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 70

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 70


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).


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Most of the graveyards proper, were started about 1840. Cooper cemetery is a family burying place. Goodwin's cemetery is near his resi- dence where he has two children buried. Tucker cemetery is in section 37. It was started in 1840. Combs cemetery is a family graveyard. . There are a few graves in section 32, and also, on C. D. Ranis' land in section 35. Old High Point cemetery is near the old church, A. P. Ble- wett, who was a native of Kentucky, and had lived here about ten years, was the first to sleep in the new cemetery. His burial took place August 24, 1881. There are a few other graves in other places, we learn, of the township, which we are not able to locate. Schools were early estab- lished here by the first settlers. Most of the old pioneers could read and write, and were not without common intelligence. When the log school house was put up on the hill side, parental training was somewhat slack- ened. Many of the old maxims may be applicable here, to favorably impress the noble qualities of the old pioneers upon their offspring. "As the teacher so the school." "As the parents so both teacher and school."


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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


Every teacher of experience knows how much easier it is for a child to learn who has educated parents. These settlements had but little diffi- culty in giving their children the. proper education for true citizenship. The children not only pursued the common branches, but often stepped higher in the scale of scholastic lore. The people here, like every other place in the first settlement of the county, opened subscription schools. They well knew that sweet and sunny childhood need the tender hand of care to guide it aright.


Some of the quaint log school houses are well remembered by those who were school boys and girls in pioneer Johnson county. The old log houses have long since passed away, however, they will not be forgotten.


One old log school-house stood between the residences of Anthony Ows- ley and Isaac McDonald, whose door was so low that the larger scholars were obliged to bow in order to enter. Many interesting incidents are connected with this school yet fresh in the memory of the members of that old school. Another log school house stood just west of the old Pettus farm. Here, beside erudition, mirth and frivolity helped to chase the long dull school days away.


On Clear Fork, near the Maj. Neal farm, stood an antique log cabin once used as church and school building. The methods of school man- agement of those days could scarcely be tolerated now. In some of the old schools the pupil was required, at the point of the rod, to successfully recite his lesson. In those days repetition often passed for progress. The child exercised the faculty of memory of some things, without learning to think. His mathematics was written, and geography memorized. A few studied grammar in a mechanical way, and but few could hold intelligent epistolary correspondence. The subject of capitalizing, paragraphing, and punctuation was left almost entirely to the caprice of the printer. But few of these people were pedantic, nevertheless it is said "A little learn- ing is a dangerous thing." The plain, unassuming manliness of these well-bred pioneers was a trait peculiar to themselves brought from the older states.


The cruel manner in which children were punished for misbehaviors is no more practiced. Brutal force is fast giving way to the soothing influ- ence of kind words. It was common a half century ago for the teacher to freely use the ferrule upon incorrigible pupils, striking them in the palms of the hand or on the head. Gagging was practiced some, and perhaps some old pioneers yet living can recount an instance or two of this sort of punishment for whispering. It is said that in one instance a young lady just entering her teens was gagged with a forked stick, the facts are vouched for by reliable informants. Civilization, within the last score of years has made rapid progress. Among the pioneer schoolmasters we have the names of Dabney Pettus who came from Virginia; Thab Butler,


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who also came from Virginia; Edward C. Curren, from Kentucky; Sam'l Lowe, from Kentucky, subsequently became clerk in the legislature of this state; Mrs. Nancy Bryant, a widow; Ep. M. Smith, who was one of the best teachers, from Kentucky; Wm. Winfrey, from Tennessee; Joe Goodwin; Green Reese, who now resides in Indiana; Wm. Fewell, one of the stalwart schoolmasters that ruled his school, and Mr. Nutter, an excellent teacher.


The pioneer teachers have given way for a new corps of mind-trainers. Among those who are now active in the pedegogic work, we have learned but few of their names. Miss Fannie Williamson, a musician of no ordinary ability, is among the most prominent teachers now active in the teacher's field. J. H. L. Scott, a farmer of this vicinity, has taught here with good success. Thompson school No. 4 is a frame building, erected in 1868, and cost $619. The following is the list of teachers who have taught here: J. H. L. Scott, Miss Lula M. Caldwell, Miss Luella Draper, R. W. Palmer, L. Mohler, Miss Sallie Gray, Miss Annie Suther- land, Miss Celeste Scott, W. H. Scott. Besides this school there are about half a dozen others, all have frame buildings, and school is kept in them from four to nine months in the year. In civic societies this town- ship is well up to the times. Cold Spring Lodge, No. 274, A. F. and A. M., was organized in 1878, by G. R. D. G. W. M. The charter mem- bers are: Obe Wallace, the first master; Obe Hall, the first secretary; J. M. Wall, W. W. Gass, E. C. Arnold, M. P. Norman, S. M. Clark, Silas Greer, C. D. Ranis, W. A. Williams, R. L. Irwin, C. T. Caldwell, T. J. Caldwell, N. T. Gray. This order in connection with the grange, own a well furnished and commodious hall, in the second story of a frame, on the site of the old Henrietta store. The present officers are: Dr. L. D. Ewing, W. M. and Obe Hall, secretary.


