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 24
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 24
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 24
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PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
In this State, and in St. Charles county, we have had public schools from the time of the organization of the State government, and a regular public school system established by law. But in the early history of the State and the county, on account of the sparseness of the population, the limited means of the people and lightness of taxa- tion, and, to some extent, the scarcity and inferiority of teachers, our public schools were neither numerous nor of a very superior char- acter. They were not supported by taxation as it would have been well to sustain them, and the few we had were therefore not able to continue their terms as long as they ought to have run. Hence, a public school education in those days, whilst it included an elementary knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic, and a scattering of grammar and geography, was not as desirable or valuable as the in- struction received in our public schools now. On this account many who were anxious to educate their children, sent them off to boarding schools, and not a few to colleges. Indeed, good boarding schools grew up in almost every county of the State and a number of col- leges of high standing were established. Local academies, as they were called, and in some instances, seminaries, were started here and there by public-spirited citizens who were able to contribute to them and were desirous of educating their children at home. But all this tended to the detriment of the public school system. People, to some extent, came to look at it with disfavor, seeing that it resulted in but
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little practical good. It was these considerations and influences, more than any others, that brought about whatever prejudice there was in Missouri prior to the war against public education, or " free schools," as they were called.
But as the country advanced in population and neighborhoods be- came more thickly settled, the necessity of resorting to the public school system became manifest. It was hardly to be expected that local academies could be built up in each neighborhood. Hence, pub- lic schools under the general law sprang up here and there, and in . every direction, and long before the war, the free schools of this State had made commendable progress. They of course had much to con- tend against, growing out of the conditions in the early history of the State which we have referred to above. But considering all the circumstances, no Missourian need hang his head in the face of the public school record of his State. And in late years he may justly point with pride to the high standard of schools we have under the . general law, the liberality and public spirit with which they are sup- ported as well the great work they have performed.
As early as 1843 there was a number of good public schools in St. Charles county. The roll of attendance at the public school of the town of St. Charles showed the presence of forty scholars. It was taught in the building now occupied by R. Goebel's photograph gal- lery, and the directors were John Adkinson, Arnold Krekel, Dr. Thompson and F. W. Gatzweiler. From that time up to the present, one or more public schools have been kept open at this place during all, or nearly all, of the school months of the year. So, also, with the county outside of the city of St. Charles.
About the time of the close of the war a new impetus was given to the public schools of the State, generally. It was a time when all kinds of taxation were being rapidly increased and the spirit to push forward, regardless of expenses or cost, pervaded public as well as private affairs. Everything was inflated, and money was plentiful. The public schools shared in the benefits resulting from this condition of affairs, and heavy taxes were laid for their support. The school laws were materially amended and liberalized and provisions made for amplifying and improving the public school system. That period marks a decided epoch in the public school system, and one from which the schools have ever since made steady and rapid progress.
In 1864 the school directors of St. Charles were F. W. Gatzweiler, president of the board ; Theodore Bruere, secretary, and Charles Hug,
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treasurer. The daily attendance of pupils numbered 130, and two teachers were employed. Jefferson school-house, on Jefferson and Fourth streets, was erected two years later. Franklin school-house came into the possession of the school board in 1870. Soon after this, Lincoln school-house, then a negro church, was purchased to be used as a temple of learning for the little negroes of the city. The Jeffer- son school-house was materially enlarged and improved in 1874. At this time the average daily attendance of pupils in the St. Charles · public schools was 425, 75 of whom are representatives of the Fifteenth Amendment. The permanent school fund of the city was $30,000; State revenue fund, per annum, $1,961.14; county and city revenue for the city, per annum, $1,847.07; number of teachers employed, eight ; highest salary paid per annum, $1,000; lowest salary per . annum, $500 ; length of session, ten months, beginning on the 1st of September. The present school board is composed of F. W. Gatz- weiler, president ; Theodore Bruere, secretary, and August Maerten,
treasurer. Prof. W. C. Goodlett is the principal of the public schools of the city, a gentleman of high character, superior culture and large experience as an educator. He has brought the public schools of the city to a high plane of efficiency and success. Prof. Goodlett is ably assisted in his work by the Misses Laura Goebel, Clara Clauss, Maggie Parks, Lizzie Rood and Clara Bruere, at Jefferson school, and by Miss Mary Powell at Franklin school. Lincoln school is presided over by R. L. Woods, a colored educator of repute.
