USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 47
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Politically, Judge Stephens is a representative Democrat, and has served as delegate in most of the county, congressional, and State conventions since he has been a citizen of Linn county.
DAVID I. STEPHENSON.
Dr. Stephenson was born in St. Charles county, Missouri, August 14, 1829. He is the son of Thomas D. Stephenson, one of the pioneer settlers of St. Charles county, who served his county in an official capacity in his later years .* The Doctor's mother was Mary Irvine Pittman, a native of Kentucky. The Stephensons are of Scotch and the Pittmans of Irsh ex- traction. The Doctor was raised in the county of his birth and there re- ceived his education, partly at Dardenne Academy, a Presbyterian institu- tion, and partly at St. Charles, a Methodist school, presided over at that time by Walker W. Fielding, LL. D). He studied medicine in the office of Dr. H. C. Wright, of Warren county, Missouri, a gentleman prominent in both professional and political life. Dr. S. began his instruction in Feb- ruary, 1847, and continued about two years. He attended lectures at Mc- Dowell College, St. Louis, during the years 1848-49-50. He first began the practice of his profession in 1850 at Manchester, a small town in St.
*It is said that one of his daughters, Dorothy Ann, was the first American born child be- tween the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Louis county, but remained there only ten months, and in January, 1851, opened a small office in St. Louis and practiced until 1857. In that year he bought a farm in Linn county near Enterprise and lived thereon, prac- ticing his profession until in 1863, when he was forced to leave his home by reason of the turbulence of the times incident to the civil war. He re- moved to Linneus and bought property in the western suburbs of the town and lived there until after the killing of Judge Smith by the bushwhackers (which incident is elsewhere narrated), when his family became afraid to live in their exposed location, and he sold that place and bought the prop- erty where he now lives, near the central portion of town.
Dr. Stephenson was first married in St. Louis in September, 1850, to Miss Margaret J. Robards, daughter of William Robards, of Louisville, Ken- tucky. She died in 1868, and he subsequently married Mrs. Mary L. Home, nee Perkins, a daughter of Rev. William Perkins, of the M. E. Church South. By his first marriage the Doctor became the father of eight children, four sons and four daughters ; one son and one daughter are dead. By his sec- ond marriage he has one daughter. Dr. W. T. Stephenson, of Browning, is his- oldest son. Dr. Stephenson, Sr. belongs to no church, secret order, or organi- zation. Coming from a race of slaveholders and Southerners, his sympathies. during the civil war were with the Southern cause. Originally an old line Whig, on the dissolution of that party he became a member of the Demo- cratic party, and has voted its ticket ever since. Dr. Stephenson can point with pride to the many warm personal friends he has made in and out of Linn county during the years of his practice. He is president of the Linn County Medical Association, and vice-president of the Macon District As- sociation. He has devoted his life to the practice of his profession, and taken but a small interest in party politics. He is not a politician in any sense.
CAPTAIN JECHANIAH SEAMAN (DECEASED).
The subject of this sketch, though no longer among the living, is well remembered by many citizens of this and Sullivan counties, because of the early period of his coming and the prominent part he took in the pioneer settlement of Linn county. Captain Seaman was born in Darkesville, Berk- ley county, West Virgina, March 5, 1803. He was the son of Jonah and Jane Seaman, both of whom were natives of Virginia. His education was obtained in his native State, where he lived until 1841. In early life he was attached to the United States Arsenal at Harper's Ferry, as inspector of arms, with the rank of captain. He came to Missouri in 1841, with his mother, brother, and three sisters, and settled in Sullivan county, then a part of Linn. On the organization of the Public Land District, including Linn, Sullivan, and adjoining counties, he was appointed register of lands by President Polk, that being the last official act of his administration. He
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
continned to act in that capacity in the Milan land-office, under successive administrations for eight years, being appointed by three presidents. After his official duties ceased he retired to his farm near Seaman bridge, where he resided till his removal to Linnens in 1868. Captain Seaman was mar- ried in November, 1856, to Maria Lonisa Carpenter, daughter of David Carpenter, deceased, formerly of Livingston county. They had two chil- dren, both daughters, and both of whom are married. In politics, Captain Seaman was a firm and unyielding Democrat of the Jacksonian school, and never swerved in his fidelity to that party. He departed this life at his home in Linneus, February 7, 1871. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Warren, of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, at the Wesley Chapel, and is said to have been a solemn and impressive discourse. The remains were taken in charge by the Masonic order,.Jackson Lodge, assisted by the members of Seaman Lodge of Milan, which latter was named in honor of the deceased. He was consigned to his last resting. place at Wesley Chapel. As a husband and father Captain Seaman was kind and affectionate. He was upright as a citizen, faithful as a friend, and possessed those sterling attributes of character that made him honored as a man.
