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 26

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 26

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· The amount of money which some farmers annually spend for agricul- tural implements would have kept the pioneer farmer in farming utensils during a whole life time. The pioneer invested but little money in such things, because he had little money to spare. The machinery of to-day would not have been adapted to pioneer farming. The bull plow was probably better adapted to the fields abounding in stumps and roots, than the modern sulky plow. The sickle and the old-fashioned wheat cradle did better execution than a modern harvester would under like circumstances. The prairies were not settled till after the pioneer period, and that portion of the county which was the hardest to put under cultivation, and the most difficult to till after it was improved, appears to have been first cultivated. Perhaps it is well for the county that such was the case, for the present generation, familiar with farming machinery of such complicated patern, would scarcely undertake the clearing off of dense forests, and the culti- vating of the ground with the kind of implements their fathers used. The young farmer knows but little about work, compared with his fath- er's endurance, in opening up and cultivating the first fields of the county. Further description of pioneer farming will be treated by townships.

These iron-nerved men stood bravely by their condition, through storm and calm, ever thinking of the good time coming,-

"When the forest should fade like a vision, And over the hillside and plain The orchard would spring in its beauty, And the fields of golden grain."

Some have lived to see the rough and crooked paths of pioneer life change to that of ease and comfort, with grandchildren around them, enjoying a thousand fold of the luxuries which have resulted from the arduous toils of their progenitors.

The simple fare of the inhabitants was alike conducive to health as well as economical. When boarding-houses were first established, ten to fifteen cents was the bill for a meal. If the average family had corn-bread the boarders were satisfied. Flour was very scarce, and in many families an

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unknown commodity. But few of the young people of to-day know any- thing about making the delicious and digestible corn cake, the pride of our grandmother's days.

One of the peculiar circumstances of pioneer life was a strange loneliness. At first, it is said, that the solitude seemed oppressive. Months would pass often without seeing a face, outside of the family circle. The isola- tion of those days has wrought such reticence upon some families of these old settlers, that it will be generations before it passes away. Some of them say that they lived in such a lonely way, when they first came here, that afterward, when the county began to fill up, they always found them- selves bashful and constrained in the presence of strangers. It seems sin- gular to note bashfulness as one of the characteristics of the strong, stal- wart settlers; however, it is a prominent trait among pioneers. The writer has seen children, grown to maturity, both girls and boys, who would screen themselves behind doors, or any place convenient, and when induced to come to view, they wanted to apoligize for a home-spun dress, or that they were "not fit to see company." Frequently, the girls that grew up in the common homes were prudes, and would blush, if a stranger spoke to them, as if they had a hectic stroke. These girls would gener- ally marry the first chance, to those of similar characteristics, and. they made good, congenial, devoted wives. While this may be true in some families, the better classes brought up their children with great vigilance, and trained them in home etiquette, domestic economy, and the love of religion.

When the rights of these pioneer settlers were threatened or invaded, their ·timidity or bashful nature vanished like a mist in a summer's sun, and their "muscles of iron and hearts of flint" were ready for any emergency. If any emergency arose they were always ready for the occasion, as the Indian and Mormon wars, which they passed through. The hospitality of these people was unbounded. During the camp-meet- ing seasons, neighbors, for miles around, would entertain those from a distance.

Rough and rude though the surroundings may have been, the pioneers were none the less honest, sincere, hospitable and kind in their relations. It is true, as a rule, and of universal application, that there is a greater degree of real humanity among the pioneers of any country than there is when the country becomes older and richer. Here existed a high regard of the sexes, and moral courage was one of the noble qualities of the women, whose chastity was never disputed. If there is any absence of refinement, that absence was more than compensated in the presence of generous hearts and truthful lives. They were bold, courageous, indus- trious, enterprising and energetic. These men were themselves. They

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have an eternal hate for cowards and shams of every kind, and above all falsehood and deception, and cultivate a straightforward line of policy and integrity, which seldom permits them to be imposed upon, or lead a life of treachery themselves.

Searching among old, musty documents, and conversing with some of the oldest inhabitants, we have collected some interesting facts concerning the early settlement of the county.

The territory now comprising Johnson county was organized in the winter of 1834-5, and named in honor of Richard M. Johnson, of Ken- tucky. The first settlement was made where the village of Columbus now stands. This territory was then called Lafayette county, and was settled by PLEASANT RICE in the year 1827.

