USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 28
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After the company was organized and mus- tered into service it was sent to North Mis- . the fort and about one and a half miles of the souri and while there fought the battle of the Sink Hole. This was in Lincoln county, not far from Cape au Gris. The account here given of this battle was written by Colonel John Shaw of the Wisconsin Historical Soci- ety: "Captain Peter Craig commanded at Fort Howard. About noon five of the men went out of the fort to Byrne's deserted house on the bluff, about one-fourth of a mile below
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taking refuge in the sink hole, which was close by where the main fighting had taken place. About the time the Indians were re- treating, Captain Craig exposed himself about four feet beyond his tree and was shot through the body and fell dead. James Putney was killed before Captain Craig, and perhaps one or two others. Before the Indians retired to the sink hole the fighting had become ani- mated; the loading was done quickly and shots rapidly exchanged, and when one of our party was killed or wounded it was announced aloud. The sink hole was about sixty feet in length, and from twelve to fifteen feet in width, and ten or twelve feet deep. Near the bottom, on the southeast side, was a shelving rock under which perhaps some fifty or sixty persons might have sheltered themselves. At the northeast end of the sink hole the descent was quite gradual, the other end much more abrupt, and the southeast side almost per- pendicular, and the other side about like the steep roof of a house.
"On the southeast side the Indians, as a farther protection in case the whites should rush up, dug under the shelving rock with their knives. On the sides and in the bottom of the sink hole were some bushes, which also served as something of a screen for the In- dians. Captain Musick and his men took part on the northeast side of the sink hole, and others occupied other positions surrounding the enemy. As the trees approached close to the sink hole, these served in part to protect our party. Finding we could not get a good opportunity to dislodge the enemy, as they were best protected, those of our men who had families at the fort gradually went there, not knowing but a large body of Indians might seize the favorable occasion to attack the fort while the men were mostly away engaged in the exciting contest. The Indians in the sink
hole had a drum made of a skin stretched over the section of a hollow tree, on which they beat quite constantly, and some Indian would shake a rattle called She-shuqui, probably a dried bladder with pebbles within, and even for a moment would venture to thrust his head in view, with his hand elevated, shaking his rattle and calling out "peash ! peash !" which was understood to be a sort of defiance, or as Blackhawk, who was one of the party says in his account of that affair, a kind of bravado to come and fight them in the sink hole. When the Indians would creep up and shoot over the rim of the sink hole they would instantly disappear, and while they sometimes fired effectual shots they in turn became occa- sionally the victims. From about 1 to 4 o'clock p. m. the firing was incessant, our men generally reserving their fire till an Indian would show his head, and all of us were study- ing how we could more effectually attack and dislodge the enemy. At length Lieutenant Spears suggested that a pair of cart wheels, axle and tongne, which were scen at Allen's place, be obtained, and a moving battery con- structed. The idea was entertained favorably and an hour or more was consumed in its construction. Some oak floor puncheons from seven to eight feet in length were made fast to an axle in an upright position and port holes made through them. Finally the battery was ready for trial and was sufficiently large to protect some half a dozen or more men. It was moved forward slowly and seemed to attract the particular attention of the In- dians, who had evidently heard the knocking and pounding connected with its manufac- ture, and who now frequently popped up their heads to make momentary discoveries, and it was at length moved up to within less than ten paces of the brink of the sink hole on the southeast side. The upright plank did not
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reach to the ground within some eighteen inches, the men calculating to shoot beneath the lower end at the Indians, but the latter from their position had decided advantage of this neglected aperture, for the Indians, shoot- ing beneath the battery at an upward angle, would get shots at the whites before the latter could see them. The Indians also watched the port holes and directed some of their shots at them. Lieutenant Spear was shot dead through the head, and his death was much lamented, as he had proved himself an in- trepid officer. John Patterson was wounded in the thigh, and some others were also wounded behind the battery. Having failed in its design, the battery was abandoned after sun-down. Our hope all along had been that the Indians would emerge from their covert and attempt to retreat to where we supposed their canoes were left, some three or four miles distant, in which case we were firmly deter- mined to rush upon them and endeavor to cut them off totally. The men generally evinced the greatest bravery during the whole engage- ment.
