The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county, Part 14

Author: Union Historical Company
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1068

USA > Missouri > Jackson County > The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county > Part 14

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The climate of Missouri is very changeable, the changes of temperature being frequent and sudden, varying often fifty or sixty degrees in a few hours. Great precaution is, therefore, necessary to adapt the apparel so as to be little affected as possible by these sudden vicissitudes, and I would advise those whose business requires them to be at such a distance from the dwellings as to be unable to change their clothes readily, to suffer the inconvenience of being uncomfortably warm for a time rather than run the risk of exposure to these sudden changes when thinly clad. Woolen clothing, therefore, is preferable to lighter fabrics even in summer.

Dwelling houses should be so constructed as to have free ventilation in every part from cellar to garret, and especial care should be taken that houses without cellars should be somewhat elevated from the ground with openings sufficient to admit the free circulation of air under them and these should be open in summer. In damp, rainy weather fires should be made occasionally to dispel the dampness and dry the rooms. They also serve to purify the air by producing a draught or current of air which carries off the impure atmosphere which is generated, especially in sleeping rooms, and for these reasons small fires night and morning will be found beneficial. It is improper to close sleeping apartments at night so as entirely to exclude the air, especially when the atmosphere is dry. Yet we

should avoid sleeping with a current of air blowing over us. It is better to open the upper sash of windows which will generally admit sufficient external air and carry off that which has become heated and impure. Exposure to cold and damp air especially in the latter part of the night and early morning should be avoided, and if this kind of exposure is necessary it is better to fortify the body by taking a quantity of food, say a cup of coffee with a little bread before going out, and this is more especially necessary during the prevalence of epidemic. Indeed it is better, especially with farmers and others engaged in outdoor labor, to have breakfast before commencing the labors of the day. In the latter part of summer there are very heavy dews and care should be taken to avoid having the feet and legs wet with them, as is frequently the case, and as a rule it is better not to go out before sunrise in the morning. Long contiued exposure to midday sun and

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

heat should also be avoided. Meals should be regular and all unripe fruits and substances difficult of digestion should be avoided. Cleanliness is also an import- ant item, both in person and in habitation. The accumulation of water in cellars and low places as well as all kinds of garbage, decaying animals and vegetable substances should be carefully guarded against. A free use of lime, both by whitewashing houses and cellars and spreading in damp places, will also tend to purify the air and promote health. Cesspools and drains can be purified and deodorized by lime and a strong solution of sulphate of iron thrown into them. Shades about dwellings are very pleasant and promotive of health, but the trees should not be so close together that the sun cannot have access to the ground , at some time during the day.

CHAPTER IV.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

Fort Osage started in 1808-State admitted in 1821 -- County organized 1826-Different settlements in the County- The names of the voters in Jackson County in 1828-The vote for -Gen. Jackson -Examples of Ancient Records.

Fort Osage was established as a government fort and factory in 1808. Around the fort a tract of land six miles square was laid off, upon which a limited number of white settlers were permitted to locate in order to raise supplies for the fort. Hon. Geo. C. Sibley, late of St. Charles, was government factor and agent from 1818 until the abandonment of the fort in 1825. By treaty with the Osage, Kan- sas and other tribes, the Indians' title to nearly all the territory of Missouri was extinguished in 1808, excepting a strip twenty-four miles wide lying eastward. from the western boundry of the State and extending from the Missouri River south into the territory of Arkansas. The eastern line of this strip was a few miles east of Fort Osage and in it lay nearly all of Jackson county. The Indian title to the strip including an immense territory lying westward was extinguished in 1825.

The treaty was as follows :

" JUNE 2, 1825.

" Art. Ist. The Great and Little Osage tribes or nations do hereby cede and relinquish to the United States all their right, title, interest and claim to land lying within the State of Missouri and territory of Arkansas and to all lands lying west of said State of Missouri and territory of Arkansas north and west of the Red River, south of the Kanzas River, and east of a line to be drawn from the head sources of the Kanzas, southwardly, through the Rock saline, with such reserva- tions, for such considerations, and upon such terms, as are hereinafter specified, expressed and provided for."