The original town of Warrensburg, which is now called "Old Town," or " West End," was selected as the site for the county seat in 1836, and is, therefore, forty-five years old. It was named in honor of Martin Warren, a revolutionary soldier, who was the only settler where the town now stands. J. D. Warren, his son, was the first county clerk.

The first courts were held in Warrensburg in 1837. The first lawyers who located permanently were, Maj. N. B. Holden and Thomas B. Wyatt. The first physicians were Drs. Parks and Calhoun. John Evans and Harvey Dyer were the first merchants.

The churches organized in the early settlement of the town were the Methodist, Cumberland Presbyterian and Christian. Religious services were at first held in the old court house, which has long been vacated. This court house was begun in 1838 and completed in 1843. The first church building was erected in 1856, by the Methodists. No school build- ing was erected in Warrensburg till 1867.

Among the first inhabitants of the county were, PLEASANT RICE, Nicho- las Houx, Henry Colburn, Harvey Dyer, Amos Horn, William H. Ander- son, John Anderson, John H. Evans, James T. Raynol, Fleming H. Brown, Jeremiah V. Cockrell, Samuel Gilkeson, William Calhoun, J. B. Greer, Harvey Harrison, William Marshall, Rev. J. B. Morrow, Rev. J. H. Houx, William Gilkeson, Henry Brooks, L. Brooks, William Baker, James Cormack, William E. Cocke, Robert . Craig, Joseph Cockrell, Thomas Evans, William Flannery, William Logan, William K. Lucas, Urial Murry, James McWilliams, William McMahan, Robert D. Mor- row, R. W. Rankin, James Ray, James Strange, Nicholas Turner, Chas. Thornton, Samuel Whitsett, Joel Walker, Richard Hancock, P. L. Hugins, Geo. McMahan, William M. Kincaid, William Trapp, Robert Graham, Joseph W. Adkins, George Gallaher, David Cooper, William Thornton, Isaac Coy, Joab Cox, Spencer Adams, Jefferson Snelling, Ben- jamin Snelling, Davis Wood, James B. Harris, Hiram Helms, James

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Dolan, George Gillilan, James Carmichael, William Cheek, Livingston Wilkerson, William Smith, Benjamin Gilbert, Caswell C. Davis, Z. T. Davis, James A. Gallaher, George Tebbs, John Windsor, William Wil- liams, Robert H. Reed, Joseph Robinson, Jehu Robinson, Alex. Greer, Robert B. Johnson, William Perry, Richard D. Bradley, George W. Walker, John W. McFarlin, Joe Dixon, Samuel B. Ramsey, James DeMasters, Zacheus Mulky, William Tombs, S. Wilson, Robert D. McSpadden, Lewis D. Jackson, Young E. W. Berry, Charles D. Cobb, John Potts, H. C. Davis, J. B. Norris, Jonathan Hunt, James Simpson, Charles P. Collins, Leroy Barton, Richard Huntsman, Steven Blevins, William Huff, Smith N. McCormack, D. S. Proffett, John C. Ferguson, James Welch, James Brown, L. Hocker, Edward Corder, John Mayes, Joseph Harrison, Joseph Hobson, William T. Conway, John Kelly, John H. Townsend and William Stogdon. Old settlements are now to be con- sided. Columbus settlement is the oldest of the county. PLEASANT RICE came here in 1827, and raised the first corn crop in the county, and was followed, in the fall of the same year, by Nicholas Houx. In this settle- ment grew up a spirit for culture, religion and domestic happiness, which is rarely enjoyed in pioneer settlements. Within a few years this settle- ment was known all over the state, and soon a large number of emigrants sought here a home. Here the first county courts were held, and, in fact, this settlement was the hub around which the interests of the old settlers centered. To this settlement men came from far and near, until the peo- ple of old Columbus settlement had a name to be envied. To this settle- ment men came for advice, law, wives, produce, seeds, stock, and had the wants of a pioneer supplied. Here were the first schools and churches planted. Long may the children of these pioneers of Columbus settle- ment revert with pleasure to the settlement.

