USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > The history of Buchanan County, Missouri > Part 3
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The beds are exposed between Hannibal and New London, north of Salt River, and near Glencoe, St. Louis County, and are 75 feet thick.
Black River and Bird's Eye Limestone is the same color as the Tren- ton Limestone.
The first Magnesian Limestone cap the picturesque bluffs of the Osage in Benton and neighboring counties.
The Saccharoidal Sandstone has a wide range in the state. In a bluff about two miles from Warsaw, is a very striking change of thickness of this formation.
Second Magnesian Limestone, in lithological character, is like the first. The second Sandstone, usually of yellowish-brown, sometimes becomes a pure white, fine-grained, soft, sandstone, as on Cedar Creek, in Wash- ington and Franklin Counties.
The third Magnesian Limestone is exposed in the high and pictur- esque bluffs of the Niangua, in the neighborhood of Bry's Spring.
The third Sandstone is white and has a formation in moving water.
The fourth Magnesian Limestone is seen on the Niangua and Osage Rivers.
The Azoic rocks lie below the Silurian and form a series of silicious and other slates, which contain no remains of organic life.
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 1
Coal .- Missouri is particularly rich in minerals. Indeed, no state in the Union surpasses her in this respect. In some unknown age of the past-long before the existence of man, nature, by a wise process, made a bountiful provision for the time, when in the order of things it should be necessary for civilized man to take possession of these broad, rich prairies. As an equivalent for lack of forests she quietly stored away beneath the soil those wonderful carboniferous treasures for the use of man.
Geological surveys have developed the fact that the coal deposits in the state are almost unnumbered, embracing all varieties of the best bit- uminous coal. The southeast boundary of the state has been ascertained to be one continuous coal field, stretching from the mouth of the Des Moines River, through Clark, Lewis, Scotland, Adair, Macon, Shelby, Monroe, Audrain, Callaway, Boone, Cooper, Pettis, Benton, Henry, St. Clair, Bates, Vernon, Cedar, Dade, Barton and Jasper, into the Indian Territory, and the counties on the northwest of this line contain more or
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
less coal. Coal rocks exist in Ralls, Montgomery, Warren, St. Charles, Moniteau, Cole, Morgan, Crawford and Lincoln, and during the past few years all along the lines of all the railroads in North Missouri, and along the western end of the Missouri Pacific, and on the Missouri River between Kansas City and Sioux City, has systematic mining opened up hundreds of mines in different localities. The area of our coal beds on the line of the southwestern boundary of the state alone embrace more than 26,000 square miles of regular coal measures. This will give of workable coal, if the average be one foot, 26,800,000,000 tons. The estimates from the developments already made in the different portions of the state will give 134,000,000,000 tons.
The economical value of this coal to the state, its influence in domestic life, in navigation, commerce and manufactures, is beyond the imagination of man to conceive. Suffice it to say, that in the possession of her developed and undeveloped coal mines, Missouri has a motive power which in its influence for good in the civilization of man is more than the gold of California.
Iron .- Prominent among the minerals which increase the power and prosperity of a nation is iron. Of this ore Missouri has an inexhaustible quantity, and, like her coal fields, it has been developed in many portions of the state, and of the best and purest quality. It is found in great abundance in the counties of Cooper, St. Clair, Green, Henry, Franklin, Benton, Dallas, Camden, Stone, Madison, Iron, Washington, Perry, St. Francois, Reynolds, Stoddard, Scott, Dent, and others. The greatest deposit of iron is found in the Iron Mountain, which is two hundred feet high, and covers an area of five hundred acres, and produces a metal which is shown by analysis to contain from 65 to 69 per cent. of metallic iron.
The ore of Shepherd Mountain contains from 64 to 67 per cent. of metallic iron. The ore of Pilot Knob contains from 53 to 60 per cent.
Rich beds of iron are also found at the Big Bogy Mountain, and at Russell Mountain. This ore has in its nude state a variety of colors, from the red, dark red, black, brown, to a light bluish gray. The red ores are found in 21 or more counties of the state, and are of great com- mercial value. The brown hematite iron ores extend over a greater range of country than all the others combined; embracing about 100 counties, and have been ascertained to exist in these in large quantities.