GEORGE W. TYLER.
The subject of this sketch is a native of the State of Maine, and was born in Camden, of that State, on the fifth of February, 1813. His father, Mr. Dudley Tyler, moved to Ohio when George was five years old, and settled in Washington county, where he continued to reside till the day of his death. There George was raised and educated. He began learning the printing business when about fourteen years old. He was in the office of the Cincin- nati Gazette for five years, and on going out from there was quite an expert in the "art preservative of arts." George lived in Cincinnati till after the death of his mother, who had remarried and removed to that city. He then went back to Marietta, the county seat of Washington, and there lived till 1859, constantly engaged in printing.
In that year he took a tour as a "typo," and went up on Lake Superior, . and spent his time in that region till 1867. Linnens, Linn county, was his next field of operation, and he came here in 1867, where he engaged in printing in the office of the Missourian. He worked on that paper till 1871, when it was burned out.
In June, of 1873, he went to the Bulletin office, a Democratic paper founded and edited by Thomas E. Brawner. Mr. Tyler purchased an inter- est in this paper in that year, and has been thus associated ever since. The Bulletin has always been uncompromisingly Democratic, and has been, and still is, a success as an enterprise, having the largest circulation in the county.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Mr. Tyler was married in December, 1834, to Miss Mary Allen, daughter of James Allen, of Ohio. They have had three daughters, one of whom married and went New Mexico, where she died. The others reside with their father at Linneus.
Mr. Tyler, being well satisfied with Linn county and the people therein, has little desire to change, and will probably continue to live here till the time when he shall be called from an earthly sphere of action.
JAMES TOOEY.
This gentleman, who is at this writing serving his third term as county collector, is a native of County Mayo, Ireland, and was there born in March, 1832. His father, Mr. Augustine Tooey, was a farmer of that country, and left there in 1839 and came to the United States, and settled in Alle- gany county, New York. The family were frequently on the move, how- ever, and Mr. Tooey scarcely lived long enough in one place during his boy- hood to become a denizen of any one point till after he came to Missouri. He spent six years in New York and six in Canada, and then returned to the State of New York, and there remained till November, 1852. His ed- ucation was acquired in New York, and the first business he ever did was that of railroad contracting with his brother. He had, however, before this, been engaged in working for three years on the Erie Canal, as driver on the towpath, a calling dignified by the fact of the late lamented President Gar- field's having been so engaged in his youth. He was eight years railroad contracting, till 1860, when he began merchandizing in Brookfield, Linn county, Missouri. He had come to St. Louis in 1852, and to Linn county in July, 1856. He has lived here ever since. He was twelve years merchandiz- ing at Brookfield, till 1876. He received the appointment by the governor as collector of Linn county, when the township organization was annulled in Linn county, in 1877. He was nominated and elected on the Democratic ticket in 1878, and again in 1880. At this time his term of office is unex- pired, and he must go out of office at the close of the present term, for the reason of the readoption of the township organization.
Mr. Tooey was married by the rites of the Catholic Church on Novem- ber 26th, 1859, at Hannibal, Missouri, to Miss Catherine McCormick, Rev. Father James Murphy officiating. Mr. and Mrs. Tooey have had eight children, three sons and five daughters, three sons and three daughters of whom are still living.
Mr. Tooey and his entire family are Catholic in religion, and two of his children are at schools under church control, one at Brookfield and one at Chillicothe.
Politically, Mr. Tooey is a life-long Democrat, and has never voted any
. other ticket. Being of a race of freedom-loving people, though oppressed by the iron hand of British tyranny, Mr. Tooey could scarce be an affiliant of any other party.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
He built the first store in Brookfield after the town was laid out, in 1860.
CAPT. R. G. WATERS.
