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 65

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 65

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Rose Hill C. P. Church was built long before the war, and only a few years ago it was used for a school house, but now it is owned by James A. Ashbey. The following are some of the old members: Leonard Renick, John Newton, George Gilliland, Dennis Dunham, Mrs. Melissa Gilliland, and Mrs. Elizabeth Baker. J. M. Short is superintendent of this excel- lent Evergreen Sunday-school, and Miss Lucy Baker, secretary.

The report as furnished A. J. Sparks, county secretary of Sunday- schools by H. A. Stitt is as follows: " School continues all the year; aver- age attendance, sixty-four. For seven years this school was open eight months in the year; but two years ago, Jan. 20, 1879), we were converted or reconverted to the Sunday-school work, and aided and encouraged by the noble efforts of Rev. G. W. Whitsett, who organized the school, and we have never lost a Sabbath day's work since. In the years that Mr. J. M. Short has been our superintendent, he has never missed a Sabbath from school .. We are no " freeze-out " school, but hope, when the last trump shall sound, it will find us, or somebody else, with a good Sunday-school at Rose Hill."

Union Chapel is a neat church building 26x42, built in the summer of 1881, at a cost of $1,150, conjointly by the M. E. and C. P. churches.

The C. P. church was organized here in October, 1880, with forty-two charter members. The following are some of the members: B. F. Lewis and wife, Mollie Lewis, Newton H. Horn, wife and two daughters; D. L. W. Baston, Martha Baston, Bettie Baston, Joel Thomas and wife, John W. McElvain, Mrs. Fannie Hultz, Mrs. Ella Redford, Mrs. Cecil and daughter. Rev. Frank Russell visits the church once a month.

The M .E. church organized in 1881. Biglow Buzzard, L. Gibson and wife, Elbridge Myers and Milton Eaves. Rev. J. Paye is the circuit rider. At present there is no Sunday-school here.

A small class of Methodists meet at Mt. Xenia school house in " Ter- rapin Neck." Mr. Briggs, superintends a Sunday-school and Miss Rosa Brown, is secretary. Mr. Howard A. Stitt a music teacher, is vice-pres- ident of the Sunday-schools of the township. J. H. Houx, M. H. Burnett, A, F. Smith, and W. S. Woodard, are among the worthy and faithful ministers, who have labored in this township.

The cemeteries of any neighborhood quite often attract the attention of

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the stranger as well as the affection of the relative. The burial ground is looked upon as a sad, lonely place. In the graveyard silent death reigns.

" There is no flock however watched and tended, But one dead lamb is there;

There is no fireside, howsoe'er defend,

But has one vacant chair."-LONGFELLOW

Farnsworth cemetery is on Benj. J. Farnsworth's land. Mrs. Rebecca Farnsworth was the first laid to rest here. That was in 1870. Now there are five graves here.

Quick graveyard is a family burying place near the school house. Dan- iel Quick, Jr., was the first one buried here.

Priestly graveyard is a family burying ground. Mrs. Priestly was the first laid in the cold ground here.

Strange cemetery is quite old and contains several graves, and is enclosed by a stone wall. This graveyard was commenced about 1838.

Wall Family Cemetery is in section 13, township 44, range 28, and contains the remains of the deceased relatives of the name applied to this place. The first buried here was Mildred B. Wall, in the year 1858.

Rose Hill Cemetery is co-existent with the town and contains several graves.

Baston Cemetery is among the old graveyards of the township. It is near the Baston school and so named for D. W. L. Baston, a prominent farmer and respected old settler, living near. The Wm. Stout place is near this graveyard, and owned by an old settler by that name. There are a few other small burial places in the township of less note.

It is claimed that Mr. Scaggs was the first person buried in the town- ship. The health of the early settlers was generally good, and but little sickness, except fever and ague, invaded their homes.

