The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with biographical sketches, Part 43

Author: Demuth, I. MacDonald
Publication date: 1882]
Publisher: [n.p.
Number of Pages: 1154

USA > Missouri > Pettis County > The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with biographical sketches > Part 43

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The first newspaper of the United States was issued Sept. 25, 1690, at Boston, Mass., and met with considerable opposition even by the legisla- ture of that colony in respect to infringing upon the religious principles of those law-makers. In August, 1721, James Franklin, brother of Ben- jamin Franklin, established the New England Courant. The clergy and the office holders opposed the paper on account of its criticisms made upon their conduct, and in 1722, James Franklin was forbidden to print the Courant or any other paper unless it first be examined and supervised by the secretary of the colony. In spite of all the opposition set forth by

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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.

the New England colonies, by 1776 papers were published in every town of that section as well as in the southern colonies.

In 1808 The Missouri Gazette was established, and the same year the name was changed to Louisiana Gazette, and in 1818, the original name was resumed, which was discarded in 1822 for that of Missouri Repub- lican, which name it retained a comparatively short time, when "St. Louis" was substituted for " Missouri," and now it is one of the most care- fully edited and influential newspapers of the United States. Col. Geo. Knapp has been connected with this paper for more than half a century.

The first newspaper published in Pettis county was established by Gen. Bacon Montgomery in November, 1857, and was successfully edited by him till in 1861, when he cast his lot on the side of the Union, and entered the army under Gen. Nathaniel Lyon. In those days of chivalry a newspa- per man had to be ready to fight with both hand and pen. Then men did not allow editors to use their names under any suspicious circumstances. Editors, too, were not to be imposed upon, and quite frequently pugilistic combats took place in the editor's sanctum.

The Pettis County Independent was published at Georgetown by Bacon Montgomery, and edited by R. H. Montgomery, every Tuesday morning. A copy of Vol. I., No. 9, bearing date of April 20, 1858, is now in the possession of Mr. Jno. D. Russell, of the Sedalia Democrat, and also a copy of The Georgetown Journal, bearing date of May 20, 1861, Vol. I, No. 48, with motto: "Born, reared and educated in the Union, we shall die in the Union, or die in a struggle to preserve it." The Fournal was published by J. H. Middleton and B. Montgomery; both being printers they set up their editorials as they were made, and hence no pencils or editors' tables graced their sanctum.

We mike a few quotations from the Independent of April 20, 1858:

NEW SYSTEM OF VOTING .- The following act, passed by the late leg- islature, is of considerable importance, and we ask the attention of voters to the same.

An act to change the manner of voting in the counties of Harrison, Mercer, Gentry, Scott, Holt, Jasper, Barton, PETTIS, Johnson, Stoddard, Polk, Moniteau, Taney, Stone, Newton, Andrew, Laclede, Webster, Green and Dade.

$1. Voting by ballot.

§2. Duty of constable.

$3. Further duty of constable.

§4. Duty of clerk.

$5. Duty of clerks of elections

§6. Duty of judges of elections.

$7. Elections for one day.

ON THE DEATH OF NELLIE, we quote four stanzas by LOVIE K .-

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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.

Each living heart will have its shrine, Some object fond in nature,

To love in life, in death repine, When cold in every feature.

Then chide me not that I lament, The loss of faithful "Nellie;"-

Hard is the heart that asks no vent, If grief like this befell ye.

Poor "Nellie" was no summer friend, To gratitude no stranger ;

But would alike my step attend, In pleasure, grief or danger.

In summer's sunshine 'mong the flowers Adown the smiling meadow,

How pleased we spent the laughing hours, Poor "Nell" to me a shadow.

In the paper the following announcements appear: Wesley McClure for sheriff; Reese Hughes for county treasurer; Clay Thompson for sheriff; David W. Thompson for sheriff; Philip Zilheart for sheriff; A. G. Glasscock for school commissioner; Henry McCormack for sheriff; Sam- uel B. Hass for sheriff.

The following letters appear:

PETTIS COUNTY, Mo., April 16, 1858.

