USA > Missouri > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Missouri : past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county Vol. I > Part 11
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
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A TRIBUTE TO MISSOURI
educational, and otherwise, have much to do with her growth and prosperity, both present and prospective, and these in turn, rest upon that broad, secure basis which general education alone can give.
In common with the other states of this glorious Union, Mis- souri enjoys the blessings and privileges of free government. In common with them she has maintained man's inherent right of self-government. Through struggles, defeat, poverty and disap- pointment we have established the principle that the strength of a government lies, not in its rulers, but in its people. Our political institutions have done more to promote the welfare of the human race than those of any other people in all history. And yet Missouri is no Utopia-that remains a yet undiscovered island. Sir Thomas Moore's celebrated chimera of government has never yet been realized. The Philosopher Locke's experiment proved to be but an impossible dream. "The Grand Model" was a grand failure. But the principles of civil and religious liberty, as they exist here in Missouri, have given us a very near approximation to the ideal excellencies of both schemes, because these principles are founded upon the idea of general intelligence.
All' systems and forms of government heretofore instituted among men, not based upon the fundamental principle of educa- tion of the masses, have failed to secure the grand end of all human government-the highest good to the governed. The re- corded experiences of six thousand years prove good government and general intelligence are synonymous. The one is the natural sequence of the other.
All the centuries that have passed since the "Tree of Knowl- edge" gave up its precious fruit to human lips have been cen- turies of bitter trial to mankind. All these years a ceaseless war- fare has been waged between Light and Darkness, between Right and Wrong. As the world grew older men grew wiser ; knowledge became more general; superstition receded before encroaching enlightenment; might no longer made right, and civilization ad- vanced as education became more general. The rights of man became the study of man, and the result of six thousand years of experiment and study and bitter trial was the establishment of the system of government under which it is our blessed privi- lege to live-a system that guarantees greater personal liberty and broader political privileges than any other in all history. Of
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its successful operation the past history and the present grandeur of the confederation is ample proof; for its stability there is every reason to hope. It is sufficient for the purpose of this paper, to accept the fact that ours-the only government that ever main- tained the rights of man in their purity-is the undoubted out- growth of a general enlightenment based upon and springing from the idea of popular education.
It is uncontrovertibly true, therefore, that, so far as political institutions are concerned, Missouri is equally blessed with other states of the Union, and infinitely more so than any other people on the earth.
As to her religious and educational institutions-these rank with any of the age. Churches and colleges are numerous. Indeed, all the evidences of a refined and moral and cultured peo- ple are plainly visible on every hand. The highest type of civili- zation is found here; has taken deep root, and will have a steady and continuous growth. Refined sentiment and cultured taste in literature, in science and in art, characterize no small portion of our population. All those institutions which tend to elevate and ennoble mankind, and which can exist only among a well-in- formed, reading people, exist there in the highest degree of excel- lence. The pulpit and the press are recognized at their full value and to their influence is due much of the progress made in the way of general enlightenment.
The strong religious fervor which underlies and strengthens every American institution in the general character of our peo- ple, as does that other characteristic element, of individual inde- pendence of thought, which leads every man to know the "why" and "wherefor" for himself. There is enough of the Puritan in our character to make us tenacious of principle, both in religion and politics, and enough of the Cavalier to assert and maintain them. The fact that only first class talent can command a pulpit. even in the rural districts, and that our newspapers are con- fessedly the ablest in the world, proves the enlightened charac- ter of our population.
Verily, he who preaches to Missourians, be it through press or pulpit, must know whereof he speaks; for there are ears to hear, cultured as his own, and as quick to detect a rhetorical flaw or a sophistical syllogism.
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A TRIBUTE TO MISSOURI
Truly, Missouri is a great state. Her people are a great peo- ple. Her institutions are grand. Her resources are wonderful. What more need be said. We enjoy the blessings of civil and religious liberty ; our laws are as nearly adapted to the imper- fections and frailties of our race as human laws can be; the brightest, ablest minds of the age dispense to us wisdom and truth from the sanctuary and the sanctum; we stand as a people and as a state, at the front of a powerful progressive civilization. We are in the glorious dawn of a golden age of enlightened prog- ress and culture. Need more be added.
