The Daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. From the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898. Preceded by a short history of Missouri. Supplemented by biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead, Part 2

Author: Rutt, Christian Ludwig, 1859-; St. Joseph Publishing Company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [St. Joseph] : Press of L. Hardman
Number of Pages: 614


USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > The Daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. From the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898. Preceded by a short history of Missouri. Supplemented by biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 2


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51


In the election of delegates the people had divided into three parties-Secessionists, Conditional Union men and Unconditional Union men. Governor Jackson, Lieutenant-Governor Reynolds, Senators Polk and Green and ex-Senator David R. Atchison led the Secessionists. Judge Hamilton R. Gamble of St. Louis, Alexander W. Doniphan, Sterling Price and ex-Governor Stewart led the Con- ditional Union men. They were for union, provided the federal gov- ernment would not attempt to force the seceded states back and attempt to coerce them into submission. The Unconditional Union men were for the Union, come what might, and they were in favor of forcing the seceded states back into the Union. They were led by Frank P. Blair of St. Louis, Judge Fagg of Pike County, Arnold Krekel of St. Charles, General John D. Stephenson of Franklin County, and Sam Breckenridge of St. Louis, and were most ardently supported by the German-Americans of the state.


I2


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


Sterling Price presided over the convention. Buchanan County was represented by ex-Governor Stewart, ex-Congressman Willard P. Hall and Robert W. Donnell. Secession was defeated, the con- vention declaring that there was "no adequate cause to compel Missouri to dissolve the connection with the federal Union." The convention perpetuated itself, after a session of twenty-three days, by adjourning subject to the call of the executive committee.


A measure making provision for arming the state militia was defeated in the legislature, and that body adjourned without making arrangements for war. In fact, neither war nor armed neutrality were desired by the people.


When Fort Sumter fell, on April 13, 1861, President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops. In response to a requisition for four regi- ments, Governor Jackson replied that Missouri would not furnish a man to "carry on an unholy crusade upon the seceded states."


In the meantime Captain Nathaniel Lyon and Francis P. Blair were preparing for trouble at St. Louis. Captain Lyon, a West Point graduate, had enlisted and drilled five regiments and armed them from the St. Louis arsenal. General Frost, who had returned with 700 state troops from the Kansas troubles, was quartered at the edge of St. Louis, in Camp Jackson.


When the call for troops came Lyon and Blair were to a consid- erable extent prepared for business. Under a special order from the Secretary of War to enroll ten thousand loyal citizens of St. Louis and vicinity, five new regiments were formed, known as the "Home Guards." The first five regiments were known as Missouri Volun- teers. Of the ten regiments, nine were made up largely of German- Americans.


There was a government arsenal about four miles south of Lib- erty, in Clay County. It was in charge of Major Nathaniel Grant and two other men and contained about 11,000 pounds of powder, about 1,500 guns and twenty or thirty small cannon. On April 20, 1861, two hundred men, under Colonel H. L. Routt, most of them from Clay and Jackson Counties, quietly took possession of this arsenal, without interruption. The guns and ammunition were re- moved, some of the supplies being brought to St. Joseph and ulti- mately reaching the Confederate army. General Lyon drove through Camp Jackson, disguised in female attire, and convinced himself that some of the supplies had been brought there. He had been hoping for an opportunity to break up General Frost's command, and lost no time in setting about this work.


13


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


1


Camp Jackson was attacked on May 10th, and General Frost surrendered without a struggle. It was a case of 700 to 7,000, and he did the best he could. General Lyon's troops were frightened by a mob of citizens while returning with their prisoners, and fired several volleys into the crowd, leaving some forty people dead and wounded in the streets.


- General Harney, who was in command at St. Louis; justified the attack upon Camp Jackson, but many people disagreed with him, and the breach between the Union and Secession classes was at once widened. Among those who differed with General Harney was Gen- eral Price, who now offered his services to Governor Jackson for what he declared to be in defense of the state, and he was at once appointed major-general of the Missouri state guards.


On June 11, 1861, Governor Jackson and General Lyon met in a conference at St. Louis to agree, if possible, upon a plan for the restoration of order. No agreement was reached, however, after five hours, and General Lyon, who was an impetuous man, suddenly broke up the conference and gave the governor an hour to get ready to be conducted out of his lines.


General Jackson hastened to Jefferson City and issued a proc- lamation, calling for fifty thousand volunteers "for the purpose of repelling the attack that has been made on the state, and for the protection of the lives, liberties and property of her citizens." On the following day he and General Price, together with the state officers and state papers, left for Boonville.


