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 43

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 43

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EARLY SETTLERS.

When in 1836 Mr. Jacob Gregg took the Missouri State Census he found settlers along the course of Little Blue and Sni-a-bar Creeks, but on the prairies there were no settlements. At that date there were within the bounds of what is now Sni-a-bar township, not exceeding one hundred and fifty souls. Not one of the setttlers living here at that date is living here now, and scarcely one alive. Mr. John Gilum, now living in Texas, was living here at that time, and the enumerator, Mr. Jacob Gregg, staid at his house over night. Mr. Gilum then lived on the farm now occupied by Robert Wood, about one mile east of Pink Hill, his house being about 100 yards from Sni-a-bar Creek.

James Welch, a typical pioneer, came from Tennessee about the year 1820, first settling in Lafayette county, then taking a claim near the southern line of the township, about one half mile east of Sni-a-bar Creek. He d ed at this resi- dence about the year 1848 and was buried in the burying ground in the neighbor- hood. He was a hunter, and whenever he visited a neighbor he bore his rifle on his shoulder and was very cautious about letting others handle it, for fear of putting a spell upon it. He professed to have the power of removing that spell by conjuration. The spell was supposed to prevent the gun from carrying the ball straight. He never wore a coat, but his hunting shirt and pants constituted his outer garments, he carried in his belt a hunting knife and sometimes a toma- hawk. He hunted deer and bear and was considered a good marksman.

William Cox who came from Tennessee about the year 1820, nearly the same time with Welch, lived near the eastern boundary of the township on a stream called the Horseshoe Branch of the Sni-a-bar. He went to Texas many years ago where it is supposed he long since died. He sold his premises to John Mckinney, a Methodist minister, who obtained the establishment of a post-office at that place and called it Oak Grove. This was the first post-office in Sni-a-bar

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

township. Mr. Mckinney went to Oregon and William Philpot was appointed postmaster, and removed the office one mile west. William Philpot then went to Oregon and Alexander Joyce was appointed postmaster and removed the post- office one half mile north of Philpot's. A. Joyce kept the office here several years, then Dr. Frick obtained the office and removed it one mile east, to a little settlement called Lickskillet, but afterward Oak Grove. This, then, was the origin of the town named Oak Grove.

Alexander Joyce, Caleb Darby, Adison Philpot, David George, and John Hudson, all lived in the vicinity of Oak Grove, but are now dead, their descend- ants still live in the vicinity. They were all good citizens and men of prominence. Caleb Darby came from Virginia originally, as also Alexander Joyce, John Hud- son and Adison Philpot, but David George was from Tennessee.

Caleb Darby was a man of fine sensibilities, but strong prejudices. He be- came a neighborhood doctor and often assisting in sickness, using the Thompsonian remedies. He died during the war. David George was a peculiar man in his manner and conversation, possessing a jocular turn of mind. He, it was, who gave the little settlement above mentioned the name of Lickskillet. He went south and was supposed to have been killed. John Hudson was a man of good natural ability as well as of acquired wealth. He died at his home in the year 1848, hav- ing been Justice of the Peace several years. Alexander Joyce was postmaster and Justice of the Peace for many years, a man of good mind and moral habits. He died in about the year 1867 at his home. Adison Philpot had a peculiar faculty of making money. He lived on the premises which he first set - tled till his death, having accumulated a good fortune.

Franklin Smith settled near the village of Blue Springs about the year 1838. He established the first post-office at this point, and named it Blue Springs, from which the village afterward derived its name. He came from Virginia. He represented the county in the General Assembly of the State, and held the office of Justice of the Peace for many years, for which he was considered particularly well qualified.

The first settler at Blue Springs was Dr. Smith. The property is now occu- pied by Major J. M. Burris. Dr. Smith sold out and left, probably, for the Platt Purchase. He was succeeded at this settlement by Jeremiah Wood, who lived there about five years. While Mr. Wood lived here Jacob Gregg, the County Surveyor, run off a tract of land forty acres in extent on the east side of Wood's farm, in the open prairie. The owner of the land offered it to Wood for $75, and he refused to give it for the reason that "it was unfit for anything except to let cows graze on, and his cows would get as much of the grass as any one's." Now, this tract of forty acres, with the improvements, could be sold for at least $450 per acre. Mr. Wood died about the year 1855, and was buried in the cemetery at Blue Springs. He was a manufacturer of tobacco, and made many a sharp bar- gain.

