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 45

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 45


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The committee were in a group around an old elm, one prong of which reached across the road, some thirty feet above. Two slender ropes were suspended from the prong, and hung down within six feet of the ground. Dark lanterns were flashing in every direction; the prisoners sat in the open hack;


" The years of the past glided before them, The years of joy and the years of pain, And days of their buried youth arose, Like misty ghosts from their graves again."


It was a sad sight to see those young men about to be cut off in the bloom of youth-to see them leave this bright, beautiful, joyous world of ours, where their lives had been so long shadowed with crime, caused from evil counsel, but they had no other advisers. The counsels of a mother had been denied them, and they were now to undergo the suffer- ing that comes only with crime. Without even a prayer in the last moments of their existence, the hack that contained the prisoners was backed up under the suspending ropes, and they were commanded to look upon their doom. Stephens, with unflinching eye, gazed upon his gallows, while Andrews begged for mercy and his life. Mercy! mercy! there was none for them. A large heavy man stepped from the crowd and preferred charges against them. He said: "You were with the party that killed and robbed Sweitzer; your comrades are disappearing one by one. You go to-night; your last hour has come. Prepare for death! If you have a prayer to offer to your God, pray." Stephens stood erect with his head thrown back, showing a nerve that nothing but death could destroy. He spoke in a firm but boyish voice, and said: "I have never, in all my life, spilled a drop of human blood. The charge of my killing Sweitzer is false! I know you are going to kill me, and there is no use of my wast -· ing your time in talking." Then quietly drawing a small portmonie from his pocket containing a few pieces of money and a trinket or two, asked: " Is' there one man in this vast crowd who will do me the kindness to deliver this to my young sister. It is small, but all I have." A man stepped for- ward and took the souvenir and promised to fulfill the trust. "Tell her," said Stephens, "to accept this from her brother who dies an innocent boy. You will find her in the city."


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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


The rope was then adjusted around his neck and the driver ordered to move forward; but Stephens anticipating this, sprang from where he stood, and hung a lifeless corpse. Andrews was then made to look upon his dead comrade and was told to pray. He said, while tears rolled down his face, "I cannot pray-in all my life I have never been taught a prayer." He then asked: "for God's sake, somebody pray for me; don't send my soul to hell. Will no one pray? Oh! God! I little thought this world was so hard-dying without a prayer. It is awful, out of all this great crowd, not one will bow down and ask God to forgive me while I die." Some one in the crowd yelled out, "we are like you, we can't pray."


He knelt down and tried to pray to the Giver of all good for that mercy. that was denied him on this earth. The only words audible were: " Oh God, have mercy on me and save my soul." Oh, the agony of that hour was terrible to that poor brutal boy. Then the command was given to " swing him off." The hack moved from under his clutching feet, and he hung, a wretched, quivering mass.


A dark gray fleecy cloud came drifting along through the beautiful vaulted heavens, and drew for a moment its shadows over the face of the moon. The breeze that was gently wafted through those old branches, moved the dead to and fro. Men moved toward their homes, leaving the dead alone. The wind and the waters chanted their requiems around the unfortunate pair. It was finished.


" They have gone beyond Even their exorbitance of power; and when This happens in the most condemned and abject Communities, stung humanity will rise to check it."


After the execution of Stephens and Andrews, some of the medical men of our city took possession of their heads. The bodies of the unfortunate boys were buried on the banks of Post Oak, near the place of execution early next morning. As an incident of that night, a wedding party com- ing home from the country about three o'clock, drove between the dead men-the driver thinking they were two men standing in the road. The horses struck them with their heads, swinging the bodies to and fro. The driver stopped his team just in time for the dead men to swing their ghastly faces in the door on each side of the carriage. It is needless to say that two ladies fainted, and their escorts have never been known to be out after night since.


A man by the name of Hall, was hung by the Fayettville committee some time about the last of March. The only true statement of facts con- nected with this execution is, that a man was arrested, confessed killing several men, and was accordingly hung.


