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 25

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Kansas City Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1056

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 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

WATER.

VOLATILE.

FIXED CARBON.

ASH.

COLOR OF ASH.

Top. .

3.62

46.36

35.53

14.49

Very light brown

Middle.

4.18

42.69

37.75

15.38

Chocolate

Near Bottom

5.30

44.23

38.93

11.54

Nearly white

Bottom

2.84

28.09

27.72

41.35

Light chocolate

...

From all this we see that Johnson county has coal in such abundance as to supply, not only her own wants for all time, but even the wants from any other counties, so that, at some future day, she may become one of the greatest coal supplying districts in the west.

In building stones, Johnson county, perhaps, surpasses any other county in the state.' Immense layers of sandstone are found just within a foot or two of the surface. These sandstones are of the lower coal measures, and are easily worked, occurring in even layers, and, afterward hardening, have become very desirable in building houses. Quarries of these stones are very extensively worked in several places north of the city of War- rensburg. These quarries have been worked down to a depth of fifty feet, and no bottom to the rock has ever been found. In one quarry they have a well going down through the sand to the depth of about 100 feet. These sandstones must have been the deposits of many ages. All this

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

immense depth of rock was made by gradual deposits of sand from year to year. The stone is found in even layers, showing the tranquil state of the waters during all this time. This sandstone possesses a good grit, and may be made into excellent grindstones. It is of a light gray color, and makes a very beautiful building.

The various structures in different parts of the state for which this sandstone has been used will be mentioned in another part of this history. The mineral resources of the county are very limited. "Gypsum or sul- phate of lime, is found in the coal measures of the county. It is sometimes found in joints of coal, but more commonly in beds of shale or fire clay In all the counties where the lower coal measures are, we have gypsum. It occurs crystalized, in the form of clear, transparent crystals, known as selenite. These crystals are often thickly diffused through beds of fire clay. Gypsum is a very common species of sulphates, and is a very soft mineral, one of the few that may be easily impressed with the teeth and without producing a grating sensation. It is often massive and very fine granular, and of various colors, from black to white, the white is common alabaster, it also occurs in crystals. Large quantities of this Gypsum have been found in this county around Knob Noster and six miles north. Mineral tar or bitumen, is found in this county as in many of the other western counties. It has a vertical range through the various geological strata of over:600 feet. It is found especially in connection with the sand- stone of the lower coal measures. No iron, zinc or copper has been found in the county.

There are several mineral springs in the county. There is a sulphur spring in Columbus township, and several chalybeate springs in Center- view and Warrensburg townships. There is a white sulphur spring on McFarland's farm near the mouth of Post Oak, in Warrensburg township. But there are no celebrated springs of resort here as in many other counties of the state. These mineral springs, however, might be made among the most popular resorts, by sufficient development and advertising. All other kinds of springs are in general abundance. In certain geological formations, springs are more apt to abound, and in certain formations the water is better than in others. The purest water flows from chert beds, or percolates through pure sand, and is called soft or freestone water. This is the kind of water found in most of the springs and wells of the county. In closing our remarks on the geology of this county, the reader will not fail to observe that in all those supplies most necessary to the well being and prosperity of man, nature has been extremely bountiful to Johnson county. . An inexhaustible supply of water, timber in sufficient quantities to supply all the wants of the peo- ple, immense beds of coal that,are destined to make Johnson county

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

famous for years to come, the finest and most unlimited system of sand- stone formation to be found in all the west, and rich and beautiful rolling prairies, that yield a noble harvest to the tillers of the soil; all these have Johnson county.

BOTANY.

The result of the botanical researches of the county, have not been very extensive, but sufficiently ample to afford us a general knowledge of its trees, flowers and other plants. They are all in sufficient quantity, and of sufficient variety to make this county in the spring time. one of the most beautiful counties in the world. There is a large variety of trees, but not many varieties of the most common kind.

CHAPTER IV .- EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND PIONEERS.