June 3d, 1825, a treaty was concluded with the Kansas Indians ceding territory to the United States described as follows :

"Art. I. The Kanzas do hereby cede to the United States all lands lying within the State of Missouri, to which the said nation have title or claim lying west of said State of Missouri and within the following boundaries: Beginning at the entrance of the Kanzas River into the Missouri River, from thence north to the northwest corner of the State of Missouri, from thence westwardly, to the

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Nodewa river thirty miles from its entrance into the Missouri, from thence to the entrance of the Big Nemahaw river into the Missouri, and with that river to its source, from thence to the source of the Kanzas river, leaving the old village of the Pania Republic to the west, from thence, on the ridge dividing the waters of the Kanzas river from those of the Arkansas to the western boundary of the state line of Missouri, and with that line, thirty miles to the place of beginning."

"The settlers who had been previously stopped in their westward progress at the eastern confines of this strip of land, immediately made a general rush into the new purchase. The next year (1826) a census was taken preliminary to establishing a general county organization. The county records show the cost of taking this census by Jabob Gregg, still a resident of the county, to be ten dollars for ten days services. In 1821, Francis G. Choteau established a trading post on the south bank of the Missouri River about three miles below the present site of. Kansas City. He brought his wife and family all the way from St. Louis to the post in canoes and pirogues, the journey occupying over twenty days. By the great flood of April, 1826, every vestige of his improvements were swept away, and the post was transferred to a point on the Kansas River six miles above the mouth. A few years later several Frenchmen, who were mountain trappers, with their Indian families settled along the Missouri River below the mouth of the Kansas. The county was organized December 15th, 1826, and July 2d, 1827, the first county court was held at Independence, Henry Burris presiding and Abraham McClellan and Richard Fristoe associate judges, L. W. Boggs, after- ward governor, clerk. The commissioners, the same month, located the county seat at Independence. Although the timbered portion was soon quite thickly settled, various causes contributed to retard the development of the county, and principally the fact that a large portion of the finest lands were for many years withheld from sale. On the Blue River thirty-six sections were selected for educational purposes for the Kansas Indians, as provided in the treaty of 1825, and a still larger amount under an act of Congress donating public lands to Mis- souri for seminary purposes. These last were sold in 1832 and the proceeds applied to the state University at Columbia. That portion of the public land not reserved for other purposes was offered at public sale on November 11th, 1828. Another drawback arose in 1830 in a bitter feud between the original settlers and the Mormons who emigrated in large numbers and settled in Jackson county. They entered several thousand acres of land, mostly west of Independence, professed to own all things in common, though in reality their bishops and leaders owned everything, especially the land titles, and established a Lord's Store-house in Independence, where the few monopolized the trade and earnings of the many. They published the Evening Star, the first newspaper in the county-in which- appeared weekly installments of 'revelations,' promising wonderful things to the faithful, and denouncing still more wonderful things against the ungodly Gentiles. The result was that the Gentiles threw the press and type into the Missouri River, tarred and feathered the Bishop and two others on the public square at Indepen- dence, and otherwise maltreated the Saints who retaliated upon their adversaries 'smiting them hip and thigh' at every good opportunity. On October 31st, a deadly encounter took place two miles east of Westport, in which two citizens and one Mormon were killed. The Mormons routed their enemies, and elated with victory determined to destroy that wicked place, Independence, which had been the scene of their sorest trials. A 'revelation' ordered the work of destruction and promised victory. They marched during the night, and soon after daylight of November 2d, arrived one mile west of the town, but the Gentiles pouring in from all quarters met them at that point and forced them to lay down their arms and leave the country in 24 hours, which they did, crossing the Missouri, Novem- ber 3d, 1833."

The above was written for the Gazetteer of Missouri by one of Jackson

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

county's oldest and most prominent settlers, hence we have given it entire as showing exactly what an old pioneer had to say of that locality in which he took such a lively interest. Then again old settlers themselves will accept it as more authentic than the writings of one who has only lived in this county sufficient time to compile this work. The following short extract is found in the Historical Atlas of Jackson county, published by Brink, McDonough & Co., in the year 1877 :

