USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 63
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
ginia, on the 11th of May, 1856. They have four sons: Thomas A., who is a lawyer at Trenton; William Wirt, also a lawyer at Trenton; Evermont Ward, a medical student, having attended one full course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa; and Robert Pickett, now in his thirteenth year.
CHAPTER XXII.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP.
Its Municipal Boundary-Woodland, Prairies and Running Waters-Its First Settlers- The Bain Settlement-Death of Riason Bain-Union Church-Trading with the In- dians-The First School and School-house-The First Church-New Settlers-War Period-When Organized-Public Serrants-Incidents-A Memorable Tramp-A Solid Note-Assessed Valuation-Biographies.
MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY.
Lincoln township, the most central township in the county, is bounded on the north by Franklin; east by Myers and Liberty; south by Trenton, and west by Harrison. It is six miles north and south, eight miles east and west, and has 30,720 acres of land.
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad passes through it from north to south, about two miles from its western border. It is watered by the Weldon River and by Muddy and Honey creeks. The Weldon River on the west, the Muddy in the center, and Honey Creek on the east. These streams pass entirely through the township north and south. A few springs are found, and the township, as may be seen, is well watered.
The land is very rich, casy of cultivation, and generous in its yield. It has some fine timber, and is composed of three-fifths wooded and of two- fifths prairie land.
It is the banner township for grapes and wine making, and has in it some of the finest apple orchards, both in size and in quality of the fruit, to be found in the county. The orchard of William P. Martin is especially worthy of notice for its size and its splendid quality of fruit.
Much of the history of the township will be found in the general history of the county, and in this special record there may be more or less of im- perfection. The old pioneer has forgotten many interesting incidents of those early days, and in many cases has forgotten a portion of others. While the general collection of facts will be found of interest and of a reli- able nature, we could have wished to present a more perfect record of their early trials. The author will here mention the names of Mr. Jesse Bain,
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
P. W. Bain, Capt. and Mrs. Jarvis Woods, B. B. Cornwell and Jacob Bain, for their great kindness and assistance rendered him in his search for facts.
The township of Lincoln was first settled in 1837. The first settlers pitch- ing their tents November 12th of that year. The colony consisted of the. following five families: Riason Bain, Samnel Kelso, Jesse Bain, Henry Foster and William Dille. Their camping ground was on the northwest quarter of section twenty-two, abont 300 yards east of the Bain school-house and about forty rods northeast of the residence of Jesse Bain. They trav- eled many hundred miles to reach their new home, and were water-bound and compelled to remain encamped several days on Shoal Creek, in Liv- ingston county, on account of high water. They spread their tents on a beautiful wooded ground, not far from the waters of the Big Muddy, within a short distance of each other. Here for six weeks they lived until their combined assault on the forest had secured them the timber for cabin homes placed upon their selected lands-each of the settlers having staked out a claim of 160 acres of government land.
. This band of pioneers had come from Ohio and Indiana; had left their native States, social life, the fertile soil and all the comforts of civilization, to make an habitation and a name in the then wilderness of the West. They made a home, and yet that spot of camping ground is still a wooded dell, and, in that section, is held almost sacred by the settlers. It is a portion of the farm of Mr. Jesse Bain, and lies within abont 300 yards of the Bain school-house.
The lands as selected made them neighbors, and the settlers passed the first winter, as all were passed in those early times, in hardship and hard work. They had a hand corn-mill which had been purchased of Daniel Devanl at Moore's settlement, on their way to their new home, and that was the only way they had to grind their corn, the principal article of food, unless they went to the nearest horse-mill, then located some twenty-six miles distant in Daviess county, at a place called Millport, which was also a post-office and a sort of trading-post, kept by Jesse Mornan. There was another mill at Navetown, in Livingston county, now called Spring Hill, twenty miles away, and started soon after the settlement of the up country. The few hand-mills to be found in the different colonies were limited in their opera- tions. The demand became greater as families moved in, and Millport and Navetown began to loom up in importance.