The educational interests of this township have always been fostered by the people. Many that are now living look back with pride on their school days in the old log school-house. Children then under the care of a loving, kind teacher, accomplished more than many leading men of this age are willing to admit. In that day there was no com- plaint among school children, as we often have now-a-days, caused by poor ventilation. The boys and girls generally had happy dispositions and healthy, sound bodies, and grew to manhood and womanhood with- out being carried to "medical springs," or " drug stores." Even if these boys and girls did not learn so much from their books, they were blessed in other ways. In the pioneer schools, no pupil ever lost his health. How different in this age! Then boys did not study to be clerks in dry goods houses, but for the high and noble purpose of knowing how to do busi- ness for themselves. Many a youth then earned a dime a day, which was the beginning of an intelligent, economical life that now surrounds the

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owner with wealth, beautiful fields and " cattle upon a thousand hills." The boys and girls trained in some of these early schools, are. well informed in history and its kindred sciences. Most of them are readers and think- ers and have some good books. The fop of town may scornfully point at their dress, but he is a pauper of the vilest debris, compared to the wealth and happiness enjoyed by these brave, true-hearted sons and daughters of the soil. He has a deceptive, flattering, vile heart, enshrouded by fashion and vanity, while in the bosom of those he would scorn, a heart beats pure, honest, sincere, steady and tranquil in obedience to the laws of their country and their God. In brief, these plainly dressed peo- ple are to be commended.

At first the pioneer teacher taught in the homes of the scholars. Parental instruction was not neglected, and besides the catechisms and family stories, the parents taught their children to read and write. In those early days, school-books were not in western markets and the children were compelled to use the oldest books used by father and mother in their school days. Very soon after the settlements were made and the people felt the necessity of schools, the log school-house went up. The teacher was employed upon his success in his profession. The price paid them for teaching was meager, but in proportion to the price of other labor. Often the teacher took his board among the scholars and thought but little about preparation for school room duties. Then if an instructor could teach the three " R's," he could command the position of teacher.

Among the old teachers who used the rod in the old log school-houses of this township, we mention, Richard Anderson, W. W. Sparks, Abram Stout, Chas. Wingfield, Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. Massey, A. Van Ausdol, M. Palmer, Alfred Hocker, A. B. Sanders, Benj. Howell, George Harrison, Wm. Kirkpatrick, Dr. Thos. Jones, Lewis McCoy, and Benj. Turner. An old log school-house was erected about 1845, and was used till the war. Now it is used for a kitchen. A log school-house stood on Bear creek near old Bethel church, where a subscription school was taught. Besides these there were several more log school-houses. It must be remembered that the public school fund was too small at that day to depend upon it for the support of the schools, and then nearly all of the schools were run by subscription.

Rose Hill school-house is a two-story frame building; the upper story is used by civic societies. This one is the prominent school of the town- ship. Through the kindness of Miss Lucy Baker, we are enabled to give the following list of teachers: Calvin Reifsnider, William Coats, John Garl, Vincen Jones, Amos Metzler, Wm. R. Gist, Wilson Naylor, James Stufflebean, Henry Wood, H. A. Stitt, Sie Cook, Miss Alice Hunt, Miss Kittie Renick, Emma Wallis, Miss Della Wallis, Miss Sallie Young, Mrs.

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

Anna Stocktell, Miss Belle Davis, Miss Hattie Sheller, A. M. Gloyd, and Rev. D. H. Crager.

Quick School is known as one of the best schools of the township. From Mrs. Daniel C. Quick, we get the following list of teachers of this school: W. C. Rowland, John Cass, P. Stubblevain, Nannie Metzler, Nannie Graham, Flora Hall, Mrs. Franklin, Mrs. McCrabb, Harriet Quick, Cyrus Anderson, Wm. Peake, Lucy Umstadt, and M. Fanny Narron.

The other schools of the township are Doak, Scaly Bark, Boston, Fink, and Mt. Xenia. The following teachers deserve credit for noble work: Miss Nora Pemberton, an excellent young lady, has taught several terms with good success. She resides in Mt. Xenia district. Prof. Reynolds, afterwards principal of the Warrensburg public schools, taught in Mt. Xenia district during the autumn of 1874. He was an active member of the teachers' township association, which was organized and conducted by A. J. Sparks at the Quick school-house in Cass county. Mr. George E. Ropp, although comparatively a new-comer, has distinguished himself as one of the leading teachers of the county. He has taught three succes- sive terms at the Boston school, where he still continues his work. He is one among the worthy bachelors of this township.

Teachers' wages range from $35 to $50 per month. They secure board at eight to ten dollars per month. The government and sanitary condition of the schools are placed wholly in the hands of the teacher.

