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 41

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo. : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 800

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 41

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Geneva Lad of Willow Park 2d, a Ruby, red and little white ; bred and owned by E. C. Hale ; calved May 21, 1880. Lewis Hockensmith, Turney, Missouri, $45.

Red bull, a Carnation, red ; bred by William B. Morris, owned by Downing & Somers; calved September 10, 1878. W. C. Wilkerson, Stewartsville, $40.

Moss Rose of Arlington, A. H. B. volume 20; red ; bred by Jos. Duncan, owned by H. C. Duncan ; calved August 20, 1876, a Ruby. Hon. James E. Hughes, Osborn, Missouri, $200.

Lady Maple 9th, a Mrs. Motte, A. H. B., volume 20, p. 15816 ; light roan ; bred and owned by H. C. Duncan ; calved June 1, 1880. Hon. James E. Hughes, Osborn, Missouri, $80.

Lena Rivers 8th, a Mrs. Motte, red ; A. H. B., vol. 21 ; bred and owned by H. C. Duncan ; calved October 10, 1880. A. Gordon, of Lib- erty, Missouri, $85.

Lady Maple 10th, a Mrs. Motte, A. H. B., vol. 20; roan ; bred and owned by H. C. Dunean ; calved May 23, 1880. Hon. James E. Hughes, Osborn, $75.

Frederick, a Mrs. Motte ; red ; bred and owned by S. C. Duncan ; calved May 31, 1830. H. R. Case, Muscotah, Kansas, $50.

Chreighton, a Daisy ; red and white ; owned by S. C. Duncan ; calved October 30, 1880. C. S. Riley, Plattsburg, Missouri, $90.

Billy Boy, a Daisy ; red and little white ; bred and owned by S. C. Duncan ; calved September 9, 1880. Leander Swain, Stewartsville, Missouri, $40.

Ist Cora of Clinton, a Flora, A. H. B., vol. 19, p. 14,444 ; red ; bred by J. M. Clay ; owned by J. M. Clay & Son ; calved January 31, 1877. Thomas Wollard, Richmond, Missouri, $150.

2d Lily, a Mrs Motte, A. H. B., vol. 20, p. 15,861 ; red roan ; bred by Stephen Duncan ; owned by J. M. Clay & Son ; calved April 25, 1876. E. W. Powers, Plattsburg, Missouri, $80.

2d Cora of Clinton, a Flora ; red ; bred by J. M. Clay ; owned by J. M. Clay & Son ; calved May 5, 1879. Adam Breckenridge, Plattsburg, Missouri, $65.

Liberator, a Reubenia ; red ; bred and owned by J. A. Funkhouser ; calved April 6, 1881. Thomas Wollard, Richmond, Missouri, $75.

Rosette, a Zera, A. H. B., vol. 16; red and white ; bred by W. Rook; owned by J. A. Funkhouser ; calved April 8, 1877. Henry Spurley, Spring Hill, Kansas, $80.

392

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Ranger, a Ruby ; red ; bred and owned by J. A. Funkhouser ; calved May 19, 1881. W. T. Logan, Perrin, Missouri, $35.

Louis Moore, a Josephine, red, bred and owned by A. B. Crawford ; calved August 14, 1880. I. N. Winn, Graysonville, Missouri, $55.

Lord Bacon, an Adelaide, recorded as produced to dam 9th Vol. S. H. R., red ; bred and owned by Thomas W. Russell ; calved June 1, 1880. T. J. McClellan, Liberty, Missouri, $35.

Josepha's 2d Josie, a Miss Severs, red and white, bred by the Hamil- ton's, owned by J. L. Ashby ; calved - -, 1880. Benjamin Porter, Plattsburg, Missouri, $40.

Lady Maple 5th, a Mrs. Motte, roan, bred and owned by H. C. Dun- can ; calved July 3, 1878. William Thompson, Maysville, Missouri, $100.

