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 30
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The site of the present town of Stewartsville, the limits of which extend to the north boundary line of Clinton County, was, in that day, the great stand for deer. Pickett was the champion marksman of all that country, and many a noble stag here fell a victim to his skill.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Besides deer, troops of wolves roamed over the country, and wild tur- keys without end abounded in every quarter. The settlers who arrived in 1838 spoke of finding elk horns, occasionally, in the woods, but the animals themelves seem to have disappeared about that period, and had probably either been exterminated by the red man, or driven to the Missouri River. The Pottawattamies and Kickapoo Indians as late as 1838, and even subsequently, returned from time to time on hunting expeditions for the game that yet largely abounded. These rendered themselves so objectionable to the white settlers by their petty depreda- tions, especially in the matter of corn stealing, that on more than one occasion it became necessary for the latter to band together and thrash out the intruders.
Among the pioneers was James Blackeby, who came from Ken- tucky, in 1838, and settled in the neighborhood. He continued to reside there till the breaking out of the civil war, when he moved to Ray County, Missouri, and thence back to Kentucky, where he afterwards died.
Frank Wilkinson, above referred to as coming from North Carolina, brought with him several children: W. C. Wilkinson, born in 1829, and is still (1881) living on a fine farm of 320 acres, one mile south of Stew- artsville ; John P., living two and a half miles in the same direction ; Susan Jane, wife of Johnson Errett, now living in Platte Township, near the west line of the same; Thomas L., who died in 1845, in the same year in which he lost his father; Elizabeth, wife of Ramsay, living in Oregon ; James A. was born in Clinton County.
Jack Perkins settled, in 1839, about seven miles south of Stewarts- ville. His house was, for years, the only stopping place between that neighborhood and Plattsburg, a distance of fourteen miles. In those days of sparse settlements, a house or log raising was an event which demanded the summoning of neighbors from five to ten miles, and two days' riding was often required to see and warn the widely scattered neighborhood. The earnest friendliness and generous self-denial which characterized those pioneer days were marked features of the same, and are often referred to with a sentiment of regret by the few of those early settlers who yet survive.
Robert McDaniel, also from North Carolina, and an uncle of W. C. Wilkinson, came to the neighborhood in 1840, as did also William Walker, both of whom are dead.
Mrs. Mary Walker, a sister the pioneer, Frank Wilkinson, died in the spring of 1881, at the advanced age of upwards of seventy years. About the year 1840, Alexander Vaughn arrived from Virginia, also John McDaniel and Nathaniel Crane.
Roland Hankins, of Ohio, came in the following year. He after- wards put up a horse mill, the first erected within the present limits of
HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
the township. It was a small affair, designed for grinding corn, though it was occasionally used for wheat. The bolting was done by hand. The location of this pioneer enterprise was about the center of the present township of La Fayette, near the head of the McGuire Branch, a tribu- tary of Casteel Creek. In 1881, one of the original burrs of this mill was lying near its former site.
We have referred to the first blacksmith shop as erected by David Hohes. This was probably just over the line in Platte Township. The first shop opened within the present limits of La Fayette Township, was by Frank Wilkinson, who had previously worked in the shop of David Holmes, half a mile across the present line, and two and a half from his residence.
SCHOOLS.
The first school in La Fayette Township was taught by one Jack- man, in a log house built first for a residence, and used for the purpose of a school in 1840. It was three miles south by east of Stewartsville. Among the first who attended this school were W. C. and John P. Wil- kinson, several children of John Church, since dead; also several daughters of Matthew and Rebecca Everett.
Matthew Everett, a native of North Carolina, moved first to Ken- tucky, thence to Clay County, Missouri, and in 1836, from Clay to Clinton County, where he still (1881) continues to reside, four and a half miles southeast of Stewartsville, at the advanced age of over eighty-four years. Mrs. Everett also lives, and is now eighty years of age. Her maiden name was Lafoon. She was twice married. The name of her first husband was Church.
The first to preach the gospel in La Fayette Township was an itin- erent Methodist minister by the name of Southward, and his first sermon was delivered in 1838.
The first to practice medicine in the township was Dr. Thomas Yellowby, as early as 1836, when the Mormons were occupying Far West. He died in 1873, in DeKalb County.
The first physician to locate in the township was probably Dr. Chap- pell. He moved to the south before the civil war.
CHURCHES.