383


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


The next case in which the vigilants took any part, was that of Thos. W. Little, who was arrested with another man named Myers, and brought to Warrensburg. The charges againt Little were very insignifi- cant, and about as follows: Some man was knocked down and robbed of a few dollars, west of Post Oak bridge. Little was charged with the offense, and was tried for it; but the committee failed to convict, from the fact that there was no evidence to substantiate the charge, and the prisoner was sentenced to jail. A few nights afterwards another trial was held in the old billiard hall west of the square, in West End. Several prominent men from Dover were there for the purpose of proving an alibi, among them Dr. Ming. The statement of all these gentlemen went to prove that Little, at the time of the alleged robbery, was in Dover. It was put to a vote whether the committee should hang him or not. The vote stood about as follows: For acquittal, 344; for convicting, 28. From that count it will be seen that the committe were in favor, as a. majority of letting the accused one go free. By their vote they pro- nounced him "not guilty, as charged." After these proceedings the com- mittee dispersed. But the strangest feature of this case was the fact, that some ten or twelve of our most prominent citizens, after waiting so long, joined the committee that very night and urged with enthusiastic appeals, the necessity of killing Tom Little.


" No voice of friendly salutation cheered him; None wished for him to live, Or bade God spare him; But through a staring, ghastly-looking crowd,


Unhailed, unblessed, with heavy heart he was dragged."


It was a warm, sultry, moonlight night in August. About 3 o'clock, A. M., some fifteen or twenty men gathered at the county jail and demanded Little. The jailor without any resistance stood by and saw the jail door battered down, and the prisoner dragged out. He was taken down Main street to a small elm tree, where he was hung. Not by the vigilance committee or by their order, but by men who live in Warrens- burg, and who never had any connection with the committee until the night of the disgraceful murder of Thomas W. Little, and who very probably joined for the purpose of using their influence in hanging him, and failing to carry the vote, they concluded to hang him on their own responsibility, and against the wishes of a majority of the committee. Having no old grudge against Myers, these new members of the com- mittee did not see proper to murder him.


The hanging of Little wound up the career of the vigilance committee in Johnson county, as an organization. Strife and contentions arose in the organization. Leaders were arrayed against one another.


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384


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


The murder of Little was condemned by the masses, as an outrage. Might had triumphed over right. The committee now assumed the cos- tume of night itself, and became powerful and dangerous. It was no longer a terror to the Sanders and Stephens gang, for they were dead or scattered to the four winds of heaven, but, became a terror to them- selves and to the community at large. It was no longer an organized body, but a blind, passionate mob, threatening to destroy the lives and property of our oldest and best citizens, and were only deterred from executing their threats by the grim muzzle of shot-guns and revolvers. The Fournal office, then a democratic paper, was guarded to prevent them destroying the presses and type, simply because it had published an article telling the committee that they had gone far enough, and asking them to disband.


All executions, after the hanging of young Stephens and Andrews, were without the consent of the committee and against their wishes. The next victim of these men was one James M. Sims, a half crazy fellow who was charged with stealing a horse. The facts are about as follows:


In the month of September, a boy went to Post Oak bridge for the pur- pose of watering a horse. As he returned to town he was met by Sims, who asked what he would take for the horse. The boy replied that the horse was not for sale. Sims then asked if the horse could pace; the boy answered that he could. Sims then asked permission to try him; the boy dismounted and Sims got on the horse and galloped off. He was followed and captured southeast of Clinton, on Grand river. The parties having him in charge, returned to Warrensburg the next day. Before they reached town they were met and told that they had better change their course, as there were men waiting in town for them to arrive, with the intention of taking the prisoner from them. They made a circuit coming in near Smith's mill, West End, where they were met by some fifty armed men, who demanded the prisoner. He was no sooner demanded than given up; the party then proceeded to the creek where the execution took place. They informed the prisoner that they were going to kill him. He told them that he couldn't help it, and asked for paper and pencil; they were given him when he wrote the following note on the horn of his sad- dle:


"WARRENSBURG, September 1867.


Dear Mollie : As I write, I am only waiting to face death. I am now going to die, and as you know, I die for your sake, and my soul shall cling to yours, whether to heaven or hell it goes. Good-bye.


J. M. SIMS."


After writing this note, he climed up in a wagon that stood under the tree, remarking, that he would rather be on top of the limb than under it.


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385


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


The rope was placed around his neck, and the wagon driven out from under Sims-the ninth victim of that Reign of Terror.


As a sequel to a paragraph of the foregoing sketch we submit the fol- lowing entry from a diary made at the time:


" JONES CREEK, January 22, 1879.