MR. EDITOR :- As it seems to be the desire of a number of gentlemen of this county, whose wishes I do not feel at liberty to disregard, that I should become a candidate to represent Pettis county in the general assembly of the state of Missouri, you are hereby authorized to announce my name as a candidate for said office at the August election, subject, of course, to any future arrangements of my friends. Respectfully,

F. E. CRAVENS.

The Georgetown Journal of May 20, 1861, contains the following items:

The last number of the Warrensburg Missourian contains the vale- dictory of Mr. James D. Eads, its late editor. Mr. E. has rendered great service to the Union party of Johnson, and for that reason we deeply regret parting with him. Major N. B. Holden succeeds him; though whether a change in the political course of the paper is contemplated we are not apprised. The Major is one of the greatest wire-workers of the State. It contains also the following: Warrensburg Company .- Last evening a company of militia from Warrensburg, under the command of Captain Ruth, an experienced and popular officer, camped near our burg. The word halt had scarcely been uttered when the hospitality of our town was extended to them by Messrs. Bixby and Morrison, by an invitation to partake of that wholesome beverage, mint julip, which had been prepared for them before their advent into the city. They were cordially received by men of their own sentiments.

The commotion in the world has called them out, and they have girded their loins, and are preparing to share in the contest, and, may say to share in the defeat and destruction that awaits them.

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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.

We can but regret that they-among them our friends, early compan- ions and associates-should so Ruthlessly imperil their lives as to enlist in such an unhallowed cause as secession, and against such fearful odds. But be it said to their praise, they are better equipped and prepared for battle and of better behavior than any company that has yet passed us. " Proud Johnson," though wise in her own conceit, we think " has sent her ducks to a poor market."

The effect of this article warmed the blood of the southern sympathiz- ers. This time, not to drink mint julip, but demolished the printing office of General Montgomery. They made a charge upon the press room, but General Montgomery had it too well barricaded for their immediate entrance. While they were attempting to take charge of the printing mate- rial the general sent his "devil " out through a back way to give the alarm and call to his assistance the friends of the Union. Soon his friends caused the molesters to disperse. However, it was not long after this till the paper was suspended, and the county soon fell into the hands of the secessionists, and the paper became an exponent of Confederate principles.

The Sedalia Morning Signal was established by Gen. Bacon Mont- gomery, about the 1st of December, 1873, a folio, 13×20; the mechanical execution of the paper was excellent. In politics it was republican; not suiting the political sentiments of Mr. Montgomery, he sold out to Wm. H. Mugford. The paper was short-lived.

The Pacific Enterprise was started in Sedalia, by W. P. Baker, during the year 1863. The paper became defunct in 1864, and the materials were subsequently moved to Warrensburg. The Sedalia Advertiser made its debut in the latter part of this year by the Lingle Brothers. It was the first democratic paper issued in the city of Sedalia; in April of the following year the office was sold to Magann and Stafford. The Sedalia Times was first issued in Sedalia during March, 1865, by P. G. Stafford and James G. Magann. It was republican in politics.

Hawes & Montgomery subsequently took charge of this paper in about 1868. The politics of the Times not being in harmony with the senti- ments of Gen. Montgomery, he retired from the paper February 25, 1869, and the following paragraph is from his valedictory:

In withdrawing from the Times, I return thanks to my many friends for their patronage and co-operation, and bid them an adieu, knowing that my successor is well worthy of their support.

Perry Hawes then became sole proprietor, who subsequently sold out to A. J. and F. A. Sampson. They sold to Rev. Cephas A. Leach, who being an inexperienced newspaper man, failed, and the paper passed into other hands and was finally consolidated with the Eagle, in the spring of 1882, under the title of Eugle-Times.

The Bazoo was first issued on Monday, September 20, 1869, and was in size 11x14 inches, about half the present size. The salutatory is

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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.

headed, " Goodwin Blows his Horn." Each page contained four columns. This paper has continued with the same proprietorship through all its various changes, until J. West Goodwin, the publisher, has one of the widest ranges of journalism of any publisher known to the west. In 1866 Lingle & Bro. began the publication of the Independent Press, a twenty- eight column paper, democratic in politics. The office and materials were destroyed by fire on the night of November 6, 1868.

The Boonville Eagle was established in 1865, by Milo Blair, as an exponent of radicalism and the support of republican principles, where it continued to be published till in 1878, when it was moved to Sedalia, and named Sedalia Eagle; here it continued to be published as one of the sound papers of its party, stirring its enemies with the sure, patriotic, and pungent missiles, that Mr. Blair was able and sure to throw from his editorial quiver. In the spring of 1882, when Mr. Blair was appointed postmaster at Sedalia, the Eagle was consolidated with the Times, and known as Eagle-Times, published by the " Missouri Printing Company," with the following directors: Milo Blair, Jno. G. Sloan, G. F. Kimball, C. D. Wassell, W. A. Sloan. This paper issues a weekly and a daily edition of a circulation of about two thousand.

