USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume I > Part 30
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The first store in the township was owned by Mr. Elliott and his faith- ful clerk, William Weatherman, carried the first mail bags that ever came into the settlement. Jesse Stingley settled one mile and a half southeast of present Guilford : he came from Indiana. In 1847 came C. Weatherman, who emigrated from North Carolina. In 1848 came W. J. Brittain from the same state, locating on section 14, township 62, range 34.
John Pulley, son-in-law of Thomas Blackley, emigrated from Cooper county. Missouri, took a claim three-quarters of a mile southwest of present Guilford : James T. Estes, another son-in-law, came from the same county, locating a mile and a fourth from Guilford.
In the early spring of 1850 Anthony Groves emigrated from Tennessee and located near Guilford, a fourth of a mile to the west. The same year
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came B. S. Cook from North Carolina and took land a mile and one-half northwest of Guilford. I. Wilson came in from Buchanan county in 1851, settling on Clear creek. He was a resident of the Platte purchase for a half century, coming here in 1837.
The first school house in Washington township was erected in 1845 on the southwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 22, township 62, range 34. A Miss Stockton taught the pioneer school and she was followed by B. L. Cook, who taught three terms in succession.
The population of the township in 1900 was one thousand three hundred and thirty-four. The number of school houses at present is adequate to all demands : the school history will be included in the general chapter on Edu- cation.
There are two town plats in Washington township. Guilford and New Guilford.
GUILFORD.
This village is located one mile east of the west line of the township, and about . fourteen miles southeast of Maryville. It lies on the east bluff of the Platte river, in a very charming natural building site for a town. At an early day there was established a postoffice named Carterville, and also a small store, a little to the north of the present site of Guilford. It is believed the town was named for Guilford Court House in North Carolina. from whence emigrated some of the early settlers. It was at that point that a battle of the Revolutionary war was fought.
William Irwin entered the land on which the place is situated, in 1852 About 1856 he sold to O. H. P. Craig, a merchant of Savannah, Missouri. The town was platted in 1856. Mr. Rowley being the surveyor. O. H. P. Craig erected the first building and put in a stock of general merchandise. The next building was a drug store owned by B. L. Cook; William Irwin also added a general store soon. In 1858 Craig sold his interest in the town to John Chandler. A steam saw mill was put in operation and Willis Summers sawed lumber that was used in the erection of numerous dwellings, shops and stores which were soon erected in the new hamlet. In 1859 Hugh Groves built a large general store, which had a large Masonic hall over it.
In 1873 the Methodist Episcopal church South built, and a little later an edifice was built by the Methodist Episcopal church. Of schools, it may be said that there was a good public school in Guilford from its very founda- tion. At first it was kept in a log building, which later was superseded by a good frame house.
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The first marriage in Guilford was Charles Craig to Mrs. Mary Ann Landers, in 1858. A son of Dr. J. S. McAdom died in 1857, this being the first death in Guilford. In 1880 it was reported by the census books that Guilford had one hundred population, which was less than it contained at one time. With the building of the railroad and the platting of New Guilford, this town was checked in its further growth.
NEW GUILFORD.
New Guilford was the result of the building of the Chicago Great Western railroad line through the township. The platting was made Septem- ber 23. 1887, by Quintin Wilson, on section 21. township 62. range 34. The present directory of this town consists of the following social and business factors :
Bank-Guilford State Bank.
Churches -- Methodist Episcopal. Methodist Episcopal (South). Latter Day Saints.
Stock Dealers-Ballard & Carver.
Newspaper-Guilford Times, Grover Skidmore, editor.
Lumber and Coal-Mr. Sterrin.
Physicians-Drs. McClannahan and Barnett.
Lodges-Modern Woodmen of America, Odd Fellow's and Masonic.
General Stores-Skidmore & McClannahan, Berger . Bros., Risner & Roberts.
Hardware-Hawker's Hardware Company and J. C. Strain.
Millinery-Mrs. J. R. Nelson. Hotel-"Maple Leaf." G. T. Thompson.
Blacksmith-Clifford Beggs.
Livery-Newcomer Brothers. Drugs-William Wilson. W. D. McClannahan.
The present mayor of Guilford is William Watson. The postmaster who have served since the office was first established at this point are as follows: J. Hawk. William Wilson. C. H. Sidle, Thomas Ivie, William Ross, Jacob Nelson. S. F. Collins, and the present incumbent. Miss Ida Collins. appointed March 16. 1909. upon the death of her father, who was postmaster.
