USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 57
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REV. WALTER TORMEY.
Father Tormey is a native of Ireland. He was born June 24, 1849, and emigrated to America in 1870. He obtained his elementary and prepara- tory education in his native country but graduated from St. Boneventure's College, of Allegany, New York, in 1874, and was ordained in St. Joseph, Missouri, in September of the same year, Bishop Hogan officiating. His first charge was St. Bridget's Church, of Forest City, Missouri, where he officiated for three years, when he was called to St. Joseph to take tempor- ary charge of St. Patrick's Church in the absence of its pastor, the late Father Kuny, who was in Europe traveling for his health. In 1878 he re-
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
turned to his native country and made a tour through England, Ireland, and Wales, returning in the fall of that year and remained in St. Joseph, offici- ating in the cathedral under Bishop Hogan until January, 1879, when he came to Brookfield and took charge of the parish and Church of the Immac- ulate Conception.
ELIAS W. WEED
is one of the old settlers of Brookfield, locating there in June, 1864, at which time he was employed as general road-master by the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company, which he held for four years. In 1868 he went to Og- den, Utah Territory, and became division superintendent for the Union Pacific Railroad Company, filling that position until 1870. His next move was to Kit Carson on the Kansas Pacific Railroad early in the above year where he assisted in laying the track from that place to Denver. The same year he went to St. Louis and united with Robert Steel. They took a con- tract to build forty miles of the St. Louis & Southeastern Railroad. In 1871 Brainard, Minnesota, was his home and where he was employed as general road-master on the Northern Pacific Railroad, and was also proprietor, by purchase, of the eating-house at Brainard, which he kept in connection with the railroad employment until 1878. Mr. Weed has been railroading since then in Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky. In February last he returned to Brookfield and established himself in the grocery business. He is a native of New York, being born at Portage, Allegany county, August 7, 1826. When he was two years of age his parents removed to Michigan. At six years of age he found a home with his uncle, Charles Weed, until he was nineteen, receiving a fair education in the schools of that period.
July 24, 1856, Mr. Weed was married to Miss Susan A. Hicks, of Xenia, Ohio, who died at Brainard, Minnesota, in April, 1879. He is a member of Brookfield Lodge No. 86, A. F. & A. M., and of Linn Chapter No. 41, R. A. M., of Brookfield, and of Galesburg Commandery No. 11, K. T., of Galesburg, Illinois.
JOHN ROBINSON WAUGH
is a son of Milton and Hannah Waugh, and was born in Ross county Ohio, October 4, 1839. He lived with his parents at his place of birth till he was ten years old, when the family moved to Allen county, Indiana, and bought a tract of wild land which James and his father improved into a home. Here he became somewhat noted as a hunter and trapper in the wilds of Indiana. He lived with his parents till after he was of age, and then bid good bye to the old home he had helped to make, and started out. in life for himself. His first engagement was as a farm hand, and he worked one month for Henry Diffendaffer, whom Mr. Waugh still reveres as a father. His pay was $12.50 for his month's work. Me was next em-
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
ployed by John Peabody as ox-teamster, hauling saw-logs to a mill owned by him in Indiana. For three months he was thus engaged, when he quit for the more congenial vocation of railroading. He began firing in 1861, on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, and ran till 1862, when he enlisted in the Union service in Company C of the Eighty-eighth Indi- ana Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Murfreesborough and Perrysville, serving till April, 1863, when he was discharged on ac- count of sickness. He again began firing on the same road, and a year later began running as engineer and continued till 1877. He came to Brookfield in that year and soon afterwards was employed as engineer by the Hannibal & St. Joseph road, and has been in their employ ever since, running between Brookfield and Kansas City. Mr. Waugh was married December 24, 1864, to Miss Hettie Bender of Canton, Ohio. They have three children, all born at Fort Wayne. Their names are Charles Robinson, born August 29, 1865; Alice May, November 20, 1869; and Emma Jane, October 4, 1872. He is a member of the Fort Wayne Lodge No. 19, A. F. & A. M., in Indiana.
SIMEON WILSON.