Henrietta Grange was organized here in the year 1873. M. C. Draper was first master, and E. W. Blewett, the secretary. The charter mem- bers were: J. M. Wall, Ned Bradley, Wm. Bradley, Mrs. M. C. Draper, Mrs. Hattie Blewett, Mrs. Nannie B. Wall, and Miss Ophelia Perry. At the second election, J. M. Wall was chosen master and re-elected, and served for several successive years. At present Hon. W. P. Greenlee is master, and B. F. Wall, Jr .. secretary. The present membership of this farmers' organization is 125. The members claim good results from this institution. They enjoy the co-operation as farmers in buying and selling. They order their groceries, farming implements, and other machinery directly through their agent in St. Louis. The elegantly furnished spacious hall indicates the class of people who meet there. The hall stands on the land formerly owned by Jesse Enlow, one of the oldest set- tlers of the township. It was built by the grangers and masons, and cost


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$1,000. Such an institution speaks well for the agricultural interests of the neighborhood.


For some time a store and post-office was kept open in the lower story of this building, but the store ceased with the ushering in of 1881, and the post-office was moved to the residence of Hon. W. P. Greenlee. The name, Henrietta, is an associate name of the place and post office, given when the office was organized in 1879. W. P. Greenlee was the first postmaster, then J. W. Wall, Mr. Steward, Frank Hall, and now back to the hands of W. P. Greenlee.


In agricultural interests and stock-raising, this township ranks among the foremost townships of the county. The rich, beautiful agricultural land underlaid with marl, will never wear out by proper care. The main productions are wheat and corn. Rye, oats and barley, sorghum cane, and tobacco, are profitable crops. J. M. Wall, one of the extensive farmers and stock-breeders of the township, has seven hundred and four- teen acres of very fine land, all under fence except ten acres of timber in Henry county. He has a pasture of blue grass, well watered, containing 160 acres, 120 acres of fine timothy that yielded the uncommon dry year of 1881, upwards of 120 tons of hay; for the same year, his wheat aver- aged 15 bushels per acre, and corn about 40 bushels per acre. He has . on his farm 120 head of Cottswold sheep; a beautiful buck of the same stock that was brought from Canada, and cost fifty dollars. He sold nine lambs last spring at ten dollars a piece; he sheared 90 head, averaging nine and four-fifths pounds each. Mr. Wall states that his sheep are easily managed, and they pay better than anything else on the farm. He also keeps four thoroughbred short-horn Durham cows, and about 100 head of high grade cattle. He keeps some good blooded horses; one black ass six years old, fifteen and three-fourths hands high, and a fine black jack yearling fourteen and one-half hands high. He keeps fine Berkshire pigs.


Just as soon as the prairie grass is killed out, blue grass takes the place, as can be seen in the many large fine pastures here. Timothy meadows exist in goodly numbers. There are many fine woodland pastures along the little streams. Stock raising is an industry that excites consid- erable attention here. J. M. Wall, E. C. Arnold, Daniel T. Styles, Chas. P. Phillips, Isaac and John Sanborn, A. J. Cooper, and others. J. W. Garrett has a fine farm well stocked, and keeps blooded sheep and cattle.


The township might be called a prairie township, because its surface is mostly rolling prairie. The soil is well adapted to pasturage and the growing of cereals and grasses. The fine rich soils have a peculiar vary- ing degree in the different parts of the township. In some localities the soil is only a few inches in depth, but underlaid with a fine bed of marl.


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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


Coal exists of different degrees of quality on almost every acre of land. Ochre of good quality occurs also. It is said that a fine quality of cement rock is found in parts of the township, from which cement, fully equal to the article produced at Louisville, Ky., is manufactured.


Horticultural interests have never greatly agitated the minds of the people here, not because of the soil or climate, for there is no section of the county better adapted to fruit raising than some of Jefferson township. Fruit culture can be made here, with a trifling outlay, a considerable source of revenue.