Frank, a Miss Severs, red and little white, bred and owned by S. C. Duncan ; calved August 12, 1880, Levi Deney, Lawson, $80.

Lena Rivers 7th, a Mrs. Motte, A. H. B. Vol. 20, roan ; bred by J. W. Gossip, owned by H. C. Duncan ; calved July 2, 1880. S. Duncan, Smith- ville, $60.

Prince, a Ruby, red ; bred and owned by J. Phelps ; calved Novem- ber 20, 1879. J. M. Morrow, Lawson, Missouri, $100.

Miss Aggie, a Mrs. Motte, red and some white ; bred and owned by J. A. Funkhouser ; calved April 4, 1881. William L. Culver, Grayson- ville, $35.

3d Cora of Clinton, a Flora, red roan ; bred by J. M. Clay & Son ; calved June 17, 1880. Adam Breckenridge, Plattsburg, Missouri, $75.

Bill Dryden 3d, a Miss Severs, red and some white, bred and owned by S. C. Duncan ; calved July 19, 1880. P. P. Bruce, Edgerton, Mis- souri, $55.

Marion Duke, a Mrs. Motte, red and white ; bred by J. W. Gossip, owned by H. C. Duncan ; calved June 2, 1880. G. W. Shepherd, Platts- burg, $65.

2d Duke of Locust Lawn, a Ruby, red and little white; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved February 17, 1880. I. N. Winn, Grayson- ville, $65.

Alice Maude's Duke, a Ruby, red and white ; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved October 28, 1880. I. N. Winn, Graysonville, $65.

Maggie's Duke, a Daisy, red roan ; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved June 11, 1880. I. N. Winn, Graysonville, $80.

Chevelier, a Miss Severs, red and little white ; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved August 4, 1880. I. N. Winn, Graysonville, $65.

Mattie, a Daisy, red, with little white; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved October 9, 1880. I. N. Winn, Graysonville, $120.

Dora's Duke, a Miss Severs, red and white; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved September 2, 1880. I. N. Winn, Graysonville, $70.

393

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Nora Blye of Locust Lawn, a Lady Elizabeth, red ; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved November 19, 1880. J. M. Willard, Richmond, Missouri, $126.

Wild Eyes Illustrious, an Illustrious, red ; bred and owned by B. F. Winn ; calved September 22, 1830. John Barrett, Plattsburg, $130.

Wade Hampton 3d, a Daisy, red ; bred and the property of J. H. Trimble : calved November 2, 1880. I. R. Story, Placerville, Clay County, Missouri, $50.

Wade Hampton 2d, a Donna Maria, red ; bred by and the property of J. H. Trimble ; calved March 30, 1880. Benjamin Porter, Plattsburg, Missouri, $35.

These semi-annual sales of short horns have not only been greatly remunerative to the parties interested, but entirely satisfactory to the purchasers, the stock in every instance coming fully up to the repre- sentations of the association. Beside, these sales have given the county a name and standing abroad which it not only deserves, but which will in the future give it a distinction above all others in the state as a county of fine blooded stock.

Clinton County has no outlying lands except in timber. The prairie lands are all in field and pasture, with crops and herds, virtually in each rivaling the very finest productions of the fairest portions of the Union. The system of farming and grazing is being improved each year by an industrious and intelligent yeomanry.

In breeding cattle, horses, mules, hogs and sheep the county com- pares favorably with the best sections of the state, in fact, with the most favored regions of the country. The great luxuriance and excellence of its grasses give the county an unsurpassed advantage in growing and developing stock of all kinds. So successful have been the farmers of the county in raising fat cattle, hogs, sheep, and in fact, everything of an agricultural character proper to this latitude, that everything shipped from the county to St. Louis, Chicago or the eastern markets, finds not only a ready sale, but commands the highest market price.

In order to appreciate the importance of Clinton County, as com- pared to other counties in the state, it is only necessary to institute a brief comparison.

In 1881, according to the assessment rolls of Clinton County, there were : Cattle, 24,470; sheep. 19,814; hogs, 48,703.