" Jackson county was not settled or organized at as early a date as some others adjoining it. The territory embraced within its limits together with that of Cass, Bates and a part of Carson was occupied by the Osage Indians. Their title was extinguished by treaty with the government during the summer of 1825. However its first occupancy by white men dates back to the year 1808, when the government purchased from the Indians a tract of land six miles square which was afterward known as the ' Six Mile,' a name which that territory still contin- ues to bear. This purchase was embraced within the limits of the Missouri River, Fire Prairie and Little Blue. A fort was erected upon it during the same year, and military garrison established which derived its name from the tribe of Indians called 'Osage.' The site of the fort was on a bluff of the Missouri River and a short distance from where the town of Sibley now stands. At the beginning of the war with England in 1812, this fort was evacuated, and again re-occupied after the war until 1822 when it was finally abandoned. During the occupancy of this fort a few white families were encouraged by its officers to settle on the adjacent territory. After the removal of the troops immigration commenced filling up the country with great rapidity. The Indians were removed during the summer of 1825 and in the autumn of that year all the timbered portion of the county west of the Little Blue was partially occupied. The first settlers were principally from other portions of the State, but during the following year large immigrations from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, etc., augmented the population rapidly. During that year an application was prepared to submit to the Legislature for county organization, and the census of the district was taken. The 'Blue County,' as it was then called, was attached for civil and military purposes to Lafayette county and in the year 1826, at a general election, Abraham Mcclellan, of ' Six Mile,' and Silborn W. Boggs, of the same place, were returned as representatives to the Lower House of the Legislature. The ensuing Assembly passed an act organizing the county, which was approved December 15th, 1826, and Daniel Ward and Julius Emmons, of Lafayette county, and John Bartleson, of Clay county, were appointed Commissioners for the purpose of locating the County Seat. These gentlemen failed to comply with that portion of the act under which they were appointed requiring them to fix the future capital within three miles of the center of the county. The prevailing opinion at that time and for many years afterward, in which these worthy Commissioners appear to have participated, that the magnificent savannahs which spread out in supernal beauty over that desig- nated 'center,' was utterly useless for any agricultural purposes and would remain unsettled to the end of time, and following the line of settlement which was confined to the 'timber,' they located their seat of justice on the 29th day of March, 1827, in the southwest quarter of section two, township 49, in range 32, and gave it the name which it has since borne, that of ' Independence.'

. " On the 22d day of January; 1827, the Legislature appointed Abraham McClelland, Richard Fristoe and Henry Burris as presiding judges of the county. These officers held their first session and were sworn in on the 21st day of May following. These orders at that session provided for the division of the county into three townships, Fort Osage on the East, Kaw on the West and Blue in the center. The first deriving its name from the Fort referred to, the second from the Kaw or Kansas River, and the third from Blue River, which was named from the color of its waters. They likewise ordered that a plat of the county seat

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

should be made and presented to the court, which was done and approved on the first day of the following June. At the same session the following named persons were appointed Justices of the Peace: Wm. J. Baugh, Jesse Lewis and Joel P. Walker, for Fort Osage ; Wm. Yates, Lewis Jones, James Chambers and William Silvers, for Blue ; Samuel Johnson and Andrew P. Patterson, for Kaw township.

The first session of the Circuit Court was held at the house of John Young, near where the Ross House now stands, on the 29th day of March, 1827, in Inde- pendence, and was presided over by Judge David Todd, of Howard county.

Its first clerk was Robert Wilson, of Howard county, who was the appointee of the Judge and accompanied him for that purpose. It appears that this gentle- man was so unfavorably impressed with what he regarded the rough exterior and uncultivated manners of the people, and the unfavorable prospects of ultimate civilization and refinement, that he gave up his position in disgust. He was suc- ceeded by Mr. Samuel C. Owens, who served in that capacity for many years.