Richard Gausby Waters was born in Knoxville, East Tennessee, June 8, 1828. He is the son of George S. and Susan (Turner) Waters. When he was one year old he came with his father's family to Fayette county, Ken- tucky, where he resided seven years, and in 1836 came to Boone county, Missouri. From Boone he removed to Randolph, and in the fall of 1847, came to Linn county, locating at Linneus, and engaging in mercantile busi- ness. At that time the merchants of the place were David Prewitt, Colonel William E. Moberly, General Smith, and R. Hoyle & Brother. In 1849 Mr. Waters engaged in farming in Boone county, but after a year's experi- ence at that calling returned to Linneus, and sold goods until in 1852, when he went to California. Here he remained two years, engaged in mining in El Dorado county. In 1854 he returned to Linneus, and since that period has resided at different times and at various periods in Linneus, Quincy, and St. Louis, in all of which cities he has engaged in merchandizing. He was a sufferer by the fire in Linneus, April 16, 1872, to the extent of about $6,000. He was a commercial traveler for some years for Crow, McCrary & Co., and J. Weil & Brother, of St. Louis. In 1881 he purchased his present location, the northeast quarter of section five, township fifty-eight, range twenty, having removed thereto two years previously.
At the breaking out of the civil war, Mr. Waters was an outspoken Union man, and did what he could to uphold the cause of national unity. His first military service was during the Poindexter raid. In July, 1862, he en- listed as a private in Company K, Twenty-third Missouri Infantry Volun- teers. February 6, 1863, he was commissioned first lieutenant of the com- pany, and December 28, 1863, was promoted to the captaincy. He served until November 25, 1864, when he was discharged for disability by a spe- cial order. During his term of service Captain Waters was in the battles of Lookout Mountain, or Mission Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Moun- tain, and in the battles around Atlanta, besides numerous skirmishes with Confederate partisan rangers and scouting parties in Tennessee, where his company served as mounted infantry. Here he fought " bushwhackers" and other Confederate organizations almost daily. The most noted leader of his foes was a Colonel Carter. In one of the desperate battles before Atlanta Captain Waters was struck by a piece of shell in his left hip and badly wounded. From the effects of this wound, and from his exposure in the service he still suffers, being subject to epileptic attacks, and enduring other physical discomforts. The severe character of his wound led to his discharge on the date before given, and entitled him to the pension which he now draws. After his return to Linn county from the war, Captain Waters was appointed enrolling officer for the county, and organized the militia for
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service, recommending the officers for commissions. The war ended not. long after, and the militia were not called out.
Captain Waters was a charter member of Linneus Lodge No. 51, I. O. O. F. He is not a member of any religious organization, but his estimable lady is one of the oldest members of the Christian Church of Linneus now living. In politics the Captain is a "stalwart" perpendicular Republican; prior to the civil war he was an old line Whig. In 1866 he was a candidate for representative, but was defeated by Captain Robert Holland. This was mainly accomplished by the fact that in some parts of the county it was not known that Captain Waters was a candidate.
August 31, 1848, Captain Waters married Margaret L. Prewitt, a native of Howard county, and daughter of David I'rewitt, so well known to the people of Linn. They have had born to them twelve children, of whom ten are now living; viz., Mrs. Mollie Craig, David B., Richard G., Jr., Mrs. Nannie Forsythe, George E., Bennie Lee, Henry C., Joseph Porter, Maggie P., and Flora C. Those dead were named Susan and John B. The latter was the young man who was the victim of the fatal accident recorded in this history and who died October 1, 1872. All the living children reside in Linn county.
DR. E. R. WILCOX.
Among the earlier and inore prominent settlers of Linn county is Dr. E. R. Wilcox of Linnens. This gentleman was born in Shelby county, Ken- tucky, October 20, 1820. He received a good collegiate education, being ever noted for his studious habits, and in 1840 commenced the study of medicine in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and studied the same for two years there and in Bardstown. He then attended the Louisville Medical College, during the years 1842 and 1843, and in the latter year came to this State, stopping temporarily in Boone county with his brother, Dr. George Wilcox, who was a distinguished physician of that county, practicing there for nearly a half a century. Dr. E. R. Wilcox then came to Linn county, lo- cating in Linneus in 1844, and has been a practitioner of medicine and sur- gery ever since. Dr. Wilcox is a near relative of the celebrated pioneer and hunter Daniel Boone, his mother's maiden name having been Boone.
