USA > Missouri > Saline County > History of Saline County, Missouri > Part 26
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"Ordered, That William S. Edwards be appointed constable 'of the township of Arrow Rock, by complying with the law.
"Ordered, That Daniel McDowell be appointed constable of Miami township, by complying with the law.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
"Ordered, That court adjourn till the next court in course."
Signed, BARTHO. GWINN, GEORGE TENNILLE.
FIRST DIVISION OF THE COUNTY INTO TOWNSHIPS.
SALINE COUNTY COURT, Monday, February 25, 1822.
Ordered, That the county be divided into three townships, to-wit:
The Arrow Rock-To commence on the bank of the Missouri river, on the line between 50 and 51, thence west with said line to the western boun- dary of the county, and shall include all south of said line.
The Township of Jefferson-To be bounded by the said line as far west as townships 50 and 51, between ranges 20 and 21, thence north to the Missouri river; and
The Township of Miami-To be bounded by the ranges 20 and 21 and townships 50 and 51, to the western boundary of the county, and with said western boundary to the Missouri river.
THE FIRST INQUEST.
The first inquest held in the county was on the body of Ann Odle, or Odell, who was drowned either in the Missouri river or in Blackwater, in the summer of 1822. The papers in the case cannot be found. The only record in existence which refers to it is the journal of the county court, which (p. 9) says:
Ordered, That James Warren be allowed three dollars and twenty- five cents for summoning an inquest and witnesses on the body of Ann Odle, deceased.
FORMATION OF MARION TOWNSHIP.
May Term, Saline County Court, A. D. 1835 :
On the petition of a number of the citizens of Jefferson township, pray- ing this honorable court to divide the same, the prayer of the petitioners, on mature deliberation, is granted, to be bounded as follow, (to-wit): Beginning at the mouth of Bear creek, thence with the meanders of said creek to the intersection of the north line of section thirty-one, in township fifty-two, and range nineteen, thence with said line of sections to where it intersects the range line between twenty and twenty-one, thence south with said line to the Arrow Rock township line, all east of said line to be called Marion township, which is ordered to be certified to the secretary of state.
August Term, 1837:
This day was presented the petition of John McMahan and other citi- zens of Jefferson and Marion townships, praying that the said townships may again be reunited, and compose but one township. But the court, after mature deliberation, do order and decree that the prayer of the said petition be, and the same is-hereby rejected.
FIRST CONTRACT WITH SCHOOL TEACHER RECORDED.
August Term, 1837:
This day came William A. Gwinn, Peter Huff and Isaiah Huff, trustees of the third division of Jefferson school district, and made their report, showing the number of children entitled to the benefit of the school fund
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
in said division; which report is received, and is in the following words, to-wit: Wednesday, August 9th, 1837. We, the trustees of the third district of the Jefferson school district, pursuant to an agreement, met, and chose Peter Huff chairman, and proceeded to business, and in the exer- cise of our duty, chose John W. McMahan to teach a school for the term of six months, to commence the 11th day of this inst., in consideration of which we bind ourselves to pay, or cause to be paid, unto the said McMa- han the sum of one hundred and ten dollars, lawful money, at the expira- tion of said term, in consideration of which said McMahan obligates him- self to teach orthography, reading, writing, common arithmetic, English grammar and geography, to the best of his skill. The number of children is as follows, viz: W. A. Gwinn 3, E. Gwinn 2, P. Huff 5, Isaiah Huff 5, J. Copeland 1, Jno. Copeland 6, E. Copeland 4, amounting in all to 26 scholars.
August Term, 1837:
On the petition of the inhabitants of Miami township praying the division of said township, it is ordered the same be divided in following manner, to-wit: Beginning on Missouri river at the township line between 52 and 51 and running east with said township line till it meets the range of 20, and thence north with said range line to the Missouri, and thence up said river to the place of beginning, and that the same be known by the name of Greenville township, and that the place of holding elections in said township be Greenville, and that the same be certified to the secretary of state.
INCIDENTS OF EARLY HISTORY.
It is much to be regretted that very many incidents of the early history of Saline county, which have been collected and prepared for publication, must be omitted from this history. These incidents are, however, not of superior importance, and if given would add but little to the real value of the work. They are mostly of a personal nature, and relate to the char- acter of the pioneers of early days, and the times in which they lived.
