USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens > Part 34
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EMIGRANTS FROM NODAWAY COUNTY.
Among the scores of men who went to California from this county, we record the names of the following :
Peter Love,
S. M. Jester,
E. S. Stephenson,
Judge Charles Myers,
Henry Swearingen, Sr., Gillain Bailey,
Henry Swearingen, Jr.,
Wright Bailey,
Nicholas Kavanaugh,
Thomas Boulware,
Randolph Byers,
Harvey Kincade,
Bolivar Byers,
William Blackman,
Hiram Groves,
David Denning,
Thomas Groves,
Benjamin Simms,
Allen Groves,
James H. Saunders,
Isaac Groves,
John Saunders, Jr.,
Simeon Holland,
Henry Miller,
William Hanna,
Levi Martin, - Payne,
Isaiah Hurlbut,
Gilford Henderson,
Hayden Jackson,
Jack Henderson, James W. Davis,
Hiram Davis,
James Cotrill,
Frank Hudson,
Burt. Curl,
J. C. Blakely, Andrew Jenkins,
William Jenkins,
Joel Stowe,
James Ray,
Thomas Ray,
Jack Jenkins,
Thomas H. Brown.
Dr. William Glaze,
Squire Griffith,
Barbour,
Darius Hurlburt,
James Pennington,
Perry Holland,
C. L. Burnes,
William Curl,
Joel Griffith,
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
Thousands of these California emigrants crossed at St. Joseph, White Cloud, and other points on the Missouri River, some of them going as far up as Nebraska City. The Missouri was crossed in ferry boats, but, after leaving this river, these companies were compelled to either ford or swim all streams on their road to California. One of the largest companies that passed through this section of country was the
CALIFORNIA ENTERPRISE COMPANY,
composed of several hundred men from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Of course the departure of so many men, from their homes to the distant gold fields, was quite an event, and it often happened that the friends and neighbors of those who were to embark, met, en masse to express their regrets and good wishes in a public address. We present a por- tion of the speech of Colonel S. W. Black, of Pittsburg, made to the above named company, on the eve of their departure from that city, to show the friendly and pleasant custom of those days :
" My Friends :- I have but a few words to say at parting. What I do say will come from the heart. I trust that whatever of good and truth I may deliver, may reach your hearts. Before your return you will have seen no little of the world ; what you see will be so much learned beyond what you now know. Hence, at the very out-going of your enterprise, you have a good object in view. Some persons complain of these expeditions as being sordid and unworthy ; to go and dig for gold, they say, is not meritorious, but culpable. I, for one, do not think so. All the world is a gold digger-rather, indeed, a gold scratcher-and it often happens, that, in scratching too greedily, we bring away the skin of one anothers' faces-betimes the flesh of one anothers' bones.
" The farmer in the field, the mechanic in the shop, the merchant in the store, and the lawyer in his pursuit, choose their daily business for gold. Even the preacher does not work unpaid. This is all right, and according to the purpose of our creation. Our Father has planted gold in the earth for the benefit of His children. To make it by merit is noble and deserving of praise. To accumulate it with proper motives is mer- itorious. To lose it is mean and condemned of God. * You are starting upon a long and perilous journey. Allow me, then, to make a few suggestions, which may not in the end be worthless. You leave without a flag. Make a banner for yourselves and cling to it. Inscribe upon its folds Fraternity and Friendship. Let the same devo- tion inspire you that actuates the soldier for the standard of his country. In all things be one. A perfect unity of interest and affection will make you prosperous and invincible. Organize yourselves into companies- elect judicious and skillful officers-men of intelligence and nerve. When you give them the power of direction always sustain them in its lawful
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
exercise. Discipline is essential to your safety and success. Each day start early on your marches ; you will then escape the injurious effect of exposure to the sun, and find yourselves early in camp. It is probable you will encounter danger. To meet it successfully you must be accus- tomed to act together. Americans vanquished Mexicans and Indians by a union of discipline with courage.
" I know that your messes have ardent spirits among their stores. These may be useful or pernicious in proportion to the judgment with which they are used. In the life in which you are acting you will find occasional necessity for the use of stimulants. They are serviceable only when the system is prostrated by disease or exposure.
"A kind hearted friend has just requested me to say that if there are any of the expedition without Bibles, he will be happy now to furnish them. It does not become me, perhaps, to speak of a subject so grave and serious, yet I can say that this, the 'Book of Books,' is the best com- panion you can take with you ; it is a never-failing reliance.
" In the center of our city, or around the circle of our continent ; among the busy scenes of active life, or on the prairie, where the pilgrim sees no mark but the foot-prints of wild beast or the savage-it is a per- petual adaptation to every exigency of man's career.