The leading democratic paper of Pettis county and Central Missouri, is the Sedalia Democrat, established in January, 1868, by the " Democrat Company." The first editor was A. Y. Hull, a fine writer, and one of the best campaign organizers of that time. After leaving the Democrat he started a paper in Colorado, but subsequently sold out, and is now retired to private life at Pueblo, Colorado. Mr. Jno. D. Russell was foreman of the office till 1869. His fine business qualifications soon won for him the place he was destined to fill-that of business manager of the company, which position he now holds. In 1871, the Sedalia Daily Democrat was issued with about six hundred subscribers, and such has been the popularity of the paper at home and abroad, that it now has a circulation of about two thousand. This paper issues a Sunday and weekly edition, size, 30x48 inches. The daily is 26x40 inches. In 1877, Maj. Jno. N. Edwards, a leading writer and severe critic, was called to take charge as editor of this paper, and has held the position ever since, making himself widely known throughout the state as a sound expounder of democractic principles, and a close-cutting logical writer. It may be well said of the Major, that he never takes up the pen without freely discussing or dissecting the whole argument presented by his antagonists. He writes for something. His terse, concise language, always stabs to the heart an enemy, and brings relief and joy to a friend. He is a kind, sociable gentleman, trustworthy, and a safe and faithful political writer in his party.

Several other papers have existed only a brief period in the county.

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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY.

They will be specially noted under the heads of their respective localities. The Adviser, established by Cotton Bros, in 1869, was a real estate paper. The Great Western Real Estate Guide was started by J. M. Byler, in February, 1869, and continued about one year. The Sedalia Republi- can made its first issue October 12, 1870. It was a liberal republican organ and suspended at the end of the campaign. The Real Estate Guide was issued in January, 1871, and in 1872 its name was changed to Magann's Opinion. We find the following in an issue of the Demo- crat, published in 1869:

Sedalia has two weekly and two monthly newspapers, which, though not the ablest of the state, are very far from being the weakest, and they stand as valiant sentinels of the public interest, and send out ten or twelve thousand papers monthly, into every state and territory of the United States, all of which have some good for Sedalia, Pettis county and Central Missouri; and thus influence and determine emigration to this section. It is safe to presume that 30,000 persons read the Sedalia papers every month, and our people are better of their being scattered among them.

The College fournal, a neat monthly quarto, is published by the business college and has a fair circulation.

The Independent was a daily started April 1, 1882, but was short lived.

Perhaps, in all business avocations, there is no better avenue of the present day reaching the hearts of the people, than through the press. Men may dislike editors and condemn their course, nevertheless read their papers. No man in Pettis Co. is superior to Gen. Bacon Montgomery as a journalist. He was educated in a printing office, fought in the printing office, and is always at home in the printing office. For five years he was on the editorial staff of the Sedalia Bazoo; since that time he has been connected with the Sedalia Democrat, and continues with the same as one of its most facile and vigorous writers.

RESIDENCE OF COL. A. D. JAYNES, SEDALIA, MO.

HISTORY

CITIES, TOWNS ER TOWNSHIPS,

INCLUDING A SKETCH

OF THEIR

ORIGIN OF NAME, EARLY SETTLEMENTS, PIONEERS, CONFIGURATION OF LAND, CIVIL OFFICERS, WAR HISTORY, RAILROADS, ENTERPRISES AND INDUSTRIES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SOCIETIES, CEMETERIES, STORES, MANUFACTORIES, NEWSPAPERS, LOCAL ADVANTAGES, AGRI- CULTURE, ELECTROTYPE VIEWS, MATERIAL GROWTH, FACTS OF GENERAL INTEREST, STORIES, REMINIS- CENCES, BIOGRAPHIES OF ENTERPRISING MEN, ETC., ETC., ETC.

COMPILED WITH GREAT CARE

SPECIAL HISTORIANS.

STAND

DED WE FALL

SALUS

UL.EXESTO.

POPULI

SUPREMA

MDCCCXX.

THE HISTORY OF SEDALIA.

CHAPTER I .- INTRODUCTION.