Adventures of hunters; descriptions of general and battalion musters, with incidents connected therewith; sketches of some of the early inhab- itants, etc., comprise these omitted incidents.
It has been thought best to deal with many things of to-day, to speak of the people of Saline county now living, as well as those who have lived; to describe the country as it now is as well as it once was, and this will make the volume as large as it ought to be.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
HISTORY FROM 1840 TO THE MEXICAN WAR.
The presidential campaign of 1840 was the principal event of that year in Saline county, in the state, and in fact even in the United States. The whig party, then for the first time formidable in the country, re-nominated Gen. Harrison as its candidate for president, with John Tyler of Virginia, for vice-president. The democrats renominated Van Buren and John- son. The canvass excited more interest than any other that had ever taken place in the history of the Union. There had been a great strin- gency in the money market and other financial distresses occasioning hard times throughout the country. Many workingmen were either out of employment or at work for very low wages; prices of produce had fallen to insignificant figures and there was general discontent with the situation. Many people attributed the condition of affairs to the administration of Mr. Van Buren and the democratic party. The whigs took advantage of the situation, and conducted their campaign with unexampled ardor and enthusiasm-and, as the result showed, with effect. Mass conven- tions of immense numbers of people were held, becoming political camp meetings in many instances, and remaining in session three or four days. The object of both parties seemed to be to carry the election by music, banners, processions, and stump oratory.
Gen. Harrison, at the time of his candidacy, was clerk of the courts of Hamilton county, Ohio, and lived in a house having one apartment, built of logs. A democratic editor visiting the place observed that in addition to the humble style of the general's dwelling, there was nailed upon the outer walls of the log kitchen a raccoon skin, in process of curing. Returning home he commented very facetiously upon these things, sneer- ing at a party whose candidate for the exalted office of president lived in a log cabin ornamented with 'coon skins and knew no better beverage than hard cider. Immediately the whigs took up the statement of the editor and reasserted them as facts of which they were greatly, and as they claimed, justly proud. The contest was thereafter known as the "Log Cabin, 'Coon Skin, and Hard Cider Campaign." Monster whig meetings were held all over the country, at which log cabins of all sizes, live 'coons, and veritable hard cider were displayed; processions were formed miles in length, containing every unique feature that could be conceived; cannons were fired, bells rung, and there were all sorts and kinds of fuss and fustian indulged in by the partisans of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too."
To counteract the influence of these meetings, and the party para- phernalia employed to captivate the masses, the democrats held their meetings also, many of which equalled, if they did not surpass, the efforts of the whigs. Invoking the name and the prestige of Gen. Jackson
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
("Old Hickory"), who ardently supported Mr. Van Buren, they adopted hickory boughs and the chicken-cock as their party emblems, and defi- antly waved the former, and caused the latter to exultingly crow in the faces of their opponents.
The whigs and democrats of Missouri caught the prevailing spirit, and conducted the canvass in this state accordingly. The state was wild with excitement, and many are the incidents yet remembered by the old set- tlers of the campaign of 1840. The largest meeting in the state was held by the whigs, at Rocheport, in June, lasting three days and nights. Many whigs from Saline and Lafayette attended this meeting. Among the speakers were Fletcher Webster, son of Daniel Webster, Gen. A. W. Doniphan, Abiel Leonard, James S. Rollins, and Geo. C. Bingham, of this county.
In Saline county, for the first time in its history, the canvass was very exciting. One of its best and most prominent citizens, Hon. M. M. Mar- maduke, was the democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor. He and his friends made extraordinary exertions to carry the county. Demo- cratic meetings were held in various parts of the county-at Arrow Rock, at Marshall, at Miami, at Old Jefferson, and at other points. Claiborne F. Jackson, Gov. Marmaduke, and other prominent democrats had charge of the canvass. The democratic candidate for governor, Thomas Rey- nolds, made one speech in this county, at Marshall. The whigs were equally as active and determined as the democrats. They had the advan- tage of the majority of the voters of the county, and they permitted no proselytes to be made, if they could possibly help it. Their organization was very complete, and their managers very effective. They carried the county by the following vote:
Harrison and Tyler. 375
Van Buren and Johnson 322
Majority for the whigs. 53
At the previous presidential election the regular democratic candidate had carried the county by a plurality of 43.
