USA > Missouri > Pettis County > Sedalia > The History of Pettis County, Missouri, History of Sedalia > Part 28
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Eik Fork .- Byrd Hawkins, Francis Talbert, and Thomas P. E. Rees. Black water-John Fisher, Jr., Montiville Huff, and Isaiah Prigmore.
Flat Creek-David B. Hume, Giles L. Williams, and Pemberton Cason.
Bowling Green-George Small, James Marlen, and Larkin Erwin.
Mt. Sterling-Richard Byrd, Elijah Taylor, and William McCormack.
In those days the polls were kept open one, two and three days, giving plenty of time for every man to vote.
Soon, following 1844, the larger voting precincts were divided, and where two precincts bore the same name they we known as "No. one" and "No. two." Washington and Heath's Creek townships were soon added to the list of voting places, so by 1850 there were fourteen voting precincts in the county. Lake Creek was added after 1859. Sedalia was organized about 1866 as a voting precinct, and now the county has six- teen municipal townships, and seventeen voting precincts.
Quite soon after the county was organized steps were taken to erect suitable county buildings, at the county seat-Georgetown. Prior to this date (1837), the business of the county was dispatched in an old frame building at Pin Hook.
The following law was enacted, January 29, 1835, by the general assembly:
There shall be erected in each county, at the established seat of jus- tice thereof, a good and sufficient court-house and jail.
As soon as the court-house and jail shall be erected, and the circum- stances of the county will permit, there shall also be erected one or more fire-proof buildings, at some convenient place or places, near the court- house, in which shall be kept the offices of the recorder and the clerks of the several courts of such county.
Accordingly, Gen. Geo. R. Smith, the founder of Sedalia, and James Ramey, men who were always alive to the county's interests, took the contract for building a brick court-house. They completed this building, a fine edifice for those days, at a cost of $4,000, and here justice was dis- pensed until 1862, when the business of the county was transacted in Sedalia.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
The following order appears on record at the county clerk's office under date of February 6, 1873:
WHEREAS, The legislature of Missouri did, at the adjourned session of the 26th General Assembly, 1872, pass a law, which law was approved March 18, 1872, allowing counties in said State to adopt township organization, and further providing for the county courts to divide the counties so adopting said township organization into townships. And, whereas, the county of Pettis did, on the 5th day of November, 1872, by a majority vote, adopt township organization.
It is therefore ordered by the court, that Pettis county be divided into townships, as follows, said townships to be known by numbers:
Township No. 1, (Heath's Creek) .- To include all that portion of town- ship 48, range 20, that belongs to Pettis county, and all of township 47, range 20, and bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of Pettis county, and running thence west, on county line, to the northwest corner of section 19, township 48, range 20; running thence south, on range line, to the southwest corner of section 31, township 47, range 20; running thence east, on the township line, to the southeast corner of sec- tion 36, township +7, range 20; thence north on county line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 2, (Longwood) .- To include all that portion of township 48, range 21, that belongs to Pettis county, and all of township 47, range 21, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 24, township 48, range 21, running thence west on county line to the north- west corner of section 19, township 48, range 21; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 31, township 47, range 21; running thence east on township line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 47, range 21; running thence north on range line to place beginning.
Township No. 3, (Houstonia) .- To include all that portion of township 48, range 22, that belongs to Pettis county, and all of township 47, range 22, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 24, township 48, range 22, running thence west on county line to the north- west corner of section 19, township 48, range 22; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 31, township 47, range- 22; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 47, range 22; running thence north on range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 4, (Blackwater) .- To include all that portion of town- ship 48, range 23, that belongs to Pettis county, and all of township 47, range 23, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of sec- tion 24, township 48, range 23; running thence west on the county line to the northwest corner of Pettis county, running thence south on the county line to the southwest corner of section 31, township 47, range 23; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 47, range 23; running thence north on range line to place of beginning.