"Night was now coming on and the reports of a half a dozen guns in the direction of the fort by a few Indians, who rushed out of the woods skirting Bob's creek not more than forty rods from the north end of the fort, was heard. This movement on the part of the few Indians who had escaped when the others took refuge in the sink hole was evidently designed to divert the attention of the whites and alarm them for the safety of the fort, and thus effectually relieve the Indians in the sink hole. This was the result, for Captain Musick and men retired to the fort, carrying the dead and
wounded, and made every preparation to re- pel a night attack.
"The men at the fort were mostly up all night, ready for resistance if necessary. There was no physician at the fort and much effort was made to set some broken bones. There was a well in the fort, and provisions and ammunition to sustain a pretty formidable attack. The women were greatly alarmed, pressing their infants to their breasts, fearing they might not be permitted to behold another morning's light, but the night passed away without seeing or hearing an Indian. The next morning a party went to the sink hole and found the Indians gone. They had car- ried off all their dead and wounded except five dead bodies left on the northwest side. From all signs it appeared some thirty of them were killed or wounded. Lieutenant Gray reported eight of our party killed, one missing and five wounded. The dead were buried near the fort, and a man sent to St. Charles for medical assistance. Lieutenant Gray assumed command."
Those who were killed in this battle were : Captain Craig, Lieutenant Spear, Alexander Giboney. James Putney, Antoine Pelkey, Hubbard Tayon and Francois Lemmey. John Patterson, Benjamin Hale and Abraham Letts were wounded. The company was soon mus- tered out and the men returned to their homes.
In 1816 a regiment was formed in Cape Girardeau, Ste. Genevieve, St. Charles and St. Louis. John Shaw was the colonel and Levi Roberts was the major. They took no part in the hostilities as the war ended be- fore they reached their destination in Illinois.
CHAPTER XII
PERIOD FROM 1804 TO 1821
POPULATION-CHARACTER OF IMMIGRANTS-SETTLEMENTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE SECTION - EARLY SETTLERS - INDUSTRIES - FARMING-MINING - MERCHANDISING - PREVAILING HIGHI PRICES - MANUFACTURING - HUNTING - TRANSPORTATION - STEAMBOATS - SOCIAL LIFE - LAWLESSNESS - GAMBLING - DUELING - SOME FAMOUS DUELS - HOSPITALITY - POSTOFFICES AND RATES OF POSTAGE - NEWSPAPERS-SCHOOLS-LIBRARIES-DRESS.
We have followed the changes in the gov- ernment of Missouri under the United States, from the purchase in 1803 to the time when the territorial assembly petitioned Congress for the organization of a state government. We have seen that Louisiana was first made a district and attached to the territory of Indiana; that later it was organized as a territory of the first class, and known as the Territory of Louisiana; that in 1812 it was organized as a territory of the second class under the title of the Territory of Missouri ; that in 1816 it became a territory of the third or highest class. We have further seen the organization of a government, the varions gov- ernors who held executive authority in the ter- ritory ; we have seen the formation of the gen- eral assembly and the gradual growth of self government among the people of the territory. We have now to recount the growth in popula- tion of the territory after its transfer to the United States.
At that time the total population of Upper Louisiana, including the settlements in Arkansas, was not more than 10,000; at the time we have now reached, 1818, it is prob-
able that there were, in Missouri alone, nearly 40.000 people. This was a remarkable growth. It is not strange, however, that the population increased very rapidly. There was a great movement of population from east to west and Missouri was situated on the line of the principal part of this early movement. We may not forget the great part played in west- ern immigration by the Ohio river. It offered a safe and easy road from east to west, and those who used this highway almost invariably came to Missouri. Not all of them remained within the borders of the state, but many of them did so, for not only was Missouri in the main highway of east-to-west travel, but it offered unusual attractions to settlers. Its soil, its climate, its timber, its minerals all combined to draw inhabitants. The fact that it had become a part of the United States, that restrictions on religion and on trade had been removed, were powerful inducements to immigrants.