Here the first battle of the rebellion in Missouri was fought, on June 17, 1861, between the forces of General Lyon and Colonel John S. Marmaduke, resulting in a victory for Lyon. Marmaduke had two killed and five wounded, while Lyon's loss was two killed and nine wounded.


Jackson retreated southward with an army of 7,000 men, so- poorly organized and wretchedly equipped that it was little better than a mob. At Carthage General Sigel was encountered, with a loss to Jackson of ten killed and sixty-one wounded, and to Sigel of thir- teen killed and thirty-one wounded ; but Jackson carried the day and Sigel retreated to Sarcoxie.


Governor Jackson went to Memphis and induced Governor Polk to send General Pillow with 6,000 men to Missouri, but General Fre- mont checked this invasion at Bird's Point, on the Mississippi. It was planned that Pillow should co-operate with General Jeff Thomp- son, who had gone from St. Joseph.


14


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


However, Price received aid from McCulloch and Pearce, who were stationed in the Indian Territory. On August 10, 1861, was fought the terrific battle of Wilson's Creek. Lyon was at Spring- field and Price and McCulloch were pressing him. He felt that his only chance was to turn and fight. The armies met nine miles southeast of Springfield. A hill that rises from the ford of Wilson's Creek was the scene of action, and this has since been known as "Bloody Hill." Of the 5,400 Union men who took part in the fight 1,317 officers and men were killed, wounded or missing. General Lyon was killed, and every Union brigadier-general and colonel engaged on Bloody Hill was either killed or wounded, and the defeated Union forces were led off by a major. The total loss to the Confederate and state troops was 1,230 killed, wounded and missing.


Price pleaded with McCulloch to follow up the attack, but McCulloch argued that he was a Confederate officer, in command of a Confederate army; that he had been stationed in Arkansas to defend the Indian Territory; that it was his duty to defend, not to attack ; that he had aided in repelling General Lyon because Lyon was about to invade the Indian Territory; that having done this, his mission was ended. Price was unable to alone follow the retreating troops, and before he could undertake it the Union army had increased to many times larger than his own.


CHAPTER IV.


SECOND SESSION OF THE CONVENTION .- HAMILTON R. GAMBLE MADE GOVERNOR, WILLARD P. HALL, SR., LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR, AND MORDECAI OL- IVER SECRETARY OF STATE .- BATTLE OF LEXING- TON .- GOVERNOR JACKSON CONVENES THE LEG- ISLATURE AT NEOSHO. - SENATORS AND REPRE- SENTATIVES TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES CON- GRESS .- BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE .- PRICE'S RAID .- LAWRENCE MASSACRE AND ORDER NO. 11 .- Mc- NEILL AT PALMYRA AND ANDERSON AT CEN- TRALIA.


The convention which had met at St. Louis in March and ad- journed subject to call, met at Jefferson City on July 22, 1861. Gen- eral Robert Wilson of Andrew County, who at that time lived on his farm at "Jimtown," three miles northeast of St. Joseph, was elected president in the place of Sterling Price. The convention declared the offices of governor, lieutenant-governor and secretary of state vacant, and selected Hamilton R. Gamble of St. Louis to succeed Governor Jackson. Willard P. Hall of St. Joseph was elected to succeed Lieut .- Governor Reynolds, and Mordecai Oliver of Spring - field was appointed secretary of state. The convention also de- clared vacant the seats in the legislature, and for seventeen months it exercised the duties of the general assembly.


The next battle of importance in Missouri was fought at Lexing- ton, where Price besieged General James Mulligan, commanding three thousand men, one-half from Missouri and the other half comprising the "Irish Brigade" of Chicago. After fifty-two hours, Mulligan surrendered.


Governor Jackson issued a proclamation at New Madrid declar- ing the independence of Missouri. He also issued a call for the general assembly to meet October 1, 1861, at Neosho. The legisla- ture, or a part of it, at least, met and declared that Missouri had with- drawn from the Union. John B. Clark, Sr., and R. L. Y. Peyton were elected senators to the Confederate States senate. Senator Pey-


*


16


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


ton was succeeded by George Graham Vest, who now represents Mis- souri in the United States senate. Eight members of the lower house were also elected. The Confederate Congress, which met at Rich- mond, Va., recognized these proceedings and admitted Missouri to the Confederacy. But the United States Congress recognized the convention in all future dealings, and thus Missouri remained a Union state.


Governor Jackson went south after this and died at Little Rock, December 6, 1862. Thomas C. Reynolds, his lieutenant-governor, continued to act, however, in dispute of the right of Governor Gam- ble, until the election of Governor Fletcher in 1864. But he was governor in name only. He was killed by falling through an elevator shaft at St. Louis, March 30, 1887.