It has been a miserably disagreeable day. Snow, rain and sleet follow- ing alternately, with a strong northeast wind. The country passed through to-day is very sparingly settled, and I have had trouble to find lodging. The old settlers here show but little hospitality, and that much beasted 'christian charity ' is more liable to be found in poetry and songs, than in reality. My efforts were at last rewarded by being permitted to stop over night, provided I could ' put up with the fare. ' This I eagerly consented to do, for I was tired, cold and hungry. Upon entering the old fashioned Missouri double log house, I found a splended fire burning in the huge old fire place, and a warm supper on the table, awaiting the attack. During the evening I learned that the name of 'mine host ' was William Collins-known here as 'Uncle Billey,' and that he was the father of Jeff. When they learned where I was from, the old lady became very much excited, and very abusive. The family consists of the old gen- tleman and lady and one daughter at home. The young lady is a decided brunette, and very pretty featured. At the time of the execution of Jeff, she was about thirteen years old, and the shock occasioned by the news of the death of her favorite brother was too much for her, and threw her into a long spell of brain fever. · Upon recovering her physical strength, it was found that her mental faculties were gone, and she has been hopelessly insane from that time to this. The gravest charge against Jeff Collins, was the murder of one John Barbee, an ex-bush- whacker near Granby. I learned from parties who were conversant with the facts in the case, that Barbee was not killed by Collins. The facts in the case are as follows: Collins and Barbee met at a saloon in Granby, where they had some altercation over some differences. The affair was sup- posed to have been amicably settled between them, and Collins started home on a neighbor's wagon, and was overtaken by Barbee on horse- back, who lived in same neighborhood, when the trouble was renewed. Collins told Barbee that they would settle the affair then and there; at the same time leaping from the wagon, drawing his revolver and firing. Barbee jumped from his horse and took to the woods with a pistol ball through his hand. This is the only case that has come under my imme- diate observation since those premature executions, and I have made up my mind that if the charges prefered against the rest of those unfortun- ate victims, were as recklessly made, and the proof as malicious as in the case of Jeff Collins, that it would have been far better to have left it undone. " .


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VARRIS ECC. ENG. ST LOUIS.


THE FIRST STONE DWELLING IN MISSOURI. DANIEL BOONE DIED IN THIS HOUSE, SEPT. 26, 1820. [From W. S. Bryan, publisher, 602 North 4th St., St. Louis.]


JOUN CLEMENS CENTS


TARPAULINS


ACON COVERS


OLDEST HOUSE IN ST. LOUIS, Corner Chestnut and Levee; built in 1804, and called the Green Tree House ; still standing.


-


HISTORY


OF


TOWNSHIPS, CITIES TOWNS,


INCLUDING A SKETCH .


OF THEIR


PHYSICAL FEATURES, EARLY SETTLERS, CIVIL OFFICERS, ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES, RAILROADS, TOWNS AND VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, CEMETERIES, SOCIETIES, BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, AGRICULTURE, MATERIAL GROWTH, FACTS OF GENERAL INTEREST, STORIES, REMINISCENCES, BIOGRAPHIES OF · ENTER- PRISING MEN ETC., ETC., ETC.


' COMPILED WITH GREAT CARE


BY A


SPECIAL HISTORIAN.


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388


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


CHAPTER I .- HISTORY OF WARRENSBURG.


Prefatory-Name-Warrensburg Laid Out-Old Town-New Town-Incorporation-City Officers-Churches-Cemeteries-Societies-Post Office-Depot-Banks-Flour Mills and Other Industries-Stone Quarries-Mineral Springs-Normal School-Public Schools-Newspapers-Library-Business Directory-Warrensburg Township-Phys- ical Features-Indian Mounds-Statistical-Incidents and Crimes.


The following shows the population of each township and town according to the U. S. census of 1880:


Centerview township, including the town of Centerview, 1,583; * Cen- terview town, 227; Chilhowee township, including the village of Chilho- wee, 1,715; * Chilhowee village, 86; Columbus township, including the village of Columbus, 1,308; * Columbus village, 100; Grover township, 1,188; Hazel Hill township, including the village of Fayetteville, 1,263; *Fayetteville village, 133; Jackson township, including the village of Pitts- ville, 2,168; * Pittsville village, 30; Jefferson township, 1,403; Kingsville township, including the village of Kingsville, 1,100; * Kingsville village, 174; Madison township, including the town of Holden, 3,015; Holden town, 2,014; Post Oak township, including the village of Cornelia, 1,85S; *Cornelia village, 37; Rose Hill township, 1,653; Simpson township, 979; Warrensburg township, including the town of Warrensburg, 5,778; War- rensburg town, 4,049; Washington township, including the following towns, 3,166; Knob Noster town, 689; * Montserrat town, 255.