In the county, outside of St. Charles, the public schools have shown an equally gratifying degree of progress. The average daily attend- ance throughout the county is 7,507, representing 3,364 white male children, 3,286 white of the feminine gender, 436 colored boys, and 421 colored girls. The permanent county school fund is $21,265.31; township fund $41,137.75. The general school tax of the county is $24,166.76 ; county interest $4,367.58 ; State fund for the county, (annual) $7,000 ; making an annual fund for school purposes (not in- cluding the city of St. Charles) of $35,534.34. The number of dis- tricts in the county is 74.
Unquestionably the above facts present a very gratifying showing for the public schools of the county. They are warmly supported by all classes, and if any prejudice against them ever obtained, it has long since passed away. The same is probably true of the whole State at large. Men of all parties vie with each other in efforts to promote the blessings of public, popular education. No one who would oppose
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the public school system of this State, would find any appreciable sup- port among the people, but on the contrary would meet general and positive disapprobation.
RAILROADS.
THE WABASH.
In the present volume a somewhat extended and detailed history of the Wabash Railroad has been given elsewhere. It will be found in the division of this work devoted to the history of Warren county. Its appearance there, therefore, renders it unnecessary to speak, gen- erally, of that road in the present connection. As the county map shows, the Wabash enters this county on its eastern border at St. Charles and pursues nearly a direct westward course to the western border of the county. We have mentioned the fact elsewhere that Hon. William Allen, of Wentzville, was largely instrumental in secur- ing the charter for the old North Missouri from the Legislature. The road has proved a great benefit to St. Charles county. It opened up the county to the outside world and gave the people a convenient and rapid means of transportation to all the markets of the country. Of course the county has suffered some from what seemed freight extor- tions, but the benefits received far outweigh the burdens borne. To be sure, there is some complaint that the road is not assessed and taxed, proportionally, as heavily as the other property, and that it even refuses to pay the taxes levied against it. But as humanity is constantly growing better, it is to be hoped that although the Legis- lature and the courts refuse to remedy this (and of course nobody expects the Board of Railroad Commissioners to correct it), the pub- lic-spirited and philanthropic-hearted general officers and managers of the road will at last come to see the error of their ways in a light as broad and bright as the effulgence of a Brush electric lamp, and vol- untarially pay over to the county all taxes justly due, but the payment of which the county is utterly helpless to enforce.
ST. LOUIS, KEOKUK AND NORTH-WESTERN.
The next most important road to the Wabash in this county is the St. Louis, Keokuk & North-Western, which is now owned and operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy and is a part of the great system of roads of the latter company, one of the largest, as it
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
is one of the finest and wealthiest systems in the West. The St. Louis, Keokuk and North-Western forms a junction with the Wabash in this county and leads thence north-westward up the Mississippi through Clarksville, Louisiana and Hannibal, to Keokuk, Iowa, where it connects with all the different roads entering at Hannibal and Keokuk.
The building of the St. Louis, Keokuk and North-Western, and of the St. Louis, Hannibal and Keokuk, together with the aid rendered them by this county and the part taken by citizens of the county in those enterprises, have already been spoken of in a former chapter.
The general offices of the St. Louis, Keokuk and North-Western, or the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, as the owner of the North-West- ern are W. W. Baldwin, president ; T. J. Potter, vice-president ; J. C. Peaseley, treasurer ; R. Law, general superintendent ; J. H. Best, general ticket and freight agent; Howard Elliot, assistant treas- urer and auditor ; H. W. Pratt, car accountant, and H. B. Starring, general baggage agent.
ST. LOUIS, HANNIBAL AND KEOKUK.
The St. Louis, Hannibal and Keokuk also forms a junction with the Wabash in this county, above the junction of the St. Louis, Keokuk and North-Western, and leads thence north-westward to Hannibal and Quincy through Troy, Bowling Green, New London and Palmyra. It has connections with the Wabash, the Missouri Pacific, the Hanni- bal and St. Joe, Chicago and Alton, and a number of other roads. It is operated under the receivership of Theodore Case at Hannibal. Its other officers are W. W. Driggs, general ticket and freight agent; F. C. Cake, Jr., general cashier and auditor.