The agricultural interests and stock-raising stands foremost in Rose Hill township. Large stock farms are found in various parts of the town- ship. Some of the leading farmers and stock-growers are the Farns- worths, Campbells, Bastons, Beards, Quicks, Johnstons, Walls, Taggarts, Doaks, Pembertons, Thistles, Tharps, Woods, Stranges, Montagues, Sol- omons, Hannas, Roses, Smiths, and McCartys. This, indeed, is one of the best grain-producing townships of the county. The soil is mostly a rich, black loom, capable of producing generously, even in drouthy years. Stock water is found in abundance, all the year, in the streams. The swamp lands are being fast reclaimed from Big Creek bottoms. Now, many place where fine buffalo fish were seined grow fine grasses. The soil of the uplands is well drained. Immense crops of corn, wheat, oats, and hay are produced annually.

Stock-growing appears to have received a great deal of attention of late years, and the herds and flocks have been largely improved by the impor- tation of blooded animals.

Along Big Creek bottoms one may see, in the proper season, hundreds of fine cattle and sheep, grazing or resting, under the shade trees. This pasturage is sufficient to large herds of cattle. Here, the grass is the common prairie turf, which makes excellent hay, and furnishes good pas-

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turage. In many places the blue grass is taking hold as the native grasses give way.

Mr. L. W. Pemberton, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, residing north of Rose Hill, has one of the famous farms. On this farm wheat averages fifteen to twenty-five bushels per acre; flax, ten bushels per acre ; corn, fifty bushels per acre; timothy and clover, two tons per acre. Most of this land has been in cultivation about forty years. It lies in sections 1 and 6, township 44, range 29. On the farm, the soil is of a deep black limestone, and once produced fine hemp. Near Blackwater, the soil is a gray, waxy land. Mr. Pemberton has some springs on his place. The greater portion of this township is good hemp land. Mr. Pemberton keeps some mixed stock. His fine horses, mules. and cattle look well.

Judge C. H. Bothwell keeps a fine imported bull, besided several fine mixed-blooded cows.

Daniel C. Quick not only keeps some excellent cows, but large herds of cattle in the creek bottoms, and a beautiful deer park. He has forty-two head of beautiful deer. This year he raised about one dozen fawns. He claims that it is profitable, and, from his past history, we learn that he is not apt to handle things that are not profitable.

Coal abounds in some parts of the township, but there are no profitable mines worked.

The amount of wheat, oats, and flax that is shipped from here is simply astonishing. The roads are constantly lined with heavily loaded wagons, shipping to Holden and Gunn City. The price of wheat is from 75 cents to $1.04, according to quality.

A gentleman said he had five land-buyers in one day. The quality of the soil and the immense crops produced sufficiently advertises this land. When the land-buyer sees this land he exclaims, "Eureka !"

We clip the following from the Rose Hill correspondence to the War- rensburg Standard, of June 16, 1881:

J. Little thought he would like a change of location, he went to Kansas, and did not like it; thence, to Missouri, and came home the other day, and advanced the price of his land ten dollars per acre. He says that he saw more leaving Kansas than he saw coming into the state, and that most of them intend on set- tling in Missouri. Mr. A. T. Whitsett disposed of his farm the other day for the sum of $14,000. A gentleman from Illinois made the purchase.

Mr. L. Cruce informed us that he had threshed his wheat this year (1881), which averaged twenty-five bushels per acre, and sold it at $1.30 per bushel.

On the 11th of July, 1881, Mr. L, H. Little lost his barn and out-build- ings by fire. His loss was as follows: Barn, 300 bushels of wheat, 250 bushels of corn, five tons of hay, a stack of oats, out-building, some valua- ble orchard and ornamental trees, and all his farming implements, valued

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

at $1,000. It is supposed that the fire caught from the sparks blown from the smoke-stack of a steam-thresher.

Mr. George T. Wood was murdered, in 1861, by a drunken rake, hardly compus mentis, by the name of Charles Martin, who afterward was killed, as he deserved.

During the war several families were made homeless. Their houses were burnt, and their stock driven off by the Kansas jayhawkers. The following persons are among the unfortunate: Sidney Scott, F. Mar. Scott, James B. Scott, Mrs. Melissa Gilliland, and Barton W. Green. The following are among the slain: James Barnett, Henry Pemberton, Wm. Pemberton, Charles Pemberton, B. W. and F. M. Green, Campbell Pem- berton, Wm. H. Baker, Samuel Smith, Huston Gilbert, Joe Reed, Wash- ington Reed, A. Reed, William N. Hall, and Samuel Doak.

