History of Vernon County, Missouri : past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county Vol. I, Part 21

Author: Johnson, J. B
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : C.F. Cooper
Number of Pages: 596


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 21


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"Trading Post, Kan., January 3, 1859.


"Gentlemen: You will greatly oblige a humble friend by allowing the use of your columns while I briefly state two paral- lels in my poor way.


"Not one year ago eleven quiet citizens of this neighborhood, viz .: William Robertson, William Colpetzer, Amos Hall, Austin Hall, John Campbell, Asa Snyder, Thomas Stilwell, William Hair- grove, Asa Hairgrove, Patrick Ross and Elder B. L. Reed were gathered up from their work and their homes by an armed force under one Hamilton, and without trial or opportunity to speak in their own defense, were formed into a line and all but one shot-five killed and five wounded. One fell unharmed, pretend- ing to be dead. All were left for dead. The only crime charged against them was that of being free state men. Now, I inquire what action has ever, since this occurrence in May last, been taken by either the president of the United States, the governor of Missouri, or the governor of Kansas, or any of their tools, or by any pro-slavery or administration man, to ferret out and punish the perpetrators of this crime ?


"Now for the other parallel. On Sunday, December 19, a negro called Jim came over to the Osage settlement from Mis- souri and stated that he, together with his wife, two children and another negro man, was to be sold within a day or two, and begged for help to get away. On Monday (the following night) two small companies were made up to go to Missouri and forcibly liberate the five slaves, together with other slaves. One of these companies I assumed to direct. We proceeded to the place, surrounded the buildings, liberated the slaves, and also took certain property, supposed to belong to the estate.


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"We, however, learned, before leaving, that a portion of the articles we had taken belonged to a man living on the planta- tion as a tenant, and who was supposed to have no interest in the estate. We promptly returned to him all we had taken. We then went to another plantation where we found five more slaves, took some property and two white men. We moved all slowly away into the territory for some distance, and then sent the white men back, telling them to follow us as soon as they chose to do so. The other company freed one female slave, took some property, and as I am informed, killed one white man (the master) who fought against the liberation.


"Now for the comparison. Eleven persons are forcibly re- stored to their natural and inalienable rights, with but one man killed, and 'all hell is stirred from beneath.' It is currently re- ported that the governor of Missouri has made a requisition upon the governor of Kansas for the delivery of all such as were concerned in the last named 'dreadful outrage.' The marshal of Kansas is said to be collecting a posse of Missouri (not Kan- sas) men at West Point, in Missouri, a little town about ten miles distant, to 'enforce the laws.' All pro-slavery, conservative free state and doughface men and administration tools are filled with holy horror.


"Consider the two cases and the action of the administration party.


Respectfully yours, "JOHN BROWN. "


Leaving with Kagi and Stevens the negroes, whose number had been increased by the birth of a child to the Cruise slave woman, Brown went to Lawrence and arranged plans for get- ting them to Canada. The party left Lawrence on January 20. 1859, and reached Topeka two days later, hungry and cold, and they were there supplied with clothing and provisions. Here the party comprised, besides Brown and four of his men, two wagonloads of negroes. Later the number was increased by three men who joined Brown. And when at Straight Creek cross- ing north of Holton in Jackson county the whole party took possession of a vacant cabin to defend themselves against a party of pro-slavery men who sought to intercept them, both sides sent for re-enforcements, and there occurred what is known as "The Battle of the Spurs." Under order of Governor Medary, Deputy


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United States Marshal Colby and a posse of men from Atchison. aided by some troops, were sent to arrest Brown and take him to Lawrence. To his relief came Col. John Ritchie and twenty-five mounted men from Topeka, before whom the marshal and his forces precipitately fled, two of their number, James Green, 01 Atchison, and Dr. Herford, of Kansas City, being captured.


Brown and his party made their way to the Nebraska line under escort of Colonel Ritchie without further incident, and early in February came to Tabor, an abolition colony in south- western Iowa. Thence they went to Chicago, where the com- pany disbanded, the men going to different points, except Brown, Kagi and Stevens, who took the negroes to Detroit, reaching there on May 12, and from there crossed with their charges into Canada.


Following his raid into Vernon county Brown next came prominently before the country in his famous raid of October 16, 1859, with nineteen men, against Harpers Ferry, Va., in which Kagi and Stevens lost their lives and for which he him- self was tried, convicted and hung at Charleston, Va., on De- cember 2, 1859.


