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 22

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 22

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The silvered locks of the lordly old man blended in the scene with the auburn curls of youth and beauty. Friends who had not seen each other for years shook hands in a warm and friendly grasp, and the deep, cheery tones, " How are you ?" and "God bless you my old and true friend," rendered the picture a pleasing and happy one. Relatives met after a lapse of many years and greeted each other with warm demonstrations of joy. The day itself was beautiful and of the right temperature for a pic-nic. The forenoon was spent entirely in hunting up old friends and relatives, and in pleasant converse. At twelve o'clock preparations were commenced for the pic-nic dinner. Baskets loaded to the fullest capacity, were brought from the wagons and buggies. The table cloths were spread on the grass and work of unburdening the baskets began. All over the southern por- tion of the grounds, groups, of five to twenty, were soon engaged in the pleas- ing pastime of devouring the good things prepared by the thrifty house-wife. There were no formalities about the meal ; everybody, stranger or friend, was in- vited to join and dine with one of the many groups, there was enough, and to spare. The generous hospitality tendered by the honest yeomanry of Missouri,

157

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

permitted no one to go away hungry. Chicken, ham, mutton chops, pies, cakes, pickles, jellies, ice-cream and all other edibles found in the house of the old set- tler, were on the bill of fare.

The preparations by the executive committee had been ample and complete, except the arrangement made for speakers Generals Doniphan and Atkinson did not arrive, and there were no orators of the day. The other arrangements, including chairs and seats provided in the grand stand, were most ample and satis- factory. Here was stationed the splendid band that discoursed excellent music all day long.

Wallace Laws Esq., had provided a large register, in which the names of the Old Settlers could be registered. Swings, lemonade stands, and other convenien -. ces, for pleasure and comfort were provided. About two o'clock it was announ- ced that some of the Old Settlers would make a few remarks on the subject of old times. Hon. Jacob Gregg, one of the Oldest Settlers in Jackson county, was the first speaker. He said that he came here a long time ago, among the first. He could remember when spinning-wheels and looms occupied almost the entire atten- tion of the female portion of the inhabitants; now such articles were a curiosity. He could also remember when on a Sabbath the young folks went to church, they carried their shoes and stockings in their hands, until within a short distance of the meeting-house, then sat down and put them on. He remembered when Kan- sas City was a corn-patch. No idea of its present dimensions entered the heads of the primitive settlers. He could have bought the entire land upon which the city now stands for a mere song.

Alexander Majors was the next speaker. Mr. Majors came here in the month of March, 1825. The Indians then owned all the lands in the western portion of the county. He was only old enough to drive a yoke of oxen and ride the near steer. The progress made by the county since he came here had been remarkable. The railroad in his time was something unheard of and the iron horse was en tirely unknown to the hardy pioneer. Mr. Majors made quite a lengthy speech, full of good points and interspersed with anecdotes that elicited laughter and ap- plause from all present.

John C. McCoy, one of the oldest residents of the county, then made a few remarks, winding up with the following :

"Sometime during the summer of 1829, half a century ago, when I was a youth about eighteen years old, I was standing in front of the principal hotel, kept by Ignatius P. Owens, in the small town of Fayette, Howard county, Mis- souri, listening to a conversation going on between two gentlemen, who were sitting on the sidewalk, under the shade trees. They were talking about the ' Great West'-the land we now live in: its prospects and its destiny. One of them was a merchant, I think, from Boonville, then a small village situated on the south bank of the Missouri River; the other was a tall, fine-looking young man, with sandy colored hair, approaching to red; if I mistake not, a young lawyer, who came west to cast his lot with the early pioneers. While sitting there, the gentleman from Boonville took from his pocket two cigars, and then also took from his pocket something, the like of which I had never before seen, and few, if any others, had ever seen west of the Mississippi River. He rubbed it on the sole of his boot, and lo ! there was combustion fire. It was the friction match, a new invention, and wonderful discovery of how to produce fire. Pre- vious to that, our resource to produce fire was the flint and steel, the punk and tinder. Fifty eventful years, with their lights and shadows, have come and gone since then. The tall, good-looking young man, who came to cast his lot with early pioneers, had remained, and been one of them to this day; their people have been his people, and their cause his cause, and their God his God. And now, my old friends, you will, no doubt, think that thus far this simple story is very tame and pointless ; and so it is; but I expect to be able to give it some in-

158

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

terest by pointing out to you, in this assembly, that tall, bright-haired Kentuck- ian, now the gray-haired veteran of three score years and ten, who I expected would make an address to the Old Settlers to-day-General A. W. Doniphan."