The first settlers of Blue Springs were nearly all Virginians. Among them we mention : Joel Clark, Franklin Smith, William Harris, Jeremiah Wood, Isam Hall, Richard Stanley.

Joel Clark lived about one-half mile south of Blue Springs, having settled there about the year 1838. He died there an old man about the year 1850. He was a common farmer. Many of his descendants now live in this vicinity.

William Harris had a fondness for hunting, and in those early pioneer days killed many a deer. He settled there about the year 1832, and died there about the year 1840.

Isam Hall was also a common farmer, having come into the neighborhood about the year 1838, and died of a cancer in the year 1860. He was economical, and left a small estate.

Richard Stanley came about the year 1836 from Virginia, and settled about

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

one mile west of Blue Springs. He reared a family, some of whom still survive. He was a prominent man, though not liberally educated. He had a very reten- tive memory, and could recall facts with great exactness. He was Judge of the County Court for many years, and was very popular as a judge, and his decisions were of great weight on the bench among his associate justices. He was able to recall decisions of other courts, as well as his own, bearing upon the questions in controversy. He was a great politician, and discoursed with much precision upon the history of parties and the doings of their respective candidates from Washing- ton down to that day. He was a warm adherent to the Democratic principles. He was judge when the civil war broke out. He became deranged in the year 1862, and in a year or two thereafter died while in Carroll county, Missouri, whither he had fled before the terrors of General Order Number Eleven.

Rev. Joab Powell, the pioneer Baptist preacher, lived southeast of Blue Springs about three miles, this being his second settlement. His first settlement was about three miles east of Independence. He was illiterate, though could read and write in a clumsy manner. His deportment as a minister was much different from that of many others ; he did not assume uncommon goodness, nor did he go about with a downcast look, but he would make himself sociable with all classes of moral and respectable people, sometimes engaging in the sports of young people and the discussion of political and religious subjects. At one time in the year 1846, he engaged with Jacob Gregg in the discussion of the subject of "Which has the greater cause of complaint, the negro or Indian ?" at a school house about four miles southeast of the present village of Blue Springs. Mr. Gregg gained the decision and Bro. Powell after the meeting still clung to his belief. He believed that men should show their religious faith by their works. Accordingly, with very little assistance either in labor or money, he built a church which he afterward used as his own church. He could draw the largest congregations of any minister in the vicinity. He removed to Oregon and there died about five years ago. Jacob Gregg came into this township and settled in the south part, at the place which he named Stony Point, about two miles and a half south of his present home.

He came into the township in March, 1839. Tennessee is his native state, where he lived till seven years of age, then came to the Territory of Illinois in the year 1809. In 1812 he came to Boone's Lick, in the Territory of Missouri, since Howard county. During his father's residence at Boone's Lick, after at- taining his majority, he spent one year in Arkansas, then went on a trading expe- dition to New Mexico in the first wagon train across the plains, a distance of 800 miles. A short time after returning from Santa Fe, he removed with his father to what was then known as the Blue River country, about four miles a lit- tle north of east from Independence. This was the fall of 1825, and only a few settlers then lived in what is now Jackson county, Jacob Gregg lived there with his father for about three years and then after living near the old homestead for about two years, removed to Independence, where he remained about two years. Then lived on two different farms east of Independence for several years, then came to Sui-a-bar township in which he now lives. In the year 1826, he was ap- pointed constable of Blue township by the authority of the county court of Lafay- ette county. In 1827, J. R. Walker was sheriff and Gregg his deputy, in which position he served for three years. During this time he was appointed county surveyor and was surveyor till elected sheriff in the year 1832. He was sheriff till 1836, and in 1850 was elected to the General Assembly of Missouri, on the Whig ticket, and served one term. While at Stony Point he was postmaster. Mr. Gregg now lives at Grain Valley, on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, fifteen miles south east of Independence, He has five sons now living, two of whom live in the vicinity of Grain Valley. Nine children, all of whom have grown to matu-

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

rity, six sons and three daughters, constituted his family, and all are still alive except one son.

Jacob Gibson, Silas Gibson and Joseph Gibson came and settled about four miles northeast of Blue Springs in the year 1838. They were originally from Kentucky. Jacob died in the year 1849, with the cholera, on his own farm. He owned one of the finest farms in Jackson county, consisting of six hundred and thirty acres.