Gallaher Mills settlement was made by Wm. Cheek, in the year 1831, when he erected a water-mill and sawed lumber on Clear Fork near the line of Grover and Washington townships. He sold to James A. Galla- her in 1834. Among the early settlers here we mention Isaac Coy, Fred. Houx, Richard Combs, John Mayes, Samuel Graham, Robert Gregg and Wm. Gregg. Mr. James Ray was the first justice of the peace. In 1833, Joseph Robinson, with his son Jehu, settled here. Joseph Robinson was born January 28, 1766, and died December 13, 1841. This was one of the early prominent settlements of the county. Here Bethel Church, C. P., was organized in Col. Jehu Robinson's cabin, Nov. 1842, by Revs. John B. and Robert D. Morrow. Rufus Hornbuckle, of Hazel Hill neighborhood, was present. The elders were George Gallaher, Capt. Andy Thompson, John Mayes, and Col. Jehu Robinson.

Near Dunksburg a settlement was formed at an early day. The follow-

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ing are some of the settlers: Samuel Senors, Thomas Goins, Sylvester Hall, Benjamin Prigmore, John Fisher, Anthony Fisher, Sr., Peter Fisher and John Leeper. Soon Dr. B. F. Dunkley followed and became a prom- inent physician.

Mulkey settlement was in what is now known as Simpson township. James Mulkey settled on Flagstaff, a small stream which took its name from the abundance of flag growing along the ponds and small lakes on either side of the creek. Dr. Hamilton C. Davis settled and had an exten- sive practice about what is now called Kirkpatrick's Mills. . A mill was owned by Jerome Greer, who with his brother, had a little store on Blackwater.

Hażel Hill settlement was made about 1830. Judge Harvey Harrison came here March 21, 1831, and settled on the head of Walnut creek. The place is now owned by Mr. Powers; the old brick building is still standing, and was the second in the county. N. Houx, of Columbus settlement, put up the first. Judge Harrison was one of the leading men of his neigh- borhood. He was born March 7, 1806, in Tennessee, of Dutch-Irish ancestry. He emigrated to Alabama, near Huntsville, before the town was laid out. There he married Zilpha Bell, of Irish-Scotch extraction, November 28, 1824, and came to Missouri. He was justice of the peace in his settlement twelve years, and served four years as county judge. Among the old settlers worthy of notice are, Wm. McMahan, George McMahan, Richard Huntsman, Joshua Adams, James M. Smith, Joel Walker, Greenell Brown, James Borthick, George Hoffman, Thomas Bradford, Wm. Trapp, Joseph Harrison, Robert Graham and William Stockton.

Rose Hill settlement was made cotemporary with surrounding settle- ments. Sometimes this was known as the " Scott neighborhood;" Rich- ard Scott was one of the prominent settlers. Others: James Bones, George Gilliland, Abram Stout, Henry F. Baker, Enoch Fedit, Welcome Scott and Garrett J. Wood. At an early day a waterpower grist-mill was erected by Welcome Scott on Big creek, and was noted tar and near.

Bluff Spring settlement, including Basin Knob, was among the first, and was a rival with Columbus settlement. This settlement is part now within the limits of Kingsville and Jackson townships, and is extensively noticed elsewhere.

Cornelia settlement includes a portion of Post Oak, Chilhowee and Cen- terview townships. Samuel Brown, one of the first jurymen of the county, settled within these bounds in 1834; besides him we notice .T. J. Culley, W. R. Culley, Noah Tesson, Samuel Evans, T. Irwin, James Hackler and Joseph Stuart.

Huff settlement included a great deal of what is known as " Bristle

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Ridge." Dr. Wm. Huff had a fine practice here. The people of this locality had a rough section of the county to develop; their mistakes, and rough ways with their inequalities, has won for them a native air of orig- inal localism, which is not to be despised. Sampson Adams is the leading living pioneer of this section.

Owsley and Wall settlement included all of Jefferson and part of Post Oak townships. John Owsley, Mr. Draper, B. F. Wall, Col. B. F. Will- iamson and Rev. Wm. P. C. Caldwell, were among the leading settlers. For a long time these settlements were principally confined to the limits of the brush and little streams. A more elaborate notice of these settle- ments will be given under the heads of the several townships to which they belong. The various settlements, it must be remembered, were not widely different in date of settlement, characteristics, or habits of the people.

CHAPTER V.