For some reason, General Doniphan could not be present, and the Old Set- tlers were not treated to his experiences.

Dr. Winfrey, an old pioneer of 1843, was the next speaker. The doctor said he crossed the Missouri River at St. Joseph, when that place was a little vil- lage. When he arrived here, there were only a few straggling houses, here and there, and little did he imagine, at that time, that Westport Landing, as it was then called, would ever amount to such a place as Kansas City is to-day. The · doctor dwelt upon the fact that the geographical situation of this city would make it a great metropolis in spite of anything that could result to the contrary. Fol- lowing the doctor's remarks, Martin Rice, of Lone Jack, Van Buren township, read the following original poem, which has since elicited the most favorable comments from all who have seen it. We deem it of great value, not only as a literary production from one of the Old Settlers, but also from the authentic his- tory it contains :

OLD SETTLERS' POEM.

BY MARTIN RICE.

'Tis almost half a hundred years, Since you and I, old pioneer, With aspirations free A home within this region sought; But who of us then dreamed or thought To see the many changes wrought, That we have lived to see ?

From different counties then we came ; Our object and our aim the same- A home in this far West. A cabin here and there was found, Perhaps a little spot of ground Inclosed and cleared, while all around In nature's garb was dressed.

Here then we saw the groves of green Where woodman's ax had never been- The spreading prairies too. Within these groves so dense and dark Was heard the squirrel's saucy bark ; The bounding stag was but the mark To prove the rifle true.

But all is changed and cabin's gone ; The clapboard roof with weight poles on, The rough hewn puncheon floor : The chimneys made of stick and clay Are seen no more ; gone to decay ; The men that built them, where are they ? I need not ask you more.

They're gone, but they're remembered yet, Those cabin homes we can't forget Although we're growing old :

159

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Fond memory still the spot reveres, The cabin homes of youthful years Where with compatriot pioneers We pleasure had untold.

The dense and tangled woodland too, The groves we often wandered though No longer now are there; The prairie with its sward of green With flowerts wild no more are seen, But farms with dusty lanes between Are seen where once they were.

Large towns and villages arise And steeples point toward the skies, Where all was desert then ; And nature's scenes have given place To those of art; the hunter's chase Has yielded to the exciting race Of speculating men.

The very spot on which we stand- This city, so superb and grand- How did we see it then ? How wild was that forbidden scene, The hills, with gorges thrown between, As if by nature it had been Made for a panther's den.

Those hills have since been leveled down, The gorges filled, the streets of town In all directions range ; The labors of ten thousand hands, The workingman from thousand lands, The energy that wealth commands, Have made the wondrous change.

Ah, what a change the pioneer In forty years has witnessed here; ( And things are changing still ; ) And streets and alleys then were not ; Its greatest thoroughfare was -- what ? A ground-hog walk or a possum trot Which led from hill to hill.

Ah, yes my friends, old pioneers, Full many a change within those years The country's undergone ; How many changes it's passed through- And we old friends are changing too- There's been a change in me and you And still that change goes on.

And when we think upon the past, Those friends whose lots with us were cast On this one wild frontier, And pass them all in our review,

160

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

As oftentimes in thought we do- Alas ! how very few Are there remaining here.

A few more years will come and go, As other years have done, you know ; And then-ah, yes, what then ? The world will still be moving on; But we, whose cheeks are growing wan, Will not be here : we'll all be gone From out the ranks of man.

Our places will be vacant here, And of the last old pioneer The land will be bereft. The places which we here have filled, The fields which we have cleared and tilled,

Our barns, though empty or though filled, To others will be left.

But ere we pass to that far bourn, From whence no traveler can return, We meet old pioneers. The few of us who yet remain, And we who here have met, would fain

Now clasp those friendly hands again, We clasped in by-gone years ..

In glad reunion now we meet, Each other once again to greet, And conversation hold ; And while we socially to-day A few brief hours may while away, Let us, although our heads are gray, Forget that we are old.

Let us go back-in memory, go Back to the scenes of long ago, When we were blithe and young ; When hope and expectation bright Were buoyant, and our hearts were light ; And fancy that delusive sprite Her siren sonnets sung.

And as we join in friendly chat, We'll speak of this and talk of that, And of the many things That have occurred within the land, Since first the little squatter band Came to this country, now so' grand, Before 'twas ruled by rings.

'Tis natural that we should think, While standing on the river's brink, How wide the stream has grown. We saw it when 'twas but a rill,

161

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Just bursting from the sunny hill ; And now its surging waters fill A channel broad, unknown.

