USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 66
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On very unsubstantial evidence Joe Golden, William McCandless, Cass White, and Orlando Mormon (the latter a step-son of Stephen Cahoon, he having married Mormon's mother) were arrested, charged with the murder. A coroner's inquest had been held, but the verdict implicated nobody. All the parties arrested were neighbors, but not friends of the Cahoons. At the first session of the grand jury, Golden and Mormon were indicted and McCandless and White were released. The case against Golden and Mor- mon was continued past one term of court, and at a second a nolle prosegui was entered and they were discharged.
So the case ended as it began-in mystery, Who committed the cow-
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ardly and atrocious deed-for it possessed all the elements of cowardice and atrocity-will doubtless never be known. All efforts on the part of the au- thorities to discover the perpetrators have been abandoned, and will doubt- less never be renewed. Mr. Cahoon left a widow and three children to be- wail his fate, and nearly everybody regretted " the deep damnation of this. taking off" in the horrible manner by which it was effected.
POISONING OF THE BELL FAMILY.
In the months of August and September, 1873, attempts were made to posion the family of Harrison Bell, an old citizen of the township, living six miles north of Bucklin. The first attempt was made by putting bella- donna in some milk which hung in the well to keep cool. One of the chil- dren drank the milk and was made very sick, but recovered. Soon there- after poison was put into the well. Mr. and Mrs. Bell and their daughter drank of the water, and were made very sick. Medical aid was summoned, and it was with difficulty that the lives of the parties were saved.
There lived near Mr. Bell's a man and wife named George and Elizabeth Griffin, who were suspected to be the poisoners. They had been observed near the well when the Bell family were absent from home; had bought bel- ladonna at Bucklin, after which Griffin shaved off his whiskers, as it seemed, to avoid identification; and they were known to be very violent in their dis- like of Mr. and Mrs. Bell. The Griffins were arrested on inforination, and afterwards indicted. After their preliminary examination, and before their indictment, they were waited upon one night by a mob composed of the citizens of the community, who ordered them to leave the country forth- with, and made sundry hostile demonstrations toward them. After a time the indictment against Mrs. Griffin was nolled, and Mr. Griffin was released on bail, which he forfeited by leaving the country. Afterwards Mrs. Grif- fin sued certain members of the mob for their action toward her. The case was tried at Macon City, and Mrs. Griffin was defeated.
KILLED IN A SAW-MILL.
About the first of January, 1875, Mr. J. Peterson, who was employed in a saw-mill owned by a Mr. Rees, and in operation on Mussel Fork, one and a half miles east of Bucklin, was caught in a fly-wheel and instantly killed.
VOUDOOISM.
In April, 1877, an old colored man named Dave Farmer was shot and killed one night, while in his cabin, near the Macon county line. Farmer had removed to this township from Brunswick, and was held in great terror by many of the other negroes because of their belief that he was a voudoo or fetiche priest, and by his infernal incantations and diabolical powers had
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wrought great evil among them, and was capable of inflicting a great deal more. He was accused of having caused the death of Frank Hayes and of Benjamin Hughs and son. Somebody went to the reputed sorcer- er's cabin one night after dark, removed a piece of the chinking, put a rifle through, and shot him dead. The negroes buried the body in a grave fully ten feet in depth, to preclude the probability of his coming to life, and to the surface of the earth to work more mischief !
DRAGGED TO DEATH.
July 19, 1877, a twelve-year-old daughter of G. W. Dorrill, living in the southeastern part of the township, was the victim of a fatal accident. The little girl had ridden a harnessed horse to water. Re- turning to the house, she attempted to get off when her feet became en- tangled in the harness. The horse became frightened and ran for some dis- tance through bars and brush, dragging and beating the child to death.
WOLF HUNTING.
In the winter of 1879 wolves were very numerous and troublesome in various parts of the township. The farmers procured dogs and chased them. Not many were caught, but the entire pack were thor- oughly frightened, and left for other and more peaceful haunts.
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT.
Near the residence of Father Gardner, about the first of January, 1878, a son of Matthew Gardner, in attempting to shoot some quails, allowed his gun to be prematurely fired, and the discharge struck and killed a son of Rev. A. C. Fields.
THE TORNADO OF 1876.