Township No. 5, (Lamont) .- To include all of township 46, range 23, bound as follows: Commencing at northeast corner of said township 46, range 23; running thence west on township line to the northwest corner of same township and range, running thence south on county line to the south-
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
west corner of same township, running thence east on the township line, to the southeast corner of same township; thence north on range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 6, (Dresden). - To include all of township 46, range 22, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 46, range 22, running thence west on township line to the northwest corner of same township; thence running south on range line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 7, (Cedar) .- To include all of township 46, range 21, except the six sections on the south side of said township, bound as fol- lows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 46, range 21; running thence west on township line to the northwest corner of said town- ship; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 30, same township; running thence east on the section line to the southeast corner of section 25, same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 8, (Bowling Green) .- To include all of congressional township 46, range 20, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 46, range 20; running thence west on the town- ship line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 9, (Smithton) .- To include all of congressional township 45, range 20, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 45, range 20; running thence west on the township line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 10, (Sedalia) .- To include congressional township 45, range 21, except that portion lying south of Flat creek; also, to include six sections off of the south side of township 46, range 21, bound as fol- lows: Commencing at the northeast corner of section 36, township 46, range 21; running thence west on the section line to the north-west cor- ner of section 31, same township; running thence south on the range line to the south-west corner of section 19, township 45, range 21; running thence east on section line to the south-east corner of section 19, township 45, range 21, Flat Creek then being the south line of said township; from said south-east corner of section 19, township 45, range 21, running east to the range line, near the south-east corner of section 13, township 45, range 21, thence north on range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 11, (Prairie) .- To include all of congressional township 45, range 22, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 45, range 22; running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township and range, running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same town- ship; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
Township No. 12, (Elk Fork) .- To include all of congressional town- ship 45, range 23, bound as follows: Commencing at the north-east cor- ner of said township 45, range 23; running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township; thence south on the county line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the township line to the southeast corner of same township; run- ning thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 13, (Green Ridge) .- To include all of congressional township 44, range 23, and all of that portion of township 43, range 23, that belongs to Pettis county, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of township 44, range 23, running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the county line to the southwest corner of Pettis county; thence running east on the county line to the southeast corner of section 12, township 43, range 23; thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 14, (Washington) .- To include all of congressional township 44, range 22, and all of that portion of township 43, range 22, that belongs to Pettis county, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of township 44, range 22, running thence west on the township line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 7, township 43, range 22; running thence east on the county line to the southeast cor- ner of section 2, same township and range; thence north on the range line to place of beginning.
Township No. 15, (Flat Creek) .- To include all of congressional town- ship 44, range 21, and all that portion of township 45, range 21, lying south of Flat Creek, bound as follows: Commencing at the range line near the southeast corner of section 13, township 45, range 21, running thence west with Flat Creek to the southeast corner of section 19, township 45, range 21; thence west on the section line to the southwest corner of same section (19); running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 31, township 44, range 21; running thence east on county line to the southeast corner of section 36, township 44, range 21; running thence north on the range line to the place of beginning.
Township No. 16, (Lake Creek.)-To include all of congressional township 44, range 20, bound as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of said township 44, range 20, running thence west on the town- ship line to the northwest corner of same township; running thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of same township; running thence east on the county line to the southeast corner of Pettis county; running thence north on the county line to the place of beginning.
These municipal townships continue as here stated, except a voting precinct formed from portions of townships Nos. 2 and 3, forming the precinct of Hughsville.
As will be found further on, this county did not retain the township system law very long. However, nothing was of any importance urged against the organization. Under that law the people were more directly their own rulers. Much of their business was at home. In States where the township organization has existed for years, schools and general pros- perity is there most observed.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
Black water, No. 4.
Huostonia, No. 3.
Longwood, No. 2.
Heath's Creek, No. 1.
Lamonte, No. 5.
Dresden, No. 6.
Cedar, No. 7.
Bowling Green, No. 8.
.
Sedalia, No. 10.
Elk Fork, No. 12.
Prairie, No. 11.
Smithton, No. 9.
Flat Creek, No. 15.
Lake Creek, No. 16.
Green Ridge, No. 13.
Washington, No. 14.
LOCATION OF THE TOWNSHIPS AS AT PRESENT, (1882).
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
The following order of court made April 9, 1873, the law which allowed the county to be divided into judicial districts:
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the State of Missouri did pass an act (which act was approved March 24, 1873),entitled an act "To more fully provide for the organization of counties into municipal townships, and to further provide for the local government thereof, and repealing all former acts relating thereto." And, whereas, article 17 of said act pro- vides that the county court of each county having adopted the township organization law of this State, at their first meeting after the passage of this act, shall proceed to district their respective counties into four compact districts for judicial purposes. It is, therefore, ordered by the court, that Pettis county be divided into four (4) districts, as follows: Townships Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 shall constitute district No. 1, or Heath's Creek district; townships Nos. 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14 shall constitute District No. 2, or Washington District; townships Nos. 8, 9, 15 and 16 shall constitute Dis- trict No. 3, or Bowling Green District; townships Nos. 7 and 10 shall constitute District No. 4, or Mt. Sterling District.