In 1850 he married Elizabeth Barton, daughter of Capt. W. R. Barton, a sketch of whose life is elsewhere given. His wife and five children are all living, Judge John B. Wilcox of Linneus being his oldest child. Dr. Wilcox is universally admitted to be one of the most superior physicians that this county has ever had, being especially distinguished by the thor- oughness of his knowledge of the profession, having been an unwearied student for over forty years, and is withal a gentleman of broad and liberal culture. Of a generous and liberal disposition, he has never made the ac- cumulation of money an object, and had he been so disposed, he could
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
easily during near a half century's extensive practice have accumulated a handsome fortune, but he had a higher and more exalted appreciation of his noble profession, rightly esteeming that it was his duty as it was his pleas- ure to contribute to the good of humanity, in which he lias succeeded to a marked degree, and it can well be recorded of him that he is one who loves his fellow man.
JOHN B. WILCOX.
Judge Wilcox is a citizen to the manor born, being a native of Linn county and the town of Linneus. He was born on the twenty-eighth day of July, 1851. His father, Dr. E. R. Wilcox, still a citizen of Linneus, came to the county in about 1844. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Bar- ton, daughter of W. R. Barton, one of the oldest settlers of the county, and one among the earliest officials as sheriff, circuit clerk, and recorder. John B. is the oldest of six children from this marriage, all but one of whom are still living. Judge Wilcox received his early education at Linneus, and completed it at Pritchett Institute, Glasgow, quitting that institution in the summer of 1871, to begin the study and practice of law. He, how- ever, spent one year in a dry-goods house before he began the study of law. He read law in the office of George W. Easley of Linneus, and was the pupil of this able preceptor for two years. He was admitted to practice at the Linn county bar in 1874, and was licensed to practice in all the courts of this State. In the same year he became associate editor of the Linneus Bulletin. He continued his connection with this paper till 1876. During this period he was also engaged in the practice of law, and successfully managed a number of cases in which he was retained. He first received the nomination for probate judge in 1874, but soon after the adjournment of the convention it was discovered that Mr. Wilcox was ineligible. be- cause too young. He accordingly withdrew, and the Democratic commit- tee appointed J. D. Shifflett to make the race, and he was duly elected. At the expiration of Judge Shifflett's term, Mr. Wilcox became installed in the office having been duly nominated and elected by the Democracy in 1878, this time being eligible. In May, 1880, Judge Wilcox was chairman of the county convention to send delegates to the State convention, which was to appoint Missouri's representation in the National Democratic con- vention. He was also chairman of the county nominating convention in August, 1880.
Judge Wilcox was married on the twenty-first of October, 1880, to Miss Carrie Williams of Louisville, Kentucky. They have one daughter, born in 1881. He is a member of three secret orders, Freemasons, Odd Fel- lows, and Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Judge Wilcox presents a career of which any young gentleman might well be proud; for although young in years, he has thus early achieved a
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success that bespeaks for him a most brilliant future. Still he has done only what any young man of pluck, energy, and ability may do, but what, alas! few of them actually accomplish.
CHAPTER XIX.
BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Topography-Metes and Bounds-Its Running Streams and Growth of Timber-Coal Beds -Early Days-Pioneer History and Incidents of Note-Who Settled it and Where They Came From Originally-Part of Yellow Creek and Locust Creek, and Wholly of Jeffer- son Since 1845-A Voting Precinct June 5, 1866-Organized as Brookfield Township July 2, 1866-Township Officers Under the New Organization Law of 1872 and of 1880 -Population-Assessor's Valuation-Incidents, Accidents, and Crimes.
POSITION AND DESCRIPTION.