The first to organize a church within the present limits of LaFayette Township were the Missionary Baptists, about the year 1841. Rev's Rigg and Dunnagan were the organizers. Among the original members were Matthew Everett and wife, Rebecca, Coram and wife, Roland Hankins and wife. It was then and for several subsequent years known as the Church of the Little Flock. Their place of organization was the original log school house in which Jackman taught the first school in the
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township before referred to. The building was first erected by one Coram for a dwelling. He becoming dissatisfied, left, after selling the land to William Church, who permitted the house to be used for relig- ious and educational purposes. The building was only 14 by 16 feet, too small even in that early day to meet the demands of the neighbor- hood. It is reported that the ladies generally filled the house, and the men contented themselves by listening to the services from the door and windows. The congregation subsequently, in conjunction with the Methodists, put up, about two and a half miles southwest of the old school house, a small union church, also a log building. They continued to worship here for several succeeding years. About 1851, they erected the present Lebanon Church, a brick, 40 by 60 feet in extent, on the north boundary of the southeast quarter of section 9, township 56, range 32 west, four and a half miles south of Stewartsville.
The second church organized within the limits of what is now La Fayette Township, was the old school Presbyterian Church. This organization was effected by Rev. Louis Thompson, November 19, 1843,, at the residence of the late Francis Wilkinson who died, as before stated, in 1845, at his home, two and a half miles southeast of Stewarts- ville. The original members were Francis Wilkinson, Joseph Venable, who died of yellow fever in Memphis, Tennessee, in the fall of 1879 ; Mrs. Elizabeth C. Wilkinson, widow of Francis W., and still (1881) living at an advanced age ; Miss Frances Wilkinson, who died in 1845 ; Miss Mary Walker, who died in April, 1881 ; James Gregg, and Mrs. Jane Gregg, who died in 1846 ; George C. Venable, Mrs. Mary .Venable, since dead ; Miss Elizabeth Venable, who afterwards married Henry Cochran, and died in 1847; John Venable, James C. Claywater, also dead, and Alonzo Beck. They continued to worship at this residence till 1851, when they built a log church on the old burial ground in Clin- ton County, a short distance southeast of the limits of the present town of Stewartsville. The Old School Presbyterian Board of Missions con- tributed one hundred and fifty dollars towards building this log church, the balance was accomplished by private subscriptions and donations of work. They continued to worship in this building till the year 1860, when they erected the brick edifice in Stewartsville. The old log church was subsequently moved away. The old burial ground in which it stood still remains in plain view of the town of Stewartsville. It includes three acres of ground, and was donated to the Old School Presbyterian Church, by whom it is still owned, about the year 1851, by DeBerry, of Platte County. Samuel C. Clark and George C. Venable were the first trustees. For many years it was used as a public cemetery. At length, in 1875, it was again laid out in lots, and James Clark, Robert Pickett and James Wilkinson, were appointed trustees. The first burial in this cemetery was of the body of Mrs. America Clark, October 15, 1851.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The brick church in Stewartsville was sold for debt, during the civil war, and bought in by the agent of D. M. McDonald, now of St. Joseph, Missouri, who after the close of the war sold it to the M. E. Church, who rebuilt it in 1881. The Old School Presbyterians rented the use of the building for stated Sundays in each month, and continued so to use it till the building of Unity Church, in 1870: The ministers of the church have been, Rev. Robert Scott, in 1844, succeeded, in 1857, by Rev. C. A. Wylie, who remained in charge of the congregation till after the war, when he was succeeded by the Rev. A. P. Foreman. The present (1881 pastor is Rev. J. P. Foreman.
Independence Cumberland Presbyterian Church stands on section 23, township 57, range 33, about three miles west of Stewartsville, and less than one-half mile south of the DeKalb County line. It has a present '1881 membership of sixty, under the pastorate charge of Rev. O. D. Allen. The building, a frame, cost about $1,500. The church was organized between 1851 and 1857.
The "congregation of disciples" known as Bethany Church, was formed in 1860 by the association of the following persons : R. G. McDaniel and wife, A. C. Cook and wife, Philip Hudson and wife, Wil- liam Adams and wife, Stephen Chance, and C. D Brown and wife, who met monthly at Mount Zion Church, a house of worship built by the Separate Baptists. During the period of the civil war they continued to meet monthly, and were occasionally preached to by Elders S. S. Trice and G. R Hand until 1867, when the congregation organized with Dicky Hudson and A. C. Cook as elders, and Richard G. McDaniel, Philip Hudson and James Mann, deacons. In the fall and winter of 1869 they built their present church, which they named Bethany, Elder J. A Meng holding the first meeting in the new house Christmas week, 1869. The ministers in succession of this church have been Elders S. S Trice, G R. Hand, J. J. Wyatt, G. W. Longan, B. Waller, W. D. Jourdan and S. P. Johnson. The present (1881) membership is 151. The Sunday school connected with this church has an average attend- ance of fifty.
