History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri, Part 109

Author: National Historical Company (St. Louis, Mo.)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1166

USA > Missouri > St Charles County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 109
USA > Missouri > Montgomery County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 109
USA > Missouri > Warren County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 109

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

since have passed in to the land of shadows, mysteries and the " Un- knowable," as Emerson calls it. At its birth, if it had had the ken to penetrate and read the future, it might well have said, in the lan- guage of Addison : -

" Thro' what new scenes and changes must I pass? The wide, the unbounded prospect lies before me."

The Wabash Company, as a corporation, is still in embarrassed circumstances, and its affairs are conducted under a receivership. As a road, however, it does good service, and is of great value to the States and communities through which it passes. With its manage- ment there are a number of able railroad men and courteous, accom- modating gentlemen connected, and it is hoped that by their ability and popular administration of the affairs of the road it will ultimately be placed upon a paying, independent basis.

The St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern, successor to the old North Missouri, and the Toledo, Wabash and Western, successor to the Toledo and Illinois, and the Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis, were consolidated into the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific in 1879. The consolidated company represents a capital stock of about $40,000,000. Its bonded indebtedness is over $75,000,000. Most of its stock is now owned by English capitalists, much to the relief of American stockholders and to the credit of their business acumen. English capitalists have an abundance of money, plenty of leisure, and are content with small dividends, and, being good-natured fellows, they are not disposed to make a fuss, even if they get no dividends at all for a time. This suits American stockholders exactly, so that the transfer of stock was very easily and very willingly made, especially by the latter so far as willingness was concerned. However, a considerable block of the stock is still owned in this country.

The Wabash aggregates about 3,500 miles of roads, divided between the eastern and western divisions nearly in the ratio of two to one, or about 2,300 miles east of the Mississippi, and about 1,200 miles west of the river. The road represents some 35 original lines of roads, which have been brought into the consolidated system by purchase, lease, or otherwise.

CHAPTER IX. HISTORY OF CHARRETTE TOWNSHIP.

Early History -First Settlement by the French. - Physical Features -Nashville- Other Towns - Early Settlers. -- Biographical.

The history of Charrette township is of peculiar interest to the . people of Warren county. It also possesses no small degree of inter- est to the people of the entire State. It was in this locality that the early French adventurers first located, at the mouth of what is known as the main Charrette. It was in this township that the fort known as Callaway's Post was built before the War of 1812. In the south- eastern part of the township the great Boone was originally buried, and the first town of any consequence in Warren county was organ- ized within the limits of Charrette. The French located on Charrette creek as early as 1763, reference to which will be found elsewhere in this work, and following the arrivals of the Boones and Callaways, that vicinity was the first to attract the early emigration from Ken- tucky and the States farther East. About the localities where these early pioneers cast their fortunes cluster many exciting and memor- able recollections, which give to the vicinity a large share of histori- cal importance.

The township possesses many interesting natural features, attractive in their rugged wildness. Along the various creeks that flow through the district, are located what are known as valley farms ; small in extent, but very prolific and rich in quality of soil comprising them. Charrette creek has its source in Hickory Grove township, and flows through the entire center of Charrette. It is a beautiful stream, a great resort for hunters and curiosity seekers, who find along its winding banks evidences of pre-historic times, and the early period that developed the historical names and events of years long gone by.

The village of Marthasville, which was the first town settled in Warren county, is located about two miles from the Missouri on a bluff from which can be readily seen from the hills on the opposite or Franklin county side of the river. The population of Marthasville is about 350, and it is a thriving trading point. In the olden time, the town was the principal landing place for all the territory comprising

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

Warren county, its shipping interests at that time aggregating an im- mense business.

The other towns are Holstein, Dutzow and Hopewell. Near the latter place was first established the permanent seat of justice of Warren county, at a place called New Boston, which is now unknown among the villages of the county. The effort to make New Boston the permanent county seat was hotly contested by people residing in the northern central portion of the county, and the result of the agitation was that the seat of justice was finally established at War- renton in 1833. The population of Charrette township in 1880, ac- cording to the Government census, was 3,170, a very large porportion of which are Germans.

