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. II > Part 9
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).
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 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
Upon the commencement of hostilities, Prof. Page, who was a Northern man, left the country, but Miss Standwood died in the summer of 1861, far away from her home and kindred in the Northland, and was buried in the lonely, obscure cemetery east of Montevallo.
Montevallo was regularly incorporated by the county court February 9, 1860, on petition of F. M. German, John Dade, Wil- liam T. Maddox and others. The first board of trustees consisted of F. G. Reavis, John Dade, Jesse T. Griggs, W. B. Randolph and William James. All records of the proceedings of the board of the succeeding officers, etc., were "lost in the war."
After the war broke out the academy building was used to hold war meetings and for quarters for the Southern troops, and was destroyed in the burning of the town in the spring of 1862.
In the year 1857, Mr. F. G. Reavis came from Leesville, Henry county, to Montevallo and established a store, and soon after built and operated a carding machine. Mr. German, Obediah Keithley and William Withers put up a steam saw mill on Mill branch, a little east of town, about the same time, and after- wards added to it a corn cracker.
At the outbreak of the war the town contained three stores- Brown's, Reavis', and Weidemyer's; the hotels of Scobey, Drake, and Mattox; some shops, Joe Wood's livery stable, and about fifty dwelling houses. The population is variously estimated to have been from 250 to 350.
But when the war ended nothing remained of the town but a few ruins that were not inflammable-a few naked and wrecked chimneys, and a dozen unfilled wells. So complete had been its destruction by the flames of war that no attempt even was made to rebuild it. The site is now a farm. Even the old Nevada and Lamar road is completely obliterated.
623
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
MONTEVALLO.
The present town of Montevallo is the successor to "Old" Montevallo, which, as elsewhere noted, was west of the Lipe branch, on the middle of section 5. The present town is laid out on the east half of lot 2.of the northeast quarter of section 4, in Montevallo township. The site was entered by Obediah Keith- ley, December 25, 1855, but the town was regularly laid out by Samuel Manatt, November 25, 1881, but had been settled some years previously.
It now contains a number of stores and shops, a steam mill, churches, a fine stone school building, and has a population of about 200.
ZODIAC.
The springs bearing this name are located in the southeast corner of the township (sw. cor. sw. sec. 35), on Horse creek. There is a hotel here and a good bath house, and the locality, though not advertised largely, is liberally frequented during the warm seasons. A town was regularly laid off here in Sep- tember, 1881, by Moses Isenhower. The site is romantic and picturesque, and lovers of beautiful natural scenery are delighted with the views here presented.
LODGES.
Montevallo Lodge, No. 316, I. O. O. F. Received its charter May 20, 1874. Among the original members were John S. Lewis, John B. Mallory, Phil Hathaway, Thomas Gilbert, E. Elswick, William Warner, Harry Stuterville, Preston Pope, Andrew J. Culbertson, A. W. Van Swearingen and Charles H. Haines.
Montevallo Lodge, No. 490, A. F. and A. M. Was put to work under dispensation December 5, A. D. 1872. A charter was granted October 15, 1874, the following being among the con- stituent members: S. G. Popplewell, A. J. Culbertson, J. H. Brown, Charles Cox, William Branes, Thomas Cook, James T. Moore, B. L. McKinney and J. Roark.
EARLY CHURCHES.
Liberty Baptist Church. If for no other reason, this church deserves special mention on account of having been among the
624
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
very first, if not the first, Baptist organization in Vernon county. Elder D. R. Murphy formed a few persons of Baptist proclivities into an organization October 15, 1848, some of those who con- stituted that first body being Horatio Packard, M. H. Wilson, Eliza Copland, Lurena Wilson, G. L. Wilson, Alanson Packard, Eleanor Rose, Smith Bledsoe and Mary Hurt. In 1862, owing to certain war troubles, it was thought advisable to disband the church, but in February, 1867, a reorganization was effected by Rev. J. B. Carrico, at the house of James Robertson, with the following members: James Robertson, R. Conyers, Isom Hat- field, I. Paryman, J. M. Standley, Patsey Hatfield, Eliza J. Con- yers, Aury Paryman, Mary Ann Robertson, Bennett Utterback and Sidney Utterback.
