USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 22
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" GEORGE PEERY [SEAL]. " JANE PEERY [SEAL ].
" STATE OF MISSOURI, ?
" COUNTY OF GRUNDY. S
" Be it remembered that on this 18th day of March A. D. 1841, before me a justice of the peace within and for the county aforesaid personally came George Peery and Jane his wife, both personally known to me to be the persons whose names are subscribed to the foregoing instrument of
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writing as having executed the same and severally acknowledged the same to be their act and deed for the purpose therein mentioned, and she the said Jane Peery Being by me first made acquainted with the Contents thereof and examined separate and apart from her husband whether she executed the said deed and relinquishes her dower to the said lands and tenements therein mentioned, voluntarily, freely and without compulsion or under in- fluence of her said husband, acknowledged and declared that she executed the said deed and relinquishes her dower to said lands and tenements therein mentioned, voluntarily, freely and without compulsion or under influence of · her said husband. Taken and certifyed the day and year first above written " WILLIAM RENFRO, " Justice of the peace."
Following will be found several documents taken from the county records, which are published in full, and each is the first one of the several kinds on file in the connty. They are especially interesting as specimens of how such things were done in "ye olden time." Some of the old pioneers may recog- nize the descriptions, and claim the stock:
STRAY NOTICES.
" We the undersigned, persons appointed and duly sworn to appraise with- out partiality, favor or affection a certain mare taken up by Robert Peery .. as a stray, and taken before Evans Peery, a justice of the peace for Madison township, in Grundy county, do certify that we have viewed the said stray. and find her to be a bright bay mare, with black legs, mane and tail, with a white mark on her forehead about two inches long and a quarter of an inch wide, which we judge to be four years old fourteen and one-half hands high, no brand, and do appraise said stray to the value of thirty dollars. Certified under our hands, this 23d day of July, 1841.
" JOHN SCOTT, " ARCHIBALD PEERY.
" This is to certify that the above is a true copy, and filed for record this 27th July, 1841.
".THIOS. W. JACOBS, Clerk."
Stock, it seems, sometimes strayed away in those old times, their out-doors in early days, covering a good deal of country, and their cattle and hogs ranged over a wide field, its extent being only bounded by the amount they wished to travel. The stock was generally branded or marked, so that it could be told by its owner.
HOG MARK.
While cattle were generally branded, hogs had their ears marked in some peculiar style which each farmer selected for himself, and placed it upon the records of the county, giving him a preemption to that mark, which he
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
put on to all his hogs which ran loose, and in those days about all did, for most every fall the woods were full of mast. The following are a couple of marks placed on record by the parties named.
STOCK MARK.
" Thos. Kilburn records his stock mark with a smooth crop off of each ear, and an underbit out of the right ear. Filed for record Dec. 1, 1841.
" December 31, 1841, Aboils Miles records his stock mark thus, a swaller fork in the left ear, and an underbit out of the right."
The settlement on the east side continued to grow in 1842 and '43. The arrivals of the Winters, Brassfields, and others spoken of, seemed to put new life in that part of the county. Still the settlers were few and the distances between cabins uncomfortable for friendly and neighborly courtesies. . The hunting, however, continued good as the game was still abundant.