"To-day I saw in a paper the declaration of one of you, that 'in all his wanderings he would carry his Bible in the bottom of his trunk.' Let me suggest an improvement. Deposit it on the top, that every time the trunk is opened it may remind you that you have not looked into it that day for wisdom and counsel. You are surrounded by a thousand anxious beating hearts, every one of which swell with aspiration for your success and safe return. The general prayer is, and will be, 'that no evil will 'befall you, nor any plague come near your dwelling.' Come back enriched, and make your riches a blessing to the destitute at home. The hour of grief hangs heavy in the hearts of many. Let them have no other cause of sorrow than this separation. Your incoming will be a day of bright and thrilling joy. The tear that stands still in the eye, or follows its fellows across the feverish and scalded cheek, will be replaced with dia- monds. The red autumn of present sadness will pass away, and in due season the glorious summer will succeed, bringing its golden harvest."
Many letters were received from these gold seekers shortly after their arrival in California. From some of these letters we have made the following extracts :
"I have concluded to write you and let you know that all are well who started in the pack-mule company, up to date. We arrived in this country on the first of August ; had many ups and downs on the road, but lost none of our stock by the Indians. And now a little about California and the prospects for making money. Lewis, Love and myself bought a small grocery in Sacramento City, for which we paid $1,800-on a short
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
credit-three week's time. We kept it a short time, made $250 each, and sold it out. Brother David went to the mines, and up to this time- has made $1,600. I went and worked eight days. The spot of ground ₣ had was about large enough to lay down on. The first day I made $200; the second day $220, and in eight days $900. The St. Joseph boys are doing well. The most of them are making from half an ounce to three ounces per day. David and myself will go into the cattle trade or sell groceries. We can buy cattle froin $30 to $50 per yoke-fat cattle are worth from $75 to $150, and in the mines 75 cents per pound. There is an abundance of Spanish cattle here, but they are hard to drive in the mines, it requiring six or eight Spaniards to drive a small herd of twenty, and that at a cost of an ounce per day. There is an abundance of pro- vision here. If you had the potatoes, alone, in California, which will be sold in a town like St. Joseph to-day, you might rest contented the bal- ance of your days. I have been up the Sacramento River 100 miles and up Feather River 50 miles, and I have seen but a few spots of land worth cultivating. I have seen a great many of our old friends from Upper Missouri, the most of whom are rich and doing well. I saw Charley Covaloe and Nigh ; they are both rich. While many men who crossed the plains this summer are making money, others are here who are not making their salt, and are very much dissatisfied and are going home every day. The gold here is very hard to get, and if a person makes a fortune by gold digging he must expect to endure a great deal of fatigue. Men with families are making fortunes by washing and boarding. Girls are in great demand here ; all they have to do, is to name their pile of gold-dust, and a husband is at their command immediately."
Another extract :
"I arrived here from the mines on Bear River about a week since. D. D. Williams is going into business in the dry diggings, about sixty miles from this place. 'Old man Williams' and myself are going 200 miles up the Sacramento to mine. We are all partners, and carry on mining and merchandising or trading. We have made about $2,000, in cash, since we came, which we have invested, and will make thousands or lose. Samuel Love, Ryan and Andrews are here and have done well. Any person that will work can make money. You: recollect Cornwall, that stayed at Dawson's. He is here, and is worth, I suppose, a quarter of a million. Stratton was burned on a pile or stake by the Indians, a short time since. William Nicholson died night before last."
The following extract is from a letter dated at Coloma, September 15, 1849 :
"I have lived here about one year ; have been engaged in the mines since last spring, and by being prudent and industrious, have realized something for my trouble. I cannot say when I will return ; perhaps in two or three years, perhaps never, although I will come as soon as I can
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
to see my mother, and prevent her from crossing the Rocky Mountains, for I think such a trip dangerous and unnecessary. I would advise my friends and relations to remain where they are."
CALIFORNIA EMIGRANT SONG.
Farewell, farewell, my native land, I leave thee only with a sigh, To wander o'er a foreign s'rand, Perchance to live-perchance to die. Adieu my friends whom kindred ties Unite, though distant we may rove, How ardent as time onward flies, Fond memory clings to those we love.
The few admired-the one beloved, Among the living and the dead, Whose constancy we sternly proved, Ah! whither are those dear ones fled ? Some have we left at happy homes, While some, alas ! exist no more,
And o'er their graves unheeding roams Each breeze that sweeps Miami's shore.
O'er the broad plains far away, Beyond the Rocky Mountain crest, Our wayward feet awhile shall stray, And press the gold-besprinkled west, But mid the gaudy scenes of strife, Where Gold to Pride enchantment lends,
We'll ne'er forget that boon of life- Companions dear and faithful friends.