Public Buildings-Court House-General Remarks. Uses of Court House-Names of Early Preachers-School in Court House-First order of court to build Court House in 1838-County Jail-When built-The condition of the present Buildings.

Court House .- Notwithstanding the fact, that probably a good majority of the citizens in every county, have very little experience, if any at all, in the . proceedings of courts, and although they have the legal capacity to sue and be sued, never improve such opportunities, and never appear in court unless it be on compulsion as witnesses or jurors, yet, as the one great conservator of peace, and as the final arbiter in the case of individual or neighborhood disputes, the court is distinguished above and apart from all other institutions of the land, and not only the proceedings of the court are eagerly sought and read, but the place of holding court is a mat- ter of interest alike to the reader and citizen of the county. The county seat is looked upon also as the seat of justice, where all transactions aim at the summum bonum of the county, and there is no exparte in the cases of arbitration.

This county, like many of her sister counties at an early day, con- structed the county clerk's office in advance of any other public buildings. The first court houses, though not very elaborate, were nevertheless commodious, and used for various purposes. Often the old court house was so constantly in use, besides special court purposes, when court was not in session, for judicial, educational, religious and social purposes, that the doors of that old building, like the gateway of the gospel of grace, stood open day and night, for meetings of any sort that would better the

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moral and religious condition of the people. Here the pioneer preachers, with a coup de main planted the principles of some of the wealthiest and most prosperous churches of the county, and the amount invested in that old building, in after years returned a much better rate of interest on the investment than do many of the more costly superstructures of the present time. Long will the memory of the old settlers cling, like the ivy to its favorite wall, around the approaches of the old court house of Johnson county. It still stands a weather beaten structure, and although it has passed into private hands, still that august appearance of former years, will never be lost to those who assembled under its roof. In that old court house, school was taught, the gospel preached, and justice dis- pensed within its substantial walls.

On the Sabbath days, ere any church spires pointed heavenward in Johnson county, the zealous and ardent christian ministers of those times called their little flocks together, and there in the simplest, but impressive language taught the way of righteousness. The poor and the rich alike occupied often the rude old seats without preference of association. Among some of the preachers who expounded the simple and sublime truths of the religion of Christ were, Allen Wright, Chas. Morrow, W. P. C. Caldwell, and Thos. Mulkey, who, perhaps were the instruments in God's hands of leading many an erring wanderer in the paths of sin to repentance, and faith and obedience to God. On Monday, the scene was changed. If court was not in session, weighing the conduct of men in the scales of justice,

" Here the village master taught his little school, "

and the children looked upon their teacher as a wise man and a great bene- factor. Mr. Z. T. Davis was one of the early teachers who occupied the court house. The poet has said:

" God sends his teachers unto every age, To every clime, and every race of men, With revelations fitted to their growth And shape of mind, nor gives the realm of truth Into the selfish rule of one sole race. "

The cause of education is coeval with the county's settlement and con- tinuous with its growth and development. The duty to educate was a germ planted in the hearts of the pioneer settlers, and was so nurtured and fostered, that it grew from its embryonic state, at first orphan-like, with- out any house of its own, to what we see around us in the form of more than one hundred and fifty school buildings of the county.

The county buildings have changed with the times. The pioneer log cabin is superseded by the elaborate and handsome dwelling. The plain and innocent boys and girls of those times are the men and women of to-day. Some one has said that circumstances make the man, but we

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

rather think that circumstances only develop what is in the man. Those that lived then and now can best tell. At first the county had no public buildings. The first county court met April 13, 1835, at the residence of. Mrs. Rachel Houx, near Columbus, but was moved to Warrensburg in August of the following year, where it has been continued to the present time. The next court convened at Henry Colbern's, then at the resi- dence of Y. E. W. Berry, and at other places till a court house was erected.

Further along, as the orders of the court show, the building did not proceed very rapidly, and that James Campbell was also appointed by the court one of the "undertakers" to complete the work. The work was completed and accepted by the court, as can be seen by an order of court in July, 1842.

The commissioner presented to the court a plan and " articles of finish- ing the building," on March 11, 1841.

After the war some improvements were made about the court house, but the change of business to the new town of Warrensburg cast the die, and soon the public buildings were deserted in Old Town. The principal building had already become useless and unsafe for the county records, and early after the war a move was made to secure an appropriation for a new court house. The county court made a futile effort to raise money to construct a new court house, in 1866, and ever since then, to the present, there has been considerable agitation on the subject of building a new court house.

