USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 33
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Taken and certified and given under my hand on the same day and year last above written.
JOHN MORSE, Justice County Court of Chariton County.
Filed and recorded the fifteenth day of July, 1837.
E. T. DENISON, Clerk L. C. C.
There is a deed of record dated January 25, 1837, made by Isaac F. Keas, and Casandria, his wife, to Armstrong Beatty, relinquishing their right, title, and interest in a certain tract and parcel of land purchased of the United States, which fell into the hands of John W. Usher, or to his infant heirs. The consideration was ten dollars. The record being torn and part of it missing, the above substance is given. In the first deed the heading to the acknowledgement evidently should have been Chariton county instead of Linn. The deed is copied verbatim as recorded.
335
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
X
FIRST WILL OF RECORD.
"I, William Cornett, of Howard county, State of Missouri, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do ordain this as iny last will and tes- tament.
Item: It is my will that all my lawful debts be paid.
It is further my will that my beloved wife, Nancy, have all my personal and real estate for the sole purpose of raising and schooling iny children, and as my afflicted son, Jarrett, cannot have any benefit of schooling, it is my will that my wife give to him what she thinks proper in that case. And it is further my will, that at the death of my wife, that what then is left after raising and schooling my children and what my wife gives to my son Jarrett, be equally divided between my children.
Signed, sealed, and acknowledged in presence of us this third day of February, 1830.
I appoint my wife, Nancy, my executrix.
WILLIAM CORNETT. [SEAL.]
POLLY FORISTER. EDWARD TURNER. JEREMIAH PHILLIPS.
STATE OF MISSOURI,
COUNTY OF LINN. SS.
I, Enoch Kemper, clerk of the County Court of Linn county, do hereby commission William Taylor, a justice of the peace within and for Howard county, Missouri, to take and certify the attestation of Edward Turner, of the aforesaid county of Howard, to the above and foregoing will as the law directs.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and private seal, (there being no public one provided), this twenty-ninth day of December, 1840.
ENOCH KEMPER, Clerk.
STATE OF MISSOURI,
COUNTY OF LINN. }'s.
Be it remembered that on this fifth day of January, 1841, came before me William Taylor, justice of the peace within and for said county, Ed- ward Turner, who after being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he be- came a subscribing witness to an instrument of writing purporting to be the will of William Cornett, dated the third day of February, 1830, to- gether with Polly Foster and Jeremiah Phillips, at the special request of William Cornett, and that the said William Cornett did then and there publish and declare the said instrument by him signed, to be his last will
336
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
and testament, and that said will and testament is now here presented, and by me examined.
EDWARD TURNER.
, Sworn before me this day and date above mentioned.
WILLIAM TAYLOR, J. P." %
ADMINISTRATION.
Know all men by these presents: That we, Rebecca Grant, Daniel Grant, John Holland, and Edmond Keith, of the county of Linn, and State of Missouri, are held and firmly bound unto the State of Missouri, in the sum of twenty thousand dollars, for the payment of which well and truly to be made, we jointly and severally bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, and administrators firmly by these presents. Witness our hands and seals this thirtieth day of December, 1839.
The conditions of the above bond are that if Rebecca Grant and Daniel Grant, administrators of the estate of John D. Grant, deceased, shall faith- fully administer said estate, account for, pay and deliver all moneys and property of said estate, and perform all other things touching such admin- istration required by law, or the order of any court having jurisdiction, then the above bond to be void, otherwise to remain in full force.
Sealed and delivered in presence of witness, R. W. Foster.
DANIEL GRANT. [SEAL.]
REBECCA GRANT. [SEAL.]
JOHN HOLLAND. [SEAL.]
EDWARD KEITH. [SEAL.]
THE FIRST.
The first townships were Locust Creek, Parson Creek, and Yellow Creek. The first election held in the county was April 8, 1837.
Benton township organized May 7, 1838, and its first election May 26, 1838.
Duncan township organized June 24, 1839, and the first election July of the same year. .
Barbee's Store was made the temporary seat of justice May term, 1837.
The first County Court was called to meet at Silas A. Fore's, but was transferred to the house of E. T. Dennison, the first Monday in February, 1837.
The first mills recorded are Botts' mill on Parson Creek, township fifty- seven, range twenty-two, 1834, and Maddox & Rook's, township fifty-eight, range eighteen, East Yellow Creek, in the year 1840.
Liberty township organized August 3, 1841, territory, now Sullivan county. Its first election the same month.
337
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Baker township organized November 1, 1841, taken from Yellow Creek township. Its first election first Monday in December, 1841.