'Tis natural and proper, too, That we compare the old and new- The present and past,- And speak of those old fogy ways In which we passed our younger days, Then of the many new displays That crowd upon us fast.

We little knew of railroads then, Nor dreamed of that near period when We'd drive the iron horse; And 'twould have made the gravest laugh, Had he been told but one-half The wonders of the telegraph- Then in the brain of Morse.

We did not have machinery then, To sow and reap and thresh the grain, But all was done by hand ; And those old-fashioned implements Have long ago been banished hence, Or rusting, lie beside the fence- No longer in demand.

Yes, there are grown up men I know, Who never saw a bull-tongue plow, A flail or reaping hook ; And who could not describe, you know, A swingling board or knife, although Their grandmas used them long ago, And lessons on them took.

The young man now would be amused To see some things his grandsire used, Some things he ne'er has seen. The way in which we clean our wheat, When two strong men with blanket sheet Would winnow out the chaff and cheat, And twice or thrice the thing repeat, Until the grain will clean.

The single shovel plow and hoe, To clean out weeds was all the show- We knew no better ways ; And now our sons would laugh to scorn Such poky ways of making corn, And bless their stars that they were born In more enlightened days.

They say the world is wiser grown, They've got the speaking telephone- Talks twenty miles or more.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

And preachers now may preach and pray To congregations miles away ; And thousand other things they say We never had before.

And yet I do not know but what The pioneer enjoyed his lot, And lived as much at ease, As men in those enlightened days With all their strange, new-fangled ways, Which wealth and fashion now displays, The mind of man to please.

'Tis true we did not live so fast, But socially our time was passed, Although our homes were mean. Our neighbors then were neighbors true, And every man his neighbor knew, Although those neighbors might be few And sometimes far between.

Ah, yes, old pioneers, I trow, The world was brighter then than now To us gray-headed ones. Hope pointed us beyond the vale, And whispered us a fairy tale Of coming pleasures, ne'er to fail Through all the shining suns.

Ambition, too, with smile so soft, Was pointing us to seats aloft, Where fame and honor last. We had not learned what now we know, The higher up the mount we go, The storms of life still fiercer blow, And colder is the blast.

That though we reach the mountain top; Fruition find of every hope, Or wear the victor's crown; Though far above the clouds we tread, There's other clouds still overhead, And on the mind there is the dread, The dread of coming down.

Ah, yes, Old Settlers, one and all, Whatever may us yet befall, We will not, can't forget, The simple, old fashioned plan, The routes in which our father's ran Before the age of steam began To run the world in debt.

And while we talk upon the past, Of friends who are dropping off so fast, And those already gone,

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

It may not be, my friends, amiss For each of us to this- The curtain of forgetfulness Will soon be o'er us drawn.

And though in glad reunion we Have met to-day, perhaps 'twill be A day of taking leave. And we who oft have met before, And parted in the days of yore, We'll part, perhaps, to meet no more When we shall part this eve.

The mind goes back through all the years- We call to mind the pioneers, Those bold and hardy men ; We pass them in the mind's review,

The many dead, the living few, Those unpretending settlers who Were our compatriots then.

Men who of toil were not afraid, Men who the early history made Of this now famous land; The men who ere the Mormons came This heritage so fair to claim, Were here prepared through flood and flame, Those claimants to withstand.

Sam. Lucas, Boggs and Swearingen, The Nolands and the Fristoes, then The Greggs, with Owens, two ; The Davises and the Flournoys, The Kings and Staytons and McCoys, And Dailey with his twenty boys- All these and more we know.

The Wilsons and the Adamses, The Irvings and the Lewises, The Webbs and the Fitzhughs, The Powells and the Harrises, The Walkers and the Barrises, The Bakers and the Savages, The Hickmans, Woods and Pughs.

Yes, some of these were noted men, Well known, and much respected then, Although their coats were plain ; And when in office they were placed, They proved themselves not double-faced- The people's trust was not misplaced, We need such men again.

We had our courts of justice then, A terror to dishonest men Who feared the halter's drop.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Judge Rayland then the courts could hold In full a dozen counties told, Decide the cases manifold, And keep with business up.

We had our lawyers too, but they, Or nearly all, have passed away, We expected one of them to-day -- A brave and goodly man ; But we are disappointed sore, That man of fame and legal lore,

Now we may never see here more- Brave Colonel Doniphan.

But where are all his old compeers ? The lawyers 'mongst the pioneers, Old French and Hicks and Young ? Where now are both the Reeces gone, And where is Hovey, noisy one, And where is David Atchison, That man of fiery tongue ?

