the ground, started back in alarm. The Frenchman was awakened by the noise made by the horse, and started up with his blanket around him, and hailing the horseman in broken Eng- lish, or, perhaps, broken French, began making certain inquiries. This was enough for the horseman. He turned his horse about and hastily galloped away. Stopping at the first house he came to, he told the inmates that he had seen the ghost of John Starkey, the murdered Frenchman. "I am sure of it," he asserted, "for he stood up, with his shroud around him, and spoke to me in broken French."
The county now began to assume, in many parts, a civilized aspect. Farms were plenty, comparatively speaking, and the two or three little towns in the county were doing considerable business, and thriving gen- erally. Steamboats ascended the river and landed at the Saline county ports, and communication with the outside world was frequent and of importance.
The first steamboat that passed up the Missouri was the Independent, which made a voyage from St. Louis to old Chariton, above the mouth of the Chariton river, or two miles above where Glasgow now stands, in May, 1819; in June of the same year, Major Long, of the U. S. army, passed up the river with a boat called the Western Engincer, which, in connection with two other boats, was bound on an exploring expedition. This boat was very oddly constructed. From the prow projected an image of a serpent's head, painted black, with a red mouth and a tongue the color of a live coal. The steam exhausted from the mouth of this ser- pent and produced a queer effect. Some Indians who were at the Arrow Rock when the boat passed that point, gazed upon the seeming monster with astonishment. A band of them followed it from Arrow Rock to Miami bottom, expecting it to " give out," they said, pretty soon, for it was so short of breath, and panted so! This boat was a side-wheeler, and as a means of exploration, proved a success. She was the first boat to ascend the upper Missouri.
A very few of the pioneers of Saline are now living who remember this event; but a few years since, when Mr. Letcher made his tour of the county, there were several. It was something remarkable, and long made an impression.
The most remarkable event of the year 1824 was the presidential elec- tion. This was the first election of the kind in which the county was to
6
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
take a part. The candidates were Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee; Henry Clay, of Kentucky; Wm. H. Crawford, of Georgia; and John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts. Henry Clay carried the county by a majority over all the other candidates. There were a number of Kentuckians, and Tennesseeans then in the county, and they, in the parlance of politics, did " good work " for him. The following were the election places in this county and the judges of election:
Arrow Rock Township-At Jones' mill. Judges, Wm. Cooper, Asa Findley, Joseph Huston.
Jefferson Township-At John McMahan's, in Jefferson. Judges, Bar- tholomew Gwinn, Wm. M. Chick, and Wm. Wolfskill.
Miami Township-At the house of George Davis. Judges, Notley Thomas, George Davis, and Wm. McMahan.
This election was held under the act of Dec. 17, 1822, and the proclama- tion of the governor, John Miller, and came off in August. Doubts hav- ing arisen as to the legality of the election, the legislature chose the three electors of the state on the 20th of November, 1824.
The result of this election, as is known, not being satisfactory to the friends'of Gen. Jackson, he was placed in nomination four years thereafter. John Quincy Adams was chosen president by the house of representatives, into which body the election was thrown, his election being obtained by an alliance with the friends of Henry Clay. Upon Mr. Adams' elevation to the presidency, he appointed Mr. Clay his secretary of state. Immedi- ately the cry arose and the charge was made that there had been a " bar- gain and sale" between the Adams and Clay factions, by the terms of which the former had been made president, and Mr. Clay the premier of the government. This charge continued to be made against the great Clay until his death, which latter event occurred in May, 1852.
In 1825 the legislature changed the boundaries of the county to their present form-given elsewhere.
In May, 1826, occurred the " big rise " in the Missouri, which proved so disastrous to the early settlements in the bottom. The flood was caused by the melting of snows in the mountains and local streams. Cox's bot- tom and the Big bottom were overflowed to such an extent that the settlers were driven back to the highlands, and much of their property destroyed, and considerable of their live stock drowned. For further account of this flood the reader is referred to the account of the settlement of the bottoms. Although the " big rise " occasioned some temporary discomfort and even distress, it was a blessing in disguise to the county, since it caused settle- ments to be made away from the malaria-infected bottoms and out upon the fertile prairies, and thus led to the development of the best part of the county.
Some of the settlers that were driven out never went back. They went 14
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
into camp at first on the highlands with their families; afterward they built temporary cabins, which became permanent upon mature reflection of their builders, who opened farms adjoining.
There are conflicting statements as to the result of this overflow. Some old settlers have stated that there was a great deal of sickness in conse- quence; others (Esq. Ish, now living, among the number), say that no unusual amount of sickness followed. The bottoms were covered with water for about ten days.
The presidential contest of 1828 was between Gen. Jackson and Mr. Adams. Gen. Jackson carried Saline county and the state of Missouri, the latter by a majority of 4,872 in a total vote of 11,672, and was elected. John Miller, an Adams man, was elected governor of the state without opposition. Dr. Sappington, Peyton Nowlin, and others were the leaders of the Jackson party in this county. The election was held as follows:
Black Water Township-At the house of Jesse Swope. Judges, Reu- ben E. Gentry, Jesse Swope and Solomon Reavis.