Another noted raid occurred on the night of December 30, 1858, in which the store of Mr. Jere Jackson was burned by a band of Kansas outlaws led by Capt. Eli Snyder, who had re- cently come from Illinois and had a blacksmith shop on the site of the Marais des Cygnes massacre, and who was a brother of Asa Snyder, one of the wounded victims in that tragedy. Mr. Jackson, an early settler and prosperous citizen, had a combined dwelling and store on Mulberry creek, near the Kansas line, in Bates county, living in one end and keeping a stock of goods in the other. He was a pronounced pro-slavery man and owned a number of slaves; and from the fact that a number of guns were kept in the house, and it was the resort of some of his political friends, the place was known among the Kansas free- soilers as Jackson's fort. Fearing an attack on his store, after the Vernon county raid, Jackson sent most of his slaves away and prepared to defend his property, some of the neighbors being in the habit of staying there nights. On the morning of December 30 his apprehensions were allayed by the assurances of two callers, who said they were pro-slavery men from Kansas, that there was no longer any danger, as Brown and his men had


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left the country. Misled by these assurances, the presence of the neighbors was dispensed with that night, and only Mr. Jack- son, his son Thomas and a young man named Frank Meek, be- sides Mrs. Jackson, were in the house.


Coming with two wagons prepared to carry away their an- ticipated loot, the raiders arrived at Mr. Jackson's place, and finding the doors strong and securely fastened, demanded that the inmates surrender. In the brisk skirmish that followed Jack- son did the firing from the upper floor, the two boys loading and handing him the guns, while those outside fired through the windows and the roof, and finally set fire to the house. The boys rushed out and escaped through the smoke, as did also Mrs. Jackson, but not until her life had been imperiled, when she started upstairs to help her husband, who mistaking her for one of the assailants, pointed his gun at her and attempted to shoot, but fortunately the gun missed fire. Realizing his peril, Mr. Jackson was the last to escape from the burning building, his only injury being a wound in the tip of his nose from a shot. The raiders burned everything on the premises except some arti- cles they carried away and left, with one man and two horses severely wounded. No one was killed on either side and the wounded raider, whose name was Tanner, recovered from his wounds.


Following these various raids wild and exaggerated stories and accounts of the outrages spread far and wide throughout the country and that Brown, Montgomery, Lane and others had invaded western Missouri with a thousand men and liberated 500 slaves and indiscriminately murdered men, women and chil- dren, burned their houses and pillaged their property.


After the invasion of December 20, 1858, a company of some 250 men, mostly from Bates and Vernon counties, gathered on Duncan's creek, near the Kansas line, but did nothing more, excusing themselves on the ground that it was not advisable to further disturb the peace of the territory, and dispersed after deciding to let the matters be settled according to law. Affi- davits by La Rue and Hicklin, recounting the details of the raids, were sent to Governor Stewart, as were also petitions, signed by many citizens, reciting in detail the various outrages and imploring protection against the organized lawlessness. Besides issuing a proclamation offering a reward of $3,000 for the ar-


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rest of Brown and $1,000 for each of the murderers of David Cruise, the governor, on the convening of the legislature, in dif- ferent messages called attention to the deplorable condition of affairs then existing, urging in a strong appeal that measures be adopted at once and provision made to defend the frontier and protect the citizens against these wanton invasions of their rights, and also transmitted to the legislature the affidavits of La Rue and Hicklin and the several petitions of the people. But little or no definite action was taken by the legislature and mat- ters were allowed to drag along till finally nothing could be done, with Brown and the other perpetrators of the outrages and the slaves taken were scattered hither and yon, in different states and Canada, no one knew where.


On the convening of the circuit court in May, 1859, indict- ments were returned by the grand jury against Brown and his confederates for murder and robbery, but nothing came of it, as none of the parties indicted were ever arrested.


