USA > Missouri > Livingston County > Past and present of Livingston County, Missouri : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 10
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THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
In response to a call made by R. R. Kitt, former chairman of the Republican County Central Committee, a mass conven- tion, composed of the voters of the county who believed in progressive principles and a square deal, was held in Chilli- cothe, on the 27th day of July, 1912. Every township in the county was well represented and the convention organized by electing H. P. Scruby chairman and Wm. Olenhouse secre- tary. Delegates were chosen to a state convention to be held
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at Kansas City, there to elect delegates to the national con- vention at Chicago on the 5th, 6th and 7th of August, 1912. A permanent committeeman from each of the twenty-one pre- cincts in the county was also named after which the conven- tion adjourned. This committee then convened and perfected a permanent organization by electing Chas. W. Gillidette county chairman and Chas. A. Hagaman secretary, each and every committeeman pledging his faith and support to the new party. At a convention held on August 20th, delegates were chosen to a state convention in St. Louis on September 3, 1912, to nominate a state ticket, after which a recess was called to convene again on the 10th of September, at which time a full county ticket was placed in nomination. The cam- paign was vigorous from start to finish and the new party suc- ceeded in electing Elton Marshall, prosecuting attorney and John Yeomans, county judge of the eastern district. The suc- cess of the new party was largely due to the active campaign- ing of Chairman Gillidette, who was ably assisted by H. P. Scruby, F. A. Meinershagen, Louis H. Gould, J. F. Hawley, W. C. Hunt, Jo Dusenberry, F. V. Ross, P. M. Russell, W. H. Jackson, Harry Graham, H. H. Hoenshell, F. L. Arthaud and others. Progressive Party clubs have recently been or- ganized in every township in the county.
BRIDGES IN THE COUNTY
The Graham Mill bridge on the east fork of Grand river and the Jimtown bridge on the main river were the first steel bridges built in the county. The contract for these two struc- tures was let by the county court on May 8, 1866, to L. M. Densmore at a cost of $37,000 for the two. At the date of letting the contract Z. N. Goldsby was commissioner; S. B. Deland, president of county court and R. B. Moss and An- thony Rogers, associate judges. At this time Garry Harker was sheriff and John DeSha, county clerk. Both bridges were finished in the month of August, 1868.
An order was made by the county court on September 9, 1870, for two street bridges, one at Bedford and one at Utica,
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at a cost of $21,500 for the former and $18,000 for the latter, to be paid for in three annual installments, the deferred pay- ments bearing 10 per cent interest. The contract for their construction, however, was let to Bishop & Eaton, of Hanni- bal, Missouri, on October 8, 1870, for $36,000 for both, and they were completed and accepted by the county court on July 12, 1871.
The steel bridge over the main body of Grand river on what is known as the Air Line Road, was erected at a cost of $8,000.
There are also two steel bridges on the west fork of Grand river, one north of Utica and one north of Mooresville, that cost the county $6,000 each.
On the east fork of the river there are two steel bridges, one near Chula and one on west Third street, that cost $4,500 each.
i
On Medicine creek there are seven steel bridges, three of which cost the county $4,500 each and the other four $2,000 each.
There are also four steel bridges on Shoal creek that cost the tax-payers of the county $1,000 each.
Honey creek is spanned by three steel bridges costing $600 each. Many of the smaller streams are also spanned with steel bridges probably twenty-five in all, that were constructed at a cost of from $200 to $400 each; also ten on concrete abut- ments that cost $250 each. In addition to the bridges there are eight concrete culverts that cost the county on an average of $250 each.
COUNTY OFFICIALS
The present county officials of Livingston county follows : Presiding Judge, F. K. Thompson.
Judge, Eastern District, John A. Yeomans.
Judge, Western District, Lawrence Bonderer.
County Clerk, A. M. Shelton.
Deputy County Clerk, A. M. Johnston. Deputy County Clerk, S. H. Marr. Recorder, Harry Gilbert.
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Ass't. Recorder, Clyta Anderson.
Circuit Clerk, Drew P. Tye.
Deputy Circuit Clerk, Bessie Abshire.
Probate Judge, J. E. Pardonner.
Treasurer, G. A. McBride.
Deputy Treasurer, Katharine Leaver.
Coroner, Dr. Wm. M. Girdner.
Surveyor, L. O. Gibson.