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CHAPTER XXXIII.
WHITE CLOUD TOWNSHIP.
White Cloud township is on the south line of Nodaway county and is centrally located east and west. It is bounded on the north by Polk town- ship. on the east by Grant township. on the south by Andrew county, and on the west by Hughes township. It contains fifty-three square miles. As it has met with territorial changes since its first organization, the court orders will here be given, showing when and how such changes were ef- fected. At the April term of county court, in 1845. the record reads :
"All the territory within the following limits shall be called and known as White Cloud township, to-wit : Beginning at the southeast corner of Hughes township, on the line dividing Nodaway and Andrew counties : thence east with said line to the river One Hundred and Two: thence up said river to township 63 : thence east with said township line to the north part of Gent's Grove: thence north to the north line of said township; thence west on the line dividing townships 63 and 64. to the east boundaries of Hughes township: thence south with said township line to place of beginning."
On June 14. 1866. the county court defined the bounds of the township again, and in the early seventies other boundaries were fixed, of which the records seem silent at this date. but it is known that at the time Grant town- ship. was taken from territory belonging to White Cloud originally.
GENERAL FEATURES.
The streams that touch and run through this township are the One Hun- dred and Two river, White Cloud creek and their small tributaries. The general lay of land is rolling and possessed of fertile soil. On the uplands it is a deep black loam about two inches thick. Along the White Cloud there is very little bottom land. The timber runs to the very water's edge in many places. Corn and wheat grow here in all their best qualities and perfection. There is an abundance of lime rock and sandstone for all building uses.
THIE EARLY SETTLERS.
Hiram Hall was the first settler to locate within this township. It was in 1840 that he settled one and a fourth miles southeast of the present site of
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Arkoe. He entered a claim and improved a farm several years, but about 1860 sold and moved to Kansas. In 1842 Thomas Groves came from Tenn- essee, settling. on section 6, township 63, range 35. Hiram Groves, a brother of Thomas Groves, emigrated from Tennessee in 1842 and preempted the southwest quarter of section 18, township 63. range 35. He sold five years later to Alfred Jones, who came from Rush county, Indiana, arriving April 13. 1847. In 1882 he remarked that the only crop failure he had in all those years was in 1860. When he came he saw no elk or buffalo, as they had all disappeared before that date. One buffalo was chased across the Missouri river on the ice, where the White Cloud ferry was located. The river was heavily frozen and teams with large loads easily crossed. A buffalo was pursued by hunters into Nodaway county and the animal was killed about four miles west of the Jones farm. Mr. Groves saw many elk and deer horns strewn along the prairies and in the groves. So thick were these bones that no modern mower could have mowed a swathe evenly over the prairies. He related how he had more than once killed five deers in one day. At times he hunted deer at night time, his child carrying a lantern, and he, going care- fully beside the child, would see the eyes of the deer glisten and shoot them. He stated that at one time he counted fifty-six deer and at another time thirty-three. The tame turkeys and wild ones often fought, and in some other instances the tame birds would take up with the wild ones and then follow them off : he lost four flocks of domestic turkeys in this manner. This pioneer also told of how Doctor Talbott, who was murdered by his sons a few years later, had caught otter sufficient in number to make for himself a fine large overcoat. With much interest was also told the story of bee trees and wild honey, which was produced in great abundance on account of the great numbers of prairie wild flowers which made the best grade, of honey.
Another noteworthy point brought out by pioneer Groves was that of the unlimited cattle range and how cattle would fatten on the native grass, and deer. fattened on the same kind of grass, would, when hung up a short time. look as white as a dressed sheep. The cattle were turned out on the range in the spring and no more attention paid to them until the season for a "round up" in the fall, when each pioneer would claim his own and drive them home. Corn left out in the shock was generally half destroyed by deer and wild turkey.
Another prominent settler in White Cloud township was Isaac Newton Prather, who came from Kentucky in 1841 and located two miles west of the
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present site of Arkoe. He owned one thousand eight hundred acres of land. Isaac Cox came in 1843 from Kentucky, and R. J. Boatright came from the same state in 1845, locating on section 18, township 63, range 35. John and George McLain, brothers-in-law of Hiram Groves, came from Kentucky about the same time, settling four miles northwest of Arkoe. James Bryant. a half breed, took land three miles west of present Arkoe. Mrs. Martha Vandervert emigrated from Kentucky in 1843, settling a mile and a half west of Arkoe. In 1846 comes James Saunders from Virginia. Others soon came in and the township was rapidly settled. here and there, with neigh- borhoods, not far apart.
