USA > Missouri > McDonald County > Illustrated history of McDonald County, Missouri: from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 2
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Filled with a restless desire for pioneer life, the inhabitants of other states began to settle in these lonely valleys soon after the state was ad- mitted into the Union. Here, in the solitude of the forests, with only the breezes whistling in the trees, the rippling of the water or the cries of wild animals and birds to wake the stillness, these men made their homes. Here many, many miles from any town or post office they reared their families, and here some of them have long ago found their narrow homes. The first settler within the present boundary of this county of which we have been able to learn was
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Valentine, commonly called Telty, Miller, and wife Katy (Workman) and only son, Levi, who settled in Elk river bottom on what is now Known as the Peck farm, in Elk River township, in 1827. He brought a copper still with him from North Carolina and for a while manfactured whisky. He also ran a set of burrs .for grind- ing corn. His machinery was operated by water power. In a few years his temporary cabin was replaced by a more comfortable log house which, though sadly dilapidated, is still stand- ing. Some fifteen years afterward they buried their only son on the bank of the river, and in a few days departed for California where the old people died.
About 1830 a family by the name of Friend is said to have settled on what is now the Langly farm on Elk river.
Abram, Elisha and Jacob Testerman, came in 1833, and settled on Elk River. Four years later (1837) Abram Testerman and Margery Buzzard were married and settled on Indian creek about one fourth of a mile below where the town of Lanagan is now located. This is said to be the first marriage in this county.
During the early thirties R. Lauderdale, P. Williams, Blevins, Mathews and a few other families, in all about forty persons, settled in this county. Lauderdale afterwards settled on
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Indian creek on the place now occupied by Bob Lauderdale. Some of the others settled on Indian creek and the rest in the vicinity of the present site of Pineville.
Among the other early settlers in this part of the county were Hugh L. Testerman, who came here in September, 1839 and is still living a quarter of a mile east of Pineville on the farm he has owned for more than half a century. A family by the name of Nicely settled on the river below Pineville about 1840, two Noel fam- ilies and George Mosier, near the same time. About this time it appears that Augustus Friend owned the Marshall farm, which he sold to Jacob Wallace in 1842. Mrs. Wallace afterward sold to Marshall.
Hamilton Moffett and family, also his two married sons, Elam and William, with their families settled on Indian Creek and near the mouth of Elk". Horn in 1840. Elam Moffett, father of J. H. Moffett who now resides in Pine- ville, settled the place known as the old Moffett farm at the mouth of South Elk Horn. Itisnow owned by Elihu Hendry. Prior to their advent into this county, Jonathan Blair a Presbyterian minister had settled a short distance below the Elam Moffett place, and also owned the present site of MeNatt's mills. He operated a small mill at that point in the latter part of the 30 s and
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
early 40's. John and Jim Mayfield and Bill Cleveland lived on Indian creek near Erie prior to 1839. Sometime in the 30's John Hearrell lived on Big Sugar creek six miles northeast of Pineville. Dr. Clark Wallace is also among the settlers prior to 1840, and Joel Meador, who still lives on Indian creek.
Among the others who located in this county prior to 1840 are found the names of James W. Tatum, Eligah Witten, and Pleasant Smith. Mr. Tatum still lives on Beaver valley one half mile above the town of Anderson.
The above comprises the principal part of those who came to this county prior to 1840-2, and settled within the present limits of Anderson Erie, Elk River and Pineville townships. I have had to rely wholly on the memory of the older settlers for this information, which is substan- tially correct, although the names of a few may have been overlooked or forgotten.
The early settlements in the other parts of the county will be given by the municipal townships.
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER III.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
Prior to 1833 Crawford county embraced all of Southwest Missouri. In that year Green county was organized and for two years Spring- field was the county seat of the present area of McDonald county.