A few farmers have small vineyards, which yield a bountiful supply of grapes every year. The apple, peach, cherry, pear and other standard fruits are found on almost every farm. A few places have excellent small fruits, such as gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, strawber- ries, and dwarf pears. Generally the fruit yields well, and no farmer need to deprive himself of the luxuries to be found in first-class market houses, for, by a little tact and energy, he can have all such productions around him. In the vegetable crop this township is never behind. Tomatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes and radishes do well. Even two crops are raised some years.


Every locality has its incidents, and without a few, life would be extremely prosy. At Eldorado, Robert Irwin was keeping a dry goods and grocery store in 1866. Now a little grocery store is kept by Robert Harris. Dr. Geo. Harris, a man with but one ear, practices here. Most of the church members in this vicinity go to a church in Pettis county to worship. It is said that a Mr, Douglass lived at an early day in the south- east corner of the county, and owned property about him in four counties. His house was in Johnson county, his blacksmith shop in Henry, his barn in Benton, and his smokehouse in Pettis. For many years the county assessors failed to tax his property, because they could not decide in their mind where Mr. Douglass really belonged.


After the civil war of 1861 had been settled in the spring of 1865, and the angel of peace was comforting the mourning land, made desolate by the savage hand of war, a vicious and blood-thirsty fiend in the person of a young dare-devil by the name of John Clark, in company with two accessories, Steele and Means, shot, in cold blood, John Williamson, a good and respected young man, who had objected to the notorious Clark paying respects to his sister. John Williamson's death was a sudden blow to his affectionate friends and relatives, who were of the best families of the community. The desperate John Clark was at once arrested and locked in jail. Soon his deed of burning injustice preyed upon his mind and body, until he became a wretched, hopeless invalid, beyond the reach of any remedy. In this condition he was released on account of ill-health, but he was no longer himself, and soon was numbered with the dead. His


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accomplice, Means, fled to the state of Arkansas, where he became enam- ored with the attractions of a pure-minded Arkansas girl, whom he mar- ried under an assumed name, begat two children, and, under the burden of his crime, he died, making a death-bed confession of his real name, after which his misled and deluded widow wrote to his parents the full particulars of her late infatuation with a man whom she did not know.


CHAPTER X .- GROVER TOWNSHIP.


Indroduction-The Name-Sketch of Col. B. W. Grover-Location-Physical Features- Creeks-Fences-Roads-Bridges-Statistics of 1877 and 1880-Assesements of Per- sonal Property for 1881-Township Officers-Dunksburg-Postoffice-Churches- Cemeteries-Schools-Agriculture-Incidents-Facts-Reminiscences.


Man, through all ages of revolving time Unchanging man, in every varying clime, Deems his own land of every land the pride, Belov'd by heaven o'er all the world beside:


His home the spot of earth supremely blest,


A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest .- I. Montgomery.


As age after age rolls on man feels the need of the records contain- ing the events that have marked the eras of the past. What we shall attempt to narrate in the following pages of Grover township may be fresh in the memory of the few remaining pioneers, but they shall pass away as others have gone to swell the innumerable army of the dead, while these pages remain to tell their story. It may be that much history of the early pioneers is already lost. This, then, we should cherish the more, that other generations coming in our footsteps may profit by the laudable results, and be better able to steer clear of the rocks on the sea of life.


In the location and physical features of the township we will confine our readers mainly to the surface, soils, rocks, and general trend of the ground. Sandstone exists in fine quarries in a few places. James mar- shall, on Blackwater, has an excellent quarry of brown sandstone, also fine stone is found on the farm of W. E. Chester. The water supply, although not treated elaborately, is in common with other townships that lie immediately on creeks. This township has the advantage, however, in the size of the streams. On Blackwater, stock may find water in the dryest weather.


The statistical tables are not exhaustive, by any means, but sufficient tables are given to show that the township has kept pace with the world of progress, and that the people are greatly blessed in natural resources which reward them for all their toils.


Enough is said of early settlers and pioneer life to point the reader back


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half a century to the habits and surroundings of the men who ventured to turn the wild land into use. Many of those hardy pioneers have lived to see the beautiful waving golden grain where once grew the forest or waved the sea of prairie grasses, and instead of the puny hamlets, flour- ishing towns, as if by magic, have sprung up at their thresholds. The mail boy with his scanty half dozen letters per week has been exchanged for the daily mail trains that distribute hundreds of pounds of mail matter daily over the west.


