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 31
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POSTMASTERS, ETC.
The first postmaster of Stewartsville was O. H. P. Gibson, appointed in 1853. He was succeeded in 1861, by J. G. Downs. Mrs. J. G. Downs,
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
his widow, held the office from 1861 till 1862, when she was succeeded by B. F. White. Eph. Sears succeeded him in 1865, and held the office till 1870, when he was succeeded by A. G. Crews. In 1874, Walter Sav- age held the office one month, and was succeeded by John A. Deppin. June 3, 1878, the present postmaster J. H. Wheat succeeded.
The first to hold the position of railroad agent there was D. M. McDonald, appointed in 1858. In 1861, he was succeeded by Colonel O. G. McDonald. In the same year, J. A. E. Summers succeeded. H. C. Hikes was appointed in the fall of 1863. In the same year, O. G. McDon- ald was a second time appointed. He continued to hold the office till 1866, when he was succeeded by Joseph Entrican. In 1868, O. M. Com- fort became station agent. His successors, in turn, were William Burk, Briggs, J. B. Durett, and in 1875 .. J. H. Wheat, the present postmaster. Thomas O'Neal afterwards filled the office about one month, when he was succeeded in 1878 by the present ( 1881) agent, J. E. Stout.
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
Stewartsville Lodge No. 137. I. O. O. F., was chartered May 17, 1860, with O. G. McDonald, Dr. Hiram P. Sanders, Dr. Robert H. Smith, Charles W. Skelton and H. P. Epperson. The first to fill the office of Noble Grand was O. G. McDonald. After the organization, the follow- ing were, in September, 1860, elected: Dr. Hiram P. Sanders, N. G .; Dr. Robert H. Smith, V. G .; Charles W. Skelton, Secretary, and Hiram P. Epperson, Secretary. The present |1881) officers are Jesse W. Thorn- ton, N. G .; Alex D. McCrosky, V. G .; Rev. W. O. H. Perry, Treasurer; O. G. McDonald, Permanent and Recording Secretary. The present membership is eighty. They meet in a good hall, twenty-two and a half by fifty feet.
Stewartsville Lodge, No. 182, A. F. & A. M., was chartered May 28, 1859, with Daniel Conway, W. M., D. M. McDonald, S. W., and Elisha Wills, J. W. The organization went down during the war, and was not revived till 1866, when the following officers were elected : J. F. Doherty, W. M .; R. J. Biggerstaff, S. W .; R. G. Chappell, J. W .; John Jones, Treasurer ; O. H. P. Gibson, Secretary. In the following year the same officers were re-elected. In December, 1870, the following officers were elected : Joseph Chrisman, W. M .; John F. Doherty, S. W .; J. W. Jones, J. W .; S. B. Stagg, Treasurer ; Jas. C. Ritchey, Secretary ; Chas. Etsch- man, Tyler. The election of December 1871, was as follows : Joseph Chrisman, W. M .: Chas. Etschman, S. W .; John Clark, J. W .: J. C. Ritchey, Secretary ; Ben. DeAtley, S. D .; F. G. McCrosky, J. D .; G. L. Fisher, Tyler.
December, 1872, the election resulted as follows : L. M. Mullen, W. M .: T. G. McCrosky, S. W .; B. F. DeAtley, J. W .; Dr. A. J. Culbertson,
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY,
Treasurer ; Wm. Clark, Secretary ; H. S. Buck, S. D .: E. Wills, J. D .; Geo. L. Fisher, Tyler.
In December, 1873, the following were elected : Joseph Chrisman, W. M .; T. G. McCrosky, S. W .; John F. Clark, J. W .; Dr. A. J. Culbert- son, Treasurer; W. A. Clark, Secretary ; B. F. DeAtley, S. D .; A. D. McCrosky, J. D., and George L. Fisher, Tyler.
The election December, 1874, was as follows: Joseph Chrisman, W. M .; Thomas G. McCrosky, S. W .; Dr. J. C. Ritchey, J. W .; Dr. Andrew J. Culbertson, Treasurer ; John W. Laffoon, Secretary; B. F. DeAtley, S. D .; A. D. McCrosky, J. D., and Joseph A. Clark, Tyler.