THE WEATHER.
On May 6, 1850, there came a snowfall four inches deep. It came off warm the next day and the snow went off at once. On August 26, 1863, there was a severe spell of weather : roasting ears of corn froze so hard that hogs could not well eat them. The valley corn was all ruined that month. On June 3. 1875. it snowed some, but very little of it reached the surface of the earth. On September 16, 1881. it snowed hard. Although it melted very rapidly, snow fell to the depth of four inches. It went off the next day and left the earth as green and beautiful as a garden plot.
OLD SETTLERS.
The following is a list of settlers who came into White Cloud township between 1840 and 1843: James Bryant, 1839: Hiram Hall, 1840; Harvey White. 1840; Elijah Bunten, 1840; Stephens Barnes, 1841 ; John Wesley, 1841 ; Benjamin Windom, 1841 ; John McClain, 1841 ; George McClain, Jr., 1841 ; Thomas Groves, 1841; Mr. Hubbell, 1841; William H. Davis, 1841 ; Hiram Davis, 1841; John B. Morgan, 1841, J. McDonald Morgan, 1841 ; Adonijah Morgan, 1841; William W. Morgan, 1841; Nathaniel Barnes, 1841: Jesse Windom, 1841; George McClain, 1841 ; James McClain, 1841 ; Greenville Thompson, 1841; Hiram Groves, 1841; Wade H. Davis, 1841; Smithan Davis, 1841: James W. Davis, 1841; Dr. J. W. Morgan, 1841 ; Amaziah Morgan, 1841 ; Lewis Morgan, 1841 : James B. Prather, 1842 ; Paul Connor, 1842; Joseph E. Alexander, 1842: John Wiggs, 1842: (Long) John McClain, 1842; Mijamin Byers, 1842; I. N. Prather, 1842; John Randall, 1842; (Little) John McClain, 1842; E. S. Stephenson, 1843; Dr. David M. Irwin, 1843 ; Daniel Swearingen, 1843; Nicholas Swearingen, -; Henry Swearingen, 1843: Henry Swearingen, Jr., 1843: Jesse Stephenson, 1843.
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TOWNS OF WHITE CLOUD TOWNSHIP.
Bridgewater was located on land originally owned by O. A. Howard, who cultivated it as a farm. At a very early day there was a mill built on the One Hundred and Two river by J. B.Cox, and this was the site later chosen for Bridgewater. In 1870 Page. Warren & Phelps, contractors of the Branch railroad, bought the Howard tract of land and upon it laid off the town. The river at this point makes an elbow towards the west. At this bend in the river were constructed two railroad bridges within one thousand feet of each other, with a county bridge located between them and from this fact comes the name Bridgewater. Here William Elrod & Son built the first house in the town and in it they opened a general store. A\ postoffice was established and John W. Walker was appointed postmaster. Nelson Wilson also added a general stock in 1871.
But the life of Bridgewater was doomed to fate. because Dr. P. H. Tal- bott (later murdered) had granted the right-of-way to the railroad through his land, on conditions such as necessitated another town site nearby, and that place was called Arkoe.
ARKOE.
Arkoe is about one mile to the north of old Bridgewater, which was abandoned on account of the new railroad station. Dr. P. H. Talbott and S. K. Snively laid off the town of Arkoe September 15, 1874, and Judge John Brady surveyed the plat. The Doctor found the name "Arkoe" in the book entitled "Twenty Thousand Fathoms Under the Sea." Nelson Wilson moved a building from old Bridgewater to Arkoe and in it opened a general store this being the first building in the place. The second building was erected in 1875 by W. G. Turner. The third building in the town was a dwelling erected in 1876 by C. A. Dewey. In 1877 Dr. W. M. Simms erected an office build- ing. In 1875 a lot was donated to James Buckridge by Mr. Snively, upon which he built a blacksmith shop. The first postmaster at the new town was Nelson Wilson.
Early in the town's history S. K. Snively erected a wind engine in the vil- lage, near his store, which forced the water from a living spring, or stream that flows a few feet below the surface in the rocks, into a tank for the use of the public.
With the passing of the years, Arkoe has come to be a thriving village and now has a population of about one hundred and twenty-five. It has the following business interests. and society functions :
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Banking -- The Arkoe State Bank.