Navetown was a sort of trading-post and post-office, and at that time the only one that received a patronage. North of Livingston, county the trading was done with the currency of the country, which consisted princi- pally of deer skins, venison hams, honey, beeswax, muskrat and mink skins, with here and there a Spanish quarter or a Mexican dollar thrown in by way of variety. This was the situation for the first year. Some few families were.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
heard of in the east, but not near enough for neighbors. In the fall of 1838
the clearing began to assume the appearance of civilization. That fall some ten more families had gathered around the Bain-Kelso settlement, and
James Bunch put up a horse-mill in the Thompson settlement, about seven
miles distant, and over the river. This was better than going twenty miles
to mill, and the settlers took prompt advantage of this great accommoda-
corn, then the next, and so on. The mill was a pretty stout affair and Mr. motive power. The first hitched his horse to it, and ground out his bag of tion. Mr. Bunch furnished the mill but the pioneers had to produce the
Devaul and some others volunteered. They came back safe after seeing the few recruits were called for and Jesse Bain and Samuel Kelso, Daniel son. In the Mormon war, which broke out in Daviess county, that fall, a Bunch's principal business was to take in the toll during the grinding sea-
and progressive people. A new settlement had been building up rapidly idly appeared and the Big Muddy was flanked on both sides with a hardy Mormons scattered. The settlers were now hard at work, new comers rap-
on the east side, and farms had been staked out. The Kirkendalls, Stokes, Cochrans, Moores and Woods had made their homes there during the spring and summer of 1838. The farmers now began to feel at home. The gov-
enter the claims they had preempted, pay for the same and secure the ernment had surveyed the land and the settlers were ready and anxious to
deeds for their new homes. For the want of school-houses and churches, the settlers, in the spring of '38, united and under the lead of Mr. Riason Bain held class-meetings. This continued until late in summer, when the services of Rev. Thomas Peery were secured, who preached the first sermon ever heard in what is now Lincoln township, and at the house of Riason Bain. In August, 1839, Mr. Riason Bain died, and from that time on the Methodist organization began to decline, preaching only taking place occa- sionally. Soon after the Methodists had secured the services of Dr. Peery, the Presbyterians, under the lead of Mr. Samuel Kelso, engaged the Rev. Wm. Clark to preach for them. His first sermon was delivered at the house of Samuel Kelso. This service was continued until a church was built in 1855, generally once a month and always at Mr. Kelso's house. Camp-meet- ings were begun in 1840, and the ground these meetings, or one of them, were held on, was a part of the original camping ground of the first set- tlers. Some few log huts were built for the purpose and puncheon seats were made in the open air and under trees for the accommodation of visi- tors. These meetings generally lasted abont ten days, or if the spirit moved them lively, and it became extremely interesting, the sessions would hold for two weeks. This camp-meeting ground was used as such for many years. These gatherings were immense social affairs, and the camp-meeting was a necessity of the times. The friendly Indians of the Sacs and Iowa tribes used to make these camp-meeting huts their headquarters in winter,
37
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
for they still roamed the valley of the Grand River as a hunting ground. The chiefs of these hunting parties were Poweshiek, of the Iowas, Wa- pello, of the Foxes, Totomah and Thequa, belonging to the Sacs tribes. These tribes made their homes in this valley up to 1837.
The United States survey, which took in all the lands in the county, was made by General Lisbon Applegate, and one of his assistants in the survey of some twenty-four congressional townships was Capt. Jarvis Woods, yet an honored resident of Lincoln township.
From Captian Wood we learned of his first settlement and something of pioneer life in those days. Settlers being few and far between, each one had to rely on himself, and the more he was able to assume the position of jack-of-all-trades, the less of trials and vexation and more of success awaited him. The captain brought his own corn-mill, but it was no easy job for one man to turn it, although it was called a hand-mill. Flour could be purchased at Glasgow for the modest sumn of sixteen dollars per barrel, hanl- ing free to the seller, but as it was about ninety miles to Glasgow, and money hadn't got to growing on trees in those times, flour was not so plen- tiful as to make it one of the common necessaries of life, but was considered a luxury. Mrs. Wood used to tend garden, milk the cow, hoe potatoes, and when she hadn't anything else to do, went into the field and dropped corn. And this was what the pioneer women all did. They were not behind their husbands, fathers or brothers in their allotted work.