In 1835 Barry county was establishedwhich in- cluded all of the territory which is now Barry, McDonald, Newton, Jasper, Lawrence, Barton, Dade, and part of Cedar counties. After consid- erable strife over the location of the county seat, the town of Mount Pleasant was established and. the county seat located there. It was aboutone and one-half miles west of the present site of Pierce City. In connection with this place we give the following interesting reminiscence which was published in the Newton County News in July 1896:
"Away back in the thirties Newton, as well as a number of other counties, was a part of Barry county and the county seat of Barry was Mt. Pleasant and was located about one and one-half miles west of Pierce City. The court house was built of logs. A fine spring was one of the at-
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
tractions of this county seat. Barry county then embraced the large territory of what is now Barry Lawrence, Newton and McDonald counties, and a partor all of Jasper county. Capt. Ritchey, of Ritchey was born in that county seat and his fath- er, the late Judge Ritchey, was elected constable the same day on the Democratic ticket. Newton county was cut off from Barry in 1837 and since that time McDonald county has been formed from part of Newton. The farm on which Mt. Pleasant was located was settled by an old gentleman known as Uncle Sampson Lanna. After Barry county had been divided up into other counties Mt. Pleasant was no more a county seat, and a man by the name of Wilds purchased the farm in 1870 and intended to build a castle above the spring, but through some misfortune he commit- ted suicide and the castle was never built. Noth- ing remains now of the once county seat except the spring, which continues to furnish its pure beverage as when in days of yore the county officers quenched their thirst at its fountain. The train passes just by the old county seat spot now, but nothing can be seen but a big field of waving corn and shocks of wheat."
The first session of the county court was held at Mount pleasant, February 16, 1835, and Barry county was divided into townships. Nearly all of the present limits of this county, also the
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
southwest part of Newton county was designated as Elk River township. It was bounded as follows: Commencing at the southwest corner of the State thence north on the line between Missouri and the Indian Territory to the divide between Lost creek and Elk River, thence east on said divide to the line between Ranges 30 and 31, thence south to the State line, thence west on Arkansas line to the corner stone between Mis- souri and Arkansas. The remainder of this county, a strip eight and one-half miles wide off the east end, was included in Indian creek town- ship, which also, embraced a considerable part of the present limits of Barry county. Thus we see that Elk River township has the distinction, by several years, of being the oldest township im the county. This section of country, however remained but a short time subject to the jurisdic- tion of Barry county. By an act of the State Legislature, December 31, 1838, Newton county was established, and McDonald became a part of that county. The boundary of Newton county extended two and one-half miles further east than our present line between this county and Barry, that is to the southwest corner of section 26. T. 21. R. 29 thence north, instead of the center of section 33 as it now is. The north line was fixed on the section lines running due west to the Nation line from the intersection of the four corn-
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
ers of sections 13, 14, 23, 24 T. 28, R. 29, making the new county about 46 miles from north to south and about 33 miles from east to west.
Pursuant to the report of the commissioners and, the order of the county court, the town of Neosho was laid out in November, 1839 and the county seat established at that place. For the next decade this was a part of Newton county.
An act was passed March 3, 1849 providing for the establishment of McDonald county, and the organization was completed under that act, but was attached to Newton county for the purpose of electing a representative until 1857.
Considerable trouble was experienced in establishing the county seat, a more extended account of which will be given in the history of the towns. The commissioners to select a county seat were James Mayfield, Oliver Hickox and Joseph Pearson, of Newton county. They met at the house of J. C. McKay, which stood near the confluence of the two Sugar creeks, and his residence was designated as temporary court house. An election was called which resulted in the selection of Rutledge as the county seat where it remained until premanently located at Pineville in 1857. During this contention be- tween the two rival towns two sets of cffcers were claiming title and rival courts were car- lied on, one at Pineville, the other at Rutledge.
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
The first election resulted in the selection of Murphy Brown of Rocky Comfort, John Oliver and Abram Testerman as county judges, Burton McGhee, clerk, A. A. Hensley, sheriff and Til- lotson Pearson treasurer. These officers organ- ized court at Rutledge in 1849, but Brown re- fused to take part in the transactions being of the opinion that the court should be held at Pineville. J. K. Mosier, William Duval, Jr., and Benjamin Cooper organized court at Pine- ville, which was then called Maryville. John B. King served as clerk, A. D. Flinn, sheriff and collector, and J. J. Hackney, treasurer. Court was held at J. C. Mckay's residence, above mentioned. Little but trouble and confus- ion resulted from these rival courts and officers and many of the people refused to pay taxes until the dispute was finally settled a few years later. The transactions of the Pineville court were generally ignored, but according to the state- ment of some of the old residents, a few of the warrants were paid several years later. The circuit courts were held regularly at Rutledge.