A Picture of Sedalia as it is To-day -- Her People, her Business and her Surroundings-The Location of the City and its Connection with Others -- Why, How, When and by Whom the City was Founded -- The Three Periods into which its History is Divided -- What the Site of the Town was Twenty Years Ago-Who Lived in it -- When the First Plat of the Town was filed-Why it was put in its Present Location, and not on the Site of Georgetown.

"Facts are stubborn things, and seeing is believing." When a stranger arrives at the depot in Sedalia, in 1882, and for the first time, what solid fact does he see? He sees a great fact, a fact which requires no logic or argument to convince him that it is, because he sees it with the eye of his mind and with his natural eyes. And what is still stranger, this great fact is comparatively a new one; and what is the stubborn fact that he . sees?

A splendid city covering an area of two miles square, of beautiful, roll- ing prairie land; and containing fifteen thousand inhabitants, and all the adjuncts of a first class modern civilization.

Sedalia stands to-day the recognized head and head-center of Central Missouri, a region forming a circle of country one hundred miles in diam- eter, in the fifth State in the Union. Sedalia is a railroad, business, finan- cial, political and intellectual center.

This is a proud eminence to occupy, and to hold it justly by its own intrinsic merits, is a proud pre-eminence. The commercial traveler from the great metropolis in the more enlightened and longer settled east; the capitalist seeking new and good fields for investment; the newspaper man, the railroad official, the advertising agent, the heads of institutions of learning and great manufacturing and jobbing establishments, the well informed men in this and surrounding States, each and all of these know that Sedalia is a central city, ahead of or above all other towns within one hundred miles of her, in the general intelligence and business energy of her people, in the possession of material wealth-such as fine, broad, paved streets, substantial two and three story brick business houses and dwellings, churches, schools, convents, daily newspapers, hospital, rail- roads, telegraph wires, telephones, gas works, water works, fire depart-

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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.

ment, hotels, parks, and the numberless other elements included under the term "Modern improvements." Sedalia has made her mark upon the world's record already, and she has made a mark so plain that the thou- sands can see it.

The city is a business center because it is a railroad center, having railroads in all directions except due north, where one is surveyed. It is a political center because it contains three dailies, the only daily news- papers of strength and prominence in Central Missouri. In addition it has in the past ten years furnished a United States Senator, a Congressman, a candidate for Governor and a candidate for Lieutenant Governor. These and the newspapers have been the guides and moulders of public. opinion in politics.

It is an intellectual center, because the active lives of its people, the presence of daily newspapers, the sharpness of competition in business, the growing condition of the town, produce an attrition which keeps men alive to all the present, and develops the intellect by pushing men to intellectual effort.

It is a financial center because it contains the most wealth in banks, in wholesale houses, in railroad machine shops, and in private manufactories.

Real estate is worth more in Sedalia to-day, and brings in a better interest than in any city within one hundred miles of it, in any direction; capital invested in any branch of business brings in quicker, surer and larger profits; the population is steadily on the increase and the work of building up and enlarging the town with more buildings, streets, public buildings, manufactories and educational institutions is still going on with unabated vigor. The growth of the city up to the year 1870, has been the growth of a frontier town. Much energy was misdirected and misspent, plans were laid in haste, and hastily carried out; but now the work of causing the town to grow is different; people are wiser, they mature their plans more slowly; they see the mistakes of the past, and are prepared to avoid them, and all that is now done, in the way of street, sewer, water pipe, and similar improvements, in buildings and the forma- tion of public organizations, is done carefully, solidly, and with intelligence and liberality.

Not only is the city strong and progressive, but the portion of the country within twenty miles of it, in all directions, has been imbued with the same strength and the same progressive spirit. Thriving villages which con- tribute directly to its business and augment its prosperity, are established all around it. Six and twelve miles to the west, Dresden and Lamonte, two thriving towns, the latter incorporated; to the north are Hughesville and Houstonia. Greenridge, now an incorporated town, is only twelve miles southwest. Beaman is seven miles northeast, and Smithton, an incor-

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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.

porated town, with all the essentials of a town, is located eight miles east. Cole Camp is about twenty miles due south. All these towns are located on the lines of railroad mentioned heretofore in connection with Sedalia, and she draws vitality from them just as the radiating roots of a tree draw strength, sustenance and moisture from the earth all around it. The farming country around the city is unsurpassed in the State for the fertility of the soil, the variety and value of its products, and is now culti- vated with much care, highly improved, covered with the best and largest farm houses, inhabited by an intelligent, moral and law-abiding people, and filled with the best qualities of live stock of all kinds. In addition to all this, coal, one of the great essentials for carrying on the business of the world to-day, is brought to the city by all the railroads that center in it, and with the exception of that brought from the Indian Territory, it is dug from the earth of Central Missouri, in localities from twelve to fifty miles from the city.