In 1844 was the year of the great flood of the western waters. The Mis- 'sissippi laid claim that year, and spread that claim over an immense num- ber of acres of low land, that it was the "Father of Waters." Yet those who lived upon the banks of the mighty Missouri, if they allowed the claim and the name gave to the "Big Muddy," the title of the "Mother of Waters," and a "right smart chance " of people believed that the old woman was considerably the larger of the two. What happened to these great water- courses also fell to the share of lesser streams, and Grand River took the lead in Grundy county, to show what she could do in the way of spreading herself in a rainy season. Much damage to stock and farm improvement resulted from the high waters. Small steamboats plied up the Grand River quite a number of miles during the high water, and flat-boats were in suc- cessful operation for about nine months. That year two flat-boats were built at Trenton and William Peery loaded them with wheat and corn and took them to St. Louis. The principal mailing facilities were carried on on horse- back, and the high water was a slight drawback to even the semi-occasional mail which was received at that time. During the time of the highest water no mail was received for a period of six weeks. The onward march of civilization in the shape of railroads and telegraph had not yet reached the State of Missouri, and postage was twenty five cents on a letter, and other news traveled slowly. Newspapers were not numerous, and in lieu thereof Madame Gossip did the heavy work while people gathered together to hear what " Mrs. Grundy " had to say. In the meantime a stranger who came within the gates was interviewed, if not after the most approved modern style, sufficiently persevering to find out about all he knew or ever expected to know. It was not until late in the fall that mail facilities became at all regular. The winter of 1844-45 proved to be not a very severe one, and many new settlers came during the fall and winter months. In February, 1845, the county of Mercer was organized into a separate
4
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
county and the civil jurisdiction of Grundy ceased over the territory of Mercer. The county began to assume something of civilization. Roads were being laid out and worked. The Indians had ceased to make it a por- tion of their hunting-ground, and the condition of civil affairs by the cutting off of Mercer county caused a reorganization of boundary lines, and the townships of Monticello, Clarke, Morgan, Lafayette and Scott wholly disappear, and the seven townships which formed the municipal division of Grundy for so many years, came into sight. The ordering of an election by the County Court in August, 1846, to be held October 31. 1846, for the election of a successor to Sterling Price, resigned, was the first record found of these seven townships. The patriotism of the people in those days is prominently shown in the names of the seven townships; it shows that the revolutionary patriots and the statesmen in the early history of our great republic were held in high esteem and veneration by the old pioneer. Such patriots as Washington, Franklin and Marion, etc., were remembered, and their names revered. In marking the boundary lines of. these municipal corporations, the Grand River, and Thompson and Weldon Forks were utilized as township lines as far as possible, which gave distinct divisions to the western and middle townships.
First in the list in the northwest is Washington township, which included all the land between Thompson's Fork and Weldon, or East Fork, to the Mercer county line. The inhabitants in the forks of the two rivers had to swim out generally, when they wanted to come to the county seat, as there were no bridges in those days.
Franklin township occupied all of its present territory, with its southern boundary line extending two miles south, being, in fact, a congressional · township six miles square and taking that much off of the north part of what is now known as Lincoln township. Franklin was bounded on the. west by Weldon River; north by Mercer county; east by Liberty township and south by Trenton. Liberty township at that day was all of Myres township as now known, and the north half of its present boundary. Mercer county was on the north, Sullivan on the east, Marion township on the south, with a corner of Trenton and all of Franklin on the west. Ma- rion township extended to the south line of Grundy county, having Sullivan and Linn counties on the cast, Livingston on the south, Trenton township on the west and Liberty township on the north, containing at that time all within her present boundary, and, also, half of Liberty as now formed, and all of Wilson. The Heatherly gang gave this township some early noto- riety of rather an unsavory kind. History did not exactly repeat itself, but the "men of Marion " township did their part toward extirpating the band of cut-throats and murderers that had, for a short space of time, an abiding place within her borders. If it were not the "Swamp Fox," the gallant Marion and his men, it was the spirit of this hero of revolutionary
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
memory which led them on, and who in years agone was famous in song and story, whose deeds of daring are recorded among the bravest of brave men in the annals of our country's history, and whose heroic, self-sacrificing life will ever adorn the pages of that immortal record which flashed to the world a nation born and liberty triumphant.
Trenton township was composed of all the territory sonth of Franklin to the Livingston county line, and east of Grand and Weldon rivers to the Marion township line. West of Grand River and in southwest corner of the county was Jefferson township, its metes and bounds being Livingston . county on the south, Daviess on the west, Madison township on the north and Grand River on the east, her north line extending from Grand River to the Daviess county line, being one mile above her present boundary. Madison township, its south line being Jefferson, was all the country lying west of Grand and Thompson rivers, to the county lines of Daviess and Harrison.
The seven townships whose metes and bounds are thus described, com- posed the municipal divisions of the county, and their township officers were justices of the peace and constables, who looked after the local affairs.
MEXICAN WAR.