MONTEVALLO M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
By M. A, Pinkerton.
The church record was lost or destroyed about twenty years ago and little record of the organization can be given back of that time. Regular services were held at the old town, but no organization of which we can learn. About 1873 a class was formed at the present town, with Rev. T. J. Strinfield as first pastor. A parsonage was purchased but services held in the school house. Rev. W. D. Stewart, who had been the pastor at old town in 1855-56, was one of the early pastors of the new class and is still living. A church building was erected in 1886 and dedicated by Bishop Eugene R. Hendricks of Kansas City during the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Morehead, the structure cost- ing about $1,200. Since then it has had a varied experience. We do not know names of charter members, but none are now living. It has suffered severely from removals and death dur- ing its existence, hundreds having come into its fold and then moved away or died. Its membership has therefore varied in numbers, running from about 50 to 100. It now numbers be- tween 80 and 90, and is at present what is known among Metho- dists as a half station. The pastors who have served the church since 1890 are: Revs. B. V. Alton, T. C. Puckett, S. G. Mel- born, J. E. Harney, A. G. Moore, W. B. Carrico, W. P. Bar-
625
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
rett, W. D. Johnson, S. O. Borland, C. A. Harris, W. T. McGuire, M. Larkin, G. H. Green and T. B. Farny. In the history of a church it is the women who deserve mention, but there has been so many who devoted their time and energy to its interests that we cannot name all, hence will not any. Among the men who have in the past served in an official capacity are A. J. Snider, Monroe Overstreet, Andrew Hanson, George Selsor, Robinson Pierce, J. R. Rector, H. H. Dillon and J. W. Howell. Serving at present time: A. J. Burkey, M. A. Pinkerton, B. Drummond, John Golladay, J. W. Armstrong, L. E. Fanning and H. M. Snider, the present pastor, Rev. T. B. Fany. Its Sabbath school, of which A. J. Burkey is superintendent, has an enrollment of about 100.
ARBOR GROVE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
By M. A. Pinkerton.
This church owes its origin to Mrs. Sarah G. McAllister, who in 1881 started a Sunday school in a brush arbor. In 1882 a class was formed and in the next few years a small frame church was erected. This soon proved too small and was sold to be used for a dwelling and removed. The present structure was erected in 1887 at a cost of about $1,000. The charter mem- bers were Sarah G. McAllister, E. E. McAllister, Mattie Mc- Allister, Minnie McAllister, David and Mary States, Percy States, Elizabeth Henry, Flora, Addie and Emma Henry, Wil- liam Ball and wife, Edward Ball, Robert Estus and Lucinda Estus and Sarah J. Hoke. The pastor at that time was Rev. J. N. Anthony. This church, like about all country churches, has suffered severely by removal of its members to other parts. Its membership at present time will not exceed forty. It seems to have been the case all over Missouri for the last ten years that when the membership of the church removed from the community, those who took their place in the community seldom took their place in the church. The officials who have served this church we have not the means to ascertain, but among them, besides those named as charter mem- bers, are J. B. Adams, J. J. Adams, E. A. Bird, R. B. Kahler, A.
626
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
E. Carlat, L. D. Belshaw, J. F. Wealand and J. R. Humphrey. It has from its organization been a part of the Montevallo cir- cuit and the same pastors have served, of course, both places.
MONTEVALLO VILLAGE SCHOOL.
By Prof. Harry Van Swearingen.
The Montevallo village school was organized under the vil- lage act about the year 1867 with six directors and the em- ployment of two teachers and something like an enrollment of 150 pupils. A considerable portion of the original territory has been detached from the district and rural districts formed as the population increased. The school was taught in one room by two teachers until the present school house was erected twenty- five years ago. Our present school house is unsanitary and un- comfortable under the present conditions; neither the pupils nor teachers can do the best kind of work. There are quite a num- ber of the patrons of the school who would like to erect a new school house.
The school has made slow but steady progress for the more thorough and higher education; at least part of the high school course is taught in the school each year. The first teachers were J. R. Smith, principal, and Miss Ella Johnson, primary ; last year, E. W. Briget, principal; Miss Alice Craig, primary. The school for the present year will be under the efficient man- agement of Mrs. Loretta Nance, principal, and Miss Alice Craig, primary, with an enrollment of seventy-one.