December 27. 1875, the following were elected: T. G. McCrosky, W. M .; Wm. A. Clark, S. W .; W. H. Fields, J. W .; Dr. A. J. Culbertson, Treasurer : John W. Laffoon, Secretary; H. S. Buck, S. D .; A. D. McCrosky, J. D., and E. Wills, Tyler.
December, 1876, the officers elected were Joseph Chrisman, W. M .; William A. Clark, S. W .; H. S. Buck, J. W .; A. J. Culbertson, Treasurer; Thomas G. McCrosky, Secretary; E. Wills, Tyler.
December, 1877, the election resulted as follows : R. G. Chappell, W. M .; Joseph A. Clark, S. W .; Freeland Pugh, J. W .; A. J. Culbertson, Treasurer; John F. Doherty, Secretary, and E. Wills, Tyler.
December, 7, 1878, were elected : Dr. James C. Ritchey, W. M .; George Ward, S. W .; A. D. McCrosky, J. W .; A. J. Culbertson, Treas- urer ; Joseph Chrisman, Secretary, and E. Wills, Tyler.
December 27, 1879, were elected : H. S. Buck, W. M .; A. D. McCrosky, S. W .; George Ward, J. W .; A. J. Culbertson, Treasurer ; C. L. Fowler, Secretary ; Dr. J. C. Ritchey, S. D .; R. C. Chappell. J. D., and L. D. Smith, Tyler.
December 11, 1880, the following were elected : Joseph Chrisman, W. M .; A. D. McCrosky, S. W .; R. C. Chappell, J. W .; A. J. Culbert- son, Treasurer; C. L. Fowler, Secretary ; H. S. Buck, S. D .; Ed. G. Sheldon, J. D., and L. D. Smith, Tyler.
The lodge and chapter both formerly met in a hall over Chrisman's drug store, on Railroad Avenue. May 3, 1881, they moved to their spa- cious and elegantly appointed hall in Ed. G. Sheldon's new building on the corner of Main and Third Streets.
The Russell Royal Arch Chapter was set to work under a dispensa- tion granted by the G. R. A. C. of Missouri, December 4, 1872, with J. F. Doherty, H. P .; H. S. Buck, K., and Josh Dean, S. November 5, 1873, the same was chartered as Russell Royal Arch Chapter No. 77, with the same officers.
December, 1874, the following were elected : H. S. Buck, H. P .; James M. Dillard, K .; John W. Jones, S .; T. G. McCrosky, C. H .; H. W. Field, P. S .; B. F. Sanders, R. A. C .; E. Wills, G. M. third V .; W M. Bur- chell, G. M. second V .; N. B. Coffey, G. M. first V., and G. L. Fisher, Guard.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
December 15, 1875 : The officers elected were H. S. Buck, H. P .; T. G. McCrosky, K .; W. H. Field, S .: John R. Norton, Treasurer ; James C. Ritchey, Secretary ; Joseph Chrisman, C. H .; R. G. Chappell, P. S .; A. D. McCrosky, R. A. C .; A. J. Culbertson, G. M. third V .; Joseph Clark, G. M. second V .; Wm. A. Clark, G. M. first V., and E. Wills, Guard.
December, 1876, the election was as follows : Joseph Chrisman, H. P .; J. F. Doherty, K .; W. H. Field, S .; R. G. Chappell, Treasurer ; H. S. Buck, P. S .; A. J. Culbertson, C. H .; J. C. Ritchey, R. A. C .; W. H. Field, G. M. third V .; Joseph Clark, G. M. second V .; W. A. Clark, G. M. first V., and Elisha Wills, Guard.
December, 1877 : A. D. McCrosky was chosen H. P .; R. G. Chap- pell, K .; J. W. Jones, S .; A J Culbertson, Treasurer, and John F. Doherty, Secretary.
December 4, 1878, the election was as follows : Dr. J. C. Ritchey, H P .: R G. Chappell, K .; J. W. Jones, S ; A. D. McCrosky, C. H .; H. S. Buck, P. S .; A J. Culbertson, Treasurer, and J. Chris- man, Secretary .