Subsequent to the survey of the county an act was passed by Congress granting to the State of Missouri a certain amount of land for seminary purposes. A large port on of that land was selected in the vicinity of Independence, and the best lands of the county were thus reserved for settlement and held at $2.00 per acre. This militated to some extent against its early improvement. There were likewise two townships in the eastern part of the county, 49 and 50 in range 30, which was not opened for purchase for about fifteen years after the organiza- tion of the county. This likewise retarded its early settlement and improvement. " Lost townships" have a singular history. They were situated in the southwest- ern part of the county and known as "High Blue," and were not surveyed or sectionalized in the original survey. The officer reported to the government that as they were mostly "prairie" he did not think they would pay the expense of bringing them into the market, and further, that in attempting to run some lines through them he found the pressure of some powerful magnet which so influenced his compass as to make survey impossible. An amusing story is told in this con- nection by some old settlers, from which it appears the surveyor in "knocking around" came up one evening to a small distillery on the banks of the "Sni," and being of a familiar turn of mind he was soon on the most excellent terms with the distiller, and before leaving was so hospitably entertained that he lost his hat and field notes, which were discovered by an old sow and effectually demolished. Ashamed of his loss, and not wishing to go over the ground again, this faithful official made the report as above stated. We cannot undertake to decide whether it was the head or the compass of this surveyor which was so much disturbed, the result is all we have to deal with, and we know that was to keep this land out of market from fifteen to twenty years after the other portion of the county. This, however, did not entirely prevent its settlement, as it appears that it was finally offered by the government. It was dotted over by finely impoved farms, and is now one of the best portions of the county. All difficulties in the way of settle- ment being at length removed, the county augmented in wealth and numbers very rapidly.

It is evident from all sources that the first settlement was at Fort Osage, on the Missouri River, afterward called Sibley. The government had established this for the purpose of frontier defense, and also to trade with the Indians. It is understood that Lewis and Clark made their discoveries along this county's north- ern border in the year 1804, and Fort Osage was established four years later. For nearly twenty years there were no important permanent settlements within the limits of the county, but just as soon as the Indian title was extinct the county was settled and organized. At Fort Osage there was a ferry across the Missouri River and all along to the present time it has been more or less used for crossing. Settlements were afterward made in the neighborhood at Blue Mills,

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

and what was known as the " Hudspeth Settlement." This was eight or ten miles a little north of east, of Independence, on the road to Sibley. William Hudspeth, William Franklin, Christopher, Joel and Richard Childs, Thomas Potts, Sr., and Jr., David Bittle, Lynchburg Adams, Lewis Franklin, Jesse Morrow, William Huntsucker, John Hambright, Michael Rice, and many others, were among early and prominent settlers of that vicinity. A mill was built and operated on the east side of Little Blue by Michael Rice. At an early day a school was taught in the neighborhood by Geo. S. Parks. In this vicinity was built the first church in the county, called the "Six Mile Baptist Church."

Settlements were next made at Independence, then at Westport, then Lone Jack, then Blue Springs, then Kansas City, and many other points, such as New Santa Fe, Hickman's Mills, Stony Point, Wayne City, Oak Grove, Pink Hill, Greenwood, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Buckner, and others.

The early settlements were all in or near the timber or some spring of water, the settlers thinking the prairie land not only difficult to be subdued, but actually worthless as far as agricultural purposes were concerned. When they first com- menced breaking the prairie they used the " barshear " plow, to which they at- tached from four to eight yoke of oxen. Independence was located for the seat of justice in March, 1827, and from that time it became the most important point in the county, both in size and business. Soon the Santa Fe trade, of which more particular mention will hereafter be made, sprang up, and soon rendered Inde- pendence a growing city of extensive commerce on the prairie. Among some of the early settlers were John O. Agnew, Solomon Flournoy, Robert Rickman, William Lawrence, Leonard H. Renick, Henry Baker, Samuel C. Owens, John R. Swearengen, Russell Hicks, John W. Moodie, Reuben Wallace, Joseph H. Reynolds, Samnel Weston, Robert Weston, John Lewis, Richard McCarty, Lewis Franklin, Allen Chandler, S. D. Lucas, Richard Friscoe, John McCoy, William McCoy, Alexander Todd, Henry Ruby, Reuben Ruby, and others. After a correct enumeration in the fall of 1834, it was found that the town of Indepen- dence contained just 250 inhabitants.

At an election held in the court house at Independence, August 4, 1828, there were 231 votes cast for John Miller for Governor. The following is a ver- batim copy of the abstract of the votes :

"STATE OF MISSOURI, COUNTY OF JACKSON, Township of Blue,

"An abstract of the votes given at a general election held at the court house in the town of Independence, in the County of Jackson, and Township of Blue, on the first Monday in August, the same being the fourth of said month, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.

John Miller, for governor, two hundred and thirty-one (231) votes.

Alexander Buckner, for lieutenant-governor, one hundred and fifty-two (152) votes.