And in the lapse of coming years Should fortune be not too unkind, We'll hope reward for parting tears, In smiles from those we left behind. We go-yet hoping to return, Friends of our youth, to home and you ; For these do cause our hearts to yearn, E'en when we sigh Adieu-Adieu.
In order to give some estimate of the number of emigrants that passed through this western country during the California gold excite- ment, we will give the number that crossed the river at St. Joseph to June 15, 1849, two months and a half, beginning from April Ist :
The number of wagons that had crossed at St. Joseph at that time was 1,508, which would average about four men to the wagon, making 6,032. At Duncan's ferry, four miles above St. Joseph, 685 wagons had crossed. and at Bontown, Savannah, and the ferries as far up as the Bluffs, 2,000, making the number of wagons 4, 193. 10,000 persons had crossed at Inde- pendence, making a total of 27,000 persons. There were about eight mules or oxen to each wagon, making the number 37,544 of mules and oxen.
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
At the time of the treaty of Gaudaloupe Hidalgo, the population of . California did not exceed thirty thousand, while at the time of which we are writing, (1850,) there were more than one hundred and fifty thousand people who had found their way thither, of which number, at least one hundred thousand were gold hunters from the states. The evil effects of this gold mania upon the moral status of the United States are still seen and felt, and among all classes of society. It has popularized the worship of Mammon to an alarming extent, and to this worship, in a great measure, is attributed the moral declension of to-day.
CHAPTER XXVI.
CHRONICLES OF THE WEST.
The original manuscript, of which the following is a verbatim copy, was written in 1845, by John Mills Lamar, who died in Nodaway County in 1877.
It is a brief history of a difficulty, which occurred between two pioneers, who came to the west in 1842, and located on the Nodaway River just within the state of Iowa, and before the line between the states of Missouri and Iowa had been definitely located.
This ancient document entitled, "Chronicles of the West," is a very ingenious production, being not only fashioned after the manner of biblical composition, but is replete with biblical phraseology, and shows that its author was familiar with bible lore.
The dramatis persone, so to speak, excepting the two chief actors, were residents of Nodaway County, each of whom were given fictitious names ; their significance, however, will be explained by notes at the bottom of the page.
"CHRONICLES OF THE WEST-CHAPTER I.
In the county of aI-o-ty, along the waters of Nodi, there was much beautiful land, both timber and plains, the land being unsettled, many people from different countries and cities were enticed to come and make their farms and houses along the river Nodi, and it soon came to pass that one "Hanoch, a son of Gyhor, came from a far country, and with him came also one eWillti, whose tribe was not known, but it was supposed that he was of the tribe of Ishmael, whose hand was turned against every man's, and every man's hand against him. Now Willti was small of stat- ure, but his heart was big with evil, and his tongue was an unruly member, full of deadly poison, and his greatest delight was in defaming the people and gathering that which was not his own. Now Willti had four sons ; these were their names : The eldest was "Dato, the second $Samidah, the third "Olitah, and the fourth ' Jonidah. Now Dato had a wide mouth, which
a-Iowa.
b-Nodaway River.
c-Henry Martin.
d-Henry's father.
e-Wilham Gregg
f-David Gregg. g-Samuel Gregg.
h-Oliver Gregg.
i - Joseph Gregg.
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
reached from this side of his face to that side of his face, and his tongue was like the tongue of a serpent, and he looked upon himself to be some great one, and desired the people to give him promotion, but his mouth was too wide to deceive the people. Samidah was younger than Dato, but more fiendish than Willti, his father, for he took delight in slandering and abusing all that he met with, both men and women, and when he spoke a lie, he spoke after the manner of his father, for Willti took much pains to train up his sons to walk in his own steps. Olitah was not so full of gab and abuse as Samidah, but Willti, his father, had taught him to lie and to gather things that were not his own, which things Olitah was very handy to use. Now Jonidah was the youngest of the four sons of Willti and had not learned to do much evil, but he was daily taught to walk in the steps of Willti, his father. 4.
CHAPTER II.