December 24, 1879, the following were elected : W. H. Fields, H. P .; R. G Chappell, K .; E. Wills, S .; A D. McCrosky, C. H ; H. S. Buck, P S .; A. J Culbertson, Treasurer ; Joseph Chrisman, Secre- tary; J. C. Ritchey, R. A C .; George Ward, G. M. third V ; Ed. G. Sheldon, G M second V .; J C Minor, G M. first V., and S. B Clark, Guard .
December, 1880 : The above officers were all re-elected
Electa Chapter No. 15, Order of Eastern Star, Adoptive Masonry, meets in the Masonic Hall Mrs Louisa Buck, W. M., and J C. Ritchey, Secretary.
Third Fork Grange No 605, Patrons of Husbandry, meets the first Saturday in each month In 1881 Luke Thornton is Master, and W. T Thompson, Secretary.
The present (1881) business of Stewartsville is comprehende'd in the following :
On Railroad Avenue : Harley Crews, established June, 1860, dealer in furniture ; James R. Balk, restaurant, 1881 ; D. J. Ireland, general mer- chant and dealer in millinery, established in 1870. Ed. G. Sheldon, on the corner of Main Street, general merchant and dealer in agricultural implements, established in the fall of 1875, does the largest mercantile business of any house in the county ; he keeps constantly in his employ twenty clerks, and has three men traveling in the interest of his agri- cultural implement trade ; his grocery and hardware house, a brick building, fronts twenty-two and one-half feet on Railroad Avenue and extends back ninety feet on Main ; the dry goods department, twenty- five by sixty-five feet, fronts on Main and adjoins the other building ; it is an elegant frame, the second story of which is occupied as before
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNT
stated by the Masonic Hall ; Mr. Sheldon's annual business amounts to $135,000. Joseph Chrisman, dealer in drugs and general merchandise, established in 1860, and Caspar Gantz, boot and shoemaker, are both on Railroad Avenue. L. D. Smith, dealer in drugs, established in 1866, on Railroad Avenue, is now located in a brick building on Main Street. B. F. White & Son, dealers in stoves, hardware and groceries, established in 1880 ; B. F. White started in the stove and hardware business in 1862. J. A. Clark & Son, dealers in drugs, etc., established September, 1879. Captain H. S. Buck, banker, and one of the solid men of Northwest Missouri, established in 1875. Anderson & Deppen, grocers and meat dealers, 1881 ; they are both old citizens of the town. Dr. A. J. Cul- bertson, formerly a practicing physician of the town, and, at one time, a dealer in drugs, established in general merchandise in 1876. J. H. Wheat, postmaster, and dealer in stationery, established in 1875. Mrs. J. C. Book, milliner, 1877. There are two hotels in the place, one kept by F. M. Lucas, and the other by Mrs. M. L. Crane. Henry Elbert, jeweler. S. Householder, meat market. Samuel Devall, tailor, estab- lished in 1869. B. F. Berkley, livery stable, 1880. F. M. Lucas, harness and saddler shop, 1865. John A. Deppen & Co., dealers in general mer- chandise, established September, 1879. James Shearer, manufacturer of saddles, harness, etc., established February, 1870. Felix Nierman, City Restaurant, 1880. Professor W. M. Stigall, established in the drug business in 1879; completed, at a cost of $3,000, and occupied his new building on Main Street in September, 1881; this is the largest and handsomest store in the county devoted exclusively to the business of drugs and books : the lofty apartments of the upper floor constitute the residence of the proprietor, and are spacious and modern in style, two large parlors communicating, with double sliding doors, etc., being a feature of the internal arrangements. On Fourth Street, is the lumber yard of Colonel O. G. McDonald, established in 1865 ; also, the black- smith and wagon shop of P. Schmitt, established in 1869. On the same street, west of Main, is the gallery of J. H. Meriam, one of the best photographers in the country. Jacob Smith, also, runs a blacksmith and machine shop on the same street ; G. Hilderbrand, also, carries on a shop. The practicing physicians of Stewartsvile are : Dr. R. H. Smith, established in 1856 ; Dr. J. C. Ritchey, in 1866 ; Dr. J. C. Book, in Decem- ber, 1865; Dr. J. C. Bynum, in October, 1880. A. McCallum, dentist, estab- lished in 1881. The bar of Stewartsville is represented in the persons of Colonel Henry Baker, W. A. Taylor, and H. W. Haynes. Capt. H. S. Buck, and W. M. Stigall, the druggist, are justices of the peace ; the latter is, also, president of the township board and notary public.