MONTEVALLO TOWNSHIP REMINISCENCES.
By M. A. Pinkerton.
Montevallo township is one of the older settled sections of the country, probably the oldest except that portion along the Osage river. The pioneer always made his abode along the streams, and Horse creek, which cuts across the southeast cor- ner, was the first stopping place of those coming from the East
1
627
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
and Southeast in the march of immigration. McCarty creek rising in Benton on the south, flows almost due north through the west- ern tier of sections. Wilkey and Cynthia creeks on the east and Mill branch heading near the town of Montevallo, were also of sufficient proportions to attract the eye of the early settler. The prairie portion, running northeast and southwest and com- prising about two-thirds of its area, was not taken up, or rather was not fenced, until long after the Civil War; in fact, as late as 1875 it was supposed that it would be several generations before a large part of it would be fenced, and had not some material other than rails been discovered for fencing, it no doubt would have been a long time; but barbed wire solved the problem, and not long after those living here found themselves confined to the tract of land on which they lived and a narrow strip on the outside called the public highway. In the face of this condition the early settler was almost as helpless as the Indian when the game is killed or driven out, raising little grain or forage; in fact, having little land cleared, he had always looked to the vast open prairie for the sustenance of his stock, both win- ter and summer, and wholly unable to at once adapt himself to changed conditions, the prospect was indeed gloomy and many moved on.
Of that period prior to about 1845 extremely little is known and very little need be said. In Brown's "History of Vernon County" we find the names, McCarty, McSwain, Kitchen, Wil- key, Dunnegan, Joseph Martin, James Ray, Evan Lipe, Dr. Smith and some others. The descendants of Evan Lipe are some of them in the county, and also some of James Ray's, but of the others not one of the lineage remain. E. W. Smith, a son of. Dr. Smith, after serving in the Confederate army, returned and was a resident of the township until a few years ago, when he removed to Oklahoma and died there. Condy S. Dunnagan, a son of Samuel Dunnagan, remained for some years after the war. In 1870 he ran for the office of representative in the legis- lature. The principal ground on which he based his appeal for votes was on the promise that if elected he would go to Jeffer- son City with a wagon and ox team, take his provisions and camp on the state house grounds and thus be able to bring back his salary and spend it at home. The state records do not show that he served a term. The names of two streams, McCarty and
628
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
Wilkey, and of Dunnagan Grove, is all that remains to remind us of these pioneers. Those of the present day can not see how they existed, but humanity quickly adapts itself to its surroundings and necessities ; each age produces a people suitable to its needs. On all occasions we hear the life of the pioneer depicted as one of toil, privation and hardships. Could it not be that a life such as that of today would have been to him unbearable ? We have no reason to believe that he did not get as much of the sweet and as little of the bitter in passing through life as the average of mankind. Certain it is that with every one of them as they grew older and conditions changed for what is usually called the better, they bemoaned the passing away of the good old days. But he is gone, and let us hope that when he crossed the river he found a haven of rest in the beyond.
The next period was from about 1845 to the beginning of the Civil War. This was a period of somewhat permanent growth, had it not been interfered with by the war. Crude grist mills were established here and there, and we read in Brown's history that a carding mill was located at Old Montevallo; and those who settled in what is now Montevallo township are en- tirely too numerous to mention, if we even knew them. On Horse ceek was J. N. Robinson and a few others. Mr. Robin- son still lives there, loved and honored by those who know him, and gives many interesting reminiscences of the early days. The nearest mill was on Sac river and about the only means of travel ox teams. On Little Cynthia, John Brown, Sr., and Seaton Ready. The former was killed by the Federals during the Civil War while on the prairie hunting his horses. Two of his sons still live in the county. John Brown, now of Sheldon, after serving in the Confederate army and a short stay in Texas, re- turned and has since been a resident. George R. Brown lives a few miles south of the town of Montevallo in sight of the old homestead. He was too young for the army, but he, with the rest of the. family, were compelled to leave for safety and went to Texas. He returned after the war and has since been a resident of the township.
