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 86
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The physical features of the township are perhaps more diversified than those of any other part of the county. Nowhere in such close prox- imity is to be found the rough and woody hills bordering at once on the beautiful rolling prairie, as are seen in this section. But little, or at least a comparatively small amount of the land is so broken that it would not be susceptible of cultivation. Since the prairie fires were subdued, the timber of the township has increased and orchards and hedges have been cultivated, until now it is said that there are many more acres of timbered lands than there were when the township was settled.
INDIAN MOUNDS .- This township was one of the favorite resorts of the red men prior to the time of its being taken possession of by the whites. Everything was favorable for their pursuits. It was near the great "salt lick" and salt springs, from which places the trails of buffalo and other game that came to them every few weeks radiated like the rays of the rising sun. It was a country supplied with abundance of all kinds of game in which the lovers of the chase delighted to pursue. It was a country adapted in every way for their primitive modes of agriculture, where they had but to stir the ground, plant their meagre fields of corn and their labors were sure to be rewarded. It is no wonder then that here they found a resting place for their dead. These places of burial were plainly marked a few years ago, but now they are in many places nearly obliterated. A few have been explored and in them were found such remains as are common to the last resting places of the Indians, stone implements of agriculture and of the chase. None of the more ancient have been explored, so it is not known if they were of the pre- historic mound builders, or just of the red men within the limits of our own history.
ANCIENT MINING .- There are in the township numerous holes supposed to have been made by the earliest white men, who passed through this country,-the Spaniards. Excited by their great thirst for precious metals these rapacious men sought in every country where there was the most remote possibility of a discovery of valuable metal. From the mouth of the Mississippi to the headwaters of the Missouri, the adventurers searched in every conceivable nook for the treasures hidden from them, but which they were determined to find. How well their search was rewarded we
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shall never know, but we are left to infer that it was but meagre in the extreme. They left the more plentiful treasures of coal, iron, etc., to search for the valuable, but less abundant gold and silver mines, which, in their vivid imagination were awaiting their magic touch to open untold treasures to their avaricious eyes.
In this township there are a number of ancient excavations called by the present population "mineral holes." By whom they were worked, or what their products consisted in, is not known, and probably never will be unless they are explored. Did these Spaniards in their first eager search for gold excavate openings in the earth here, hoping to find the precious metal, or did the old inhabitants -- the Mound Builders, ages before them work these same mines for the metal they contained? If the latter is the true theory, then what were the uses to which they put the products? What was their manner of working the mines and the products? It may be that from them some of the raw material of which their copper utensils were made, was produced. One thing is certainly known at the present day, and that is this: In the vicinity of these holes a surveyor's compass will not work, and they have a great attraction for electricity. In the immediate neighborhood of one of them a number of head of stock has been known to have been killed by lightening in a single year, and it is a very common occurrence for a large tree to be struck by that subtle ele- ment.
On the farm of Capt. Samuel Shanks is a peculiar kind of shale filled with large shells. This peculiar formation is found in large quanti- ties on the top of a high knoll about ten feet below the surface overlying a strata of coal.
EARLY SETTLERS .- Previous to any settlements having been made in Pettis County, excursions were made into it by parties from adjacent set- tlements in search of game and honey, and in search of more desirable homes, where they, if they did not, like the Israelites of old, find a land flowing with milk and honey, they at any rate found one over-flowing with abundance of meat and honey; for buffalo, elk, and deer were as numerous upon the luxuriant grass of the rich and beautiful prairies as are cattle, sheep and horses at the present day upon our pastures and meadows. Such was the condition of this township when the brave and hardy few first made their resting place within its limits.