Opinions will undoubtedly always differ and there will be those who will laud as patriots and heroes and as martyrs to the cause of human liberty John Brown and others who were leaders in these border troubles. But the facts remain that this man and his subordinates burned poor men's cabins and rich men's Houses, indiscriminately robbed and plundered peaceable people of horses and wagons, mules and cattle, household goods, furni- ture clothing and provisions ; that on the night of May 24, 1856, John Brown, not only deliberately shot down and killed James P. Doyle in Franklin county, Kansas, but also abetted the murder of Doyle's two sons, Drury and William, and the killing of Allen Wilkinson and William Sherman, by his own sons, Owen, Oliver and William Brown, cheering them on as they ruthlessly slaugh- tered their victims with their swords. In the light of these facts and others of a like nature, leaving out of the account the atrocities committed by the rabble on both sides, who were glad to take advantage of any opportunity to gratify their rapacity, let the impartial mind fix the responsibility, as between the lead- ers in these crimes and the law-abiding citizens who sought to protect their property and their firesides.


CHAPTER XX. BORDER TROUBLES CONTINUED.


THE SOUTHWEST EXPEDITION.


What came to be known as the southwest expedition fol- lowed a series of tragic events, which occurred along the border in Kansas in 1860, and in which the notorious Dr. Charles R. Jennison and his band, of horse-stealing fame, bore a conspicuous part.


One of Jennison's men, Samuel Wright, known as "Pickles," was tried for horse stealing and robbery at Fort Scott early in May ; and to save hinself from the vengeance of a mob who were in waiting to take him in case of acquittal, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $500 fine and one year's imprison- ment. In the early part of July Hugh Carlin, another of the Jennison band, was taken and hanged by a vigilance committee for horse stealing; and following this a man named Griffith, charged with a like offense, shared the same fate, the settlers on the Little Osage having been greatly annoyed by them. Alleg- ing that the charges against these men were trumped up and that the real reason of their hanging was because of their polit- ical opinions and their association with him and Montgomery, and that no pro-slavery man, however villainous his deeds, had ever been molested by this vigilance committee, Jennison took upon himself to avenge these wrongs. With fifteen men he went into the eastern part of Linn county, Kansas, on November 10, 1860, and arrested Martin Clayton, a Mr. Stiles, John Moody, George Kennedy and Joseph R. and George W. Hindes, brothers, all pro-slavery men, the Hindes brothers living with their mother, who owned a small farm near the Missouri line.


Joseph R., known as Russ Hindes, who was about twenty-five years old and unmarried, in the fall of 1859 had helped Lewis B. Reece, in returning to his owner, Dr. Thornton, of Butler, Bates county, a slave whom Mr. Reece apprehended in front of


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his house, on the road between Butler and Mound City, Reece called Hindes to help him and gave him $5 of the $50 reward he received from Dr. Thornton. The entire transaction was on Missouri soil.


When questioned by Jennison and his men, Hindes told them just what he did in the return of the runaway slave, and after ransacking the house and finding a rifle and a United States musket, which they took, the company left in search of other members of the vigilance committee. That evening-it was Sat- urday-they released George W. Hindes and the next morning hung Russ Hindes from a tree on Mine creek, in Linn county, Kansas, some four miles from the Missouri line. The body was taken down that evening by James West, a cousin of Hindes, of Bates county, and interred in Missouri a few days later. In Hindes' overcoat pocket was found his will-notice of which came to his mother from Mound City-and on the reverse side of the paper was written in pencil :


"This man was executed by citizens of Kansas for being en- gaged in hunting and kidnaping negroes in 1859.


"P. S .- As all others will be that are found in the same occupation."


"November 11, 1860."


The following Thursday night Jennison and his men went to the house of L. D. Moore, near Mapleton, in the northern part of Bourbon county, and when admittance was refused, broke in the door and Jennison shot Mr. Moore as he sat on the side of his bed, then deliberately walked to the bed, grasped the dy- ing man's wrist, holding it till life ebbed away, then coolly an- nounced, "Boys, he is dead." Mr. Moore was a pro-slavery man and was especially hated by Jennison because he belonged to the vigilance committee and had helped in the hanging of Carlin and Griffith. From Mr. Moore's house the band went to the house of M. E. Hudson, a cousin of Moore's, but not finding him, Jennison and his men contented themselves with coolly sitting down and eating a hearty breakfast which they compelled Mrs. Hudson to prepare.


Following this, on Sunday morning the 18th, Jennison and his band dragged from his home and hanged Mr. Samuel Scott, a wealthy and influential pro-slavery citizen, who had served as


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sheriff of Bates county and in whose honor one of the original townships of Linn county, Kansas, where he had lived since 1855, was named. An attempt to take and hang Mr. John W. Garrett about the same time failed, but a Mr. Smith and Mr. Bishop were shot by Jennison's company a day or two later.