The democrats carried the state, however-the gubernatorial ticket by 7,413 majority, the presidential by 6,788.
September 21, of this year, the first term of the county court in Mar- shall, the new county seat, was held. Gilmore Hays and W. A. Wilson were present as justices; Jno. A. Trigg was clerk; Robt. Field, sheriff.
On the morning of the 9th of February, 1844, Gov. Thomas Reynolds committed suicide in his room in the executive mansion, at Jefferson City, by shooting himself in the head with a rifle. Upon his death Lieut .- Gov. Marmaduke became governor. His administration was short, compara- tively, but it was a verv acceptable one to all parties. Upon the assem-
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
bling of the legislature, November 19th, he sent in his first and only annual message. In this paper, among other things, he congratulated the people that all the depreciated and worthless paper of the state had ceased to circulate, and in its place could then be seen a fair proportion of gold and silver, "the only true representatives of value." He announced himself heartily in favor of the annexation of the republic of Texas; recom- mended a memorial to congress asking for a donation to the state of a large tract of country in the southeastern part of the state known as "the big swamp," to be in turn donated to the counties on their agreeing to drain and reclaim it; urged the building of a state lunatic asylum, and assistance for the support of the state university at Columbus. Gov. M. was always a warm friend of the latter named institution.
In June of this year occurred the memorable rise in the Missouri, known as "the big flood of '44." The season was unusually wet and floody. All the streams in the west were high, and floods and overflows were general. The cause of the phenomenal rise in the Missouri was the extraordinary freshets in the Kaw or Kansas river, added to the usual "June rise " (unusual this year), and some heavy local rains. But it was. the Kansas that did by far the greatest damage. Judge Ransom, of Kan- sas City, an old settler, says that the rise in the Kansas was caused by heavy rains along the Republican and Smoky Hill forks and other tribu- taries of the river in Kansas. The depth of fall of the Kansas at Kansas City, where it empties into the Missouri is much greater than that of the Missouri at that point. Discharging great volumes of water day and night the Kansas cut square across the Big Muddy and broke in huge breakers on the banks on the opposite side and at last over into the Clay county bottoms, doing great damage. The weather was very peculiar. It rained a veritable "forty days and forty nights." Every evening out of a clear sky just as the sun went down there arose a dark, ominous looking cloud in the northwest. Flashes of lightning and the heaviest thunder followed, and about ten o'clock the rain would begin to
fall in torrents. The bridges were nearly all washed away. The next day the sun would rise clear and beautiful, and not a cloud would fleck the sky as a reminder of the disturbed elements of the night.
The bottoms in Saline county were all overflown, and the citizens were forced to leave them and retreat to the higher lands. This rise far exceeded that of 1826-some of the old settlers say by ten feet. Crowds of people gathered on the shores to view the sights presented upon the broad bosom of the mighty river. Houses and wrecks of various other kinds of building floated along; dead animals were common; there were haystacks, or remnants of them, as well as corn-shocks; while rails, boards, timbers, and even household furniture made up the debris. One instance is related, where there was borne upon the current the roof of a stable,
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
upon which were a number of chickens, alive and doing as well as could be expected. One old cock stood bravely up and crew lustily, and even defiantly, as if he were master of the situation after all. A large, compact strawstack is said to have gone down, on which were a crew of good- sized hogs, some of which were rooting away, indifferent to their sur- roundings, others were gazing at the prospects, tranquilly and unalarmed, while others lay basking in the sun.
During the flood the house of M. Hutton, on the bottom, in the north- western part of the county, was the only one in all the neighborhood not reached and injured by the water. His lot kept dry, and a man slept on the place to take care of the stock, every head of which was saved. The water attained a depth of two feet over land half a mile from the river proper in many instances, as on the farm of Wm. S. Renick. At the point of the bluffs, in the northeast part of the county, where the Glas- gow and Lexington road leaves the bottom, the water was twenty-two feet deep. The average depth on the bottom was from four to six feet, and at Cambridge, according to Mr. R. C. Land, the river was from eight to ten miles wide.
