The History of Pettis County, Missouri, History of Sedalia, Part 89

Author: Demuth, I. MacDonald
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: [n.p.]
Number of Pages: 1148

USA > Missouri > Pettis County > Sedalia > The History of Pettis County, Missouri, History of Sedalia > Part 89

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EDWARD WOOD.

He is an older brother of Albion Wood; was born in Pettis County, Mo., in the month of October, 1842. Received a common school educa- tion. When about twenty years of age he embarked in the mercantile business for himself in Monroe County, this State, and afterwards run a store at Jonesborough, Saline County, which he continued for some years. In 1868 he returned to Pettis County and settled on his present farm, con- taining 320 acres of first class land, upon which he has erected a new and substantial residence of the latest design. In 1868 he was united in mar- riage with Miss Lonza Fisher, daughter of Mrs. Mary E. Fisher of Saline County. They have seven children, O. H., E. H., F. H., J. C., Clifton W., Watson and Edward Wood. Mr. Wood, since moving on his farm, has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and at the same time has dealt largely in cattle and hogs, and is well known throughout this county as one of its most substantial citizens. One of his favorite amusements is the gun, and to-day he enjoys a chase with the dogs. He and his brother, Albion, are of the generous whole-hearted men who have enjoyed life on the frontier.

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CHAPTER XIV .- LONGWOOD TOWNSHIP.

Introduction-Name-The English Estate of Longwood-Organization-The First Voting Place-Pin Hook Mills-The First Court in the County-Physical Features-Churches -Schools-Potter Lodge, A. F. & A. M .- Longwood Lodge, I. O. O. F .- Incidents -- Murder of Mr. Majors -- Col. Fields . Killed-Murder of Mrs. Raines-Murderer Burned by a Mob-Village of Longwood -- Biographical.

The surface of this township presents, perhaps, as diversified an appear- ance as any township in the county. Hill and dale succeed one another n marvelous profusion in whatsoever direction one may go. Prairie and forest add each its share to beautify the landscape, and the numerous small streams cut and carve the entire surface in a manner most charming, if not always convenient. There is but little history that can be given of this township distinctly separate from its neighbors. The reader is there- fore referred to all the northern townships whose histories are so closely interwoven with each other as to be impossible to give a detailed one of each. It may be remarked, however, that the settlement of the township proceeded slowly. There seemed to be a most marked predilection in favor of more heavily wooded sections, or indeed of bottom lands. True it is that the settlers coming from the older States brought with them the manners and customs of the sections where they had matured. To shake off the old habits, the old likes and dislikes, was a task to which the early settler had a special dislike, and he therefore allowed the old time habits to guide his judgment in the selection of a new homestead. Accustomed to hilly and woody regions, his choice leaned in that direc- tion in his new home, and his location was accordingly selected on hill- side or in valley. It was years before the prairie began to be viewed as a desirable home, and then only when the influx of population made such a choice a matter of necessity. To-day a great portion of its surface is under cultivation, and it no longer lies on the outskirts of civilization, but is the scene of marvelous activity.

NAME .- Longwood derives its name from the town situated on its east- ern edge. Of this place it may be said it derives its name from truly aristocratic lineage. In England one of those grand old estates which we delighted to read about in our childhood days, is and has been called for centuries, Longwood, and in this far western county is repeated after the lapse of years, a name that is loved and honored in "that far-off-house across the sea." The town was first called Hermantown and the post- office Oak Grove. This was about one mile north of the present town of Longwood, and when the petition for the change was made known to the town, it was granted on condition that it should be called Longwood, there being another Oak Grove in the State.

ORGANIZATION .- Longwood township, although one of the earliest

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HISTORY OF LONGWOOD TOWNSHIP.

settled in the county, is one of the latest in organization. It was originally part of Bowling Green, and then part of Heath's Creek and Mt. Sterling. In the organization of 1873 it was given the following boundaries:

To include all that portion of township forty-eight, range twenty-one, that belongs to Pettis County, and all of township forty-seven, range twenty-one, bounded as follows: commencing at the northeast corner of section twenty-four, township forty-eight, range twenty-one, running thence west on the county line to the northwest corner of section nine- teen, township forty-eight, range twenty-one; running thence south on the range-line to the southwest .corner of section thirty-one, township forty- seven, range twenty-one, running thence east on the township-line to the southeast corner of thirty-six township forty-seven, range twenty-one, running thence north on the range-line to place of beginning. It contains fifty-four sections of land, equalling 34,640 acres, and of this the greater part is valuable land.

