USA > Missouri > Clinton County > The History of Clinton County, Missouri : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Clinton County in the late war, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc > Part 20
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 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
A CANE PRESENTATION.
During the month of February, 1872, it was announced that Hon. John M. McMichael was soon to take his departure from Plattsburg, for a residence in Kansas City. The citizens of the town, feeling that it was an occasion on which they could extend to him a word of cheer, and wish him success in his new field of labor, concluded to present him with a cane, as a mark of their respect. The presentation ceremonies came off at the college building. Hon. Joseph M. Lowe made the fol- lowing neat and appropriate specch :
196
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Mr. McMichael : In all the incidents of the past, I can recall none more pleasant, nor is there any which give to your friends of Plattsburg greater satisfaction than that of offering to you the token of esteem and friendship which I am about to present ; and in doing so, allow me to express the deep feeling of regret with which your friends, with whom you have been associated from your earliest childhood, regard your departure from their midst, and to assure you that, throughout all the long years that are yet to come, you will ever bear with you all the friendship of earlier days. It is in no partisan spirit that we have thus called on you this evening. Our feelings rise superior to party and par- tizan prejudices. Rather, it is for the purpose of expressing our regards for you as a citizen and a man. And this testimonial is offered in behalf of those who have long recognized in you the highest type of that noblest work of God, the upright, honest, highminded gentleman.
With the deepest regard for your present and your future welfare, and a sincere wish that the declining years of your life may be sweetened -as we feel assured the present is-by the happy reflections of a well spent life, allow me, in the name and in behalf of the citizens of Platts- burg, to present you with this cane. 4
Upon the conclusion of Mr. Lowe's speech, Mr. McMichael thanked the citizens of Plattsburg for their kindness and appreciation, in the fol- lowing neat speech :
"Ladies and Gentlemen : It would be vain for me to attempt to express to you my feelings, in accepting this testimonial, from the hands of those with whom I have been so intimately associated from the ear- liest days of my existence. This beautiful token, small though it be, yet to me it speaks volumes, coming as it does from the hands of those with whom I have lived so long, and learned to love so much, and in the after years of my life, wherever my lot may be cast, when my memory shall revert, as often as it will, to the dear scenes of my childhood, there will be no event more sacred, nor none on which my memory will better love to linger, than that of receiving this token of your friendship on the eve of my departure. In leaving the home of my childhood and manhood, I am proud to be able, though many of you may have differed with me as to "men and measures," to say that that difference has been treated as an honest difference. In all my relations among you I have at least attempted to discharge all my duties as a citizen, and I am glad that this testimonial is offered to me only as a citizen. My many dear friends of Plattsburg and of Clinton County will never be forgotten, but the memory of their friendship will linger with me so long as life shall last. Again let me thank you for this manifestation of your esteem and friendship."
AN OLD CITIZEN DIES.
During the month of September, 1873, Clinton County lost one of her oldest and most respected citizens. The poor seldom have their deeds recorded while living, and scarcely a mention made of them after death, while the rich are heralded through life for their riches, and when they are dead their memory is preserved by finely sculptured monuments. The monument of the poor is their virtues. Tyre Thorp
197
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
died a poor man, but is now (1881) remembered for his many vitures. He was born in Madison County, Kentucky, in 1802, and died on the 16th day of September, as before stated, in 1873. Mr. Thorp was pres- ent and distinctly remembered the marriage of Judge Joel Burnam, of this county, whose daughter, Nancy, was married to Mr. Thorp in How- ard County, Missouri, in 1827. During that year he settled in Clay County, near Smithville, and afterwards moved to Clinton County. In 1845, he emigrated to Texas, where, overtaken by disasters, hardships, and severe illness, he returned to Clinton County in 1848, wrecked in fortune and shattered in health, from the effects of which he never recovered. In 1850, he thought to retrieve his fortunes in the famous gold region of California. His experience there was but the history of thousands of others, and he returned to Missouri. His father-in-law, Judge Burnam, died some years previously, while his mother-in-law still survives, hale and hearty, at the ripe old age of eighty-two. Mr. Thorp was the father of fourteen children, twelve of whom, seven boys and five girls, he lived to see raised to manhood and womanhood. He had liv- ing at the time of his death nine children and near twenty grand- children, all of whom followed his remains to the grave, except one son Inow in Texas , and four grand-children. He was a man of many friends, with few if any enemies. He died without pain, and without regret, after an illness of about two hours.