On the fifth of September, 1876, a most terrible and destructive tornado swept over the southern part of Linn county, and was especially violent in Bucklin township. The storm came from the west and passed toward the east and southeast. At Bucklin it was very severe. Bowers's cabinet-shop and furniture store was blown down and demolished, and a great many other buildings were seriously injured. The principal losers by the storm were R. J. Wheeler, V. B. Bowers, D. C. Sheldon, Merritt Sheldon, O. M. Towner, J. H. Wyett, and Gilbert Kemp. The aggregate loss in the town was variously computed and estimated at from $5,000 to $7,000.
South of Bucklin, Joseph Schergle had his head crushed so badly by fall- ing timbers that he died three days later. Other casualtie's were:
Reuben Grady, house blown down, and Mr. Grady badly hurt.
Terrill Grady, barn blown down and crop destroyed. John Forrest, house blown down.
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Silas Wright, house, barn, out-buildings, fences, and crops, all a total wreck.
Gilbert Kemp, one tenant-house blown down and a young lady, Miss Josie Dingle, severely injured. Mr. Kemp's own residence, a substantial brick structure, was considerably injured.
Mr. O'Neal, Samuel Spooner, and George Geuker all lost houses.
Many other farmers lost tobacco houses, barns, hay, crops, etc. There were very many narrow escapes from violent deaths and serious injuries, and many persons were severely hurt.
In attempting to cross Union Branch, a day or two after the storm, Mr. C. M. Rhodes, of Chariton county, was drowned. The stream was high, caused mainly by the backwater from Yellow Creek. The body was re- covered the next day.
SUICIDES.
April 26, 1876, Mr. George Brownlee, a farmer of the township, com- mitted suicide in a new, novel, but effectual manner. He tied a heavy blacksmith's anvil about his neck and jumped into his well. The suicide was caused by despondency occasioned by a long condition of ill-health.
About the middle of September, Mrs. Susan Austin found life a burden too grievous to be borne. Accordingly, she took her life by hanging her- self in the smoke-house.
THE TOWN OF BUCKLIN.
The town of Bucklin was laid out on the east half of lot two, in the northwest quarter of section two, township fifty-seven, range eighteen, in October, 1854. The town was surveyed on the eighth, ninth, tenth, elev- enth, and twelfth days of the month, by William S. McClanahan, the then county surveyor. The land was owned by James H. Watson, and he and Dr. John F. Powers were the chief projectors and founders of the town.
The name originated in this way: The town was known to be on the line of the projected Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and its founders, of course, wished it to become a place of some importance. To effect this, Dr. Pow- ers wished to secure the cooperation of the railroad authorities, and made a bid for the favor of the chief engineer of the road at that time, a Major Bucklin, by naming it for him! He failed, however, in making it a divis- ion point, as Brookfield will testify.
The original town was laid out half a mile or more north of the railroad track. The railroad people seemed to consider the name of the place to be Bucklinville, for, August 1, 1859, Josiah Hunt, land commissioner, etc., of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company, laid out the first addition to the place, which he caused to be platted and recorded as the " first addi- tion to the town of Bucklinville." This addition is on the northeast quar-
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ter of the northwest quarter of section two, and is called " Bucklinville," while the old town, or the original plat, is called Bucklin. When Towner & Stuenkel's addition was made, in February, 1877, it was designated as an addition to "Bucklinville."
The new town, or " Bucklinville," contains a large majority of the busi- ness houses, while the old town, or Bucklin, is made up mostly of residences. The location is on the ridge or watershed between the Chariton and Grand rivers, and the site is an excellent one. There are some good brick business houses, and large amounts of merchandise are sold each year. According to the census report, the population of Bucklin in 1880 was four hundred and thirty.
THE "FIRSTS."
The first houses in the place were some railroad shanties. The first store was owned by Noah Caton. F. A. Davenport, son of Martin and Minerva Davenport, was born in December, 1855, and was the first child born in the place. The first female child was Sarah Austin, daughter of Russell and Oscia Austin-date of birth not ascertained; and hers (Sarah's) is believed to have been the first death in the place; she was buried in the old ceme- tery, north of town.
The first marriage was that of William Poole and Rachel Minick, at the residence of Samuel Minick, in February, 1858. Charles C. Clifton, Esq., performed the marriage ceremony.
The first school-house was built in 1858; it was a frame, and cost about three hundred and fifty dollars. Esquire Shannon taught the first school .. Reverend Mitchell, an Old School Baptist minster, held the first religious services in the place, at the house of John L. Watson. Dr. Rider is be- lieved to have been the first practicing physician.