The election following the adoption and districting of the county, five county judges were elected, one from each district and one from the county at large.
This new organization of the county was an experiment, which proved to be of little avail. Only a few years of its trial were sufficient to con- vince the people that the old land-marks of their fathers' were preferable. Men think and act often as their fathers have acted.
At present the county has three judges. Maj. Wm. Gentry is president of the county court.
This system is generally adopted over Missouri now, and is generally approved.
Under date of July 17, 1877, after the township system was repealed, the county court made the following order:
Ordered by the court, that the municipal townships in Pettis county, remain as they now exist, also that the road districts that have been estab- lished by the township boards, remain as so established, and that,
Township No. 1, be named and known as Heath's Creek township; that township No. 2, be named and known as Longwood township; that township No. 3, be named and known as Houstonia township; that township No. 4, be named and known as Blackwater township; that township No. 5, be named and known as Lamont township; that town- ship No. 6, be named and known as Dresden township; that township No. 7, be named and known as Cedar township; that township No. 8, be named and known as Bowling Green township; that township No. 9, be named and known as Smithton township; that township No. 10, be named and known as Sedalia township; that township No. 11, be named and known as Prairie township; that township No. 12, be named and known as Elk Fork township; that township No. 13, be named and known as Green Ridge township; that township No. 14, be named and known as Washington township; that township No. 15, be named and known as
4
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
Flat Creek township; that township No. 16, be named and known as Lake Creek township.
Justices of the peace and constables were appointed for each township. James Wasson, James Ramey, Reuben E. Gentry and George Heard, were among the pioneer justices.
The names and events which most naturally belong to this chapter have been given and we proceed to the consideration of other themes, fervently hoping that future generations may maintain the honor due the memory of their fathers.
CHAPTER V .- POLITICAL HISTORY.
Political History-Whigs and Democrats-Definitions of Parties, Law and its Functions-
Know-Nothing Party-Parties in 1860-Missouri Prefers to Remain Loyal-Test Oath of 1865-Democrats in Power in 1872-Names of Pioneer Whigs and Democrats- Bell and Everett Party Successful in 1860-Incidents of the Late War -- Election Re- turns of 1880-Official Directory.
When Pettis county became a member of the commonwealth of Mis- souri in 1833, there were two active, distinctly defined political parties, known as whigs and democrats.
A brief sketch of these rival parties is pertinent here. The name whig is of Scotch derivation. It is thought by some to come from the word whey, a drink which the Scottish Covenanters used, or from whiggam, a term in Scotland used in driving horses, and whiggimore, one who drives horses, contracted to whig. In 1848, a party of Scotch marched to Edin- burgh to oppose the king and the duke of Hamilton, and therefore the name whig was applied to the opponents of the king. Some writers claim that the word whig originated from the initial letters of " we hope in God," as a motto of the club from which the whig party took its rise.
The whig party of England originated in the seventeenth century, dur- ing the reign of Charles I, or II, when great contests existed respecting the royal prerogatives and the rights of the people. Those who supported the king in his high claims were called tories, and the advocates of popular rights were called whigs.
During the American Revolution (1775-1783), the whigs were the friends and supporters of the war ensuing, opposed to the tories and royal- ists.
The whigs as a political party in the United States originated from fragments of the old federalist party in about 1829, as opposed to the demo- crats. Their first success was the election to the presidency of Gen. Wm. H. Harrison. This party, generally speaking, favored tariff, gradual emancipation of negro slavery, and a strong central government. In brief, they were the federalists in principle. In 1853 this party ceased to be
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
known, and soon a new party, composed principally of abolitionists known as the republican party, which sprang into existence as by magic, and elected Hon. Abraham Lincoln into 1860 to the presidency, and they have held the reins of government in the United States ever since. At times the name radical has been appropriately given to this party on account of "its original and extreme progressive measures. In fine, this party is the terminus of the old federalist party as opposed to Jefferson, having really borne three names.
Democrats were first known as a political party in the United States in 1829, when Gen. Andrew Jackson was elected by them to the presidency, and they have continued as a distinct political party ever since. This party was organized out of the disintegrations of the old Republican party that made Thomas Jefferson President in 1800; and although Jefferson's ideas of government transaction were the germs of the Democratic party, yet it did not receive its present name till the time of Jackson. Patrick Henry, the revolutionary patriot and Virginia statesman, had no doubt much to do in sowing the seeds from which the Democratic party has grown. The principles of this party have always been to give as much liberty to the people as possible, making the people the sovereign power of the nation. The word is of Greek derivation, and signifies the whole people rule. Its principles are further enunciated as opposed to high tariff, pro- tection of state rights, and the protection of citizens in their property. Its principles have been advocated in the United States ever since the days of Henry and Jefferson in. opposition to the Federalists, Whigs and Republi- cans. Virtually, the Democrats held the power in this government for about sixty years, and although Republicans have had almost complete control ever since the year 1860, the Democrats have never given up their principles, nor have they ceased to strive for victories.