Yes. There is one humble institution in our state upon which all these others, secure and firm as the towers and cupolas and fretted arches of Westminister rest upon the foundation stones -splendid in their beauty and perfect in all their proud propor- tions. To it Missouri owes every excellence of whatever character -moral or political-to it she must look for every blessing of the future. This institution, unpretentious as it is, is the tap root that gives life and permanence to every excellence and beauty in our social and business life-which makes us all that we are, as a people and as a state, and all that we may ever hope to be- come.
Magnificent in the extent of her territorial domain; opulent in the inexhaustible wealth of her natural resources, and blessed in the number, the excellence and the character of her institutions, Missouri is yet more magnificent, more opulent, more blessed, in that richest of all her resources, that noblest and best of all her institutions, that crowning glory of the civilization of the twen- tieth century-her common schools.
CHAPTER XII.
CORRECTIONS MADE AND ADDITIONS TO, "BROWN'S HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY, MISSOURI."
By FRANK P. ANDERSON.
Page 129, in lines 19 and 20 from the top, omit "Cherokee," "Chickasaws," and "Choctaws." These tribes were not west of the Mississipi river until 1835, when they were removed to the Indian Territory by the United States government during the administration of President Jackson from the states of Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama.
Page 269, in lieu of W. H. Branton, Democratic candidate for the legislature, insert that of Dr. J. L. D. Blevans. Blanton was the representative from Vernon county in the preceding session, but was not a candidate in 1860. The issue between Gatewood and Blevans, both Breckenridge Democrats, was on the question of the formation of a new county out of the northern portion of Vernon county, and the southern portion of Bates county. If successful the result would have been, Nevada would cease to be the county seat. Gateswood was a citizen of Montevallo and advo- cated the proposition. Blevans was a citizen of Nevada, and opposed to the proposition. Gateswood was elected; but the war coming on the following spring, the question was overshadowed and engulfed by the more important issues, which were to be set- tled, alas, only by a cruel and fratricidal war.
Page 273, first line, top, strike out Lexington and insert Boone- ville. Governor Jackson with Generals Parren's and Clark's divisions of state troops remained at Montevallo (present site) camp until General Rains with his division from Lexington joined him at this camp, and there took place "the general organization or systematic arrangements to the proper commands."
On the fourth of July, Jackson's army, the Missouri state troops, moved to "Rupespoint," three miles northeast of Lamar,
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CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS
and established camp "Lamar." On July 5, 1861, occurred the battle of Carthage between the forces of Governor Jackson and General Siegel, United States army. This battle commenced just north of North or Dry fork of Spring river, about twelve miles north of Carthage and continued on the Spring river and through and to the eastern edge of Carthage. Darkness coming on, Jack- son's forces went into camp in the eastern limits of Carthage, and General Seigel continued his retreat that night until he reached Sarcoxie in the eastern limits of Jasper county, when he bivouaced for the night and next morning continued his retreat to Spring- field. Fourth line from the bottom strike out "Neosho" Seigel's regiment comes to Sarcoxie, but not to Neosho. I was with the army from the time General Raius' division passed through Ne- vada to join Governor Jackson at Montevallo, until the state forces went into camp on Cowskin Prairie, McDonald county. I had left Nevada with the view of going to Texas. At 12 o'clock the first night in camp on Cowskin Prairie, I reconsidered my intentions of going to Texas and decided it was my duty to return to Nevada and look after the welfare of my stepmother, who I had left there with my half brother, Thomas P. Anderson. She had been all an own mother could have been to me for more than fifteen years, having nursed and cared for me, when at the age of ten years I was afflicted with the "White Swelling," in my left leg which made a cripple of me for life; and in recompense for this tender care and motherly love on her part for me, I. felt it to be my filial duty as a dutiful son to return to her and to provide for her and as far as in my power protect her from the ravages of the war, which was then bursting on all sides. Arriv- ing at this conclusion I saddled my horse and left camp in com- pany with two others and by traveling by night and resting by day in the brush, we in due time reached Nevada. At this time I was deputy county and circuit clerk and recorder of Vernon county, under Col. D. C. Hunter. The last term of the county court of Vernon county, held previous to the war, adjourned June 6, 1861. This record was never signed except by me as Deputy of D. C. Hunter, clerk. The next session of the county court was held October 17, 1865.