The city of Warrensburg is beautifully located on the main line of the Missouri Pacific railroad, a little west of the geographical center of John- son county, Missouri. It is two hundred and eighteen miles due west of St. Louis, and sixty-seven miles southeast of Kansas City. The popula- tion according to the United States census of 1880, was forty hundred and forty-nine. The business portion of the city, built of brick and stone, is very compact, in close proximity to the depot, situated on the north side of the railroad, though the residences are scattered over a considerable extent of territory. The city is built upon rolling land, but in no place are the numerous little hills abrupt enough to make grading necessary for good streets and walks. Warrensburg is the county seat, containing the county offices, the place of holding the criminal and circuit courts and transacting all other kinds of business usually found in large and enter- prising county towns. The bar transacting the legal business is composed of men renowned in their profession for ability and integrity.


The state normal school for the second district of Missouri is located here, the large and elegant stone and brick structure, capable of accom- modating five hundred students, situate on the highest ground in the city,


*Unincorporated.


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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


three blocks south of the railroad, and surrounded by a beautiful campus of young trees, flowers and shrubs. From the observatory a magnificent view of the city and surrounding country is had. No picture of the artist could surpass it. At your feet, nestling among the trees, are beautiful res- idences with their lawns and gardens, while on all sides of the city, save the east, are skirts of timber resembling an emerald sea surrounding a delightful island, while a little farther on, brick and white frame farm houses dot the wide expanse of cultivated fields for a dozen miles on either side. The " knobs" in Washington township at the town of Knob Nos- ter, near the east line of the county, Hazel Hill on the north, Centerview and Holden on the west, and High Point on the southeast, with interven- ing prairies, creeks and wood-lands, the Missouri Pacific railroad winding its way east and west; all in plain view, conspire to render this one of the most attractive scenes in this section of the union.


The soil of the surrounding country is unsurpassed for fertility, in the . valleys almost bottomless, and rich as the far famed valleys of the Rhine and Nile. Missouri is pre-eminently fitted for homes, and Johnson county cannot be surpassed in this particular. The streets and walks of the city are well laid out and fringed with numerous shade trees, and the churches, schools and other public buildings are imposing and convenient; business enterprise, intelligence, social order and refinement are of a high order. Temperance and morality bear such influence that no saloons are allowed within the corporation. The Sabbath is quiet and well observed, while during week days the busy streets are free from brawls and fights. The political sentiments of the people are liberal and free from prejudice; here every American citizen may, without fear of molestation, express his views and cast his ballot.


With unsurpassed advantages in location for surface, soil and climate, Warrensburg is destined to become a wealthy and flourishing city. Already it is assuming more than the proportions of a country town, both in size and business. Its beautiful brick churches, massive normal insti- tution, large public school buildings, well stocked stores, elegant residen- ces, hotels, flour mills, banks, newspapers, nurseries, vineyards, orchards, groves of timber, fields of grain, stock farms, exhaustless stone quaries, coal fields, pure water, mineral springs, beautiful streets, excellent railroad facilities, the sobriety and refinement of its inhabitants, all contribute to make Warrensburg one of the most desirable spots in the great west.


Warrensburg was located as the county seat of Johnson county in the year 1836, and named in honor of Martin Warren, a pioneer settler upon the land where the city now stands. Martin Warren lived in his log house upon the same lot where the residence of Mrs. L. D. Grover now stands. He came from Kentucky, and about the year 1833 came to Johnson county


390


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


and built the log cabin above referred to. He was a plain, old fashioned, conservative farmer and honest man; corpulent in person; without beard; in politics a whig, though he never sought office. He reared a large fam- ily, many of whose descendents still live in the vicinity. Living to an advanced age, he died here about the year 1850.


