USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 33
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STATE SENATORS.
The first senatorial district to which Grundy county was united and formed a part, was composed of the counties of Macon, Linn, Livingston and Grundy. This was in 1842. The next change put Grundy in an entirely separate district, which was composed of the counties of Daviess, Harrison, Mereer and Grundy. The legislature of 1862-63 again changed the district, and the following counties formed the Fifth State senatorial district: Carroll, Livingston, Grundy and Mercer. This senatorial district remained until the session of the legislature of 1880-81. The legislature, failing to pass a re-districting act as required by law, in the census of 1880, it devolved upon the governor, secretary of state and attorney-general to do so, as required by section seven, article four, of the new constitution. Grundy was then associated with Livingston, Mercer and Putnam, the four composing the Fifth State senatorial district. The names of the State senators who have represented the senatorial district of which Grundy constituted a part are as follows: to-wit,
YEAR ELECTED.
Dr. John Wolfscale, Livingston county. 1842.
Jewett Norris, Grundy county . 1846.
John C. Griffin, Grundy county 1850.
Jewett Norris, Grundy county .. 1854.
Wm. H. Lyda, Grundy county 1858.
Jewett Norris, Grundy county 1862.
Dr. John Ellis (two years), Livingston county . 1866.
W. B. Rogers, Grundy county .. 1868.
M. T. J. Williams, Carroll county 1872.
A. H. Burkeholder, Grundy county . 1876.
Wesley A. Jacobs, Livingston county 1880.
So far as senatorial representation is concerned, Grundy county has noth- ing to complain of. She has held the position seven times to the remain- ing counties' four, which is a very pretty compliment to the ability of her citizens.
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IIISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
At the time of the organization of Grundy county in 1841, James A. Clark held a commission as circuit judge, and he presided at the first ses- sion of the court held in the county, in April, 1841. Judge Clark held the position until 1862, when he resigned, having held some twenty-five years. The State convention which convened June 2d, 1862, passed an act embody- ing an oath which Judge Clark declined to take, hence his resignation. Jacob Smith, of Linneus, Linn county, was appointed Judge Clark's succes- sor, and he held the position until the election of R. A. DeBolt, of Trenton, Grundy county, who took the office of judge on January 1st, 1864, and held it until January 1st, 1875. The election of 1874 resulted in the choice for circuit judge of G. D. Burgess, of Linneus, Linn county, who was reelected in 1880 and is the present incumbent.
CIRCUIT AND COUNTY ATTORNEYS.
The first circuit attorney after the organization of the county was Benj. F. Stringfellow, who attended the first court in the county in April, 1841. Wesley Halleburton, Robt. D. Morris, John C. Griffin, Daniel Metcalf and L. W. Wright followed in succession, when, under the new constitution the office was done away with. These circuit attorneys acted in many cases as ex officio county attorneys. The County Court of Grundy county some- times appointed county attorneys and then again they did not. J. F. Tin- dall served as county attorney from 1855 to 1859; who, if anybody, served during the war is not of record. Daniel Metcalf, John M. Vorris, Fred. Hyde, A. H. Burkeholder, H. J. Herrick, Stephen Peery, serving since, and Melvin Bingham in 1880.
JUDICIAL DISTRICTS.
Grundy county is in the Eleventh judicial district, composed of the fol- lowing counties; to-wit, Chariton, Linn, Sullivan, Mercer and Grundy. The Circuit Court for this county is held on the third Monday in April, and on the first Mondays in August and January. This is the law of 1881, which made a change in the time for holding the court in this county.
NUMBERS.
The State senatorial district is the Fifth.
The congressional district is the Tenth.
The judicial district is numbered the Eleventh.
CONGRESSIONAL.