Public Administrator, James Littrell.
School Commissioner, J. W. McCormick.
Sheriff, William Nothnagle.
Deputy Sheriff, Joshua Walker.
RAILROADS
THE HANNIBAL AND ST. JOSEPH RAILROAD
The first move ever made in the proposed construction of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, known for the last two decades or longer as part of the great Burlington system, was at a meeting held in the spring of 1846 in the office of John M. Clemens, father of Mark Twain, at the corner of Bird and Hill streets, in the town of Hannibal. Hon. Z. G. Draper presided and R. F. Lakenan was made secretary.
The enterprise had a small beginning but it succeeded. It was at first contemplated to run the road through Palmyra, Shelbyville, Bloomington, Linneus, Chillicothe, Gallatin- all county seats-and on to St. Joseph.
The newspapers of the towns through which it was thought the road would be built favored it; those located off the line were opposed to it, and the people divided with the news- papers. The St. Joseph Gazette, of November 6, 1846, in an article favoring the building of the road, said: "We suggest the propriety of a railroad from St. Joseph to some point on the Mississippi, either St. Louis, Hannibal, or Quincy." The people of Hannibal were interested in having their town made the initial point; St. Joseph only cared to be the terminus. It was important, therefore, that Hannibal should watch care-
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fully, and not allow any other Mississippi river town to step in and take the prize. An effective ally in favor of Hanni- bal was secured in the person of Hon. Robert M. Stewart, of St. Joseph. In the year 1846 he was elected to the state Senate, and promised to work for the procurement of a char- ter making Hannibal the initial and St. Joseph the terminal point.
The state Senator from the Marion district was Hon. Carty Wells; the Representative, Hon. John Taylor, of Pal- myra. To secure their support it was necessary to make Pal- myra a point on the line. Mr. Lakenan drew up the follow- ing charter, which was approved by other parties, and passed by the legislature in February, 1847 :
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows :- Section 1. That Joseph Robidoux, John Corby, and Robert J. Boyd, of St. Joseph, in Buchanan county ; Samuel J. Harrison, Zachariah G. Draper and Eras- mus M. Moffitt, of the city of Hannibal; Alexander McMur- try, of Shelby county ; George A. Shortridge and Thos. Sharp, of Macon county; Wesley Haliburton, of Linn county ; John Graves, of Livingston county; Robert Wilson, of Daviess county ; and George W. Smith, of Caldwell county; and all such persons as may hereafter become stockholders in the said company, shall be, and are hereby created a body corporate and politic in fact, and in name and style of the 'Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company,' and in the same title, the stockholders shall be in perpetual succession, and be able to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded in all courts of record and elsewhere, and to purchase, receive, have, hold, enjoy to them and their successors, lands, tenements, heredit- aments, goods, chattels, and all estates, real, personal and mixed, of what kind or quality soever, and the same from time to time to sell, mortgage, grant, alien and convey, and to make dividends of such portions of the profits as they may deem proper, and also to make and have a common seal and the same to alter or renew at pleasure, and also to ordain, establish and put in execution such by-laws, ordinances and regulations as shall appear necessary and convenient for the
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Victor Stevens.
THE FIRST TRAIN ON THE OLD HANNIBAL AND ST. JOSEPH RAILROAD TO REACH CHILLICOTHE IN 1859
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government of said corporation, not being contrary or repug- nant to the Constitution and laws of the United States or of the State of Missouri, and generally to do all and singular the matters and things which to them it shall lawfully apper- tain to do for the well being of the said corporation, and the due management and ordering of the affairs of the same ; provided always, that it shall not be lawful for the said cor- poration to deal or use or employ any part of the stock, funds or money in buying or selling any ware or merchandise in the way of traffic, or in banking, or brokering operations.
"Section 2. That the capital stock of said corporation shall be two millions of dollars, divided into twenty thousand shares of one hundred dollars each, and it shall be lawful for said corporation, when and so soon as in the opinion of the individuals named in the foregoing section a sufficient amount of stock shall have been taken for that purpose, to commence and carry on their said proper business and railroad opera- tions, under the privileges and conditions herein granted.
"Section 3. That the said company are hereby author- ized and empowered to cause books for the subscription stock to be opened at such times and places as they may deem most conducive to the attainment of the stock required.
