USA > Missouri > Livingston County > Past and present of Livingston County, Missouri : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 22
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A. F. & A. M., Lodge No. 539, Ludlow .- William Maack, worshipful master; A. J. Riedel, Sr. W .; Jo Dusenberry, Jr. W.
Eastern Star No. 108, Ludlow .- Mrs. Murray, W. M .; Scott Miller, W. P .; Cora Dusenberry, A. M .; Ada Yohns, secretary; Lena Johnson, conductress; Carrie Wells, asso- ciate; Eva Barton, organist.
I. O. O. F., No. 569, Ludlow .- William Sturwoldt, N. G .; Purse Copple, V. G .; J. D. Wells, secretary.
Rebecca Lodge No. 311, Ludlow .- Mrs. Dean, N. G .; Mary Busby, V. G .; Carrie Wells, secretary; Mrs. Jo Dusen- berry, P. G. and president of the District Assembly.
Woodmen Lodge No. 3027, Ludlow .- A. J. Riedel, V. C .; Wm. Roath, W. A .; William Maack, secretary.
MOORESVILLE TOWNSHIP
Lying south of the west branch of Grand river is township 57, range 25, and together with fractional parts of sections 3 1 and 32 in 58-25 comprise the township of Mooresville. Some of the best farms in Livingston county are found in the south central and southeast portions, while the northern section of the township adjacent to Grand river is considerably broken, but heavily timbered. Limestone is found in abundance in the broken and hilly section of the county. Bituminous coal of an excellent quality is also found in this township, an ex- tended report of which may be found in the geological de- partment of this work. The first settlements were made in 1833 and among the early pioneers were the Hudginses, Tom- lins, Woolseys, McCoskries and their descendants. Among the later comers were the Fisks, Manns, Fields, Lawsons,
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Gregorys, Bryans, Barlows, Meads, Taylors, Gobins, Per- mans, Fryers, Lydas, Trotters, Guills, and many others, in- cluding Nehemiah Comstock and his brother Hiram, the former having led a company of volunteers against the Mor- mons referred to elsewhere.
This township was made a municipal organization by the county court December 18, 1866, in compliance with a peti- tion presented by W. H. Gaunt, Adam Lydick and many others, being formed out of Monroe and Greene townships and was named Mooresville for the village of the same name.
CREAM RIDGE TOWNSHIP
This township includes portions of ranges 23 and 24, ly- ing between Grand river and Medicine township and the line between townships 58 and 59. On the western boundary flows Grand river, on the east Honey creek and small branches tributary as well as Medicine creek. Honey creek empties into Grand river near the southwest corner of the township. In 1838, perhaps the first settler was Francis Preston, who lo- cated on Crooked creek in February, on 19-59-23. In 1839 Josiah Austin settled a short distance north of Preston, while Gabriel May and Solomon Hooker located in the township and near Preston in 1840. Like the land in Medicine town- ship, it was not in the market for entry until 1840, and many en- tries were made in that year. Some of the early settlers were S. T. Crews, C. H. Ashby, M. F. Treadway, Joseph Hughes, Richard Dicken, Lyman Dayton, Willis Atkinson, Elizabeth Crawford and James Leeper. George P. Pullian and Mar- garet Preston, daughter of the first settler mentioned, was the first matrimonial venture in the township. A slave woman named Susan, the property of Preston, was the first person to die in the township. The organization of the township bears date May 13, 1857, Thomas Crooks and others being peti- tioners. Farmersville, nine miles north of Chillicothe, on the road to Trenton, is in this township. A good school, several churches and lodge organizations are found in the village.