The present court house, which is a frame building, was donated to the county by the citizens of the town of Warrensburg, and the seat of jus- tice established in New Town, and the last session of court held in the old court house was in December, 1875.

County Clerk's Office .- At an early day the first demand of the people was not whether they should assemble to do business in a suitable build- ing, or in the open air, but rather the safety of the county records.

The following is an order of court for the first county clerk's office. It bears date February 27, 1837:

Ordered that the house be built in the town of Warrensburg, for the purpose of a clerk's office, to be eighteen feet square, of good hewed oak logs, and cov- ered with rafters and three feet boards, and finished according to the plan to be exhibited by the commissioners on the day of sale; and it is further ordered that the sheriff let out the building of the same by public outcry, to the lowest bidder on the first day of our next term; and it is further ordered that the undertaker enter into a bond with good security for his faithful performance.

The old log house is a thing of the past. In after years the offices were kept in the court house, which was ready for use in 1842. However, it was found that as the county developed and business increased the room in the court house was insufficient for the purpose, so in August,

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

1860, the court ordered a new building. James McCown was the com- missioner to supervise the work. The offices were completed in 1861, for . which the contractors, Messrs. Davidson, Heberson, and Ruth received the sum of $5,000. The buildings were of brick and supposed to be fire- proof, but too insignificant in size and convenience, for a clerk's office. When the court was ordered to the new part of Warrensburg, all the county offices soon followed. Since then the office building has been rented. In 1871, the office was kept by S. P. Sparks, in a little brick building on the west side of Holden street. At present the county rents a building for $300 per annum, in which the clerk, treasurer, probate judge, and circuit clerk hold their offices. The other county offices are in other parts of the city.

The county jail was not needed for several years after the settlement of the county, nor considered of much moment, on account of having but few nefarious persons to incarcerate, until 1846, when an appropriation was made, and a brick jail constructed, which stands in Old Town, and is now used for a dwelling. The jail was completed in 1847. John Price was the supervisor of the plan. The contractor, G. F. Brown, received $900 for his work. This building was abandoned, as unfit for use, in 1875. The sheriff remarked: "It is only fit to keep honest men." Since then a calaboose, vulgarly, called the "cooler," was erected near the present court house, and on the Fourth of July, 1875, received the first inmate for drunkenness. At present, a stockade surrounds the cell, so that criminals take exercise in beating up stones for grading the streets. A vote was taken Tuesday, April 2, 1881, for the purpose of appropriating $15,000 to build a jail, but it was lost. The vote stood 217 for, and 1645 against the appropriation. The jail is not sufficiently strong to inspire evil doers with much fear. The people need a jail. When this has been said, the subject has been fully exhausted.

CHAPTER VI.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

Whigs and Democrats-Principles Obtaining Under Political Parties-Know-Nothings and Democrats of 1856-Brief Review of Politics from the Organization of the County to the Present Time-The " Iron-Clad Oath"-Indictment of Ministers and Lawyers in the County-All Persons Restored to the Right of Franchise-Official Returns of 1880 -Political Sentiment Expressed by Party Organs-Official Directory from 1834 to 1882.

The two great political parties in operation in this state, when the county of Johnson was organized, were the democratic and whig. Soon after, however, other parties and factions sprung up, among them the know-

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nothing or American party came to the front, claiming official position for its candidates.

In 1834, when this county was separated from Lafayette, a majority of the voters, residing in what is now Johnson, were democrats, while those living nearer the river, in that portion still retaining the name of Lafayette, were whigs. "

We intend, in these few pages devoted to the political history of John- son county, to present some of the more prominent features pertaining to government by officers placed in authority with the suffrages of the peo- ple, together with the operations of law regulating elections, and the sup- port of candidates by the different political parties. Some men hold to the opinion that our system of government, and the political workings of the political parties in this country, are a means of constant fear, insecu- rity, and danger; but the demonstration is becoming more and more clear that as the forces of nature regulate themselves, though for a time appear- ing in fierce commotion, so the swaying forces of political feeling are reg- ulated by the immutable laws of individual and concerted action.

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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 26

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