The first set of county judges were succeeded by A. Z. Holcomb and William Moffett, Tester- man succeeding himself. Moffett served two terms. Joshua Wimpey, also, served as judge about this time, but I have not been able to get the names of any others.
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
McDonald county was attached to Newton county for legislative purposes until 1856. In that year an election was held and Thomas Jones was elected as the first member of the House of Representatives from McDonald county. Bur- ton McGhee was his opponent in the race. Jones died at Jefferson City the next year and Smith Elkins was elected to fill the vacancy.
In 1858 Smith Elkins was a candidate for reelection, his competitors for legislative honors being Dr. Wm. C. Duval,. Claudius B. Walker and Moses Pollard. The first three were Dem- ocrats and Pollard a Know Nothing. Dr. Du-
val was elected by forty-five plurality. In 1860 he was again elected by a majority of 145, his opponent being James A. Scott. The doctor threw all of his influence while in the legislature against secession until May 10, 1861, when he followed the majority of his party in casting their lot with the Southern Confederacy. He attend- ed the legislature in their assembly at Neosho and took part in the proceedings, but was never connected with the Southern army except as a . surgeon.
Burton McGhee served as clerk until 1854 when he was succeeded by A. A. Hensley, who was reelected in 1858 and held the office until the county government was suspended by the Civil War. Hensley was sheriff and collector
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
between 1849 and 1854. W. C. Price served one or two terms, about this time, and Demps Lau- derdale occupied the office when the war broke out. He became a Captain in the Confederate army and died during the war of consumption. Joseph Hackney, Sr., was treasurer at Pineville, and Tillotson Pearson, at Rutledge. J. P. La- Mance held the office one or two terms before the war.
From the entries made immediately after the war, and from the statements of the older in- habitants, it appears that the county was divid- ed into seven municipal townships, as follows: Buffalo, Cooper, Elk River, Pinevile, Richwood, Rutledge, White Rock. It is not possible to get the metes and bouuds of the old divisions, but from the best information Buffalo was loca- ted somewhat as at present occupying the north- west corner of the county, Cooper embraced the southwest corner. Elk River and Rutledge covered substantialy the present limits of Elk River, Mc Millin and Prairie; Pineville, the cent- ral part, Richwood the northwest, and White Rock was practically as at present.
This closes the history of our county up to the beginning of the Civil War, and contains as complete a list of the county officers and the leading events as it is possible to obtain. In 1863 the court house was burnt and nearly all the rec-
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
ords destroyed, so that the chief source of infor- mation is that derived from the old settlers who located here years before the war, and on whose memory those old days and scenes of long ago are indelibly impressed. In a few years more those old residents will have passed away and their descendants will turn with pride to the works of history that have collated and preserv- ed for all future time these interesting reminis- cences of men and times long past.
The people who had located here were gen- erally from the south, more being from Tennes- see than any other one state, and had brought with them the manners and customs peculiar to those localities. They lived in primitive style, compared to the present, and were nearly self- sustaining. A cook stove was a rare exception, nearly every one cooking by the fire place and oven. This, by the way, was not so inconveni- ent as might be imagined. Many a delicious "pone", rare venison saddle and luscious gob- bler has been cooked in this way, and the smell that ascended to heaven was enough to tempt the appetites of the gods.
A sewing machine had never been heard of, while the clank of the loom and humming of the wheel furnished music almost as sweet, and more homelike, than our present organs and pi- anos. The oldfashioned linchpin wagons, with
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
the box shaped like a canoe, many with wooden spindles, could be heard for miles as they groan- ed and screaked over the rocky roads. They raised their own cotton and wool, spun and wove it into cloth and made their own garments. The latter was the women's work. Of course every family cultivated enough tobacco for home con- sumption. Wheat and corn were produced and, as we have seen, there were a number of mills to do the grinding. Distilleries were quite nu- merous and manufactured the pure and unadul- terated corn juice at twenty-five cents a gallon. The good people, both saints and sinners, could take their corn to the still and lay in a good sup- ply of the great household panacea without a cent of cash. One didn't have to get "sick" and tell a lie and sign his name to it, then geta doc- tor to tell one and sign his name to it in order to get a drink of a decoction miscalled whisky. No, he just followed the injunction of St. Paul, and took a little for his stomach's sake, and his oft infirmities, and of a quality that would have met the approval of that learned apostle. In this new country subject to chills and malaria, and the scarcity of doctors and drugs, no doubt this pure liquor drove disease and death from many a home.