They're gone, you say, 'tis ever thus, The men of note are leaving us, The men of greatest heft ; But when we pause and look around, A few whose heads are 'bove the ground, A few, perhaps, may still be found ; Sawyer and Woodson left.

And then we had our preachers too, And one of them I think you knew, And knew their christian worth ; And who of you that ever heard Good Joab Powell preach the word, But had his better feelings stirred By plain and simple talk.

Mckinney, Ferrell, Nelson too, Slayton, Warder and Fritzhugh, Tillery, Rice and Hill, And there was Elder Kavanaugh, And those of yore who ever saw Old Jimmy Savage, sure to draw A picture of him still.

Ah, yes, the preachers of those days Were noted for their simple ways, And some for style uncouth. But they are gone, they all are dead, Another class are in their stead, Much better paid and better read, But have they more of truth ?

But time would fail to speak of all Those changes that our minds recall .; The world is shifting strange,

165

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

And soon its shifting scenes will bear The last old pioneer to where His lost and loved companions are, Low in the silent grave.

But ere, my friends, we hence embark, We fain would place some lasting mark, Upon this mountain shore A mark the traveler may see In coming years and know that we

Have lived and passed the road that he May then be passing o'er.

When death's dark curtain shall be drawn And we old pioneers are gone, Let truthful history tell

To far posterity the tale, As down the stream of time they sail,

How we with motto " never fail " Came here and what befell.

Let history then impartial state The incidents of every date, And that it so may do,

Let pioneers of every age,

In this important work engage,

And each of them produce his page, His page of history true.

The incidents of early years, Known only to the pioneers, With them will soon be lost,

Unless before they hither go, Those incidents are stated so

Posterity the facts may knew, When they the stream have crossed.

The last speaker of the day was Rev. Father Donnelly who related some interesting personal reminiscenses of his early pioneer life in this county. Father Donnelly has been a Catholic priest in this county for many years.

OLD PERSONS PRESENT.

John Christerson, of Jackson county, can lay claim for being the oldest pioneer within its limits. He was born here in 1819 and has lived in the county ever since his birth, making a total residence of sixty-one years.

David Tyburn, of Clay county, comes next on the list. He is from Ken- tucky where he was an infant. The date of his arrival is also 1819, and he was reared in Clay county where he has lived about sixty-one years.

Margaret Christerson was the first white female child born in this county. This occurred in the year 1824 in what is now Sni-a-bar township. She is still a resident of the same township.

Adam Christerson has lived in Jackson county since 1825. He was born in 1794 and was the oldest man on the grounds. Alexander Majors of Platte county has resided there ever since 1825, and is sixty-six years old.

James Hunter has resided in Jackson county since 1829.

Edward Turner has lived in Clay county for the last fifty years.

166

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

REGISTERED LIST.

The following is a complete list of names registered, with date of coming to the county :

Walter Balis, Jackson county . 1831

James K. Sheley, “

1852

Martin Rice, 1833

county . . 1819

John Trenter, Jackson county . 1836

James Hunter, Jackson county . 1829

Alsom Renick, 1843

J. R. Fry, 66 1858

J. Farmer, Cass county . 1837 W. D. Steele, . 1851

Greenup Bird, Clay county 1831

Adam Christerson, " 66 . 1825

1836

Mrs. S. Chick, Saline 66

1822

John M. Hale,

. 1825

F. R. Lorey, Clay

1828

Alexander Majors, "

1825

J. M. Belcher, Jackson

. 1832

Jesse Davis,

. 1828

E. A. Hickman,

1840

Alexander Harris, "

1829

John Gunter, ·

1842

B. B. Cane, Cass

1834

Wm. McCraw,

. 1836

L. B. Leef, Jackson

1836

J. S. Davenport, 6

1833

Philip Weinger,

1838

J. A. Steele,

1844

R. L. Shanks,

1846

James Wilson, 66

1825

J. P. Withers,

1828

B. F. Duck, Jackson county

1852

Edward Tanner, Ray county N. W. Ashlog, Jackson county

1829

A. B. H. McGee, "

1828

B. F. Millis,

1849

Caleb Winfray,

1842

John Long, 66

1828

E. Marion,

1833

J. P. Henry,

1849

J. B. Forbs, 4. 66

1868

N. Vinquest 66

1836

E. Allen,

I826.

J. O. Matthews,

66 1848

J. H. J. Harris,

1832

James Genders,

1837

Benj. Ricketts, Clay county .