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INTERIOR OF DR. OGAN'S DRUG STORE. CHULA
COMMERCIAL HOTEL. CHULA
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
MEDICINE TOWNSHIP
Medicine township is the smallest township in Livingston county, containing only thirty land sections. It is located in the northeast corner of the county and comprises one half of Congressional township 59, in range 22, together with a strip one mile and one half in width off the east side of 59-23. All of the west sections in 59-22 are a mile and one-half in width, thus making the township six miles by five miles in area. Two streams flow through the township in a southerly direction. Medicine creek flows through the western section of the town- ship and Muddy creek through the eastern part and at some points close to the Linn county line. South of the south line of the township these creeks unite. Many excellent farms are found in this township, the soil is equal to the best in the county. Thousands of head of cattle and hogs are marketed from this township annually. The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway passes thrugh this township from north to south. Medicine township was not settled or the land made subject to entry until 1840. The few pioneer settlers lived independently on claims without assessors or tax collectors to molest them. The first settler in the township was William J. Wallace, who built a log cabin on the northwest quarter section, 7-59-22 in 1837. Not having legally entered the land he abandoned it about two years later. Mrs. Elizabeth Yates, a widowed sister of Wallace, then located on the land. Among the early settlers in this township were Elizabeth Yates, W. J. Wallace, William Douglas, J. C. White, John H. Perkins, David Kimble, Reuben Perkins, Thomas Ray, Chapman Lightner, James Lightner, John J. Jordan, John Brown and Robert Phillips. The township was organized May 5, 1868.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP
In other portions of this history Jackson township is re- ferred to at considerable length. Until 1839, after many pio- neers had located there, the township was known by the name of Indian Creek. The townships of Jackson and Sampsell Vol. I-17
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were, in an early day, closely allied and at the present day are almost as closely related as "twin sisters." Jackson town- ship, on account of an abundance of timber, wild game and bees, together with numerous springs of pure water, first attracted the early pioneers to that part of the county. The township was first settled by Kentuckians, a hospitable, honest class of people and their offspring are in a majority of the residents of the township today. When reference is made to the "forks of the river," it is generally understood that the territory referred to is Jackson township. The first settlers, whose names are given elsewhere in this volume, made settle- ment in Jackson township in the year 1833. The territory settled up rapidly, but like other sections, the land was not open for entry until some years later. Only a few of the names of early settlers are here given: B. F. Baker, Reuben Mc- Coskrie, David Martin, Jesse Nave, David Girdner, Wm. Curtis, Nova Zembla Johnson, Alex. Dockery, W. C. Davis, E. S. Andrews, R. C. Campbell, Peter Cain, Samuel V. Ram- sey, Hugh S. Welch, Moses Masters, Green S. Reeves, John D. Martin, John Kirk, John Hargrave, Wm. Finley, Stephen Shrive, T. A. Harbut, S. W. Anderson, Rice Ware, Geo. Mc- Coy, John B. Hines, Wyatt Ogle, John Doss, James Leeper, Andrew Liggett, Isham Ware, Nathan Cox, Wm. S. Miller, and W. L. Black.
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH, JACKSON TOWNSHIP
was organized in February, 1868, in the Brassfield school- house. Elder James Turner was chosen moderator and G. M. Brassfield, clerk. The articles of faith were then signed by John F. Gillispie, Robert Foster, Ephraim Foster, John Weaver, Thomas L. Gillispie, Adam Brassfield, Milton Hughes, James B. McClellan, Riley Brassfield, Mary Gil- lispie, Elizabeth Foster, Delia Weaver, Catherine Gillispie, Mahulda McClellan, Malinda Weatherford, Mary A. Brass- field, Eliazbeth Seidel, Mahala A. Pond, Jane Hughes, Ra- chael Brassfield and Mary Caddell. Rev. James Turner was elected the first pastor and served three years. Rev. Tur-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
ner was succeeded by Rev. P. Booth who served during 1872. Rev. Turner was recalled for 1873, 1874 and 1875. The place of worship was then changed to the Potter school- house. In January, 1876 Rev. John Harmon was elected pastor and remained until 1877. He was followed by Rev. Wadley for a period of five months. In 1876 a building committee consisting of J. M. Irwin, J. W. Webster, John H. Matthews and E. R. Dowell, solicited funds and a church edifice was erected one and one-half miles east of Springhill. It is the largest house of worship in the county. The pastors who have served the congregation to date are Revs. N. M. Allen, John Harmon, F. P. Bain and W. W. Gillispie. Both church and Sunday school have large and growing member- ships.
