USA > Missouri > Saline County > History of Saline County, Missouri > Part 43
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A meeting of the citizens of the county, by delegates, was held in June, and it was agreed to ask the county court to submit to the votes of the county, a proposition to expend $51,800 for the erection of a new build- . ing.
The Missouri river was higher this spring than at any time since 1844. The bottoms were submerged, and a great deal of damage done, although there were but two persons drowned in this county. A young man, near Laynesville, from the country; and another below Miami. The river covered the track of the Chicago and Alton railroad, in the Glas- gow bottom, and trains were stopped for some days.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
NEWSPAPERS.
By no means the least interesting chapter in the history of Saline county, is that concerning its newspapers. All are interested in knowing the his- tory and mutations of such potent agencies of modern society. Editors of newspapers are in a great measure pioneer historians, whose daily labors furnish the material in detail, from which nearly all modern history is con- structed; and therefore, some notice in this work is due the editorial corps of Saline county, past and present.
It was the life of a generation, after the admission of Missouri as a state of the Union, before the era of railroad building, and of "local" newspapers set in. Until 1865 no newspapers had been published in Saline. The weeklies of the great cities were the only journals circulated. During this long era, the old whig party was mostly predominant in Jackson, Lafayette and Saline counties, and the St. Louis Republican, the St. Louis fournal, and the Columbia Statesman furnished most of their periodical reading, while the St. Louis Democrat, and the Louisville Democrat, were taken and read by the democratic party.
In the great presidential canvass of 1856-the prelude to the still more stormy and eventful canvass of 1860-the era of railroads had begun, and with it the era of county newspapers. The old whig party, on the death of its great leader, Henry Clay, had gone utterly to pieces, and its mem- bers, had at first gone almost in a body into the "know-nothing" or American party. In 1856 this party, though it made a national nomina- tion, was already in a rapid process of disintegration, (except in some localities,) and its members mostly joined the new republican party, in the north, and the old democratic party in the south.
Never before had there been a more warmly contested election in Saline than that of 1856. The American party (as it was still called here) nominated Wm. H. Letcher for the legislature, and the democratic party nominated Judge R. E. McDaniel, who had previously belonged to the old whig party. Mr. Letcher, though then quite a young man, had already acquired a reputation that extended beyond the limits of his own county-while Judge McDaniel stood high, not only among the democrats, but among his old whig associates. The contest was keen and spirited, but honorable and manly. Such leading and influential Americans (or old whigs) as Letcher, Wilson, Crews, Bruce, Maupin, Lewis, Price, .Hardeman, and others, readily subscribed the money necessary to fit up a printing office, and establish a newspaper, which they placed under the editorial and business control of Oscar D. Hawkins; and thus, the first newspaper,-named the Saline County Herald,-ever published in Saline county, was started, It was a small sheet, in long primer type, and R. S.
390
HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
Sandidge, now of the Saline County Progress, and Capt. Jas. Allen, now of St. Louis, were the "devils," and did most of the mechanical labor of the office. The Americans carried the county by a small majority, and Mr. Letcher was elected. Mr. Hawkins continued as editor of the Her- ald for about one year, then resigned, and lives now in Warrensburg, Missouri, and holds a public position in Johnson county. The Herald started with a paid-up subscription list of about 1,000 names; the office of publication was a small 20x30 foot room, in what was then known as "Dog Row," and made money fast and easy for some years.
On the resignation of Mr. Hawkins, Col. George W. Allen became the sole editor and proprietor. The campaign of 1856, did not end the contest between the Americans and democrats for the control of Saline county. And, as might have been expected, it was not very long after the Herald made its appearance, before the leading democrats realized the fact that their party must also have a party organ, and such men as C. F. Jackson, (afterwards governor), John W. Bryant, Esq., Judge McDaniel, etc., speed- ily purchased the material, and established the Marshall Democrat, edited and published by John S. Davis, a man of culture and a practical printer. .
About this time, as the campaign of 1858 approached, the Herald, under the control of Col. Allen, failed to give satisfaction as a party organ. It was conducted with first-class ability, but Col. Allen (who was afterwards killed at the battle of Wilson's creek while acting as aid on Gen. Price's staff ), had already begun to lean towards the democratic party, at least so the Americans thought. This feeling of dissatisfaction culminated in a third newspaper, published in Marshall, and known as the Saline county Standard, of which Samuel Boyd, Esq., was editor, and the Sandidge Bros., had charge of the mechanical department.