Lead .- Long before any permanent settlements were made in Mis- souri by the whites, lead was mined within the limits of the state, at two or three points on the Mississippi. At this time more than five hun- dred mines are opened, and many of them are being successfully worked. These deposits of lead cover an area, so far as developed, of more than 7,000 square miles. Mines have been opened in Jefferson, Washington, St. Francois, Madison, Wayne, Carter, Reynolds, Crawford, Ste. Gene-
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
vieve, Perry, Cole, Cape Girardeau, Camden, Morgan and some other counties.
Copper and Zinc .- Several varieties of copper ore are found in Mis- souri. The copper mines of Shannon, Madison, and Franklin Counties have been known for years, and some of these have been successfully worked and are now yielding good results.
Deposits of copper have been discovered in Dent, Crawford, Benton, Maries, Green, Lawrence, Dade, Taney, Dallas, Phelps, Reynolds and Wright Counties.
Zinc is abundant in nearly all the lead mines in the southwestern part of the state, and since the completion of the A. & P. R. R. a market has been furnished for this ore, which will be converted into valuable merchandise.
Building Stone and Marble .- There is no scarcity of good building stone in Missouri. Limestone, sandstone and granite exist in all shades of buff, blue, red and brown, and are of great beauty as building material.
There are many marble beds in the state, some of which furnish very beautiful and excellent marble. It is found in Marion, Cooper, St. Louis and other counties.
One of the most desirable of the Missouri marbles is in the third Magnesian Limestone, on the Niangua. It is fine grained, crystalline, silico-magnesian limestone, light drab, slightly tinged with peach blos- som, and clouded by deep flesh-colored shades. In ornamental archi- tecture it is rarely surpassed.
Gypsum and Lime .- Though no extensive beds of gypsum have been discovered in Missouri, there are vast beds of the pure white crystalline variety on the line of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, on Kansas River, and on Gypsum Creek. It exists also in several other localities accessible by both rail and boat.
All of the limestone formations in the state, from the coal measures to the fourth Magnesian, have more or less strata of very nearly pure carbonate of pure lime.
Clays and Paints .-- Clays are found in nearly all parts of the state suitable for making bricks. Potters' clay and fire clay are worked in many localities.
There are several beds of purple shades in the coal measures which possess the properties requisite for paints used in outside work. Yellow and red ochres are found in considerable quantities on the Missouri River. Some of these paints have been thoroughly tested and found fire-proof and durable.
SPRINGS AND WATER POWER.
No State is, perhaps, better supplied with cold springs of pure water than Missouri. Out of the bottoms there is scarcely a section of land
2
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
but has one or more perennial springs of good water. Even where there are no springs good water can be obtained by digging from twenty to forty feet. Salt springs are abundant in the central part of the state, and discharge their brine in Cooper, Saline, Howard and adjoining coun- ties. Considerable salt was made in Cooper and Howard counties at an early day.
Sulphur springs are also numerous throughout the state. The Cho- teau Springs in Cooper, the Monagaw Springs in St. Clair, the Elk Springs in Pike, and the Cheltenham Springs in St. Louis County, have acquired considerable reputation as salubrious waters, and have become popular places of resort. Many other counties have good sulphur springs.
Among the Chalybeate springs the Sweet Springs on the Black- water, and the Chalybeate Spring in the University campus are, perhaps, the most popular of the kind in the State. There are, however, other springs impregnated with some of the salts of iron.
Petroleum springs are found in Carroll, Ray, Randolph, Cass, Lafay- ette, Bates, Vernon and other counties. The variety called lubricating oil i's the more common.
The water power of the State is excellent. Large springs are par- ticularly abundant on the Meramec, Gasconade, Bourbeuse, Osage, Nian- gua, Spring, White, Sugar and other streams. Besides these, there are hundreds of springs sufficiently large to drive mills and factories, and the day is not far distant when these crystal fountains will be utilized, and a thousand saws will buzz to their dashing music.
CHAPTER IV.
TITLE AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
TITLE TO MISSOURI LANDS-RIGHT OF DISCOVERY-TITLE OF FRANCE AND SPAIN - CESSION TO THE UNITED STATES - TERRITORIAL CHANGES -TREATIES WITH INDIANS-FIRST SETTLEMENT-STE. GENEVIEVE AND NEW BOURBON-ST. LOUIS- WHEN INCORPORATED-POTOSI-ST. CHARLES-PORTAGE DES SIOUX-NEW MADRID -ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY-PERRY-MISSISSIPPI-LOUTRE ISLANDS-" BOONE'S LICK " -COTE SANS DESSEIN-HOWARD COUNTY -SOME FIRST THINGS-COUNTIES-WHEN ORGANIZED.