In Clay County : Cattle, 14,568; sheep, 17,272; hogs, 43, 143.

In Caldwell County : Cattle, 21,599; sheep, 21,606; hogs, 33,356.

In DeKalb County : Cattle, 16,097; sheep, 9,108; hogs, 22,945.

In Platte County : Cattle, 14,763; sheep, 6,951 ; hogs, 47, 144.

The Counties of Bates, Daviess, Harrison, Henry, Macon, Nodaway. Pettis, Sullivan and Vernon, each produce a greater number of cattle than Clinton. Nodaway having 40,000 head. The State of Missouri, as

394

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

stated elsewhere in this work, embraces 114 counties, only nine of which produce more cattle than Clinton. All of these, however, contain a greater area of land than Clinton ; some of them nearly double the number of acres.

Only five counties raised more sheep than Clinton, to wit : Butler, Caldwell, Daviess, Harrison and Callaway, Callaway leading off with 28,000 head.

Ray, Andrew, Carroll and Harrison raised more hogs each than Clinton, Carroll having produced, in 1880, 56,000 head.

The above figures show that Clinton County, although one of the smallest in the state, is one of the largest producing, outranking all but mine in the number of cattle ; all but fire in the number of sheep, and all but four in the number of hogs.

Since so many farmers have turned their attention to raising cattle and hogs, we may safely predict but a few years will elapse before the county will occupy the front rank in the production of cattle and hogs.

The corn crop is always excellent and of a superior quality. But little of this, however, is shipped out of the county, it being utilized at home in feeding the thousands of cattle, hogs and stock, which are annu- ally sold in the eastern markets.

The soil is well adapted to the growth of other cereals, such as rye, barley and oats, which are grown in great abundance for home consump- tion, and much of these crops still find their way to eastern markets, yet the attention of the farmers have of late years been devoted almost exclusively to raising cattle, hogs and sheep.

The farmers as a class are large hearted, genial and ever ready to assist in any enterprise which tends to their future well-being and the material prosperity of the county.

The original settlers, (many of whom still survive), were from Ken- tucky and Virginia. The population, however, to-day, represents all the leading western and middle states, as well as some of the nationalities of the old world, among whom are large settlements of Germans and Irish, constituting a people sufficiently homogenious in habits, thoughts and modes of life not only to make them proud of their county, but to cause them to labor unitedly for their common interest and their common welfare.

Clinton, taken all in all, its location, its soil, its living streams of water, its bountiful supply of timber, the character of its people ; in fact, everything that pertains to the well - being and growth of a first - class county, is not surpassed by any county within the broad domain of the state.

CHAPTER XXIV.

FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL.

FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE COUNTY IN 1833-4-DEBT OF THE COUNTY IN 1845- TAXABLE PROPERTY IN 1880-RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES IN 1881-POLITICAL- NAMES OF VOTERS IN 1833-ELECTION OF 1834-POLITICAL LEADERS-OFFICIAL VOTE FOR 1880.

During the early history of the county, the resources from which the revenue was derived were necessarily meagre. The rate of taxation was correspondingly light. The first two or three years the county expenses were comparatively nothing. The books, although kept unusually well for that early period, are not entirely systematic, and it is difficult now to determine accurately the financial condition as it then existed. This much, however, we do know, that with the very limited resources at their command, the persons whose duty it was to manage county affairs, did so without incurring any large debts. A complete account of the finances of the county would of itself, make a large book, and the facts necessary for such an authentic history are not at hand, even though we might desire to record them. There are to be found throughout the county records certain facts whereby we are able to furnish a brief idea of the county's financial affairs from the date of its organization. At the February term of the county court, 1834, the clerk, Richard R. Rees, make a report showing the financial condition of the county, beginning April 1, 1833, and ending January I, 1834, covering a period of nine months. His report is as follows :

To receipts into the county treasurer, from all sources, from April I, 1833 to January 1, 1834, is the sum of $74.81; amount received as revenue for last year, $71.81; amount of fines imposed, $3.00, making total amount received, $74.81.