"Section 4. The said company (shall) have power to view, lay out and construct a railroad from St. Joseph's, in Buchanan county, to Palmyra, in Marion county, and thence to Hannibal, in said county of Marion, and shall in all things, be subjected to the same restrictions and to entitled to all privileges, rights and immunities which were granted to the Louisiana and Columbia Railroad Company, by an act entitled, 'An act to incorporate the Louisiana & Columbia Railroad Company,' passed at the session of the General As- sembly in 1836 and 1837, and approved January 27, 1837, so far as the same are applicable to the company hereby created, as fully and completedly as if the same were herein re-enacted.
"Section 5. Nothing in this act, nor in that to which it refers shall be construed so as to allow said company to hold or purchase any more real estate than may be necessary and Vol. 1~8
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proper for the use of the road and the business transacted thereon.
.
"This act to take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
"Approved February 16, 1847."
The act was passed by the legislature with some opposi- tion. The leading workers in its favor were Colonel R. M. Stewart, James Craig and J. B. Gardenhire, of Buchanan county, and Carty Wells and John Taylor, of Marion.
A vigorous canvass was immediately opened along the line to secure subscriptions from the several counties. Meetings were held in every county seat and town. A large meeting, or convention, was held at Chillicothe, June 2, 1847, according to previous and general notice.
The convention organized in the courthouse, which then stood in the public square, at II o'clock, by calling Hon. Aus- tin A. King, of Ray county (then judge of the fifth judicial circuit and afterward governor of the state, member of Con- gress, etc.,), to the chair, and electing Doctor Cravens, of Daviess county, and Alexander McMurtry, of Shelby county, vice-presidents, and Henry D. LaCossitt, of Marion county, and Chas. J. Hughes, of Caldwell the secretaries.
It was moved the delegates in attendance report them- selves to the secretaries, whereupon the following gentlemen gave their names and took their seats :
B. F. Loan and Lawrence Archer, from Buchanan county ; Absalom Karnes, from DeKalb; Robert Wilson, John B. Conner, Volney E. Bragg, William Peniston, James Turley, Thomas T. Frame, Jacob S. Rogers, M. F. Greene, John Mann, Woody Manson and John Cravens, from Daviess county; George Smith, Patrick Smith, Jesse Baxter, A. B. Davis and C. J. Hughes, from Caldwell county; A. A. King, from Ray county; John Cravens, Thomas B. Bryan, Elisha Hereford, John Harper, F. L. Willard, F. Preston, John L. Johnson, S. Mansur, John Bryan, B. F. Tarr, Thomas Jen- nings, Wm. Hudgins, William Hicklin, Wm. L. Black, Jas. H. Darlington, Robert Mitchell, John Austin, James Austin, from Livingston county; Doctor Livingston, from Grundy
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
county ; W. B. Woodruff, James C. Moore, James Lintell, John J. Flora, Jeremiah Phillips, and Wesley Haliburton, from Linn county, George Shortridge, A. L. Gilstrap and Benjamin Sharp, from Macon county; Alexander McMur- try, from Shelby county ; Z. G. Draper, James Waugh, Henry Collins, H. D. LaCossitt and Wm. P. Samuel, from Marion county.
On motion from Colonel Peniston, it was resolved that a committee consisting of one member from each county repre- sented in the convention be appointed for the purpose of re- porting upon what subjects this convention shall act. The president appointed Robert Wilson, L. Archer, A. Karnes, G. Smith, F. L. Willard, Doctor Livingston, W. B. Woodruff, Geo. Shortridge and Z. G. Draper.
On motion, it was resolved that a committee, consisting of one member from each county here represented, be appointed to report a basis upon which to vote in this convention. The president appointed A. L. Gilstrap, B. F. Loan, Wm. P. Peniston, Thomas Butts, Thos. R. Bryan, Doctor Livingston, W. Haliburton and James Waugh.
George Smith, of Caldwell, presented the following propo- sitions for the consideration of the convention, and moved to lay the same upon the table, which was done :
"Whereas, The people of Northern Missouri are in favor of the project of a railroad from Hannibal to St. Joseph; therefore,
"Resolved, By the delegates (their representatives) that we recommend the following as the best method to procure the means for the construction of the same :
"First-A liberal subscription by the citizens of the State to the capital stock of said company.
"Second-That Congress be petitioned for a grant of alter- nate sections and all parts of sections of vacant lands ten miles on each side of said road, when located.