Lodges-Woodmen of the World.
Churches-Methodist Episcopal, Christian.
Physicians-Dr. D. G. Smith.
Restaurant-N. A. Lawrence.
Mayor-Dr. D. G. Smith.
General Dealers-A. P. Bolin, R. W. Bridges,
Hotel-Mrs. Z. T. Clement.
Lumber-N. J. Vickery.
Grain-Leet & Wamsley. Stock dealer-James Blagg.
Milling-C. B. Shipps, feed and saw mill.
Blacksmiths-C. W. Rose. F. C. Ware, C. B. Shipps.
The postmasters serving here have included Nelson Wilson, Scott Snively, H. T. Colter, J. F. Moberly, and the present postmaster, A. P. Bolin.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE CITY OF MARYVILLE.
Maryville, which has always been the seat of justice of Nodaway county, was platted September 1, 1845, and has well been styled the banner country town of Missouri, for long years prior to the building of railroads through the county no other city had the volume of trade boasted of by Maryville. It is beautifully situated in almost the geographical center of the county, on high, rolling prairie land. The natural drainage is excellent, it being fully two hundred feet above the bed of One Hundred and Two river, which is a mile and a half to the east. Its very position insures health to its people. It has come to be an educational center of no small consideration. Its public schools, conservatory of music, business college, the Northwestern State Nor- mal Institute and other features make it very desirable for the element desir- ing a good education to reside here. Churches of all denominations are found scattered here and there throughout the city. It being in the heart of one of the finest agricultural sections of Missouri, it goes without saying that it is largely devoted to the retail trade which has grown to be of great proportions in the last two decades. It has also the advantages of travel and shipping. by the use of the two great railway systems that cross each other at the north- eastern outskirts of the corporation-the Wabash and the Burlington routes. The first iron highway, the Burlington, was completed to this point in 1870 and the Wabash came in 1873.
Before entering into the detailed history of the city, the reader will be interested in knowing something concerning the various plattings of the place. These are found by the county records to be as follows :
TOWN PLATS.
The southwest quarter of section 17, township 64, range 35, upon which the first plat of Maryville is situated, was granted to the state of Missouri by the United States in 1841 by an act of Congress. It was selected by the
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state for internal improvements November 11, 1844, and was patented by the state to Nodaway county January 15. 1848. The consideration was one dol- lar and twenty-five cents per acre. The town was platted September 1, 1845. by the county court.
The first lot sold was lot No. 4, block 9. by Thomas Baker, commissioner of the county, to Amos Graham, June 15, 1846, for the consideration of five dollars and twenty-five cents. Thomas N. Johnson bought the next lot. No. 6, in block 3.
The Southern extension, or addition. was laid out in the spring of 1857, Alonzo Thompson purchasing a large part of it December 16, 1859.
The Northwest addition was platted March 9. 1857.
The M. G. Roseberry addition was platted June 15, 1868.
WV. M. Charles addition was platted September 9. 1868.
T. L. Robinson's first addition was platted December 9. 1868.
Morton's addition was platted July 1. 1869.
W. B. Jones' addition was made September 28. 1869.
The Maryville City Company addition was made January 18, 1870. M. W. Charles second addition was made February 16, 1870.
Torrance's addition was platted March, 1870.
Saunders' addition was platted in 1870.
Dunn's addition was made in 1870.
E. S. Stephenson's addition was made June 11, 1870. Chamberlain's first addition was made July 20, 1870. Prather's addition was made June 21. 1875.
T. L. Robinson's second addition was made May. 1879.
L. A. Bariteau's addition is dated August 14, 1879.
John G. Costello's addition was made February 10, 1881.
De Atley's addition is dated April 8, 1881.
T. L. Robinson's addition platted in 1881. Saunders' addition platted in 1882.
Yeaman's addition platted in 1896.
Bear's addition platted in 1905. West Terrace Place platted in 1908.
Robinson's third addition platted in 1908.
Logan's addition platted in 1909.
THE BEGINNING.
During the summer of 1845 Green McCafferty, county surveyor, laid out the original town plat of Maryville, assisted by John Jackson, and Thomas Baker was appointed commissioner for the sale of lots.
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The original settler in what is now Maryville was Thomas Adams, who came from one of the southern counties of Missouri in 1840, taking a claim in the grove north of the present city. He erected a log cabin in the north part of town, near the grove. He removed to Texas in 1849.