Joseph Gibson also owned a fine farm. The old homestead is now occupied by his son-in-law, Judge Albert G. Williams. He died.many years ago-probably before his brother Jacob. Silas Gibson also owned and occupied a good farm, now owned by Dr. J. H. Daniels. He died about the year 1860. These three men were considered good and substantial citizens.

Nathan Russell came and settled in the Six Mile district in 1823, coming from Tennessee originally. He then removed to this township in about the year 1836,and settled about five miles north of Blue Springs, on what was called "Burr Oak Branch," near the Little Blue. He remained there as a prominent farmer, using the primitive appliance of farm culture, such as a truck wagon with wheels, constructed of solid blocks of wood sawn from a large log, with a large round hole cut in the center of each, for the spindle and axletree of the truck. He hauled many rails and other wood on the above described truck, for a consider- able distance. At one time, when he went after a load of rails, some two miles, to what was known as " Fire Prairie Hill," after he had loaded the rails and start- ed back, the wheels of the truck made a noise something like the yelping of a pack of hounds. It so happened that Colonel James Chiles and others were out for a deer chase at this time. After the hounds were put out, the men took their respective stands, expecting the deer to pass by them ; and about this time Na- than Russell started his truck loaded with rails. Colonel Chiles heard the hounds, as he thought, coming in his direction, and as they were heard to bear off in an- other direction, he moved his position, and there watched for the approach of the deer, but behold, to his surprise, he found that it was Nathan Russell's old truck wagon squeaking upon its bearing, which he had taken for the barking of the pack of hounds.

John Robinson came from Kentucky about 1836, and settled about three miles north of Blue Springs. He lived there and made considerable money for this country, and died about the year 1858 or '9. Judge Chas. Strode now lives on these premises. John Robinson, although possessed of considerable wealth, would ride a small, cheap horse, with rope stirrup and rope bridle, and the tree of a saddle, barefoot, and in this manner would frequently ride to Independence, and attend public meetings.

Morgan Walker came from Kentucky in about the year 1838, and settled two miles north of Blue Springs, on a place which was afterward known as the " Walker farm." He died in the year 1867, and was buried in the vicinity in what is known as the Lobb graveyard. He was fond of accumulating real es- tate, and accordingly acquired a large tract of land of the first quality.

Aquilla Lobb came from Kentucky about the year 1840, and settled north of Blue Springs about four miles. He lived there till 1860, then removed to Nebraska, and in 1867 returned to his farm, where he lived a few years, then moved to his present home near Independence.

Judge Albert G. Williams came from Kentucky and settled in the neighbor- hood where he now lives, northeast of Blue Springs.

Britton M. Capell came from Kentucky in the year 1840, and settled a farm near what is now the village of Grain Valley, and still lives where he first settled and reared a family. He is a man of strong individual will and set purpose.

Claiborne Webb came from Tennessee about the year 1836, and married in

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

this vicinity in Jackson county. He settled at first near Oak Grove ; after marry- ing his second wife, lived northwest of Pink Hill about three miles.

BLUE SPRINGS.

The town of Blue Springs is located on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section number thirty-six, township forty-nine, north of range thirty- one, west of the fifth principal meridian, and also fifteen acres of land off the south end of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of said section thirty- six, township and range aforesaid. The magnetic variation at this point being 7º 7' on all lines north of Walnut street.

Mr. S. K. Knox caused this town plat to be laid off, and it was recorded on the 12th day of September, 1878.

C. W. Mock built the first business house in Blue Springs. This occurred in July, 1878. J. K. Parr was the first party to move his family to Blue Springs, and claims the title of "the first settler" in the new town of Blue Springs.

In this township there are four post towns named as follows according to size, beginning with the largest :

Blue Springs

300 inhabitants.

Oak Grove .

280

Grain Valley 150 .

Pink Hill .

The three former are situated on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and Pink Hill about three miles north of the railroad, exactly on the range line between ranges twenty-nine and thirty.

The name Blue Springs was first given to a spring of water flowing from the side of a hill and falling into a tributary of Little Blue River. It was then given to the post-office, which was established in the year 1845, about three-fourths of a mile northwest of the spring of water. After the post-office was established there sprung up a little settlement, in which Esquire Franklin Smith kept a store; then Riley Slaughter commenced a mercantile business there. The little village of Blue Springs remained northwest of the present site of Blue Springs till the year 1879, when it was removed to the railroad.