About this time, the local canvass of 1859, " personal journalism," may be said to have been at its zenith in Saline, and as a result, personal encounters were not infrequent. A mark, recently to be seen in the walls of the Ming hotel, showed where a bullet struck, that was directed at Sam'l Boyd, editor of the Standard, by John S. Davis, editor of the Demo- crat.
Soon after the commencement of the publication of the Standard, the office of the Herald was moved to Arrow Rock, where Col. Allen and his son, Capt. James Allen, continued to publish it until the spring of 1861, when in May of that year it was merged in the Marshall Democrat. The Standard soon after also suspended. The Democrat continued a few weeks longer, and closed about the last of June, 1861-and editors, typos, " devils," and all entered the army, north or south. As already stated, Col. Allen was killed at the battle of Wilson Creek. Most of the others survived the war. J. S. Davis lives now in St. Louis, as does also James
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
Allen. Samuel Boyd, Esq., is now, as then, a leading member of the Marshall bar. Messrs. R. S. and D. M. Sandidge are now the publishers of the Saline County Progress.
THE SALINE COUNTY PROGRESS.
The Saline County Progress was the fourth paper ever established in this county, and has existed a much longer period of time than any other paper as yet published in the county. It was established in Marshall in July, 1865, by R. S. and D. M. Sandidge, and throughout most of its career it has been essentially a county paper. From the little six column weekly with which it begun, it has steadily progressed, until it now issues a nine column weekly and a daily as large as its first weekly edition. The Progress, for some ten years or more, has been owned by a joint stock company, and by its age and the experienced management of the Messrs. Sandidge, it is now not only self-sustaining, but yields a handsome per cent. on the money invested. About three-fourths of the stock is owned by the Sandidge Bros., under whose charge the paper has existed and pros- pered for sixteen years.
THE SALINE COUNTY DEMOCRAT.
The Saline County Democrat was established in Marshall by Mr. Bar- nabas Frazee, in November, 1872, and is now in the tenth year of its existence. In the hotly contested local canvass of 1874, it attained a position as an unqualified democratic paper, which it has since continually sustained. In November, 1875, the Democrat was purchased by Mr. James H. Eakin (recently deceased); and under his control, and the editorship of Dr. C. A. Clarkson, its continued and flourished until Octo- ber, 1880, when it passed into the editorial control of Mr. J. M. Yantis, a gentleman of some editorial experience, who has vigorously maintained its strong democratic line of principles. The Democrat may now be con- sidered an established institution.
Saline county has been, in a measure, a graveyard for newspapers-so many have arisen, run a brief career, and then, like all the good, died young. More than half a dozen, since the war, besides the Progress and Democrat, have been started in Saline, and have perished. In 1868, Messrs. Bierbower & Maynard established in Marshall
THE MARSHALL BANNER,
with Vincent Bierbower as editor. It was stalwart republican in politics, and conducted with marked ability, but it perished for the want of patron- age in about 'fifteen months. After the demise of the Banner, a Mr. Hampton, of Illinois, started in Marshall the
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
SALINE COUNTY REPUBLICAN.
This paper was also republican in politics, and in his salutatory, Mr. Hampton announced that he had provisioned the crew of his little craft with one year's stores, and he " hoped then, to be able to announce that the enterprise was a paying investment." The Republican continued to exist two years, there or thereabouts, and then 'perished in the political revolution in Missouri in 1870. It was a fairly good paper, and conducted with fair ability.
THE " IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT."
In January, 1877, Dr. W. S. Holland, started the Irrepressible Conflict in Marshall, as an organ of the prohibitionists in particular, and of tem- perance in general. It is said to have been the first paper of its kind in the state. It was published semi-monthly. At the end of fifteen months the books and good will of the Conflict were sold to F. M. Bemis, and was merged into the National Prohibitionist, of St. Louis, which also died in a year.
THE MARSHALL GAZETTE.
In the winter of 1877 and '78, Messrs. Frazee, Bryant & Bush started the Marshall Gazette in Marshall, a democratic and county newspaper, edited by W. D. Bush. A great deal of labor, mental and mechanical, was put upon this paper, and it was conducted with very decided ability, and zeal for democratic principles, but at the end of the year it gave out .
financially, and ceased to exist.
THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD.
