USA > Missouri > Johnson County > The history of Johnson County, Missouri : including a reliable history of the townships, cities, and towns, together with a map of the county; a condensed history of Missouri; the state constitution; an abstract of the most important laws etc > Part 23
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MADISON TOWNSHIP.
" Ordered by the county court of Johnson that a judicial township by the name of Madison be, and the same is hereby established, in the county aforesaid, bounded as follows, to-wit: Beginning on the county line that divides the counties of Rives and Johnson, where the range line intersects the county line that passes between ranges 27 and 26, thence running west with the county line aforesaid to the Van Buren (now Cass,) line, thence north with said line to the township line between 35 and 36, thence east with said township line to the range line between ranges 26 and 27, thence south to the beginning. Ordered May 4, 1835."
WARRENSBURG TOWNSHIP.
"Be it remembered, and it is hereby ordered by the court here, that the following territorial boundary of a new township be laid out as follows: Commencing on the north boundary of the county in the center of range 25, running due south to the southern boundary of said county, thence west with the county line to the center of range 27, thence north to the township line of 46 and 45, thence east one mile and a half in range 26, thence due north to the county line, thence east to the beginning, to com- pose one township, called and known by the name of Warrensburg town- ship, and the elections to be held at the town of Warrensburg. Ordered October 3, 1836."
POST OAK TOWNSHIP.
" On petition it is ordered by the court, that a new township be formed off of the south end of Warrensburg township, to be known and designated by the following territorial boundaries, and be called Post Oak township, to-wit: Beginning at the southwest corner of Warrensburg township,
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
then east to the southeast corner of said township, thence north to the middle of township number forty-five, thence west to where said line strikes the west prong of Post Oak, thence down said creek to the mouth of a branch called Briar, thence up the main fork of said branch to where it intersects the present line of Warrensburg and Jackson townships, thence with present line of Warrensburg township to the beginning. The place of holding elections in said township to be at the residence of the widow King. Ordered February 14, 1849."
HAZEL HILL TOWNSHIP.
" On petition ordered that a new township be formed off of parts of Warrensburg, Jackson and Washington townships, to be called and ยท known by the name of Hazel Hill township, and bounded as follows, to- wit: Commencing at the northwest corner of section thirty, in township forty-eight, of range twenty-six, at the Johnson and Lafayette county line, and running thence south with the range line, dividing range twenty- six and twenty-seven, to the southwest corner of township forty-seven of range twenty-six, and thence east on the township line dividing townships forty-six and forty-seven, to where said line strikes Blackwater Creek, and thence with the main Blackwater Creek to the county line dividing Johnson and Pettis counties, and thence north with said Johnson and Pettis county line, to the Johnson and Lafayette county line, and thence west with said Johnson and Lafayette county line to the beginning; and it is further ordered that all elections within said township be held at the Hazel Hill school house, and that the clerk of this court certify a trans- cript hereof to the secretary of state. Ordered June 10, 1856. "
CHILHOWEE TOWNSHIP.
" Bounded on the north by section line two miles north of township line between townships forty-four and forty-five, running from the west bound- ary of Johnson county, east to the range line between ranges twenty-six (26) and twenty-seven (27), thence north with said range line one mile, thence east three miles to the center of range twenty-six (26), on the west and south by county line, and on the east by section line running through the center of range 26, and all territory embraced within said lines, shall be designated and known as Chilhowee township, with places of voting at Chilhowee and Rose Hill, divided as follows: All the territory in said township east of the range line, between ranges twenty-seven (27) and twenty-eight (28), will compose an election district with voting place at Chilhowee, and all the territory in said township, west of said range line, will compose one district with place of voting at Rose Hill. Ordered May 15, 1868."
GROVER TOWNSHIP.
" Ordered by the court that a new municipal township be established on the following described lines to-wit: Commencing at the northeast corner
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
of Johnson county, thence south to the township line between townships 46 and 47, thence west on said township line to the center of range 25, thence north on said subdivisional line to the Johnson and Lafayette county line, thence east on said county line to the place of beginning. Said municipal township to be called Grover township, and the place of voting to be Lowland school house. Ordered February 9, 1869."
ROSE HILL.