From what has been said it is seen that St. Charles county is well provided with railroad facilities. Farmers and business men and all classes have the advantages of rapid and cheap transportation, one of the great desiderata for the prosperity and material and general prog- ress of a community.
CALIFORNIA EMIGRANTS.
St. Charles county has of course always been considered a good county to immigrate to, but rarely a county to be emigrated from. Those who settle here are generally satisfied to remain. The few exceptions to this have been made only under the greatest induce- ments. About the largest emigration that ever occurred from the county was in the years 1849 and 1850, when the California gold
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excitement was at its height. Then the emigrants went from every quarter of the earth where the tidings of the new-found Midas-land were carried to the golden coast of the Pacific. No civilized country was exempted, and of course St. Charles county gave up a number of her people to the general movement across the continent. Among those who went to California during the earlier years of the gold excitement, the following are remembered : John W. Redman, John A. Richey, James Gallaher, Jr., Dr. Frederick R. Gallaher, Robert H. Cornforth, Albert H. Edwards, Thomas Glenday, Joseph Hall, John Hall, George W. Garriott, - Lucia.
CHAPTER IX. HISTORY OF FEMME OSAGE TOWNSHIP.
First Settlers - Augusta - Location - Femme Osage Post office - Pleasant Hill M. E. Church South - Biographical.
Femme Osage township was the home of Daniel Boone, the great hunter. Every hill and valley within that region of country has doubtless resounded to the crack of his unerring rifle. Here he and his family lived, having the honor of being the first Americans who settled upon the soil of Missouri.
Nearly a century has passed since the period of their settlement, and nearly three-quarters of a century have elapsed since the old pioneer was buried, yet, many are the stories and wonderful tales of adventure which are remembered and told of him by the older inhab- itants of the township. To have known Daniel Boone was a distin- guished honor, and one which the old settler is especially proud of. To have seen him, to have been his neighbor, to have rested beneath his roof and dined with him upon the venison which had been killed by his own hand, constitutes a recollection that will live in the memory of the old settler, and grow brighter as time steals away. But few persons are now living who were so fortunate as to know and recollect Mr. Boone. The author met with Mr. Charles M. Johnson, of St. Charles, who has in his possession a cane, which was made and used by Daniel Boone before he emigrated from Kentucky, in 1795. Mr. Johnson came to Missouri in 1835, and after remaining one year on Dardenne Prairie, he purchased the farm of Maj. Nathan Boone in Femme Osage township, and moved into it in 1836. Daniel Boone lived on this farm with his son Nathan. When Mr. Johnson took possession of the premises, Mrs. Nathan Boone was moving out, and finding the cane in an old cupboard, she threw it, with other things, on the floor, preparatory to cleaning up the house. Mr. Johnson seeing the cane on the floor, picked it up and asked Mrs. Boone who owned it. She told him her husband's father, Daniel Boone, and told Mr. Johnson she would give the cane to him if he would take care of it.
The cane, although it has been used for nearly, or quite a century, (230)
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is as sound it was, probably, when made. It was cut from the limb of a black-haw tree, and is rather larger than the ordinary cane of to-day, and a little shorter in length, having been worn off at the end. The cane has a handle, or natural rest for the hand, and is smooth, the bark having been apparently cut off with a pocket-knife.
Moses Bigelow, the son of Zachariah Bigelow, of Pittsburg, Pa., came to St. Charles county in 1821. He married Parthena, eldest daughter of Jonathan Bryan, who was a widower at the time, having previously married her cousin, Joseph Bryan. Mr. Bigelow had a thousand dollars in cash when he came to Missouri, and by keeping that sum constantly at interest, it made him a comfortable fortune before his death, which occurred in 1857. Several years before his death, his wife, while on a visit to a married daughter, was thrown from a horse while returning from church, and one of her limbs was so badly fractured that it had to be amputated. She, however, out- lived her husband, and died in 1873, of cancer. They had six chil- dren : James, Rufus, Rutia, Agnes, Abner and Phoebe. James was married three times ; first, to Mary E. Hopkins ; second, to her sister, Amanda, and third, to Angeline Callaway. Rufus married Henrietta Eversman ; Rutia married Charles E. Ferney ; Abner married Hulda Logan ; Agnes died single ; Phoebe married Fortunatus Castlio.