The title to the soil of Missouri was, of course, primarily vested in the original occupants who inhabited the country prior to its discovery by the whites. But the Indians, being savages, possessed but few rights
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
that civilized nations considered themselves bound to respect, so when they found this country in the possession of such a people, they claimed it in the name of the King of France by the right of discovery. It remained under the jurisdiction of France until 1763.
Prior to the year 1763 the entire continent of North America was divided between France, England, Spain and Russia. France held all that portion that now constitutes our national domain west of the Mis- sissippi River, except Texas and the territory which we have obtained from Mexico and Russia. The vast region, while under the jurisdiction of France, was known as the "Province of Louisiana," and embraced the present State of Missouri. At the close of the "Old French War," in 1763, France gave up her share of the continent, and Spain came into the possession of the territory west of the Mississippi River, while Great Britain retained Canada and the regions northward, having obtained that territory by conquest in the war with France. For thirty-seven years the territory now embraced within the limits of Missouri, remained as a part of the possession of Spain, and then went back to France by the treaty of St. Ildefonso, October Ist, 1800. On the 30th of April, 1803, France ceded it to the United States in consideration of receiving $11,250,000 and the liquidation of certain claims held by citizens of the United States against France, which amounted to the further sum of $3,750,00, making a total of $15,000,000. It will thus be seen that France has twice, and Spain once, held sovereignty over the territory embracing Missouri, but the financial needs of Napoleon afforded our government an opportunity to add another empire to its domain.
On the 3Ist of October, 1803, an act of Congress was approved, authorizing the President to take possession of the newly acquired ter- ritory, and provided for it a temporary government, and another act, approved March 26th, 1804, authorized the division of the "Louisiana Purchase," as it was then called, into two separate territories. All that portion south of the 33d parallel of north latitude was called the " Territory of Orleans," and that north of the said parallel was known as the "District of Louisiana," and was placed under the jurisdiction of what was then known as " Indiana Territory."
By virtue of an act of Congress, approved March 3, 1805, the " Dis- trict of Louisiana" was organized as the "Territory of Louisiana," with a territorial government of its own, which went into operation July 4th, of the same year, and it so remained until 1812. In this year the "Territory of Orleans" became the State of Louisiana, and the " Terri- tory of Louisiana " was organized as the " Territory of Missouri."
This change took place under an act of Congress, approved June 4th, 1812. In 1819 a portion of this territory was organized as " Arkan- sas Territory," and in 1812 the State of Missouri was admitted, being a part of the former "Territory of Missouri."
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
In 1836 the "Platte Purchase," then being a part of the Indian Ter- ritory, and now composing the counties of Atchison, Andrew, Buchanan, Holt, Nodaway, and Platte, was made by treaty with the Indians, and added to the state. It will be seen then that the soil of Missouri be- longed
First-To France with other territory.
Second-In 1768, with other territory it was ceded to Spain.
Third-October Ist, 1800, it was ceded with other territory from Spain back to France.
Fourth-April 30th, 1803, it was ceded with other territory by France to the United States.
Fifth-October 31, 1803, a temporary government was authorized by Congress for the newly acquired territory.
Sixth-October 1, 1804, it was included in the "District of Louis- iana," and placed under the territorial government of Indiana.
Seventh-July 4, 1805, it was included as a part of the "Territory of Louisiana," then organized with a separate territorial government.
Eighth-June 4, 1812, it was embraced in what was then made the "Territory of Missouri."
Ninth-August 10, 1821, it was admitted into the Union as a state.
Tenth-In 1836 the " Platte Purchase " was made, adding more ter- ritory to the state.
The cession by France, April 30, 1803, vested the title in the United States, subject to the claims of the Indians, which it was very justly the policy of the government to recognize. Before the government of the United States could vest clear title to the soil in the grantee it was necessary to extinguish the Indian title by purchase. This was done accordingly by treaties made with the Indians at different times.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
The name of the first white man who set foot on the territory now embraced in the State of Missouri is not known, nor is it known at what precise period the first settlements were made. It is, however, gener- ally agreed that they were made at Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon, tradition fixing the date of these settlements in the autumn of 1735. These towns were settled by the French from Kaskaskia and St. Philip in Illinois.
