USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 12
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In this way the country west and northwest of St. Louis was traversed and explored by these people, at a very early day, as far west as the Rocky Mountains. But of the extent of their operations but little has been re- corded; hence but little is known of the posts established by them. It is known, however, that such posts were established at a very early day on the Chariton and Grand Rivers, in Missouri, and at Cote Sans Dessein, in Cal- loway county.
BIOGRAPHY.
Joseph Robidoux, the son of Joseph and Catharine Robidoux, was born in St. Louis, August 10, 1783. He was the eldest of a family consisting of six sons and one danghter; to-wit., Joseph, Antoine, Isadore, Francis, Mi- chael and Palagie. Louis. the second son, lived and died in California, after
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his removal from St. Louis. Joseph, Antoine, Isadore and Francis were all buried in St. Joseph. Joseph, the father of this family, was a Canadian Frenchman, and came from Montreal, Canada, to St. Louis, where he lo- cated shortly after the settlement of the city by the French.
Being a shrewd business man and possessing great energy he accumu- lated a fortune. His wealth, his business qualifications, and his genial disposition, made him many friends among the leading mer- chants and influential men of that city. He occupied a large mansion, lo- cated between Walnut and Elm streets, surrounded with every comfort and convenience. Here he entertained his friends in a royal style, and so noted was his hospitality that the first general assembly of Missouri did him the honor of holding its first session at his house, on the 7th of December, 1812.
Four years after his marriage his wife died. After her death young Rob- idoux, then in the twenty-third year of his age, became an extensive trav- eler. He made a voyage up the Missouri River in company with one of the partners of the American Fur Company.
Blacksnake Hills had been seen by some of the men connected with the fur companies while en route on one of the expeditions, their attention being attracted thither, not only by the topography of the country, but by the presence of the congregated tribes of the Sac, Fox and Iowa Indians, who assembled here en masse at stated seasons of the year, preparatory to cross- ing the river, either on a visit to other tribes farther west, or for the pur- pose of hunting.
Seeing the Indians here in large numbers while on their journey at this time, the partners debarked, and after looking at its points and its advant- ages as a probable future trading-post, they proceeded on their way to Council Bluffs, Iowa, the original place of their destination.
Being favorably impressed with the " Bluffs " as a trading-post, Mr. Robidoux returned to St. Louis and purchased a stock of goods, which he transported up the Missouri by a keel-boat, arriving at the " Bluffs " in the fall of 1809.
Here he remained for thirteen years, and while residing at the " Bluffs," in 1813, he married Angelique Vandory, another lady of St. Louis, who died in the city of St. Joseph on the 17th of January, 1857. By this union they had six sons and one daughter.
Readily adapting himself to the habits, manners and customs of the Indians, and speaking with considerable fluency the dialects of the tribes by whom he was surrounded, Mr. Robidoux became an expert Indian trader.
The American Fur Company were also in business at the " Bluffs," and had a monopoly of the entire Indian trade for some time previous to the locating there of Mr. Robidoux. But a short time, however, passed after his
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arrival before he began to divide the trade, and finally became so popular with the Indians that he controlled a large portion of this trade, to the great detriment of the fur company.
The company, wishing no further opposition from Mr. Robidoux, finally purchased his stock of goods, giving him fifty per cent on the origi- nal cost, and in addition thereto the sum of one thousand dollars annually for a period of three years, conditioned that he would leave the " Bluffs."
He then returned to St. Louis, where he remained with his family, car- rying on the business of a baker and confectioner, until the expiration of the three years, the time agreed upon between himself and the fur com- pany. Having spent already many years of his life among the Indians as a fur trader, a business which, if not entirely congenial to his taste, had at least been a profitable one, he concluded to embark once more in the same pur- suit. Not that he really wished-
-" for a lodge in some vast wilderness- Some boundless contiguity of space,"
but that he might reap therefrom a golden harvest. Making known his in- tention to the fur company, it at once offered him the post at the mouth of " Roy's Branch," just above the " Blacksnake Hills," at a salary of eighteen hundred dollars per year, provided he would in nowise interfere with the business at the " Bluffs."