The first bridge built in the county was in the winter of 1841-42, across Locust Creek. To be fourteen feet, of sound white oak. This was near William Bowyer's. Two others were ordered built, one across Main Yellow Creek, west fork, and one across East Yellow Creek, to be twelve feet wide, of sound white or burr oak. They were completed in March, 1842. They were contracted for in January.
The county purchased its first seal February, 1842.
Pleasant Hill township was organized May 3, 1842. It is now a part of Sullivan county. Matthew Kidd's house was the voting place.
Locust Creek and Baker townships' boundary lines were changed Feb- ruary 7, 1843.
The State road from Linneus to Brunswick was laid out in May, 1843.
Morris and Vrooman townships were organized May 6, 1844. Now part of Sullivan county.
Yellow Creek and Baker township lines changed May 8, 1844.
The voting place in Yellow Creek township was changed from Sampson Wyatt's to A. J. Rooker's, in 1845.
The first tavern license granted was to Beverly Neece, and to be kept in the town of Linneus.
The new court-house was completed October 16, 1848, the net cost being $3,894.85.
The first town lot sold in Linneus was lot number one, in block one, and was purchased by Meredith Brown.
To record the town plat of Linneus cost $8.
The selection of swamp and overflowed lands and preparing them for sale cost $460.
Linnens was first incorporated February 9, 1853.
A new county seal was ordered May, 1854.
The first jail was completed August 14, 1854.
The first refusal to grant dram-shop license was October, 1854, to stand for cne year.
The first well was dug in the court-house yard and completed in October, 1854. Cost $68.50.
X The first county poor-farm cost $2,000, and was rented for three years from February 4, 1856, and then sold.
The election precinct for Jefferson township was removed from Maxwell's to Laclede, May 5, 1856. "
The sheriff's report of the sale of swamp land was filed in county clerk's office May 6, 1856.
The law making four assessors' districts was in force 1858 and 1859.
Only one dollar per foot was allowed for the coffins for paupers.
338
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The alleys in the old town of Linneus were valued, February 1, 1858, at $420, and ordered sold.
The first publication of the receipts and expenditures of the county was in the Linneus Democratic Bulletin, June, 1859.
North Salem township was organized May 3, 1858.
The first poor-farm was ordered to be sold for $2,000, February 8, 1860.
The expense to the county of keeping an insane person one month and then taking him to the asylum was $204, March, 1860.
Enterprise township was organized August 13, 1860.
St. Catharine was made the voting precinct in Yellow Creek township September 1, 1862, being removed from Wyandott.
Brookfield was made a voting place February 6, 1865.
Brookfield incorporated October 10, 1865.
=Bottsville, now Meadville, was made a voting precinct May 1, 1865.
Bucklin made a voting precinct September 7, 1863.
The town of Bucklin incorporated May 8, 1866.
Laclede was incorporated March 6, 1866.
The County Court made an order at the August term, 1861, that the " military tax" was unconstitutional and declined to make a levy.
June 5, 1866, Jefferson township was divided into two voting precincts, Laclede and Brookfield.
Yellow Creek was also given two voting precincts, St. Catharine and Bucklin, June 5, 1866.
Brookfield township was organized July 2, 1866.
The repairs and addition to the court-house cost $8,456.20, November, 1867.
The town of Franklin was vacated August 3, 1868.
The census of Linn county in 1868, gave a population of 12,249.
Bottsville changed to Meadville, finally, October 6, 1869.
The town of Sherman was vacated August 2, 1869.
Ed Hoyle, ex treasurer paid amount of judgment, $1,598.15, August 12, 1869.
It cost $1,126.94 to run the poor-farm in the year 1870.
The voting precinct of Jackson township was changed from Mt. Olive to Hannon school-house, June 20, 1870.
Grantsville township was organized February 20, 1870.
Duncan school-house was made the voting precinct for Clay township in place of Strawberry school-house, June 20, 1870.
The first railroad tax on Locust Creek, Benton, and Jefferson townships, was levied in 1870.
Bucklin township organized October, 1870.
A subscription of $150,000 for the Burlington & Southwestern Railroad for Linn county, was rejected by the County Court, July 18, 1871.
339
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Brookfield subscribed $100,000 to a branch of the Laclede & Ft. Scott Railroad October 17, 1871.
Baker township subscribed $25,000, to same branch railroad.
North Salem township subscribed $25,000 to same branch railroad.
The new jail was completed Septeinber 18, 1871, at a total cost of $8,680.26 including ground $250.