Arrow Rock Township-At Jones' Mill, on Salt Fork. Judges, Dr. John Sappington, Joseph Robinson and Wyatt Bingham.
Jefferson Township-At Jefferson. Judges, Thomas Shackelford, Able Garrett, Sr., and Jacob Ish.
Miami Township-At the house of Geo. Davis. Judges, Wm. McMa- han, Chas. Davis and Samuel McReynolds.
In 1831, the county seat was removed from Jefferson to Jonesboro. . The first term of the circuit court was held here on the 27th day of June. Hon. John F. Ryland was now the judge, in place of David Todd; Amos Rice, circuit attorney; Benj. Chambers, clerk. It is reported that this court was held in a stable-loft; that the horses were below, and among them was a venerable, strong-lunged Kentucky jack. The lawyers were wrangling over some law points, when the long-eared animal below lifted up its voice and cried aloud, with exceeding vehemence. "Mr. Sheriff," said Judge Ryland, " go down there and make that fellow keep still, so as to give these other jackasses a chance to be heard!"
Some men are yet living who assert that this incident actually happened, as here recorded. It is further stated that the animal so vigorously and frequently exercised his gift of speech, as it were, and interrupted the proceedings of the court to such an extent that the sheriff took him out and confined him in an out-building, which was afterward wanted as a jury room, necessitating the removal of the donkey to the woods.
The next year a case was begun in the circuit court, which lasted two years, and was one of much celebrity in those days. It was the case of the "State of Missouri vs. Jim, a Slave," on an indictment for murder. The case was tried in Saline county four times, before Judge Ryland, the jury each time failing to agree. Jim belonged to Judge Todd, who at last
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
came again upon the bench, succeeding Ryland. At the first term of the court held by Todd, Jim presented a pardon from the governor for his offense, but his honor refused to act upon the case in any manner what- ever, because of his relation to the prisoner, and sent it to Lafayette, where Jim was discharged.
The presidential contest of this year excited some interest in Saline county-not as much, however, if it had not been the year of the Black Hawk war. Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren were the candidates of the democratic party; Henry Clay and John Sergeant, of Pennsylvania, were the. whig candidates; and the anti-masonic party had for its nomi- nees Wm. Wirt, of Virginia, and Amos Ellnaker, of Pennsylvania. The result of the election in the United States was that Gen. Jackson was elec- ted by an overwhelming majority of the electoral college. Henry Clay received but 49 electoral votes Vermont chose anti-masonic electors, while Souh Carolina, then pouting over what she imagined were grievous injuries received at the hands of Old Hickory, and never liking Clay, cast her vote for two men not candidates-John Floyd, of Virginia, and Henry Lee, of Massachusetts. In this election, Saline county voted for Clay and Ser- geant.
The winter of 1830-31 was long remembered as the cold winter. The temperature was unusually low, and there was a great snow storm, phe- nomenal as to magnitude and extraordinary as to character for this lati- tude and locality. Snow began to fall on Christmas day, and fell continu- ously until New Years. It reached the extraordinary depth of four feet on an average, and in many cases well authenticated statements are to the effect that it drifted up to the roof of the cabins. The snow did not dis- appear until in March. The wind continued in the north and northwest for six weeks, never shifting or ceasing for a moment during that time. On the 13th of February, at noon, there was a total eclipse of the sun, and imme- diately thereafter a gradual thaw set in, which lasted until the snow melted away. The weather was intensely cold, from January until the time of the eclipse. Game of every kind perished in the woods, as did the stock of the settlers that was not well cared for. It is said that the settlers even kept their dogs in the house to prevent them from destroying the famishing and half frozen game.
Snow covered everything. The wells and springs were inaccessible, and the people melted snow and used snow-water exclusively, for many days. There was but little, if any, communication with the outside world, and many roads remained unbroken for weeks. It was with the greatest difficulty that Dr. Sappington and the other physicians of the county made their visits to the bedsides of their patients.
In 1832, the county was visited by that dreaded pestilence, the Asiatic cholera. While its victims were but few, it caused very great alarm. It
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
visited Arrow Rock, Jefferson, and there were a few cases in the interior of the county. The number of deaths in the county was about six. It was very destructive in St. Louis and other towns in the state.
In May, of this year, a party of distinguished personages passed through the county on its way to the far west. The party was com- posed of Washingion Irving, Gov. Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut, a French count, and other individuals of greater or less renown. Wash- ington Irving and the French count stopped at the house of John M. Lewis, in Grand Pass township, for breakfast. Mrs. Mary J. Lewis, relict of Mr. Lewis, remembers that Irving was so charmed with the appearance of the country that he could scarcely contain himself. He admired the beautiful landscape spread out before him, and expressed his admiration in his choicest language. After breakfast the count went out on the prairie to take a shot at a herd of deer that had been discovered. While out he lost his handkerchief, which was afterwards found, and which is described by Mrs. Lewis as being a yard square, made of twilled silk, with a red and white striped border, an eighth of an inch wide, the center being of a cherry color. (Trust a woman to remember such things!)