On returning to Nevada I opened up the clerk's office, which was located in a brick building located on the southwest corner of the public square, which was built for that purpose and burned
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
May 26, 1863, and I recorded everything unrecorded in the office, including the financial statement of Vernon county, which you will find in book "A" county court records, pages 243 and 257, both inclusive. On September 2, 1861, occurred the battle -on Dry-Wood between the forces of Gen. Sterling Price and Gen. J. H. Lane, of Kansas. Soon after this battle Captain Green of the Sixth Kansas, Col. Judson commanding at Fort Scott came into Vernon county, arrested Dr. A. Badger, Patrick L. Maxey, Thomas H. Austin, and myself and took us to Fort Scott. They held the first three named for about three days, and myself about one week when they released us, we all taking and subscribing to the oath of loyalty.
Page 313. Pony Hills mother never lived in Nevada, she had no house in Nevada, consequently the Federals did not burn her house. Pages 313, 314 and 315 and 600, 601. I was an eye wit- ness to the burning of Nevada by Capt. Morton of the Cedar and St. Clair county militia and his men, on the morning of May 26, 1863. I had returned the evening previous from Jefferson City, Mo., where I had taken a lot of mules, which I sold to Gen. Thomas L. Price and delivered them to him on the farm of Judge William Scott, formerly judge of the supreme court of Missouri, and grandfather of Len Scott, of Nevada, Mo. My mother, brother Thomas and I lived in the frame house opposite the little brick house on the corner of Austin and Washington streets. The brick house belonged to John Ragsdale, a Confederate soldier, who died a prisoner of war in the Federal prison at Alton, Ill. This brick house was occupied by Salmon C. Hull, deputy of John L. Wilson, county clerk, as a residence and clerk and recorder's office, etc., in January, 1866, after the records were removed from Balltown. The frame house in which I lived is still standing and the one in which Uncle Tommy Austin and his wife, Aunt Louisa, died. At that time there lived in Nevada just seven families, including Thomas H. Austin and wife, who lived outside of the townsite on the spot where now stands the residence of Henry (Hank) A. Wight. Mrs. Mariah Baugh and daughters, Mrs. Henry Morris and Mrs. Mourning Bowland, now Mrs. Red Cum- mins, both living at this date. They lived together, mother and two daughters, at the old Baugh residence, situated on Cherry street, where now stands the two-story brick building, built by John A. Tyler as a residence. Mrs. Lowe, the mother of W. M.
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CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS
(Maus) Lowe and her colored woman, lived in the A. G. Anderson residence, on the lot on which stands the "Duck" block. Drury S. Collins, who lived in the D. C. Hunter residence north of the square, or that of Allen Blake, which stood some distance west of Hunter's, as to which my memory is not clear. Mrs. Patrick P. Maxey and married daughter, Mrs Alfred (Dick) Cummins, and single daughter, Amanda, who afterwards became the wife of Crit Moore, lived at the corner of Walnut and Main streets, north of the jail, formerly the property of Major Prewitt, now I believe it belongs to G. W. Conklin.
At the time of the burning,'this house belonged to Mrs. Judge Roberts, the mother-in-law of A. G. Anderson. Benjamin F. Long, (the first J. P. after the war), wife and five or six children lived on west Cherry street, just west of the old frame court house which stood on Lot 4, Block 2, original town. In this court house Frank P. Anderson taught a three months' subscription school in 1860, the first school taught in Nevada. All told there were just seven families and not more than twenty-seven residents of Ne- vada when Morton burned the town. There had no refugees come to Nevada, for it was not considered a "City of Refugees." I do not remember that any of the houses occupied as above stated were burned, except the houses of Mrs. Baugh and Mrs. Lowe, and probably Mrs. Maxey's. but about all the vacant houses were burned.