Numerous attempts to establish a newspaper in Stewartsville had, from tirne to time, been made, and each and all proved complete fail- ures, till the advent of C. L. Fowler, in 1875. Starting under the dis-
RESIDENCE OF H.S.BUCK, STEWARTSVILLE., Mo.
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HISTORY OF . LINTON COUNTY.
couragement of numerous preceding failures, his venture was considered a hazardous undertaking. Pluck and journalistic ability, however, have succeeded in placing the Independent on a solid basis, and the people of Stewartsville have no little cause to be proud of their home paper, which is certainly equal to the best published in the county. The Independent Office also turns out excellent job work.
As a shipping point, Stewartsville is no insignificant factor in the great aggregation of the Hannibal & St. Joseph road. The books show, for the year ending November, 1881, shipped from the station, of live stock, 373 car loads ; grain, 158 car loads ; miscellaneous, 8 car loads ; making a total of 539 car loads. Receipts during the same period : lum- ber, 85 car loads ; coal, 27 car loads ; brick, 10 car loads; salt, 10 salt ; wagons and agricultural implements, 18 car loads ; merchandise, 10 car loads ; flour, 7 car loads ; total, 167 car loads.
A prominent, and one of the most attractive features of the town is the number and superior character of its private residences. Among the older of these is the brick home of Mrs. D. Saunders, which cost about $5,000. The residence of J. H. Snow, formerly a leading merchant of the place, was put up in 1880. It stands on Railroad Avenue, and shows well. Captain H. S. Buck also completed, in the same year, a spacious and elegant residence on the south side of the same street. To Devall's residence, on Main Street, we have already referred. Rob- ert Chappeil completed his house in 1881. Dr. Culbertson's residence is also a prominent feature of the town ; as is, also, Col. McDonald's and R. H. McWilliams'. Among the older buildings, the brick residence of Dr. J. C. Ritchey is a conspicious landmark from its elevated situation, overlooking the business quarter of the city.
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CHAPTER XVI.
PLATTE TOWNSHIP,
the central of the three northern divisions of Clinton County, is bounded on the north by DeKalb County, on the east by Shoal Township, on the south by Concord and on the west by La Fayette Township. The general surface of the country included within its limits is similar to that of Shoal, already described. It is about three-fourths prairie and one- fourth timber. Though in point of agricultural excellence equal to any other section of the county, from its comparatively remote situation, it was less early settled than other localities of the same.
Among the first to settle within its limits was William Holmes, about 1836, who located on Casteel Creek. Thornton Gwinn, from Ken- tucky, came in the spring of 1840. About the same time came Jonathan Roberts, who died in 1880, at the advanced age of ninety years. He was a native of Tennessee, and told wonderful tales of his early experience in hunting deer, bear, catamounts and foxes. He was also a noted bee hunter. David Holmes, another noted pioneer, was among the earliest settlers, and lived to an extremely advanced age. Several others settled about this period in the vicinity. Joseph Duncan, from Kentucky, arrived in the spring of 1852, and settled on section 33, township 57, range 31. About the same period came Alexander Gordon, who died in St. Joseph, in 1879, William Irwin and Henry Githens. Of these Mr. Duncan is the only survivor. Stephen Duncan, who came from Bourbon County, Ken- tucky, settled in what is now Platte Township, in 1855. He died April, 1877. He was the father of S. C. Duncan, H. Clay Duncan and P. S. Duncan, also of B. M. Duncan, now (1881) in the commission business in Chicago, and of Martha A., now Mrs. Glossip.
Among the other early settlers were Thomas Walker and James T. Phelps, who came from Kentucky in 1857. Billy Smith, who came before any of these, and who kept the first tavern in the township, was a noted citizen of the township, and one of its earliest settlers.