Among the earliest settlers of the township was Isaiah Prigmore, who came to this township in 1829, from Kentucky. He remained in the township until 1849, when he, with a number of others, caught the Cali- fornia gold fever, and crossed the plains. Peter Fisher came to the town- ship in 1832, from Kentucky, and lived here a number of years, and died in Texas. Benjamin Snelling settled in the township in 1833, and lived many years. He now lies at rest, buried in one of the township ceme-
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teries., Samuel Fisher came to the township in 1834, from Kentucky, and is, perhaps, the oldest of the early settlers of the township now living. He still resides on his original homestead, where he and his energetic lady settled when the country was but a wilderness, and when neighbors were yet from fifteen to twenty-five miles apart .. They have seen the country grow up around them with ample estates, and while the frosts of many winters have been whitening their locks, they look with contentment and pleasure on the work of improvement which they were among the first to open. B. F. Prigmore was born in the township in 1838, and still resides in the township. George Miller came to the township in 1836, from Cooper County, lived here a number of years, and died in the south- ern part of the State. John Loper and Hiram Taylor, attracted by the productiveness of this section, came here in 1837, from Illinois, and lived here many years. Both are now dead. John Rice came to the township in 1840, from Cooper County. He was prominently identified with the interests of the township for many years, but is now dead. Elijah Rob- erts came in 1840, from Cooper County. He lived a number of years in the township, but finally went to Texas, and there died. James Scott came in 1838, from Cooper County, and lived a number of years in the township. His wife died in the township on the original homestead, at the advanced age of ninety years. David S. Ramsey came to the township in 1840, from near the vicinity of Georgetown, this county. He lived here a number of years, but died before the war.
Thus, one by one they pass away, until now but one or two are left to tell the story of their hardships.
AGRICULTURAL AND STOCK-RAISING INTERESTS .- Among the repre- sentative farmers of the county, none stand higher than those of this township. There is no railroad through the section, but it is so near the lines of the Missouri Pacific that it has almost as much advantage as if it were divided by one of the great trunk lines. All the farms below noted lie in rich and exceedingly attractive portions of the township, and both in soil and landscape would rank as premium farms in any of the Eastern States. Twenty miles from Sedalia, in the western central portion of the . township, and in one of the loveliest farm districts of Missouri is " Avon- dale," the splendid home and 800 acre stock farm of Thomas B. Price. His residence, which cost $15,000, a model of architectural beauty and elegant finish, is with a single exception the finest farm house in the State. The grounds, barns, carriage and other out-buildings, are in keeping with the home. So, too, is the farm, with its clean forty and eighty acre lots, eight miles of hedge, water-courses, springs and ponds, admirable timber shelter along the creeks, and the perfect order of the whole estate. Mr. Price grows 140 acres of corn, getting from sixty to eighty bushels per
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acre, and sixty acres of wheat, which frequently averages him as high as twenty-eight bushels per acre. He has 620 acres of blue grass that would open the eyes of a Bourbon County farmer; feeds about 140 steers, and 250 pigs, and has a herd of thirty-four Short-horns of the Favorite, Rose of Sharon and Monarch families, all solid red, and finely bred. Mr Price sells the offspring of his herd when yearlings. Grazes and feeds about 300 mules for market. Mr. Price is one of the heaviest stock deal- ers in the State; owns magnificent landed estates in Missouri, Kansas and Texas; is a native of Jefferson City, and a clearsighted, manly man of the world. Adjoining " Avondale " is " Glenwood," a splendid 500 acre farm, with a fine two-story dwelling, out-buildings, lawns and fences to match it. It is the home of F. H. Bradford, a Kentuckian and a graduate of the State University. Mr. Bradford gets an average of fifty bushels of corn per acre, and twenty-five bushels of wheat; keeps about 300 acres in meadow and blue grass.
Capt. Samuel Shanks has another of these model farms, "Prairie Home," of six hundred and twenty acres. . It joins " Avondale " on the west. Like the other farms it is well watered, has a handsome $6,000 residence and complete out-buildings, fences, etc. The Captain cultivates two hundred and eighty acres; the remainder is in meadow and blue grass pasture. His farm is well stocked with fine horses, cattle, swine and sheep. He is a thorough stock man, and is President of the Browns- ville District Fair.
" Pleasant Grove " is the name of the beautiful $8,000 house, and one thousand and four hundred acre farm of J. C. Higgins, four miles west of Houstonia, and in the eastern central part of the township, and is finely watered by creeks and ponds. Mr. Higgins grows two hundred and fifty acres of corn, and two hundred acres of wheat, and has the balance of his farm in beautiful blue grass pastures. He keeps two hundred fine Cotswolds and Downs sheep, and raises Denmark and Ned Forrest horses; he feeds one hundred and fifty steers, and handles as high as one thousand mules in a single year: Mr. Higgins is a Virginian of great energy, liberal means, capital business sense, and is one of the foremost business men in the county.