The new township organization law was adopted May 31, 1872.
The board of supervisors was elected June 29, 1872.
The remaining portion of sections five, eight, and seven, were incorpor- ated in the town of Brookfield, October 17, 1871.
The boundary lines of Linneus were defined by act of the legislature, April 1, 1872.
Brookfield voted $63,000, February 15, 1873, for the Brookfield & Chicago Railroad. The $100,000 subscription void.
The law making the County Court consist of five judges, passed in 1873.
The County Court ordered suit against H. C. Clarkson and securities for default as treasurer, May 6, 1873.
The second poor-farm cost $1,800, and had sixty acres.
The second poor-farm of sixty-acres, was traded for another of one hun- dred and sixty acres, and $3,000 given to boot.
The boundary line of Brookfield was changed May 18, 1875. See book G page 85 of County Court records.
The Linneus Bulletin purchased the right to do all the paid work of Linn county, in printing and job work for one year, for $1, December 6, 1875.
West Brookfield was vacated September 4, 1876.
The census of 1876 gave the population of Linn county at 18,110.
The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company compromised their school tax for the years 1873, 1874, and 1875, by paying $15,000.
The county was made into two judicial districts and one judge at large, February 6, 1878.
The collector's office was made a separate office in 1877, and the first col- lector, James Tooey, appointed August 6, 1877.
The first iron bridge built in the county was across Locust Creek near Austin's mill, June, 1878.
The election to compromise the township railroad indebtedness of Benton, Locust Creek and Jefferson carried in favor of paying fifty cents on the dol- lar, September 20, 1879.
The court-house was condemned at December term, 1879.
The Burlington & Southwestern Railroad compromise school tax was $3,964.46 for the years 1873 to 1878 inclusive, February 5, 1879.
The last attempt to remove the county seat from Linneus to Brookfield and Laclede was at the November election of 1880.
.
340
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The county received up to and during 1881 $2,893.37 from the securities of H. C. Clarkson, defaulting treasurer.
The last township organization law passed 1880-81; was carried by a vote of 2,960 for, to 688 against at the November election of 1880.
Meadville was incorporated as a city January 4, 1881. : Eversonville was incorporated November 7, 1881.
The collector's bond for 1881 was for $166,000.
The vote to remove the county seat to Brookfield was yeas 1,369, nays 2,369.
The vote to remove the county seat to Laclede was yeas 282, nays 2,719.
The Common Pleas Court expired by limitation January 1, 1881.
The bonded debt of Linn county January 1, 1882, amounted to $7,207.35.
DISTANCES.
From Linneus, the county seat, to Laclede, by railroad, seven miles.
From Linneus to Meadville by railroad fifteen miles.
From Linneus to Brookfield by railroad twelve miles.
From Linneus to St. Catharine by railroad sixteen miles.
From Linneus to Bucklin by railroad twenty-three miles.
From Linneus to Browning by railroad fourteen miles.
: From Linneus to Eversonville by wagon road twelve miles.
From Linneus to Grantsville by wagon road eight miles.
From Linneus to New Enterprise by wagon road fifteen miles.
From Linneus to North Salem by wagon road twenty miles.
From Linneus to New Boston by wagon road twenty miles.
Brookfield, the commercial metropolis of Linn county, is about midway between Quincy and Hannibal on the east and St. Joseph and Kansas City on the west and southwest, and is the division between the above named points on the Hannibal, St. Joseph & Kansas City Railroad.
1
341
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVI.
LINN COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR.
After the Presidential Election of 1860-Election of Delegates to the State Convention- Up to Fort Sumter-After Fort Sumter-First Federal Troops in the County- Capture of Slack's Cannon-The First Confederate Troops-Other Military Operations of 1861-Leading Events of 1862-The Hand of War is Felt, and it is Hard-and Heavy-Organization of the Enrolled Missouri Militia-Leading Events of 1863- Holtzclaw's Guerrillas-Leading Events of 1864-A Bounty Offered-Skirmishes in Jackson Township-The Beginning of the End-Just Before the Collapse-The End Comes-Peace-Linn County's Soldiers in the Civil War-The Blue and the Gray- Company F, First Cavalry Missouri State Militia-Federal or Union Soldiers' Record- Confederate Soldiers' Record.
AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1860.
At the presidential election of 1860 Linn county had given a majority of her votes for Stephen A. Douglas. All four of the candidates, Douglas, Bell, Breckinridge, and Lincoln, received votes. The latter only obtained 17,028 in the entire State, but a considerable number of them were from this county, and in one township he had a plurality of the vote cast.