The next important battle in which Missouri figured was at Pea Ridge, in Arkansas, about thirty miles from Cassville, Mo. Price, McCulloch and Pike had a combined force of 20,000 men, who were placed under the command of General Van Dorn. The Federal forces were under Curtis. It was a desperate battle, skillfully fought on both sides, and continued for three days. Victory finally fell to the Federals. Over thirteen hundred men were killed or wounded on either side. Generals McCulloch, McIntosh and Slack fell, and Price was wounded. After this engagement, which opened early in the morning, March 16, 1862, and closed on March 19, Price, with about 5,000 state troops, joined the Confederacy and his command was transferred to the east side of the Mississippi.


The slaughter of ten innocent men by General John H. McNeill at Palmyra on October 8, 1862, is classed as one of the horrors of the civil war. Some of the troops of Colonel Porter, a Secessionist ma- rauder, had captured one Andrew Allsman, a disabled Union soldier, and doubtless put him to death. McNeill notified Porter that if Alls- man was not safely returned in ten days he (McNeill) would put to death ten citizens of that section whom he held in captivity at Pal- inyra upon the suspicion that they were in sympathy with the South. Allsman was not returned and, at the end of ten days, McNeill ful- filled his threat. The ten victims, some of whom were connected with the best families of the community, were taken from the Palmyra prison and placed in wagons, each man sitting upon his coffin. Half a mile east of town they were shot, each victim kneeling beside his coffin.


It is not within the scope of this brief history to present the details of the numerous clashes at arms during the war period ; how-


17


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


ever, some mention of the sacking of Lawrence and General Ewing's consequent "Order No. II" should be made. But a short digression is necessary.


The border troubles that arose over the Kansas question are well remembered by older people who lived in Platte and Buchanan Counties before the war. Both the North and South wished to be triumphant in Kansas, and the Missourians who desired that Kansas be admitted as a slave-holding state took an active part in regulating the affairs of the neighboring territory. In order to carry the state for abolition, Massachusetts sent out men under the auspices of "Emigration Aid Companies," "Kansas Societies," and the like. These men brought more guns and powder than agricultural imple- ments. Missouri formed "Blue Lodges," to counteract the Massa- chusetts companies.


In 1855 the pro-slavery party elected the territorial legislature in Kansas, and it was charged that 5,000 Missourians had crossed the border from Buchanan, Platte, Jackson and Cass Counties, and voted. As a counter charge, the pro-slavery people claimed that a company of immigrants had voted at Lawrence on the day of their arrival. The election of six pro-slavery candidates was contested and sus- tained by the territorial governor, who gave certificates to the anti- slavery candidates.


But he anti-slavery men were still dissatisfied. They refused to acknowledge the authority of the legislature or to obey its laws. Active troubles now began, and the contending factions soon learned to rob each other, burn each other's houses, and destroy prop- erty. The inhabitants of Missouri border counties now began to suffer severely also.


John Brown of Osawatomie instigated raids and headed some of them himself. In one of these raids, made in December of 1858, he carried off eleven slaves. The general assembly of Missouri appropri- ated $30,000 to be used by Governor Stewart as he thought best. He offered $3,000 as a reward for John Brown, all of whose raids into Missouri were marked with blood.


The efforts put forth by the legislature, the governors of Mis- souri and Kansas, and the United States army, partially quieted the "Jayhawkers," as these marauders were called, for two years, but in 1860 they broke out afresh, under the leadership of a des- perado named James Montgomery. Governor Stewart sent General Frost with 7,000 men to the border, but General Harney of the United States army had preceded him.


18


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


Historians declare that the depredations of the "Jayhawkers" and other raids of Kansas troops and freebooters into Missouri led to the destruction of Lawrence by Quantrell and his band of guer- rillas on August 21, 1863. Stores, banks, hotels and dwellings were sacked and burned, and one hundred and eighty-three men, women and children were killed. It was a most cruel and inhuman deed, even in warfare.


General Ewing, stationed at Kansas City, issued Order No. II on August 25, four days after the massacre. All persons then living in Jackson, Cass and Bates Counties, except those dwelling in the prin- cipal towns, were ordered to remove from their places of abode within fifteen days. Those who could show that they were loyal were permitted to remove to the military stations or to Kansas. All others were to remove entirely out of these counties. Their grain and hay were to be taken to the nearest military station, where the owners were to be granted certificates showing their value, and all produce not so delivered was to be destroyed. The whole district soon presented a scene of desolation. In 1866, when the inhabitants returned, they found their homes destroyed by fire, with nothing left but the blackened chimneys. Thus did General Ewing square up accounts for the sacking of Lawrence.