In 1858 the first cemetery was laid out, about half a mile north of town. Recently a new one has been located nearer town. The post-office was established in 1859, and John Walker was the first postmaster.
During the civil war the prosperity of the place, like that of every other Missouri town, was retarded very materially. In 1865, however, the town took a new growth, and improved for a time very considerably. In 1867 the Bucklin mills were built by Messrs. Pounds & Stevenson, at a cost of $5,000 or $6,000, and attracted much attention and business to the town. The machinery of these mills is driven by a thirty horse-power engine; the- flouring-mill has three sets of stone or "run of burs," and its flour has an excellent reputation far and near. A saw-mill and a wool-carding machine are run in connection with the flouring-mill.
INCORPORATION.
In the spring of 1866, the town was of sufficient population and character- to justify its incorporation. Therefore, a petition was prepared and pre-
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sented to the County Court at the May term of that year, asking the incor- poration of the place. The court, after taking the matter under considera- tion, made the following order:
" It is ordered by the court that, the petition of James H. Wyett and oth- ers praying the court to incorporate the town of Bucklin, the prayers of the petitioners be granted and ordered filed. The metes and bounds to be as follows: Commencing at the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section two, township fifty-seven, of range eighteen, west, and running south to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of the same section; thence west to the southwest cor- ner of the same section; thence north to the northwest corner of the same section; thence east to the place of beginning, is hereby incorporated into a body politic, by the name and style of the inhabitants of the town of Buck- lin. And it is further asked that police be established for the local govern- ment thereof, and for the preservation and regulations of the commons in said metes and bounds above described, and all appertaining, into said town. And it is further ordered that Robert Wheeler, J. H. Wyett, E. L. Carlton, Thomas Burke and George Sweeny, be and are hereby appointed a board of trustees for said incorporation to take effect from and after this date."
James H. Wyett was the first chairman of the board of trustees, or Lord Mayor of the city. The present officers are: trustees, V. B. Bowers, J. M. Roberts, R. J. Wheeler, J. B. Shook, and S. F. Perry, the last named being the chairman. Marshal, David Blodgett.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH, BUCKLIN.
This church was organized in 1860, by Rev. N. P. Halsey. Some of the original members were Mrs. Vienna Wyett, Nancy Bryan, Lucy J. Wil- liams, N. B. Runion and wife, J. H. Wyett, and C. G. Fields and wife. The church building, a frame, was built in 1872, at a cost of about $1,550. It was dedicated June 30, 1872, by Rev. W. W. Jones, presiding elder. The pastors have been Revs. N. P. Halsey, Samuel Alexander, W. F. Bell, B. F. Zumwalt, John A. Mumpower, Joseph Metcalf, D. C. Blackwell, M. Rich- ardson, - Pyle, M. G. Gregory, J. G. Gibbons, A. J. Worley, H. C. Bo- len, William Warren, S. H. Milam, C. W. Herley, S. B. Tabor, and A. S. Doak, the present pastor. The number of members is forty-four. There is a well-conducted sabbath school in connection with the church, J. H. Bow- ers, superintendent. This school was organized in 1869. The financial condition of the church is excellent, and the general influence of the church is for great good.
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
There are but two churches in Bucklin, the Methodist Episcopal Church South and the Catholic. No report has been received from the latter church.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
MASONIC LODGE.
Bucklin Lodge No. 233, A. F. & A. M., was chartered May 26, 1864. The charter members and first officers were J. K. Stevenson, W. M .; V. B. Bowers, S. W .; W. H. Callison, J. W .; John Dougher, treasurer; B. R. Lowry, secretary; A. Hansman. S. D .; William Smith, J. D .; A. Adams, tyler. The present officers are B. B. Putnam, W. M .; L. S. Arbuckle, S. W .; John P. Slaughter, J. W .; V. B. Bowers, secretary. The present membership of Bucklin Lodge is forty-three. The hall is a frame, built in 1871, at a cost of $1,400. The lodge is in a prosperous condition; it has an efficient corps of officers and its members are zealous and capable workers. Meetings are held on Saturday evening before each full moon.
ODD FELLOWS.