Introduction -Habits and Characteristics of Pioneers-First Houses-Bedsteads-Manner

of . Cooking-Hominy Blocks-Early Mills-Farming-Hospitality and Traits -- Col- umbus Settlement-Gallaher Mill-Dunksburg-Mulkey settlement-Hazel Hill- Rose Hill-Bluff Spring-Cornelia-Huff Settlement-Owsley and Wall Settlement.

Since the period that the early settlements were made within the limits of what is now called Johnson county, time, the great monarch of all things perishable, has made changes. The slow and unobserved " old man with his sickle" has visited every dwelling, and his wiry blade has been thrust in, regardless of nationality, home, or honor, and numbers of the old pioneers sleep and are mingled with the soil that they once tilled. The writer is touched with the sad thought that he remembers many of the plain and hospitable men of the west, whose unsullied hearts and inter- minable energy of purpose, gave to this county its birthright, and its wholesome outlook in the dark days of hardship, who now rest from their labors. As long as the sands of time unceasingly roll, may the historian's pen incessantly recount the matchless worth of these pioneers.

It may be possible that we may fail to give a full detail of the early settlements and pioneers of the county, after spending considerable time in gathering materials. Every nation does not possess an authentic account of its origin, neither do all communities have the correct data, whereby it is possible to accurately predicate the condition of their first beginnings. 'The old Latins said, " Forsan et haec olim memimisse javabit." Nevertheless, to 'be intensely interested in such things is characteristic of the race, and it is particularly the province of the historian to deal with the first causes. Should these facts, as 'is often the case, be lost in the mythical tradition of the past, the chronicler invades the realm of the ideal world, and compels 'his imagination to paint the missing picture. It is said that the patriotic Roman was not content till he had famed the "First

204

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

Settlers," and then he was satisfied, although the story of their spurious origin and company was not so tasteful to peruse as those of to-day, or that of their children, the cultured Patricians of Rome.

One of the advantages of a residence in a new country, and the one usually least appreciated, is to be able to go back to the beginning. By this means we can trace results to their causes, and grasp the facts and scraps of history which have contributed largely to form and mould events and characters. When we observe that a county has attained a certain position in contrast with other counties, we begin to cast about for the reasons of this condition in its early settlements and surroundings, and especially to notice the class of people by whom the county was settled, and the many circumstances and changes which[ have wrought the results recorded of their acts.

In the history of Johnson county, we may trace, in some instances, the early settlers to their old homes in the eastern states and in the countries of the old world. We may follow the course of the " Buckeye," " Sucker," " Hoosier," "Knickerbocker," and "Green-Mountain " and " Nutmeg Boys," in contrast with the " Corncrackers," "Tuckyhoes," " Tarheels," " Whelp," and " Texas Rangers," as we arrange the annals of the pioneers for compilation. For more than a century the provincial- isms of the different sections of the union have been marked by a deep contrast. The sturdy sons of New England " guess it is rearing and edu- cation," while the Dixie boys " reckon it is raising."

In this county and the west generally, little by little, the people from every section have been losing the tinge of their sectional bias, so at this day it is difficult to tell the difference. The feelings that once prompted different localities to be antagonistic have died away. The customs, dress, language, diet and sundry things are peculiarly western, but quite differ- ent from the days of the pioneers of Johnson county.

Often the adventurer came to the west to "grow up with the country," trusting only to his right arm and willing heart to work his way on in the wilderness, and by his ambition secure a home for himself and loving wife, and a maintenance for his children. Here, fifty years ago, the pioneer hunter chased the deer, elk and bear, where now are broad and cultivated fertile fields possessed by their descendants. Here we may see the path worn by the Missourian in his experience in a land, which to him was a land of progress, far in advance of that southern and eastern soil, upon which he had his temporary home, ere his effort to adapt himself to new conditions. We may see here the growth which came with knowl edge, and the progress which grew upon him with advancement around him, and how his better side developed. The vanishing pride of Kentucky blood, or the vain glory of other sections, brought here in an