John Murry succeeded Riley Slaughter in the mercantile trade ; then Thomas Ricord kept store at Blue Springs, then James Walker, and Walker sold to a man who removed to the new site.

As early as 1825 this spring of water attracted campers and traders, and many of those starting on the Santa Fe expeditions rendezvoused here preparatory to crossing the plains. The spring was named Blue Springs by freighters freight- ing provisions to the Harmony Mission, on the Marias de Cygnes River, in Bates county, from Lexington in Lafayette county. At the same time these freighters named many prominent points on their route, such as : Double Branches, Twin Mounds, Eight Mile, Two Mile, Camp Branch, Big Creek, Rocky Branch, etc.

Mr. Shannon Knox, in the early part of 1879, laid out the present site of the town of Blue Springs. He had purchased the land of Malory Smith for that purpose, at about twenty dollars per acre. The lots were offered for sale, but at first did not find a quick market, subsequently, however, many persons have bought lots and built thereon.

There are ten stores and business houses in the town, two of which would be regarded as carrying good stocks in much larger towns. The business is increas- ing from year to year, and the now rapid settling up of the lands that are tributary to it will offer inducements to others who may be seeking favorable locations for merchandising. There are also two hotels, the Chicago & Alton House, owned by Mr. J. K. Parr, and the Denver House by Mrs. M. R. Alexander, which was opened nearly two years ago, at which we are now domiciled. Mrs. Alexander

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

conducts the Denver in a style that must secure for her most favorable comments from those who stop at the Denver. We learn the Chicago & Alton is well kept.

Here is located the widely celebrated " Blue Springs Flouring Mill," owned by Messrs. Hoover, Jones & Co., built in 1879, at a cost of $18,000, having four run of burs, with a capacity to manufacture eighty barrels of flour every twenty-four hours. The machinery is propelled by a sixty-horse power engine, and run day and night in order to supply the constantly increasing demand made upon them for their elegant brand of flour, now recognized as being superior to any that reaches the Kansas City market, and commanding higher prices.

Blue Springs has also become a shipping point of much importance. During the year 1880, there was shipped 150 head of horses, 558 of cattle, 4,020 hogs, 150 sheep, twenty-seven cars of wheat, 28 of corn, 17,500 barrels of flour, 1,080 cords of wood, and sixty car loads of other products.

The society of Blue Springs commands the very highest consideration for their educational enterprise, religious culture and intelligence. There cannot be found a more genial and hospitable people in any community in this or any other county.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY.

Mayor, J. A. Webb.

Wood Dealer, Kei Muir.

General store, Thos. W. Records & M. V. Dillingham.

General store, M. S. Masters & J. W. Ligget.

Grocery store, J. T. Cobb.

J. B. McCormick.

Harness store, J. A. Webb.

Drug and grocery store, C. W. Mock & J. K. Parr.

Drug and grocery store, T. J. Walker. Post-office, C. W. Mock, P. M.

Boot and shoe repair shop, William G. Gill

Hardware store, J. A. Webb.

Undertakers, T. D. Montgomery & A. Andrews.

Lumber yard, T. D. Montgomery & A. Andrews.

Carpenters, J. Cummins.

Jerry C. Fields.

66 L. A. Ford.

66 Montgomery & Andrews.

66 Paul Weatherford & Bro.

Blacksmith, Mike M. Warmicks. 66 H. Frellick. Carriage shop, R. J. Cook & J. L. Bras- field.

Carriage shop, C. H. Brown.

Chicago & Alton Depot, Charles Cam- eron, agt.

Hotel, J. K. Parr, Proprietor.

Mrs. M. R. Alexander. Boarding house, Ed. Jones. Daniel Stanley.

Livery stable, Daniel F. Stanley.

Blue Springs Mills, Hoover, Jones & Co. (built in 1879).

Millinery store, Mrs. Burris. Mrs. Mollie Gore.

Physicians, C. C. Frick.

David Mock. 66 N. P. Wood.

Presbyterian Church, Rev. J. Dalton.

Baptist Church, Rev. Foster.

Barber shop, George Flannery.

Justice of Peace, T. D. Montgomery.

Teacher, Miss T. Cooper.

Stock buyer, Daniel F. Stanley.