Bucklin Lodge No. 384, I. O. O. F., was instituted by D. A. Shepherd, D. D. G. M., May 1, 1878. The charter bears date May 23, 1878. The charter members were Charles Youngman, L. Linburg, J. H. Wyett, W. S. Valentine, William Rosswell, Samuel Hayden, and John Nutter. The principal officers were Samuel Hayden, N. G .; William Rosswell, V. G .; George Maneval, secretary; L. Stuenkle, treasurer. The following are the present officers: Henry Murphy, N. G .; Fred Hainds, V. G .; W. E. Shook, secretary; and V. B. Bowers, treasurer. The present membership numbers twenty-eight. Meetings are held in the Masonic Hall every Thursday night. The lodge is in good working condition and prospering generally:
GOOD TEMPLARS.
Enterprise Lodge No. 959, I. O. G. T., was chartered November 29, 1880, with 130 members. The present officers are J. B. Shook, worthy chief templar; Mrs. S. A. Patterson, worthy vice templar; Eugene Kemp, secretary. The lodge has a large membership, which is constantly increas- ing. Its meetings are held every Friday night in the Masonic Hall.
ROWS AND "RUMPUSES."
In the winter of 1874, in the month of December, Peter Fuller, of Char- iton county, came to town and indulged in a " big drunk." While on his spree he was robbed of about three hundred and seventy-five dollars. When Fuller became sober he went home, collected about a dozen of his neigh- bors, and the party, all well armed, returned to Bucklin. Here they pro- ceeded to take the execution of the law into their own hands. They seized a number of young men who they believed had taken Fuller's money and threatened them with the severest punishment if the cash was not restored. Two of the young men, James Lawson and Joseph Harlow, were frightened very badly and gave up one hundred and ten dollars of the money.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
FIRES.
About the fourth of July, 1871, an attempt was made to burn down the two-story building of August Hansman & Brother. The building was first burglarized and then set on fire to conceal the evidences of the crime. A small boy gave the alarm and the building was saved. Three days after- ward a negro was arrested at Scottsville, Sullivan county, who was wearing some of the goods taken from the store. He was taken to Bucklin and ex- amined. He confessed his guilt and implicated two other men, John Brown and William ()'Neil. The negro afterward escaped from. Chillicothe jail and left the country.
April 1, 1880, the hardware store and tin shop of W. E. Story, and the drug store of Dr. G. M. Roberts were burned. Story's building also con- tained the post-office.
At about three p. M., November 14, 1880, a disastrous fire broke out in the main business part of town, and before it could be subdued it had de- stroyed nearly all of the buildings on the front row facing the depot. The loss was estimated at $19,000.
THE TOWN OF WYANDOTTE.
Prior to the establishment of Bucklin, the only town or semblance of a town in this township was Wyandotte, a hamlet that stood on the northeast quarter of section twenty-nine, township fifty-eight, range eighteen. The location was at a cross roads. About 1850 Allen & Wyett opened a store. Then came another merchant named Sharp; then some mechanics and other people until there were half a dozen or more houses. The first post- office in the township was at Coulson's Mill, on Yellow Creek, but in 1853 the office and its name was changed from Coulson's Mill to Wyandotte. C. G. Fields was the first postmaster. Wyandotte was named by Dr. Rooker. Elections were held here for some years, when this portion of the county was in Yellow Creek township. The first place of holding elections was at " Wyett's Well," so called from a famous well of living water on the premises of Mr. Sampson Wyett. Wyandotte was vacated September 1, 1862. The site is now a good farm.
THE TOWN OF THAYER.
Upon the laying out of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railway there was projected a magnificent town in this township, which, it was declared by its projectors, would become the metropolis of northern Missouri. This place was called Thayer, in honor of some railway magnate of the East, probably Eli Thayer, of Boston. The town was laid out in September, 1857, by Everett Peabody, on land owned by him and Patrick and Bridget Tooey. It comprised all of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter, part of the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter, part of the north-
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east quarter of the northwest quarter, and part of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter, all of section five, township fifty-seven, range eight- een. When the railroad was completed to the place Thayer was made a temporary division, which was expected and promised should become per- manent. The round-house was established and some temporary shops, and ยท for a time Thayer promised to realize the fondest anticipations of its pro- jectors. A good many stores were built and a great deal of business was done for some time. But alas for Thayer! The railroad authorities de- cided to locate the division at Brookfield, and thither all the offices were removed. So the town which was begun with such great expectations ended with but few realizations. It dwindled away, and in March, 1861, it was vacated by a special act of the legislature. Like Wyandotte, the site is now occupied as a farm.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES-BUCKLIN AND BUCKLIN TOWNSHIP.