There were no separate congressional districts in the State up to and in- cluding 1860, but the congressmen were all elected upon a general ticket. As far back as 1844 an attempt had been made to district the State. Con-
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
gress had passed a law in its session of 1843-44 dividing the State into five congressional districts, the number of members to which Missouri was then entitled, but the State legislature of 1844 declined to do so on the ground that Congress did not have the right or power to pass the law, but that it was entirely a State matter. However, the question was given to the people to vote upon in conjunction with one to amend the State Constitution. They defeated the constitutional amendment in Angust, 1846, by 9,000 majority. At the State convention held in 1862, this district was numbered the Seventh, and the following counties were included within its bounds: Atchison, Holt, Nodaway, Andrew, Buchanan, DeKalb, Gentry, Daviess, Harrison, Mercer, Putnam, Worth, Sullivan, Grundy and Livingston. It had, also, before this been called the Third district. At this time, 1862, the census had given the State nine congressmen, and this remained until the new apportionment rendered necessary by the census of 1870. The cen- sus that year gave the State thirteen members of congress, and Grundy county was placed in the Tenth district, composed of the following coun- ties; viz., Randolph, Chariton, Linn, Sullivan, Mercer, Grundy, Livings- ston, Daviess and Harrison, nine counties in place of fifteen as in 1860. Missouri will gain one member if the house of representatives shall consist of 309 members, or over, up to 325, the highest number mentioned in con- nection with the new census that will be voted for. Under 309 Missouri will retain her present number of congressmen, thirteen, making the re-dis- tricting of the State unnecessary.
OUR SECTION.
The names of the members of congress who have represented more par- ticularly this section of the State, and might be considered as the congress- men who served for this district, are as follows:
John Bull, Howard county, 1832 to 1834. Albert G. Harrison, Callaway county, 1834 to 1839. John James, Callaway county, 1839 to 1844.
Sterling Price, Chariton county, 1844-resigned. Wmn. McDaniel, Marion county, nnexpired term. James S. Green, Lewis county, 1846 to 1850. Willard P. Hall, Buchanan county, 1850 to 1852. James J. Lindley, Lewis county, 1852 to 1856. Jno. B. Clark, Howard county, 1856 to 1861 and expelled. Benj. F. Loan, Buchanan county, 1862 to 1868. Joel F. Asper, Livingston county, 1868 to 1870. Isaac C. Parker, Buchanan county, 1870 to 1872. Ira B. Hyde, Mercer county, 1872 to 1874. Rezin A. DeBolt, Grundy county, 1874 to 1876. H. M. Pollard, Livingston county, 1876 to 1878.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
G. F. Rothwell, Randolph county, 1878 to 1880.
Jas. H. Burrows, Randolph county, 1880-present incumbent.
Grundy county has been blessed but a very few times with her choice, as shown by her vote, in the matter of congressmen, but what she has lost in congressional timber her majority vote has made up in local sway.
COUNTY JUDGES.
It has been impossible to get a complete list of the county judges between 1841 to 1846, no record having been kept-or being recorded on paper in- stead of in a book it has been lost. We give, however, nearly a complete list from the latter date. They are as follows:
1839-Dr. Wm. P. Thompson, of Madison township, and D. H. Dunker- son, of Taylor township, justices of Livingston County Court.
1841 -- Jewett Norris, Robert Peery, Isaac J. Harvey and Benj. F. Wood.
1846-Benjamin F. Wood, Abraham Field, Carter B. Whitfield and James R. Merrill.
1850-Giles Songer, Abner Drinkard and James R. Merrill.
1851-52-E. P. Harding, B. F. Wood, G. Songer.
1853-54-Giles Songer and Wm. Collier.
1854-58-G. W. Parker, Andrew Evans and Jas. Tolson.
1858-Zela Conkling, Abner Drinkard and Casey Tate.
1860-S. Brooks, J. F. Downing and C. S. Reynolds.
1862-March 12th, Abner Drinkard resigned and John McHargue was appointed and officiated until the following November, when James G. Benson was elected.
1864-Wm. B. Dillon.
1865-May 1st, Casey Tate, Wm. B. Dillon and Jas. G. Benson ap- pointed by the governor.
1866-George A. Spickard and W. V. Denslow.
1870-Gabriel Williams, two years; George W. Moberly, six years; James McLain, four years.
1873-Under new township law, five judges were elected at large, Val- entine Briegle, four years; 1st district, Clement A. Conrads, four years; 2d district, Felix Wild, two years; 3d district, Casey Tate, one year; 4th dis- trict, Marshall Humphreys, four years.
1877-C. A. Conrads, Charles Skinner and C. P. Brandon.
1878-James G. Benson, William Pond and Isaiah Brainerd. James G, Benson died before taking oath of office and T. B. Harber was appointed . by the governor.
1880-Isaiah Brainerd, Freeman Dunlap and Isaac Washburn.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
GRUNDY COUNTY OFFICERS, 1881.