When, during the excitement following these deeds of law- lessness, it was announced that Jennison and others were to be indicted on the convening of the United States district court at Fort Scott, Judge Jos. Williams, formerly of Iowa, presiding, that certain freesoilers were to be evicted and pro-slavery men put in possession of their lands ; that summary justice was to be dealt out to all abolition offenders, and that United States soldiers would be on hand to aid in preserving peace and enforcing the court's orders, Montgomery, who had been inactive during the recent outbreaks, except to commend the doings, even of Jenni- son, left his fortified cabin on the Marais des Cygnes, and notify- ing Judge Williams that court should not be held at Fort Scott, and vowing vengeance against any United States soldiers who might be sent there, soon gathered from Linn and Bourbon coun- ties a force of 300 men, among them being Jennison, with a com- pany of twenty-five followers.


On the approach of Montgomery and twelve men to Fort Scott on November 17 the town was panic-stricken and nearly all the populace fled in terror, those in authority with the rest. Judge Williams, hastening across the line into Missouri, stopped at the old Douglas farm on the Marmaton, then in possession of Capt. H. C. Cogswell, and in his terror regaled his host with such a tale of horrors and perils then impending that Mr. Cogswell was actually induced to load his family and slaves into wagons with necessary goods, utensils and provisions and to flee for safety under cover of night up into Bates county. Nor was he the only one. Throughout the western part of Vernon and Bates counties there was a general exodus of masters with their slaves into the interior, and those who remained were filled with alarming ap- prehensions. And all because Montgomery and twelve men had approached Fort Scott. There was no invasion of Missouri soil and had not been since the raids of Brown and others two years before. Under this condition of affairs, although some citizens of Vernon county were ready to arm themselves and defend the border against invasion, an appeal to the governor was deemed


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best, and the following petition signed by numerous citizens was transmitted to him :


To His Excellency Robert M. Stewart, Governor of the State of Missouri: We, your memorialists, citizens of the county of. Vernon, in the state of Missouri, would hereby respectfully rep -- resent to your excellency and inform you that the border of Mis- souri, to-wit, the counties of Bates and Vernon, are now in immi- nent danger of invasion by an armed band of lawless abolition desperadoes, under the control, management and leadership of the notorious Jim Montgomery, assisted by one Dr. Jennison ; that we have reliable, ample and satisfactory information that Montgomery and Jennison have well armed and equipped a com- pany of 300 mounted, well-drilled and disciplined men; that they are well supplied with provisions, arms, munitions of war, and money, by a regularly organized eastern abolition society; that we have authentic information that the said Montgomery now publicly avows himself in opposition to and independent of the federal government; that he declares that "for four years he has successfully withstood the government, and that he has only four months longer to hold out until there will be inaugurated an administration that will favor him"; that his program, as de- clared by himself, is first to rid himself of his enemies in southern Kansas, so that he may there have an asylum of security, to which he may fall back should he be unsuccessful in any expedi- tion afterwards; and secondly, that he is resolved to invade Mis- souri with the avowed purpose of kidnaping and freeing slaves. murdering slave owners, and destroying property.


As an evidence of the truth of his avowed program, we have, and here submit to your consideration, the following facts : First, Montgomery made a tour, during the past fall, through the east- ern states; that he returned home two months since amply sup- plied with money and provisions; that since that time he has re- ceived from the East 300 "Sharpe's rifles" and 600 revolvers; that he has his men all well clothed, well mounted, well pro- visioned and armed, each with one Sharpe's rifle, brace of Colt's revolvers, bowie knife and saber; that Montgomery has since his return been, and still is, turning every disturbance in the terri- tory to his own account, even to the personal difficulties of his neighbors, by taking part of one party and promising them re-


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venge, and in this wise gained largely by taking the part of those removed by the United States soldiers off the "Indian Reserve Lands." Many of the citizens of Kansas are in a suffering condi- tion ; Montgomery furnishes to them, on the condition that they are true to his fortunes, plenty of provisions, pays them ten dol- lars in advance, and then ten dollars thereafter per month.


These marauders hanged one Hines last Wednesday ; on Thurs- day they shot L. D. Moore; both of Bourbon county, K. T. They were to march on Barnesville on Friday, and last night or to- night they were to take Fort Scott, declaring that the United States court which is to sit there on tomorrow should not hold its session. The citizens of Fort Scott are in perfect consterna- tion-some fleeing the place and some of the merchants removing their goods.