"Now at this day a petitioner is present with thirty-nine signers, house holders of the municipal township of Chilhowee, in Johnson county, asking for a division of said township. Therefore, it is ordered by the court that the prayer of said petitioner be granted, and that said township be divided upon the following lines: Beginning at the line between the counties of John- son and Henry, on the range line between range 27 and 28, running thence north seven miles to the line between the townships of Madison and Chil- howee. It is further ordered by the court that all that portion of said township lying east of said new dividing line be called and known by the name of Chilhowee township, and all the territory lying west of said line be known and called Rose Hill township, from and after this date, with voting place at Chilhowee, and Rose Hill, respectively. Ordered August 17, 1869."
COLUMBUS TOWNSHIP.
"Commencing at the county line between Lafayette and Johnson coun- ties, at the northeast corner of section one, township forty-seven, range twenty-seven, thence west on said county line to the range line between ranges twenty-seven and twenty-eight, thence south on said range line to the southwest corner of section eighteen, township forty-six, range twenty- seven, thence east on the section line between section eighteen and nine- teen of said township to the southeast corner of section thirteen of said township, it being on the range line between ranges twenty-six and twenty-seven, thence north to the place of beginning, with place of voting at Columbus. Ordered May 12, 1870."
KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP.
" Commencing at the northeast corner of section twenty, township forty-six, range twenty-eight, then west on the section line between seven- teen and twenty, etc., to the line between Johnson and Cass counties, thence south on said county line to the southwest corner of section twenty - two, township forty-five, range twenty-nine, thence east on the section line between sections twenty-two and twenty-seven, and to the southeast corner of section twenty, township forty-five, range twenty-eight, thence north on the section line, between sections twenty-one and twenty, to the place of beginning. The place of voting shall be at Ramey (now Kings- ville). Ordered May 12, 1870."
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
CENTERVIEW TOWNSHIP.
"Ordered by the court, that a new municipal corporation be and the same is hereby established, as follows, to-wit: Commencing at the north- east corner of section 5, town 46, range 26, thence west to the northeast corner of section 5, town 46, range 27, thence south on said section to the southeast corner of section 20, town 45, range 27, thence east on said sec- tion line to the southeast corner of section 20, town 45, range 26, thence north on said section line to the beginning; and that said territory be known and designated as Centerview township, with place of voting at Centerview. Ordered November 17, 1870."
SIMPSON TOWNSHIP.
"Now at this day comes Andrew Kirkpatrick, G. P. Aingell, et al., cit- izens and legal voters of Grover township, in this county, and file in the court here their petition, praying this court to divide the said Grover township at the range line between ranges number twenty-four (24) and twenty-five (25); and to constitute and form a new township, to be known and designated as Simpson township, with the following metes and bounds to-wit: Commencing at the southwest corner of section number thirty-one (31), in township forty-seven (47), of range number twenty-five (25), and running thence east along the township line, between townships number forty-seven (47) and forty-six (46), a distance of six (6) miles, more or less, to the southeast corner of section number thirty-six (36), in township number forty-seven (47), of range number twenty-five (25), and running thence north upon the range line between ranges number twenty- four (24) and twenty-five (25), a distance of eight (8) miles, more or less, to the northeast corner of section number twenty-five (25), in township number forty-eight (48), of range number twenty-five (25), at the Lafay- ette and Johnson county lines, and running thence west along and upon said county line for a distance of six (6) miles, more or less, to the northwest corner of section thirty (30), in township number forty-eight (48), `of range number twenty-five (25), and running thence south along the range line between ranges number twenty-five (25) and twenty-six (26), a distance of eight (8) miles, more or less, to the place of beginning, and containing forty-eight (48) square miles, be the same, more or less. Which said petition, having been seen and examined by the court, it is ordered that the prayer of the petitioners be granted, and that a new municipal township, to be known and designated as Simpson township, be and the same is hereby made and created in this county of Johnson, with the metes and bounds and boundaries as described above in the petition aforesaid. Ordered January 23, 1875."
The foregoing orders of court organizing the different municipal town- ships were the first in relation to the same, many of them, since having
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
been subjected to several changes in their boundaries and area of terri- tory. As the different sections of the county settled up, other townships were formed, principally for the purpose of having more convenient voting places, and smaller sections to facilitate the levy and collection of taxes, the organization of school and road districts, and certain limits for the exercise of the duties of justices of the peace, constables and other officers of small political division. As at present constituted their boun- daries are as follows:
Grover, north by Lafayette county, east by Pettis county, south by Washington township, and west by Simpson township.
Simpson, north by Lafayette county, east by Grover, south by Wash- ington and Warrensburg townships and west by Hazel Hill township.