205

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

early day, have been modified since the advent in the crucible of democ- racy, when servitude was eliminated from the solution. Others have been animated with the impulse to move on, after making themselves a part of the community, and have sought the extreme west, where the subduing hand of civilization had not penetrated. Some have become wealthy and returned to make a home in Johnson county, while a few are led back by the scrawny hand of poverty to till the native soil. In this county, there were but few, however, of the distinctive New England men and women or yankees, a class which have poured into western and southern states since the war, by thousands, and have swelled the population and wealth of those portions far in excess of any previous flow of emigration. This class brought with them a proclivity, inherent, submissive and courteous, which has constantly tended to smooth the angles of western society and deaden the execrable feeling that had so long drawn the lines of sec- tional division. The agile New Englander will soon be a perfect Missou- rian and his offspring will tell the story of the adventure, and bless the progenitor that they have a cheerful home in the favored spot of Missouri -Johnson county. In our county we shall find, also, many an industrious and economical German, besides other nationalities-all of whom have contributed to modify types of men already existing here.

Those who have noted the career of the descendants of those brave, strong men in subduing the wilds, overcoming the obstacles and with- standing the hardships of this county in early times, can but admit that they are worthy sons of illustrious sires.

During the decade which comprehends the first ten years after 1834, the history of the county was made up of the earliest stage of pioneer life. All that can be known of this period must be drawn chiefly from tradition. In those days the people took but little care to preserve his- tory; they were too busily engaged in making it. Historically speak- ing, those were the most important years of the county, for it was then the foundation and corner-stone of all the county's history and prosperity was laid. Yet, this period was not remarkable for its stirring events. It was, however, a time of self-reliance and brave, persevering toil; and of privations, patiently endured through faith in the good time coming. The experiences of one settler were very much the same as those of all others. They were, quite all, invariably poor, faced the same hardships and gen- erally stood on the same footing.

All the experience of the early pioneer of this county goes far to con- firm the theory that, after all, happiness is pretty evenly balanced in the world. They had their privations and hardships, but they had, also, their own peculiar joys. If they were poor, they were free from the burden of pride and vanity unless inherent in their nature; and exempt,

206

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

also, from the anxiety and care that always attend the possession of wealth. Other peoples' eyes cost them nothing. If they had few neigh- bors, they were on the best terms with those they had. Envy, jeal -. ousy, had not crept in. A common interest and a mutual sympathy bound them together with the closest ties. They were a little world to them- selves, and the good feeling that prevailed: was all the stronger, because they were so far removed from the dense populated cities of the east:

Among these hospitable pioneers there was realized a community of feeling, arising from a social state of welfare. There were no castes, no aristocracy, except an aristocracy of kind hearts and benevolence. They. were bound together with a bond of sympathy begotten by the con- sciousness of common hardships which made them practical communists.

Neighbors did not even wait for an invitation or request to help' one. another. Was a settler's cabin burned or blown down, no sooner was the fact known throughout the neighborhood, than the settlers assembled to assist the unfortunate one to rebuild the domicile. They came with as little hesitation and as much alacrity, as though they were all members of! the same family, and bound together by ties of consanguinity. What was one man's interest was the interest of the whole community. Now, this general state of feeling among the pioneers was, by no means, peculiar to this county, although it was strongly illustrated here. It' prevailed gener- ally throughout the west during the time of the early settlement. The very nature of things taught the settlers the necessity of dwelling together in this spirit. It was their only protection. They had come, many of them, far away from the well established reign of law, and entered a new country, where the civil authority was still feeble, and totally unable to afford protection and redress grievances. Here, in Johnson county, some of the settlers lived for quite a while before there was a single officer of the law in the county. Each man's protection was in the good will and friendship of those about him, and the one thing that any might well dread was the ill-will of the community; for it was far more terrible than the law. The law has its squabbles and delays, but no squabbling or delaying at' the court of public sentiment. It was no uncommon thing, in early times; for hardened men, who had no fear of jails, to stand greatly in awe of the: indignant" community. Such were some of the characteristics of the first settlers of Johnson county ; nevertheless, they were generally peacea- ble, quiet and law-abiding citizens, and for several years these pioneers had but few law suits and cared very little about anything except domes- tic affairs. They had no time to fall out with neighbors. Their charita- ble hand was ever open to welcome the stranger to cast his lot with them and share mutually what was in reserve.