This proposition he accepted, and having been furnished with a stock of goods he landed at the mouth of " Roy's Branch," in the fall of 1826. Shortly afterward he removed to the mouth of " Blacksnake Creek," where he continued to work for the fur company until 1830, at which time he purchased their entire interest in the goods then in his possession, and be- came the sole proprietor of the post at " Blacksnake Hills."
For many years the solitary log cabin of Joseph Robidoux was the only evidence of the presence of civilized man within a radius of fifty miles. With every puffing steamer which ascended the turbid waters of the Mis- souri came the emigrant and the adventurer, seeking homes in the western wilds. A few embryo settlements had been made along the banks of the great river in Jackson, Clay and other counties. The famous "Platte Purchase " became the new Eldorado, and the beauty of its rich, fertile valleys and prairies, fine timber, perennial springs and its numerous water courses, had been spread far and wide.
A few families from Franklin county, Missouri, consisting of Thomas and Henry Sollers, Elisha Gladden, Jane Purget, and a few others, settled near the spot in 1834, '35 and '36.
ROBIDOUX'S IIOME.
The only building that stood upon the town site of St. Joseph at that time was the log house of Joseph Robidoux. It occupied the spot where
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the Occidental Hotel now stands-on the northwest corner of Jule and Second streets-and was a building of considerable magnitude. It stood east and west, was a story and a half and contained nine rooms-three above and six below. On the north side was a shed divided into three rooms. A covered porch was built on the south side extending the entire length of the building. The west room of the north shed was used by Mr. Robidoux as his sleeping-room. His store was the middle apartment of the main building, the entrance to which was through a door at the east end, first passing through an outer room to reach it.
So confident were some of the business men living in Clay and Clinton counties that some one of the last mentioned towns would be the future emporium of the "Platte Purchase," that they not only purchased land, but in one or two instances laid off towns and opened business houses. John W. Samuels and Robert Elliott began business at White Cloud, or what was known as "Hackberry Ridge." G. W. Samuels, now of St. Joseph, built a warehouse at Elizabethtown, where he bought and sold hemp. Amazonia was expected to be the county-seat of Andrew county. Charles Caples, concluding that the quarter section east and adjoining Amazonia, would be a more eligible spot for the building of a great city, laid it off into lots and gave it the name of Boston. These places, ex- cepting Savannah, are numbered with the things of the past, and live only in the memories of the men whose pluck and energy gave them a naine and brief existence.
WOLVES.
In 1839, shortly after the arrival of Judge Toole in the county, he came to the " Blacksnake Hills" one afternoon, horseback, and while passing along, near the present site of the Pacific House, he saw a large gray wolf, which he chased into the bottom, about where the first round-house now stands. In fact, the wolves were so numerous at that time in and about the " Blacksnake Hills" and their howls were so loud and incessant that to sleep at times was utterly impossible.
REMINISCENCES.
The first white male child born at "Blacksnake Hill" was Thomas B. Sollers, born in 1837. The first white female child was the daughter of Polly and Henry Sollers, born in 1838, in a small hut east of the present site of the Occidental Hotel. The first physician who came was Dr. Daniel G. Keedy, in 1838. Dr. Silas MeDonald arrived about the same time in the county.
He owned an old colored servant, who not only possessed a French name (Poulite), but who could speak the French tongue, having been raised among that nationality in St. Lonis. This old man attended to the culinary affairs at the post.
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Mr. Robidoux operated a private ferry just below Francis street for crossing the Indians and those who were in his employ. The crossing gen- erally was done in canoes, and occasionally in Mackinaw boats. The road leading from the ferry on the other side of the river led to Highland, Kan- sas, or to the Indian Mission, which was established after the removal of the Indians. The road from the ferry on this side passed below the Patee House, and crossed at Agency Ford, where it divided, one branch of which led to Liberty, Clay county, and the other in the direction of Grand River.
The next house (log) erected at Blacksnake Hills was built in March, 1836, and occupied by Thomas Sollers, east of Pinger's packing-house, for Mr. Robidoux, who wished to take up another additional quarter section of land, and about this period began to think that Blacksnake Hills would develop into something greater than a mere trading-point for the conven- ience of the non-progressive and half-civilized Indian. No other improve- ments of a special character were made until the following year.