Adjoining the farm of Mr. Higgins is the magnificent estate of Mrs. Judge W. C. Gibson, consisting of twenty-three hundred acres, principally prairie land, well watered and improved, with a $6,000 home, elegant lawns, fine fences, good barns, etc. On it have been grown thirty thousand bushels of corn from six hundred acres, and twelve thousand and five hundred bushels of wheat from five hundred acres. It has eleven hundred acres in blue grass and feeds six hundred to eight hundred and fifty steers, and one thousand prime pigs and four hundred sheep. Mr. J. G. Gregg has been associated with Judge Gibson for years. Most of this land has
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been improved from wild prairie, and now ranks as one of the finest farms in the county. Two miles southeast of "Prairie Home," (the residence of Samuel Shanks,) situated on a high mound, commanding a view of beau- tiful country for miles, is "Highland,". the house of John S. Senior. He has a four hundred and twenty acre farm, all in fine cultivation, and feeds annually a large number of stock cattle. A view of his residence is seen in another part of the work. In the western central part of the township is the fine three hundred and eighty acre farm of B. Y. Chipman. He also owns a farm of four hundred and six acres, near Houstonia. Both farms are well improved, and the home place in this township is well stocked. Mr. Chipman settled in the county in 1845, and has since resided here and built up this splendid home he now owns.
Samuel Fisher owns a fine three hundred acre farm in the western part of the township, on which he settled in 1832. He owns a fine flock of sheep, and gives his attention to general farming. J. H. Mills, John P. Higgins, J. R. Spurgin, J. E. Whitfield and Wm. Winston are among the large and representative farmers of the section.
CHURCHES .- At an early date the scattering settlers of the township and surrounding country would gather at the residence of some pious neighbor to listen to the word of God as it was delivered by some good old laborer in the early vineyard. It mattered not what his denomina- tional proclivities might be, be he Methodist, Baptist, Christian or Presby- terian, he was listented to each time he held services by an audience of attentive hearers, and the seeds sown on good ground have been blessed by bearing the fruit of an upright, honorable community. The first preaching in the township was at Mr. Prigmore's, by Duke Young, from near Tebo. He was of the Christian denomination. The first church was organized at James Roberts' and was of the Old Iron Side Baptists, and was organized by Martellus Embry. This was on South Fork. They built a small log house of worship, with hewed benches, and in this they continued to worship for a number of years.
The next organization was that of the M. E. denomination. The class was organized at John Rice's, and they still keep up their church, having a house of worship on the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 5, township 47, range 23, known as the Black- water Chapel. They have preaching twice a month.
South Fork Baptist Church is located three miles south of Brownsville, and was organized in 1855, by Elder G. W. Sands. The house of worship was built in 1856 by the congregation, assisted by the neighborhood, and was dedicated the same year by Elder W. P. C. Caldwell. It is a frame structure, and cost $300; is 24x36 with a ten-foot ceiling. The original members of the church were, Wm. A. Williams, William N. Berry, D. M.
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Payne, A. Williams, Sarah Williams, B. F. Pitts, Phœb eA. Pitts, L. H. Williams, Elizabeth Williams, Phoebe Ferguson, and others. The pastors of the congregation have been, G. W. Sands, T. Rocker, A. Horn, E. H. Burchfield, for fifteen years; Isaiah Spurgin, L. W. Whipple, J. Gott, J. T. Cowin and S. W. Scott.
This congregation was a colony from County Line Church, eight miles distant. It prospered for many years under its various pastors and exerted much influence'for good, but since the civil war other churches have sprung up and the membership of this congregation,'once strong, has been depleted. It is one of the few churches in Pettis County that kept up their regular services during the war, Elder Burchfield never missing an appointment for his monthly service. Its members kave always been active in missionary work. Its present membership is thirty-six. It has a Sunday School, of which S. Spurgin is Superintendent, and A. Roper, Secretary.
Salem Presbyterian Church was organized in October, 1880, and is located five miles northwest of Lamonte. The church building is in pro- cess of erection at the writing, and will probably be finished in June, 1882. It is 36x40 feet in size, with a spire seventy feet high, and will cost when completed $1,800. T. H. Maddox is the builder. The furniture will be supplied from Richmond, Indiana. The number of present membership is twenty-seven. T. H. Allen was the first pastor, and at present the church is without one, but the pulpit will be supplied as soon after the house is finished as possible.