In the southwestern part of the township is a little obscure place called in early years Pin Hook. Of this, little remains but the ruins, yet to the student of the history of Pettis County those ruins are as full of interest in connection with the early days of Pettis County, as are the ruins of Baby- lon and Nineveh to the student of Ancient History. Here first the voters of the county, then in its infancy, laid the foundation which has built the now famous county of Pettis. Here was exercised for the first time within the borders of our present noble county that inalienable right of every free American citizen, the right of a free and unrestricted ballot for the man of their choice to represent them in the General Assembly of rep- resentative men of the State. Before Georgetown was laid out, and years before the city of Sedalia had been conceived in the mind of even the wildest dreamer of the future greatness of not only the county, but the State, this little obscure place was the head of business in this county. It was the "business Mecca" to which the eyes of all the early settlers turned, and here they came to do their trading, have their milling done and dis- cuss the political situation of the day; but it has now decayed until but little is left to tell the story of its former importance outside of the minds of the oldest citizens. These cherish the memories of those happy days when they met here to discuss the best methods of procedure in organiza- tion and election of officers. The first court ever held in the county was at this point and the docket of that term was meagre in the extreme, but one or two cases being on trial. In the chapter on "Courts and Bar" this subject is treated at length. (See p. 275.)

The first postmaster of the town was Thomas Wasson, and the first merchants of the place were Marmaduke & Sappington, the latter a rela- tive of Dr. Sappington of Saline County, and Watson and Clifton Woods also did business here. When Georgetown was laid out they moved

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to the new town. The first lawyers in Pin Hook were Geo. Heard, Washington Adams and Heydon.

After the county adopted township organization in 1873 the following officers were elected: James Roberts and Geo. F. S. Sprinkle, trustees; Wm. Hoffman, township clerk; W. C. Cheatau, assessor; Lewis Lower, collector.

CONFIGURATION .- In shape Longwood township is a parallelogram, being six miles east and west by nine north and south. It has perhaps as diversified physical features as any township in the county, being com- posed of beautiful prairie land interspersed with timbered belts along its streams, of which there are several in or passing through the township. . Its timber is an old, natural growth, and affords for fuel and fencing pur- poses an adequate supply, not only for home consumption, but also for the neighboring townships that have little for their own use. A reckless waste of timber has been followed in this as in other townships for years; that of cutting down and using for fencing fine walnut logs, that, if shipped to market, would bring a handsome price, and even piling up valuable walnut, oak, cherry and ash logs and burning them to clear the cheap, hilly land, or sold for fuel on the market in competition with the cheap coals. While the whole country is appalled at the nearness of a timber famine, and Pettis County farmers are paying three prices for furniture manu- factured in Indianapolis, Chicago, or other eastern cities, it looks very like sacrilege to the thoughtful eastern farmer. However, this is being remedied to some extent, and more care is being taken of this valuable product. Fine hedge fences are superseding the old fashioned rails, and the surplus of logs is being worked up by home mills or shipped to near markets and bring remunerative prices.

EARLY SETTLERS .- Of these there are only a few remaining to tell the story of how the country looked, how they lived, how they farmed and how they prospered. The township being until 1873 a part of others its early settlers are so interwoven with those of other townships that it is almost impossible to give them separately. However we present a list as nearly accurate as it was possible to obtain.

James Scott came to Missouri and settled in Cooper County, in 1819. In 1830 he moved to this county and settled in the present township bounds. He has been dead for a number of years. Hiram Scott came in 1828 or '29, also from Cooper County. Wm. 'Head settled near Long- wood in 1827, coming from Howard County. Both of these are now dead. John Ellis came in 1828 from Cooper County, and is still living in the county. W. H. Chaney came in 1838 from Clarke County, Ky., and is still living in the township. P. T. Parsons came in 1840, from Green County, Ky., and is still living in the township. His father was born in

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HISTORY OF LONGWOOD TOWNSHIP.

1748 and lived to the advanced age of 103 years, dying in 1851. He was a soldier under General Washington in the Revolutionary War. Wm. Johnson came in 1834, and is now in Iowa. John, Peter and Anthony Fisher came in 1830 from Illinois. They all settled in the northern part of the county and are all dead. Bethel Allen came in 1831 from Callaway County, and died in the Platte Purchase, in the northwestern part of the State. Thomas and Jesse Joplin came to the county in 1829, and settled in the borders of the township. They were from Tennessee. The former is now dead and the latter resides with his son in the western part of Heath's Creek township. Thomas Kemp came in 1831 from Callaway County. He was formerly from Virginia. He died in the township. Riley Kemp came near the same year, and was elected second Sheriff of the county. In 1850 he went to California and died there.