FROM 1837 TO 1840.
The treaty for the " Platte Purchase " had been negotiated, the Indians removed, the country opened to settlement, and hundreds of emigrants were flocking hither, locating in the interior and at different points along the Missouri.
The small colony at Blacksnake Hills was increased in number by the arrival of F. W. Smith, Joseph Gladden, Polly Dehard, Samuel Hull, John Freeman, Charles Zangenett, Father John Patchen, Captain James B. O'Toole, Judge Wm. C. Toole, William Fowler, Edwin Toole, and others.
RIVAL TOWNS.
Between the years above named the country settled rapidly, and one of several localities in or near the Missouri River, it was thought, would take precedence of all the other settlements, and become the chief town in this portion of the State. The respective aspirants for future greatness were Blacksnake Hills, White Cloud, Savannah, Amazonia, Boston and Eliza- bethtown, all north of St. Joseph, some eight or ten miles, and within a ra- dius of five miles.
IMPROVEMENTS.
In 1841 Dr. Daniel G. Keedy erected a saw-mill in the bottom, north of the present fair grounds.
At the same time Joseph Robidoux built a flouring-mill on the west side of Blacksnake Creek.
A little later another flouring-mill was built by Creal & Wildbahn. John Girard was the miller.
Still, a little later, the first tavern in the place was erected by Josiah
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Beattie, located between Main and Second streets. In this tavern the Rev. T. S. Reeve preached the first sermon that was delivered at Blacksnake Hills.
In 1842 came Louis Picard, the first regular carpenter, and Wm. Lang- ston, the first plasterer.
About the same time came the Belcher brothers, who were the first brick- makers.
During this year Jonathan Copeland built a warehouse near the corner of Jule and Water streets.
Then came Jacob Mitchell, a worthy son of Vulcan, the ringing of whose anvil was heard by the villagers from " early morn until dewy eve."
A FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR BURGLARY.
Having regard to facts and dates as they occur chronologically, we have now reached a period (1842) in this history when there happened an inci- dent which not only attracted the attention of the settlers at Blacksnake Hills and surrounding country, but furnished a theme for conversation around their firesides for months afterward, and as the circumstances con- nected therewith are of an interesting character, we shall narrate them: In the summer of 1842 Mr. Robidoux received from the Sac and Fox Indians the sum of four thousand dollars in silver, in four different boxes, each box containing one thousand dollars. Mr. Robidoux had sold goods to these tribes to this amount, and when they were paid their annuity by the gov- ernment its agent turned over to him the sum above mentioned.
Having no safe, Mr. Robidoux placed the boxes containing the money on one of the lowest shelves of his store, behind the counter, near a window. This window was secured at night by wooden shutters and fastened on the inside by a bolt.
On the east side of One Hundred and Two River lived at that time three families, bearing respectively the names of Spence, Scott and Davis. They were supposed to be counterfeiters, yet no one knew positively that they had ever passed any spurious money. The Spence boys, whose given names were John, George Monroe, Andy and James, were in the habit, in com- pany with Scott and Davis, of visiting Blacksnake Hills almost daily, and while there would spend their time lounging about the solitary saloon, which stood upon the bottom, west of Blacksnake Creek, and at Mr. Robidoux's store.
For some days previous to the occurrence which followed, it was noticed that one of the Spence boys would often place himself in a recumbent po- sition on the counter, with his face turned toward the shelf containing the boxes of money.
Two or three nights afterward an entrance was effected through the window above spoken of, and the boxes with their contents were re-
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moved. As soon as it was ascertained by Mr. Robidonx that his store had been burglarized and his money taken, immediate search was instituted by his clerk, Mr. Poulin, and others who volunteered their assistance. Suspect- ing that the Spence boys knew all about the burglary, as well as the where- abouts of the missing treasure, they went in the direction of their house.