John Gore. Stock dealer, Harrison Trow.

Meat market, John Armbruster.

City Treasurer, E. C. Hallar.

Marshal, John K. Parr.

Deputy Marshal, T. J. Walker.

City Councilmen : J. A. Webb, D. F. Stanley, J. W. Hoover, M. M. Warmicks, T. J. Walker.

CHURCHES.

There are twelve churches in Sni-a-bar township, representing the Methodist, Baptist (old and new school), Presbyterian and Christian denominations. The Missionary Baptists are the leading denomination in the township, then comes the Christian denomination, then the Methodist, then the Old School Baptists and

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Presbyterians. The religious sentiment of the inhabitants is good, and all who will, may worship God just as he sees fit.

The Blue Spring Baptist church was organized in November, 1842, with fourteen members, only two of whom are now' living, namely: Levi S. Mont- gomery and Elizabeth Wood, all the rest have passed away. They met for some time in private houses in winter and in the grove in summer. They had no reg- ular pastor for several years, but were supplied by Revs. Joab Powell and Lewis Franklin alternately. The Rev. William White was the first regular pastor who served one year, he was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Farnor, who served for ten years, then Rev. Edward Wood who served for two years. Then the civil war broke out and consequently stopped all public service, during which time the church house was burned. The members who returned to their homes met at a private house and were re-organized by the Rev. W. A. Durfey. The church then called the Rev. Samuel Shepherd, as pastor, who served three years. Then the church called the Rev. E. H. Foster, of Leavenworth, Kansas, who is now in his eleventh year of pastoral service.

During the pastorate of Rev. Samuel Shepherd the church built a frame house at a cost of about fifteen hundred dollars, which has been used till the present winter, when the society took it down and moved it to town and enlarged it, and will soon have it completed. The church, like all others, has had some gracious revivals. After dismissing sixty-five at one time to organize another church, it has grown from fourteen to the present number, two hundred and nine.

A fine growth of timber covers about one-eighth of the surface of the town- ship, including nut trees and the hackberry, black and white oak, walnut and other trees found upon rich alluvial bottoms. Some of these trees have attained a large size. There is a black walnut near Blue Springs, planted thirty years ago, that measures one foot in diameter and fifty feet in height; this is only a repre- sentative tree of others found in this vicinity, showing what the soils of this sec- tion may produce. Near the eastern boundary of the township, within a mile and a half of Oak Grove, a vein of surface coal is found cropping out from six to twelve inches in thickness, extending along the ridge for six miles. The entire township has a black, rich soil, which is peculiarly adapted for raising wheat successfully.

In 1867 G. M. Smith raised upon a ten-acre lot, upon which a part of the town of Blue Springs now stands, forty-two bushels, for which he realized eighty dol- lars per acre, or eight hundred dollars for the ten acres. The same season there was raised upon a twenty-acre field, on the farm of Judge Williams, four miles east of the town, a crop of wheat which the judge sold for twelve hundred dollars. Jacob Gregg, residing at Grain Valley, says he distinctly recollects of his father reaping forty bushels to the acre forty years ago, when the present improved implements for farming were unknown. John King, upon a farm near Oak Grove last year, raised on a lot forty bushels to the acre.

Notwithstanding these evidences of the capacity of these soils to produce a large yield of wheat, the average yield is estimated by the farmers in the town- ship to be from 20 to 35 bushels per acre. The estimated average yield of corn is from 40 to 80 bushels per acre, although first-class farmers, in a favorable sea- son, have produced 100 bushels to the acre.

Blue grass, clover and timothy grow here to great perfection and the farmers are turning their attention, to a considerable extent, to stock raising. Until quite recently-the past three or four years-the raising of mules received more attention than that of horses. At the present time a good span of mules would readily bring from $250 to $350. The introduction of high bred horses only a few years ago is working a radical change here, and the day is not far distant when Sni-a-bar Township will contain as good horses and as many of them as any section of its size in this part of the State. This township has been giving

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

more attention to the raising of horses than cattle, though there are several farm- ers who keep a number of thoroughbred cattle.

OAK GROVE.

The town of Oak Grove is situated on the southeast quarter of southeast quarter of Sec. 32, Tp. 49, R. 29. The outside limits of the town correspond with the boundary of the forty acres above described. It was laid out by Wm. E. Frick and attested August 22, 1878.

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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 43

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