As soon as the result of the election was known there was a great deal of "war talk " indulged in by the extreme men on both sides. Everybody talked war, because everybody predicted it; and perhaps everybody pre- dicted war because everybody talked it. The majority of the people of the county, while they were pro-slavery men, were willing to accept and abide by the result of the election-at least to watch and wait. A large number of the citizens, even among those who had voted against Lincoln, and were strenuously opposed to his political sentiments, avowed themselves willing to live under his administration so long as he should execute his duties in accordance with the constitution; and declared themselves uncon- ditional Union men. The Linnens Bulletin, a Douglas paper, and the only newspaper in the county, announced that "Lincoln has been fairly elected, and, though we don't like it very well, we propose to submit."
ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO THE STATE CONVENTION.
Governor Jackson's inaugural to the Missouri legislature of 1861, con- cluded by recommending the immediate call of a State convention, in order that " the will of the people may be ascertained and effectuated." In ac- cordance with this recommendation, the legislature, on January seventeenth, passed a bill calling a convention, and appointing February eighteenth as the day on which they were to be elected, and February twenty-eighth the day on which the convention should assemble.
342
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Pursuant to the act of the legislature the election for delegates to the State convention was held Monday, February 18, 1861. The candidates from the Eighth Senatorial District, in which Linn county was then located, were Jacob Smith, Alexander M. Woolfolk, and William Jackson, regarded as " unconditional Union " candidates, and Charles J. Radcliffe, R. F. Can- terbury, and C. G. Fields, considered as "conditional Union " candidates. In this county the matter had been thoroughly canvassed, discussed, and considered by the people, and the result was that the unconditional Union candidates received a large majority of the votes cast not only in Linn county but in the Eighth District. The following was the vote in this county except in the townships of Parson Creek and Yellow Creek, the returns from which cannot now be found, but if discovered would make no very material change in the result:
GENERAL ELECTION FEBRUARY 18, 1861, FOR DELEGATES TO STATE CONVENTION.
UNCONDITIONAL UNION.
CONDITIONAL UNION.
TOWNSHIPS.
Jacob Smith.
Alex. M. Woolfolk.
William Jackson
Chas. J. Radcliffe.
R. F. Canterbury.
C. G. Fields.
Locust Creek.
348
356
355
51
49
50
Jackson.
29
32
30
49
49
47
North Salem
S1
83
82
11
11
10
Enterprise
42
43
43
48
48
47
Jefferson
170
171
170
43
46
41
Baker
3
4
4
65
64
64
Benton
34
35
35
12
12
13
Parson Creek.
Yellow Creek
Totals ..
707
724
719 279
279
272
The majority in Linn county of about 500 for such well-known straight- out Union men as Judge Smith, Colonel Woolfolk, and William Jackson etsablished this county's status as unalterably opposed to secession, and in favor of the old Union beyond a doubt.
UP TO FORT SUMTER.
During the months of January, February, and March, 1861, there was great interest manifested in public affairs by the people of this county.
343
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Several public and many private meetings were held, and the prospect of war was fully and freely discussed, and many prepared for it. Very many men made up their minds to take a hand when hostilities should begin, upon one side or the other, as their sympathies should dictate. Very many men also determined to take no part on either side, should war break out. It afterwards happened that men who declared they would fight, when the time camne did not fight, and that men who declared they would not fight did fight, and bravely and well at that.
AFTER FORT SUMTER.
April 12, 1861, the Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, and the next day the fort surrendered. President Lin- coln, on the 15th, issued a proclamation calling for " the militia of the sev- eral States, to the aggregate number of 75,000." Governor Jackson re- sponded that, in his judgment, the requisition was "illegal, unconstitu- tional, and revolutionary; its objects inhuman and diabolical, and cannot be complied with. Not one man will Missouri furnish to carry on such an unholy crusade."
The announcement that hostilities had actually begun, while not wholly unexpected, created great excitement in Linn county. Nothing else seemed to engross public attention but the prospect of civil war. Up in Jackson township and in Yellow Creek certain persons who sympathized with the Southern cause began cleaning out their rifles and fowling-pieces and filling their powder-horns preparatory to defending themselves against an expected invasion from Federal mercenaries. In Linneus there was a quantity of powder and lead ready against " the day of battle and of war" to be em- ployed in aid of Southern rights. The Union men put themselves in cor- respondence with the Federal authorities, and were told to " watch, report, and wait."