Alexander Stuart, for lieutenant-governor, twelve (12) votes.

Felix Scott, for lieutenant-governor, one (1) vote.

Daniel Dunklin, for lieutenant-governor, two (2) votes.

Samuel Perry, for lieutenant-governor, forty-six (46) votes.

Spencer Pettis, for representative to congress, two hundred and thirty-one (231) votes.

William Carr Lane, for representative to congress, five (5) votes.

Edward Bates, for representative to congress, one (1) vote.

Lilborn W. Boggs, for state senator, one hundred and eighty-three (183) votes.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Richard Linville, for state senator, one hundred and eighty-three (183) votes. William D. McRay, for state senator, two (2) votes.

Ware S. May, for state senator, three (3) votes.

Abraham McClellan, for state legislature, fifty (50) votes.

Smallwood V. Nolan, for state legislature, one hundred and six (106) votes. Robert Johnson, for state legislature, seventy-five (75) votes.

Joseph R. Walker, for sheriff of Jackson county, ninety-eight (98) votes.

Richard B. Chiles, for sheriff of Jackson county, twenty-eight (28) votes.

Isaac Drake, for coroner of Jackson county, thirty-eight (38) votes.

Eli Roberts, for coroner of Jackson county, one hundred and eighty (180) votes.

"We, the undersigned, judges of the election held at the time and place above designated, do certify that the preceding is a correct and fair abstract of all the votes given, and that the number annexed to each individual name is the amount of votes respectively given to each person. Given under our hands, this fifth day of August, in the year aforesaid.

SAMUEL WESTON, Clerks of Election. SAMUEL C. OWENS, AARON OVERTON, WILLIAM YATES, S. G. FLOURNOY,

Judges of Election.

STATE OF MISSOURI, COUNTY OF JACKSON, Township of Blue.

"I, Isaac Jones, a justice of the peace within and for the county and township aforesaid, do certify that Aaron Overton, William Yates and Solomon Flournoy, as judges of the foregoing election, and Samuel Weston and Samuel C. Owens, as clerks of said election, were each of them sworn according to law, prior to their entering upon their duties. Given under my hand this fifth day of August, I828. LEWIS JONES, J. P."

The following are the names of those voting at the aforesaid election :

" A poll-book of a general election held at the court house in the town of Independence, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, on the first Mon- day in August, 1828.

NAMES OF VOTERS :

Edwin T. Hicks, Wm. Moon, Jesse Butler, David Burris, Mulse Box, John Moore, Hiram Wilburn, Edward Wilburn, Samuel Sweet, Britian Williams, Elder League, Joseph Kenyon, John Silvers, William Noland, Joshua Yates, Mark Foster, Jamison D. Dicky, James Wood, Paul Pulkit, John Baxter, James Roth- well, William Nolan, George H. Arnold, William Davis, Peter Hart, Richard Canada, Doctor Smith, Enoch Shepherd, Thomas Burgen, Edward Bradley, Ashford D. Nolan, John Gibson John Drummond, John Burgen, Jesse Moon, Daniel Kink, Ira Smith, James Ross, Phillip Russell, Jason L. Dickey, Wright Akeman, Thomas Pitcher, William Burgen, John R. Swearingen, John Fitzhugh, James Shepherd, Jr., Joseph Moon, John Proctor, Solomon Fitzhugh, William Bledso, John Tucker, Joshua Nolan, Nicholas Proctor, James Baxter, Hermon Brigham, Samuel Kimzly, Larkin McCarty, Jacob Wells, Hugh Patten, John Wiseman, James Shepherd, Sr., James McCarty, Dabney Johnston, Jacob Powell, Henry Nolan, Jr., James Brock, Jesse Overton, Henry Nolan, Sr., Robert Aull, Jonathan Cameron, Greenberry Pitcher, Michael McClellan, Andrew Tibell, Daniel P. Lewis, John Young, James W. McClellan, Levi Yates, Richard Fristoe, Isaac Donahoe, Thomas Riddle, John Cook, David Reed, Joshua Anderson,

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The History of Jackson county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Jackson county in the late warhistory of Missouri, map of Jackson county, Part 14

Author: Union Historical Company Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Union historical company Number of Pages: 1068

Author: Union Historical Company
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1068