That Missouri was the scene of much bloodshed during the war is easily proven by the fact that 450 battles and skirmishes were fought from the time of the capture of Liberty Arsenal until the end of the great struggle. It is estimated that Missouri furnished to Governor Jackson and the Confederate service about 40,000 men. The number of Union enlistments reaches nearly 110,000, of which number about 8,000 were negroes.


That feature of the war in Missouri known as Price's raid began in September of 1864. Price entered Southeastern Missouri with a large force and was making for Jefferson City, where the Union forces from every part of the state were rapidly concentrated to defend the capital. Price evaded Jefferson City, upon information of the formidable resistance to be made there, and moved toward Boon- ville and Lexington, hotly pursued by Generals A. J. Smith and Pleasanton. At Independence he was defeated by Pleasanton and retreated to Arkansas.


The Centralia massacre, which also lives in history as a war hor- ror, occurred on September 27, 1864. Bill Anderson, a notorious guerilla and a band of two hundred cut-throats, surrounded a train aboard which were some twenty-five Federal soldiers who were on


19


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


furlough and unarmed. Anderson's men opened fire and the soldiers made desperate efforts to escape, leaving the cars and running, only to be shot down. Some sought protection under the depot platform, others in outhouses and barns, but the ferocious guerillas permitted none to escape. On the same day, in a battle between Major John- son's forces and Anderson's band, sixty-eight of Johnson's men were killed. Johnson's forces scattered and were pursued, seventy more being killed by the guerillas before these terrors ended their bloody work. A month later Anderson was killed in Ray County.


>


CHAPTER V.


LAST SESSION OF THE CONVENTION .- DEATH OF GOVERNOR GAMBLE .- WILLARD P. HALL AS GOV- ERNOR .- THOMAS C. FLETCHER AS GOVERNOR, -THE DRAKE CONSTITUTION AND TEST OATH .- GOVERNOR M'CLURG .- THE LIBERAL REPUB- LICANS .- B. GRATZ BROWN FOR GOVERNOR .- REPEAL OF THE TEST OATH .- GOVERNORS WOODSON AND HARDIN .- THE NEW CONSTITU- TION .- GOVERNORS PHELPS, CRITTENDEN, MAR- MADUKE, MOREHOUSE, FRANCIS, STONE, AND STEPHENS.


.The famous "convention of '61" met for the last time in June of 1863, and among other work, passed an ordinance providing for the emancipation of slaves after July 4, 1870. This was accomplished earlier, however, by another method, as will be seen below. The con- vention adjourned sine die on July 1, 1863.


Governor Gamble died on January 21, 1864, and Lieutenant- Governor Hall of St. Joseph became governor and served about one year, when he yielded to Thomas C. Fletcher, the first Republican governor elected in Missouri, who had received 71,531 votes, over Thomas L. Price, Democrat. Mr. Fletcher was born in Jeffer- son County, Mo., January 22, 1827, and was serving as brigadier- general under Sherman in Georgia when elected. At the same time Francis Rodman of St. Joseph was elected secretary of state. He served six years.


At the election of 1864 the people had voted for a convention to amend the constitution, and sixty-six delegates were elected. These delegates met in the Merchants' Library Hall at St. Louis in January of 1865, and adopted what is known in history as the "Drake Con- stitution," from the fact that Charles D. Drake was the leading spirit in the convention and practically the author of the law.


This convention, on January II, 1865, passed an ordinance abol- ishing slavery. Governor Fletcher did not wait to have this ratified, but on the following day issued a proclamation that "henceforth and


2I


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


forever no person shall be subject to any abridgement of liberty, ex- cept such as the law shall prescribe for the common good, or know any master but God." Buchanan County was not directly repre- sented in this convention. Each senatorial district was entitled to two representatives. This county was then in the Twelfth senatorial district, composed of Buchanan, De Kalb, Gentry, and Worth coun- ties. Dr. L. H. Weatherby, of De Kalb, and Eli Smith, of Wortlı County, represented the district in the convention. Dr. Weatherby and Chauncey I. Filley are the only two servivors (1898) of that memorable assembly.


The Drake constitution soon became odious because of the test oath, which declared that no person should vote or hold office who had "ever" engaged in hostilities or given aid, comfort, counte- nance or support to persons engaged in hostilities against the gov- ernment of the United . States," etc. By this oath one-half of the people were prevented from voting until 1872, and many more doubtless would have been had they told the truth.