Representative- Thomas J. Taylor.
Judge of Probate-Paris C. Stepp. Presiding Judge County Court-Isaiah Brainerd.
First District County Judge-F. Dunlap.
Second District County Judge-I. Washburn.
Sheriff-W. H. Wilson. Collector-B. F. Harding.
Circuit Clerk and Recorder-Jno. B. Berry.
County Clerk-David C. Pugh.
Prosecuting Attorney-M. Bingham.
Coroner-C. L. Webber.
Assessor-J. W. Conduit.
Public Administrator-G. L. Winters.
Treasurer -- J. E. Carter.
Surveyor -- C. K. Brown.
School Superintendent-T. B. Pratt.
CHAPTER XII. TRENTON TOWNSHIP.
Description-Boundary-Frst Election-Steady Progress-The Coming Storm-Railroad Ferer-Quincy, Missouri d. Pacific Railroad-$40,000 Raised-Rejoicing-Schools- etc.
Trenton township is the banner township of the county in population and wealth, and, like Lincoln, is a central township, well watered, well tim- bered, rich in soil, fruitful yield, and has within its borders the only coal mine in the county. It has also a stone-quarry about two and a half miles from the county seat where an extra quality of fine building stone is pro- cured. It is heavily wooded on the banks of the Grand River and other streams which traverse its territory, and its bluffs along the river banks are of a broken and rocky nature. Next to Jackson, it is the best watered township in the county. Grand River runs through its entire western bor- der north and south. Muddy Creek and Honey Creek eachi also pass through it north and south, the former west and the latter to the east of the center of the township, while No Creek touches its southeastern border. crossing into Marion township about three miles from its southern line.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
ITS BOUNDARY.
It is bounded on the west by Madison, and a cerner of Harrison townships; north by Lincoln: east by Marion, and south by Jackson. It has an ex- treme width of eight miles east and west, and six miles north and south. with forty-eight sections of land, in all 29,760 acres.
The first settlers were Levi and Rachel Moore and quite a large family. Mr. Moore was also accompanied, as stated, by his sons-in-law. They settled on what is now a part of the city of Trenton. The most of the early history of Trenton and also of the city of Trenton is part and parcel of the county history in its early day. Its development and growth are blended so in- timately with that of the county that a history of one is the record of the other. The first death, Mrs. Devaul; the first birth, Minerva Thrailkill; the first cabin and first store; the group of early settlers, Moores, Thrailkill, McAfee, Cochran, Benson, and others, all represent not only Trenton town- ship, but the early history of the county and the first settlement of the city itself. The first corn planted in Trenton township was on the bottoms now occupied by the railroad machine-shops, and was nearly destroyed by pig- eons, there being a pigeon roost a short distance away. There were literally millions of them, and the limbs of the trees broke down with their weight, and the noise of their wings while flying or fluttering could be heard a great distance.
The dress of the early period was coon-skin cap, deer-skin pants, and moccasins. The living, corn bread, and for meat, wild game; and for months there was nothing to disturb the monotony of daily life. The ring of the woodman's ax or the crack of his rifle was all that was heard. How- ever, all that was to be found of progressive civilization was right here in this settlement. They had hand corn-mills, saws, broad-axes and such im- plements of advanced progress. The first hand corn-mill ever taken to Lincoln township, was purchased of Daniel Devaul by Jesse Bain, and taken to the Bain-Kelso settlement, some six miles northeast of Lomax Store. It was the point in the county which it was conceded that all business would radiate from, and although a strong fight was made a few years later, on the location of the county seat, nature had given to Lomax Store and Tren- ton township the appointed spot.
The first election in Trenton township, and one of the first two held in Grundy county, was at the house of Danicl Devaul, on the 27th day of May, 1837. On the same day, at the house of Wm. Peery, in the Thomp- son settlement, on the west side of the river, was another election, and these two were the first ever held on the soil of Grundy county. The judges in the township were Daniel Devaul, John Thrailkill and Wm. Cochran. James R. Devaul, son of Daniel, was clerk. This township was then known as Muddy Creek township, the name having been given it on the 7th of
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
April, 1837, and its territory comprised all the land east of Grand River. and the East Fork, afterwards known as Weldon Fork, to the Iowa State line.
NEW DEAL.