Among the earlier settlers in the township, many of whom were, in their day, persons of distinction and influence, were Jesse Cain some- what famous for his many eccentricities, who came to this county in 1812, and was a member of Col. Nathan Boone's company of ran- gers during the Indian War; Jesse Coton who located near the present site of Marthasville in 1811. Dr. Andrew Fourt, a native of Maryland, who came to the county in 1810, after the Indian War, during which he was with Capt. James Callaway's company. The Doctor was chosen one of the commissioners to locate the county seat of Montgomery county. After the selection of Pinckney he removed to that place, and died in that vicinity in 1852. Havoly Griswold a native of Con- necticut, who afterwards became a noted character in Montgomery county, opened the second store in Marthasville, acquired a large fortune, represented Montgomery county in the State Legislature, and was the person who so strenuously opposed the exhumation of the body of the renowned Boone in 1845. James Hughes, or " Old Jimmy," as he was familiarly known, located near Hopewell at a very early day. Absalom Hays came in 1816. He was the second sheriff of Montgomery county, and when Warren county was organ- ized filled the same position there for 12 years. William Hancock was a pioneer of both Kentucky and Missouri, and came to what is now Warren county about 1798. He settled on what has since been known as Hancock's Bottom and his daughter Mrs. Hamilton is now. living on the old homestead. David Howard, a Kentuckian, came to Warren county in 1819, and located in what is now Charrette town- ship. He was a prominent man in the community, a devout and con- scientious Christian, whose death was mourned by a host of warm per- sonal friends. His son John A. Howard, now lives in Warrenton, and has been sheriff of the county for two terms. Jared Erwin, settled

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

in Missouri, following the War of 1812, in which he was a soldier from Kentucky. He occupied several public positions in Warren county, having been county judge from 1834 to 1838, and again from 1850 to 1854. Benjamin James, located in what is (now) Warren county in 1811, and was a soldier during the Indian War. His son William was at one time judge of the county court, and afterwards treasurer and sheriff of the county, and a very well known and highly respected citizen. Dr. John Jones, located in Charrette in 1817, and afterwards became a renowned physician, and married Minerva Callaway, daughter of Flanders Callaway and grand-daughter of Dan- iel Boone. They lived near Marthasville. He was cruelly murdered on the 22d of January, 1842, while standing in his door yard by an assassin who was concealed in the woods near the house. Great ex- citement followed this murder, diligent search for the murderer how- · ever failed to bring him to justice, and his identity never was ascer- tained. Martin Kite, a Virginian, who built a mill on Charrette, came in 1835, and became a prominent character. Thomas Leeper, Law - rence Long, and William Langford, a soldier of the War of 1812, came about 1820. William J. Lamme settled in Warren county in 1803, soon after Boone's arrival. He was first lieutenant of Nathan Boone's rangers, and was afterwards major of a regiment during the Indian War. He married Francis Callaway, a grand-daughter of Daniel Boone. Hugh Liles settled in Charrette in 1809, and was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. John Northcutt came in 1820, George Owings settled on the creek in 1816. John Wyatt who had been a captain in the War of 1812, settled in the township in 1817; His brother Anthony Wyatt located here in 1816, and another brother Douglas, came the same year. The Wyatts became known as influen- tial men, and all left large families. Joseph G. Waller, who was at one time judge of the county court, settled here in 1830.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

FRANK H. BARRINGHAUS

(Farmer, Post-office, Holstein).

Mr. Barringhaus was born near Osnabruck, in Germany, February 9, 1825, and was a son of Frederick and Marie ( Meajer) Barring- haus, who lived until their deaths is their native country. Frank H. was reared in the vicinity where he was born, and at the age

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

of 21 came to America, landing at New Orleans and coming thence up the river to St. Louis. He made his home in the latter city for some 15 years; and in 1855 was married to Miss Johanne Schuller, formerly of Germany. She died five years afterwards leaving him three children: Frances, now the wife of E. Heneke, of Dutzow ; Mary, wife of William Himmelberg, of Warren county, and Henry. In 1861 Mr. B. was married in St. Louis to Miss Eliza- beth Schreiber. The following year he removed to Warren county and has since made this his home. He has been engaged in farming continuously in this county since his removal here. His home place contains about 100 acres, and he has 40 acres in another tract about a mile from his homestead. He also owns property in Holstein. By his second wife Mr. Barringhaus has three children : Joseph, Louisa and Louis. Mrs. Barringhaus' parents were Wilhelm and Marie Schreiber, formerly of Germany.

REV. FATHER JOHN BERTENS

(Parish Priest of the Catholic Church, Dutzow).

