USA > Missouri > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Missouri. An encyclopedia of useful information > Part 83
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ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS, AND CRIMES.
There are not many of the above roll to be called in this township. En- terprise is too small a township, and her people walk so close to the paths of peace, that there are but few of each that is worthy of record.
One of the curiosities of the township was a wagon made entirely of wood, by a Canadian, named Hiram White. The wheels were very broad and the wagon would stand a pretty heavy strain, and large loads were hauled on it. Mr. White had more time than money, and he put his mechanical genius- to good use. This wagon was made in 1867.
Away back in 1843 or 1844 a man named Lynch peddled all through that
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
section and North Salem township, with a horse and wagon. He suddenly disappeared, and was last seen near the forks of Yellow Creek. There was talk of foul play, and that bones were found afterward in Yellow Creek, which had caused those who believed that he had come to a violent end, that he had been murdered and his body thrown into the creek. Some per- sons were suspected of being capable of committing the crime, but as noth- ing absolutely was known, no one seemed justified in proceeding against them, who, while being suspected, might prove themselves innocent. The disappearance of Lynch was talked of long afterward, and at the time crea- ted considerable excitement.
The shooting scrape between Jacob Ross and W. D. Southerland, April 12, 1877, was another affair which made a ripple of excitement pass over the township. Mr. Southierland was wounded and Mr. Ross was bound over, but our informant stopped right there. It is well enough to mention in this connection that Mr. Southerland is still alive, but whether Ross broke his bond and escaped, or whether he was released or convicted we do not know.
One of the saddest accidents, however, that ever happened in Enterprise township, was the sudden and sorrowful death of Miss Malissa Browning, November 12, 1879. Miss Browning was visiting at Mr. George Beswell's, and one afternoon started to go to her brother-in-law's, living on the other side of Long Branch. This stream was somewhat swollen and perhaps caused the log which was used as a crossing, to become unsteady. How- ever, nothing is positively known how the accident occurred, but it is sup- posed that in crossing, and the swaying of the log, she lost her balance and fell into the stream. She was missed the next day as she was expected at her sister's, and search being made her body was found in the branch. A careful examination and a coroner's inquest decided it was accidental drown- ing. The young lady lived in Sullivan county and had many friends that mourned her sudden and untimely end.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES-ENTERPRISE TOWNSHIP.
WILLIAM BROWNING.
This gentleman is the son of Francis and Jennette (Alexander) Brown- ing, and was born in Russell county, Virginia, April 17, 1820. He re- ceived his education at Abingdon College, and continued to reside with his parents till their death, when he was about sixteen years old. Soon after this, although barely in his seventeenth year, he took charge of a wool-
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
carding machine and saw-mill, and ran them till he was thirty-five years of age. He was married on the twenty-first of April, 1842, to Miss Rebecca Fuller, a daughter of Isiah and Mary (Burk) Fuller, and she was born in Russell county, Virginia, on the first of September, 1823. Mr. Browning came to Missouri in 1855, and bought a farm in Linn county, where he has since resided. He owns one hundred and twenty acres in Enterprise town- ship, on which he and his family still reside. His place is all under culti- vation, and is in good fix as a comfortable home. Mr. and Mrs. Browning are the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are still living. One son and two daughters still live with their father. John Marion Browning, who is still with his parents, was born January 14, 1858, in Sullivan county, this State, and received his education in the common schools. He is a young gentleman endowed with fine business qualifications, and will, doubtless, achieve success in life. Mrs. Browning is a member of the Methodist Church, and marched forward in the cause of Christianity for over thirty years. Mr. Browning may well be proud of his family, and of the fair reputation he has built up as an upright citizen and faithful man.