If my memory serves me right neither Morton nor his men gave Mrs. Baugh and Lowe or Maxey any notice of their inten- tion of burning their houses until they had eaten their break- fast, which those ladies had kindly prepared for them: and their first intimation given them, was the setting on fire the bedding in each house, giving them little or no opportunity to remove any- thing. On my arrival at home the evening previous, as above stated, my mother informed me, that Mr. Collins had a very sick child and that she had promised Mrs. Collins that she would come up and sit up with the child that night, so she, my mother and I, after supper went up to Mr. Collins' and remained all night. Next morning early, my mother on looking out saw the public square filled with soldiers. She called my attention to them, and pretty soon after Capt. Morton and several of his men rode up to the gate at Collins'. I went out and met them. Capt. Morton asked me who I was and where I lived. I told him who I was and
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
pointed to the house where I lived and showed him my "protec- tion. papers" as we called them, issued to me by the military. authorities at Fort Scott. About this time my mother came out and told me she thought Mr. Collins' child was dying. I informed Capt. Morton of the condition of affairs at that house, and re- quested him not to permit any of his men to enter the yard, which request he readily complied with. He asked my mother and I to go home and prepare breakfast for himself and three or four of his men, asking mother if she had any real coffee. (There were many substitutes for the real article in Vernon county those days), saying he wanted a strong cup of pure coffee. She told him she would prepare him a cup. We went home. The first thing mother did was to look for her coffee. It was gone. Some of the men had been in and ransacked the house and found and taken away the coffee. Pretty soon Capt. Morton came in, took off his sword and belt, and threw them on a bed and laid down. I told him coffee. The man soon returned with it, so Captain Morton had of the house being ransacked and the coffee missing. He called to one of his men and ordered him to go find and return that real coffee for his breakfast. I think the man who found it was the one who had pillaged it. While he, and two or three of his men were eating I looked and saw Mrs. Baugh and Mrs. Lowe's houses on fire, and men running around and setting fire to a num- ber of vacant houses. I informed Capt. Morton of this, and told him that house belonged to my widowed mother, who had prepared his breakfast for him, and asked him to spare it, and afford me and my mother that protection that Federal authorities had guaran- teed me. He said he would. (Note-Will say the house belonged to Dr. J. L. D. Blevans, my stepmother's son, and that Thomas H. Austin did not have a mortgage on it. Thomas H. Austin was not a brother-in-law of Dr. Blevans, but was a half uncle by mar- riage. Dr. Blevans' father was a half brother of Mrs. Thomas H. Austin) and he did. He got up and went to the door and saw many houses burning and his men applying the torch to others and met two of his men coming in the yard; he ordered them out of the yard and put a guard at the gate with orders not to per- mit any one to come in. He made a pretense to of giving some of his men orders to go out and stop the firing of the houses; but the conflagration went on uninterruptedly until soon there was little of Nevada left. I had a very fine saddle horse, bridle and
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saddle. When I went to the stable in the rear of the house, horse, bridle and saddle were gone. I so informed Capt. Morton. He said he would see that it was returned, and he did. Before leav- ing he lined his men up on the public square and told me to pick out my horse, which I readily did. He ordered his man off the horse and to deliver the horse to me, which was done. Soon after, they left going East. While there are many inaccuracies in "Brown's History," of the burning of Nevada, as recorded on pages 315, 316 and 317, of that book, it is substantially correct as to how and what saved Capt. Henry Taylor's life on that day, as was my understanding at the time, and is my recollection now. Page 597, line 22, (from top) insert "John C," instead of "D. C.," making it read John C. Boone. Page 598, the only pine lumber hauled from Van Winkle's mill in Arkansas, was hauled by Frank P. Anderson in 1867, after the close of the war. A por- tion of this lumber went into the court house built that year by C. W. Goodlander, contractor of Ft. Scott. That brick court house was located on the public square, and the one preceding the pres- ent magnificent and commodious structure which now adorns the public square in Nevada. Thanks to the intelligence and pride of the citizenship of Vernon county, their financial acumen in so planning it and paying for it (seventy-five thousand dollars), in three years time, without undue or onerous taxation of the people.
Page 602, second line from top insert "South" in lieu of "West." Page 603, 20th line from top, insert "Frank P. Ander- son" in lieu of "A. A. Pitcher," and was kept in store of Frank P. Anderson & Co., west side of square. Line 19 from top, insert "A Mr. Wright," in lieu of "A Mr. Wight."