The name that heads this sketch is borne by a worthy priest whose life has been devoted and is solemnly consecrated to the service of his Maker, the church and his fellow-creatures. Father Bertens, so far as we are able to judge, seems to be a man in every way worthy of the high and sacred office he has been called to fill, and in his parish, both among those of the church and Protestants, he bears the name of a profoundly pious, earnest and Christian-hearted worker in the cause of religion and of the church, and he is spoken of by all from whom an expression has been heard, as being a priest of a high order of ability and learning. He is a native of Holland, born at Uden- hout, North Brabant, on the 14th of April, 1835. He was a son of John and Anne Mary ( Van Riel ) Bertens, his father an industrious and energetic farmer of that place. His early youth was spent on the farm and attending the local parish school. Later along he entered the St. Michael and Gestel College where he took a somewhat thor- ough course. Deciding to devote himself to the service of the church as a priest, he took a regular course of training with that object in view, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1861, on May 25. Father Bertens came to America in November, 1866, and first resided in Vine- mount, Bollinger county, Mo., for eleven years. He came to Dut- zow, March 9, 1878, to assist the then rector of the church, Rev. Father Heckmann, who, on account of sickness, was for the time not able to attend to the spiritual wants of his parishioners. On the 1st of October, of the same year, Rev. Heckmann resigned his rectorate, when Father Bertens was appointed his successor by the most Rev. Archbishop Kenrick of St. Louis. Father Bertens is greatly esteemed by his parishioners for his many estimable qualities of head and heart and his Christian graces, and he has the profound respect of the entire community.

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

HERMAN H. BIERBAUM

(Of Bierbaum's Steam Grist and Saw-mill, Post-office, Femme Osage).

Mr. Bierbaum came to Warren county at the age of 21, in 1845, and learned the milling business under C. H. Schaaf, afterwards his father-in-law, and he has continued in the industry ever since, for a period now of nearly 40 years. He is now the owner and proprietor of the old Schaaf mill property, and continues the business on the same site where his father-in-law built and started the first horse-mill of the county, in 1841. Subsequently, in about five years, Mr. Schaaf changed his mill to an ox-mill, which he ran for nearly 20 years. This in turn was replaced by a steam-mill in 1854, the first one in the county. Mr. Bierbaum bought the steam-mill of his father-in-law in 1860. The engine is now 30 years old, and one of the wooden cog wheels, still running as glibly as when it was first hewn from its parent tree, is over 40 years old. The mill-house is a substantial three-story stone structure built of rough rock and a very picture of stability. Mr. Bierbaum has a good place of 200 acres, well improved, in- cluding a substantial, comfortable residence and other buildings. He was born in Munster Wester Cappeln, Germany, October 15, 1824, and was a son of John F. and Katherine M. Bierbaum, who emigrated to America in 1834 and settled in St. Charles county. The mother died there in 1864, and the father in 1880, at the age of 81. Herman A., the subject of this sketch, grew up on his father's farm in St. Charles county, and came thence to Warren county in 1845, as stated above. October 24, 1848, he was married to Miss Anne M. Schaaf, a daughter of C. H. Schaaf, who came from Germany in 1834. After Mr. Schaaf sold out to Mr. Bierbaum he established a mill at Augusta, in St. Charles county, which he sold to his sons in 1873. He is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Bierbaum have had 11 children, five of whom are living: John H., married and a farmer in Jackson county ; Ludwig C., whose wife is deceased and he is now with his father ; Gustave H., married and a farmer of this county ; William F. and Carl G. Mr. Bierbaum's mill has a capacity of 50 barrels of meal and flour per day.

REV. ANDREW J. H. BIERBAUM

(Minister of the Evangelical Church, Post-office, Holstein).

Rev. Mr. Bierbaum is a native of St. Charles county, born on his father's farm in that county, October 31, 1852. His early youth was spent on the farm, assisting at such work as he could do and attend- ing the neighborhood schools. However, while he was yet a youth his parents removed to Warren county, where they made their perma- nent home. In 1868 young Bierbaum entered the Central Wesleyan College, at Warrenton, where he took a two-years' course. He then matriculated at the Missouri Seminary, where he studied for four years, and on the 5th of July, 1874, was regularly ordained a minis-

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

ter of the Evangelical Church of North America. He shortly received a call from Wisconsin and went to that State, where he was engaged in the work of the ministry for five years. While there, on the 15th of October, 1874, he was married to Miss Ernestine Fiebig, a daughter of August Fiebig, of Sheboygan county, that State. Mr. Bierbaum returned to Warren county in 1879, and has since been occupied with the duties of the ministry in that county. He is a man of fine scholarly attainments, thoroughly versed in theology, an able and eloquent preacher, and, above all, a profoundly earnest and zealous Christian minister. Mr. and Mrs. Bierbaum have five chil- dren : Herman H., Daniel, Paul, Theodore and Emma. Mr. B. was the sixth in the family of 10 children of H. H. and Wilhelmina (Gosejacob ) Bierbaum, both originally from Germany.