"Third-That the company procure a subscription to the stock by Eastern capitalists, and, should the foregoing means prove inadequate, we then recommend that the Legislature pass an act authorizing the company to issue bonds, to be indorsed
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by the Governor or Secretary of State, for the residue ; the com- pany to give a mortgage on the whole work to the State, for the liquidation of said bonds."
The convention then adjourned till afternoon.
At the opening of the afternoon session, it was resolved that the rules for the government of the House of Represen- tatives of Missouri, be adopted for the government of this con- vention.
A report was adopted, by which the basis of voting in the convention was fixed as follows: that each county represented in the convention be entitled to one vote for every 100 votes therein, by which rule the county of Marion was allowed 15 votes ; Shelby, 7; Macon, 9; Linn, 7; Livingston, 8; Grundy, 6; Daviess, 9; Caldwell, 4; Ray, 15; DeKalb, 3, and Bucha- nan, 22.
The committee to whom was referred the duty of sub- mitting subjects for action of this convention reported :
"I. To appoint a committee of three members to draft an address in the name of this convention to the people of Western Missouri setting forth the advantages to be derived from the contemplated railroad from St. Joseph to Hannibal.
"2. To appoint a committee of three, whose duty it shall be to petition the Legislature of Missouri for such aid in the undertaking as can be afforded consistently with the rights of other sections to the State.
"3. To appoint a committee of three to petition Congress for a donation of alternate sections of lands within six miles on each side of said road when located.
"4. To appoint a committee whose duty it shall be to superintend the publication and distribution of the proceed- ings of this convention, together with the charter of the road, and the address to the people of Missouri.
"5. Said committee to be appointed by the president and the members of each committee as nearly contiguous as prac- ticable."
The convention then adjourned till the following morn- ing, when, on reassembling, the five above-mentioned resolu- tions were unanimously adopted, with the exception of the
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fifth, which was adopted with an amendment striking out all after the word "president."
Among the resolutions offered at this session of the con- vention, the following by Judge King, of Ray, was unani- mously adopted by way of amendment to a similar one offered by Doctor Grundy, of Livingston :
"Resolved, That, whereas, this convention has adopted a resolution authorizing a memorial to Congress for donation of alternate sections of land to aid in the construction of the contemplated railroad; also, authorizing a memorial to the Legislature for such aid in the undertaking as can be afforded consistently with the rights of other portions of the State; therefore, we, the delegates, pledge ourselves to support no man for Congress who will not pledge himself to the support of the proposition aforesaid, nor will we support any man for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, or member of the Legisla- ture, who will not pledge himself to give such aid in the con- struction of the said railroad consistent with the rights of other portions of the State; as contemplated by the resolution afore- said."
Mr. George Smith, of Caldwell, offered the following resolution, which was read and adopted :
"Resolved, That the committee appointed to petition the Legislature be instructed to ask for an amendment to the fourth section of the act incorporating the Louisiana and Columbia Railroad Company (being the law by which the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad Company are to be gov- erned), so as to give the power to the president and directors of the last named company to call in an amount not exceeding IO per cent every 60 days, and change the notice from 60 to 30 days."
The following resolution by Mr. Sharp, of Macon, was adopted :
"Whereas, it is not only extremely important to the agri- cultural and commercial interests of the immediate country that a good wagon road be opened from St. Joseph to Han- nibal, but the United States mail stages can not be put in motion on said route until said road shall be opened. And
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"Whereas, It is of the utmost importance, as well to the whole intermediate country as to the two extremes, that mail facilities be speedily obtained in stages through said counties. Therefore,
"Resolved, by this convention, That it be recommended to each county through which said road may pass, immediately to open, bridge and put in good repair the said road, in order that mail stages may be immediately started, according to the act of Congress establishing said road."
Mr. Tarr, of Livingston, moved to reconsider the vote adopting third proposition reported by the committee on busi- ness, which was agreed to.
He then offered the following amendment to said third proposition :
"Adding to third proposition by the committee on busi- ness, as follows: 'Also to petition Congress that should any of the alternate sections on the road, or within six miles on either side thereof to be sold at any time subsequent to the 16th day of February, 1847, and before the action of Con- gress in relation to these lands, that other lands be granted as nearly contiguous as possible in lieu thereof.'" This was agreed to, and the third proposition as amended was then adopted.