Hiram Ready, after serving in the army, came back to Cyn- thia creek, where he remained until his death a few years ago. His wife and some of his children are residents of the town- ship at this time. Toward the northern portion of the town-
629
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
ship a small tributary of Horse creek heads. Running east it soon crosses the line into Cedar county. On this lived John and Thadeus Clendenin, John Anderson and Joseph U. Crane. Mr. Crane still lives where he first settled. He, Jasper N. Robinson and George R. Brown being probably the only men now living in the township who were here before the war. John Clendenin was killed by Federal troops, but left several children, who are still living : Mrs. Mary C. Smith and Mrs. Jane Pierce, of Mon- tevallo; Mrs. Lou Falkner, of Montevallo township; Mrs. Es- linger, Miss Nannie Clendenin, of Virgil; H. P. Clendenin, of Eldorado Springs, and William Clendenin, of Oklahoma. Thadeus Clendenin went South at the beginning of the war and never returned.
Along and near the head of McCarty creek was E. W. Smith, Joe Phillips, the MeCoys and Dr. J. W. Keithly. Dr. Keithly had a practice covering parts of Vernon, Dade, Cedar and Bar- ton counties. Some of his children and grandchildren still live in the county. The elder McCoy was killed by Joe Phillips, who, coming in from the army just after the beginning of the war, found the old man living with Mrs. Phillips. He went to the house one night where they were living and, calling McCoy to the door, put a load of buckshot into him.
The "before-the-war" settlers in the north and northwest portions of the township were far more numerous, as in this portion was located the old town of Montevallo. In the list were Thomas German, William Withers, John Dade, F. G. Reavis, J. M. Gatewood, Robert Crockett, William Blanton, W. T. Mad- dox, Joe Wood, Jolin and Anson Campbell. All are now dead. The cemetery established by the old town was southeast from that place in the direction of and not far from half-way be- tween there and the present town. It was adopted by the new town and is now the cemetery used by it and the community. A modest sandstone monument marks the grave of William Withers and discloses the fact that he died in 1858. This monu- ment stands upright and is apparently in as good condition as when placed there. A few more graves marked with sandstone slabs, on which the inscription is yet discernable, can be found ; but in most cases they cannot be identified, and in many cases there is nothing to indicate the location of a grave. All is overgrown with native bluesten.
630
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
F. G. Reavis returned after the war and lived for many years on his farm adjoining the old town site. Addison G. Reavis, of Perelta land grant farms in Arizona and New Mex- ico, was a son. This circumstance shows that Vernon county soil can produce a man of large aspirations. William Blanton was the father of Horace and Walter Blanton, lately of Nevada. Horace Wood, formerly county surveyor, is a son of the late Joe Wood, above named.
John Campbell lived in the township for many years after the war and died here, leaving several children, only one of whom, Joseph A., is now a resident of the township. He lives on the old homestead. A son of Campbell was killed during the war. One son, William D., is still a resident.
One passing through the old town site today would never suspect that fifty years ago a flourishing village adorned its surface. Near the northwest corner of the cemetery, however, on what was then a prairie knoll, now heavily timbered, the location of the seminary, which was quite a flourishing institu- tion in its day, is plainly discernable. The town was located at cross-roads, one running north and south from the Missouri river to Granby and the south, and one east and west from Fort Scott to Bolivar. Mr. F. M. Fortune, now a resident of the township, carried the mail on horseback from Fort Scott to Bolivar in 1861, Drywood, Nevada and Montevallo being the only offices on the route in this county.
The principal means of enjoyment by these pioneers was hunting, and this may also be called an occupation, as it fur- nished a material part of their subsistence. The man who was the best shot was the prominent man of the community. In addition to this was the horse race, shooting match, etc. And while they knew nothing of the scientific boxing contest of the present day, it was a very frequent custom to imitate very closely the pugilistic encounter at many of their gatherings by forming a ring around two who proposed to "knock it out" with bare fists, simply to determine who was the best man. The man in the community who had the reputation of being able to whip anyone who might come against him was the hero.