The next person to settle at Maryville was a Mr. Atkinson, who emi- grated from Tennessee in 1843, and he lived in the east part of the present city, east some distance from the court house. He farmed and resided there about three years. then sold to Mr. George, who lived there at the date the place was platted. James Ray, who came from Page county, Iowa, purchased the place a few years later. Mr. Ray was father-in-law of James Saunders, who still survives.
Then came the first mixed stock merchant. James Ray, who opened a stock in a cottonwood log house erected for the purpose. This establishment stood east and on the opposite corner of the Square from the old log court house, to the east. He also was an expert gunsmith and made and repaired firearms. In the gold excitement of 1850 he went to California and later was living in Montana.
To the west of the town plat, in 1844, came Caleb P. Burns from An- drew county, claiming a quarter section of land near the original platting. He built a log house and opened up a good farm. He also was attracted to the west by the gold fever in 1850, and after a time moved to Texas. He served as deputy sheriff of Andrew county when it included Nodaway county. Just before the breaking out of the Civil war many men in Texas exchanged farm lands with men in Nodaway county.
Amos Graham came from Washington county, Kentucky, in 1845 and built a log house near the site of the present Methodist Episcopal church South. He filled three of the county offices, clerk of the court, county clerk and recorder of deeds. See his sketch elsewhere. It was for his wife Mary that the town was named Maryville, she having been the first white woman to reside in the town.
John Saunders came in from Buchanan county. He was a Kentuckian and moved here in May. 1845. He received a permit to place a small stock of general merchandise in the old log court house, but soon erected a store- house and residence south of the site of the Methodist church. He hauled his lumber from Andrew county with which to finish his house. He fenced in several hundred acres of land, now within the southeastern portion of the city. Later the fair grounds were located on this land, too. He conducted an extensive business and handled all the live stock in this section of the coun-
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try for a time. He had five sons, all of whom were in many ways like their father. These sons were William, James, John, Richard and Robert Saun- ders. James is still a resident of Maryville.
In the autumn of 1845 came August Gamarsh from St. Louis, who built and engaged in general merchandising, remained two years and went back to St. Louis, where he spent the remainder of his days.
Another pioneer of the place was A. T. Jenkins, who came in early and became a partner with John Saunders in the mercantile business and married the daughter. Martha Saunders. He moved to Kansas City, was a successful business man and died in that city.
Judge Joseph E. Alexander came to Nodaway county in 1842, and in 1861 moved to Maryville. He served as sheriff and held other positions and is well known to the present generation of citizens here.
Benjamin F. Torrance came from New York state in 1838 to St. Joseph and to Maryville in 1850. He was an active man of his day.
James B. Prather, who came to the county in 1841. removed to Mary- ville in 1856. He was elected sheriff and clerk of the courts in 1859. He en- gaged in the drug trade and spent the balance of his days here.
FIRST EVENTS IN MARYVILLE.
It is generally conceded that the first man to sell general merchandise at Maryville was James Vaughn, in 1845. He also received the first dram shop license to retail liquor here.
The first blacksmith to wield the sledge and blow the bellows at a glow- ing forge was a man named Hulbert, who started in 1846.
The first carpenters were Isaac Cox. J. E. Alexander, B. F. Simms and S. M. Jester. Then there was no pine lumber here and all woodwork had to be worked from native woods. Judge Alexander hewed from logs the material from which the first school house in the county was erected. It stood in White Cloud township ( as then known) and was on the site of the Baptist church, in which an early term of county court was held.
The first brewery in Nodaway county was built in Maryville in 1855. known as the Kraus Brewery. There were several other breweries built. but with the passing years and the change in the liquor traffic and manner of handling it, these enterprises went out of business. One of these breweries was a half mile to the north of the city and was owned and operated many years by William Sutter. Later it was sold to Peter Neisendorfer, who en- larged the plant immensely. These industries made their owners wealthy.
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The first man to practice law in Maryville was James Dews, who came in 1847 and acted as deputy postmaster. After him came Warren and J. C. Griffey, who made up the bar of the county until 1860. By 1880 it had increased to about twenty-five members.
The first flouring mill was built by George Huebuch, in May. 1868: later it was owned by E. J. Williams.
The first carriage maker at Maryville was H. A. Avery, who came in 1868 and started his factory and was well known many years as a builder of good vehicles.
W. A. Walters and J. J. Bender built the woolen mill, or rather removed it from Quitman in 1877.
The first planing mill was started in 1874 by H. G. Harmon.
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