The oldest religious association within the limits of what is now the Township of Platte, is the Round Prairie Methodist Episcopal Church South, nine miles south of Osborn, and two and a half miles west of Turney. It was organized in 1848. Other denominations assisted, but the first to hold services in the church were the Methodists. The organizers of the M. E. Church South, here, were Thomas Gray,
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Eldridge Potter, grandfather of Dr. Potter, now (1881) a prominent phy- sician of Cameron, Charles K. Powell, R. C. Parrott, and William Mor- row, familiarly known as " Uncle Billy." The church building, a frame structure, 25 by: 35 feet in extent, was erected, in 1850, by contributions of money, material and labor, from all the neighboring settlers, who unanimously and liberally assisted in the enterprise, without regard to difference of creed. This pioneer structure remained on its original foundation till 1872, when it was moved away to William Morrow's farm. In 1879, its successor was built, at a cost of $975, from funds provided by general contribution. This church was built at Perrin, a station on the.Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, six miles south by east of Osborn. The first death to occur in the township was of an old man by the name of Slemmons. He was buried in the graveyard of Round Prairie Church. Out of the pioneer Round Prairie M. E. Church South have grown three churches, located respectively at Turney, Perrin and Osborn. About the period of the organization of Round Prairie Church, camp meetings were numerous and largely attended. Rev. John Stone generally led these meetings, assisted by Rev. Jesse Bird and Rev. M. E. Jones, afterwards presiding elder of the district included in Ray, Clinton and DeKalb Counties.
Smith's Fork Baptist Church, five miles south of Osborn, was organ- ized at the old Round Prairie Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1860, with Thomas F. Walker, John L. Hockensmith, Rev. James E. Hughes, and others. They remained without a building of their own for some time. In 1870, they erected at a cost of two thousand dollars, a neat, plain edifice. Among other ministers here have been Rev. John Black, from Kentucky, Rev. Asa Bird, Rev. W. C. Barrett, Rev's Hughes, Crouch, Rothwell, Yates, and in 1881, Rev. Black, of Liberty. The present deacons are Thomas F. Walker and J. L. Hockensmith. The membership of the church is about eighty.
The Christian Church of Round Prairie was organized in August 1859, at the Edgewood school house, by Rev. S. S. Trice, with George Phelps and Stephen Duncan as elders. Among the first members were Emery C. Hale and wife, W. T. Devall and wife, Joseph Duncan and wife, George Phelps and wife, and Stephen Duncan and wife. The organization moved to Round Prairie in 1868, the same year in which the building, a frame forty by sixty feet, was erected at a cost of about three thousand dollars. The pastors in regular succession have been as follows: Elders S. S. Trice, A. B. Jones, Joseph A. Meng, Benjamin Lockhart, A. Pickerell and G. W. Waller, the present (1881) pastor. The church has a present membership of about one hundred. The present elders are H. Clay Duncan, E. C. Hale and William T. Devall. The deacons are Thomas T. Phelps, B. T. Simons, J. W. Glossip and P. S. Duncan. Thomas T. Phelps is treasurer and clerk.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The first school in Platte Township was taught by a man by the name of Tutt, in 1855. The school building, a small log house, long since moved away, was in its day the only institution of learning within a radius of many miles, and for several years the only one in Platte Township. It stood near the bridge over Smith's Fork, in the immedi- ate neighborhood of Round Prairie Church. Among the first pupils of this school were John Winstead, now ( 1881) a citizen of Stewartsville ; Joseph Bennett, a hardware merchant of Plattsburg; Miss Jane Stone (deceased) a daughter of Rev. John Stone ; John T. Smith, now residing near Turney. H. Clay Duncan, the short horn breeder ; P. S. Duncan, now a resident of the old home farm : Mick Kenney, now a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church ; Thomas Huston, the children of Watson Gribble, a stone mason, and also the children of his brother, who ran a blacksmith shop. Miss Mary Jane Stone, a sister of Rev. J. S. Stone, and late the widow of Daniel T. Jones, and Miss Mattie Duncan, after- wards Mrs. Glossip, who died March 27, 1880, as well as Miss Bettie Smith, were members of this pioneer school. The latter, who subse- quently became the wife of Vint Powell, and who died some years after, was a daughter of Billy Smith, above referred to, who kept the first house of public entertainment within the limits of Platte Township. It was located about one-half mile east of Round Prairie Church, and near the original camping-ground neighborhood. It was known as Smith's Tav- ern, and was probably the first building erected in the township. This house still stands on the Cameron and Plattsburg road, two miles west of Turney Station, and is (1881) occupied as a residence by Lon. Bryant, a grandson of Billy Smith, who died about 1860, at an extremely advanced age, and lies buried in Round Prairie Churchyard. It was, when built, the only public house between Plattsburg and the Grand River Country.