St. Louis was founded by Pierre Laclede Liguest, on the 15th of February, 1764. He was a native of France, and was one of the members of the company of Laclede, Liguest, Antoino Maxant & Co., to whom a royal charter had been granted, confirming the privilege of an exclu- sive trade with the Indians of the Missouri as far north as St. Peter's River.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
While in search of a trading post he ascended the Mississippi as far as the mouth of the Missouri, and finally returned to the present town site of St. Louis. After the village had been laid off he named it St. Louis, in honor of Louis XV, of France.
The colony thrived rapidly by accessions from Kaskaskia and other towns on the east side of the Mississippi, and its trade was largely in- creased by many of the Indian tribes, who removed a portion of their peltry trade from the same towns to St. Louis. It was incorporated as a town on the 9th day of November, 1809, by the court of Common Pleas of the district of St. Louis; the town trustees being Auguste Chou- teau, Edward Hempstead, Jean F. Cabanne, Wm. C. Carr and Wm. Christy, and incorporated as a city December 9, 1822. The selection of the town site on which St. Louis stands was highly judicious, the spot not only being healthful and having the advantages of water transpor- tation unsurpassed, but surrounded by a beautiful region of country, rich in soil and mineral resources. St. Louis has grown to be the fifth city in population in the Union, and is to-day, the great centre of internal commerce of the Missouri, the Mississippi and their tributaries, and, with its railroad facilities, it is destined to be the greatest inland city of the American continent.
The next settlement was made at Potosi, in Washington County, in 1765, by Francis Breton, who, while chasing a bear, discovered the mine near the present town of Potosi, where he afterward located.
One of the most prominent pioneers who settled at Potosi, was Moses Austin, of Virginia, who, in 1773, received by grant from the Spanish government, a league of land now known as the "Austin Sur- vey." The grant was made on the condition that Mr. Austin would establish a lead mine at Potosi and work it. He built a palatial resi- dence, for that day, on the brow of the hill in the little village, which was, for many years, known as "Durham Hall." At this point the first shot-tower and sheet-lead manufactory were erected.
Five years after the founding of St. Louis the first settlement made in Northern Missouri was made at or near St. Charles, in St. Charles County, in 1769. The name given to it, and which it retained till 1784, was Les Petites Cotes, signifying Little Hills. The town site was located by Blanchette, a Frenchman, surnamed LeChasseur, who built the first fort in the town and established there a military post.
Soon after the establishment of the military post at St. Charles, the old French village of Portage des Siour was located on the Mississipi, just below the mouth of the. Illinois river, and at about the same time a Kickapoo village was commenced at Clear Weather Lake. The present town site of New Madrid, in New Madrid County, was settled in 178.1, by French Canadians, it then being occupied by Delaware Indians. The place now known as Big River Mills, St. Francois County, was settled in
·
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
1796, Andrew Baker, John Alley, Francis Starater and John Andrews each locating claims. The following year a settlement was made in the same county, just below the the present town of Farmington, by the Rev. Wm. Murphy, a Baptist minister from East Tennessee. In 1796, settlements were made in Perry County by emigrants from Kentucky and Pennsyl- vania ; the latter locating in the rich bottom lands of Bois Brule, the former generally settling in the "Barrens," and along the waters of Saline Creek.
Bird's Point, in Mississippi County, opposite Cairo, Ill., was settled August 6, 1800, by John Johnson, by virtue of a land grant from the com- mandant under the Spanish Government. Norfolk and Charleston, in the same county, were settled respectively in 1800 and 1801. Warren county was settled in 1801. Loutre Island, below the present town of Herman, in the Missouri River, was settled by a few American families in 1807. This little company of pioneers suffered greatly from the floods, as well as from the incursions of thieving and blood-thirsty Indians, and many incidents of a thrilling character could be related of trials and struggles had we the time and space.
In 1807 Nathan and Daniel Boone, sons of the great hunter and pio- neer, in company with three others, went from St. Louis to "Boone's Lick," in Howard County, where they manufactured salt, and formed the nucleus of a small settlement.
Cote Sans Dessein, now called Bakersville, on the Missouri River, in Callaway County, was settled by the French in 1801. This little town was considered at that time as the " Far West" of the new world. During the war of 1812, at this place many hard-fought battles occurred between the whites and Indians, wherein woman's fortitude and courage greatly assisted in the defense of the settlement.