1831

Edward West,

1834

C. B. L. Boothe,

1829

W. E. Boyne,

1843

Clifton Twyman,

66 66

1844

W. H. Radcliff,

1843

W. H. Winship,

1854

Agnes Flournoy, 66

1826

W. C. Staples, 66

1830

Rebecca Potet,

1836

E. Von Schwonefeldt,

. 1839

J. B. Wornall, Jackson county

1844

O. P. W. Bailey, H. C. Brooking, James M. Reed,

1838

J. M. Teegardin, Ray county

1839

Thomas Winship,

66.

1830

Geo. Sellman, 66

1857

W. H. Hill, John Frazier,

1852

Wallace Smith, 66

1840

A. B. Earle,

1848

C. G. Hopkins,

1840

John C. Agnew,

S. W. Hopkins,

1858

Archibald Clark,

1826

C. Whitehead,

1856

Daniel Dofflemyer,

1848

I. Hopkins,

1842

John P. Knoche,

1836

S. H. Woodson,

1839

J. J. Willoughby, Jackson county . 1829

Robt. Barnhart,

1841

G. Lemon, Clarke, county . . 1850

Charles Keller,

0841

Sol. Young, Jackson county . 1841

W. M. Johnson,

1845

C. Powell,

1831

66 W. M. Cogswell, " 1844

Richard Keely, 66

1836

J.H. Robertson, Jacks'n county . 1855

1849

David Tyburn, Clay county 1819

J. D. Noland,

. 1852

E. R. Hickinan, " 1841

1835

- Jackson, Jackson county Thos. J. Ford, 66

1835

1854

1850

W. E. Croysdale,

. 1836

A. V. Freeman,

1846

1841

R. Harris Sr., 66 1827 J. S. Chick,

G. R. McCorkle, Clay county . . 1848

Margaret Christerson, born in Jack- son county .

, 1824 John Christerson, born in Jackson

M. Hale, Platte county . 1837

Henry Adams, Platte county 1838

C. Phillibert,

1839

1848

167

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

T. M. James, Jackson county . . 1854

S. W. Speas, Jackson county 1852

J. R. Morrison,

1865

J. M. Adams,

1833

S. J. Platt,

1844

Richard Steele,

60 1832

Chas. D Lucas,

1834 Jos. C. Ranson,

. 1842

Wallace Laws, 66 1846 D. W. Banta,

J. R. Griffin,

1857

Chas. Long.

1847

J. C. McCoy, 66

1853

Geo. Long,

1848

H. M. Northrop, 66

C. E. Miles,

1865

William Mulkey,

1826

John H. Reid,

1854

Catharine Mulkey,

1839

L. A. Allen.

. 1858

Margaret Northrop, "

1842

A RELIC.

J. S. Davenport of Jackson county exhibited an old rusty plow point made on the Little Blue River, forty years ago, by a blacksmith named Cockrell. That plow broke up the entire farm formerly owned by Rufus Montgall, but now known as the Joe Thompson farm. The plow-point is certainly a historic relic of by-gone days and is highly prized by its owner.

All in all this was one of the most enjoyable meetings ever held by the Old Settlers Association, and will be remembered for a long time. There were at least five hundred in attendance.

DONIPHAN'S EXPEDITION.

The following, in reference to the veterans of General Doniphan's expedi- tion, appeared in the Ray County Conservator, September, 1871 :

" As will be seen, by a letter published elsewhere, it is proposed by the peo- ple of Kearney, Clay county, to give a grand dinner to the surviving soldiers of " Doniphan's Expedition to Mexico." This is a move in the right direction. Nearly a quarter of a century since, these gallant men responded to the bugle call. Old Ray sent her bravest sons, and they proudly bore their banner where the foe was the thickest; and many, like General Henley, whose honored remains lie within sight of our city, sealed their valor with their blood. Clay and Clinton, and Lafayette, and Jackson, and, in fact, the whole State, was represented in that band, whose marches across the plains and through Mexico, gave them a world wide reputation. and added luster to the American name. Since then time has set his seal upon many of its best and bravest. Their chief still lives, buoy- ant and stout of limb as when he was welcomed by the spontaneous outburst of a hundred thousand voices in St. Louis, and himself and worthy followers the re- cipients of an ovation, second only to a Roman triumph. But in the gathering now proposed, many will be missed, whose epitapns have been written, whose si- lent resting places have been bedewed with tears, and whose names are as dear to us as household words.

""" It will be a time for memory and for tears.'

" The warm heart of friendship will throb in manly bosoms, gray hairs will bow over the recollections of friends gone to the vale of shadows, and the grasp of manly hands will be tightened by the tumultuous rush of feelings warmed into life from the misty realms of the past.

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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 22

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