The expenditures or the amount of warrants or orders drawn on the county treasurer for the last fiscal year, beginning April 1, 1833, and ending January 1, 1834, is the sum of $142.183 ; to which add the sum borrowed from the three per cent. fund, for the purpose of entering a tract of land on which to locate the seat of justice, amounting to $100; to which add the above sum of $142.182, making in all, $242.181.

The following are the heads of the expenditures of this county for the last fiscal year, beginning April 1, 1833, ending January 1, 1834 : Amount drawn on the treasurer for the purchase of stationery, $61.81}; amount drawn on the treasury for the pay of officers, $80.373, making a

396

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

total amount, as aforesaid, $142.182. From which take the amount received into the treasurer, as aforesaid, and paid out upon said warrant, amounting to the sum of $74.81; leaving the county debt to amount to $67.374; to which add the sum borrowed, $100, making a total of $167.373.

On the 2d of February, 1835, Richard R. Rees made his second annual report for the year 1834, showing the financial condition of the county, which is as follows : Revenue received after deducting the delinquent list, $113.083; received merchants license from Edward M. and George W. Samuel, $18.84; grocer's ditto, $5; as first payment on sale of lots in the seat of justice, $185.623, making a total of $322.554.

The following exhibits the expenditures or amount of warrants drawn on the treasury for the last year, together with the amounts paid out, for which no warrants were drawn, and also the outstanding debt, on the Ist of January, 1834, exhibiting the sums paid on said debt : Amount of warrants drawn for the year 1834, $228.062; per cent. allowed collector, $9.701; 23 per cent. on $702.50, the whole amount of sale of lots due commissioners county seat, $17.561; outstanding debt for 1833, $167.373, making a total of $422.71}; leaving the county debt to be the sum of $100.16.

The following exhibits the amount paid out, the warrants taken in, and amount remaining : Amount paid out on warrants by treasurer, $217.69 ; amount of warrants discharged by commissioner of county seat, $52.50 ; collectors per cent., as aforesaid, $9.701; commissioner of county seat's commission, as aforesaid, $17.56} ; amount in hand of commissioner of county seat, as first payment on lot No. 110, $10, mak- ing a total of $307.46. Add the deficits against the several officers, which are as follows: Against the treasurer, $11.15; against commis- sioner of county seat, $2.99; against the collector, 78 cents, making a total of $14.92, and a grand total of $322.38, and leaving seventeen cents which cannot be accounted for.

The debt of the county on December 31, 1845, was as follows : Amount due road and canal fund, $1,045.69; amount of warrants out- standing, $18.79, making a total of $1,064.48; deduct balance in the treasury, $12.24, and it leaves the total debt, $1,052.24. To meet this debt there was due from the collector (after deducting estimated delin- quent list, and expenses of collecting) the sum of $1,145.22, of which $500 has since been paid into the treasury.

The gross revenue for 1845 was as follows: Amount collected on licenses, $ 141 ; amount tax book, $1,507.02 ; fines collected, $6; received from State Treasury for non-resident taxes, $37.38; collected on old delinquent lists, $7.59, making a total of $1,698.99 ; estimated delinquent list, $93.99; estimated cost of collecting, $100, making a total of $ 193.99, leaving the amount of not revenue for 1845, $1,505.

397

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Amount of warrants drawn in 1845, $646.05 ; amount of criminal costs, which accrued by lapse of circuit court, $338.13, making a total of $984.18. Actual balance of revenue over expenditure in 1845, $520.82.

The expenditures for 1845, were as follows : For collecting school lands, $5 ; contingent expenses of elections, $5 ; pay of county treasurer, $36; fees of jurors to assess road damages, $3 ; pay of county court justices, $58 ; cost of assessing county, $45 ; on account of public well, $5.50; expenses of poor persons, $64; expenses of insane persons, $191.81 ; glass, $3 ; sheriff, including fees, services and fuel, $72 ; clerk of both courts, including record and books, stationery and miscellaneous, $137.67 ; criminal costs, $20.07, making a total of $646.05.