In the United States there are four post offices named Warrensburg - one in Macon Co., Ill .; one in Warren Co., New York; one in Green Co., Tennessee, and one in Johnson Co., Missouri. There are five post offices named Warrenton; four named Warrensville; four named Warrington; two named Warrenville; twenty-two named Warren; two named Warren Center; one named Warren Mills; one named Warren Plains; one named Warrenham; one named Warren Corners; one named Warren Store; one named Warren Summit, and one named Warren Tavern.


Town Laid. Out .- Warrensburg was laid out and platted by the county surveyor, George Tibbs, November 12, 1836, and recorded in the record- er's office May 22, 1837. The following is a portion of the description of the town plat:


STATE OF MISSOURI, ss.


COUNTY OF JOHNSON.


A plat of the town of Warrensburg, laid out on the southeast quarter of sec- tion number twenty-three of township number forty-six, north of the base line, and west of the fifth principal meridian, range number twenty-six; the public square is laid out in the center of the town, measuring three hundred and two feet on either side; the streets are sixty-six feet in width; the alleys are fourteen feet in width; the lots are one hundred and forty-four feet in length and seventy- two feet in width, and are commenced numbering in the northeast corner of the square number one. The squares of the town are numbered from the northeast corner, thence westerly and back, etc.


Hall L. Wilkerson's addition to Warrensburg was laid off and acknowl- edged May 13, 1837.


N. B. Holden's first addition to Warrensburg was platted Sept. 27, 1858, and recorded by James McCown Feb. 18, 1859. Situated on the west half of sw qr, sec. 24, twp. 46, r. 26.


N. B. Holden's second addition was filed for record in the recorder's office June 29, 1864, by Isaac M. Cruce and Josiah Holden, as adminis- trators of the estate of Nathaniel B. Holden.


N. B. Holden's third addition was filed for record Sept. 20, 1864, by I. M. Cruce and Josiah Holden.


Holden's first addition included that portion of the city between North and Market and Holden and Warren streets.


Holden's second addition embraces that portion of New Town between Market street and the railroad and Warren and Holden streets.


Holden's third addition embraces that portion of South Warrensburg between the railroad and South street and Warren and Holden streets.


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391


HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


B. F. Houx's addition to Warrensburg was made and signed by Benja- min F. Houx and Agnes J. Houx, March 25, 1854.


Benjamin W. Grover's depot addition to the town of Warrensburg was platted and recorded in the name of Alexander W. Culton, Oct. 16, 1857.


Mary Depp's addition was filed for record Oct. 23, 1854.


Daniel Rentch's addition was filed for record June 21, 1854.


Geo. R. Hunt's addition bears date of March 2, 1867.


Philip Gross' addition, August 1, 1867.


W. H. McGoodwin and E. D. Solomon's addition was made Nov. 29, 1867.


J. H. Stone's addition, January 25, 1868.


Geo. W. Colbern's second addition bears date of February 1, 1866.


Colbern's first addition, May 19, 1858.


John Houx, Sept. 25, 1866.


Grover's second addition, January 26, 1869.


Colbern's third addition, July 24, 1871.


Old Town was started in 1836. In that year John Evans opened the first store, and for about six years there were only two stores in the vil- lage. The residence of Martin Warren stood on the identical spot where Mrs. B. W. Grover now resides, and was the only farm house for several · miles around. The old store owned by John Evans is well remembered by the old settlers. It was called a " store " by the citizens, and contained dry goods, such as muslin, calicoes, thread, etc,; groceries, such as sugar, coffee, bacon, condiments, whisky, etc .; hardware, such as hoes, nails, hinges, etc. Besides these articles of merchandise, the "store " contained other articles in use in those days. The location of this "store" was in the hollow just east of town.


W. H. Davis & Co., were the first men to open a store on the beuuti- ful hill where Old Town stands. After this, the enterprise and business of the town steadily increased till 1840, when Warrensburg was known as an important town.


The old settlers were wise in selecting the handsomest town site in the county for the capital of the commonwealth of Johnson.


The landscape view of Old Town is superb. From Main street one may behold thousands of acres of the surrounding country. The sunset from Old Town is a beauty mingled with grandeur that surpasses imagi- nation. Here the student of nature can see the wonderful works of God in all their magnificence; it would appear to one unconcerned that it was a very foolish idea to move business from this revered and picturesque spot, almost designed by nature for one of the prettiest town sites in the country. As it once stood, it was a proud village, overlooking every hill and defile for miles around, while the present new town is couched away




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