Irving, Geo. Ellsworth and others of the party, stayed that night at Mr. Wm. Miller's, in Grand Pass township, in company with Rev. Mr. Spratt a Methodist preacher then on that circuit. The party remained in this county for some days, engaged in hunting and other diversions, and then proceeded to Ft. Leavenworth and even further westward, among the wild Indian tribes. Every one who has read Irving's description of the capture of the wild horse as given in the school readers, is reminded that it was written on this trip of the author. 1
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
In the year 1832, the people of Saline county, and indeed a great part of Missouri, became much excited over the then prevailing Black Hawk war. A full account of this war may not be void of interest.
The scene of the struggle, as is well known, was in Wisconsin, and began in 1830. Its immediate cause was the occupation of Black Hawk's village, on Rock river, by the whites, during the absence of the chief and his braves on a hunting expedition, on the west side of the Mississippi. When they returned, they found their wigwams occupied by white fami- . lies, and their own women and children were shelterless on the banks of the river. The Indians were indignant, and determined to repossess their ! village at all hazards, and early in the spring of 1831 recrossed the Mis- sissippi and menacingly took possession of their own cornfields and cabins,
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
It may be well to remark here that it was expressly stipulated in the treaty of 1804, to which they attributed all their troubles, that the Indians should not be obliged to leave their lands until they were sold by the United States, and it does not appear that they occupied any lands other than those owned by the government. If this was true, the Indians had good cause for indignation and complaint. But the whites, driven out in turn by the returning Indians, became so clamorous against what they termed the encroachments of the natives, that Gov. Reynolds, of Illinois, ordered Gen. Gaines to Rock Island with a military force to drive the Indians again from their homes to the west side of the Mississippi. Black Hawk says he did not intend to be provoked into war by anything less than the blood of some of his own people; in other words, that there would be no war unless it should be commenced by the pale-faces. But it was said, and probably thought by the military commanders along the frontier, that the Indians intended to unite in a general war against the whites, from Rock river to the Mexican borders. But it does not appear that the hardy fron- tiersmen themselves had any fears, for their experience had been that, when well treated, their Indian neighbors were not dangerous. Black Hawk and his band had done no more than to attempt to repossess the old homes of which they had been deprived in their absence. No blood had been shed. Black Hawk and his chiefs sent a flag of truce, and a new treaty was made, by which Black Hawk and his band agreed to remain forever on the Iowa side and never recross the river without the permission of the president or the governor of Illinois. Whether the Indians clearly understood the terms of this treaty is uncertain. As was usual, the Indian traders had dictated terms on their behalf, and they had received a large amount of provisions, etc., from the government, but it may well be doubted whether the Indians comprehended that they could never revisit the graves of their fathers without violating their treaty. They undoubtedly thought that they had agreed never to recross the Mississippi with hostile intent. However this may be, on the 6th day of April, 1832, Black Hawk and his entire band, with their women and chil- dren, again recrossed the Mississippi in plain view of the garrison of Fort Armstrong, and went up Rock river. Although this act was construed into an act of hostility by the military authorities, who declared that Black Hawk intended to recover his village, or the site where it stood, by force, it does not appear that he made any such attempt, nor did his appear- ance create any special alarm among the settlers. They knew that the Indians never went on the war path encumbered with the old men, their women and their children.
The Galenian, printed in Galena, of May 2, 1832, says that Black Hawk was invited by the Prophet, and had taken possession of a tract about forty miles up Rock river; but that he did not remain there long, but
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
commenced his march up Rock river. Capt. W. B. Green, who served in Capt. Stephenson's company of mounted rangers, says that "Black Hawk and his band crossed the river with no hostile intent, but that his band had had bad luck in hunting during the previous winter, were actu- ally in a starving condition, and had come over to spend the summer with a friendly tribe on the head waters of the Rock and Illinois rivers, by invitation from their chief." Other old settlers, who all agree that Black Hawk had no idea of fighting, say that he came back to the west side expecting to negotiate another treaty, and get a new supply of provisions. The most reasonable explanation of this movement, which resulted so disastrously to Black Hawk and his starving people, is that during the fall and winter of 1831-2, his people became deeply indebted to their favorite trader at Fort Armstrong (Rock Island). They had not been fortunate in hunting, and he was likely to lose heavily, as an Indian debt was outlawed in one year. If, therefore, the Indians could be induced to come over, and the fears of the military could be sufficiently aroused to pursue them, another treaty could be negotiated, and from the payments from the government the shrewd trader could get his pay. Just a week after Black Hawk crossed the river, on the 13th of April, 1832, George Davenport wrote to Gen. Atkinson: "I am informed that the British band of Sac Indians are determined to make war on the frontier settle- ments. * *
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