Churches and school houses were rare; in fact, there was not a church house, and few, if any, school houses in the town- ship before the war, except the seminary at Old Montevallo, and
631
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
that was not used until 1857. The Civil War coming on in 1861 put a stop to all further settlement and progress and be- fore it was over resulted in the depopulation of the country. This portion being Southern in its sympathies suffered acutely at the close of the war. It could be said of it, as of the destruction of Solomon's temple, "Not one stone was left upon another." The old town was completely destroyed in 1862. Every portion of the township was the scene of battle or skirm- ish and of conflagration. Both soldiers and citizens were killed. A number of small burying grounds here and there in woods and fields bear evidence of the conflict. It seems strange at this day and shows the predominance of the animal in mankind, that such animosity could be aroused as to result in the trage- dies and outrages of this period.
In this article we will not undertake to give any of the details, as related to us by some of the participants in the struggle. Nearly all of those engaged in it have gone to the great beyond. The dead of both sides rest side by side in the blood-stained soil on which they fought, and the living of both sides dwell in peace and harmony around their graves. So let it be.
The close of the war found the country practically as it was before any settlement. It was, of course, better known and some had homesteads with a small amount of cleared land to which to return. A great many of the former inhabitants, for various reasons, never came back; probably a majority. How- ever, others did come. From 1866 to 1880 they came rapidly. All the former settlements along the creeks were soon occu- pied; new farms along the creek bottoms and in the timber were started, and along the edges of the timber the prairie here and there was encroached upon. They came from Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia; in fact, from most of the southern and eastern states, and some from foreign countries, quite a number from the older parts of Missouri. Just after the war the state established a road from Sedalia to Carthage. This ran diagonally from southeast to southwest, through Montevallo township, and along this highway the travel was immense- the land speculator, the freighter, immigrant, etc. Towns sprang up every few miles along the route. Many of those who came were of course of that class who did not remain long
632
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
anywhere; but among the more permanent were many who im- mediately took their place as good citizens and bore well their part as active participants in the affairs of the community and county. Outside of the town we recall the names of William L. Haynes, J. L. Dickson, William Willey, John B. Grimsley, William Shelton, Joe W. Smith, J. B. Adams, H. G. Snider, James W. Waters, Jacob and Ludwig Faeurbach, J. P. Carter, Isaac Periman, H. C. and G. W. Wallace, A. J. Snider, Charles Nip- pert, Thomas Hathaway, D. W. C. Malloy, the Leedy's and the children of many of those who then or later joined in the activities of citizenship. There are many more, and we wish we could name them all. We want, however, to record the fact that no better people, as a whole, could be found, coming from different states and even different foreign countries, of every political faith and religious view. They rapidly became assimi- lated and were ever ready to help each other, as well as the stranger within their gates, and though comparatively poor, were ever willing to divide their scanty store with those who needed. And what can be said of the men will apply with even more force to the womanhood of that day. Let it be said of the latter, as well as those good women of an earlier day, no more true, generous, devoted, self-sacrificing class will ever be found. No wanderer or neighbor in need was ever turned away empty. We, like all of this period who still remain, bemoan the passing of the good old days. There were still others connected with this period of 1866-80, but who were more intimately con- nected with the present town, a brief narrative of which will be given hereafter.
Commencing about 1880 the aspect of the country, as well as the citizenship, began to change. Barbed wire came into general use and the prairie land which up to this time had remained un- fenced was soon enclosed. The roads then used, which ran in any direction desired without regard to surveys, were forced onto lines. New buildings were erected on the prairie. Spring wagons, buggies, and carriages began to take the place of the farm wagon and the saddle. Farming machinery and farming methods increased and improved. Considerable of this was done by residents, but many newcomers were added to the population. Since then one by one the older settlers have passed away or moved elsewhere. The opening of Oklahoma took many, and in
633
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
all the territory from here to the Pacific they have gone, until hardly any remain. The oldest personal tax list available is that of 1873: it contains 110 names; a comparison with the list at this time shows three names only which are on both. There are, however, on the latter list several of the sons of those on the former. We no longer have the pleasure of crossing a stream of any size at certain "fords;" bridges, mostly steel, spanning all important streams. We can hardly find a public road along which the telephone posts, with from one to a half dozen wires. are not in evidence, and many other evidences of the march of civilization. The primitive school house has been replaced with the frame or stone building and modern furniture. Churches have been erected and the school house no longer used for re- ligious worship. But of this later period it must be left for some one in the future to write; some one who by long residence has in time become an old settler.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.