JAMES CAMERON TAYLOR
is the son of Ickiss and Elizabeth (nee Hatcher) Taylor, and was born in this county, April 10, 1841. He was reared in Linn county, and received his education in the common schools. Mr. Taylor, at the age of eighteen, began life for himself as a farmer and stock-raiser, and still follows that vo- cation. In May, 1864, he started with his family for California, and made the trip with wagons and teams. He had the misfortune to lose one of his .children on the road, which he buried in Nevada. Arriving in California in October of the same year, he began farming in Yolo county, where he re- mained four years. He returned to Missouri, by water, in the summer of 1864, and again began farming in Linn county, where he has ever since re- sided. He owns a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in Enterprise township, all under cultivation. Mr. Taylor, October 27, 1859, married Caroline Bingham, daughter of William G. and Mary (nee Hoover) Bing- ham. His wife is a native of Tennessee and was born in Rutherford county, January 15, 1840, and came with her parents to Sullivan county, this State, in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have six children living and two dead. Mr. Taylor is a good farmer, and is known to be a man of upright character. He has a promising family of intelligent children, of whom their father may well be proud.
MRS. RACHEL GOOCH.
The venerable lady whose name heads this sketch, is a native of Ken- tucky, and was born in Bath county, March 21, 1815. She was married in that State, to Thomas S. Gooch, on the sixth of November, 1832. They con-
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
tinued to live there till 1848, when they moved to Linn county, Missouri, and located on a farm. Mrs. Gooch lost her husband by death July 31, 1873, aged sixty-three years, two months and twenty-eight days. Since that time she has been making her home with her children, and is at this writing living with her two sons, A. T. and Charles B. Gooch, in En- terprise township. The elder and first-mentioned son was born in Sullivan county, December 7, 1846, while Charles B. is a native of Linn county, born May 3, 1855. The brothers operate a farm together, and their mother keeps house for them. They have one hundred and seventy acres, all in a high state of cultivation, and the condition of the place gives ample evidence of the energy, industry, and thrift of the Gooches.
JAMES WASHINGTON GOOCH
was born in Pike county, Missouri, November 23, 1844, and is the son of William G. and Sarah (nee Grimmett) Gooch, of Missouri. He has a lim- ited education, as the war was going on at the time for him to go to school. He came to Linn county, Missouri, with his parents in 1845, and he has lived here ever since and followed farming and stock-raising. He lived with his parents until he was thirty-four years old. He now lives on his farm of three hundred and sixty-five acres all under cultivation and well improved. He is a single man, and a man who stands well in the society where he lives. His close attention to business makes him a model man and farmer.
GEORGE LAING,
the subject of this sketch, was born in Dundee, Scotland, September 28, 1809, and is the son of James and Gean (Wanlap) Laing, of Scotland. He lived with his parents till he was thirty-two years old. In 1842 he went to Canada and lived there twenty-six years, then came to Linn county, Mis- souri. He has a limited education which he got in Dundee, Scotland. His trade was the manufacturing of coarse linens while in Scotland. In Canada he was on a farm, and is still on a farm. He was married May 10, 1841, to Ellen Morrison, daughter of James and Ann (nee Jack) Morrison, of Scotland. She was born in Errol, Scotland, November 30, 1815. They have seven children; four boys and three girls, and two dead. Ralph E. Laing, his son, was born in Canada, April 20, 1853. He lost his wife April 21, 1881, in Linn county, Missouri. She was buried at the United Breth- ren Chapel, in Enterprise township. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church for fifty years. Mr. Laing now lives with his son whose name ap- pears in this sketch, on a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, which he entered in 1868, and improved it. Mr. Laing is a self-made man and one that his family may look back upon with pride as a straightforward and upright man.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
JOHN C. LOUTHAN.
The subject of this sketch is the son of Hiram and Harriet (Hays) Lou- than, and was born in Columbiana, Ohio, May 20, 1836. He received a fair common school education, and continued with his parents till April, 1861, when he enlisted in Company F, of the Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which regiment was assigned to the Fourteenth Army Corps. During his service in the Union cause, Mr. Louthan participated in the battles of Lewisburgh, Chickamauga, Hoover's Gap, Barryville, Cloud Mountain, Winchester (second battle), Mission Ridge, Lookout Moun- tain, Bull Run (second battle), South Mountain, and the fight at An- tietam, and a number of skirmishes not mentioned, numbering twenty-two in all. He was wounded at the battle of Mission Ridge, and also at Win- chester. In most of these battles, he was color-bearer, though he served as orderly-sergeant during the latter part of his military career.