Hogs and cattle could be raised with very lit- tle feed, the former being frequently butchered
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
directly from the mast, while deer, turkey and other game were found in abundance. As to shoes, every neighborhood had a tannery and every man was a shoemaker. One man told me that his father said his store bill before the war did not average more than five dollars a year. His family was quite large, and they lived com- fortably. Instead of doing without, they simply produced what was required. It is by no means intended to convey the idea that all the people were poor or lived so plainly. Many families were quite aristocratic, had well furnished houses, and gold watches and jewelry were worn quite extensively. Several parties owned slaves and carried on quite extensive plantations. Almost any McDonald county farmer, along in the fifties could raise a hundred dollars any day, and real estate mortgages were unknown. Peo- ple were honest in their dealings and paid their debts, and the latch string to every cabin hung on the outside. People were hospitable, ex- tremely so. Partly because it was born and bred in them, partly because, being isolated, and the settlements scarce and far between, it was regarded as a treat to have a neighbor or
stranger stop to dinner or over night. The familiar "Halloa, stranger, git down an' hitch yer hoss, and come in 'n stay all night. The ole woman 'l have supper drecly. Boys, take the
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
critter and feed it," has greeted the ears of many a weary traveler, and he would rest as se- cure as tho' guarded by a regiment of soldiers. Those are days to be remembered with pleasure; A bright period in the history of our county.
But the question is asked, how did they make any money? As before stated, there were but few families in the county, and their farms were very productive. The range was exceed- ingly fine, and all kinds of stock could be raised with little or no outlay. A farmer could gather up his hogs and cattle in the spring after the grass was good, and drive them to St. Louis. There was range all the way and it mattered little that it took a long time to make the jour-
ney. What his produce brought was clear prof- it. He frequently returned with several hun- dred dollars. Horses were raised and taken directly to the southern market where they would bring from $75 to $100. Thus an indus- trious man could soon acquire quite a snug sum of money.
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIZATION AFTER THE WAR.
From 1861 to 1865 no elections were held in McDonald county. In 1864 the vote for this county was cast at Newtonia. Burton McGhee was elected member of the legislature and 26 votes were cast for Fletcher for governor. Soon after the war the county government was again resumed, the officers being appointed by the governor. Benjamin F. Hopkins, Enoch G. Williams and Isaac A. Harmon were appointed judges, John V. Hargrove, sheriff; J. P. La- Mance, treasurer. The first meeting of this court was November 6, 1866. On the next day, No- vember 7, Henry H. Fox was appointed asses- sor of the county, and Hugh L. Testerman, cor- oner. On Nov. 8, Daniel Harmon was appoint- ed public administrator; A. W. Chenoweth, county treasurer; Abner M. Tatum school com- missioner; John M. Boyd, road commissioner. At this term of court, the following[Justices of the peace were appointed: E. G. Williams, Pineville township; D. C. Hopkins, Elk River township; T. R. Hopkins and Thomas Davenport White Rock township. In December following D. C. Fox was appointed Justice of the peace for
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Buffalo township, David Davenport, for White Rock, Jehu Jones for Rutledge township. In February 1866 Ransom Plumlee was appointed justice for Richwood township, and John F. Lewis for Elk Horn. DI. N. Williams was appoint- ed treasurer. At this time the county court had jurisdiction of probate matters and the principal part of the records of the court pertain to affairs of administration, appointment of officers and locating roads.