JOHN F. ATKINSON.
This gentleman is the son of John and Catharine Atkinson, natives of Ireland. John was born in Lake county, Illinois, where he grew up and was educated in the common schools. While residing there he was chiefly engaged in farming, and working at the carpenter's trade. He came to this State and county in February, 1874, where he has since resided, being en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. He was married in April, 1870, to Miss Jane M. O'Mahoney, of Lake county, Illinois, and daughter of Thomas and Ellen O'Mahoney, both natives of Ireland. Mr. Atkinson and wife are both members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Atkinson is one of the best farmers and most practical wool-growers in his section of the county.
DAVID PRESTON BEEBE,
a farmer and stock-raiser, four miles southwest of Bucklin, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the age offifteen or sixteen he left Massachu- setts with his parents, and went to Connecticut where he resided until 1867, where he was engaged in farming. In 1867 he came to Linn county where he has since resided. Mr. Beebe was married in 1859, to Miss Martha J. Cor- sor, of Connecticut, by whom he has six children: Clara G., Mary P., Cora, William P., Edwin F., and one not named. Mr. Beebe is a member of the Grange. Mr. Beebe is a son of William and Mary Beebe. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and his mother of Connecticut. His maternal grandfather (Pease) was a soldier in the War of 1812. Mr. Beebe has a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and is an industrious and energetic farmer.
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L. D. BINFORD,
is a native Missourian, having been born in Linn county. When quite small his parents moved to Chariton county where the subject of this. sketch was raised and educated in the common schools of the country. He was in business in Keytesville in 1872-73. In 1874, came to Bucklin and clerked for R. J. Wheeler about six and one-half years. In April, 1880, he went into business under the firm name of Binford & Brainard. Jan- uary 1, 1881, he bought out his partner and continued in the business. He enjoys a liberal share of the public patronage.
Mr. Binford was married May 11, 1881, to Miss Mollie Blaydes, of Cooper county, Missouri. His father, Thomas H., was a native of Kentucky, and his mother, Mary, a native of Missouri. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.
Mr. Binford, although a young man, enjoys the esteem and confidence of his townsmen, and will surely make a success of his business.
JUDGE JOSHUA M. CASH
was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, February 1, 1829. He is the son of Abraham and Deborah Cash, and was reared and educated in his native county, receiving such an education as the schools then afforded. He came with his parents to Chariton county, this State, in 1843 and resided there till 1849, when he came to Linn county and settled on the farm where he still resides, two and a half miles from Bucklin. In August, 1846, he was mustered for service in. the Mexican War, in the Second Missouri Mounted Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Sterling Price. He was out about four- teen months and was engaged in the battles of La Canyaga and Taos. During the great civil war he served in the Forty-second Missouri Volunteer Infan- try from August, 1864, to March, 1865. Judge Cash's paternal grandfather and two or three uncles (his father's brothers) served in the War of 1812 .. In 1878 he was elected on the Democratic ticket County Court Judge from the first district, and was reelected in 1880. He has served eight or ten years as justice of the peace in Bucklin township.
Judge Cash was first married on December 30th, 1847, to Miss Martha J. Mills, of Chariton county. She died on the third of January, 1854, and he was again married on the fourteenth of September, 1854, to Miss Martha A. King, of Linn county, by whom he has two children, named Louis and Er- mina F. His second wife died September 3, 1869, and he was a third time married January 27, 1870, to Mrs. Elizabeth Hainds, of Linn county. Judge Cash and wife both belong to the M. E. Church South. He is a gentleman of unsullied reputation.
LOYD CASH.
This gentleman is the son of Abraham and Deborah Cash, and was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, on the 27th of February, 1827. He was reared
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
and educated in the county of his birth and came to Missouri in 1844, the year following that in which his parents came to this State. They all set- tled in Chariton county, where Loyd became engaged in farming. In 1846 he and a brother were enrolled into service for the Mexican War at Fort Leavenworth, under command of Colonel Sterling Price. They were out four- teen months in the Mexican campaign. Mr. Cash returned to Chariton after quitting the military and engaged in farming till 1849, when he came to Linn county where he has since resided. His paternal grandfather served in the Revolutionary War, and he (Loyd) had two uncles in the War of 1812. Mr. Cash served several years as justice of the peace in Bucklin township.
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