Wake Forest Baptist Church is located three miles west of Houstonia, and was organized Nov. 14, 1866, by Revs. A. P. Williams and W. M. Bell. The church house was built in 1870, at a cost of $1,600, and is a frame structure 30x48 feet, located on a beautiful knoll and surrounded by a lovely grove. It was erected principally by the Baptist denomination, although the people of the neighborhood contributed to its building. The original members of the congregation were Absalom Williamson, Benj. F. Pitts, Rodney D. Fisher and Phœbe Pitts, in the organization, and Dr. L. H. Williams and Sarah Williams joined the day of organization. The number of the present membership is thirty-five. They have no Sunday School con- nected. The pastors who have occupied the pulpit are, W. R. Green, A. J. Emerson, J. P. Payne, J. L. Tichenor, J. R. Godby.
SCHOOLS .- The first school taught in the township was a subscription one by a Mr. Jones, near the place where Blackwater Chapel now stands. The first public school was taught in the building now known as school house No. 1, near the residence of Joseph C. Higgins. This house was destroyed by the cyclone of 1875, and another has been built about 100 yards from the former site.
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There are at present six schools in the township. All the buildings are good, substantial frame ones, well furnished with modern seats, charts, etc. The teachers as a class are live, active workers in their profession. The patrons of the school take great interest in the education of the youth, and as a consequence the schools are well attended. There are two pri- vate schools now, (May, 1882,) in session in the township, one at the New- ell school house, taught by Miss Mary Hawker, the other at Cedar Ridge school house, taught by Miss Effie Williams. Wages vary from $40 to $55 per month.
POLITICAL .- Political parties in early days were the Democrats and Whigs, but the interests of the township were always first in the minds of its people, and while they lacked none of that true patriotic spirit which everywhere characterizes the true American citizen, yet their home and county interests were looked after first. In early days small political meetings gathered at the Higgins school house and at the spring in the grove on Mr. S. Fisher's place, and at these peace and harmony generally reigned and neighbors decided what course was in their minds right, and took that stand. Of late years each person cleaves to his respective party, and, of course, votes for the man who represents his views.
POST-OFFICES .- There are two in the township, one at Rowletta, a mere country office, and the other at Sigel. Sigel is situated about twenty-four miles northwest from Sedalia on the line of Pettis and Johnson counties. It is the site of a few store houses and shops, and has a fine flouring mill. Population, about 100. The town was laid out by Dr. B. F. Dunkley, and a post-office established there before any town was built, and was named in honor of the Doctor. Rowletta is near the center of the town- ship. Geo. Lee is postmaster. Mail three times a week.
INCIDENTS .- During the war there were several crimes committed in the township. In 1863 John and Terrie Randall and Reuben Haregrave were taken from their homes by a band of marauders and carried about twenty miles south of the township, and all three murdered. They were all Republicans.
The Indians were plentiful in early days, and hunted the game over the prairies, frequently stopping at the cabins of the settlers. When game became scarce they would occasionally kill a hog or calf, but out- side of this they never did any damage.
Frequently when the early settlers started out across the prairie paths of a cloudy day they became lost, and on such occasions had to depend on the instinct of their faithful horse to bring them home.
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HISTORY OF BLACKWATER TOWNSHIP.
FULTON HUME BRADFORD.