COLD WEATHER.
The month of January 1873, was the coldest ever experienced in the Northwest. Below will be found the range of the mercury for two days, during that month :
Tuesday, January 28, 8 o'clock P. M., twenty degrees below zero. Wednesday, 29th, 6 o'clock A. M., thirty-four degrees below zero. Wednesday, 7 o'clock A. M., thirty-four degrees below zero. Wednesday, 8 o'clock A. M., twenty-four degrees below zero. Wednesday, 9 o'clock A. M., ten degrees below zero.
DEATH OF JUDGE JAMES HI, BIRCH.
We clip the following from a newspaper, dated January 11, 1878 :
Judge Birch, one of our oldest, most worthy and talented fellow citi- zens died at 12 o'clock on the night of the Ioth instant. This will be sad news to the hundreds of his friends throughout all the sections of the state and the Union. This sad bereavement was by no means unexpected, for the family and intimate friends well knew the character of the disease that preyed upon the vitals, and hence were more or less apprehensive that death might ensue at any time, however hopeful they were to the con- trary. This is enough, like an ear of corn ripe unto the harvest, cut
198
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
down, he is gathered to the home of his fathers. He peacefully, and with the meekness that characterized the true Christian, submissively bowed to what was inevitable ; but like a man who lives by that Christian faith as he would die, he went down into the dark waves of the Jordan of death without dread or shudder.
Thus has passed away one of the pioneers in the history of Mis- souri, a man of marked character, high order of intellect, untiring per- severance and great usefulness in his day and generation. Judge Birch was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, March 27, 1804, but at a very early day emigrated with his father and family, and settled near Cynthiana, Kentucky. His father dying in 1821, he left school, read medicine a short time, and then commenced the study of law under Hon. John Trimple, then a judge of the supreme court of that state, where he was admitted to practice. In 1825, he married a daughter of Daniel Halstead, Esq., of Lexington, and for a year afterwards resided at Louisville. In the latter part of 1826, he came to St. Louis, where he edited the Enquirer, a paper started, and, for some time, edited by Sen- ator Benton. He remained here, however, only a short time, as in July, 1827, he removed his press to Fayette, Howard County, where he com- menced the publication of the Western Monitor, which, at that day, was farther west than any paper published in the Union. In the canvass of 1828 he supported Jackson for the presidency, as he did again in 1832. But Democratic, as he always was in sentiment, he inconsistently, as his political associates charged, voted against Van Buren in 1836. The Jackson-Calhoun quarrel had much to do with this, as he was always known as an ardent admirer of the latter. In 1840, he was again out of line with the Democracy, as he supported Harrison for the presidency in that year. Excepting in these diversions, however, he was a warm and earnest, as he was an able supporter of, Democratic men and Demo- cratic measures.
Judge Birch, from his first advent to the state, took a prominent position among the public men of that day, and was elected clerk of the house at the session of 1828-'29, and secretary of the senate the fol- lowing year, positions then regarded of much higher honor than they are at present. In 1832, he was himself elected to the senate from the Howard and Randolph district, in which, though the youngest member, he was made chairman of the committee to revise the statutes. After serving one session he resigned and went back to his editorial and legal professions. Having been appointed register of the land office at Plattsburg, he removed to that place in 1843. where and in the vicinity, he resided until his death. In 1849, he was appointed by Gov. A. A. King, judge of the supreme court, a position he held until 1852, when he declined an election. Shortly after this he was appointed register of lands by President Pierce, and re-appointed by President Buchanan,
199
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTV.