Wm. F. Cornwell moved to this township in October, 1838. His son, B. B. Cornwell, one of the best farmers in all that section, who is living to-day, came with him. He located one of the finest farms on the Big Muddy. The son is now living within a mile and a half of the old homestead, and has lived on the present farm thirty-one years. The settlers in those early days carried on quite a trade with the Indians. The latter were well pro- vided with amunition, furnished by Government traders, and the settlers got nearly all the powder and lead they used from them. The Indians bought skins from the settlers, and not only paid in powder and lead, but often had notions which they traded. This saved the old pioneers many a long, weary tramp, or ride, while it was in the Indian's line of business. It has been supposed by many that the whites sold the Indians their war and hunting supplies, but here are eases well vouched for that show it was the Indians who sold to the whites. These parties of friendly Indian hunters were well provided, and were able in many instances to take all the skins the settlers had to sell.
The first death in this township was that of Miss Emily M. Cochran, a young girl twelve years of age. The first coffin made held her remains. It was made of black walnut, the logs split, and then dressed with a broad-axe. After being put together it was waxed all over, the cracks filled in, then
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
smoothed and dressed with a hot iron. She was buried near the residence of B. B. Cornwell, in 1840.
The settlers in the township had got pretty well advanced. They had secured their homes, had made rapid headway in clearing their land, had in fact been a band of brothers, helping cach other by times. They were raising food enough for themselves and for their horses and cattle; the hogs roamed the woods, lived and fatted on mast, and it did begin to look as if a really prosperous future was before them. They began to think about school- honses and churches. The children had often been gathered at the houses or cabins of the neighbors to study, and had progressed in many instances so as to spell and read, but the want of schools was severely felt.
THE FIRST SCHOOL.
The first school taught in Lincoln township was by Amos Dille, a brother of Wm. Dille. His education was limited but he was capable of imparting the rudiments of education, or, as it was called in those days, their A B C's, and to read, write and cipher. He taught for three months in the falls of 1839-40. The following summer there was no school, but in the winter of 1840-41 Jefferson Forrest taught a session of three months. In the summer of 1841 John Sutton made his appearance and, being capable, was called upon to teach during the summer months; this he did to the general satis- faction. In the winter of 1841-42 another arrangement was made, and Jeffer- son Forrest coming back he was engaged to teach that winter and also the winter of 1842-43. All of these schools had been taught in the old deserted cabins of the settlers. The schools were now kept pretty regularly. Robert Houston followed Jefferson Forrest in the summer and fall of 1843, and the fact of his teaching is fresh in the minds of many of the boys of those days now grown to manhood. Those old forsaken and rudely-constructed huts still did duty as the seats of learning for several years. Henry Foster's was the first of these cabins which became known as an institution of learning, but there were several and all were free. Mr. Robert Speers came after Mr. Houston in 1847-48. Such is the record of Lincoln township's school days of early times. It was not much the children of those days had to brag of in the way of education, but what little time and opportunity came within their reach they improved.
FIRST SCHOOL-HOUSE.
The first school-house was built in the fall of 1849. It was located on the west bank of Muddy Creek, on section fifteen, east side, and about the center of the section north and south. There was nothing of beauty in the simple structure, it was rather substantial, but primitive in its style of archi- tecture. The logs were round, or nearly so, and dressed in their native bark; the windows were holes made and fenced around with logs; the fire-
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
place took up nearly one end of the building, and was composed of the best quality of Lincoln township mud, interlaced with a fine assortment of sticks. Logs were split into slabs and the roof was made, and held on by weight-poles; the floor was mother earth; puncheon seats and desks of the latest styles of the art, by the best backwoods artists of the day, were fur- nished free to the scholars. In fact, it was a work of love, and the school was free to all so far as the building was concerned. In winter, paper was put over the windows-it kept the cold out, but did not darken the room. The building was considered a great achievement at that time, and it was far superior to the deserted cabins of the old pioneers. A teacher was se- cured, and the parents who sent their children paid him. This building was used three winters, when it was given up, the school being again taught in the best vacant cabin in the neighborhood, until a log church and school- house, in a better location, and a better building, was put up in 1855.