Hazel Hill, north by Lafayette county, east by Simpson township, south by Warrensburg and Centerview townships and west by Columbus township and Lafayette county.
Columbus, north by Lafayette county, east by Hazel Hill and Center- view townships, south by Centerview and Madison townships and west by Jackson township.
Jackson, north by Lafayette county, east by Columbus, south by Madi- son and Kingsville townships and west by Jackson and Cass counties.
Kingsville, north by Jackson, east by Madison, south by Rose Hill and west by Cass county.
Madison, north by Jackson and Columbus townships, east by Center- view, south by Chilhowee and Rose Hill townships, and west by Kings- ville township.
Centerview, north by Columbus and Hazel Hill townships, east by Warrensburg and Chilhowee townships, south by Chilhowee and west by Madison and Columbus townships.
Warrensburg, north by Hazel Hill and Simpson townships, east by Washington, south by Post Oak and Chilhowee, and west by Center- view.
Washington, north by Simpson and Grover townships, east by Pettis county, south by Jefferson and Post Oak townships and west by Warrens burg.
Jefferson, north by Washington township, east by Pettis county, south by Henry county and west by Post Oak township.
Post Oak, north by Warrensburg and Washington townships, east by Jefferson township, south by Henry county and west by Chilhowee town- ship.
Chilhowee, north by Madison, Centerview and Warrensburg townships, east by Post Oak, south by Henry county and west by Rose Hill town- ship.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Rose Hill, north by Kingsville, Madison and Chilhowee townships, east by Chilhowee, south by Henry county and west by Cass county.
A further and more minute description of the different townships will be found hereinafter in this volume, under the head of History of Town- ships.
The county court composed of Amos Horn, Uriel Murry, and Robert W. Rankin, as has been stated, met for the first time April 13, 1835, at the house of Mrs. Rachel Houx, and the second time, May 4, 1835, at the same place. At the latter named session W. E. Cocke was appointed constable of Jackson township, and W. H. Anderson constable of Wash- ington township. S. Whitsitt was appointed surveyor, being the first to hold that office in Johnson county. Of the first election held in Jackson township, August, 1835, Jester Cocke, Jonathan Fine, and Robert Craig were judges, appointed May 5, 1835. Moses Pinkston, Samuel Wilson, and S. Rowdon were appointed justices of the peace.
Robert Graham, Joseph Harrison, and Joseph Hobson were appointed as judges of election, for Washington township, and George McMahon and Joseph Robertson, justices of the peace.
William Flannery, James Harris, and Benjamin Snelling were appointed judges of elections in Jefferson township; Moses Owsley, Benjamin Snell- ing, and James Harris, justices of the peace, and James McWilliams, con- stable.
Timothy Dunham, James Strange, and Hiram Helm were appointed judges of elections in Madison township; Wm. Conway and Hiram Helm, justices of the peace, and Nicholas Turner, constable ..
The first sheriff of Johnson county, Joseph Cockrell, was appointed June 1, A. D. 1835. Strong drink, it will appear from the following, occupied the minds of the people and the attention of the courts, even in the infancy of the county-O, perverse man!
" State of Missouri, Johnson county: This day, Prince L. Hudgins deposited in the clerk's office of the county court, of Johnson county, the sum of five dollars, in order to obtain at the next county court a grocers' license, for the purpose of retailing spirituous liquors in said county.
" June 8, 1835.
JNO. H. TOWNSEND, Clerk."
The first regular petition to the county court was brought by J. B. Mor row, praying for the organization of township +7, range 27, into school districts, in the following language:
" On this day, John B. Morrow, presented a petition to the county court of Johnson, now in session, on behalf of the householders, inhabitants of township 47, range 27, praying said court to organize said township into a school district, for the establishment of schools, and for the government and regulation thereof, whereupon the court being satisfied that at least
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
two-thirds of the householders, inhabitants of said township, signed said petition, and that the prayer of the petition is otherwise reasonable, do hereby declare said township be incorporated, and that it be known by the name and style of the Franklin school district, and its number, one. The county court of Johnson, do hereby appoint Robert Craig, Samuel B. Ramsey, Samuel Wilson, William M. Kincaid, and Caswitt Daviss trustees for the Franklin school district, in said county. July 16, 1835." The names of C. Davis and S. B. Ramsey were afterwards striken out.