This gentleman is one of the " old timers" of Brookfield township. He was born in Essex county, New York, May 2, 1814, and is a son of Peter and Mary (Turk) Wilson. Mr. Wilson received only a common school education, and before coming of age he learned the trade of carpenter, which occupa- tion he has followed more or less for over forty years. He has been twice married, first to Miss Catharine Smith of Greene county, New York, July 6, 1836. She died December 5, 1848, leaving a family of four children, all living. January 2, 1850, he was again married to Miss Ellen Colby. She is a native of Canada. They came to this county in 1863. They own a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Wilson was elected justice of the peace two terms.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXII.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
Soil, Timber, Streams, and Undulating Prairies -- Building Stone, Potter's and Brick Clay -Her Rise and Progress-A Genuine Snake Story-Old Settlers-What They Wear and How They Live-The Young Folks' Sunday Nights-Growth-Two Precincts and a Division-Population and its Assessed Valuation-Crimes and Causalities-Garfield Memorial Service-Township Organization-Officers, etc.
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP
is one of the leading townships in the county, and is bordered on the north by Locust Creek township, south by Chariton county and west by Locust Creek whose channel separates it from Parson Creek township. Clay town- ship borders on its northwest corner for one mile separated by Locust Creek. Its western border is irregular in form as it follows the channel of the creek. It is nine miles north and south with an average width, within a fraction, of six miles, and has an area of 34,240 acres of land, rich in fertility of soil with a growth of excellent timber along its water-courses. The timber fol- lows the banks of the creeks which run north and south through its borders. Besides Locust Creek on its western border Jefferson township has Turkey Creek and Little Turkey on the west side, with Elk Creek and a branch from that stream called Spring Branch on the east side. Turkey and Elk Creek run through the township from north to south giving plenty of water as well as timber, making a superb stock range. With its rich soil, luxuriant grasses and water supply, Jefferson township lacks nothing as a magnificent stock raising country.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The northern part of this township is a high, rolling prairie, whose undu- lating surface gives it a fine drainage. Its timber is found along the banks of the streams and it is mostly white and burr oak, hickory, scrub oak, elm, etc. The southern section of the township is looked upon as rather better land, the soil being deeper than on the north side. Its timber is about the same in quantity. Tobacco yields well in the southern part, but corn, oats, and in fact all kinds of grain and vegetables well repay the husband- man's labor. The soil of the prairies is from eighteen inches to three feet in depth, and in some places hard-pan is found, but in the bottom-lands along the streams, the soil is literally without bottom, having for ages been formed of vegetable matter, rich in all that goes to make it fertile and in- exhaustible. Limestone is not found but plenty of sandstone quarries of excellent building stone can be seen cropping out along the banks of Lo-
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
cust Creek, and there is a bountiful supply of coal which underlies nearly the entire southern portion of the township. There is a twenty-six-inch vein of coal now being worked three miles south of Laclede, only forty feet be- low the surface, and another shaft is being sunk one and one-half miles from the above named city, in which they expect to strike a much thicker vein at the depth of sixty feet. There is plenty of coal for the use of generations to come within the limits of this township. The question of cheap fuel is not one which will rise to trouble the people of Linn county let alone the citi- zens of Jefferson township, and will prove a valuable adjunct to her future wealth and prosperity. Besides the immense coal fields of Jefferson town- ship, fine brick and potter's clay is found, and as the county advances in wealth, brick will very soon usurp the place of wood, and this clay is of a quantity that would build every residence in the county of brick.
MOUND.
There is rather a curiosity to be seen by those who have not yet visited it, in a mound situated near Murray's Mills. This mound is not exactly a granite, but it is mostly composed of a very superior stone that hardens on exposure to the air, and is in every way a superior building stone. To-day that mound is simply a mass of rock, but it will not be many years before it will prove far more valuable than many times the ground it occupies, a veritable mine of wealth to its owner.
OLD SETTLERS.