THE FIRST CHURCH.
The settlers at last got together and concluded to erect a building that would answer for both church and school, although it afterward went by the name of the " Log Church." It was not particularly renowned for the beauty of its finish, or the height of its spire, but it was a good comfortable house of worship, built of cottonwood logs, primitive in its inside arrange- ment and finish, with puncheon floor, seats and desks. It served for school and church purposes for six years, when it burned down. It was supposed to have been set on fire, but no investigation was made. Church service was again held for several years at the houses of the settlers, each taking turns. The church burned had been the joint property of the Methodists and Presbyterians.
It was not until 1868 that the next house of worship was built. The settlers once more united and determined to have a church. There had, by this time, come into the district Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans, and the members of the four denominations united and built a union church at the cost of $800; each denomination holding services once a month. It was a neat frame building, exclusively for church pur- poses, and was nicely arranged inside with seats, and desk and platform for the minister. It was built on the site of tlie one burned down, and was called the Kelso Church. It still stands and is yet known by its first name. Its size was 36x42, and many who subscribed for its erec- tion, gave labor, some lumber, and some money; each was valued at its market price, and allowed on their subscription. All could not pay money, but they could furnish labor and lumber, or whatever they had, and the church was completed without a jar, all fulfilling their parts nobly and well.
The new settlement on the east side of the Muddy built, in the year 1858,
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
a Presbyterian church, and it was called the Paint Lick Church. This was a frame building, some 30x40 feet in size, and was as well arranged as could be, for the times. It flourished exceedingly well until the breaking out of the civil war, in 1861. This demoralized the whole country. At first the sentiment was pretty equally divided, recruits joining both north- ern and southern armies, but toward the close of the war a pretty solid Union sentiment had taken place. Winchell Chapel was erected by the Methodists soon after the building of the Kelso Church, and about two miles from the same-a neat and, from its location, a pleasant place of worship. It was used both as church and school for a few years, and was · about midway between Muddy and Honey creeks. The building has long since been vacated and destroyed. Its place is still vacant.
NEW SETTLERS.
There were two immigration periods in the history of Lincoln township worth recording. These were the years 1851 and the fall and winter of 1865 -66. The flow of settlers, in 1851, came principally from Kentucky, and the last were from Ohio and Michigan. These were the exceptional years, but there was a pretty steady arrival of new settlers for several years. They also came better prepared in worldly wealth, and were valuable acquisitions to the population of the township.
THE WAR PERIOD.
This proved a very unfortunate, as well as demoralizing period in the history of the township and county. Lincoln furnished volunteers for both sides, and neighborly feeling received a rude shock. A regiment was raised for the Union army, and some two companies were formed for the Confederate forces. Captain John Coleman raised one of the companies which joined the southern army. In both armies were to be found volun- teers from the township of Lincoln who were mustered in at Trenton. During this whole period of four years the township remained at a stand- still. Improvements were very slow, and little was undertaken, except raising the bare necessaries of life. Nothing was known as to the out- come, and gloom pervaded the hearts of the people. It was not the tramp- ing of armies, but the destruction of confidence, the loss of neighborly feeling, and the dark uncertainty of the future which conspired to depress the people and give to all minds a continual fear and foreboding of some future calamity. The war at last ended, and confidence began to be restored, but it came slowly. The influx of new settlers, however (spoken of before), who came in 1865-66, began to put a new face upon affairs, and the old settlers assumed a more cheerful and hopeful tone. The following year also proved a good one to Grundy county in the way of population. Quite a large German immigration came in from Illinois, and settled in the
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
county, and Lincoln received her portion of the strangers, and they have proved most valuable citizens. Judge V. Briegel, the most prominent among the German arrivals of that period, is one of the most progressive. and successful farmers of the county, and is a resident of Lincoln town- ship. The year 1868 opened prosperously and brightly for the settlers, and that year can be called the school year of the township. Never before or since has there been as many school-houses erected, as in 1868. They have quite a number of bridges in the township, the principal one crossing the Weldon river at or near McKeen's crossing. It was placed there at a cost of $2,000. There are several other bridges, one costing $300, another $226, and others still less. All are kept in good repair. The bridges are paid for. The amount necessary for bridge purposes was promptly raised, and is denominated the bridge fund.