In the presidential election of this year James K. Polk, of Tennessee, . and George M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, were the democratic candidates, and Henry Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey, the nom- inees of the whigs. The " Kentucky whigs," as a certain class of mem- bers of that party were denominated by the democrats, rallied to a man for their standard bearer, whom many of them followed with a devotion heroic in its character and faithful to the last. The result in this county was that the whigs were triumphant by the following vote:
Clay and Frelinghuysen.
Polk and Dallas. 446
591
Majority for the whigs. 145
The democrats carried the state, however, by a vote of 41,369 for Polk, and 31,251 for Clay.
THE MEXICAN WAR.
In 1846, the war between the United States and Mexico broke out. The annexation of Texas being the alleged cause of the declaration of war by Mexico against the United States in April, and the attack on American soldiers by Mexicans the ground of the declaration of war on the part of the United States shortly afterward .* As in all other wars through which Saline county had passed since her organization, she bore her full part in this.
At this time the army, under Gen. Taylor, in what is now southwest- ern Texas, was in a perilous situation, and Gen. Gaines, then at New
*May 13, 1846.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
Orleans, being apprised of this fact, and believing any action of the authorities at Washington would be too late to afford relief, requested of the different states lying west of the Mississippi the aid of volunteers. Gov- ernor Edwards promptly responded. He called on Saline county for fifty men, rank and file. Gen. Geo. W. Lewis, commanding this division of the Missouri militia, appointed May 21 for the meeting of the inhabitants for the purpose of raising the number of men required, by voluntary enlistment if practicable, or by dratt if necessary. On the day so appointed more than the number required volunteered. A company was soon organized. John W. Reid was elected captain; Calvin J. Miller, first lieutenant; Thos. E. Staples, second lieutenant. At their own expense, the members of this company went down to St. Louis and reported to Col. Robt. Campbell for service, but were refused. The government had annulled the order of Gen. Gaines, and placed him under arrest for issu- ing it. Somewhat mortified, but not discouraged, at this unexpected turn of affairs, the Saline county men returned to their homes. They were joked at by their neighbors for a time, but all this soon passed away.
Under the act of congress, of the 13th of May, President Polk called on Governor Edwards for a regiment of volunteers, to join the "Army of the West," then under command of Col. Stephen W. Kearney, of the 1st U. S. dragoons, in an expedition against Sante Fe and other Mexican pos- sessions, in the territory belonging to Mexico, and known as New Mexico. Gov. Edwards in turn called on Saline county for a company of eighty men. The response was as prompt and hearty as could have been desired. The war drums were beaten, the bugles blown, the flag of the stars and stripes flung out to the breeze, and the best men of Saline county prepared to rally under its folds.
The citizens assembled at Marshall and a company of one hundred good men was soon raised. On the 30th of May, 1846, this company elected John W. Reid, captain by acclamation. For the office of first lieutenant, there were two candidates, C. J. Miller and S. E. Staples, but before the votes were half cast, Staples withdrew his name, and Miller was elected. On motion of the captain, it was decided that the succeed- ing officers should be elected by a pluralty vote. For second lieutenant, F. A. Boush, having received the highest number of votes, was declared elected. Four sergeants were then elected at one ballot-the one receiv- ing the highest number of votes being first sergeant-the next, second ser- geant; the next, third and the next, fourth sergeant. The corporals were also elected in the same way.
Thursday, June 4th, was then appointed for rendezvousing in Mar- shall , which day was occupied in appraising the horses and equipage, which equipage was afterward found to be useless.
On Friday morning, June 5, 1846, after receiving a handsome flag from
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
the ladies of Marshall, which the company promised to return unsullied or not at all, with many good-byes and stirring emotions, the company rode away, followed by the best wishes for success, and most fervent pray- ers for a safe return, by the concourse of people that had assembled to witness its departure. The company marched for Fort Leavenworth, to which point the regiment had been ordered to rendezvous.
Mr. M. B. Edwards, a member of this company, followed its fortunes and was with it until the expiration of its term of service. He kept a journal of each day's events as they transpired, and upon his return trans- cribed its contents, elaborating upon its details, into a large four-quire blank book. This book is certainly an interesting record, while being unique and remarkable. It should have been printed, during the author's lifetime. It has a title page in these words: " A Journal of an Expedi- tion to New Mexico and the Southern Provinces, Conducted first by Gen. S. W. Kearney; and afterwards by Col. A. W. Doniphan, in 1846-7; by M. B. Edwards." The author also adds the following sentiment:
"It is then there are shadows as well as lights; clouds as well as sun- shine; thorns as well as roses; but it is a happy world, after all."