The Brownsville Herald was established, in Brownsville, in this county, in August, 1874, by a joint-stock company, called the "Brownsville Pub- lishing Company," and leased to Rev. W. M. Prottsman and George W. Tuthill, then of Jefferson City-Mr. Prottsman as editor, and Mr. Tuthill business manager. At the end of the first year, Mr. Prottsman retired, and the office was leased to Tuthill, as editor, and Mr. J. W. Middleton, under the firm name of Tuthill & Middleton, until May, 1876, when Mr. Middleton's place was taken by Rev. Wm. J. Lapsley, under the firm name of Geo. W. Tuthill & Co., with Robert F. Yantis as business manager. In September, 1876, Mr. Lapsley sold his interest to Mr. Tuthill, who then became sole editor and business man- ager. The office is still owned by the Brownsville Publishing Company, with Mr. Samuel Shanks as president, Dr. B. F. Dunkley, vice-president; P. D. Vandyke, treasurer, and J. L. Ferguson, secretary. Mr. Tuthill is editor and publisher, and the Herald is steadily gaining in circulation and influence. The Herald is doing earnest work for Brownsville and Saline county-a reward due the persistent effort, enterprise and
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
judgment with, which it has been conducted. It is strongly democratic in politics.
BROWNSVILLE BANNER.
Previous to the establishment of the Herald, and for a time thereafter, a paper, called the Brownsville Banner, was conducted in Brownsville, by a Mr. Peterson-but it ceased to exist in 1875.
MIAMI CABLE.
In 1877, a small paper, called the Miami Cable, was started in Miami by Mr. Reynolds. In a short time it was transferred to Arrow Rock, by the same person, and there discontinued the next year.
THE MIAMI INDEX.
The Miami Index, a democratic paper, was established at Miami, in Saline county, March, 1874, by Calhoan & Kirby. In November, of the same year, Mr. Kerby became sole proprietor. In March, 1875, Mr. Kirby sold out to Calhovan & Daggett, who ran it until January, 1876, when they sold it to Messrs. Henry E. & Wm. M. Smith. In a year or so after, Henry E. Smith became sole proprietor, and continued so, with W. M. L. Irvine as editor, until the paper was transferred to Slater, Saline county, under the name of
THE SALINE COUNTY INDEX.
The Saline County Index was removed to Slater, in the fall of 1880, where it has since been published (until very recently), by Maxfield & Smith-now solely by Henry E. Smith. It claims to be a local, not a political paper, but its.publisher is a democrat.
THE MIAMI WEEKLY NEWS
is a newspaper started in Miami, since the transfer of the Index to Slater, and edited by T. H. Graves. It is devoted to the interests of the county, generally, but especially of Miami township. It was established in the fall of 1880, by T. J. Graves. It was conducted by him until February, 1881, when he sold out to his brother, Mr. T. H. Graves, present editor and proprietor.
SLATER SENTINEL.
The first paper published in Slater, Saline county, was the Slater Sen- tinel, in 1879, by Mr. James Eastin, formerly of the Glasgow fournal,- afterwards, Eastin & Schaub. The Sentinel was discontinued in the spring of 1880. Democratic in politics.
THE SLATER MONITOR.
The Monitor, J. R. Miller, editor and proprietor, was first established in this county, in Marshall, in 1879, where it was continued about a year, and was then moved to Slater, in Jan., 1880, by Mr. J. R. Miller, who is a
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
native of Ralls county, Missouri. He first established the Monitor at Jacksonville, Illinois, as a “ greenback " paper, and through all its muta- tions, it has continued " greenback " in politics to the present time,-with one page edited by Mrs. Miller, and devoted to the temperance cause. The Monitor is now prospering and is said to be on a firm basis.
THE MARSHALL NEWS.
Besides the Saline county Progress and Democrat, there are four other newspapers established, or about to be established in Marshall-the daily and weekly News-the weekly Independent Missourian, the Irrepressible Conflict and the Marshall Republican.
THE MARSHALL DAILY NEWS.
The Marshall daily News was established in June, 1879, by John C. Patterson, formerly connected with the Progress office, in Marshall. Mr. Patterson was quite a young man at that time,-not yet twenty-one years old. Almost without capital, it seemed a hopeless enterprise,-starting a daily newspaper in a town of little less than three thousand inhabitants. Young as he was, however, he brought to his aid the most unflagging energy, industry, perseverance and self-assertion, and has, at length, suc- ceeded in making the daily News, (a five-column sheet, printed all at home), self-supporting; while the weekly News is paying handsomely, and is established upon a firm basis. The weekly News was established in October, 1879, first on the co-operative plan, but is now printed entirely at home. As yet, the News has taken no part in politics, though Mr. Patterson is a democrat. The indomitable pluck of its founder deserves success, and it has before it a fair and hopeful future.
THE INDEPENDENT MISSOURIAN.