WHEN MADE A TOWNSHIP.
The county court met in its regular term, November, 1872, for the pur- pose of organizing the county into municipal districts, as required by the new township organization law, which had become the law of the State .. Its bounds were defined by the judges as follows: All of township No. 62, of range 24, and sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32, of township No. 62, and range 23, was to be known as- Lincoln township. There are no towns of note in the district, and but one known by name, Tindall. It is a railroad station, has a de- pot building, six houses, a good-sized corn-crib, and a small cattle-yard. It is situated on rather low ground, the houses are comfortable, the gar- dens of good size, and the door-yards covering any amount of land required. This is Tindall, the metropolis of Lincoln township. Its mayor- and council, city marshal, railroad station agent and postmaster is repre -. sented in the person of J. P. Ward, a thorough business man and a court- eous gentleman.
ITS PUBLIC SERVANTS.
Its first registration officer was Edward Chambers, appointed by the' county court to register votes for the spring election of 1873. The judges of that election were Isaiah Brainerd, Valentine Briegel, Sen., and J. T. Wyatt. Under the new township organization law five county jus- tices were to be elected. One at large and one each from the four districts as arranged by the county court. Valentine Briegel, Sen., was elected from the county at large, a resident of Lincoln township. The first justice of the peace elected was James R. Devaul.
INCIDENTS.
One of the saddest affairs occurring in the county marked the annals of Lincoln township. It was the death of a young, intelligent and highly ed-
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
ucated lady, Miss Araminta J. Hossom, in the nineteenth year of her age. Her grace of person and sweetness of disposition had endeared her to all, her family and she were held in very high esteem by her neighbors and friends.
Her brother, a young man of excellent character and well educated, had been teaching a school at what was called the Veach school-house, some three miles from their home, and had been taken sick. He worried over it, and his sister told him that she would teach for him until he got well. He at first declined, but she insisted that he would get well quicker if he knew the school was going all right, and the change would be good for her, and so he consented. She rode the family horse to school, and that was the last time the family saw her alive.
She taught school that day, mounted her horse and started home. There was a bridge to cross, not over four feet high, and the creek had very little water, but was several inches deep in mud. The horse was blind in one eye and it is supposed that in stepping on the bridge he got too near the edge and Miss Hossom in trying to guide him nearer the center the animal backed off the bridge. The print was plain where the young lady first struck on her feet in the mud, but when the horse fell as she slid off, he seemed to have to have fallen against her, knocking her over with her face downward in the mud, and in his wild struggles rolled on her, smothering her to death before recovering his feet.
The horse got out and started for home, and passed the house of Mr. J. P. Ward, who, seeing no rider, the horse all covered with mud, and know- ing Miss Hossom had rode the animal to school, gave the alarm and started at once for the school-house to see what was the matter. In crossing the bridge he discovered the young lady lying face downward and pressed into the mud. He at once went to the rescue and raised her head but she gave no sign of life, and help coming the body was taken to the home she had left so bright and happy in the morning. It was indeed a heart-rending scene. Not only were her parents prostrated with grief, but the brother, in his anguish at his loss, accused himself of being her murderer. "If she had not gone to teach for me she would have been alive now," were his words, and notwithstanding all that could be done he mourned her loss until his self-accusing spirit found rest only in death. He survived his sister but ten days. And thus were two bright and loving children in the early blush of rising womanhood and manhood called away, and the sorrow-stricken par- ents left to mourn alone The parents are alone to-day but the sorrow of the past still abideth with them, and, it is plain to be seen, will, until in God's chosen time he calls them to meet the loved ones that have gone be- fore.
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