A history of Clinton County would be incomplete without some reference to the important town of
STEWARTSVILLE,
which is situated in DeKalb County, and whose limits extend to the line of La Fayette Township of Clinton County. Like many other towns of greater or less importance, it had its origin in an attempt to start a settlement elsewhere. The founder of the town was George Tetherow, now 1881: a resident of the northern part of DeKalb County. It was named by him Tetherowtown, but the name was after-
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wards changed to Stewartsville in honor of Robert M. Stewart, the originator of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, and afterwards Governor of the state. Mr. Tetherow was one of an enterprising few who had previously attempted to start a town on Third Fork, which rejoiced in the euphonious cognomen of Doodleville, so styled in honor of Doodle Evans, Esq., a noted distiller, and one of the founders of the place. Soon after the removal of Mr. Tetherow to the site of his new town the Doodlevillians abandoned their prospective metropolis, whose budding honors were forthwith transferred to Tetherowtown. The first building erected in what is now Stewartsville was put up by George Tetherow, in 1853, and long served the purposes of a residence and hotel. This house, which stands on the corner of Second and Casteel Streets, on the south side of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad track, is a large weatherboarded story-and-a-half log house, and is now (1881) owned and occupied by C. L. Fowler, Esq., editor and publisher of the Stewartsville Independent. In 1853, the town was laid out by George C. Venable, county surveyor. The first business house in the place was also erected by Tetherow, a short time after. It was a build- ing on the shanty order, in which he sold groceries and whisky, chiefly the latter.
Among the earliest to engage in mercantile business in Stewartsville were D. M. MeDonald, now of St. Joseph : O. H. P. Gibson, now engaged in farming in Clinton County, Missouri ; John Oldacre, since dead, and R. J. Biggerstaff, who subsequently moved to Iowa. The extensive tree and plant nursery which adjoins the town on its west boundary, and now constitutes an important feature of that class of enterprise in this section of country, was established by John Hikes & Sons (W. H. and J. C.) in 1858. Surrounded by a magnificent agricultural country, with the speedy promise of a railroad connecting it with the east and west, the town of Stewartsville soon became a fixed fact. It has since continued steadily to advance, developing a prosperity which renders it (1881), with its population of eleven hundred, fully the equal of any town of correspond- ing pretensions to importance in the state, while the credit of its busi- ness men is proverbially excellent.
The second hotel built in Stewartsville was erected by C. W. Skelton, Esq. It was first opened in 1855. as a boarding house. In the follow- ing year it was enlarged, and continued to be kept as a hotel up to the period of its accidental destruction by fire in the month of February, 1880. It was then kept by Mrs. Skelton, widow of C. W. S., who died July 8, 1879. This house, which stood near the old Tetherow house, on the street south of the railroad, was always a popular and well-kept hotel. C. W. Skelton was also engaged in the real estate business. He was an upright man, and was long recognized as a representative citizen of Stewartsville.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The first to sell drugs in the town was S. Hardwick, in 1857. In the same year D. M. McDonald erected on the corner of Main Street and Railroad Avenue, the first brick business house in the town. This is now occupied by Ed. G. Sheldon.
H. P. Epperson opened in 1859, the first stove and tinware estab- lishment in the place.
In the same year Colonel O. G. McDonald, a brother of D. M. Mc- Donald, opened a stock of general merchandise on the corner of Railroad Avenue and DeKalb Street. He continued in business here till 1862, when he entered the Federal service. He was also railroad land agent from 1863 till 1865. when he opened his present lumber yard. Colonel McDonald is one of the enterprising and eminently successful business men of Stewartsville, and is now (1881) the oldest citizen of the town still resident within its limits.
The first blacksmith to settle within the town was W. H. Waddell, since dead. Rev. Cary A. Wylie, of the Old School Presbyterian Church, preached the first sermon, and Daniel Conway was the first to hang out his sign as a lawyer.
Dr. Henry C. Bartlett, a contractor on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, at the period of its building to this place, was the first to prac- tice medicine in Stewartsville.