Doctor Livingston, of Grundy, offered the following reso- lution, which was adopted :
"Resolved, That the proceedings of this convention be signed by the president, vice-presidents and secretaries, and that the president be requested to transmit a copy thereof to each of our representatives in Congress, requesting them to use their utmost endeavors to obtain from Congress the grant of land contemplated by the proceedings of this convention."
The president then announced the following committees :
I. To address the people of Northern Missouri-Archer, Bragg and LaCossitt.
2. To petition Congress in accordance with the resolu- tion of the convention-Cravens, Halliburton and Shortridge.
3. To petition the Legislature-Tarr, George Smith, of Caldwell, and Doctor Livingston.
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On motion, it was resolved that the thanks of the dele- gates and constituents are due to the officers of this conven- tion for the able manner in which they have discharged their duties in this convention.
The convention then adjourned sine die.
For a year or two afterward interest in the enterprise flagged and there was a time when some of its friends thought best to abandon it. But in 1850 real and earnest efforts were renewed to secure subscriptions to the capital stock of the company. Such of the directors as were lukewarm gave way to those who were more zealous and enthusiastic. Each county through which the road was expected to pass was recanvassed. The measure was made popular, and candidates were elected to the Legislature, and even to Congress, because they pledged themselves to favor it whenever the opportunity should offer.
In February, 1851, the Missouri Legislature granted the credit of the state to the road to extent of $1,500,000 in bonds, on condition that the company expend a like amount, in in- stallments of $50,000 each. In 1851 Marion county sub- scribed $100,000, and Hannibal $50,000. Other counties and localities subscribed, but not so largely.
The first subscription of Livingston was August 15, 1848, when the county court ordered John Graves, as agent of the county, to subscribe "to an amount not exceeding the amount already paid over, and to be paid, of the fund arising from the sale of the 500,000 acres of land donated by the United States to this State, and by this State divided among the coun- ties thereof by an act of the Legislature approved March 27, 1845." To this order Judge John Stone entered his protest.
Other action by the county court may thus be summarized : At the August term, 1851, a majority of the voters of the county having assented thereto, it was ordered that stock to the amount of $25,000 be taken. September 13 following, the following order was made:
"Robert M. Stewart, as the agent of the Hannibal and St. Joseph's Railroad Company, appeared in court and moved the court to subscribe on behalf of the county of Livingston, for 250 shares of the stock of said railroad. Which motion the
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court assents to, and accordingly subscribes to the books of said company, in behalf of said county for 250 shares of said stock (of $100 per share), the installments of which, as called for by said company, are to be paid by the county's assigning the notes of said county, payable in twenty years, or sooner, at the discretion of the county court of said county, and to bear six per cent per annum from date, to be paid annually, and which are to be delivered to said company-to which terms and conditions the said Stewart, as the agent of said railroad company, assents to. (Record B, p. 30.)"
October 18, 1852, the county court, in response to two dis- tinct calls of the president of the road, issued the county's note for $2,640, due 20 years after date, and bearing 6 per cent interest.
In April, 1853, Thomas R. Bryan was ordered to sub- scribe on the books of the company the sum of $25,000, "in lieu of former subscription."
November 7, 1853, $1,400 was subscribed "in lieu of the said sum subscribed by a former court." What sum is meant by "said" sum is not clear. If it means the sum of $1,400, no record of any former subscription of that amount can be found. If it means the total amount of the county's subscrip- tion, $25,000, the meaning is certainly not well expressed.
October 14, 1854, the county's note for $5,000 was given to pay two assessments (Record B, p. 92), but in February, 1855, this note was returned and cancelled (B, p. 98.).
The board of directors, as reorganized for the years 1851- 52-53, was composed of R. M. Stewart, John Corby, Robert S. Boyd,-Tolbert, Z. G. Draper, J. D. Dowling, Thomas E. Thompson, R. F. Lakenan and E. M. Moffitt. The officers were: R. M. Stewart, president; Washington Jones, secre- tary; E. M. Moffitt, treasurer; and R. F. Lakenan, attorney.
In the fall of 1851 occurred at Hannibal the formal cere- mony of "breaking ground" for the new railroad. November 3d was the day appointed and the occasion called forth a large crowd, and many distinguished persons from all parts of the state were present. A considerable delegation came from St. Louis. The day was opened by the firing of cannons, the
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