The author makes the following original dedication of his work: "To my Right Honorable Self. It would be wrong in me were I to inscribe this weak production to one less worthy of my great esteem and personal regard. Though perhaps you have been unworthy the notice of others, rendered so by your acts of unintended wrong, yet with me you have been all in all; and therefore, my motto shall ever be, 'Self first, country next, life always.'" Mr. Edwards's book contains three valuable and well exe- cuted maps, and gives very full and accurate details of Doniphan's expedi- tion to New Mexico. It is from this work that the details of the services of Capt. Reid's company have been taken. Mr. Edwards died at his home in this county not long since.
The company made its first camp upon the farm of John M. Lewis, in this county, where the members were treated to a bountiful supper and breakfast, their horses given excellent pasture, and a right royal welcome given them. The next day, June 6, the company arrived at Dover, Lafay- ette county, where it was welcomed by a public meeting of the citizens. Mr. O'Bannon made an eloquent speech on behalf of the people, which was responded to by Capt. Reid. The members were also treated to other speeches-and (tell it mildly and whisper it low), to mint juleps to such an extent that, according to the journal of the expedition, both officers and men were too highly elevated to continue the march for the present, and camped for the night near Dover. Sleeping in the open air, the company recovered its steadiness, and resumed the march at 4 o'clock the next morning. Sunday evening, June 7, Liberty, Clay county, was reached, where the company was right royally entertained, given suppers, beds and
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
breakfasts at the hotels, excellent pasture and forage for their horses, and shown every attention. "But," says Mr. Edwards, " although it may be wrong to impugn the good actions of the people of Liberty, I was rather disposed to attribute their conduct more to policy than to patriotism, for Hon. A. W. Doniphan, a prominent and popular citizen of the place, has declared himself a candidate for colonel of the regiment to which we are to be attached !"
On Monday, June Sth, 1846, the company reached Platte City, where it had its first fight. The Platte Cityans do not seem to have been greatly impressed by the warlike aspect of the company, and made great game of them. A little sailor named Sam'l Smith, belonging to the company, hav- ing occasion to make a purchase, an old fellow, who was said to be the terror of the town, interfered with him. The little sailor bounced him at once, gave him a thrashing that he probably never forgot, and announced his ability to treat likewise any other Platte City man who felt himself aggrieved. But all seemed convinced of the company's prowess, and it proceeded on its march to Fort Leavenworth, were it arrived on the 9th of June.
At Ft. Leavenworth, before they were mustered into the service, the men were told that if there were any among them who wished to withdraw, now was the time, as after they were mustered in desertion would be punished with death. Only one man, John Miller, backed out. M. A. and Oscar Haynie, and Wm. Bartlett, were refused.
The following is the roll of the company as mustered in at Ft. Leaven- worth June 10th, 1846, all of whom were from Saline county, except seven, who joined it at the fort. The company was styled Company D, First Regiment Missouri Mounted Volunteers:
1st Serg .- Wm. P. Hicklin.
2d T. E. Staples.
3d W. H. M. Lewis.
4th
A. Cain.
15. Dille, Squire.
1st Corp. L. A. McClean.
16. Dille, S. H.
2d James A. Gaines.
17. Edwards, T. J.
-3d Isaac Hays. /, \ < 5
4th R. P. Payne.
19. Ferrill, John.
1. Alder, C. B.
2. Albertson, Jesse.
3. Beatie, Wm.
22. Fizer, Joseph.
5. Brown, John.
24. Gilmore, C.
6. Berry, Robt. H.
25. Garrett, J. M.
7. Clarkson, Chris.
26. Garrett, C. K.
27. Green, Alex.
28. Green, W. M.
29. Hays, J. C.
30. Hays, Isaac. 2
×
11. Craig, H. H.
12. Dresslar, G. W.
13. Durrett, J. M.
14. Durrett, B. B.
18. Edwards, M. B.
20. Farris, Warren.
21. Furguson, Isaac.
4. Brown, Benj.
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