The present boundaries of Brookfield township are a line commencing at the northwest corner of section twenty-three, township fifty-eight, range twenty, and running due east to the northeast corner of section twenty-one, township fifty-eight, range nineteen; thence south to the Chariton county line at the southeast corner of section thirty-three, township fifty-seven, range nineteen; thence west along the county line to the southwest corner of section thirty-five, township fifty-seven, range twenty; thence north to the place of beginning. The principal portion of the town- ship is rolling prairie of fine fertile soil. Along the streams there are some "brakes " and a reasonable amount of timber of a fair quality. The principal streams are West Yellow Creek and Elk Branch, the former mainly in the eastern portion of the township, and the latter mainly in the western, both flowing south into Grand River. West Yel- low Creek is the principal stream, and flows quite through the township. The western fork of this stream is called Long Branch before its union, which takes place in the southeast of section thirty-two, township fifty-eight, range nineteen. A good coal bed underlies almost the entire township, and has been opened near Brookfield, and in other parts of the township. The Brookfield Coal Company has taken out vast quantities of a very excellent quality of coal, and the supply is exhaustless. The coal business has been in the past considerable of an industry, and is now assuming import- ance.
Brookfield township was formerly a famous hunting-ground, if not a happy one. There was in olden times game along Yellow Creek in great abundance. Elk Creek was also prolific in wild fowl and wild animals of
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
every sort, and the site of South Brookfield was a noted rendezvous for ducks and geese. As late as December, 1874, a fine otter was caught in Yellow Creek, and the skin sold in Brookfield.
EARLY HISTORY.
The first settlements in Brookfield township were made by John and David Moore, southeast of the town of Brookfield along Yellow Creek. An- drew Banning one mile north of Brookfield was another early settler, as was Dr. Thomas M. Rooker, two miles southeast. He was the first physician in the township .. Holsinger lived within sight of Brookfield on the south in 1858. Shifflett was north and kept a sort of house of entertainment for some time, principally for the benefit of parties from the south visiting the Uni- ted States land-office at Milan to enter land.
The township was a part of Yellow Creek and Locust Creek townships until Jefferson was formed, when it became a part of that township, and so remained until the summer of 1866. Its early history, therefore, properly belongs to Jefferson township.
ORGANIZATION.
The first semblance of organization that Brookfield township ever had was June 5, 1866, when the County Court made an order dividing Jefferson township into two precincts, Laclede and Brookfield, for election purposes, and so Brookfield became first a district before a township.
The citizens of Brookfield district were not satisfied with being a "dis- trict," but asked for a separate township organization, and at the next term of the court, July 2, 1866, presented a petition to that effect. It was re- ceived by the court and the following order made of record:
"It is ordered by the court that the petition of E. H. Salisbury and others praying for a division of Jefferson township be granted, and that said Jef- ferson township be divided for township purposes according to a former order made by said court, dividing said township and all that portion lying east of said line to be designated and known as Brookfield township, and that N. B. Stroud be appointed constable of said township until the next general election of county officers, and until his successor is duly elected and qualified."
Under the act of 1872 the township was organized at the April election, 1873. The following were the officers of the township up to the time of the abolition of the law in 1877:
1873.
Trustee, W. H. Hall; assessor, Sampson W. Elliott; collector, Benjamin F. Carey; clerk, D. A. Shepherd; justices, J. M. Gilson, E. Hoyle, Sim- eon Wilson; constable, Robinson Tooey.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
1874.
Trustee, James Tooey; collector, George P. Harvey; assessor, S. W. El- liott; clerk, D. A. Shepherd; justices, J. M. Gilson, E. Hoyle, Simeon Wilson; constable, Robinson Tooey.
1875.
Trustee, James Tooey; collector, George P. Harvey; assessor, S. W. El- liott; clerk, D. A. Shepherd; justices, J. M. Gilson, E. Hoyle, Simeon Wilson; constable, Robinson Tooey till May 17, when he died and B. F. Carey was appointed.
1876.
Trustee, James Tooey ; collector George P. Harvey; assessor, S. M. Rob- inson; clerk, D. A. Shepherd; justices, W. D. Hicks and W. L. Lucas; con- stable, B. F. Carey.
In 1880 the township organization law was adopted in this county by vote of the people at the November election, and on the first Tuesday in April following Brookfield township was reorganized and the following of- ficers were elected :
G. W. Martin, trustee and treasurer; George N. Ellott, clerkand assessor; Fred Laedlein, constable and collector; justices of the peace, W. D. Hicks, A. P. Crosby and L. A. Smith.
Brookfield township was named for its principal town, the commercial metropolis of Linn county. The township, though small in area-nine miles in length by five in breadth containing forty-five square miles, or 28,800 acres-has a greater population than any other in the county.
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