We have amplified at length, very appropriately, however, on the name and its associations which the township bears. That the wisdom of the court may have due weight, we ask the reader to patiently study the con- nective links of the. successive steps that have so rapidly enhanced the value of lands, opened up trade, and apparently developed the inexhaustible natural resources that everywhere await the hand of civilization to stir them from their terrestrial slumbers.


The township officers prior to the township system were but few. The roads were roughly managed and but little work was done until of late years. One village and postoffice have existed in the township for several years.I Its convenience to railroad towns in adjoining townships and counties will for a long time cripple the progress of township villages.


The township is well supplied with churches, cemeteries, and schools. County Line Church has been' located, for a few years back, in Pettis county, and what history it has will be found under the general head of Baptist Churches in the county.


The literary societies, although meagre, have at times been productive of excellent results. The lack of both public and private libraries is some drawback to the township. Dr. B. F. Dunkley and Johnson Wheeler have some books, and the intelligence of these families have wrought a good work. For the public or the family,money invested in good books, always pays. In whatever business a man is found, he has pleasant con- verse with authors, in the same line of duty. Our sketch, although not full, as no history can be, has been carefully studied, that it may always. be a relic of pride to all those who are to live in the future.


Name .- This township was christened Grover, as a tribute of respect for Col. B. W. Grover, who once lived in Warrensburg. No other place bears the name, except a postoffice in Simpson township. It would not be out of place to give, in connection with the history of the township, a. brief sketch of him who lived with the feeling:


" Happy are men, if they understood There is no safety but in doing good."


B. W. Grover was born of Welsh ancestry in Green county, Ohio, October 27, 1811, and died in the city of St. Louis, of wounds received in the civil war, October 30, 1861. His wife, Mrs. Grover, was born in Cin-


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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY.


cinnati, Ohio, October 8, 1816, and is now living at her beautiful home on Gay street, in Warrensburg. Col. Grover resided a few years in Madi- son, Indiana, then came to St. Louis for a short time, but seeing great inducements to settle in a rich, undeveloped country, on what he expected to be the line of railway, he pushed westward, and permanently settled in Warrensburg in the year 1844. He and his wife seem to have been born for each other. Their affinity and mutual taste made their conjugal union a most happy one. Johnson county found in Mr. Grover a man of no ordinary ability, and, although a whig in politics, he could safely count on two hundred democratic voters in his support. For four years, he served the county as sheriff, and afterward was elected to the state senate, from the district composed of Lafayette and Johnson counties. He served the people four years in that capacity. During his public career in the senate, he was the leading spirit and agitator in securing the loca- tion of the Pacific railway through Johnson county. To show the high appreciation in which the Masonic fraternity held him, in 1850, he was elected Grand Master of the state. When the troublesome internecine war broke out in 1861, he volunteered to defend the union. In the service he became lieutenant-colonel of the 27th Missouri volunteers, one of the first regiments raised in the state. Some of his true and tried fellow sol- diers lived in the township that now honors his name. He was mortally wounded in the battle of Lexington, where he was commanding his regi- ment. The battle began Thursday evening, of the 12th of September, 1861, and continued. until afternoon of the 20th, when Col. James A. Mul- ligan and his forces, were obliged to surrender the fort to the enemy, Gen. Sterling Price, of the Confederate forces. Col. Mulligan said of him in a letter to Mrs. Grover: "Your husband rendered me constant aid during the dark days of Lexington. I remember him with pride." In another letter: "No man did his duty more nobly. I will not forget him." Col. Grover was brought up a merchant, but relinquished that avocation when he came west, for agriculture and politics. He was a great lover of poetry, history, and a man of fine literary taste. When he was a candidate for the senate, he made but one speech during the cam- paign.


Grover township is situated in the northeast corner of the county, and at one time embraced what are now known as Grover and Simpson town- ships. The voting place is Lowland school house. It is bounded on the north by Lafayette county, on the east by Pettis county, on the south by Washington township, and on the west by Simpson township. It embraces all of the congressional township 48, in range 24, besides a por- tion of township 48 of the same range, six miles long and two miles wide, jutting three-eights of a mile further west than the other portion of the township. The township is eight miles long from east to west, and


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six miles wide, and contains forty-eight square miles. It is about ten miles at the nearest point, and twenty at the furthest point, from the county-seat, while by wagon road it is twelve miles at the nearest, and twenty-five miles at the furthest place from Warrensburg, and is about equal distances from the towns of Knob Noster, Concordia and Browns- ville. The only post-office, Dunksburg, (Sigel) is in the extreme eastern part.