The next few years were uneventful ones so far as local affairs were con- cerned. The Mexican War which began in 1846 sent a thrill of excitement through the hearts of the people. The regular army was not able to cope with the Mexican forces, on account of superiority of number of the latter. and a call for volunteers was made. The Southern States being nearest the scene of conflict rushed their volunteers to the front, but it was not long be- fore it was shown by the people of the country that the treasonable and cold- blooded utterance of an Ohio member in the halls of Congress had no resting place in the hearts of the people: "That Mexico should welcome our sol- diers with bloody hands to hospitable graves." General Taylor opened the fight at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Monterey, but it was done at the loss of the brave and gallant Ringgold, who met his fate at Palo Alto, and a host of others, who gave their lives to their country's glory. And it will do no harm to mention here the initial steps in the science of war taken by a number of gallant officers who proved themselves heroes upon more than one battle-field of the Mexican War, who on broader and more exten- sive fields, attracted, by their skill and daring, the attention of the world. These young heroes of the Mexican War were Grant, MeClellan, Lee, Beauregard, Hill, Jackson, Sherman, Hooker, Longstreet, Buell, Johnston, Lyon, Anderson, Kearney, Thomas, Ewell and Davis. And of thirty offi- cers mentioned by General Scott, for their skill and daring, sixteen were gen- erals in the Union army, and fourteen were generals in that of the Confed- eracy. It was not until 1847, when a second call for troops was made, that
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Grundy county responded to the call. Sterling Price, then a member of Congress, resigned, and was appointed by President Polk to command another regiment of Missouri mounted volunteers which had been called for. Hon. John C. Griffin was appointed by the governor to raise a company and was requested to be at Independence, Mo., within ten days. Volunteers responded promptly and the company was formed and an election of officers took place here, August 28th, 1847 and reported at Independence, Septem- ber 3, 1847. The following were the officers elected, and the privates as far as we have been able to secure their names.
Officers-Captain, Jno. C. Griffin; first lieutenant, Oliver Bain; second lieutenant, Ashley Gulley; third lieutenant, Ira Benson, all of Grundy county.
Privates-J. H. Shanklin, N. A. Winters, James Winters, Thos. Aubrey, William Winters, Milton Aubrey, James Williams, Robt. Williams, Elisha Vanderpool, Dock Vanderpool, Jacob T. Tindall, David Arbogath, James Tindall, Simon Adamson, John Reyburn, Lyman Odle, Overly Clark, J. Puck, John Booher, Sol. Spear, Win. Hughes, Ezekial Long, Sol. Cole, Alf. Turner, Jno. W. Moore, Geo. Inman, Caleb Knight, John Swopes, Geo. Swopes, Wm. Hughes, Wm. Steers, Jos. Moore, Tillery Pruit, John R. Clark, Sam'l Clark, Gouverneur Fisher, Milton Moore, John Moore, Jr., John Moore, Sr., Grundy county; Jno. McCroskey, - Mansfield, Liv- ingston county; Webb joined at Independence, Mo .; Jas. Preston, Liv- ingston county; Basil Barrett, Miles Wasson, Mercer county; Jacob Bain, - Vandyke, John Munn, Jos. Kennedy, John Burns, Jos. Applegate, Wash Duskins (deserted), John Boils, Lafayette Warmouth, Grundy county. The company numbered 112 men. At Independence they voted for Wm. Gilpin for lieutenant-colonel, and then marched to Leavenworth where Alex. W. Doniphan was chosen colonel, C. F. Ruff, lieutenant-colonel and Wm. Gilpin, major, and were mustered in and proved to be the only com- pany from north Missouri. They were soon on the march for Mexico. When they reached the Cimaron River they were not long in finding an enemy. They were on the border of New Mexico which was then a part of Mexico proper. Their orders were to keep open and guard the Santa Fé trail. The Comanche Indians, the allies of the Mexicans, and a number of the latter, six hundred strong, attempted to capture them, there being only ninety-eight officers and men in the command. In the engagement they whipped the Indians after a pretty severe fight, having quite a number wounded, but thanks to Providence, none killed.
"Then louder than the bolts of heaven, Far flashed the red artillery."