These Americans who came to Missouri in this period were, for the most part, farmers. They came to cultivate the soil. Accordingly. we find them scattered over the state and
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opening up lands. The first settler in any community set himself down in the midst of the woods, cleared away a little space for his farm, and erected a rude log house. He was most probably miles and miles away from the nearest neighbor. This isolation, however, did not affect him very much. The very fact that he had made his way into a new country and faced the conditions of pioneer life was sufficient evidence that he was not to be daunted by the fact that neighbors were few. He was not long allowed, however, to dwell alone. Other people came, more of the forest was cleared away, and other log houses were erected. In a little while there was a settle- ment. The settlers, however, were not crowded into towns. they were scattered on their farms. There was something, however, of a com- munity life. There were some attempts made to hold schools in the settlements, in some of them church houses were erected. Many of the settlements were made by persons previously acquainted; in some cases families came and opened up new lands. Where this was not true, it was not long until acquaintance was formed. The families thus living in the same communities intermarried and there came to be something of a solidarity and unity about the life of the community. The trans- formation was little less than marvelous; where all had been forest, and wild life had reigned supreme, there came to be cultivated fields and houses and even villages. This process went on all over Southeast Missouri.
These immigrants were almost all of them Americans. They came from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and other states. They were moved by various motives. Some of them were attracted by the cheapness of the lands, others felt that the states in which they lived were becoming overcrowded, many of them had that spirit that moves people out
on the frontier. They did not like to live in communities where neighbors were near to them. Whatever it was that brought them, they came, and in large and increasing num- bers.
At the time of the transfer to the United States there were only a few settlements out- side of the towns of Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and New Madrid. There were a few settlers in Jefferson, Perry, Wayne, Bol- linger, Scott, Mississippi and Pemiseot coun- ties, but the great numbers of population were in the towns or immediately adjoining them. The growth of population under the United States was not confined to the country; the towns grew rapidly in population. Those that were already established had, of course, the advantage; but other towns sprung up also.
In 1803 New Madrid district, including Little Prairie and Arkansas, contained 1,350 people, two-thirds of whom were Americans and one-third were French. Cape Girardeau had 1,470 white population, besides a few slaves. All of the white population, except a few Freneh families, were Americans. In Ste. Genevieve there were 2,350 whites, 520 slaves, and more than one-half the population was American. In 1814 a census was taken of the white male population and the figures here given are those of this census: New Madrid had 1,548, Cape Girardeau 2,062, Ste. Genevieve 1,701, and Washington county had 1,010. It is probable that the entire adult population in each case was about twiee the figures here given.
By the year 1820 one or more settlements had been made within the limits of most of the counties in southeast Missouri. Several of these counties. however, had not yet been created. There were in existence only Ste. Genevieve, Washington, Wayne, Jefferson,
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Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, and Madison. The territory now in the limits of the other counties in the southeast, at that time, formed a part of one or the other of these counties. When the counties were created, during the organization of the government of the terri- tory of Louisiana, they extended an unknown distance to the west. The western boundary was not determined and so the counties that bordered on the river-Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and New Madrid-included vast stretches of territory to the west. It was out of this western territory that most of the new counties were created. After the treaty with the Osage Indians, however, which established them at first in western Missouri, counties ex- tended to the western boundary of the Osage purchase.
The principal settlements at this time in the various counties were these :
In Ste. Genevieve county there were settle- ments at Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon, and there was also a settlement on the Saline creek, which was called for a long time New Tennessee.
In St. Francois county the principal settle- ments were Alleys Mines, the Murphy settle- ment. and the Cook settlement.
In Jefferson county there were a number of settlements. Among these were settlements on the Joachim, on Big river, and Hercula- neum on the Missississippi river. This settle- ment at Herculaneum was noted on account of its manufacture of shot. Very early in the period of Missouri's territorial history the manufacture of shot was begun at this place. The high bluffs just north of the town were used for this purpose. The melted lead was dropped from the tops of the bluffs thus doing away with the necessity of a shot tower. The manufacture was so profitable that there were
three different establishments for making shot.