Financial condition of the county for 1859:

The gross amount of revenue from all sources in the year 1859, was as follows : Amount of tax book, including non-resident road tax, $7,317.61 ; amount collected on license, $269.64 ; amount collected on fines, posted strays, and show license, $251.17 ; proceeds of sale of lands for taxes, $243.02 ; total, $8,081.44. From the foregoing amount deduct delinquent land list, including delinquent road tax, $364.94 ; estimated final delinquent list, $200 ; cost of collecting county revenue on tax book, $303 ; total, $867.94 ; net revenue for the year 1859, $7,213.50.

The expenditures of the county for the year 1859, were on the fol- lowing accounts :

To amount paid county justice $231 00

grand jurors 122 20

assessors 142 76

criminal costs 54 43

sheriff for services 287 60

clerk of circuit court

84 55

clerk of county court, including books, station- ery, furniture, fuel, etc

771 74

commissioner of common schools

148 50

county treasurer

203 00

judges and clerks of election

37 00

James Stonum and others, patrols

150 00

N. O. Baughman, bridge commissioner

3 00

John Blocher for pump 27 00

Thomas Smith, county warrant, No. 14

5 20

William Leeper for desk for office

10 00

resurvey of old boundary line.

38 50

Colonel Turner for account

1 25

Daniel Smith, J. P., for inquest

22 05

Thadeus Force for bricklaying, etc 65 00

Culbertson & Wattingly for work 60 42

Charles Howard for painting 3 00

P. McDuff, plans of new court house expenses . 60 00

William H. Lott, criminal costs 9 35

Jesse B. Tuggle, over assessment

12 30

398

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

To amount paid Colonel Turner for his services in bringing school money from Jefferson City. 17 10

Thomas H. Clay, warrant No. 84. 6 00

George W. Osburn and others for resurvey 21 50

George W. Culver, bridge commissioner 5 00

Samuel T. Brooking for over assessment . 6 00

Colonel Turner, county attorney

50 00

H. Whittington, superintendent for letting

court house 53 00

George W. Hendley for advertising

5 00

Charles C. Palmer for fuel

13 75

Yelverton Green, warrant No. 182

7 00

WV. W. Brown, keeper Buchanan County jail 132 75

for supporting and taking care of paupers 703 OI

Total expenditures $3,569 96

Balance of revenue over expenditures $3,643 54

SOLID MEN OF CLINTON COUNTY.

As an evidence of the wealth of Clinton Connty, we herewith give the names of residents who paid taxes, in 1869, to the amount of fifty dollars and upwards :

Name.

Amount.

Vame.

Amount.

Adams, Meredith

$ 54 53

Cochran, B. F

50 00

Adams, Catherine

159 33

Coffman, J. R

64 02

Ashley, J. L

67 94

Crocket, W. T 56 06

Atchison, M. J.

77 00

Clay, Jas. M .

144 04

Atchison, D. R

126 43

Davis, G. W

157 00

Ashley, M. Q

77 50

Dawson, G. W

71 00

Baker, Isaac

202 14

Douglass, John

130 20

Bassett, B. F

85 53

Downing, Charles

77 62

Beck, Asa W

53 06

Duncan, James

50 38

Biggerstaff, S. G

62 66

Ditmars, James

67 88

Biggerstaff, G. T

62 78

Dale, T. R. and J. H

92 00

Biggerstaff, J. B

57 74

Ellenberger, Margaret

58 06

Bowers, Samuel

64 61

Estell, W. H

50 08

Brooking, E

56 31

Evans, J. W

54 72

Brooking, S. T

56 72

Essig, Henry, Sr

135 41

Butler, S. J

50 70 Fitch, J. G. and J. H

93 91

Burkly, H. M

60 61

Force, T. C

56 37

Burkhart, J. W

69 42

Ford, C. J

100 31

Balch, E. C

60 30

Funkhouser, George

122 00

Buck, H. S.