In Brown's history, pages 603 and 604 the assertion of the secretiveness of the building of the M. K. & T. railway through Vernon, were it not so absurd and ridiculous it would be amusing to the old settler. The building of railroads in those days were heralded far and near and often before they were began or ever built. I will now take up the building of railroads in and through Vernon county in the early days of the beginning of her prosper- ity and while what I may write may prove dry and tedious to some, I promise it shall be truthful and I hope it may be read with interest by many, especially the newcomer. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway had won the right-of-way through the Indian Territory north and south by beating James F. Joy of the
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf Railway by first reaching the northern line of the Indian Territory and running a train within her confines. The Cherokee and Choctaw councils of these two Indian nations, had declared in council they would grant the right-of-way through their respective nations (which reached from the southern line of Kansas on the north to the Red river on the south, this river being the dividing line between Texas and the Choctaw nation in the Indian Territory), for a north and south road and only one, the first coming and running a train within the confines of their territory, to be the first and only one to ever have this privilege. Then the Cherokees and the Creek nation (west of the Cherokee nation) agreed to a similar proposition in the councils of these two nations for an east and west road on the same terms and conditions. Here I will say that the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company secured this east and west grant of right-of-way without a struggle for she had no competition and built from Pierce City, Mo., to Vineta, I. T. But quite different with the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Co., and the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf Company. Their's were to be the battle of the Giants.
The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company, Levy Par- sons, of New York City, president, with Robert Stevens, of Elmira, N. Y., as general manager of construction, commenced the build- ing of their road at Junction City, Kan., on their line of the Kan- sas City and Denver Railway, now the Union Pacific, on the head waters of the Neosho river. At about the same time James F. Joy, of Boston, president of the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf Railway commenced the building of their road at Kansas City, Mo. Here was to be the race. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas from Junction City, Kan., down the Neosho valley and the Missouri River, Ft. Scott & Gulf Railway from Kansas City, Mo. The goal, the northern line of the Indian Territory ; the prize, the right-of- way (and the only one) through the Indian Territory, the gate- way to imperial Texas. Joy had about twenty-two miles, the advantage in distance, but the heavier country to grade through. They each commenced building about the same time. The race was fast and furious; especially as they neared, where now is Parsons, Kansas and Cherokee, Kansas, about twenty-five miles north of the Indian Territory line. All that portion of Kansas, was then a vast, unoccupied prairie wilderness. When within
TT
TTTT
BENTON SCHOOL.
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about three miles of the coveted goal the M. K. & T was slightly in the lead, but ran out of rails. Robert Stevens, the general manager, was a small man in stature, but the most energetic bun- dle of nerve force I ever met with, a man who combined executive ability with judgment, foresight and indomitable will power and capable of infusing these traits into others with whom he was brought into close contact. He in person was on the ground at this crisis. With three miles more of rails, he could win over Joy, the right-of-way through the Indian Territory without them all was lost, including the vast commonwealth of Texas. What was he to do ? The question did not remain long unanswered ! When his last rail was spiked down to the tie, on the grade, where the sod had not been broken by the graders, he ordered his super- intendent of track-layers to bring his construction train, then his supply, commissary and boarding trains to the end of the track ; then to take up track immediately in the rear of those trains to the distance of their length, bring it forward and re-lay it; when this was done to move up his trains and repeated the same opera- tion. This was done successfully and in this way the M. K. &. T. Railway walked her first trains into the Indian Territory, a dis- tance of one-half mile. The company claimed the right-of-way through the territory in accordance with the resolutions of the Creek and Choctaw councils, as having ran the first train into the territory from the north, which claim was not disputed. And they received the grant. When this was done Joy was within less than a mile of the line, at where is now Baxter Springs, Kan. Joy stopped building at this time and Baxter Springs, the terminus of the road sprang into existence. In 1882 he turned east and built into Joplin and Webb City, Mo. Not until about 1900 did the old Gulf road, and after it had been absorbed by the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, get south of Baxter into the Indian Ter- ritory, thirty years after the M., K. & T. had beaten her to the north line of the territory. In 1900 the Frisco built south from Baxter, connecting with their Pierce City and Oklahoma line at Afton, Indian Territory. When Mr. Stevens had got his track into the Cherokee nation, a few days afterwards he received a consignment of rails and at once relayed the gap he had broken in his rear in his road; and all was lovely with "Bob."
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