In 1810 a colony of Kentuckians, numbering one hundred and fifty families, immigrated to Howard County, and settled in the Missouri River bottom, near the present town of Franklin.
Such, in brief, is the history of some of the early settlements of Mis- souri, covering a period of more than half a century.
These settlements were made on the water courses ; usually along the banks of the two great streams, whose navigation afforded them transportation for their marketable commodities and communication with the civilized portion of the country.
They not only encountered the gloomy forests, settling as they did, by the river's brink, but the hostile incursion of savage Indians, by whom they were for many years surrounded.
The expedients of these brave men who first broke ground in the territory have been succeeded by the permanent and tasteful improve- ments of their descendants. Upon the spots where they toiled, dared and died, are seen the comfortable farm, the beautiful village and thrifty
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
city. Churches and school houses greet the eye on every hand ; rail- roads diverge in every direction, and indeed, all the appliances of a higher civilization are profusely strewn over the smiling surface of the state.
Culture's band Has scattered verdure o'er the land ; And smiles and fragrance rule serene, Where barren wild usurped the scene.
SOME FIRST THINGS.
The first marriage that took place in Missouri was April 20, 1766, in St. Louis.
The first baptism was performed in May, 1776, in St. Louis.
The first house of worship (Catholic), was erected in 1775, at St. Louis.
The first ferry established in 1805, on the Mississippi River, at St. Louis.
The first newspaper established in St. Louis (Missouri Gazette) in 1808.
The first postoffice was established in 1804, in St. Louis-Rufus Easton, postmaster.
The first Protestant church erected at Ste. Genevieve, in 1806- Baptist.
The first bank established, (Bank of St. Louis), in 1814.
The first market house opened in 1811, in St. Louis.
The first steamboat on the Upper Mississippi was the General Pike, Capt. Jacob Reid ; landed at St. Louis, 1817.
The first board of trustees for public schools appointed in 1817, St. Louis.
The first college built, (St. Louis College), in 1817.
The first steamboat that came up the Missouri River as high as Franklin was the Independence, in 1819 ; Capt. Nelson, master.
The first court house erected in 1823, in St. Louis.
The first cholera appeared in St. Louis in 1832.
The first railroad convention held in St. Louis, April 20, 1836.
The first telegraph lines reached East St. Louis, December 20, 1847. The first great fire occurred in St. Louis, 1849.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
CHAPTER V.
TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION.
ORGANIZATION 1812-COUNCIL-HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES-WM. CLARK FIRST TER- RITORIAL GOVERNOR-EDWARD HEMPSTEAD FIRST DELEGATE-SPANISH GRANTS -FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY-PROCEEDINGS-SECOND ASSEMBLY-PROCEEDINGS- POPULATION OF TERRITORY - VOTE OF TERRITORY - RUFUS EASTON - ABSENT MEMBERS-THIRD ASSEMBLY- PROCEEDINGS-APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION.
Congress organized Missouri as a territory July 4, 1812, with a Gov- ernor and General Assembly. The Governor, Legislative Council and House of Representatives exercised the legislative power of the terri- tory, the Governor's vetoing power being absolute.
The Legislative Council was composed of nine members, whose tenure of office lasted five years. Eighteen citizens were nominated by the House of Representatives to the President of the United States, from whom he selected, with the approval of the Senate, nine Council- lors to compose the Legislative Council.
The House of Representatives consisted of members chosen every two years by the people, the basis of representation being one member for every five hundred white males. The first House of Representatives consisted of thirteen members, and, by act of Congress, the whole num- ber of Representatives could not exceed twenty-five.
The judicial power of the territory was vested in the Superior and Inferior Courts, and in the Justices of the Peace; the Superior Court having three judges, whose term of office continued four years, having original and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases.
The Territory could send one delegate to Congress. Governor Clark issued a proclamation, October Ist, 1812, required by Congress, · reorganizing the districts of St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and New Madrid into five counties, and fixed the second Mon- day in November following for the election of a delegate to Congress, and the members of the Territorial House of Representatives.
William Clark, of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, was the first Territorial Governor, appointed by the President, who began his duties in 1813.
Edward Hempstead, Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond and Matthew Lyon were candidates in November for delegates to Congress.
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