69 42

Frost, T. C. 67 00

Birch, Jas. H., Sr.

269 50

Daniel Miller's estate

158 00

Birch, Jas. H., Jr

108 0I

Ferguson, W. R

58 77

Carpenter, William

100 00

Funkhouser, Abraham

102 29

Carpenter, A

82 20 Gilbert, Elizabeth

71 56

Clasley, J. D

178 95

Gordon, James T

121 00

Cochran, A. M

68 00

Green, John R.

67 00

399

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Guyer Michael

59 53

Newby, Jeremiah 50 33

Hale, E. B

100 24

Parsons, Dennis J .

56 00

Harlan, W. P.

50 00

Perkins, Christ . 90 00

Hockaday, I. N

114 03 Poage, Robert, Sr. . 57 66

Hockaday, George D

112 74

Riggs, Elijah

103 00

Huff, George

$ 79 36

Rogers, R. B.

56 00

Hubbard, T. J

56 02

Rose, Thomas (estate)

56 50

Ingles, Charles

70 60

Shirts, John

90 81

Jones, C. C

180 00

Shaver, Berryman 181 00

Jones, Julia

86 00

Shepherd, G. R

107 15

Jones, J. W

51 00

Shoemaker, Joseph

56 59

Jones, John T

123 97

Shreeves, Caleb

51 40

Jones, D. T.

78 76

Smith, M. W

88 00

Johnson, John D 68 36

Smith, S. H

58 07

Johnson, Milton

59 87

Snodgrass, John

80 04

Jackson, O. H .

55 08

Stoutimore, John

60 21

Kester & Saddler

65 67 Swearingen, Obed . .

85 64

Kirk, William

82 87

Shoemaker & Gilky

120 00

Killgore, John B 59 76

Tillery, Eppe . 94 06

Leach, L. L

117 72

Triggle, J. B

135 18

Lincoln, John K

159 48

Clinton Co. Savings Ass'n 50 00

Lott, W. H

66 34

Plattsburg Savings Ass'n . . 50 00

Lathrop, John, trustee of Mo. Land Assoc't'n.

463 00

Turner, Winslow

74 90

Martin, John S.

55 00

Mathews, D. W

82 36

McCartney, H. A

88 00

Winn, James

249 96

Metzgar, Lawrence.

51 45

Winn, J. W. and G. A

92 00

Moran, O. P

50 00

Whittington, Harvey

50 00

McMichael, Thomas

363 30

Young, Sinnett (estate)

55 00

Moore, George . 64 64 Young, James M 61 56

Taxable property and its valuation in the county of Clinton on the Ist day of August, 1880, as shown by the assessor's book for the year 1881 :

Real Estate.

Number. 265,460 3,235

Valuation. $2,861,175

Town lots

554,018

Total valuation

$3,415.193

Personal Property.

Number.

Valuation.

Horses

6,694

$246,638

Mules.

1,665

72,123

Asses and jennets.

3,570

Neat cattle

24,470

345,712

Sheep

19,814

31,374

Hogs

48,703

92,962

All other live stock

3.333

Moneys, notes, bonds, mortgages, etc

535,09I

All other personal property included in classes 3, 4 and IO

315,852

Total valuation personal property.

$1,646,655

Turney, T. E.

151 34

Watkins, B. R

59 58

Williams, A. G

56 00

Acres of land

400

HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Total real estate . .

$3,415,193

Total personal property 1,646.655

Taxable wealth. $5,061,848

The state added about $100,000 to the above amount.

Receipts and expenditures for the year ending January 31, 1881, as follows :

Receipts-

Cash on hand-county expenditures $11,375 90

Cash on hand-road fund . 1,516 62

714 27

Received of collector-county expenditures

2,590 98

of F. D. Phillips, sale of lot-county expenditures

35 00