holding the office until the end of the term of the latter. The last official position he held was that of a member of the constitutional con- vention of 1861, in which he took a firm and leading position on the side of the Union. In the unfortunate dissensions and divisions which grew up among the Unionists in 1862, he took sides with the better element and ranked himself among the conservatives. Owing to his determined and unyielding adhesion to whatever he deemed the right, naturally and necessarily in his section of the state, he suffered no little annoyance equally from the Radicals and Confederates, as the one or the other held sway. In these complications he was often accused, several times arrested, but never tried. In fact, it may truly be said there was never anything in his sentiments, his conduct, or his actions worthy of accusation. Judge Birch was twice married, his last wife being a daughter of Colonel Fitzhugh Carter, of Fairfax County, Virginia. He raised four children, one of whom, Hon. James H. Birch, Jr., became a leading lawyer of Plattsburg, and served a term in the state senate from that district. For more than thirty years he has resided on a large and highly improved farm, near Plattsburg, which he aptly designated as " Prairie Home," and there, with a fine library, unostentatious yet elegant surroundings, he passed his declining years, taking his final departure at the age of 74, leaving a more than ordinarily distinguished name, and honored by a very large circle of no less distinguished friends.
REVIEW OF BUSINESS FOR 1880.
Below we give the Register's review of business in Plattsburg for 1880 :
The cycle of another year has been made and another number is added to mark our place on time's register in the make up of the nine- teenth century. For more than fifty years, Plattsburg has had an exist- ence, and in the progress made by the country in its growth, and the development of its material wealth, its advancement in educational and religious culture ; its adornments, valuable improvements, and its com- mercial interests, it is also entitled to a place in its country's history. .She is the capital town of one of the very best counties in the state, and is most advantageously located at the junction of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroads, thereby having the facilities of a direct communication to the markets of the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest, as well as of the east. south and west ; and with these advantages she is destined to be an inland business center of no mean proportions. As a means of showing our readers why we take this view of the future of Plattsburg, we pro- pose to make a brief review of what has taken place among our people,
200
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
in the various pursuits, during the year 1880, a retrospective showing, we apprehend, of which no one need be ashamed.
By the recent census, our city is found to have, in round numbers, about 1,800 inhabitants within her corporate limits, and as a whole a more industrious and thifty community is hard to find anywhere. In our review of the commercial business transactions of the city, we invite your attention first to what has been done in the past year by A. E. Meininger, on the south end of Main Street. A residence and a business relation of more than twenty-one years with this people, render recom- mendation of him at our hands, entirely unnecessary. Commencing on the bench, he has gradually worked himself, by hard licks and close atten- tion to business, up to a prominent business position. He is now, and has been for several years, carrying a large stock of boots and shoes, clothing, hats and caps, and his business, during last year, foots up a monthly average of over $1,500, or over $18,000 for the period.
In the next building is to be found a jewelry establishment, which would be a credit to a city of five times our population. Mr. George Essig, the proprietor makes a close study of his business and labors assiduously to meet the demands of his trade in everything, from a bod- kin to a fine gold watch. We also learn that the monthly transactions of this house is not less than $1,500, or an annual business of $ 18,000.
The interior of the Red Front is occupied by cheery, good natured W. E. Steck, with a splendid line of confections, canned goods, oysters, cigars and tobaccos. Mr. Steck has been in the business before, but closed out last spring and made a trip to the Gunnison country, in the mountains, where he spent the summer and fall. Returning a few months ago, he opened out just before the holidays.
It will not do for us to overlook our furniture establishments. The leading furniture business of the city is done by W. C. Barnes, in the brick building on the corner of Third and Locust Streets. This gentle- man carries a large and handsome line of goods, including window cur- tains, wall paper, caskets and coffins. His transactions for the past year make a showing of $6,000.
Hutton & Leak also carry quite a a nice stock of furniture, princi- pally of their own manufacture. These gentlemen, also, carry in stock, coffins and wall paper, and are gradually working up a respectable trade.
Only two years ago Stonum Brothers moved a small stock of dry goods and notions from Eagleville, Harrison County, Missouri, into the Birch Building. Having made up their mind to cast their destiny, in a business point of view, with the business circle of our city, they, like men of judicious bearing, felt their way carefully, but contented them- selves with the occupancy of a single room. From the beginning they had a good living trade, and by the end of the first year the increase of business demanded more room and more clerks. Accordingly, they
201
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
hired the adjoining room last spring, secured the services of James P. Gee, a born salesman and a real knight of the yard stick, David L. Frazer, Johnnie Dow, Cary Spencer, all popular, polite, courteous and very accommodating clerks, and pushed business with a vim that has made it tell most satisfactorily. The aggregate transactions during 1880 shows a footing of $61,000 and upwards.