Mr. Louthan was married in Ohio, to Miss Anna Jane Haddow. This lady was the daughter of Robert and Jeannette Haddow, and was born in Washington county, Ohio, June 8, 1840. She came to Missouri with her parents, while her husband was still in the service, and at the close of the war he followed them. Mr. Louthan came to this State and county soon after receiving his discharge, in March, 1865, and bought a farm in Enter- prise township, where he still resides. He owns two hundred and twenty acres, all under cultivation, and with fair improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Louthan are the parents of seven children, three sons of whom still sur- vive, while two sons and two daughters are dead.
Mr. Louthan is a self-made man, and has accumulated what he has by his own energy and industry.
JESSE JAMES SUMMERS
was born in Washington county, Kentucky, February 22, 1817. His par- ents were Greenberry and Nancy (Elliott) Summers, both Kentuckians.
In 1839 Mr. Summers came to Linn county, this State, and began farm- ing. He had received his education in the common schools of Kentucky, and never had many school advantages.
Mr. Summers was married in Linn county, May 13, 1841, to Margaret Ann Nichols. She was born in Columbia, Boone county, Missouri, May 1, 1826. Mr. Summers and wife are the parents of ten children, all living, and all married except one son and one daughter, who still reside with their parents. Mr. Summers and wife are both members of the Christian Church, and have been for many years.
During the Rebellion, he staid at home on his farm, and saw many ups and downs of civil warfare. His place contains one hundred and thirty- seven acres, and is nearly all in cultivation.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
HENRY BATEMAN PATTERSON,
was born in Ireland, county of Cork, May 2, 1827, and is the son of Robert and Mary (Bateman) Patterson. He came to America in June, 1849, landing first in Boston, and proceeding thence to Connecticut, where he began working on the railroad. Altogether Mr. Patterson has followed railroading for about twenty years, his experience being a varied one, from having worked on so many different roads. After quitting that business, he began farming, and has continued in the latter vocation ever since. He came to this State and county in 1868, and located on a farm in Enterprise township. His place contains one hundred and sixty acres of well im- proved land, on which he has recently built an elegant residence. His house is an ornament to the neighborhood, and is so situated as to com- mand a fine view of the surrounding country. Mr. Patterson married Ruth Angeline Nieswanger, July 17, 1864. Her parents were Henry and Eliza- beth A. Nieswanger, and she was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, August 14, 1839. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson have had four children-three boys and a girl-two living and two dead. Mr. Patterson is a self-made man, who started poor, when he first came to America. He deserves credit for the financial and social position to which he has attained by untiring industry.
MATTHIAS PENHALL.
The subject of this sketch was born in Huron county, Canada, January 25, 1854, and is the son of John and Olive (Toles) Penhall, of Canada. He received a limited education at a common school in Canada. He lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, on a farm. In February, 1869, he came to Linn county, Missouri, and followed farming up to this time, and was married January 21, 1875, to Miss Charlotte Elizabeth Wood- side, daughter of John and Mary (Stewart) Woodside, of Ireland. She was born in Linn county, Missouri, March 17, 1857. They have two children, one boy and one girl. The boy, William John, was born July 1, 1876; the girl, Elsay Alice, was born November 3, 1879. Mr. Penhall's father made his home with him for some time before his death. He died January 19, 1881, at the age of sixty-four years. Mr. P. is a naturalized citizen by tak- ing out his papers. Mr. P. is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has been for about ten years. He is on a farm of eighty acres all under cultivation and well improved.
Mr. Penhall although a young man, has made his mark in the neighbor- hood by his strict attention to business which makes him a valuable man in society.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXX.
BAKER TOWNSHIP.
When Organized-When Divided-Population and Wealth-Area, Streams, Woodlands, and Prairies-Settled and Settlers-The March of Events-Christianity and Civilization go Hand in Hand-From 1860 to 1870-One Slave only-The Champion Economical Man -Township Officers-New Boston, when, where, and how it Grew and Prospered-"Hell Square Acre "-Current Events-Business-Biographies.