LOUIS BIESEMEYER

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, and Proprietor of the Hotel Holstein).

Mr. Biersemeyer is a native of Prussia, born at Lippe-Detmold, February 18, 1842, and was the third of the family of seven chil- dren, three of whom are living, of William and Charlotta Biesemeyer, his father a carpenter by trade. The father died in 1874, and the mother in 1853. Both were members of the Evangelical Church. Louis learned the carpenter's trade under his father, and in 1866 came to the United States, landing at Baltimore. He worked there a year and then came to St. Louis, coming thence to Warrenton in a short time. Here he worked for F. Oberleg at carpentering, and afterwards for Fritz Seivert at carpentering and milling. For Mr. Seivert he ran the mill at Lippestadt for two years, and in 1870 came to Holstein, where he built a mill, which he run for three years. He then took in a partner, William Kung, and in a short time traded his interest for a mill and farm on Loutre Island, where he remained for about two years. Upon returning to Holstein he engaged in the hotel business at this place, and also in building and improving property. He has a farm of 160 acres, and he is engaged in handling stock to some extent. Mr. Biersemeyer is an energetic, industrious business man and well deserves the substantial success he has achieved. August 23, 1867, he was married to Miss Charlotta, a daughter of Henry Riechers, formerly of Germany, but who came to Missouri in 1867. Mr. Biesemeyer and wife have five children : Wilhelmina, Johanna, Louis, Matilde and Laura. Two are deceased, Henry and Frederica. Mr. and Mrs. Biesemeyer are members of the Evangelical Church.

WILLIAM H. BRINKMANN

(Farmer, Post-office, Marthasville).

Prominent among the energetic and progressive young farmers of the vicinity of Marthasville is the subject of the present sketch, a young man of college education and for a time a popular school- teacher of the county. His father, George H. Brinkmann, came over

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

in 1833 and located at Femme Osage, where he worked at the wagon maker's trade for a number of years. In 1860 he was married to Miss Charlotte Sundermeyer, formerly of Germany, who came over with her parents in 1832. In 1855 Mr. Brinkmann's father bought a tract of 150 acres of land on the Missouri river bottom, on which he located and where he improved a farm. After 1866 he followed farming exclusively until his death. He died on this place in 1876. His widow survived him up to 1882. Of their family of six children four are living, and all still residing on the old homestead, of whom William H. is the eldest. The others are Emma, Lovena and Anna. William H. Brinkmann was educated at the Central Wesleyan Col- lege of Warrenton, where he graduated in the class of '81. He sub- sequently taught school in the county for two terms, after which he located on the old homestead and engaged in farming. Here he has since resided. The farm contains 250 acres of good bottom land and is one of the choice farms of the township. Mr. Brinkmann is a member of the Evangelical Church at Marthasville.

ANDERSON BURGESS

(Farmer, Post-office, Marthasville).

This old and respected citizen of Warren county is a native of North Carolina, born in Rowan county, April 24, 1808. His father, Thomas Burgess, was from Virginia, but his mother, whose maiden name was Polly Hunter, was born and reared in North Carolina. Anderson Burgess, after he grew up in Rowan county, was married, across in Tennessee, July 4, 1830, to Elizabeth Whittaker, a daughter of Will- iam Whittaker, formerly of North Carolina. The year after his mar- riage Mr. Burgess removed to Missouri, and located first in Frank- lin county, but shortly afterwards on Smith's creek, in what is now Warren county. Barring one or two short absences he has been a resident of Warren county ever since, for a period of over half a cen- tury, or since before the county was formed. He removed to his present place in 1855, where he has a good homestead comfortably improved. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess have had nine children : Wayman L., deceased ; Malissa J., wife of John Fuort, a farmer of Arkansas ; Polly A., wife of N. C. Tice; Clemensa, wife of P. Sullins ; Virlena, wife of B. D. Bryan ; Dudley H., Valentine, Sarah, wife of John Wilkerson ; Adolphus A., deceased July 2, 1879. Mr. Burgess has retired from active work himself and rents his farm out. He is com- fortably situated. His two sons are at home. Valentine is married and is now justice of the peace of Charrette township. He had pre- viously held the offices of constable and deputy constable. He was born November 10, 1843, and was married October 2, 1879, to Miss Frankie L., a daughter of Francis and Annie Wyatt of this county. 'Squire Burgess makes a very capable and upright magistrate, and his courts always command the respect and confidence of litigants no less than of the community at large. He is a worthy member of the A. F. and A. M.