· The first buildings of the county were not just like the log cabins that"

207.

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

succeeded them. The latter required some help and considerable labor to build. The first buildings constructed were a cross between "hoop cabins" and Indian bark: huts: Many pioneers lived in these round pole cabins the first few years. As soon as enough men could be gotten' for a '"raising," log houses were in style. Many a pioneer can remember the happiest time in his life as that when he lived in one of these homely but comfortable old houses:

In the pioneer's house a window with sash and glass was a rarity, and' an evidence of wealth and aristocracy which but few could support. These: houses were tenements suited to the times. They were often made with greased paper put over the window, which admitted a little light, but more often there was nothing whatever over it, or the cracks between the' logs, without chinking or daubing, were the dependence for light and air. The doors were fastened with old-fashioned wooden latches, and swung on wooden hinges. For friend, neighbor or traveler the latch-string always hung out: These pioneers were hospitable, and entertained visit -- ors, even strangers, to the best of their ability, and never once. thought of charging a cent.

It is quite noticeable with what' affection and attachment the pioneers speak of their old log cabins. It may be doubted whether palaces ever sheltered happier hearts than those rudely constructed, homely log cabins. The following is a vivid description of these old landmarks, few of which now remain:

"These cabins were of round logs and poles, notched together at the corners, ribbed with poles, and covered with boards split from a tree. A puncheon floor was then laid down, a hole cut in the end, and a stick and mud' chimney run up. Cupboard is made, sometimes a window opened by cutting out a hole in the side or end about two feet square, and it is finished, without glass or transparency. The house is then 'chinked' with blocks of wood and 'daubed' with mud made of the top soil.

"The log hut is now ready to go into. The household and kitchen furniture is now adjusted, and life on the frontier is begun in earnest. The one-legged bedstead-now a piece of furniture of the past-was made by cutting a stick the proper length, boring holes at one end one and a half inches in diameter, at right angles, and the same-sized hole corresponding with these in the logs of the cabin the length and breadth desired for the bed, in which are inserted poles. Upon these poles clapboards are laid, or: hickory bark is woven consecutively from pole to pole. Upon this primitive structure the bed is made."

The convenience of a cook stove was not thought of then, but instead the cooking was done by the faithful housewife in pots, kettles, ovens and skillets; on and about the big fire-place, and very frequently over and

208

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

around the pedal extremities of the man, one of the so-called "lords of creation " and the legal sovereigns of the household, while he was indulg- ing in his nicotine and poisonous luxuries of a cob-pipe, and now and then chewing and squirting the juice of the "natural leaf," and discoursing the monotonous issues of a late election, or contemplating the probable result of a proposed hunting excursion.

These log cabins were really not so bad, after all. The people of to-day, familiar with cooking stoves and culinary utensils, would not be at home were they compelled to prepare a meal with no other conveniences than such as were found in the pioneer's log cabin. Rude fire-places were constructed of mud and sticks, sometimes rough stones were laid for a hearth, jambs and back, the mud and stones to keep the sticks from catching fire, and the sticks to keep the mud from falling down.

These fire-places served for heating and cooking purposes, also for ven- tilation. Around the cheerful blaze of these early fires the meals were prepared, and around the fire-side too the board was spread, and after the decanter passed around the table, and all had a dram, the edibles were relished with a piquancy that the envoy of Spain might envy. These viands, as elsewhere stated, were not such as would tempt the epicure, but such as afforded the most wholesome nourishment for a class of peo- ple who were driven to exposure and hardships by their lot. Among them were but few dyspeptics.