CHAPTER VII .- CHILHOWEE TOWNSHIP.

Introduction-Name-Location-Physical Features-Creeks-Roads-Ancient Fortifica- tions-Statistics-Population-Old Settlers-The First Mill-Mrs. Norris Stolen by Indians-Chilhowee-Officers-Postoffice - Postmasters-Churches-Old Ministers -- Teachers-Present Schools-Civic Societies-Cemeteries -- Agriculture and Stock Raising.

"Here too dwells simple truth; plain innocence; Unsullied beauty; sound, unbroken youth,

Patient of labor, with a little pleas'd; Health ever blooming; unambitious toil; . Calm contemplation and poetic ease."

There is no place like the beautiful country home. Adorned, as it often is, with nature's rich foliage of trees, flowers and fruits. It is from the country home our great men arise. There they conversed most with nature. Amid rural scenes they first were taught to care for others, as well as themselves. They learned industry and economy from the ant and the bee and perseverance from the cunning spider. In the country the yeomanry are generally happier than the inmates of the crowded city because there is more health and freedom of proper exercise.

In this brief treatise on Chilhowee township, we will not be able to touch every event that the old pioneer remembers. Nevertheless, we will endeavor to set before the reader the more salient points in the details of the almost half century of rural doings in Chilhowee township. A few of the best informed citizens have materially assisted us in furnishing dates and events for which we feel thankful. In these pages we shall keep hearsay as far away as possible and rely on nothing but facts set before us from the most reliable sources. In many instances there are deeds in the history of every community, not altogether relevant to public

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taste, yet they must be recorded. In history, like politics and religion, everybody cannot expect to be pleased. The historian can only supply the reader with his fund of knowledge. The reader cannot possibly expect to find every intrinsic and insipid thought set before the public eye to magnify and awaken affable regards for him and his kindred. Laconic or round about expressions will be used as the case may demand, regard- less of persons. In what we shall collect on the beautiful Indian name of Chilhowee, will be found historical facts, mingled with pathetic thoughts of a race pushed to the west by the powerful civilization of the white man. The physical features will be studied from observation and inqui- ries, and if any striking point is left out, it will be for the reason that the writer did not discover it. The coal beds, everywhere abundant over this township, cannot be elaborately discussed under this head as they deserve.

Statistical notes, population and early reminiscenses, in connection with a germane and elaborate written article on the worthy pioneers, who, in all their strength and valor, are too reticent to boast of their manly and well-spent lives, will be properly delineated. These hardy old fathers and affectionate mothers should never be forgotten by their offspring. They were true in their lives. They were not perfidious nor false hearted. Their word was an oath. They made but few promises and none were to be broken. In what we shall next examine, the reader will find fur- ther on.

Name .- Chilhowee township gets its name from the Chilhowee moun- tains of Tennessee. It is an Indian appellation. Its orthography prop- erly ends with the double "ee,' and not with " ie," as some sophists write it. The red men of America have left us their sweet language implanted and imbeded in our affections. . We might mention hundreds of pleasant sounding names, which belong to the tribes of aborigines of America. The beauty of these names consists in their significance. Many of their names have been modified and the orthography changed, but few are bettered by it. No more appropriate name could be applied to this rich, agricultural district than that of Chilhowee, in honor of the old Indian braves.

Alas for them; their day is o'er; Their fires are out from shore to shore; No more for them the wild dear bounds- The plow is on their hunting grounds. The pale man's ax rings through their woods-

The pale man's sail skims o'er their floods .- CHARLES SPRAGUE.

Those who have resided near the Chilhowee mountains can give a bet- ter description of them than the writer can, with his limited knowledge of those pleasant sunny scenes and Indian associations around that revered spot.

Names are often repeated not so much on account of the poverty of the

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.

language, but in memory of some act or deep affection. The Indian went to nature for his vocabulary of words, and chose only such as con- veyed the character of the object named. The many peculiarties of the natives who lived here long before the white race crossed the "briny deep, " has been related by American writers, in the history of that peo- ple. One striking characteristic was generally observed, that they were firm and faithful to their friends, and caustic and bitter towards their ene- mies. Those who understood their natures, had but little difficulty in living amicably with them. The day of their glory has passed, and only a few mounds and burial places, except what is related by the old white settlers, tell that they lived here.