At this time the office of public administrator was certainly a lucrative one as the records show that in 1866 he had charge of the following es- tates: Samuel R. Cotter, John Stearns, James Williams, Benjamin Gooden, George W. Martin, Anderson Carter, Tierney J. Cook, G. C. Culp, Solomon Lankford, David Brock, William Bur- gess, Basil Lewis, Nathaniel Meador, Samuel B. Keeler, John D. Hendry, William G. Morris, Martin Stafford , Harrison Ray, Robert Walker, Hugh Carroll, Alfred Martin, Mrs. Delilah McGhee, D. Y. Lauderdale, Joseph Morrow, Jacob Carter, James T. Davenport, G. W. Nut- ting, W. Hamblin, John M. Harmon, Wilson Gonce, S. H. Carroll, J. B. King, Smith Elkins, Thomas Woolsey, H. Carroll, Moses Pendergraft J. T. Haskins, R. F. Walker, Samuel B. Keele, Sr., James, N. Appleby, John H. Hastings, John D. Henry, Francis A. Carter, J. W. Cole, J.
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Wimpey, William Skinner, Matilda Mitchell,
John Hevalison, Carroll Kirk, U. S. Young, Sr., and Samuel Brown: It appears from the records that Benjamin Ross'was public adminis- trator previous to the appointment of Daniel Harmon, but how or when he became posessed of that office there is no record to show.
In the records of the county court, May 8, 1866 is the following order: Ordered by the court that municipal townships of this couuty be and are bounded as follows: 'All territory included in ranges 29 and 30 shall constitute a municipal township and be known as Fox township. Also, all territory included in ranges 31 and 32 shall constitute a municipal township known as Pine- ville township. Also, all"territory included in ranges 33 and 34 which shall be known as Elk township.
The nextorder following establishes the vot- ing places in each of the three townships respect- ively at the residence of H. H. Fox, in Fox town- ship at Pineville, in Pineville township and at the residence of B. F. Hopkins in Elk township. It was also ordered that each justice of the peace be furnished with a copy of the order giving metes and bounds of their respective townships. Why this arrangement was effected and what disposition was made of the various Justices of the Peace does not appear. It evidently did not
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
give satisfaction as in the following August and November various changes were made and several precincts established, a more full ac- count of which will be given in the chapter on townships.
Among the interesting orders made about this time were those to cancel notes given for loans of the various public funds. One signed by A. S. McGhee, dated September, 1854, for $185.98; One signed by T. A. B. Pearson and Joseph Pearson May 17, 1854 for $100; one by M. A. Laughlin, Aug. 11, 1857 for $50. These notes were canceled by reason of their being void by limitation.
Warrants were drawn on the county treasurer in 1866-7 to pay for wolf scalps, at the rate of one dollar each scalp, to Gilbert Bolen, E. F. Burns, Eleven Caulk, William Mooney, Isaac Martin and Wyatt Edmonds. The party produc- ing the scalp was required to prove that the wolf had been killed within the borders of the county, to entitle him to the bounty.
ALLOTTING JUSTICES.
There are numerous orders on record during this time making the appointment for allotting justices for the various townships. As this prac- tice has long since become obsolete, it will likely be an item of interest as well as curiosity to know what an allotting justice was. Under the road
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
laws in those days an overseer was appointed by the county court for a certain road or, in more thickly settled counties, for a road dis- trict. This county being very sparsely settled, the overseers were appointed for a certain road designated in the order of appointment. In each township one of the justices of the peace was appointed by the county court to allot, or parcel out, the road hands in his township and designate under what road overseer they should work. This was called the allotting justice. He also had jurisdiction over cases where parties failed or refused to work their time.
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HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER V.
TOWNSHIPS.
ANDERSON township was established by order of the county court at the March term 1896. The voting place was established at the town of An- derson, from which the township derived its name. The K. C. P. & G. R. R. enters this town- ship near the northeast corner, runs entirely through and passes out on the south line a little west of the center. Beaver valley also enters near the northeast corner and empties into In- dian creek just below the town of Anderson. The above-named stream meanders through the southern part of the township. The first set- tlement was mentioned in the chapter on Early Settlement. The principal place is Anderson, a nice little town, and one of the best trading points in the county. On Indian creek and the adjacent valleys are many fine farmsgand pros- perous families. The township was taken from Buffalo, McMillin, Pineville and Erie townships and contains about 35 sections of land.
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