Jefferson township was early settled. Jacob Grindstaff settled in the southern part in 1835, and Drury Grindstaff came about the same time as his brother. Both were great hunters, but Jacob was known as such far and wide. They came from Boone county, but were formerly from Ken- tucky. Drury raised his cabin and staked his claim on section twenty-one, township fifty-seven, of range twenty, and Jacob on section thirty-two of the same township and range. They did not roam the solitude of the wilderness long alone, but other pioneers came in to share their troubles and trials, and put their shoulders to the car of progress which has since made Jefferson township a home for an energetic people, and changed her wild woods and undulating prairies into well-cultivated farms and valuable stock ranges. George W. Benway now' owns the lands that one of the Grindstaffs settled on, and therefore has the oldest settled place in the township.
Thomas Watson and his wife, Sarah Jane, were others of those early pioneers who made Jefferson township their home, and he was one of the most energetic men of that day and generation. Grass was not allowed to grow under his feet, or anywhere else, if he needed the land for other pur- poses. Mr. Watson settled on section eighteen, of township fifty-seven,
571
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
range twenty. Robert Y. Watson came in the fall of the previous year. He was the son of Thomas, and erected his cabin on section thirteen, of township fifty-seven, of range twenty-one. This was an adjoining section to the one settled on by his father, the range line running between the two sections. Previous to this, in 1832, 1833, and 1834, Mr. Watson, who came from Chariton county, had often made trips to that part of Jefferson town- ship, having a sort of cabin on Locust Creek but a short distance from where he settled. He would drive his stock up to feed on the rich prairie grasses that grew so luxuriantly in all that part of the county. He finally settled, as above described, on section eighteen, and his cabin for a number of years was the only " tavern " in that section of country. It didn't have but one room, however, and, though large, it was often filled to overflowing, and a bed-quilt the only partition between the privacy of the family and the strangers who came within their gates; and when families came, which was often the case, then the female portion and the children took one side of the house and the men the other. The floor was made up for a bed when the rush was great. In those early days the prairies and the wood- lands were pretty well filled by snakes, as well as other game. There was the harmless garter or striped snake, the black snake, and here and there would be found the common rattlesnake. These snakes were generally friendly as regards their being willing to take possession of any part of the cabins of the settlers that suited their fancy, and that was generally the beds, and as this partiality of his snakeship was well known to the settlers they generally examined their beds before retiring, driving them off and it possible killing the intruders. They did not care for the striped snake, or even the black, but they were not partial to the rattlesnake as a sleeping companion. The other snakes, on being disturbed, would, if possible, glide rapidly away, while the rattlesnake was as likely to fight as to run, and the worst was, he made no allowance for accidents. If he got in the bed, and you rolled over on him, by accident or restlessness, he didn't try to squirm out like the more innocent kind, but would at once sound his rattle and bite, and even if you located his whereabout when thus suddenly awakened it required an immense amount of agility to get away from the fatal bite.
A SNAKE STORY.
Now the boys of those days were probably as full of mischief, or, as was at that time expressed, as full of the ".Old Nick," as the boys of the pres- ent, or of those that came before them, and Mr. Watson's sons were no exception. Now, snake stories had been told to a traveler one night, and the usual snake hunt had been gone through in the bed the stranger was to sleep on, and, as he had expressed himself as being decidedly opposed to snakes in any shape, in fact both hated and feared them, it had suggested to the boys that he was a splendid subject for a practical joke and a chance
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
to work off some of the deviltry of which they seemed to be full and run- ning over. As they had killed a big rattlesnake some time before, skinned and stuffed it, they concluded that if it should accidentally be found curled up at the foot of the stranger's bed, in the attitude to strike, it couldn't possibly hurt the stranger or endanger his life. Acting upon this idea, the stuffed skin was placed accordingly, and those innocent youths retired to dream sweet dreams of happiness with a hope of some fun. Mr. Thomas Watson and his wife were not ignorant of their boys' mischievous disposi- tions, but they were entirely innocent of their boys' arrangement for fun, although they thought it somewhat strange that they were up in the morn- ing a little ahead of time and seemed to be waiting or expecting something. And it came, that something, like a tornado. Mr. Watson had just fixed the fire, and Mrs. Watson was turning over the pork in the stew-pan, when their ears were greeted by a yell that seemed to raise the roof-pole and that stranger came bounding from his corner, white as a sheet, and could hardly articulate to the astonished couple that a great big snake was on his bed and just ready to bite when he sprang from the bed. The old man reached for his club and went for that snake and the stranger's clothes which he had not stopped to gather up in his flight. He brought the latter and informed the stranger that the snake had left; but the old man wore a sober face, and one of the boys, watching through the crack of the cabin, said that " dad " would wallop them, sure, when the stranger left, and so kept out of the way until the old man had time to cool off. The stranger told the old man that the country did not suit him, and Mr. Watson would have explained the joke, but the stranger was so badly scared he was afraid trouble would follow if he knew he was only the victim of a practical joke. The boys did not get the promised "dressing down," for mother interceded, but it was pretty well understood that if the joke was practiced again mother would stand aside, and the boys well knew that when the old man punished them the "down strokes " were uncommonly heavy. It was a long time before Mr. Watson and his amiable wife could prevent a broad smile from mantling their faces when thinking of the stranger's horror and his struggle to get away from that snake, and it is more than probable that the stranger remembered it and told of the terrible situation he was once in while traveling through the wilds of Missouri.