CHURCHES .- Among the early churches organized in the county were those in Bowling Green Township, or as it is now called Heath's Creek and Longwood. Of these as complete a history as could be obtained is given in Heath's Creek Township, and in this township we shall treat only of the present churches and their congregations.

The Longwood Methodist Episcopal Church is situated in the town of Longwood, and was organized some years before the war. The Con- gregation worship in a frame building erected conjointly by them and the Presbyterian denomination at a cost of $1,200. (For the history of this Presbyterian Church, see general church history of the Presbyterian Church.) The house was dedicated by Rev. Wm. M. Prottsman when it was completed, in 1871. It was built under the supervision of Judge D. H. Orear, and the carpenter work was done by Mathew Bridgwater. The building is well furnished with seats, carpets, organ, etc. The pastors who have occupied the pulpit are: W. B. McFarland, J. L. D. Blevins, A. M. Rader, Josiah Godby, M. Duran, G. P. Smith, L. M. Phillips, and the present incumbent is E. G. Frazier. The Congregation support a good Sunday School of forty-five scholars, of which A. W. Ryan is Superin- tendent. The original members of the church were Reuben Creel and wife, J. C. Hemphill and wife, James I. Belwood and family, Wilson Jones and family, William Ricks, Col. Buford and family, Mrs. Horton, James Estes, and one or two families of the Kemps. Up to about 1875 there was a very large congregation of members in this church, but when Hope- well Church was erected south of the town, the church at John's school house organized southwest, and Horton Chapel east, it drew a large. portion of the former congregation away from this church to worship in. their own neighborhood. It is still a strong congregation in healthy condition, but at one time it numbered over one hundred members on its class book.

Prairie Grove Baptist Church was organized in February, 1880, by

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HISTORY OF, LONGWOOD TOWNSHIP.

Rev. S. W. Whipple. They are situated in the northeastern part of the township, but have not as yet erected a church building. There have been two pastors for the congregation: Rev. S. W. Whipple, the first, and Rev. B. T. Thomas, the present. The original members of the con- gregation were W. R. Scott, Sarah M. Scott, R. H. Morris, L. Morris, D. Taylor, Millard Taylor, Thomas Davis, C. Davis, C. Landon, R. Morris, L. Hartwell, and Mrs. McClellen. The number of present membership is fifteen. It has no Sunday School at present.

SCHOOLS. - In the township of Longwood there are six schools. Per- haps the most important one is that of Green Lawn Seminary, built for a private school and located about five miles south of Longwood. It was organized by Rev. Gordon Turner, as a Cumberland Presbyterian school, but since the year. 1878 it has been conducted as a public school.

The Longwood School enrolls seventy pupils. The school house that had been used up to this year (1882) was a brick, but it became too dilapi- dated for further use and a neat frame one is being erected, and will be completed in time for the fall term, at a cost of $800. It has been under the supervision of Mr. A. W. Ryan, and is in a prosperous condition.

Judge Washburn has been teaching in the township for a number of years, and stands high in the profession. The wages paid are from forty to fifty-five dollars per month.

SOCIETIES .-- Potter. Lodge, No. 84, A. F. & A. M., of Longwood, was instituted April 23, 1854, and the charter was granted May 25, the same year. The lodge was organized by Oscar F. Potter, D. D. G. M. The organization was at Oak Grove, now called Longwood. After the initia- tion of the candidates for admission, the subordinate lodge was organized by electing A. A. Glasscock, W. M .; Thomas E. Staples, S. W .; N. T. Allison, J. W .; Samuel B. Scott, Treasurer; John F. Scott, Secretary; John S. Jones, S. D .; Charles Jones, Tyler. Besides those elected to the foregoing offices there were present at this meeting, Brothers Charles Glasscock, John Nuble, E. Landon, Thos. L. Williams, J. M. Gentry, Daniel L. Griffiths, Clay Thompson and James Roberts.