CHURCHES.
The first church, building erected in the town was a brick structure, built, as fully described in our notice of that organization, by the Old School Presbyterians in 1860. This, as before stated, subsequently became the property of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who recon- structed the building in 1881. This M. E. Church was organized in 1864, by Rev. C. Allen, with the following members: B. F. White, J. R. Pen- nington and wife, Mrs. D. A. Skelton and Susan Hikes. This church has prospered abundantly, and now has a membership of eighty. The ministers in regular succession since Rev. C. Allen have been Rev's T. B. Bratton, H. L. Beardsley, George Stocking, J. M. Parker, Oliver Wil- liams, Robert Devlin, E. F. A. Bittner, A. M. Brown, I. V. Ismond, Isaac Hill, E. Roszell and C. T. Phillips in 1881.
Unity Church, a neat frame building on the corner of Fourth and Clinton Streets, was built in 1869 and 1870, at a cost of $5,000, by the Old School Presbyterians, the Cumberland Presbyterians and the South Methodists. These denominations, with the Missionary Baptists, occupy the church edifice, which has a seating capacity of 400.
What is now the Methodist Episcopal Church South is the oldest religious organization in Stewartsville. It was instituted before the split in the church, and on the division in 1844, adhered to the Southern Con- ference. It was first organized at the residence of James Pickett, in
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Clinton County, three-fourths of a mile south of the site of the present town, where services were held for a period of many succeeding years. About 1858, the organization moved to Stewartsville, and on the build- ing of the Old School Presbyterian (brick) Church in 1860, used the church with them till after the breaking out of the civil war, when the churches suspended. In 1867, the M. E. South Church was organized by Rev. Jesse Bird, with thirty-two members. They worshipped in the school house, about three years, up to the period of the building of Unity Church, in 1870. This they occupy every Sabbath in the month. The ministers in succession since the organization by Rev. J. Bird, have been : Rev's Jos. Metcalf, Charles Sandford, John Dusky, D. F. Bone, W. G. Keener, G. Tawquary, C. I. Van Deventer, B. C. O'Howell and W. A. Hanna, the present (1881) minister.
A Missionary Baptist Church was organized in Stewartsville before the civil war. The records of this association, however, were lost in those perilous days.
The present church, styled the Second Baptist, was organized June 30, 1866, with William Banter and wife, W. Coffey, Abner Lee and wife, Mary Burnsides, Mrs. Justus and W. H. Standeford and wife. These were all members of the old organization of which there had been no meeting for a period of four or five years. They, first, after the war, met in the Academy school room, for the period of about six months, when they moved to the brick M. E. Church, in which they worshipped till 1879, when they moved to Unity Church. In 1881, they built at a cost of over $1,700, a frame church edifice of their own on the corner of Eighth and West Streets. Those who assisted at the organization of this church, other than the original members above referred to, were Elder Joseph Yates and wife and Isaiah Yates. The first minister at the reorganization was Elder Joseph Yates, who filled the pulpit till 1868, when he was succeeded by Elder Livingston, who served one year. In 1879, Elder J. W. Luke became pastor, and remained such till 1875, when he was succeeded by Elder George Everett, who preached to the congregation till 1878, when Elder J. E. Hughes took his place, preach- ing till 1880, when he was succeeded by the present (1881) minister, Elder B. F. Rice.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of Stewartsville, was organ- ized September 18, 1865, by Rev. W. O. H. Perry, with the following members : William E. Stagg and wife (Elizabeth), Milton H. Finch and wife, James W. Brazington and wife, Lorenzo T. Perry and wife, Mrs. Lizz Perry, W. C. Perry and wife, Sarah Perry (now Mrs. Shearer), George B. Perry, and Margaret Hayter. Rev. W. O. H. Perry was suc- ceeded in the pastorate, in 1870, by Rev. O. D. Allen. In August, 1872, Rev. R. D. Miller became pastor. He was succeeded May, 1875, by Rev. W. O. H. Perry. The others in succession were Rev's F. M. Miller,
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C. B. Powers, and, in 1879, W. O. H. Perry, the present (1881) minister. The membership of this church is fifty-five.