The next election was held in May, 1838, and this election was of more local importance, being for the election of justices of the peace for Muddy Creek township. Three of these necessary adjunets to civilization were placed upon a ticket and elected. Their names were John Thrailkill, Samnel Benson and Wm. Cochran. In 1839, General or Dr. Wm. P. Thompson, of Sugar Creek township, and D. H. Dunkerson, of Jefferson township (but a part of that township included congressional township fifty-nine, range twenty-five), were elected county judges of Livingston county, and among the first acts of that Livingston County Court, of which Dr. Thompson was the presiding judge the next two years, was to cnt up these two townships, whose limits extended to the Iowa State line, into several smaller ones, of which the names and metes and bounds will be found in the general history of Grundy county. Yet this part of the township was still known as Muddy Creek township, so far as the records are concerned, until the organ- ization of the county, January 29, 1841. The first school land ordered sold in Grundy county, was in August, 1838, and the land was the sixteenth section in Trenton, township sixty-one, range twenty-four. The first road laid out in Grundy county was from Chillicothe, in Livingston county, through the present township of Trenton, to the south line of section thirty- five, of congressional township sixty-one, of range twenty-four. The peti- tion to view said road was granted Angust 20, 1838, and the reviewers appointed were James Conner, William Evans and Francis Preston. Geo. Tetherow presented the petition, and right where that road stopped was where the said Geo. Tetherow, three years later, made his gallant fight for the location of the county seat. It looks as if Mr. Tetherow had a pretty long head, and made his caleulations sometime before it was necessary to carry them out. James S. Lomax got his license for selling goods and liquor at retail in 1838, and from the month of June, that year, the city of Trenton was first named, though for several years after it was known as Lomax Store, and was so quoted in all legal documents. ,It was also called Bluff Grove, but no legal documents have been found with that name on them. The first school section organized in Grundy county was in Trenton town- ship, in June, 1840. James R. Merrill was appointed school-commissioner, and Martin Winn and Samnel Benson were appointed school-inspectors. They were to meet at Lomax Store, at the house of James S. Lomax. It is thus seen that Trenton township, or what is now known as Trenton, was the initial starting point of nearly every important step in the onward prog- ress of the county. All this, of course, was in a measure the result of its
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
central location, and the fact that the business of the county seemed to drift naturally to this point. The township settled faster and improved more rapidly than any other part of the county, and where Trenton town- ship is spoken of at that time in its history, the greater part of the present township of Lincoln was included.
STEADY PROGRESS.
The organization of the county and the permanent location of the county seat which was decided in the December term of the Circuit Court in 1841, the case of Tetherow having been at that term thrown out of court, gave stability to the town of Trenton which then began to grow, and from that time on there was but little to record in the history of the township. New settlers arrived, and when the Mexican War broke out this township led in the number of recruits and the first company was organized in this town- ship. Not all were from here, but a majority over any other single town- ship in the county. And here again we find much of record that, while a part of the township history, is, perhaps, more correctly placed in that of the county where it will be found. The wild rush for the golden-shore in 1849 and 1850, found many from this township added to the throng who made their way to the land of promise, and many who left found homes in the new State on the wild Pacific shore. Jas. S. Lomax, whose name is familiar to all in the early history of the county, and who stood prominent and foremost in pushing forward the interest of Trenton township and town, is still a resident of that far off clime. Daniel Devaul, whose name is also identified prominently with Trenton's early history, remained in that conn- try, and was buried in 1871 in the land of his adoption. Other names might be added until the list would number a score or inore of familiar names.
In September, 1850, the township line of Trenton was extended to the center of the ridge or divide between Honey and No creeks, but as the early record was destroyed, just how much was added to her territory is not known, though her eastern boundary may have been the range line between 24 and 23. There were elections every year for justices, etc., but still there was little of moment transpired in the township for several years. The court-house was built, and a public well was dug on the northeast cor- ner of the square in 1855.
THE COMING STORM.
Of course the mutterings of the coming storm which made our land a house of mourning began to be heard. The few years of peace and pros- perity were rapidly drawing to a close and the land so happy and fruitful was to drink deep, and of the bitter dregs of a fratricidal strife. These were dark days, full of bitterness, of crime and of woe. This section was not 20
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
so heavily cursed as when the footprints of armed men met in unhallowed strife, but mistrust and unnatural feeling were paramount until long after the white-robed angel of peace had closed her wings over all this broad land. What Grundy county did in the cause of the Union is a record of the several townships, and in the county history will be given all that can be gathered of the part the county took in the civil war.