Springhill Camp No. 5491, M. W. A., was organized April 18, 1898, with the following charter members: Wm. A. Anderson, John F. Arnel, Chas. Cooper, Wm. Girdner, Oscar Hicks, Roy Lewis, Daniel McCarthy, James Sanson, Wm. Sneeden, J. E. Williams, W. H. Anderson, J. P. Arr, J. W. Davis, S. H. Harvey, H. P. Lewis, Chas. W. Patton, Chas. M. Piper, John Shaffer and J. O. Whitworth. Officers for 1913 are: Andy Prager, V. C., Alva Mast, advisor; Frank Shaffer, banker; A. E. Meserve, clerk; Joe Lamp, escort; James Wilburn, watchman; Wm. F. Volk, sentry; Dr. W. L. White, physician.
GREENE TOWNSHIP
This township comprises an area of 24,000 acres and in- cludes that portion of Congressional township 57, range 24, with the west fork of Grand river on the north and Shoal creek on the south and a line of sections in 57-25, south of the west fork of the river. Much of the township is bot- tom land and bluffs and hills are found adjacent to the river. The prairie or uplands are excellent farm lands, the soil being adapted to the cultivation of diversified crops. No township in the county is better adapted to fruit culture and in average seasons train loads of apples, pears, peaches and other fruits
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are shipped to the eastern and central markets. Gradually the bottom lands are being brought into cultivation by drainage and other modern means. A very complete description of the geology of the township is given in another part of this work. The names of the early pioneers of this portion of the county are also given in this volume. The town of Utica was laid out in 1837, the land having been entered by Matson and Van Zandt, the year previous. The town flourished when the H. & St. Joe road was built and continued to thrive until the Civil war. When the road was built the company erected a depot one mile west of town. This made the citizents indig- nant, they soaped the rails and later the depot building was burned. Another building was erected and it too suffered the fate of the first. Although very inconvenient the third struc- ture was permitted to remain. "P. S."-Friday night, April 4, 1913, the third depot building was destroyed by fire of unknown origin, although it is believed by the night operator that the conflagration was started by a spark from a passing engine that lodged near the semaphore.
Forest Home Camp No. 2270, Royal Neighbors of Amer- ica, of Utica, was organized August 4th, 1900, at which time the following officers were elected: Julia Smith, oracle; Emma Sherman, vice-oracle; Lizzie Myers, chancellor; Myrtle Blue, marshall; Anna Walz, recorder; Mary Wam- ble, receiver Present officers : Alice Walz, oracle; Anna Walz, vice-oracle; Josephine Smith, past-oracle; Lillie -, chancellor; May Dome, marshall; Lizzie Myers, recorder; Ella Lemons, receiver. The camp meets the first and third Saturday nights in each month.
Benevolence Lodge No. 170, A. F. & A. M., Utica .- This lodge was organized May 30, 1857, with John H. Harper as worshipful master; A. J. Austin, junior warden; and Wil- liam Hiron, senior warden. The present officers are: C. H. Stone, worshipful master; W. T. Stone, junior warden; George Simves, senior warden; and P. E. Bagley, secretary. The lodge has 36 members and own their own building.
Utica Council No. 984, Knights and Ladies of Security, was organized February Ist, 1902, by W. C. Orme, state
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
deputy of Maryville, Missouri, assisted by the officers of Charm Council No. 658 of Chillicothe, Missouri. Twenty beneficiary and seven social members were initiated. The first officers were : George Reidel, president; Oral B. Lemon, vice-president; Lizzie Myers, second vice-president; Eliza- beth A. Young, prelate; Edith Edna Townsend, Cor. sec- retary; Dr. J. H. Winter, financial secretary; Frank E. Lemon, treasurer; William White, conductor; and Ray R. McCloughan, sentinel. Trustees : Michael Lemon, Jas. Hall and Albert J. Myers. The present officers are : Lizzie Myers, president; Emily B. Myers, vice-president; Cora B. Fal- coner, second vice-president; Lucy A. Lemon, financier ; Phoebe Cooper, secretary; Dr. H. A. Cox, prelate; Sopha E. Smith, conductor; Ralph B. Cooper, guard; and Joe Kerr, sentinel.
FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP
Fairview township comprises that portion of range 23, south of Grand river and includes all of township 56 and part of the south half of 57. The Carroll county line is the southern boundary of the township, Grand river the eastern and the eastern line of Mound township the western boundary. No finer agricultural lands are to be found in Missouri, being adapted to diversified crops and being a great grass pro- ducing section, thousands of head of pure blooded stock are raised and shipped from this township. The first entries of land by the pioneers prior to 1840 were made by Robert H. Jordan, J. M. Johns, A. J. Welsh, James W. Cole, Nathan Parsons, William Hereford, William Campbell and others. This township was mostly settled by people from the eastern states, Pennsylvania, especially being well represented. The township and the town of Avalon, a sprightly little village and populated with a most intelligent class, are without rail- road or other transportation facilities except by wagon road to Chillicothe, a distance of fifteen miles, Bedford on the Wabash Railroad and Hale in Carroll county, on a branch of the Burlington. A daily mail, however, reaches them from Chillicothe. Not until March 4, 1867, was the township or-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
ganized when on a petition signed by W. T. Fritch, and J. L. Burnsides, the prayer of the petitioners was granted. David Carpenter platted the town of Avalon, November 12, 1869. The Avalon College was founded the same year and for many years was a popular institution of learning, but not until 1873 were the doors of the college opened for the recep- tion of students. Rev. M. H. Ambrose, A. M., and Miss Lizzie Hanby, M. S., Alumni of Otterbein University of Westerville, Ohio, were the first teachers. In 1877, Rev. J. N. Albert, A. M., of Western College, Iowa; then in 1878, Rev. C. J. Kephart, A. M., of the same college was chosen prin- cipal. The cost of the college building and grounds, library, etc., exceeded $20,000. The character of the college was em- phatically Christian. For a time the college flourished, but gradually the interest was divided and today the structure is closed as a school, being occupied as a place of worship by the Presbyterian denomination of the town.
AVALON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Presbyterian church of Avalon was organized April 8, 1869, by a committee appointed by the Presbytery consisting of Rev. J. D. Beard and Abram Brown of Dawn. The following persons were the charter members of the church: David Lin- ton, Jennie Linton, W. S. Gray, Samuel A. Gray, Margaret Gray, David Shields, Mary Shields, Simeon Myers, Mary Myers, Mary A. Fullerton, Agnes Altman, Mary Fullerton, Jane Fullerton, Nannie B. Shields, Margaret Manso and Hen- rietta Manso. W. S. Gray, David Shields and Simeon Myers were elected ruling elders and Rev. J. D. Beard became the first pastor. Rev. Beard was a pioneer minister of the Gospel in this part of the county and a man of rugged type, whose name is still a household word in Fairview township. He served the church for a period of twelve years. He was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. James Reed in 1882 who had charge of the church for three years. He was followed by Rev. Hawkes who served as pastor for two years. Rev. W. C. M. Cune was the next pastor who remained with the church four years.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
Rev. J. A. Leiggett then served the church for one year from 1893 to 1894. Rev. Leiggett is now located at Lowden, Ohio, near Columbus. The next pastor who served for two years was Rev. J. A. Ghrette, now located near Lincoln, Ne- braska. Rev. A. D. Wolfe now of Parkville, Missouri, in the summer of 1896 was called as pastor and was with the church for three years. Rev. T. C. Armstrong, the present pastor came to the field in the autumn of 1900.
The present board of elders consists of Simeon Myers, S. A. Gray and Ross Canning. The trustees are S. O. Linton, Wm. Dunlap and Van Fullerton. The Sunday school super- intendent is W. E. Myers.