Such were some of the scenes that whiled away the time of the early settlers. Mr. Watson kept the first ferry, (across Locust Creek,) in Linn county, as well as the first tavern.
Jacob and Nancy Sinsintaffer were early arrivals, settling on section nine, township fifty-seven, range twenty, in the year 1837. They came from Vir- ginia.
Mathias Lockridge came from Pocahontas, West Virginia, to Randolph county, and from that county to Linn, and settled on the northwest quarter
573
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
of section twenty-one, township fifty-seven, range twenty; also E. G. Chough and others. They soon had the prairies producing something be- sides grasses and wild flowers.
The first marriage in the township was E. G. Chough and Miss Rebecca Sinsintaffer. They were married at the house of the parents of the bride, Jacob Sinsintaffer, and the ceremony was performed by Judge John Botts.
The first birth was that of Washington Grindstaff, son of Drury and Nancy Grindstaff, in 1838, and the first female child Miss Cecelia Grind- staff, daughter of the same, born in 1840. These are the earliest known.
The first deaths were those of Mrs. Peggy Worlow and Mrs. Porterfield, both dying in the year 1842, and were buried on section eighteen, township fifty seven, range twenty-one.
The first physician seems to have been Dr. N. W. Harris. The Doctor came from Cooper county to Linn, but was originally from Kentucky. He was very much of a gentleman in his manners, and proved himself a capa- ble physician.
There was some excitement over the Mormon War in Daviess and Carroll counties, and a few volunteers left Jefferson township for the scene of strife. Wharton R. Barton was one of these and was at the surrender of " Far West," (the most important town of the Mormon settlement in all that region,) and the taking of Joe Smith, Rigdon, Pratt, and others, as prisoners.
Coon skins were a legal tender as late as 1844, and this legal tender qual- ity extended to honey and beeswax, and even the sheriff accepted these ar- ticles in payment of taxes. Of course he had to be a judge of the article, and its value, or get " left."
SCHOOLS.
Many more settlers came in during the next few years, and Jefferson township improved about as fast as her sister townships. Many of these settlers' names will be found in the old settlers' chapter in the general his- tory. Farms were improved, and the ever-to-be-remembered log school- house was erected, with a chimney which covered one end, dirt floor, and a. log cut out to serve for a window, which served for the educational pur- poses of that day, and the men who are wielding the destinies of Linn county received most of their education in those primitive and rudely built huts. Neighbors began to gather sufficiently near to each other to form a school district, and they united together to put up one of these log school houses and hire a teacher, each one paying so much per scholar. The first school was taught by a William Mayhew, in 1844, in an old log building which stood near the spot that the first school-house was built on. His terms were three dollars per quarter per scholar. That school was the first one known to have been taught within the limits of Jefferson township. When last heard from Mr. Mayhew had become a minister, and was located
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
somewhere in the State. The first school-house was built on section sixteen, township fifty-seven, of range twenty. This school-house was built of logs, and was put up by the settlers in 1842, who were neighbors, and William Maxwell doing the carpenter work. It stood near Sinsintaffer, upon land now owned by Beverly Neece, and a short distance from Turkey Creek. After its completion the first teacher was a Mr. James. He was followed by E. G. Clough. These teachers " boarded round," and received from two to two dollars and fifty cents per schclar per term. The lowest price being for the A B C and Ba classes, and the latter for those advanced and could read, write, and cipher, after a fashion, or had mastered the rudiments of the primary class. It did not make the teachers of those days wealthy, but still there was enough to keep them and give them a little to travel on when through, or to start as a farmer by renting.