The board of education of Trenton township seem to have been in want of funds when the war closed, and borrowed of the school fund $1,350, No- vember, 1866. It was this year that the first inception of an agricultural and mechanical association found expression. Before the present fair grounds were purchased they held two fairs on the high ground where Prospect Street is, and northwest of it west of Elm Street. These were the first fairs held in the county. Trenton township's farmers were largely rep- resented in its inauguration, they having taken the initiatory steps to give it a corporate existence. The success of this agricultural institution will be found fully recorded in the history of the county. It has been of no small benefit to Trenton township.
RAILROAD.
The railroad fever continued until the securing of a road was effected, when there was a rest preparatory to making another trial. This soon caine along when the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad started west to grow up with the country. Numerous propositions were voted on and carried, and had the company been able to come, west a few years sooner they would have secured several thousand more dollars than they received. The progressive spirit which had all along governed the people of this township was ex- hibited toward this last road as toward the first. That spirit has been one of liberality, and has made Trenton township the most populous and wealthy in the county. Railroads sometimes kill a town, commercially speaking, but they always build a county, and Trenton township can thank the railroads and the press for her wealth and prosperity, more than any other . two combinations of business within her borders. Railroads and the press are the pioneers of true civilization. A county that has neither may grow, but in comparison with a county which has these great engines of civiliza- tion, that growth would seem like decay. Trenton township started for- ward in the race for wealth rapidly after she had secured railroad commu- nication, and she showed her faith by her works for she subscribed largely.
QUINCY, MISSOURI & PACIFIC RAILROAD).
Perhaps we can not to better advantage show to the people of future generations the spirit which actuated the people of Grundy county in her material progress and her determined enterprise, than to copy into this his- tory an article from the Trenton Republican on the raising of $40,000 for
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad. The company had demanded the above sum and the right of way, and it had to be raised by private sub- scription, and the new constitution prevented a heavier taxation than a certain per cent for any purpose. We give article, headlines and all. It was pub- lished August 12th, 1880. It is as follows:
" It is Raised-Ilip, Hip, Hurrah ! ! !- The Future of Trenton Secured -The Town of North Missouri-$40,000 in Good Notes Secured- Firing of Cannon-Waving of Flags-Torchlight Procession, Speeches, Music, Singing, etc., etc.
"The past three weeks have been one continual excitement over the raising of the necessary money to secure the Quiney, Missouri & Pacific Railroad, but nothing in Trenton has ever compared with the effort for the past three days. Last Saturday night when the notes were all footed up, there were not quite twenty thousand dollars. When the people assembled at the court- house, Judge Moberly's subscription for five hundred dollars was announced and then the work commenced. Nat Shanklin doubled from five hundred to a thousand in addition to the five hundred of Mr. Anstin's already sub- seribed. Dr. Kerfoot, J. B. Carnes, W. H. Hubbell, Fitterer & Hoffman, Wmn. Holt and many others commenced raising one, two and three hundred, so that when the meeting adjourned it was in the neighborhood of twenty- eight thousand. Resolutions were passed requesting all business houses to keep closed Monday and Tuesday until two o'clock each day, and then open only two hours, so that everybody could work for the railroad. The order was carried out with one or two exceptions. An executive committee was appointed to have charge of the management of the work. Men were sent every direction into the country to work Monday and Tuesday. Farmers quit their work and joined the canvassers and when Tuesday night came only a few thousand were lacking. Tuesday night the most enthusiastic meeting of all was held and the amount swelled up to $39,060, when on motion of Col. Shanklin the meeting adjourned until next morning at eight o'clock, to push the work until the last dollar was raised, which was not done ยท until late last night. Mr. Rowland, secretary of the company, came Mon- day morning and telegraphed Mr. Green to be here Tuesday night. He came, but not in time to see the excitement, until Wednesday morning.
"A grand work has been done. One of the best roads in the west has been secured. Direct route to Quiney, St. Louis, Chicago, Toledo and all points east.
"The people have worked hard and nearly all contributed liberally. We would love to mention some of the names of those who have worked hard from the start, but it would not do to discriminate. Would love to mention some of the liberal subscribers, not those who have given the most, but most according to their means, but we must not even do that. Nearly all
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