Since the Christian era at least it has been necessary for the historian, in writing the histories of cities, to rely for his information upon the floating fables and legends current among the people, or upon the musty records to be found in the libraries of old convents, churches, govern- ment archives and such receptacles; and upon documents, for the most part written in languages known only to the learned. But here is a city, Sedalia, which already has a significant history, and a population as large as that of some of the famed cities of the Greek or Roman empires, and its history could be written, if sufficient time were given to the work, from information furnished by hundreds of persons still living, who have seen the town from the day of its foundation up to the present time. Though but sixteen or eighteen years have passed since the city assumed the real character of a town, the years have been full of events and the foundation, progress and present size and prosperity of the city consti- tute one of the marvels of modern civilization.

If the historian lays aside all disposition to exaggerate or elaborate he still finds enough simple, solid facts regarding its growth, cognizant to hundreds still in the prime of life, to excite his admiration and wonder; and facts to instruct the people of the present day and to encourage them to labor for the permanency of republican institutions, the support of education and the practice of industry, justice, and morality.

Sedalia is now a city so well-known abroad and at home, so well estab- lished in character, growing so surely and swiftly, having now all the conditions and concomitants which guarantee that she will be a city of 30,000 people within the next ten years, that those who write in praise of the city can no longer be justly charged with exaggeration or misrepre- sentation.

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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.

It must be distinctly borne in mind that it is not the purpose of this article to give a full, elaborate and detailed account of the birth, growth and present condition of the place, like the minute biography of a noted individual. The historian has but a limited time to devote to it, and must give only a comprehensive view or outline of its history, telling what it was before the war, during the war, and subsequent to the war; giving the dates only of the most important events, accounts of significant facts; and episodes and narratives to show the character of the people and the conditions of society, together with such general and comparative facts, figures and statistical information, as will show the immense amounts of money and labor spent in permanent improvements from time to time; the increase in population and business; the birth and growth of the railroad system of which Sedalia is the center; a statement of the amount and character of our manufactories, and give the list of names of early set- tlers; also an account of the origin of a number of important public and private enterprises, and the founding of churches, schools and societies.

There is always a reason or a cause for the foundation of cities, and often both a reason and a cause. In the case of Sedalia there was a reason and a cause for its foundation, and for its location, on its present site, three miles south of Georgetown, the former county seat of Pettis County.

George R. Smith, the founder of Sedalia, and the man who cherished and aided the infant town until it was strong enough to fight for itself, was a man of fine natural intellect and a magnificent foresight. This ena- bled him to tower above his fellows and see objects away off in the horizon beyond their power of sight. He saw the great tide of civilization rolling westward. The railroad was coming from the Mississippi River. The railroad carries civilization with it. He saw civilization as typified by the railroad, creeping up along the Missouri River towards Central Missouri. He wanted to divert it from the Missouri River and bring it through Cen- tral Missouri. He said to the people of this section, in the years that he saw the railroad coming: "Open your eyes and see the friend that is coming to aid you ; hold out your hands and welcome it, give of your means to quicken its movements towards you." He worked and argued and pleaded with the people of Georgetown to strive for the prize, and have the road pass through their town. They could not see it coming; they could not see the advantages to be derived if it did come; they closed their ears and their eyes and sat still. He told them at one of the last railroad meetings held in the old Court House at Georgetown, that he would live to see the day when the bats and the owls would make their home in the Court House, while a flourishing town would be growing at their suburbs. His farm constituted the present site of Sedalia. He laid out a town upon it. He went to work to help himself, and left the people of Georgetown in their blindness and stupor; he labored to have

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The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with biographical sketches, Part 43

Author: Demuth, I. MacDonald Publication date: 1882] Publisher: [n.p. Number of Pages: 1154

Author: Demuth, I. MacDonald
Publication date: 1882]
Publisher: [n.p.
Number of Pages: 1154