Originally Baker township was a part of Yellow Creek, one of the three original townships of the county. In 1845, Sullivan county being organ- ized from the territory of Linn, this latter county was divided into seven municipal divisions, of which Baker township was one, and one of the three largest townships in the county, only being equalled in territory by Yellow Creek and Jefferson. At that time, 1845, Baker township was composed of all of congressional townships fifty-nine and sixty, of range eighteen, and two-thirds of the same townships of range nineteen; but the upper or north line of township sixty, bearing south, ranges eighteen and nineteen of town- ship sixty, was not a full congressional township of six miles square. The township occupied the northeast corner of the county, and was not settled as rapidly as some of the others excepting its south part which is now Baker township proper. Previous to the census of 1870, North Salem town- ship was cut off of Baker, being from the north part, but left a mile wide runing to the Sullivan county line still as a part of Baker. This gave the township a peculiar shape. That arm was afterward given to Enterprise township. In 1870 Baker township had a population of 1269, but in 1871 a strip of two miles wide on its western border was given to the new town- ship of Grantsville. That ended the curtailment of Baker township with the exception of about half of section fourteen. A change was made in the boundary running from West Yellow Creek from the section line to a point half a mile east, and then the township line running straight north to the north boundary of the township, which is the congressional township line between fifty-nine and sixty. This gave a north and south line of six miles, and an east and west line on its southern border of eight miles, and seven and a half on its north side. It has forty-six and a half square miles, with a land and water area of 29,440 acres, mostly prairie, excepting along the water-courses which flow through the township. These are West Yellow Creek, on its western border and forming a portion of its west boundary line; Winneson Creek, and branches from both West and East Yellow Creek, many of which take their rise within the township.
Baker township shows the least wealth of any township, according to size, in the county, and is only a little over $4,000 greater than Enterprise town-
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
ship, the smallest in size and wealth in the county, the latter being but very little over half its size. The assessed valuation of Baker township in 1881 was placed at $166,301, which is not speaking in high terms of the finan- cial condition of its people. But, as there is room for improvement, let us hope that by the next census, at least, it will show new life, activity and wealth. The cutting off of a portion of this township, as mentioned above, gave it a less population in 1880 than in the year 1870, that year, as before stated, having a population of 1,269; in 1880 the census gave it but 1,175. Baker township has all of. congressional township fifty-nine, range eighteen and a portion of range nineteen of the same township.
SETTLING.
The township did not improve much or have many settlers previous to 1840. A few settled in the southern portion, and the wilds to the north were principally a hunting-ground both for the pale-faces and the Indians. Robert Baker, from whom the township takes its name, was born in Clay county, Kentucky, and came to Linn county in 1839, bringing his wife and son, William Baker, now living, who was about two years old when his father came. They came from Chariton county direct and settled on the southwest quarter of section seventeen, township fifty-nine, range eight- een.
John W. Huffaker came from Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1840. He settled on the northeast quarter of section nineteen, township fifty-eight, range eighteen, and has lived since that date on the same place. He has a fine grazing farm and has a barn two stories high with a storage capacity, in the hay part of it, for fifty tons. The barn is forty by forty-eight, and thirty- two feet to the comb.
Frederick Nestor came in 1842 and moved from Montgomery county, Virginia, to Linn, an old man as well as an old settler, having been born November 10, 1792, and was a soldier in the War of 1812, having be- longed to Captain Hogan's company, and the regiment commanded by Col- onel Wooden. The old gentleman is not well, but his intellect is clear. He settled on section four, township fifty-nine, range eighteen.
Pendleton Richardson came to Baker township in 1839. He is a native of Kentucky and moved from that State to Howard county, Missouri, and from Howard to Linn, as above stated. His home is on the southwest quar- ter of section four, township fifty-nine, range eighteen.
John W. Pace came from Clark county, Kentucky, in 1851, where he was . born, and settled on section fourteen, township fifty-nine, range eighteen.
Andrew Baker, a Kentuckian by birth, came to Chariton county, and moved from there to Linn, and Baker township, in 1843. He resides on section seven, township fifty-nine, range eighteen, and his son, Boland G., who came with him, was a Chariton county boy by birth, but was still
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
an infant when he came to Linn county. Boland G. Baker is now living on the northeast quarter of section thirteen, township fifty-nine, range eight- een, and a prominent citizen of the township.
W. J. Stone, of the firm of Stone & Mitchell, came to Baker township in 1851; is a son of Granville and Mary Stone, and has been all this time a resident of the township.
James A. Crowder, a resident of New Boston village, came in 1852, and James Pace located on the southwest quarter of section twenty-three, town- ship fifty-nine, range nineteen, in 1855.