We step across Locust Street, and find the first two buildings occu- pied by that wide awake business man, James A. Porter. He does a general business in the line of dry goods, notions, boots, shoes, hats, caps, ready made clothing and family groceries. The business footings at the end of the year show that Mr. Porter has a trade of which he has reason to feel proud. He commenced business in our town some five years ago, and has increased his annual transactions from about $20,000 the first year, up to within a fraction of $60,000 last year.
An unbroken succession of twelve years in the dry goods trade of our town is certainly a sufficient opportunity for everybody to be thor- oughly acquainted with Messrs. Lyons & Connor, who occupy the next building. These gentlemen do a leading businesss in dry goods, notions, ready made clothing, boots, shoes, hats, caps, etc. Their transactions for the year 1880 show an average monthly footing of about $3,000, or a grand total for the year of $36,000. They have a host of warm friends, and we hope they will have in future a continuance of that success the above figures demonstrate they have had in the past.
At S. M. Froman & Co., on the corner of Locust and Main, will be found, in future as in the past, that unpretentious gentleman, S. M. Froman, that jolly old soul, Uncle George Funkhouser, with those ever faithful assistants, Sinnett Young and Jackson Trimble, doing a general business in dry goods, groceries, etc. Their business, too, has been largely increased within the last two years. We note their transactions for the year 1880 at $18,000.
Going west now, on Maple Street, we find Mason Hord, where he has been these many years, doing a general business in dry goods, gro- ceries, boots and shoes. His transactions for the past year we note at about $10,000. With this he seems to be as thoroughly satisfied as are those who have dished out $60,000 worth of goods in the same period of time.
Cheap John, though doing business within the corporate limits of the city, is located on the Roosterville end of Maple Street, opposite the Catholic Church. When he opened out, some three years ago, with a mere handful of dry goods, everybody predicted a starve out, but it was a mistake. He now has quite a large stock of dry goods, and a lit- tle of almost everything else to be called for, and is doing a lively busi- ness. The showing of his business for 1880 is $12,000.
202
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
J. R. Clark, successor to R. A. Thompson, dealer in drugs, patent medicines, books, stationery, fancy notions, fine perfumeries, cigars, tobaccos, paints, oils, glass, etc., etc., occupies the building at the sign of the big mortar-"city drug store." Though only in the business about one year, having come among us a comparative stranger, yet his average monthly transactions show up at $500, or $6,000 for the year, which is quite satisfactory.
Riley Brothers, dealers in drugs, patent medicines, paints, oils, glass, toilet goods, books, stationery, fine perfumeries, etc. Mr. O. P. Riley directly in charge, aided by Denny O'Brien, prescription clerk and compounder, are thorough druggists, courteous and accommodating gentlemen and do a handsome business. Their average monthly busi- ness during the past year we are authorized to register at $1,000, or $12,000 for the year.
On the Colonel Vance corner we find W. A. Marsh, an old hand in handling drugs, patent medicines, fancy notions, paints, oils, glass, per- fumeries, etc., who finds himself perfectly at home. His monthly aver- age business is about $200, or $1,200 for the time he has been in business.
Few men enjoy a greater degree of the confidence of the people of any locality than do Messrs. Allan & Graham, of this city. They are men of real push and business enterprise, and are doing a lively and paying business in the line of staple and fancy groceries, queensware, and glassware, country produce, etc. Their books show a business foot- ing for the past year of $18,000, and we bespeak for them an increase on these figures for 1881.
During the last two years F. & C. T. Kennedy have been doing a stirring business in the line of staple and fancy groceries at the old Ray corner. His books show a business of nearly $22,000 for 1880. This is a fine showing and speaks much in behalf of the business energy and firm hold these men have on the confidence of the people.