An American poet has expressed the idea, that although the Indians may pass away, they can never be forgotten. We can hardly forget the red men while so many of our states, rivers, bays, towns, mountains and lakes are indellibly stamped by names from their own vocabulary.

This township received its name and present boundaries on the 25th day of May, 1868. It contains about seventy-three square miles, and embraces some of the finest farming and timbered portions of the county. Besdes the Chilhowee mountains in Tennessee, there is a small town in Blount county, Tenn., of the same name.

Chilhowee township is bounded on the north by Madison, Centerview, and Warrensburg townships, on the east by Post Oak township, on the south Henry county, and on the west Rose Hill township. Muron Perry, a noted surveyor from Tennessee, is entitled to the honor of giving the township its name and fixing many of the accurate surveys. From the centre of the township, the distance is said to be about fifteen miles to Warrensburg, and some less to Holden. Many farmers do their trading in Holden, even when the distance is much farther, on account of the bet- ter condition of the roads. The township is not regular in its boundaries. One section in the northeast corner is only connected by the southern boundary of the township. The land known as "lots" lies also in this township as in Rose Hill, Post Oak and Jefferson townships. This town- ship was formerly parts of the original townships of Madison and Jeffer- son, the largest portion coming from the former. In the southern part of the township, a few of the farmers own land in both Henry and Johnson counties, and consequently visit Clinton, the county seat of Henry county, distance about twenty miles, one or more times a year, as well as Warrens- burg in reference to their land and other county interests. In the early days of the pioneers, the old farmers went to Rose Hill for all their trad- ing, milling and mail matter. Those living in the extreme eastern part of the township, were greatly relieved when post offices were opened at Chilhowee, Cornelia, and Shawnee Mound in Henry county. The

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advance of time, and the development of the country, have brought places of public enterprise and domestic economy closer to every man's door.

Physical Features .- The general appearance of Chilhowee township is a beautiful rolling, fertile prairie. This prairie lies principally in the centre and southern parts, and at an early day was covered with tall grasses. This prairie soil is a deep black limestone soil, the best perhaps in the county. In the southwestern part the land surpasses any of the older states, in beauty of location and quality of the soil. This area includes the excellent farms of Messrs. J. R. Carpenter, T. N. Carpenter, Wiley Carrington and Dr. R. Z. R. Wall. This land often produces from thirty to forty bushels of wheat per acre. Corn, oats, hemp and flax do well here. The grass crops are always immense. Timothy, clover and other grasses do well. Blue grass takes wherever the wild is killed out. Coal exists in inexhaustible beds, all over the township. Consider- able coal is taken for home consumption. If any means of transportation ever reaches this place, thousands of bushels of fine coal will be taken from the ground and shipped.

The principal water courses are Post Oak, Bear, Panther, East Post Oak, South Branch, Chalybeate Branch, Long Branch, King Branch, and Mark Branch. Most of these creeks are shallow and principally, wet weather streams. However, a few of these streams have "holes " that contain water sufficient for stock through the dry season, but do not run through the year. The northern part of the township has a few fine chaly- beate springs. One on the Reed farm, on the "old camp-meeting grounds," furnishes abundance of water the whole year. In this vicinity the soil is not very rich. The surface is rough and covered on the branches by shrubby bushes, mostly post oak brush. On the larger streams the timber is good. Walnut, hickory, hackberry, oaks, are the principal trees. The underbrush, in some localities is immense, consisting mostly of Post Oak, running oak, chinquipin, sumach, and hazel. In a few places crab apple, hawthorn, wild cherry, and prickly ash abound. Bone set, peniroyal, grows in the light soils.

The soil in the eastern part is a light sandy loam, and productive in wet seasons. Sorghum cane, beans, and flax does well on the soil. In the vicinity of Samuel Brown's there are plenty of coal veins, eight to twelve inches thick. A mineral well is in the northwest part of the township, on Mrs. Polly Hindman's place. J. W. Logan owns 190 acres of land, val- uable for an everlasting spring, which breaks out from the lime rocks. On most of this land the soil is light, ranging from red sandstone to black limestone soils. Invariably, the water is everywhere hard, except in the few cisterns. There are good springs in section 3, owned by John Hughes and Mr. Chambers. Mr. J. B. Rosencrans has an excellent spring that furnishes plenty of water. It is on the top of a ridge. Red mulatto land

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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 65

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