The Independent Missourian was established in Marshall in April, 1880, by Dr. W. S. Holland and S. E. DeRacken, as the organ of the prohibi- tionists, and devoted to the cause of temperance, generally. The paper is a seven column sheet. It started with a large circulation, and claims to have held the same steadily. In the spring of 1881, Dr. Holland sold his interest in the I. M., to Mr. DeRacken-and the firm is now DeRacken & DeRacken, with S. E. DeRacken as editor. It claims to be independent in politics, and devoted to temperance, prohibition and the moral interests of the county generally.
THE IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT.
This paper, a two column octavo of sixteen pages, was established, or rather, revived in Marshall in June, 1881, by Dr. W. S. Holland, and unlike its predecessor, devoted solely and wholly to the cause of prohibition. It is issued semi-monthly, and bears the usual impress of Dr. Holland's earnest and vigorous pen.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
THE (ARROW ROCK) ENTERPRISE.
Some years ago, Mr. Scott Mills, son of Mr. Henry S. Mills, of Arrow Rock, then but a boy, started a six column monthly, or a convenience, paper, called the Enterprise. The object of the Enterprise was a special advertising medium for the business of H. S. Mills & Co. Mr. Scott Mills is a gentleman of excellent abilities, and he has made his Enterprise a spicy, newsy and readable paper, as well as an advertising medium.
THE MISSOURI STATE REPUBLICAN.
This is the very latest newspaper enterprise in Saline county to the present date. The founders of this new journalistic enterprise are Messrs. A. G. Harlan, of Andrew county, Missouri, and M. R. Stansbury, of Illi- nois. This paper is to make its first appearance in this present month of June, 1881, with A. G. Harlan as editor, and Mr. Stansbury as business manager, and is to be republican in politics.
THE SALINE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
The first effort at forming a medical society was made just after the close of the war, by two or three physicians, then living in and around Marshall, which was a failure, however, in consequence of the disturbed condition of society. A schedule of fees was adopted, but it, too, failed of general acceptance.
In 1868, Drs. E. S. Clarkson, Sam Smith, Chastain, Good, C. A. Clarkson, Tucker, and several others, met at the office of Drs. Good & Gale, organized an association, called the Saline County Medical Society, and elected Dr. E. S. Clarkson, president, Dr .--- -- , vice-presi- dent, and Dr. Good, secretary. This society also adopted a schedule of fees, and continued for three years to meet and transact business. The same officers were continued until 1871, when it gradually ceased to meet.
In 1874, the number of physicians in Marshall having increased con- siderably, notice was given to all the physicians in the county, that a meeting would be held on the 27th of January, 1874, in Marshall, at the office of Drs. Tucker & Anderson, for the purpose of organizing a med- ical society, or of reorganizing. The following physicians responded to the call: Doctors Staples, Lewis, Morris, Combs, Hall, Chastain, Dug- gins, Garnett, C. A. Clarkson, Tucker, and Anderson. The object of the meeting, as briefly explained by Dr. Combs, was to form a medical asso- ciation, for the mutual diffusion of medical knowledge in the profession, to advance the interests of the profession in this county, and to bring phy- sicians together for the interchange of opinion, the report of interesting
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
cases, the expression of views upon various remedies, and for concert of action in subduing charlatanry and quackery.
On motion, Dr. Staples was elected temporary chairman, and Dr. Anderson, secretary.
After fully considering the matter, it was determined to reorganize- that is, to adopt the constitution and by-laws which governed the previ- ous society of 1868, which was accordingly done, and the present society organized as a continuance, with the same constitution and by-laws, and the same name-that of the Saline County Medical Society. Dr. Matthew W. Hall was then elected president; Dr. Staples, first vice-president; Dr. Tucker, second vice-president, and Dr. Combs, third vice-president; Dr. Garnett, treasurer, and Dr. Anderson, secretary.
Under this organization the society has continued to the present time, and thereby proved itself now one of the permanent institutions of Saline county, and meets regularly in Marshall, once a month. Occa- sionally it has failed to meet at the regular times, from inclemency of the weather, or other transient causes, but, on the whole, it may now be classed as one of the county's fixed institutions.
The officers of the society are elected at the May meeting, of each year. The following is a list of presidents, down to the present time, from the beginning: Drs. E. S. Clarkson, M. W. Hall, G. H. Bowers, F. A. Combs, E. M. Talbott, E. S. Clarkson (twice), B. St. George Tucker (twice), and C. L. Hall.
Of these highly esteemed and able physicians, one is now dead, Dr. E. S. Clarkson, and two have left the state, Dr. F. A. Combs to California, and Dr. B. St. George Tucker to Colorado.
The following list of accepted members embraces nearly all the regular physicians of the county:
DOCTORS. POSTOFFICE.