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

FREDERICK G. CLYCE

(Farmer, Post-office, Holstein).

Milford Clyce, the father of the subject of this sketch, was one of the early settlers of Warren county. He came here in 1825 and entered land and improved a farm. He was a wagon-maker by trade, and followed that in connection with farming for a number of years, but in 1840 he dropped his trade, and afterwards until his death followed farming exclusively. He died March 18, 1856. His wife, who was a Miss Williams before her marriage, died in 1869. Frederick G. Clyce was born at his father's homestead in Pinckney township, War- ren county, 1835. He grew up on the farm and remained with his father until he was 21 years of age, when, uniting himself in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Howard on the 6th of May, 1856, he shortly afterwards secured a piece of land and improved a farm of his own. He has continued the occupation of farming from that time until the present, and by his industry and good management has become comfortably situated. He has handled stock to some extent from time to time, and has followed one or two other lines of industry, but never to the extent of abandoning farming. For a time he was in Colorado and Kansas, but shortly returned. Mr. Clyce's first wife died in 1864, and four years afterwards he was married to Miss Minerva A. Clark, a daughter of W. S. Clark, of Kansas. Of the eight children born of the second marriage five are living : Kate, Mary, Minerva, Frederick and Maud. When a boy Mr. Clyce lived in the town of Pinckney, then a flourishing village, and the first county seat of Warren county, with court-house, jail, etc. ; but the site of the place has long since been swept away by the changing current of the Mis- souri river.

HERMAN DICKHAUS

(Farmer, Post-office, Dutzow).

Mr. Dickhaus comes of an ancient German family, one whose lineage traces back to the tribal days of Germany, when the people generally lived in block houses. His family took its name from an unusually large block house in which they lived in those days, the name " Dickhaus " in German meaning blockhouse in English. Mr. Dick- haus' father was Herman Dickhaus, Sr., formerly of Hanover, Ger- many, but later of Warren county, Mo. The mother was a Miss Elizabeth Kuehne, also of Hanover, Germany. They were married in their native country, and Herman, Jr., the fourth in their family of nine children, was born at Hanover, October 14, 1829. In 1835 they came to America and located in St. Charles county. In a short time they removed to Warren county where the father became a suc- cessful farmer. When he landed at New Orleans, on coming to America, his full stock of worldly wealth amounted to five German thalers. But he was a man of industry, frugality and sturdy intelli-

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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

gence, and in this country he accumulated property with steady and substantial strides. He became one of the well-to-do and highly re- spected citizens of Warren county. The old-fashioned German hos- pitality of his home was remarked by all who passed his way. None enjoyed the society of their friends more than he, and none treated them more. generously and neighborly. He died at his comfortable homestead in this county, surrounded by his family and a large circle of friends, on the 8th of July, 1884. His loss was profoundly and widely mourned, notwithstanding he had reached the advanced age of 84. Herman Dickhaus, Jr., was reared in the county and received a common-school education. In 1854 he was married to Miss Agnes Macke, a daughter of H. H. and Agnes Macke, formerly of Germany. Two children are the fruits of this union, Friederiche and Johanne, the former the wife of Heinrich Hudstedde, and the latter the wife of Wilhelm Kraener - the first of Pike county, and second of Lafayette county. Mr. Dickhaus' first wife died in 1859, and he was afterwards married to Miss Karoline Willenbrink, a daughter of Arnold Willen- brink, of St. Charles county. They have five children : Louise, Vin- cent, Clare, Heinrich and Marie. Mr. and Mrs. Dickhaus are residing on their farm in Warren county. Mr. Dickhaus improved this place years ago, and it is one of the handsome homesteads of the vicinity. The residence is a fine two-story building, and he has a splendid orchard on his place.

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History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri, Part 109

Author: National Historical Company (St. Louis, Mo.) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company Number of Pages: 1166

Author: National Historical Company (St. Louis, Mo.)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1166