THE FIRST CHURCH
was in fact one of those log school-houses of the neighborhood. At first much of the preaching was done at the houses of the settlers, but when a few had been gathered together and the school-house raised, it also became a place of worship, and those who taught the Gospel of Christ occupied these educational institutes on their circuit. Preaching was seldom oftener than once a month, but when it was announced that preaching would be held, the old pioneers came from far and near. There wasn't much cere- mony, and there was no usher to show you your seat, but so far as true . religion was concerned, the old pioneer came nearer practicing the " Golden Rule " than mady so-called Christians of the present day. Rev. Dryden, a Methodist, was among the first preachers of that day. He held service at William Maxwell's and other places.
WEAVING, ETC.
It was Mrs. Thomas Watson, Mrs. Nancy Sinsintaffer and Mrs. Druy Grindstaff who did the first weaving and spinning in the township. The latter was also a good carpet weaver. The pestle and mortar were used for grinding when the settlers could not reach Keytesville or the horse-mill near Glasgow, and the coon skin cap was the principal head covering to be seen among stalwart pioneers. There wasn't much enquiry about the fash- ion in those days, and if the women could get eight or nine yards of calico or linsey it made a dress. It wasn't gored or cut bias, and it didn't have to hold up any hoop skirts. The girls also forgot to " bang " their hair, and this may be mentioned as showing their strong sense. Each one had his or her own fashion, and it would last for years and years. But the girls " fixed up " all the same and had their beaux, who did their sparking Sunday night.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
1840 TO 1850.
The township improved, and the decade between 1840 and 1850 was one of solid improvement. The land was being taken up by actual settlers, and the fertility of the soil combined with the salubrity of the climate, made the southern part of Linn county very attractive to the immigrant.
SCHOOLS.
There are nine school districts in the township; all have good frame build- ings, with such appliances as is necessary for a thorough English education preparatory to a more extended course, all the leading towns in the county having graded schools, and Laclede is no exception. These schools are all in a very flourishing condition, are kept up six months in the year, and are well patronized. These school-houses are all frame buildings costing from $1,000 down to $500, and they are all paid for. For a more full and com- plete history of the schools of Linn county, with an account of the town- ship fund, see the chapter upon schools in the general county history. It explains fully the situation of all the schools in the county, and the school funds, State, county, and township.
WHAT IT USED TO BE.
Jefferson township at the time Sullivan county was organized from the territory of Linn covered far more territory than now, and in fact was one of the original seven townships formed in the year 1845. Her northern boundary was the same as now, but east and west Jefferson township extended from Locust Creek on the west to within two miles of range between eighteen and nineteen, being nine miles north and south, and twelve miles east and west, following, however, the channel of Lo- cust Creek as to its western boundary. This extent of. territory included all of Brookfield township and one mile off of the west side of Yellow Creek as these two townships are now formed.
As the township grew in population it was seen that two voting precincts would be needed, and as the towns of Laclede and Brookfield were both in Jefferson township, there was a desire to have the township subdivided, making both of the towns a voting precinct. Other townships were asking that this should be done, and so a petition was got up and presented to the county court for action.
DIVIDING OF JEFFERSON.
At the time of the subdivision of Yellow Creek township into two voting districts, or rather at the time the order was made defining the line of sub- division of that township, the County Court, acting upon the the petition above mentioned, made an order dividing Jefferson township into two dis- tricts. This division was as follows:
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