Political parties are divisions of the people differing as to how the gov- ernment shall be administered. A party, then, in its strictest sense, is any number of persons confederated, by a similarity of objects and opinions, in opposition to others.
Soon after the death of the Whig party the Know-nothing party sprang into existence. This was sometimes called the American party on account of its principles being opposed to foreigners having anything to do in the making and administrating of the laws of the Union. In 1855, this party was thoroughly organized in Missouri.
We intend, in these few pages devoted to the political history of Pettis county, to present some of the more prominent features of the administra- tion of officers placed in authority, by the suffrages of the people, together with the operations of law regulating elections, and the support of candi- dates by the different political parties.
Law is a rule of action. Law, in a political sense, however, signifies a
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
rule of human action. In a particular state, " it is a rule prescribed by the supreme power in the state, commanding what is right, and forbidding what is wrong." The constitution of a state is the fundamental law, and is delineated by the hand of the people.
The ballot signifies the ball, or ticket, by which persons vote at an elec- tion. To ballot signifies voting by ballot, i. e., by ballot or ticket. Form- erly, voting was altogether viva voce, i. e., by the voice,-the elector designating by name the person voted for. This continued to be the cus- tom in Pettis county till 1860; now, elections are generally made by ballot The name of the person voted for is written or printed on a white ticket, and deposited in a box.
While all government is professedly for the good of the people, it is, nevertheless, a fact that nearly all the governments ever established have been in the interests of an individual or class. Our fathers, in establish- ing this government, admitted the superior rights of no man or class. It was carefully arranged to exclude all titles of nobility, and, with a single exception, placed all men on the same level. This one exception, negro slavery, was swept away during the tempest of civil war, which broke out in 1861, and closed in the spring of 1865.
At the introduction of the Know-nothing party in 1855, it unsettled both the old parties, receiving most of its strength from the Whigs. This party increased rapidly, till in 1856, Hon. Thomas P. Akers, of Lexington, Lafayette county, was elected on that ticket, to congress, from this dis- trict. Hon. Thomas P. Akers was a very eloquent speaker, and, though too young to enter the house of representatives when elected, he became twenty-five, and was granted a seat when congress met. After returning from congress he entered the practice of law, and during the civil war was secretary of the gold board in Wall street. He was the inventor of the safety valve for steam engines, and died 'at the close of the Tilden and Hayes campaign in the fall of 1876-supposed to have over-exercised his vocal organs in the state campaign of Indiana in behalf of the Democrats.
In 1860 party lines were completely broken up. The two national Dem- ocratic tickets in the field were the Douglas and Breckenridge parties. The Constitution-Union party nominated Bell and Everett for president and vice-president. The Republicans put in nomination Abraham Lin- coln. Consequently the Democratic party was divided; however, the Douglas Democrats carried the day in Pettis county, with the Bell and Everett next. Hon. Abraham Lincoln received only two votes in the county.
When the war asserted itself, in 1861, all former party affiliations were severed. Many men who were staunch Democrats, with ultra pro-slavery principles, became open and avowed Union men; while others, who had been born and brought up in the north, and looked upon suspiciously,
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.
immediately espoused the cause of secession. The old party affiliations had nothing, whatever, to do in determining which side a man would take. Soon after the beginning of the war the Republican party began to grow; and from those two despised electors of 1860, numbers increased, and by . 1862 the county was Republican, and continued to hold the power till 1870.
In 1861, March 4th, Gov. Stewart's successor, C. F. Jackson, was® inaugurated. Gov. Jackson, a secessionist, favored a State convention, composed of delegates from all parts of the State, to decide the position of Missouri. The most noted resolution passed by that convention, which was in March, insisted that Missouri should remain a mem- ber of the Union, declaring that secession was a dangerous political heresy. This, then known as the Sixteenth district, sent John F. Phillips, Samuel L. Sawyer, and Vincent Marmaduke as delegates to the State convention to decide whether Missouri should withdraw from the Union. Gen. Sterling Price, who then was regarded as a Union man, was chosen president, and Samuel A. Lowe, of Pettis county, secretary of the conven- tion.
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