Their volleys of grape and canister saved them, it prevented the Indians from coming to close quarters. On the defeat of the enemy they resumed their march to Fort Masey, to which point they had been ordered. This Fort was some fifty miles north of Santa Fé, and from that as a base of
.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
operations they were to guard and protect the Santa Fe trail and keep it open. The company under Capt. Griffin continued in service until August, 1848, when the war being over they were recalled. The order, however, did not reach them until three weeks after the war had closed. They re- turned and were mustered out at Independence, Mo., Sept. 28, 1848, being nearly or quite thirteen months in the service without the loss of a man. Simon Adamson was taken siek and received his discharge and Wash. Dnskins deserted.
Maj. Gilpin's battalion, five companies, wintered on the Arkansas River in the winter of 1847-48. This ended the Mexican War so far as Grundy county was concerned, and it is a record to be proud of. Only one company from north Missouri, and nine-tenths of that company came from Grundy county. That record will do to go down in history, and an example to be followed by the sons and grandsons of these heroes of Grundy county.
SLAVERY.
The first reference we find to the institution of slavery is the following order of the County Court at its February term, 1847, and it was to divide the slaves of Henry Lyda and make report to the County Court.
The two next, and all that is to be found of record, is given below, and will close the subject of slavery as the war of 1861-65 closed its practical working as an institution of involuntary servitude within the limits of this country. The following is a verbatim order for a free colored man to live in Grundy county:
" Jefferson Waterford, alias Thompson, a free man of color, files a certifi- cate of good character, and applies for a license to live within the State of Missouri, and it is ordered that he give bonds for his good behavior. 'Said J. Waterford files a bond for his good behavior with Win. Metcalf and John R. Scott as his securities, which is approved,' this December 16, 1851." And the following: "Randall Darnaby, a free man of color, having been emancipated by C. Darnaby, his former master, applies for a license to re- main in this State. and having produced satisfactory evidence of good moral character, it is ordered by the court that said Randall, now about thirty-five years of age. 5 feet 6 inches high, dark brown color, and 150 pounds weight, and scar under the right ear, be and he is hereby licensed to remain in the State of Missouri, having given bond as is required by law." This was granted at the May term of the County Court, 1856.
NATURALIZATION.
The first naturalization papers issued by the court of Grundy county was to Judge Valentine Briegel, of Lincoln township, who has proven to be one of Grundy's most progressive citizens. These papers were issued April 10, 1848. Mr. Briegel's energy of character and worth as a citizen have been
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
acknowledged by the people of' Grundy county by his election as county judge and as the presiding justice of said court for a number of years. Henry Wild, of Yorkshire, England, was the second person naturalized in this county, and his papers are dated in June; he having been declared a citizen of the United States at the June term of the Circuit Court for the vear 1848.
JUDGE OF PROBATE.
The County Court at its July session, 1849, "ordered that a poll be opened in the respective precincts of Grundy county on the first Monday in August, A. D. 1849, for the purpose of voting for or against a probate court and for one probate judge, for one day."
The County Court at its August term, the 7th day of August, 1849, "ordered that Wm. Renfro receive certificate of election as judge of pro- bate for Grundy county, he having received a majority of the votes cast at the August election." And so Wm. Renfro became the first probate judge of the county. Those who succeeded him will be found recorded in the chapter of county officers.
IN COURT.
Once in awhile in those early times in the county's history they would have a row in court just like they occasionally have in these enlightened days. Lawyers in those days seem to have been at times possessed of evil ways and would wake up an ugly customer to break the monotony of court proceedings. Henry W. Lyda succeeded in making a very angry man of Mr. Ezekiel Ronse, and while in that state of rage Ezekiel made a violent assault on Lyda in open court. Things looked lively. Ezekiel was trying to wipe up the floor with the body of the unfortunate Lyda when a sufficiency of help came to the assistance of the sheriff, and Ezekiel was Imstled up before the court, of which he was in contempt, and the judge fined him fifty dollars on the spot for his outrageous conduct. In the language of the small boy, this took the "mad" all out of Mr. Ezekiel Rouse, and a more humble man never bowed in sorrow before his Honor, the Judge. Mr. Rouse didn't carry around with him fifty dollars all in hard cash, or the currency of the times, and he was permitted to go free, but came up before the next meeting of the court and settled his little bill for contempt. Being an honest man and a pretty fair talker when, what was called in those times, big money was at stake, Ezekiel came promptly to time and made the " greatest effort of his life." The court appreciated his eloquence and allowed him just thirty-five dollars for it, and Mr. Rouse was required to pass over fifteen dollars and call the contempt square. This was done and he was free. This ended the "great contempt " case of this county.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
THE GOLD FEVER.