While en route, and on crossing Blacksnake Creek, the party discovered a man's shoe which had evidently been worn but once, as it was entirely new. The day before three of the Spence boys had purchased shoes of Mr. Poulin at Robidoux's store. He remembered that the shoes were of different numbers, the smallest pair being sixes, and of cutting an unusual long buck- skin shoe-string. The shoe found was a number six, and the buckskin string was "confirmation strong as holy writ" that the Spence boys were of the party of thieves, or were in some manner connected with the bur- glary. That they had worn the new shoes on the previous night, and that in their flight through the soft clay had lost one, was clear enough.
Being thus encouraged, the party pursued their way to the cabin where the Spences lived, surrounded it, and captured the Spence boys as well as Davis and Scott. Davis and Scott, however, were released. The others were brought before Justice Mills, and upon a preliminary examination were discharged, there not being sufficient proof to hold them for trial.
Sixteen or eighteen citizens, some of whom are still living, confident that the Spence boys and Davis and Scott had committed the crime, met the next day and proceeded in a body on horseback to Davis's and Scott's resi- dence, determined, if they could, to bring the offenders to justice and restore the stolen money. In the meantime, Mr. Robidoux had offered a reward of five hundred dollars for the capture and conviction of the thief or thieves and the recovery of the funds. Scott and Davis were taken prisoners and compelled to accompany the party of citizens, who, when about half way back to town, separated, the larger portion taking Davis on a hill and leav- ing Scott in the valley of the One Hundred and Two in charge of Elisha Gladden. They took Davis out of sight of Scott and just far enongh away that Scott could hear the firing of a pistol. They then halted and told Davis that he must tell them where Robidoux's money was, or, if he refused, they would hang him. He strenuonsly denied all knowledge of the affair and told them to "hang and be d-d." They put a rope around his neck and swung him up, only intending to frighten and make him confess to the whereabonts of the money. After he had remained suspended for some minutes they let him down, and asked him to confess the crime. Davis being as bold and defiant as ever, they hung him again, this time almost taking his life. They again asked him to tell where the money was, when he again refused in a fiendish, insolent manner, branding them with a pro- fusion of the lowest epithets. Seeing that Davis would tell nothing, some one of the party shot off a pistol (as previously arranged, if Davis did not
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confess), so that Scott could hear it, and at the same time two or three of them rushed down the hill where Scott was guarded, shouting that they had "killed Davis " and were now "going to kill Scott."
One of these men held up his hand which he had accidently bruised coming down the hill, and which had some spots of blood on it, telling Scott, when Davis was shot, some of his blood had spurted on his hand. Gladden, who was guarding Scott, said, when the concussion of the pistol was heard, " that Scott's face became as pallid as death," he supposing that his accomplice had been killed.
They gave him to understand that they had disposed of Davis, and that if he did not tell them all about the money and the parties implicated in taking it, they would also dispose of him in a very summary manner, but promised that if he would give them this information, they would not only spare his life, but would supply him with money enough to take him ont of the country.
Believing what he had heard and seen to be true, and that the condition of things was such as had been represented, Scott asked some one present to give him a pencil and piece of paper. This being done, he wrote the names of all the parties concerned in the burglary (the Spence brothers, Davis and himself), and led the way to where one of the boxes had been buried, near the banks of the One Hundred and Two. So ingenious had been their plan, and so careful had they been to conceal all the traces of their villainy, that while digging a hole, in which to deposit the money, they placed every particle of dirt in a box and emptied it into the stream, excepting enough to refill the hole after the money was put in. Having four thousand dollars, they dug four holes. They then divided a blanket into four pieces, took the money out of the boxes, wrapped each thousand dollars separately, buried it by itself, and then refilled the hole, covering it over with the same sod that they had taken up, and then burned the boxes.
Scott could only show them where the first thousand dollars was. He did not see them when they buried the other three thousand. They, how- ever, found the first thousand. How or where to obtain the balance of the money they did not know. Scott could not tell, and Davis, they supposed, would not. They had tried threats and hanging with him, but without avail.
In the meantime Davis was still. in custody. They went to him, told him that Scott had confessed, and it would be better for him to confess, also. That Scott had not only given them the names of the persons who stole the money, but had shown them where the first thousand dollars was buried. He still refused to believe or say anything. To convince him of the truth of what they said, they took him to the spot from which they had taken the money, and showed him the piece of blanket in which it was wrapped. No
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longer doubting what he had seen and heard, he called for a drink of whisky, which was given him, and after drinking it told them he would show them where the balance of the money was buried.