In 1868 Joseph McClurg of Camden County, Republican, de- feated John S. Phelps of Springfield, Democrat, for governor, by 19,000, out of a total vote of 145,000. E. O. Stannard of St. Louis was elected lieutenant-governor. Under the Drake constitution the term of office of the governor was two years.


In 1870 an effort was made to have a new constitution. The Republican party was divided upon the subject into "Liberal" and "Radical" factions. The liberal element believed in repealing the test oath, and the radicals declared for its perpetuation: The latter nominated Governor McClurg for re-election. The liberals with- drew from the convention and nominated B. Gratz Brown of St. Louis, who was elected by 41,000 majority. The people voted to repeal the test oath by a majority of 111,000. At the same time the Liberal Republicans and Democrats obtained control of the legisla- ture. As soon as possible all obnoxious laws were repealed and all disabilities removed, as a result of which the vote in 1872 was 112,276 greater than in 1870.


When confidence had been restored an era of prosperity fol- lowed, and on every side the people began to efface the traces of the war. The Liberal Republican movement, which began in 1870, con- tinued until 1874. In 1872 the Liberal Republicans and Democrats met in convention at Jefferson City. The Democrats nominated Silas Woodson of St. Joseph for governor ; also candidates for treas- urer, attorney-general and auditor and eight of the presidential elect-


22


HISTORY OF MISSOURI


ors. The Liberals nominated Charles P. Johnson of St. Louis for lieutenant-governor candidates for secretary of state, register of the land office and seven presidential electors. This ticket was elected and the entire electoral vote cast for Greeley and Brown. The regular Republicans had nominated John B. Henderson for gov- ernor.


In 1874 the Democrats nominated Charles H. Hardin of Audrain . County for governor and Norman J. Colman of St. Louis for lieu- tenant-governor. The Republicans did not make any nominations, but William Gentry of Pettis County was nominated by the People's party, which had grown out of the Granger movement. This party was organized on the basis that nearly all of the financial troubles that followed the crash of 1873 were due to bad legislation, and its mission was to unite farmers, laborers and mechanics in an attempt to repeal all bad laws and make good ones. . But Governor Wood- son's administration had forestalled the Grangers by passing the desired laws and cutting down expenses. Governor Hardin was elected by a majority of 37,463.


At the same election the people voted for a constitutional con- vention. James C. Roberts was elected to represent Buchanan County in this convention, which met at the Capitol May 15, 1875. The new constitution went into operation on January 1, 1876. By this constitution the terms of the governor and nearly all of the state officers and many of the county officers were lengthened to four years.


In 1876 John S. Phelps of Springfield and Henry C. Brockmeyer of St. Louis were elected governor and lieutenant-governor by 50,000 majority over G. A. Finkelnburg of St. Louis. At the same time Colonel Elijah Gates of St. Joseph was elected state treasurer.


In 1880 Thomas T. Crittenden, Democrat, of Warrensburg, was elected governor, over D. P. Dyer of St. Louis, Republican. Robert A. Campbell of St. Louis was elected lieutenant-governor. Under the last Cleveland administration ex-Governor Crittenden was con- sul-general at the City of Mexico. It was during his administration that the James and Younger bandits, who had made Western Mis- souri infamous for some years were broken up, Jesse James being killed in St. Joseph by Bob and Charley Ford, who were soon after- ward pardoned by the governor.


In 1884 John S. Marmaduke of St. Louis, Democrat, was elected governor and Albert P. Morehouse of Maryville was elected lieuten- ant-governor. The Republicans nominated ex-Congressman Nich-


23


HISTORY OF MISSOURI -


olas Ford, who at that time lived in Andrew County. During Gov- ernor Marmaduke's administration St. Joseph became a city of the second class, and he appointed the first local board of police commis- sioners.


Governor Marmaduke died on December 28, 1887, and Lieu- tenant-Governor Morehouse served the unexpired term. Ex-Gov- ernor Morehouse committed suicide at his home in Maryville Septem- ber 31, 1891.


In 1888 David R. Francis, Democrat, of St. Louis was elected over E. E. Kimball of Nevada. Stephen Claycomb of Jasper County was elected lieutenant-governor. William J. Stone, Democrat, of Nevada, was elected governor in 1892, over Major William Warner of Kansas City, Republican. John B. O'Meara of St. Louis was elected lieutenant-governor. Lon V. Stephens of Boonville, the present governor, who had been state treasurer under Governors Francis and Stone, was elected governor in 1896, over Robert E. Lewis of Henry County. August H. Bolte of Franklin County was elected lieutenant-governor.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.