William Pace came from Clark county, Kentucky. He left Kentucky in 1835, but did not reach Linn county until twenty years later. He built the house in which he now resides.
Walter B. Bailey, one of the prominent citizens of the township was born in Barren county, Kentucky, July 12, 1817, and came to Linn county and Baker township in 1839. He first settled in Chariton county, and was the son of Jacob and Catharine Bailey, who settled in that county the year it was incorporated, 1820. Their home is on the northwest quarter of section thirty-three, township fifty-nine, range eighteen.
John G. Bailey came the same year, 1839, and located his claim on the northeast quarter of section fifteen, township fifty-nine, range eighteen, and has always been a resident of the township since the year of his arrival.
Albert Nickerson came in 1842, and located on section twenty-seven, township fifty-nine, range eighteen, choosing the southwest quarter. William Ray came in 1840, and drove his stake on the northeast quarter of section twenty-two, township fifty-nine, range eighteen; while Morris Rob- ert came a few years later, not until 1856, and settled on section twenty- seven, township fifty-nine, range eighteen, dating his arrival from February 26. All these pioneers came from Kentucky, and proved themselves wor- thy descendants of the pioneers of the dark and bloody ground.
Then we have Thomas Greenstreet from the same State in 1852, and James Harrison Bell in 1855. The latter settled on the northeast quarter of sec- tion twenty-six, township fifty-nine, range eighteen. Mr. Greenstreet is one of the most prominent stock-raisers in the township, and has some fine blooded stock, among which is a stallion of the " Swiss Tiger" stock.
There were other settlers who came later, but can hardly be called pio- neers. They did not have to travel from fifty to sixty miles to go to mill, or to purchase their supplies of groceries, or hunt deer and other wild game ยท to keep them in meat. There was plenty of game, yet the pioneer life, while not all thus, was not considered a bed of roses.
SOME OTHER MATTERS.
Baker township seems to have had its drawbacks, and one was that it was not considered, in the quality of its land, the best part of Linn county.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Still there is nothing to prevent a splendid hay and corn crop, which makes stock-raising a success, but its soil is adapted to fruit, and that ought to be a leading industry with the farmers of Baker township.
The first marriage seemes to have been that of Moses Dowell to Miss Rachel Carpenter in the year 1841, and the marriage ceremony was per- formed at the residence of the bride, on section thirteen, township fifty- nine, range nineteen.
The first death was a Mr. Webb, the grandfather of Mr. Dowell above mentioned.
Dr. James S. Cantwell, who was born in Indiana, but came west to grow up with the country, via., Keokuk, Iowa, was the first physician who settled in Baker township. He came in 1849. Other physicians had calls and practiced in the township prior to his arrival, but he seemed to have been the first to settle and practice. His residence was on section twenty-six, township fifty-nine, range nineteen.
George W. Baker, uncle of Robert Baker, was the first preacher, and the township is said to have been named after him. There is really a belief among some that it was named after young Boland, but let that be as it may, it was named after the Baker family, and it is a representative one of the township. Rev. George belonged to the Hard Shell Baptist, and was a preacher of strong sense, and held in high esteem by all who knew him. He died many years ago.
Among those early days there would sometimes be trouble among the Indians and white hunters, and it is said that Sampson Wyett actually whipped an Indian with the ramrod of his rifle. Sampson lived in another township as this history shows, but he performed the above operation on Baker's classic grounds.
GOLDEN CHAPEL
was the first church organized in Baker township, and was located on the southwest corner of section twenty-one, township fifty-nine, range eighteen. The minister himself built the church in the year 1842, and it was composed of logs. The reverend's name was Conway, but his first name was for- gotten. He preached in this house for several years. A good many of his congregation now and then gave him a helping hand, especially at raising time, but the Rev. Conway put on the finishing touches. His bill was sixty dollars on the completion of this fine edifice, and it broke his church all to pieces financially. There were, however, other denominations, and as is reported of late years, these churches, Baptist, Methodist, and Christian, pooled their assets, paid off the church debt, and all used it until unfortu- nately a prairie fire got hold of it and reduced it to ashes. The Rev. Con- way preached the dedication sermon, and held afterward the first service in the church.
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