Before there were mills of easy access, and even in some instances after- wards, hominy blocks were used. These now exist only in the memory of the oldest settlers, relics long since perished. The following is a description of the hominy block:

A tree of suitable size, from eighteen to twenty-eight inches in diameter, was selected in the forest and felled to the ground. If a cross-cut saw was convenient, the tree was " butted," i. e., the kerf or rough part, made by the ax, was sawed off, so that it would stand steady when ready for use. If there were no saw in the neighborhood, strong arms and sharp axes were ready to do the work. The proper length of. this block was from four to five feet. When the block was sawed or cut off at both ends, square, then it was raised on one end and the work of cutting out a hol- low in the upper end commenced. This was done with an ax. When the cavity was sufficiently large, a fire was kindled in it and carefully guarded till the rough edges were burned out. When completed the block resembled a druggist's mortar. The pestle was made of a suitable piece of timber and was used to pound the corn. Sometimes one hominy block accommodated an entire neighborhood, and was the means of stay- ing the hunger of many mouths.

Sometimes in cases of rare necessity, when the snow was too deep to

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KNOB NOSTER

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'HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

travel, or swollen streams intervened between the settler's home and the mill, a grist mill was extemporized from the coffee mill, whereby suffi- cient corn was ground to furnish meal for the family. At other times a grater was made by pricking holes in an old piece of tin, and after the corn was softened somewhat .by boiling in the ear, meal was grated. Numerous instances might be given to show how families and even whole neighborhoods subsisted in this way for days and even weeks. Instances of this kind were very numerous during the winter of the great snow of 1829.

Blackwater and Clear Fork were the only streams that had suitable mill sites. At quite an early day, Jerome Greer had a saw mill on Black- water, in what is now called Grover township, also, a few miles above that place, and near the bridge, at Kirkparick's mill, a grist mill, on the same stream, was erected and did a good business prior to 1840. William Cheek built a water mill on Clear Fork in 1831, which passed into the hands of James A. Gallaher in 1834. In the western part of the county a water mill run at an early day, on Big creek, near the bridge, west of Rose Hill; also a little wind mill at Centre Knob, and a horse mill at Bluff Springs were among the early mills. In those days these streams fur- nished plenty of water to turn the mills a greater part of the year. It is supposed that since civilization came westward and utilized the soils and drained the bottom lands, that there is not so much rain as formerly. It is said by reliable pioneers that for days and weeks many of the creeks could not be forded. Then there were no roads, bridges, ferry-boats and bet few canoes, and scarcely any convenience of travel. Then it was no small undertaking to travel where so many treacherous streams had to be crossed. Then scarcely a week passed without some rain, and the streams were often swollen beyond the capacity of their banks, and would swim a horse where now we see fertile corn fields.

Some interesting stories are afloat among the pioneers about " going to mill," as they term it. These travels to mills, and for provisions by the early settlers, can but remind the historian of marches in military cam- paigns; and when we hear of the heroic and daring conduct of the hardy pioneer in procuring bread for his loved ones, we are led to reflect that here were heroes more valiant than any of the soldiers who followed either a Napoleon or a Hannibal. In the early days of the settlement of the county, there were men in the peaceful walks of life, scatted over the surface of the county who endured as great hardships as did our patriotic fathers under Washington, during the seven years in which our ancestors gave up all that was dear, to fight and die if necessary for liberty.

An interesting comparison might be drawn between the conveniences which now make the life of a farmer a comparatively easy one, and the rude 14

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

farming of those days. A brief description of the accommodations possessed by the first tillers of the soil will not be amiss. Let the children of such illustrious sires draw their own comparisons, and may they silence forever the voice of complaint which so often is heard by the grumbling farmer.

The only plows owned by the first settlers were the bull tongue colter, single shovel, and wooden mold-board plows. If a man owned a wooden mold-board plow, he was quite an aristocrat. With these simple imple- ments the plowman open up his " patches." These rude plows did good service, and they must be awarded the honor of first stirring the soil of Johnson county, as well as all the other counties of the state.

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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 25

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Kansas City Historical Company Number of Pages: 1056

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Kansas City, Mo. : Kansas City Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1056