A neat village church house was erected in 1875 in the center of the town, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. John A. Pinkerton of Chillicothe. At this time when in a farming community hogs were selling for two cents per pound and corn for twenty cents a bushel, it meant some de- gree of struggle and sacrifice to complete and dedicate a church building free from debt. Dr. T. G. Blakely who came to Avalon in 1874, secured the necessary subscriptions, some of which were in cash, and some in labor. The contractor was Thomas France. In 1890 this building was sold to the Metho- dist church, and the property known as the "College Build- ing" purchased for $3,000. Since that time this building has been the church home for the congregation.
I. O. O. F. Lodge No. 428, Avalon, was instituted July 27, 1884, at which time the following officers were elected : John S. Green, N. G .; Drury N. Morris, V. G .; J. B. Tanner, secretary; B. C. Webb, treasurer. The officers for 1913 were elected as follows: V. D. Fullerton, N. G .; J. W. Kimber, V. G .; Roy Wolfe, recording secretary; Robert Shields, treasurer; S. H. Burgard, financial secretary.
WHEELING TOWNSHIP
Wheeling township was organized May 6, 1867, on peti- tion of Augustine Wiley, John Wiley, and others, out of the territory belonging to Chillicothe township. At first it com-
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
prised all of Congressional townships 57 and 58, in range 22, a portion of the township lying south of Grand river, but in March, 1871, the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad became the southern boundary as at present. The first justice of the peace was Augustine Wiley. The township was named for the town of Wheeling. At the first township election the total number of voters was 72.
Wheeling township comprises the west half of township 58, range 22, and that part of the west half of township 57 in the same range lying north of the center of the track of the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad; it contains about 29 sections of land, and is one of the smallest townships in the county. Its general surface is prairie and bottom land. The famous Wheeling prairie is a fine body of land, renowned for its fertility and general excellence. Medicine creek flows along the western border of the township and a considerable portion is taken up with its bottom lands, not all of which have been reduced to cultivation.
Like the other townships of the county the principal pro- ductions of Wheeling are grain and stock, to the raising of which it is well adapted. The principal varieties of timber are oak, hickory and elm, and there is a sufficiency for general purposes.
The town of Wheeling stands on the east side of section 5, township 57, range 22, one mile from the Linn county line. It was laid out October 7, 1865, by Henry Nay, and by him named for Wheeling, West Virginia. The first house was completed by Mr. Nay in May, 1866, and was occupied by E. C. Williams, who became the first merchant. The next to come were E. Collamer and C. Marden, the former a son of Jacob Collamer, of Vermont, who was postmaster-general in 1849 and United States senator afterward. The second house was built by Isaac W. White. Soon after the town began to improve and fill up with something of rapidity. The town was not regularly platted until June 1, 1866.
The first preacher in the town was Rev. Burr, a "North- ern" Methodist, who held the first services at the same place until 1868, when the old schoolhouse was built. The first
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
church was the Methodist Episcopal (North), which was completed in the fall of 1874.
In 1866 the first depot was built and a station established. This burned in 1881, when a temporary one was built, and this was succeeded the next year by a better building. The first practicing physician to locate in the village was Dr. James Gish, who came in 1868. A Mr. Nash was the first blacksmith. The first burial in the cemetery was that of Mrs. Linnie C. Barkley, who died near town on February 4, 1868, aged 27 years. She was the wife of the late James Barkley, the well-known Chillicothe printer.
Although there were settlements in the township as early as 1839, and probably in 1838 or 1837, yet the greater portion was not settled until twenty years later, and indeed many loca- tions were made after the Civil war. At the latter period many persons from the Northern States came in, forming an enterprising population and a most valuable accession to the neighborhood.