The Christian Church at Stewartsville, was organized March 1, 1867, with the following members: I. H. Majors, Elizabeth Majors, Laban Savage, S. S. Mathes, Walter Savage, R. I. Biggerstaff, Harley Crews, Melinda Crews, Anna Hudson, Anna White, Nancy Moore, and Mary Culbertson. I. H. Majors and Walter Savage were elected elders. R. I. Biggerstaff and S. S. Mathes were chosen deacons. The first pastor of the congregation was John W. Hopkins. Elders Rogers, Barrow, Hen- sel, Cartwright, Trice, Ellis, Pickerell, Holmes, Martin, and others, have, in succession, since served the church in that capacity. The con- gregation is now 1881erecting, on the corner of Ninth and Clinton Streets, a frame building for a place of worship. This will cost about $1,500.
J. H. Snow is superintendent of the Union Sabbath School, which meets every Sunday morning, in Unity Church. It is a large, well conducted and prosperous organization.
L. T. Moulton superintends the largely attended Methodist Epis- copal Sunday School, which meets at their church every Sunday after- noon.
INCORPORATION.
The town of Stewartsville was incorporated, in 1860, by act of the legislature, but, during the late civil war, the officers elect failed to qualify, and the town remained without any corporate authority till 1869, when, at the solicitation of the business men, the same was revived, through the aid of the representative in the legislature from DeKalb County. It enjoys a liberal charter. The first mayor, under the renewed charter, was C. W. Skelton, Esq., who held the position two years, till 1872. His successors, in turn, have been Colonel O. B. McDonald, J. B. Smith, E. Sears, C. W. Skelton, again, in 1876; Harley Crews, in 1877 ; H. S. Buck, in 1879 ; J. W. Anderson, in 1880; and Colonel H. S. Buck, in 1881.
INSTITUTIONS OF I EARNING.
The public schools of the town, during the war, here, as elsewhere, ceased to be maintained. The same were revived January 1, 1866, by the opening, in the southern part of the town, on the Clinton County line, of a school taught by Hon. W. H. Haynes, subsequently representa- tive from DeKalb County in the State Legislature. Three or four years after, the directors purchased, at a cost of $1,500, a small brick house, originally built by the Congregationalists for a church, but subsequently abandoned, as they failed to make a success of their attempt at organi- zation. The district then had two separate school buildings, in which
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schools were taught by different teachers. In 1875, the frame building was moved northward, and joined with the brick school house. The institution then organized under the village act as a graded school. Its first principal was Professor J. S. McKee. In 1876, he was succeeded by Professor W. M. Stigall, now a prominent druggist of the town. Z. T. Wilson succeeded him in 1877. L. T. Moulton, the next to hold the position, taught from 1878 to 1881, when he was succeeded by Professor W. C. Lint, the present (1881) principal, who reports a total member- ship of all grades, and both sexes, of 133 pupils. The school board of 1881 includes H. S. Buck, President ; O. G. McDonald, secretary; Dr. A. J. Culbertson, Treasurer ; J. H. Snow, D. J. Ireland and John W. Bennett.
The institution, known as Stewartsville College, was first opened in the fall of 1860, as Stewartsville Academy, by Professor John A. E. Summers. He taught one year. The breaking out of the civil war sus- pended the institution, and no school was conducted within its walls till the fall of 1863, when Rev. W. O. H. Perry bought the building, and opened the Stewartsville Seminary. The original structure, a two story frame, 30 by 46 feet, cost $1,800. In 1879, Professor Perry greatly enlarged the building, giving to it a two story frontage of eighty-four feet. It contains twenty-five rooms, and includes a boarding depart- ment. The entire cost of the building, with additions, was about $5,000. It is situated on a beautiful campus of four acres, well set with ever- green and other trees. The environs also include an orchard. An additional building, for the purpose of a ladies' boarding house, was erected on the grounds, in 1880, at a cost of $500. The institution was chartered May 21, 1879, as Stewartsville College, and as such empow- ered to confer degrees in the arts. It includes an attendance of over one hundred students of both sexes.
MILLS.
The old flouring and saw mill owned by Walter Thompson, and sit- uated in the southeast corner of the town, on the Clinton County line, was built before the war, and for many years after was the only mill in the place. It was for some time suspended, but was started again in the fall of 1881, by Todd Calvert. The mill has two run of burrs.
The new City Mill, on the corner of Seventh and West Streets, was completed and in operation July 1, 1881, by John E. Luettke. It has two run of burrs, and a capacity for grinding twenty-five barrels of flour per day and two hundred bushels of corn. Its cost was $4,000. Mr. Luettke formerly operated a mill on the Clinton County side of the rail- road track, in Osborn.
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