A little further west on Maple street, may be found the grocery store of James A. Trimble. He keeps constantly on hand a well selected stock of family groceries, queensware, fine cigars, tobaccos, can- dies, raisins, and nuts, and though he has only been in the business about eighteen months, yet his business transactions for the year 1880 show a footing of $19,000.
The new firm of Daugherty & Porterfield, on Maple Street, next demands our attention. There everything usually kept in a first-class grocery house may be found. As an evidence of the fact, we note their average monthly transactions at strong $1,200, which aggregates for the nine months closing out for the year 1880, $10,800.
Downey & O'Conner, the energetic and very business like young gentlemen, successors to T. G. Barton, in the grocery line, may be found
203
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
doing an active and very satisfactory business in the Hockaday block on Locust Street. They have only been in business about nine months, and their business transactions for the nine months foot up to $12,000.
The firm of Doniphan & Payne are successors to S. G. Biggerstaff in the grocery line at his old stand on Main Street. The change took place just at the opening of the holidays. They have very largely increased their stock, and will increase their business over his ( Bigger- staff's), which was, for the last year, about $10,000.
Davis, Burkett & Biggerstaff, recently became the successors to Whittington & Son, in the grocery business, and have now one of the largest and most complete stocks of staple and fancy groceries, confec- tions, cigars and tobaccos, queensware and glassware, to be found in the city. We find their business to have been about $15,000.
H. B. McIntyre, dealer in hardware, tinware, stoves, table cutlery, pocket cutlery, etc. In connection with the hardware business, they make roofing and guttering a specialty. The exhibit of their transac- tions, for the past year, shows a total business of $10,000.
R. W. Hockaday carries on a hardware establishment on Locust Street. He handles everything to be found in the hardware line ; such as shelf goods, carpenters' tools, farming implements, stoves, tinware, sewing machines, etc. He also runs, in connection therewith, a tinner's shop, and manufactures extensively in that line, besides a large business in roofing and guttering. The fact is, he does a lively business, as shown by a footing up of $33,000 sales.
HARDWARE, STOVES & TINWARE.
R.W. HOCKADAY.
201
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
O. J. Jackson we find in the post office building, in charge of a news depot. He also carries a complete line of confections, cigars, tobaccos and a great variety of fancy notions, and is doing a fine business. His transactions for 1880, makes the splendid showing of $6.500.
On Main Street, up stairs in the Meininger and Riley brick, the Misses Osburns may be found. They have only been in business a few months over a year, but in that time have built up a lively and very sat- isfactory trade.
On the same street, may be found Mrs. Morris, on the corner of Main and Maple. She carries a good stock in her line, and is doing a fair business, say $ 1,000 per annum.
Mrs. Fannie Turner carries a large stock of everything usually handled by milliners, of the best quality, and of the most fashionable and popular styles. Her transactions, during 1880, sum up at $1,500.
On the same street, only a little further west, we find Mrs. A. Doni- phan, with a well selected stock of hats and bonnets for the trade. She has, in the last two years, built up a handsome trade.
On Second Street, opposite the Christian Church, may be found Mrs. Tine Smith. She carries a handsome line of all the most fashiona- ble goods in her line to be found in the markets. Her transactions, for the past year, we are permitted to note at $1,500.
We have four institutions where wagons and carriages and many articles in the farming implement line are manufactured. On the south end of Main Street is to be found the shops of Deyerle & Ward. These gentlemen are also engaged in the manufacture of wagons, carriages, plows and many other articles in the farming implement line, and do a general blacksmithing and repairing business. They work six hands, and are building up a handsome trade and a thriving business. Their transactions during 1880 foot up the handsome showing of $7,500 to $8,000.
On the corner of Maple and Third Streets, we have John T. Downey. This gentleman conducts a general business in blacksmithing, repairing and wagon making. His transactions for the past year amount to $5,500, and we bespeak for him a liberal share of the public patronage in the future as in the past, with such increase as merit and industry are sure to attain.
On Locust Street, south of the court house, may be found the new firm of O'Brien & Geesey, who have just opened out, and propose to do a general blacksmithing, repairing and wagon making business. Though they have only been in business a few weeks, yet they are building up a handsome business.
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.