P. L. Hudgins was appointed commissioner of school lands for the county of Johnson, at the same session of court.
August 4, 1835, a petition for P. L. Hudgens, the commissioner of school lands for the county, to sell the 16th section in township 47, and range 26, was granted.
On September 12, 1835, James Warren was appointed clerk of Johnson county court, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of John H. Townsend.
On November 2, 1835, James McWilliams resigned his office of con- stable of Jefferson township, and the vacancy was filled by the appoint- ment of William Flannery, and James Carmichael was allowed pay as assessor, for thirty-two days' work, at one dollar and fifty cents per day. At the same term of court, Richard Handcock, the collector for the county, presented his delinquent list, amounting to $16.10.
The first road overseer in the county was Joseph Dixon, appointed Decem- ber, 1835. Following his appointment were those of William Flannery, William K. Leeves, James Bothick, and J. H. Evans.
The first petition for a road was presented, December 20, 1835, by Wil- liam M. Kincaid. The foregoing is a synopsis of the business of the county court during the first year of the county's organization.
The county seat was located in 1836, and named Warrensburg, in honor of Martin Warren. The commissioners were Henderson Young and Daniel' McDowell, of Lafayette county, and Daniel Morgan Boone, of Jackson county. Martin Warren came, in an early day, from Kentucky, and settled in Lafayette county, this state. He purchased a quarter sec- tion of land where most of the present town bearing his name is now situ- ated. His cabin was built on the open prairie, near the site of Mrs. Lutitia D. Grover's present residence, in Warrensburg. He lived to a ripe old age, and died there.
James Carmichael was appointed commissioner of the seat of justice, to lay out the town, and sell lots in the same.
The first general election in the county occurred in August, 1836, when there was an election of governor, lieutenant-governor, legislators, mem- bers of congress, sheriff, and coroner.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Judges of election, in the different townships, were as follows: Wash- ington township, George Gallaher, Joel Walker, and Stephen Blevin; Jackson township, Richard Bradley, Lynch Brooks, and Pleasant Rice; Madison township, Hiram Helm, James Strange, and Isaac Hanna.
The chief tribunal of the county continued to meet at the residence of Mrs. Rachel Houx, until the close of the August term, 1836, when it was ordered to meet at Warrensburg, the new county seat.
Amos Horn, one of the first three justices of the county, came from Tennessee, and was one of the first settlers of the county, coming in the year 1832. He lived in the northeast part of Hazel Hill township, about twelve miles from Warrensburg. He died in the year 1878 or 1879, at a very advanced age, being about eighty years old. He was buried at Oak Grove cemetery, near his residence. He was, for a time, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and afterward became a Missionary Baptist minis- ter, and occasionally preached in the country, in churches and school houses, where services were needed. He was an active Christian, gener- ous neighbor, and an exemplary man.
Uriel Murry was also a Tennesseean, but came to this county as early as 1830. He settled fourteen miles west of Warrensburg, and continued a long time justice of the county court. He accumulated a good compe- tence, and lived on his farm till his death, which occurred twenty years ago. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and demeaned himself as a careful, sedate, and exemplary man, highly respected by all who knew him.
Robert W. Rankin was a Kentuckian, and came to this county some time before its organization. He was educated as a physician, but gave more of his attention to farming than to the practice of his profession. He lived in Johnson county till the civil war, and then removed across the Missouri river, where he died, about fifteen years ago. Dr. Rankin was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was held in high estimation by his neighbors and those who knew him. He took a great interest in the cause of education in the county. The three men who con- stituted the first county court were of high character and business integ- rity.
The first court after the removal to Warrensburg, was at the house of Henry Colbern, with Uriel Murry, presiding.
At the October term 1836, Prince L. Hudgins and George Gallaher presented their commissions from governor Dunklin as justices of the county court, taking the places vacated by Robert Rankin and Amos Horn. During the same session of court, Wm. Smith entered upon his duties as sheriff. The following is a list of those appointed in 1836 to view roads: Joseph Cockrell, Uriel Jackson, Jester Cocke, William
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
Cheek, Samuel Graham, Thomas C. Warren, Henry Hays, John Stewart, James Kincaid, Caswell C. Davis, Henry Colbern, Pleasant Rice, John Windsor and John Ferguson. The road commissioners for the next year were: Isaac Coy, John Robinson, William Thornton, John Adams, Jacob Perman and William Fletcher.