BAPTIST CHURCH, WHEELING
The Baptist people of Wheeling and vicinity met in Wheeling, May 3, 1875, for the purpose of organizing a church. S. N. Goldsby was elected moderator and Abram Onderdonk, clerk. A joint letter was then read from the Par- son Creek Baptist church containing the names of twenty- seven members, also two letters from the Bethlehem Baptist church, making twenty-nine members for the new church. The following are the names: G. M. Brassfield and wife, Eli Kendall, wife and daughter, Sue J. Coffendaffer and wife, James Coucher and wife, Geo. Kesterson and wife, William, Eliza and Rachel Wasson, Dr. James C. Gish and wife, Miss Nannie Gish, Mrs. Mary Babb, George W. Gish and wife, Miss Mary Gish, James L. Wiley and wife, Joseph J. Littrell and wife, Mrs. Rachel Billingsley, Silas, Emeline and Eliza Philips. Four of these people are members of the church at the present time. They are Mrs. Eli Kendall, James Coucher and wife and Mrs. George Gish. Many of the others have gone to the great beyond.
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Not having any church building of their own the meet- ings were held in the old schoolhouse for some time, then arrangements were made with the Methodist people to hold meetings in their house one Sunday in each month. The first pastor was R. H. Moody. The officers elected were James Coucher and Eli Kendall, deacons, Dr. J. C. Gish, treas- urer and Abram Onderdonk, clerk. On May 12, 1888, S. W. Haynes, J. R. Wright and J. T. Mitchell were appointed a committee to prepare a subscription list and take the neces- sary steps preparatory to building a church. July 14, 1888, J. A. Wiley, S. W. Haynes and Samuel Forrester were elected trustees and given power to have a building erected on a lot purchased from Abram Onderdonk. The church was com- pleted and dedicated January 25, 1889. The church at the present time has a membership of one hundred and fifty. The pastor is Rev. Jesse H. Jones of Meadville. The officers of the church are: Deacons, James Coucher, J. R. Wright, E. M. Tanner, J. S. Littrell and H. S. and F. L. Smiley. Mrs. J. S. Littrell is the clerk. Among the names of the pastors who have served the church we find R. H. Moody, W. W. Walden, N. M. Allen, F. M. Wadley, T. D. Penn, W. D. McPhetridge, Job Ingram, William Bibbs, L. M. Marks, J. E. Denham, W. A. Biggart, O. P. Bishop, C. H. Mastin, M. B. Baddock, R. M. Webdell, F. C. Truex and Jesse Jones.
Minerva Chapter No. 209, Eastern Star, Wheeling, was organized February 2, 1891. The organization exists for the purpose of giving practical effect to one of the beneficent pur- poses of Free Masonry, which is to provide for the welfare of the wives, daughters, mothers, widows and sisters of Master Masons. The first officers were Sylvia F. Haynes, worthy matron; Silas W. Haynes, worthy patron; Lizzie R. Adams, secretary. The officers for 1913 are Cecile Snow, worthy matron; Manford Tompkins, worthy patron; Jennie Walby, assistant matron; Eva Beckwith, secretary; Dora Hawer, treasurer; Addie Whitebread, conductress; Agnes Brenne- man, chaplain. Number of members, forty-five; regular meetings Monday evenings preceding the second and fourth Saturdays in each month.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY
Royal Neighbors of America, Wheeling. White Rose Camp No. 3968 was organized December, 1904. The camp is a fraternal and life insurance order. The first officers of the camp were Mrs. Rebecca Davis, oracle; Hallie Castle, V. O .; Belle Silvey, P. O .; Mary Littrell, Chan .; Nettie Robinson, recorder; Nannie Wright, receiver; Alice Shiflet, Mar .; Susie Glore, I. S .; and Managers J. H. Robinson, Pearl Cole- man and Minnie Gish. Present officers : Nellie Glasgow, O .; Hattie Castle, V. O .; Rebecca Davis, P. O .; Gernza Gillis- pie, Chan .; Nannie Wright, recorder; Nettie Robinson, re- ceiver; Lena Boone, Mar .; Mary Seidel, I. S .; Mollie Tompkins, O. S .; and Managers, J. H. Robinson, Anna Phipps and Pearl Coleman. The camp consists of thirty-five active and five social members. Date of meeting second and fourth Saturdays each month.
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