William Bryan, a native of Wales, came to America with Lord Baltimore about the year 1650, and settled in Maryland. His wife was of Irish descent, and they had three children - William, Morgan and Daniel. Of the succeeding generations of this family nothing is definitely known, but early in the eighteenth century William Bryan, a descendant of the Roan stock, settled in North Carolina. He mar- ried Sallie Bringer, who was of German extraction, and they had eleven children : William, Morgan, John, Sallie, Daniel, Henry, Re- becca, who became the wife of Daniel Boone, Susan, George, James and Joseph. During the Revolutionary War six of the sons served in the American Army, and one (probably Joseph) cast his lot with the Tories. He was promoted to the position of colonel and served with Tarlton during his campaign in the Carolinas. On one occasion his regiment of Tories, being in the advance, was attacked by the patriots and forced to retreat. As they were falling back in great confusion, they met Tarlton, who had heard the firing and accompanied by only a few of his staff officers, was riding leisurely towards the scene of conflict, blowing his bugle as he came. The patriots hearing the sound of the bugle, and, supposing the entire British army was advancing upon them, gave up the pursuit and retired. When Bryan met Tarlton
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HISTORY OF ST. CHARLES COUNTY.
he demanded in an angry tone why he had come alone, instead of bringing his entire army to his assistance. Tarlton replied he wanted to " see how the Tories would fight." This so enraged the Tory leader that he came near resigning his commission and retiring from the service, and would probably have done so, if he could have returned home in safety. Two of the brothers who were in the American army (James and Morgan ) were at the bloody battle of King's Mountain, and from the best information we can obtain, their Tory brother fought against them in the same battle. The war feeling ran so high, they would have shot him, if he had come in the range of their rifles. Three of the brothers (James, William and Daniel) followed Daniel Boone to Kentucky, and built Bryan's Station, near Lexington. Shortly after their arrival, William and two other men left the fort and went some distance into the woods, for the purpose of obtaining a supply of game for the garrison. During their absence they were attacked by the Indians ; Bryan's companions were both killed and scalped, and Bryan was shot through the knee with a rifle ball. But, notwith- standing his severe and painful wound, he rode to the fort, a distance of thirty miles, through the thick wood and brush, and gave the alarm in time to save the place from falling into the hands of the Indians. They soon began to suffer greatly for provisions, being so closely watched by the Indians' hunting parties they did not dare venture out, and they were reduced to the necessity of boiling and eating buffalo hides in order to avert starvation. James Bryan was a widower with six children at the time of the removal to Kentucky, and it was his branch of the family that afterwards came to Missouri. The descendants of the other two brothers remained in Kentucky. The names of his
children were : David, Susan, Jonathan, Polly, Henry and Rebecca. David married Mary Poor, and came to Missouri in 1800. He settled near the present town of Marthasville, in Warren county. His chil- dren were : James, Morgan, Elizabeth, Mary, Willis, John, Susan, Drizella, Samuel and William K. Mr. Bryan reserved a half acre of ground near his house for a graveyard, and it was there that Daniel Boone and his wife were buried. He also had a large orchard, which he grew from apple seed which he carried from Kentucky in his vest pocket. Susan Bryan married Israel Grant, of Kentucky. They had three children : James, William and Israel B. Jonathan married Mary Coshow, a widow, with one son - William (her maiden name was Mary Hughes). In 1800 he moved his family to Missouri in a keel boat, and landed at the mouth of Femme Osage creek on Christ- mas-day of that year. He settled first in Lincoln county, near the
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present town of Cap-au-Gris, but there they were greatly exposed to the attacks of the Indians, and the location proving to be a sickly one, he moved and settled on Femme Osage creek, near Nathan Boone's place, where he lived during the remainder of his life. In 1801 he built the first water mill west of the Mississippi river. The children of Jonathan Bryan were : Parthenia, Phoebe, Nancy, Elijah, Abner, Mary, Alsey, James, Delila and Lavenia. Henry Bryan married Eliz- abeth Sparks, and settled in St. Charles county, in 1808. They had eight children : Susan, Joseph, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Cynthia, Johan- nah, John W. and Polly. Rebecca, daughter of James Bryan, mar- ried Hugh Logan, of Kentucky, and they had five children : William, Alexander, Hugh, Henry and Mary. Mr. Logan died and she was married the second time to James Smith, of Kentucky. They had two children, when he also died ; and in 1810, Jonathan and Henry Bryan moved their sister and her family to Missouri. She settled on South Bear creek, in Montgomery county, and died twenty years later. Her two children by Smith, were named Susan and James. Susan married a man named King, and James married Susan Ellis.