For twenty-eight years the lodge has continued to hold its regular meetings. They occupy the hall that was built by them a short time after organization. The officers of the lodge for the year 1882 are: S. P. Hunt, W. M .; S. G. Hanley, S. W .; A. B. Cayton, J. W .; H. C. Speers, Treasurer; D. M. Gray, Secretary; James Roberts, S. D .; C. Estes, J. D .; and A. Hill, Tyler.

Longwood Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 202, was organized in March, 1869, by Elias Bixby, District Deputy. They occupy the Masonic Hall, and have a membership of thirty. The first officers were A. H. Hanly, N. G .; Isaac . Oppenheimer, Secretary. A full list

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HISTORY OF LONGWOOD TOWNSHIP.

of the present officers is as follows: D. M. Gray, N. G .; S. R. Hierony- mus, V. G .; D. H. Orear, Secretary; and A. H. Hannly, Treasurer.

INCIDENTS .- During the war there were one or two bloody deeds com- mitted in the township. Wm. Majors was murdered in the year 1862, by a drunken rowdy on his farm near Longwood. He was a highly respected gentleman, and had a very interesting family. By this sad blow the family was entirely broken up.

Col. W. H. Fields, father of the present County Clerk, came from Louisville, Ky., and settled southwest of Longwood. He erected the finest brick house that up to its time had been built in the county. It was destroyed by fire about a year ago. During the dark days of the war, Mr. Fields met his death at the hands of one of the gangs of marauders that then infested these parts. He was highly respected, and his untimely death was greatly lamented.

Perhaps the most foul deed ever perpetrated in the township was the murder of Mrs. Henry Raines, in 1852, by a negro man belonging to a Mr. France. At the same time he also attempted, and nearly succeeded in killing her two children, severely wounding both. One, a boy of some nine years of age, recovered sufficiently, told the story of the terrible crime and identified the perpetrator. The negro first attacked her and the children in the house, and she escaping from the house fled towards the wood pile, it was supposed, to procure an axe to defend herself and family there. The negro followed, and overpowering her left her dead among the wood piled up for summer's use. On the evidence of the boy the negro was arrested and taken to Georgetown jail; but a number of brave neigh- bors determined he should have justice given him at once, and proceeded to Georgetown, took him from jail, tied him to a small tree, and then piled brush and logs around him until a sufficient amount had been arranged to insure his certain death, and then fired it. He was burned to ashes, and paid the penalty of his awful crime in a manner fully justifiable under the circumstances.

VILLAGE OF LONGWOOD.

Situated in the northwestern part of the township is the pleasant little village of Longwood, with 125 inhabitants. From this place the town- ship takes its name. It has several stores, shops, one church building and a good school house in course of erection. . Mail is received daily from Sedalia. The town has no railroad, but had it one giving rapid communi- cation with its neighboring towns, it would be one of the most pleasant little places in which to make a home, that it has been the writer's privi- lege to visit. It is just at the edge of a splendid stretch of timber, and on high, rolling ground, and everything in the way of pleasant scenery around it to make it attractive. Its business men are: James Roberts,

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postmaster, and general merchandise. Mr. Roberts has been postmaster ontinuously for the past twenty years. Sale & Hoffman, dry goods, (S. B. Sale the senior partner is a senior member of a St. Louis firm.) Dan- iel E. Wilcox, dry goods, groceries and drugs; A. B. Caton, dry goods, groceries and drugs; John Sinchaugh, saddler; S. G. Hanley, blacksmith; A. C. Chaney, blacksmith; Jacob Eappel, shoemaker; J. A. Rawlette, bricklayer; E. G. Frazier, M. E. Minisler, R. Slomer, carpenters; Judge D. E. Orear, notary public; John Morris, carpenter; Henry Barnhoff, car- penter.

LUCRETIUS BAKER.