Montgomery says that he can command any number of men that he may deem necessary for the prosecution of his purposes. It is confidently believed that he can, inside the territory, raise 100 men. Montgomery, one night during the past week, permit- ted a detachment of his men, commanded by a runaway negro from Bates county, to come into the state with the object of mur- dering the owner of the negro. The party was unsuccessful.


The facts which we have and which we have hereinbefore submitted come to us in such a reliable manner that we deem it folly to doubt them. We are in a sparsely settled country, and illy armed or prepared to defend our homes, our firesides, our lives and property ; hence we confidently make this application through Col. S. R. Roberts for your assistance in the premises.


We, in possession of all the facts, are confidently persuaded that a less number than 500 well-armed men will not be suffi- cient for our actual defense. We are taking steps for the imme- diate organization of three companies, 100 each, of good, firm, substantial and reliable men; but we have no arms worthy to be placed in the hands of an invaded people ; hence as loyal citizens we appeal to you for what we need. We would, therefore, re- spectfully suggest to, and ask of you, that you furnish to us 300 of the last and best patent of the United States rifle, we herewith sending to you the necessary bonds. We would further suggest to. and ask of vou, that should you furnish to us men, that it be a company of artillerymen, for all of which we will ever pray.


November 18, 1860.


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Accompanying the petition was the following certificate from Sheriff Taylor :


To His Excellency R. M. Stewart, Governor of Missouri, Greet- ing: I, William H. Taylor, sheriff of the county of Vernon, in the state of Missouri, do hereby certify that I have reliable in- formation that this county is about to be invaded by an armed force from Kansas territory, and that I am unable to arm the citizens of this county for its defense unless aided by state author- ity. I therefore earnestly request that you should send me by the order of Sidney R. Roberts 300 United States rifles with a suit- able amount of cartridges and such other aid as at your discre- tion you may think just and advisable.


November 19, 1860.


W. H. TAYLOR, Sheriff of Vernon County.


On November 20 the governor telegraphed Col. John F. Sny- der, at Bolivar, division inspector of the sixth militia district, to proceed at once to the border, investigate the situation and re- port. First sending to Springfield to borrow some muskets from the Overland Mail Company, Colonel Snyder informed the gov- ernor there were but two organized companies of militia in the district and they were without arms, and asked that arms and ammunition for 500 men be sent to Bolivar at once, and on the 21st started on his mission. Meantime Judge Williams had reached Clinton, in Henry county, and at his instigation a meet- ing was held on the 20th, at which some blood-curdling speeches were made and resolutions adopted, which besides being sent to various towns, were forwarded to the governor by Judge Will- iams, accompanied by the following letter :


Clinton, Mo., November 20, 1860.


Governor Stewart, Sir: I am here to inform the citizens of this place of the following facts and I have been requested to present them to you as governor of the state.


The abolitionists, under the command of Montgomery and Dr. Jennison, to the number of from three to five hundred, armed with Sharpe's rifles, dragoon sabers, navy revolvers and bowie knives each, have suddenly commenced a war of extreme ferocity on the law-abiding citizens of southern Kansas, in the counties of Linn and Bourbon. These arms arrived by the wagonload at


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or near Mound City, about one month since, in boxes marked as donations for Kansas sufferers. They are all new. .


Montgomery had been at Boston during part of the summer and returned with plenty of money to enlist recruits. Many of his men are freshly imported. He has taken possession of Fort Scott and other towns on the border near the Missouri line. He has murdered Mr. Moore, a grand juror; Mr. Harrison, Mr. Sam- uel Scott, Mr. Hindes, and obliged all of the United States offi- cers, including myself, to fly for our lives. His openly expressed design in a public speech, as he said, "without concealment," is to keep possession of Fort Scott and other places near the state line, to prevent "a fire in the rear," while he cleaned out "southern Missouri of slaves." So far, he has carried out lit- erally his declared program. The citizens of Missouri on the Osage, Marmaton, and in Bates and Vernon, are flying from their homes into the interior. He boasts that he has money and arms to equip and sustain 1,000 men. These are facts. "Omne pars fui." My court was broken up by them-the United States court for the southern district. I expect they have seized the records, and also the records of the land office, as he [sic] publicly declared he would do so.




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