In 1818 Peck visited IIerculaneum, which he described as "a river town, a landing and a place of some importance." It was situated on the alluvial flat of the Joachim. This flat was very narrow, and was bounded on each end by perpendicular cliffs, rising two hun- dred feet high. It was these cliffs which were used in the manufacture of shot, in place of a shot tower. At that date there were four stores and about thirty dwelling houses in the town. On the Plattin, a short distance below the Joachim, there were water mills and dis- tilleries. Herculaneum was, even then, the depot for the lead trade of the interior.
In Perry county there were a number of settlements, the chief of these were in the Bois Brule bottom, on the Barrens near Perryville, and on Apple creek near the line between Cape Girardeau and Perry counties.
The most flourishing of these settlements were those found in the bottoms. The soil was very rich there and attracted many settlers. The Barrens, as the land about the present site of Perryville was then called, was the place where Bishop DuBourg had founded the first Catholic seminary in Louisiana. This semi- nary began its operations just before the close of this territorial period.
The settlements in Madison county were those on Saline creek, and in the south part of the county ; the first being St. Michaels. Owing to great damage caused by flood the settlers on the original site of St. Michaels re- moved the town about one and a half miles west and re-established it there. After the removal the town was renamed Frederick- town, being so called in honor of Colonel George Frederick Bollinger, one of the pio- neers in Bollinger county. This town of Fredericktown grew very rapidly during this period, owing to activity in the operations of
Vol. I-12
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Nine LaMotte, which is situated not far from Fredericktown.
In Iron county there were settlements made in Bellevue valley, and in 1805 Ephraim Stout settled near the present site of Arcadia. A little later Jolin Short took up his residence close to where the town of Pilot Knob now stands.
There were other settlements within the limits of the county, but these were the prin- cipal ones.
In Cape Girardeau county the principal settlements were at Cape Girardeau and in the immediate vicinity; near Jackson on Byrd's creek; at Gordonville; on Randol's creek, and on Indian creek. The town of Jackson was founded during this period and so named in honor of President Andrew Jack- son. In 1815 Jackson was made the county seat of Cape Girardeau county.
The settlements in Bollinger county were principally along the Whitewater river, on Crooked creek, and near the present towns of Lutesville and Glen Allen. The settlements along Whitewater river were those made by Colonel Bollinger and his friends. John Lorance began a settlement on Crooked creek in 1805; about that same date Daniel Hahn settled on the creek afterward called Hahn's creek, named for him, about one-half mile west of Lutesville. Casper Schell and Peter Baker lived in the same neighborhood. Henry Baker and John Deck were others who lived in this part of the county. The settlement at Glen Allen was made by families from North Carolina; some of these were George and Jacob Nifong, Jacob Hinkle and Jacob Clod- felter.
In Wayne county the first settlement seems to have been made about 1802, by settlers from Virginia. Among them were Joseph Parrish, Thomas Ring, David, Charles and
Robert A. Logan. The latter had lived in Kentucky. Some of these settled in the neighborhood of the village of Patterson and others on the St. Francois river. Some of the other early settlers were Isaac E. Kelly, Till- man Smith, James Caldwell and Francois Clark. Besides these there were Elijah Mat- thews, a man named Alston from North Caro- lina ; they lived on Otter creek. They became involved in a difficulty and Alston was killed. Elijah Ranson and Overton Beltis were others who settled in the same neighborhood. This was near Greenville.
The principal settlements in New Madrid county were those at New Madrid and Point Pleasant. Besides these two settlements there was a small settlement at Portageville, and, as we have previously said, a number of per- sons lived along St. John's bayou and in other parts of the county.
In Pemiscot county the principal settlement was at Little Prairie, though there were others scattered over the county. The settlement at Little Prairie was made in 1794 by Francois Le Sieur.
Some of the early settlers were Jean Bap- tiste Barsaloux, George and John Ruddell, Joseph Payne, Louis Anvin, Charles Guibault and Peter Noblesse. In 1799 there were 78 people in the settlement and 103 in 1803. It was a prosperous village up to the time of the earthquake in 1812, when it was almost en- tirely destroyed. About 1810 Colonel John Hardeman Walker came to Little Prairie and was one of the few settlers who remained after the time of the earthquake. He was sheriff of the county and later one of the judges of the county court. He was the most prominent and influential citizen of the county for many years. The other settlements of which we have spoken as being in existence in the county were merely collections of two
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or three families. One of these was at Gayoso and another on Little river, and one not a great way from Big lake.