Was born in Clay County, Ky., in the year 1809. His parents were natives of Virginia, both of whom died in the State of Kentucky, his father aged eighty-six and his mother forty-five years. Mr. Baker was married in 1835, to Miss Nancy Rout, who only lived ten years. In the year 1846, he was again married to Miss Lydia Montgomery, of Ken- tucky, her father being a native of Maryland, and her mother of Eng- land. He is the father of six children, one son and five daughters, all of whom are married except two, and residing in the county. One of his daughters is the wife of Henry Y. Fields, County Clerk of Pettis County, Missouri. Mr. B. came to Pettis County in 1855, and purchased a mag- nificent farm of 400 acres, lying fifteen miles north of the city of Sedalia, near what is known as the Independence and Boonville trail. This farm was formerly owned by Dr. Ferris, and it was at this place that the first post-office was established, bearing the name of Longwood. He has disposed of a part of his land, but has retained 264 acres, 220 acres of which is in a high state of cultivation, well improved with good fences, a large and commodious dwelling, in the center of a magnificent lawn, and surrounded by a growth of magnificent shade trees. The lawn, garden, vineyard and orchard indicate the presence and care of a master in fruit and garden culture, and landscaping. He has forty acres of fine timber,, quite a portion of which is black walnut. His farm consists of what is termed mulatto soil, high rolling prairie, and divided into oblong fields of a convenient size for farming and grazing purposes. He grows from fifty to one hundred acres of corn, and from thirty to fifty acres of wheat, averaging from sixteen to twenty-five bushels to the acre. The place is watered by good wells and ponds. Mr. B. is a popular and influential man, characterized by sterling sense, unimpeachable integrity, and con)- mands a high appreciation by all who know him.

ALBERT CAPEN.

. Was born in Stoughton, Mass., Feb. 16, 1811. His father and mother were natives of the same State, both dying in the State of Maine-his

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father at the age of ninety-five, and his mother at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. C. was married in Massachusetts, in 1838, to Mary J. Nichols, which union gave them three children, one son and two daughters. His wife died in Massachusetts, in 1844, and in the year 1849, he emigrated to Longwood Township. He was engaged for quite a while in freight- ing from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to different places in the Far West. He was the first township assessor of this township, and is now acting as deputy assessor, having in his charge four townships in the northern part of the county, which position he has held for quite a number of years, faithfully discharging his duties, and has gained the good will and respect of all, by his close application to business and his fair and impartial deal- ings with his fellow-men.

W. H. CHANEY.

The subject of this sketch was born in Clarke County, Ky., Dec. 25, 1813. His father and mother were natives of that State. His father served as a soldier in the war of 1812. His grandparents came to the State of Missouri in 1822. His grandmother died at the ripe old age of 105 years, and is buried in Clay County, of this State. She was living in the State of Maryland during the war of the Revolution. She and her husband were among the first settlers of Kentucky, as well as of Mis- souri. Mr. Chaney came to Cooper County, Mo., in 1823. After his parents' death he was bound out as an apprentice to the hatter's trade, to Petter B. Harris, of Howard County, Mo., at which trade he served nine years. He was married in the year 1838 to Miss Eliza Hieronymus, of Howard County, whose parents were natives of Simpson County, Ky. He has seven sons and two daughters living; four sons and two daugh- ters married. He settled in Pettis County in 1838, and entered eighty acres of land at one dollar and a-quarter per acre, forty acres of which is under cultivation, well improved, with good fences and buildings, good water and well stocked. At the time of his coming to Missouri there were only eight houses in the city of Boonville. A great number of Indians were still in the country, and he was well acquainted with young Daniel Boone, who had located in Boone and Howard Counties at a very early date. He is an old gentleman of intelligence, a popular man in his community, and his long experience here gives him a very high apprecia- tion for the country and people.

DR. A. A. DAVIS.

Residence at Green Lawn Academy; post-office, Longwood. He is one of the pioneer doctors of Pettis County, and was born in Virginia, on April 11, 1827. His father was a prominent man in Virginia. He moved to Saline County, Mo., in 1839, and there owned a large farm. The sub-

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ject of this sketch came with his father to Missouri, and has since lived in the State. His grandfather was an officer in the Revolutionary War; was also in the war of 1812. In 1855-6 he was in Louisville, Ky. He graduated in the spring of 1856 at the Medical College at Louisville, Ky. He then went to Illinois, where he practiced his profession for a few years; then returned to Missouri and practiced in the northeast part of the State, retiring in 1858 to the old homestead in Saline County. About the year 1860 he moved to Longwood, where he practiced during the war, his field of labor being from the Lamine to Houstonia, and some five or ten miles around. He has changed locations a few times, but has been all the time in the county. He was married in 1851 to Miss Mary K. Ward. By this union they have been blessed with five children, three of whom are dead. The two living are: James S., who is now studying medicine, and Minnie L.

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The History of Pettis County, Missouri, History of Sedalia, Part 89

Author: Demuth, I. MacDonald Publication date: 1882 Publisher: [n.p.] Number of Pages: 1148

Author: Demuth, I. MacDonald
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: [n.p.]
Number of Pages: 1148