The subject of this sketch is a descendant of an old Scotch family. The first representative of this family who came to America, was John Bradford. He came from Scotland in 1694, and settled in Culpepper County, Va., afterwards moving to Fauquier County, in that State. He had five children : Benjamin, Alexander, Daniel, Joseph and Andrew. Of these, Benjamin settled in North Carolina, and left a long line of descendants, who live in various sections of that State. Daniel and Alex- ander reared families in Fauquier County, and Joseph and Andrew had no descendants. Alexander was the grandfather of Austin Bradford, of
this county. The name of the latter's father was Austin, who had a large number of children, viz: Susan, Ira, Thornton and Harvey. They had no children. James, who moved to Springfield, Ill., reared a large family; Mrs. Narcissa Burbridge, wife of Thos. Burbridge, of Scott County, Ky., and Thomas and Austin, of Boone County, Mo. The latter was married to Miss Lavinia Hume, daughter of George Hume, of Scott County, Ky., in 1829, where they resided until about 1838, then emigrated to Missouri, and settled on a farm in Boone County. They have eight children: Geo. A., Alexander, Mrs. Slater E. Lenior, Miss Narcissa C:, of Boone County; Mrs. Gen. Edwin Price, of Chariton; Mrs. P. S. Wilkes, of Stockton, Cal .; Mrs. R. J. Bouchelle, of Bastrop, La .; and Fulton H. Bradford, the subject of this sketch, who was born in Scott County, Ky., April 13, 1838. When a boy he attended the district school, and after- wards the State University, at Columbia, Mo., where he graduated when but nineteen years of age. After he returned from school he engaged in farming, in Boone County, until the fall of 1865; then came to Pettis County and purchased his present homestead-"Glenwood," a descrip- tion of which appears in the history. of Blackwater Township. On the 24th day of November, 1863, he married Miss Annie Tutt, daughter of Joseph E. and Elizabeth Tutt. By this union they have four children: Percy, Katie, Felecia H. and Lizzie. Mr. Bradford is a man of great promise, a warm friend and a good neighbor. In politics he is a Demo- crat, and at present is the nominee of his party, for the western district of Pettis County, to represent them in the Legislature.
K. E. BRIGHT.
Post-office, Brownsville; a farmer by occupation. Is the son of William Bright, a native of Virginia, but who was taken when quite young to Kentucky, remaining there until he was a man grown, emigrating to Missouri about fifty years ago. The subject of this sketch, K. E. Bright, was born in Lafayette County, Mo., Aug. 20, 1843. His advantages for an education were what the times afforded. In the spring of 1864, Mr.
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Bright moved his family to Pettis County, locating in Blackwater Town- ship, where he has since resided. Mr. Bright was married March 17. 1863, to Miss Sarah A. Spurgin, a daughter of Solomon Spurgin, an old resident of Pettis County. From this union there are four children living, viz: Artie, Solomon C., George R. and Katie. Since Mr. Bright's resi- dence is Pettis County, he has been engaged in farming. He owns a beautiful little farm of 103 acres, well improved, and under a high state of cultivation. In politics Mr. B. is a Republican, and in religion a Baptist.
H. C. BROWN.
Post-office, Houstonia. Among the representative young men of Pettis County, we find none more worthy of mention than the subject of this sketch, H. C. Brown. He is the son of Haley Brown, a native of North Carolina, being born in Davidson County, N. C., April 9, 1854, and is the youngest child in a family of nine children. He was educated in the common schools of his native State. In the spring of 1874, Mr. Brown moved to Missouri, settling in Pettis County, near where he now resides. Dec. 16, 1877, Mr. Brown was married to Mrs. Nannie Williams, a daughter of Rev. Tyre Berry, a native of Missouri. They have one child, Mary Dempsey. Since Mr. Brown's residence in Missouri, he has been engaged in farming and the feeding of stock, in partnership with his brother, D. S. Brown. These young men own a fine farm of 700 acres. The home is well improved with good dwelling house, barns and other buildings. These young men are spoken of by their neighbors in the highest terms. In business they are honorable and straightforward, enjoying the confidence of all.
B. Y. CHIPMAN.
Post-office, Sigel. Is the son of O. H. Chipman, who was a native of North Carolina. The subject of this sketch was born in Guilford County, N. C., Dec. 27, 1818, and was the second child in a family of four children. He received his education from the common subscription schools of that early day. In the fall of 1845 Mr. Chipman moved his family to Missouri, settling in Pettis County, where he now resides. Sept. 20, 1845, Mr. Chip- man was married to Mary E. Winston, daughter of Jessie Winston, a native of North Carolina. From this union there were seven children, only two of whom are now living, viz: Lucy A. and Bettie E. Mrs. Chip- man dying, he was again married July 20, 1875, to Bettie Bear, of Vir- ginia. From this union there are two children, both of whom are living, viz: Bartlett Y. and Mary S. Since Mr. C.'s residence in Pettis County, he has been engaged in farming and stock-raising. He owns a beautiful farm where he resides, of 380 acres, well improved and under a high state
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