In Scott county the first settlement seems to have been made near Sikeston by Edward Robertson and his son-in-law, Moses Hurley. Robertson was a merchant and land speculator and became wealthy through his various oper- ations. He probably came to the county about 1790. In 1796 Captain Charles Friend from Virginia settled near Benton. He brought with him a large family of sons. In 1811 John Ramsay came from Cape Girardeau and settled on what is now the county poor farm.
Joseph Hunter, who in 1805 located in New Madrid, removed about a year later to Big Prairie and located near Sikeston. Hunter was a Scotchman and was a very influential man in the territory. He acquired consider- able wealth by trading and land speculation, and was appointed by President Madison as a member of the council of the territory.
Thomas W. Waters from South Carolina was the first settler on the site of Commerce. About 1803 he established a trading post and store there in partnership with Robert Hall; the firm also operated a ferry across the Miss- issippi. Tiwappity bottom, between Com- merce and Bird's Point, was early settled. Some of the men who came were James Brady, James Curran, Charles Findlay, Edmund Hogan, Thomas, John and James Welbourn.
The first settlement in Mississippi county was made in 1800 by one John Johnson, who secured a grant of land and located on it near Bird's Point. In 1801 a settlement on what is now called Matthews' Prairie was made. This prairie was first called St. Charles but was changed in name in honor of Edward Matthews, who made the first settlement there. Others who came here within a few years were Charles Gray, Joseph Smith, John Wea-
ver, George Becker and Absalom MeElmurry. Abraham Bird bought the land which was first granted to Johnson, about 1805; Bird's Point was named for him. He remained there until 1815, when he sold the homestead to his son, John, and moved to Louisiana.
A settlement was made between Norfolk and Wolf Island in 1812 by Newman Beckwith of Virginia. In 1813 William Rush settled on Rush's Ridge. In 1802 James Lucas settled at the place afterwards called Lucas' Bend. The settlement at Norfolk was made in 1800 by John, Andrew and James Ramsay from Cape Girardeau. The first settlers on Wolf Island were John Gray, Drakeford Gray and Thomas Phillips, while William D. Bush was a pioneer in Long Prairie.
In 1819 the first settlement was made in Butler county. This was on Cane creek. The settlement was located by Solomon Kittrel, who was a Kentuckian, and took up a large tract of land and also operated a store, a dis- tillery and a tan yard. Kittrel lived to be very old, dying in 1872. Other settlers on Cane creek were Thomas Scott and Malachi Hudspeth. Some of the other pioneers in the county were Daniel Epps, Martin Sandlin, Samuel IFillis, the Whittingtons, Samuel Poke, James Bramum and the Applebys and Vandovers.
The first settlement in Washington county was made at Potosi. This was near Mine a Breton. The settlers were attracted on ac- count of the mines and the mine itself was opened in 1787. There were other settlements in the county but nearly all of them were grouped around the mines. When Washington county was separated from Ste. Genevieve in 1816, Potosi was made the seat of government for the county.
The first settlement in Reynolds county was made in 1812 by Henry Fry, who came from
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Kentucky and settled on the middle fork of Black river. Some of the other early set- tlers were the families of Henry, Logan and Hyatt. The territory embraced in the county was first a part of Ripley county, but was later attached to Washington.
Zimri Carter made a settlement on Current river in 1820; this was not far from the pres- ent town of Van Buren. Other families, the Chiltons, Colemans and others, settled in the same vicinity at a somewhat later date. These were the beginnings of settlements in Carter county, which was named for Zimri Carter.
The first settlement in Ripley county was made about 1819 on Current river. The set- tlers of that date were George Lee. William Merrill, Joseph Hall, Willis Dudley and Ab- ner Ponder. William Little and James Pul- liam settled about the same date on La Fourche de Main.
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