G. H. Bowers. Arrow Rock
R. E. McClellan .
J. C. B. Ish . 66
*D. D. Wood. C
*P. L. Hurt. 66
A. S. McDaniel
H. F. Brown. 66 Abram Neff.
C. A. Carthrae . Orearville
L. M. Alexander Marshall
R. Wilson Cambridge I. A. Walton
J. N. Dunlap. Miami
W. H. Morris.
George Duggins
A. A. Wheeler
*Wm. M. Bell. "
DOCTORS. POSTOFFICE.
J. Wilhite. Cambridge
G. W. Herald. Little Rock
M. F. Bell. Miami
A. H. Sullivan .
J. C. Walker Herndon J. F. Wheeler.
E. M. Clark (decd) ... Malta Bend *Robert McNutt .. Marshall
Wm. S. Harrison
P. B. Purcell. Malta Bend
*J. F. Bruner
*_. Richart Marshall
J. Winsborough Slater
*Have moved out of the county.
*
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
DOCTORS. POSTOFFICE.
W. B. S. Lewis .
. . Blackburn
Thomas A. Yancy .. .. Malta Bend
Addison Brown (decd).
W. Peters.
Thomas Staples Booneville
Joseph Field . Slater
*J. R. Lewis
Fisk Elgin
Marshall
M. W. Hall Marshall
C. L. Hall
*N. M. Baskett.
Marshall
F. A. Howard
Slater
J. R. Hall
E. S. Clarkson (decd) ....
*_. Fulcher
--. Harrison Mt. Leonard
*B. St. George Tucker
F. A. Combs.
James R. Brown. Malta Bend
E. W. Smith . . . Slater
Thomas B. Hall Marshall
THE FAIR ASSOCIATIONS.
No reports from the agricultural societies of the county have been received, although solicited. It is known, however, that as early as 1839 the county court ordered the sheriff to summon the citizens of the county to meet at Jonesboro and form an agricultural and mechanical association. Whether or not this was done cannot now be stated.+
THE SALINE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATION.
This association was probably the first of the kind formed in the county. It was organized in 1856. Gov. M. M. Marmaduke was the first presi- dent. The citizens of Miami township took a majority of the shares of stock of the association, and upon a vote of the stockholders to determine where the grounds of the association should be located and its exhibitions held, the town of Miami was selected as such location. The first fair was there held in the year 1857.
Governor Marmaduke served two years as president of the society and was succeeded by R. Latimer, and he by Col. John M. Lewis.
During the civil war no exhibitions were held and the operations of the association were generally suspended. The grounds were occupied by the soldiery and the fencing and amphitheater totally destroyed. After the close of the war the association was revived, the grounds repaired, new buildings, etc., put up, and fairs were held.
DOCTORS. POSTOFFICE.
J. L. T. Lupton . Malta Bend
-. Rowland .
-. Morgan .
John Blackburn Salt Springs
James L. Lowery
Elmwood
C. A. Clarkson. .
66
W. G. Fisher. Napton
E. M. Talbott Fairville
* Have moved out of the county.
tA meeting of the citizens of Saline county for the purpose of forming a county agri- cultural society is ordered to be held in Jonesboro on the 17th of June, next, and the sheriff is ordered to give notice of the same by advertisements, put up in the different townships in this county .- Extract from the journal of proceedings of the county court, May, 1839.
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HISTORY OF SALINE COUNTY.
The first president after the war was David Vaughan; the next, Hon. I. S. Parsons.
THE SALINE COUNTY CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSO- CIATION
was organized in 1871, and held its first fair at Marshall, September 26th, of the same year, continuing four days.
The Sweet Springs district fair association, at Brownsville, was organ- ized in 1875, and held its first fair in that year.
THE GENERAL MUSTERS.
In early days in Missouri and Saline county, all able-bodied men, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, were required to organize into companies, choose officers, and meet at stated times and places for drill and exercise in military evolutions. The company commissioned officers were a captain and lieutenants. Companies were organized into battalions; battalions into regiments, with colonels, lieutenant-colonels, majors and other field officers; regiments into brigades, with a brigadier- general in command; brigades into divisions, with a major-general in com- mand, and the whole under the charge of the governor, ex-officio com- mander-in-chief of the military forces of the state.
In Saline county, company musters were held in nearly every township, at a town, if there was one in the township, and if there was no town, then at some other convenient public place. Battalion musters were held at Miami, Jonesboro, Marshall, Keyser's bridge, over Salt Fork, and elsewhere. General musters were at the county seat usually.
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