Major Watson E. Crandall, of Yellow Creek, and Robert McCollum, of North Salem, took secret but active steps to prepare a company of volun- teers for service under the old flag. The Union men of the county were in the majority and were bold and aggressive. The secessionists, and the sympathizers with secession, made up in spunk what they lacked in num- bers. Crandall, McCollum, Captains Love, Loring, Worthley, and other Union men, had much to do to note their movements.
Judge Jacob Smith, when not absent as a member of the State conven- tion, was active in preventing the formation and organization of the would- be Confederates, and by common consent regarded as the leader, chief coun- selor, and adviser of the Unionists of the county.
Hon. Wesley Halliburton, who had been a Breckenridge elector the pre- vious year, and was then a State Senator from this district, was regarded as the leading or most prominent member of the men favoring the secession
344
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
cause. On the ninth day of March he had voted aye on the passage of a resolution by the senate demanding that should Congress pass any bills granting supplies of men or money to coerce the seceded States, the sena- tors and representatives from Missouri should retire.
The spring and summer of 1861 passed without any collisions between the two hostile factions. Over in Yellow Creek township a company of " home-guards " was formed in May, and mnet on two or three occa- sions at Wyandotte and St. Catharine for drill. It was intended that this company should be formed under the military law passed by the legislature and approved by Governor Jackson, but when a copy of that law was obtained its requirements did not please a majority of the members, and the com- pany disbanded. This was the only military company ever formed in the county intended to belong to Claiborne Jackson's Missouri State Guard. Some of its members afterward entered the Confederate service and others joined the Union army.
FIRST FEDERAL TROOPS IN THE COUNTY.
The immense importance of preserving and holding the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad was early realized by the Federal authorities. In May, troops were sent over it from Hannibal to St. Joseph, and garrisons sta- tioned at various points. When General Lyon assumed command at St. Louis he manifested great concern about the railroad shops at Brookfield, and the bridges in Linn county, and instructed the Union men to be vigi- lant in guarding them from the threatened attacks of the secessionists of this, Chariton, and other counties. He had commissioned as captains, and given them authority to raise companies of " home-guards " for the Union service, Frederick C. Loring, Wesley R. Love, and Watson E. Crandall, all men living along the line of the road in this county.
In the latter part of June the first Federal troops alighted from the cars in this county. They composed the Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, and were from Quincy. Companies got off at Laclede and Brookfield, and detach- ments guarded those points as well as Locust Creek bridge, Yellow Creek bridge, and Parson Creek bridge, which structures, it was believed, were in danger of being burned or otherwise destroyed by the "rebels." Scouting parties were also sent out, one of which visited Linneus and made prison- ers of some citizens, and others went into different parts of the county, and down into Chariton. Soon after came the Third Iowa Infantry, and en- camped at Brookfield. Then Colonel Morgan began the organization of the Eighteenth Missouri Infantry at Laclede, in August. Isaac V. Pratt, of Laclede, was the first lieutenant-colonel of this regiment, afterward com- manded by Madison Miller and Charles S. Sheldon, of St. Louis.
While the Eighteenth was being made up, Morgan took his regiment, a section of artillery, and Captains Love and Loring's companies of cavalry,
345
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
and went on a scouting expedition down through Chariton and into Carroll county, October 18, 1861. At the crossing of Big Hurricane Creek, in Carroll county, Love's company, having the advance, was bushwhacked and fired upon by a Confederate force numbering about sixty men, under com- mand of Captain Logan Ballew. Fifteen men were badly wounded and sixteen horses were killed, out of Love's company. The Confederates has- tily retreated without losing a man. Morgan marched on to DeWitt and then to Brunswick, where he plundered some stores, and did considerable damage to private property, and then returned to Laclede.
In August, Colonel Jacob T. Tindall, of Grundy county, received his commission as colonel of the Twenty-third Missouri Infantry, and at once set about recruiting the regiment, with headquarters at Chillicothe. Hon. Jacob Smith was at first commissioned lieutenant-colonel, but afterward resigned, and was appointed judge of this judicial circuit to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge James Clark. Thornton T. Easley, of Linneus, was commissioned quartermaster of the regiment, his commis- sion bearing even date with Colonel Tindall's. August 26, a company of fifty-five men was organized at Linneus, for the Twenty-third Missouri, with Thomas Carter as captain, T. E. Brawner, first lieutenant, N. Judson Camp, second lieutenant, and Rice Morris, orderly-sergeant. These officers were only temporary; when they came to be commissioned, Rice Morris was made captain, and Brawner and Camp became lieutenants. Other Linn county men also joined the Twenty-third, in other companies.
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