New El Dorado-A Deficiency-Contest of 1861-Union and Confederate Meetings-The Twenty-Third Missouri-Pittsburg Landing-Field of Shiloh-Death of Tindall- Tribute to his Memory-Eulogy of Woolfolk-Roll of Company B-Confederates- Grundy County Battalion-The Forty-Fourth-Peace-The Blue and The Gray-The Dark Days of the Civil War, 1862-5.
" Let dust-begrim'd worm carrion clay On our rich vitals feast and prey ; And dig and delve with hungry greed For faintest trace of ' golden lead.'"
The roar of cannons through the mountain gorges and canons of Mexico. the angry shouts of the combatants, and the glad shout of victory which rang with a glorious sound from one end of our country to another had scarcely died away before the air was freighted with rumors of a land where gold literally covered the earth. These stories, as they first came to hand, were vague, but Aladdin's lamps shone not more brightly on the wonders of ancient days than these tales assured of when the reality was reached, that gold had been found on that distant shore where the waves of the mighty Pacific lashed in fury when in its wrath, or kissed its pebbled beach when the storm cloud had passed, and he who ruled the storm had spoken, " peace, be still." Then, indeed, was the whole country excited. The excitement became intense as more definite news came continually to hand, and a perfect stampede took possession of those who were borne away by the wild and wonderful stories of that far-off land. The rush was terrible in the number who left all behind them to gain a fortune in the El Dorado of the West, and still more terrible in the sufferings and death of thousands who never reached the Pacific coast and whose bones, with those of thousands of cattle and horses, whitened the plains which lie between the home they had left and that golden shore. Men started out on foot, on horseback, with oxen and horses to wagons, some well provided, others not; covered wagons whitened our State, for Independence and St. Joseph were favorite fitting-out places for those who had the money, while the great Santa Fé trail led from the former place. But nearly all who went overland made the soil of Missouri the route to their distant destination and her western border as the starting point, where civilization ended, and the · wild country beyond was the great unknown land whose dark and gloomy portals had to be passed before the light of a golden day would again greet their eyes. The plunge was made, and the discovery of California, that far- away treasure-trove, has left its footprints upon the pages of history in the trials and sufferings of a mighty host, and the death of thousands of brave hearts who suffered all and endured all for their loved ones at home.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Grundy county had her gold-seekers, and scores of the bravest and best left in the wild hegira for the land of gold. All who had horses or cattle to sell got a good price for them for they were in demand. Trade seemed to take a new start, but all that was gained failed to compensate for the sturdy men and their outfit which left the country. Some of those who left died on the way, others reached the haven of their hopes, and after years of toil concluded to make it their home. Others returned, some with fortunes and some with none; some in rugged health and others broken and dying, only anxious to reach their homes and loved ones once more before they closed their eyes in death. Not all had their wishes gratified. Those who returned well provided with the "root of all evil" were not slow in letting it be known that they had "made their pile," but just what was the size of the " pile " was one of those things " no fellow " ever could find out. Still, things took a livelier turn; farms were purchased, stock bought and an era of prosperity began to dawn more auspiciously than ever.
At this time a full settlement was made with Wm. Thrailkill, ex-sheriff, who was short in his collection for 1843 some ninety dollars. The County Court at their August term ordered suit for its recovery and his sureties paid it. It seems not to have been considered a wrong so much as an error. There were other discrepancies found for small amounts for different years, and all seemed to have been settled by him or his sureties. In November, 1848, the County Court took a notion to economize, a habit which had become chronic, and concluded not to advertise any more in newspapers but stick up written notices at cross-roads and other public places, and it was so ordered. They granted, at the same term of the court, on November 13, 1848, a ferry license to Samuel Benson, across Grand River, and it went by the name of Benson's Ferry, until after the bridge was built. In 1849, at the May term, the tax collector had been enabled to collect some back taxes as far back as 1845, and he returned the following sums as evidence of his success:
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