To further show that Davis and his pals were accomplished villains, and possessed a cunning ingenuity which would have been creditable to the pi- rates and freebooters of a past century, and which in some respects is not unlike the narrative of "Arthur Gordon Pym," by the gifted l'oe, it is only necessary to mention how he proceeded to show when and how to find the balance of the money stolen.
He stood at the edge of the hole from which the first thousand dollars had been taken, and stepping fifteen paces to the south, pointed to his feet and said: "Here you will find a thousand dollars." He then led the way to a small log, with a single knot on it, and said, " Under that knot, in the ground, you will find another thousand dollars." Going to the bank of the One Hundred and Two, in the sand, 'neath a willow tree, under a broken branch that bent downward, said, " You will find the last thousand dollars here."
It was as he said, and the money was all recovered, excepting twenty- seven dollars, and returned to Mr. Robidoux.
Scott and Davis were held in custody, but during the night Davis es- caped, and Scott was finally discharged on the ground of his having made confession, and giving the names of the persons who had committed the burglary. The Spence boys left the country.
ST. JOSEPH LAID OUT.
In June, 1843, Mr. Robidoux laid out the original town, the site of which was covered with a luxuriant growth of hemp. Simeon Kemper acted as surveyor in this important undertaking, and Elisha Gladden as chain- bearer. Two maps of the town were made-one by F. W. Smith, and the other by Simeon Kemper, bearing respectively the names of " Robidoux " and " St. Joseph," in honor of its founder. The map drawn by Mr. Smith was selected by Mr. Robidoux, and the more civilized and felicitious appel- lative of St. Joseph was substituted for that of Blacksnake Hills.
This map was taken to St. Louis, where Mr. Robidoux acknowledged it in the office of the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas (Nathaniel Paschall, who has since been one of the editors of the St. Louis Republican, being the clerk at the time), and after having it lithographed, returned to St. Jo- seph.
His declaration and acknowledgment are as follows:
" DECLARATION OF PROPRIETOR.
" I, Joseph Robidoux, of the county of Buchanan, and the. State of Mis- souri, do hereby declare that I am the proprietor and owner of a certain
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town named St. Joseph, located upon the southwest fractional quarter of sec- tion eight, township fifty-seven north, range thirty-five west of the fifth principal meridian, and that I have laid off the same into lots and blocks, bounded by streets and alleys, and a levee, or landing on the front, which streets and alleys are of the width set forth upon this plat, and the lots and blocks are of the dimensions and numbers as are indicated upon said plat; and the course of said streets and the extent of said lots, blocks and town are correctly set forth upon this plat of the same, which was made by my au- thority and under my direction. And I do hereby give, grant, allot and con- vey, for public uses, all the streets and alleys, by the names and of the ex- tent that are set forth upon said plat. And I do hereby declare this dedication to be made by me, this, the 26th day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three, to be binding upon me, my heirs and assigns forever. "JIT. ROBIDOUX [SEAL]. "
"CERTIFICATE OF PROPRIETOR'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
" STATE OF MISSOURI, SS.
" COUNTY OF ST. LOUIS.
" BE IT REMEMBERED, that on this 26th day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three, before me, the undersigned, clerk of the St. Louis Court of Com- mon Pleas, within and for said county, came Joseph Robidoux, who is per- sonally known to me to be the same person whose name is subscribed to the above plat, as having executed the said plat, and who acknowledged to me that he executed said plat for the purposes therein named.
" In testimony whereof, I have set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at office in the city of St. Louis, and State aforesaid, 26th day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three.
" NATHANIEL PASCHALL, " Clerk. " By STEPHEN D. BARLOW, " Deputy."
BLOCKS AND LOTS DONATED.
The west half of block thirty-one was reserved on the map as a market square; the west half of block fifty was donated for a public church; the northwest quarter of block thirty-eight for a public school, and the south quarter of the same block for a Catholic church.
These lots were immediately put upon the market, even before the title to them was complete. This was perfected in 1844, at which time a United States land-office was located at Plattsburg, Missouri.
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