The second school established in the township was taught by Miss Sally Hitt, about 1859. It was located on section 9, township 56, range 31. The school edifice was extemporized from an old log corn crib, with puncheon floor. The improvements added for the purpose of adapting it to its new purpose consisted of a stick chimney and one small window. This, of course, was a subscription school. It numbered about fifteen pupils, some of whom to-day are among the representative citizens of this and other counties. These included, with others, Joseph Duncan, Mrs. Thomas Turneaugh, Mrs. B. Hughes and Edgar M. Harbor, now a prominent lawyer of Trenton.
The first blacksmith to locate in Platte Township was David Holmes, who is said to have been there as early as 1836. Harrison Gribble located near Smith's Tavern, about 1845, and opened a blacksmith shop.
The first to preach in the township was Rev. Eppe Tillery, of the Baptist Church. The first minister of the Methodist Church was Rev. John Stone, and of the Christian Church Elder S. S. Trice.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
The first physician to locate in the township was Dr. James Burr, from Virginia. He died about the year 1863.
The first mill was built near the present site of the bridge and church, about a mile southwest of Smith's Tavern. It was a horse power saw mill, and was put up about 1850, by Billy Morrow. A short time after Leander Jones built a saw and grist mill, half a mile east of Smith's Tavern. These mills have long since disappeared.
The first steam power mill in the township was erected in 1858, by James Burr, since deceased, and William F. Beatty, who afterwards moved to Illinois, where he died. Its location was near the mouth of McBath Creek, a branch of Smith's Fork, and in the immediate neigh- borhood of Round Prairie Church and Smith's Tavern. This mill was purchased and moved to Osborn in 1874, by John Russell, who there operated it till he sold it to Andrew Bunton, 'since deceased), who in turn, sold it to Ed. Leuttke. In the spring of 1881 Mr. Leuttke moved the mill to Stewartsville, as mentioned in our sketch of that town. The John Russell above referred to was an old settler of the township. He afterwards moved to St. Joseph, where he died in 1880.
The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad runs along the boundary line which separates Platte Township from DeKalb County and directly through the town of Osborn, about one half of the site of which lies on the Clinton County side of the track. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad runs in a southeasterly direction through the southeast part of the township. On the line of this road in the southern part of the township, within a mile of the boundary of Concord Township, is the station of Perrin, already referred to.
Among the early settlers of the township were men of pecuniary means, as well as of superior intelligence. As the country developed, and an interest became awakened in the matter of improving the char- acter of live stock in the county, the citizens of Platte Township included some of the first to encourage and advance that class of enterprise; and, to-day, some of the finest herds of short horn Durham cattle in the state, as well as numerous droves and flocks of high graded stock are found within the limits of the same. The following are (1881) among the prominent breeders of short horn cattle in the township : H. Clay Dun- can, who recently sold twenty-five head, owns seventy-five superior animals. Itis farm is located four and a half miles southwest of Osborn. Joseph Duncan owns thirty head, the second largest herd in the town- ship. His farm is three and a half miles southwest of Osborn. James T. Phelps, who came with his father from Kentucky in 1857, has twenty- five head of short horns. John B. Killgore, five and a half miles south- west of Osborn, has thirty head. ()'Neill Brothers, east of Perrin, and near the township line, have twenty-five or thirty head. These latter named gentlemen are from the neighborhood of Jacksonville, Illinois.
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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.
Robert Tindall, from the same locality, as also the Rev. Jas. E. Hughes, of Missouri, and Thomas F. Walker, are starting herds.
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