William Coshow, a native of Wales, married Mary Hughes, an Irish girl, and, emigrating to America, settled in North Carolina. He went with Daniel Boone on one of his expeditions to Kentucky, and was killed by the Indians at the head of Kentucky river. He had but one child - a son named William. His widow married John Bryan, several years after the death of her husband, and they came to St. Charles county in 1800. His son was raised by his step-father as one of his own children. He served in the war against the In- dians, and afterwards married Elizabeth Zumwalt, of St. Charles county. They had three children : Andrew J., Phoebe A., and John B., all of whom are still living.
David Darst was born in Shenandoah county, Va., December 17, 1757, and died in St. Charles county, Mo., December 2, 1826. He married Rosetta Holman, who was born in Maryland, January 13, 1763, and died in Callaway county, Mo., November 13, 1848. She was buried in a shroud of homespun wool, which she made with her own hands when she was about middle-aged. Mr. Darst removed from Virginia to Woodford county, Ky., in 1784, and in 1798 he left Kentucky with his wife and seven children and settled in (now) St. Charles county, Mo., on what has since been known as Darst's Bottom. Some of the leading men of Kentucky gave him a very complimentary letter to the Spanish authorities in St. Louis, which enabled him to obtain several grants of land for himself and
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children. The names of his children were: Mary, Elizabeth, Absa- lom, Isaac, Sarah, Jacob, Samuel, Nancy and David H. Mary mar- ried Thomas Smith, of Callaway county, and died ; he then married her sister Elizabeth. Isaac married Phœbe, daughter of Jonathan Bryan. Sarah and Samuel died before they were grown. Jacob lived in Texas, and was killed by the side of Col. Crockett, at the battle of Alamo. Nancy married Col. Patrick Ewing, of Callaway county. David H. married Mary Thompson, and lived and died in Darst's Bottom. They had 13 children : Violet, Rosetta H., Mar- garet R., Elizabeth I., Nancy E., Harriet, Mary T., David A., Lorena, Henry, Martha, William and Julia. Mr. Darst was a very systematic man, and for many years kept a book in which he recorded every birth and death and all the important incidents that occurred in the community. This book would have been very inter- esting, but it was destroyed by fire several years ago.
James Fulkerson, of Germany, came to America and settled first in North Carolina, and afterwards removed to Virginia. He had twelve children : Peter, James, John, Thomas, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, William, Polly, Catharine, Hannah and Mary. Isaac married Re- becca Neil, of Lee county, Va., in 1799, and came to Missouri and settled in Darst's Bottom in 1814. He served in the State Senate one term. He had ten children : Willian N., James P., Virginia, Bath- sheba V., Frederick, Catharine H., Isaac D., Margaret A., Peter H. and Jacob. William N. married Ellen Christy, and they had nine children. James P. married Louisa Stanbark. Virginia married Ca- leb Berty. Bathsheba married Judge John A. Burt. Frederick married Ann Miller. Catharine H. married Shapely Ross. Isaac mar- ried Mary Wheeler. Margaret A. married Gordon H. Waller, who was judge of St. Charles county court one term. Peter H. married Martha V. Montague, and they had fifteen children. Jacob died in infancy.
David Frazier, of Virginia, settled in St. Charles county in 1804. He had two sons, Jerry and James. Jerry was killed in Virginia. James married Jane Anderson, of Pennsylvania, who was of Irish birth, and settled in St. Charles county in 1804. They had twelve children : David, James, John, William, Thomas, Martin, Sally, Elizabeth, Holly, Catharine, Jane and Abigail. David married Elizabeth Fry, and lived in Virginia. James married Polly Crow. John was married first to Mary Shuck, and after her death he mar- ried Sally T. Hall. The latter was a grand-daughter of Alexander Stewart, who was captured by the British during the Revolutionary
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