Physical Features .- The land surface of the township is quite varied in its character. North of Blackwater the land is a beautiful rolling prai- rie, except the bordering slopes of Peavine Branch, which are somewhat rolling and brushy. The greater portion of the western half of the township is almost a level tract, with the exception of some small eleva- tions along the Blackwater bottoms, the uneven slopes of Walnut Creek, and the portion in the extreme southwest where Clear Fork cuts through the land, forming some ugly places. The central portion lies between Big Walnut and Brush Hill creeks, and contains some of the choice land of the township. This rich and fertile slope begins with the head waters, on the east bank of Walnut Creek, and contains a large area of fine farms, extending due north from the farm of R. Therrington, in section 36, to the residence of S. S. Feagans in section 14; thence diagonally west to the fine black limestone and marl land, on a beautiful eminence overlooking the valley, owned now by M. W. Tyler, improved and set- tled in 1835, by Mont. E. Huff. The land extending from this eminence to Blackwater is called "lowland," on account of its flatness, in contrast with the surrounding highlands, and the soil also is of a different nature. The land known as "brush-hills" is very uninviting to the traveler on account of the rough knobs and bad roads. East of this brushy land some nice farms lie along the line of the county. The township has three beautiful elevations. The one that has the most extended horizon is the Cook Mound. Upon this summit Elijah Cook has his residence, and from it one can plainly see as far as the eye can penetrate. Warrensburg is plainly seen on a favorable evening. In the days when the wild red man could live at home in his savage state, he looked from this mound both morning and evening, as the sentinel would watch for the enemy.


The beautiful mound upon which " Cottage Home," the residence of M. M. Tyler stands, has a fine lookout. The most imposing and pic- turesque elevation is in section 25, and owned by V. H. and W. G. Thorn- ton, and upon this plateau is "Highland Home," the handsome residence of the latter. It is by far the most attractive and far-seeing building in the township.


Fifty years back the old settlers say that the creeks and especially Blackwater overflowed its banks to such an extent that no one thought of making the adjacent lands tillable. That time has passed. The lakes


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and ponds that once supplied the pioneer's table with Buffalo, cat and drum fish, now grow luxurient patches of wheat and corn. The bottoms and lakes have been drained by plowing a deep furrow to the creek, which in a short time was sufficient to render the bottoms and lowlands arable. It may be said that the township that once. contained consider- able swamp land, along the northern shore of Blackwater, now is well drained. The broken land of the township lies principally in brush hills and along the little creeks. The township has but little sterile surface, unless it be along the rocky bluffs on the south side of Blackwater. The


principal stream of the township is Blackwater, which enters at the south west corner of section 6, township 47, following closely to the line on the south side of said section until it reaches section 5, thence north and a little west until it gets near township 48, where it takes an easterly course for a short distance, then due north into section 32, township 48, making many turns and meanderings through section 33 and to the center of 34, thence back to township 47, entering the northeast corner of section 4, it con- tinues an easterly direction until it leaves for the last time, entering section 35, township 48, running directly northeast it leaves the county at the northeast corner of section 36. This stream flows all the year except in extremely dry seasons. At an early day the deep water contained fine fish; but year after year, through trapping and netting the finny tribe has been growing less. The next largest stream of the township is Big Wal- nut; enters Grover from Washington township and flows in a northwest- erly direction joining Blackwater in section 32, township 48. It is a little stream, quite sluggish and only a few " water holes" are found in the channel of a dry season. Little Walnut and its branches have their source in the southeastern part of the township. Little Walnut empties into Big Walnut on the line between sections 21 and 16. Brush Hill creek has its source in the hills northwest of S. S. Feagan's, winding among the hills and knolls rich in coal beds, it enters Blackwater in sec- tion 2. Flagstaff is a small sluggish stream coming in from Simpson township, flowing through section 6, and entering Blackwater at what was formerly called swamp lands. Peavine is a little stream in the north- ern part of the township. It has its source near the Lafayette county line, entering section 29, township 48, flowing closely. to the county line, till it reaches near the northeast of section 28, thence southeast and unites with Blackwater very close to the line of section 34. Several little ravines of some brush on the banks intervene and flow into the creeks already men- tioned. In brief, the topography of the township is indeed beautifully diversified with hills, dales, uplands and valleys, woodland and prairie; some places the hills present a bold, picturesque aspect and others are in contrast very tame. The three soils are black limestone, gray marl and sandy soil. The first is found principally along the southern slopes of the




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