Robert Graham was elected assessor in 1837, and the December term of the court was changed to the house of Y. E. W. Berry. In 1839 the following received commissions as justices of the peace: James S. Jones, Jerome B. Greer, Jacob Knaus and Shelly Harte. In 1840 the following received commissions for the same office: James W. Jones, Charles Win- field, E. B. Skidmore, David W. White, Y. E. W. Berry, Shelly Harte, William Trapp, Robert Thompson, J. C. Strange, Isaac Hanna, Samuel E. Rowden and J. C. Francis.
The first circuit court met at the residence of Rachel Houx, August 6, 1835, Hon. J. F. Ryland, judge; Joseph Cockrell, sheriff, and J. H. Townsend, clerk, who was also appointed county clerk pro tem. The offices of county and circuit clerks were held by one and the same person from the organi- zation of the county to the year 1860. The grand jury consisted of Rob- ert Graham, foreman; Wesley Pinkston, Elmore Douglass, William Davis, John Windsor, Jester Cocke, Wm. H. Tombs, Joseph Harrison, Nathan- iel Lowry, Samuel Brown, Isaac Anderson, John M. Harris, Levi Whit- sett, Jesse Harrison, Henry Colbern, John Eppler, John Grant, Caswell Davis, Jesse Grant, J. C. Strange, and Jesse Marr. The jury assembled under a tree and gravely listened to some minor cases brought before them for consideration, they reported to the court that it was not worth a while to " kick up a fuss over such trivial matters," and accordingly found no . indictment.
The next court was held December 10, 1835, J. F. Ryland, judge; James D. Warren, Clerk, and Joseph Cockrell, sheriff. The following were selected as the grand jury: Wm. Thornton, foreman; David S. Praffett, Stephen Blevins, Thomas Goings, James B. Wood, Thomas Drummond, James B. Tomlin, James H. Bradley, William Davidson, William Bigham, sr., Wm. Bigham, jr., Samuel G. Brigham, John Kitchen, Thomas Evans, Abram Adams, John Stewart, James B. Harris, Joseph Dixon and Solo- mon Dixon.
Except the years between 1873 and 1877, the county and township organizations have been maintained substantially in the same manner from the organization of the county to the present time. During the time in which the township system was in force in Johnson county-from 1873 to 1877-much of the business which is now transacted at the county seat by officers elected by the whole county, was then transacted in the respective townships, where such business most naturally originated.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.
The names and events which most naturally belong to this chapter on organization, as opening up one feature of the county's past history, have been given, and we now proceed to the consideration of other themes, fer- vently hoping that future generations may maintain the honor due the memory of their fathers.
CHAPTER III .- NATURAL HISTORY.
Introduction-Physical Features-Situation-Extent-Surface-Streams-Timber-Prai- ries-Geology -- Different Formations-Soils-Coal-Building Stone-Minerals- Springs and Other Water-Botany-Trees-Plants-Grasses -- Cereals.
No part of a country's history is more important than that of its nat- ural resources. The blessings nature has conferred upon a country alone determines its future prosperity and development. It is true of all the counties in the western states that those which are rich and abound in great natural advantages are settled long before the others, and become the most densely populated. In short, the character of a people is deter- mined mainly by the quality of the soil they inhabit. A wealthy, indus- trious and educated population is always found in fertile districts, and a poor, uncouth, uneducated class of people is generally found in a thin, unproductive district of country. Hence, when we find a country popu- lated by a happy, prosperous and enlightened class of citizens, such as are settled over all parts of Johnson county, we may logically conclude that the blessings of nature abound there, and that if her natural advantages are not always bountiful in some one particular, they are in some, or per- haps many, other ways, affording to her citizens a great variety of means of livelihood. Where the weather is favorable and the land fertile, yield- ing abundant crops, there we find beautiful farm houses, surrounded with elegant ornamentation, and there may be seen thriving towns and cities. Then, the mighty coal fields and superior qualities of building stone in abundance unite with the immense crops of grain, bringing grand railroads to this county. To the foreign traveler who is looking out for some fer- tile plain in the west for a habitation and a home, as well as for the coming generations of citizens, who may wish to know something of the deeds and early characters of their early ancestors and of the former condition of their native homes, a perusal of these pages will be of the greatest interest. The former it may determine to settle among the tranquil homes of these people and to add his wealth and labor to the riches of Johnson county; the latter will be studious to know the mighty changes which the hand of man and the warring forces of the elements have wrought in this county through the different epochs of her history, as well as animated by a natural pride in the noble part which his forefathers took in reducing
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