Now it came to pass when Hanoch and Willti came into the country of I-o-ty, that they were much pleased with the land, for it was very good, so they traveled together over much land, and behold it pleased them well, and when they returned to their tent at the setting of the sun, Willti said unto Hanoch, I will take this portion of the land, where there is water, and where I can make my farm on these beautiful plains. And Hanoch said unto him, thou shalt have thy choice, and I will take that portion unto the plains beyond. Then Willti said, I will come as far as the top of the high land between us, and that shall be the division between my possession and your possession. And Hanoch said unto him, it shall be as thou hast said. So they made their division line on a pinnacle of the hill, called Camp Hill, because they camped each on his own side of the hill. And it came to pass, when the wet season came on, that the plains of Willti were covered with water, and Willti walked out to view his plains, and behold a sea was before him, and after a few heavy groans, he returned to his camp with a sorrowful heart, but flattered himself when the flood abated, his plains would become dry and fertile. Then came Samidah unto him, and said, how is it my father, that thou has played the fool and given Hanoch the dry plains and hast chosen for thyself this vast pond of water? Behold, thou hast no land for raising corn but these rough hills, and who can plow them? Then came Dato, and said unto Willti, why has thou chosen thy possession in this place, and given the best part of the country to Hanoch, the son of Gyhor ? Behold, we had better return to our country, and to our tribe, for why should we stay here? And it came to pass when Willti heard these things, his heart was ready to burst with rage. And behold he took the cramp, and it drew him into a kink, and he took his bed for a day and a night. Now when he was relieved from the cramp, so as to leave his
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
bed, he gnashed with his teeth, and behold, he could be seen to gnash with his teeth ever after, as long as he lived. And when he recovered so that he could straighten himself, he called his sons before him, and said unto them, my sons, you know the examples and precepts which I have set before you all the days of your lives, and you have ever been dutiful sons and obeyed my commandments ; now behold, I have no rest because Hanoch has such a beautiful country of land, and my possessions are good for nothing, as you see this day, and now behold, I will remove my bounds on to the high lands of Hanoch, and take to myself the half of Hanoch's possession which lieth next to my possession, and behold, if Hanoch shall say ought against it, we will drive him out of the country, for we know that Hanoch is very infirm in health, and cannot stand up before us to contend for his rights, and you shall say before the people, that Hanoch gave so much of the country to Willti, to your father at the first. And the people will believe your words, and we can possess the land of Hanoch in quietness. Then Dato opened his mouth and said unto him, I am well pleased with thy plan, but let not my father be in haste, but let us first shield ourselves against the friends of Hanoch, and against the people, for thou knowest that Hanoch has walked honestly before the people, giving every one that which belongeth to them, and behold, he hath many friends, let us therefore have our names placed with those that belongeth to Ishmael's band, for they are all true soldiers of the great King Ishmael. And they are people of truth, and their garments are white and shining, and it is known to all men that the true soldiers of the great king are honest and upright in heart, and if we have our names with their names, we can deceive the people, and it will be a shield unto us. And behold, there is now one of the king's officers going through the country confirming the soldiers and calling for volunteers. And Willti was much pleased with the sayings of Dato, and said unto him, go and fetch him hither, that he may take our names and our scheme shall work well.
CHAPTER III.
And it came to pass that Willti sent out and fetched the officer of the great King to his house, who took the names of Willti and all his, excepting Samidah, and recorded them on his roll. But Samidah said unto them, you may join yourselves to this band, but you know that I despise the name of any thing that is good, and therefore, I will not unite with such a band, but as I have walked in the steps of my father in times past, so will I for time to come. Then Willti said unto him, do so, my son, and thou shalt honor thy father, and now lets spread many evil reports through the country against Hanoch, and set the people against him, and so we can root him out with ease. And it came to pass that Willti and his sons began to tell many evil tales against Han-
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
och, to make the people hate him. And Willti's wife, whose name was Fariska, did much with her nimble tongue to prepare the way for Willti. But the people of the county of I-o-ty were people of good judgment and honest, and they knew that a servant of the Lord had told them that lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight. So Willti's labor was vain in trying to deceive the peo- ple, for they could see that he was possessed of an evil spirit. But Willti and his sons thought that they were doing Hanoch much harm. So when they thought they had got the minds of Hanoch's friends evilly disposed against him, they came together to consult the matter. So when Willti called his sons around him, he said unto them, My sons, you see that the season for planting corn is drawing near, and Hanoch has a large field ready for plowing. I will therefore move the land- marks of Hanoch, even to his highlands, and take to myself the field of Hanoch, and there we will raise corn for ourselves, and for our cattle Now the word of the Lord said unto Willti, cursed be he that remove his neighbor's landmark. But Willti did not regard the word of the Lord. And it came to pass, after Willti had received some encourag- ing words from Dato, Samidah, and Olitah, they all arose and traveled to the high lands of Hanoch and made them posts and planted them for landmarks. And behold, they cut off from Hanoch the greater part of his improvement, and continued their line towards the setting of the sun, even across the plains unto the River Nodi, and they returned home in high spirits, because they had met with no resistance from Hanoch, for Hanoch was too infirm to stand up for his rights. But the people were watching Willti, and they carried the matter before the judge of the country. Now the judge's name was 'Strong-force, because he had power given him to command all the mighty men of war, to go forth and execute his judgments. He was made judge by the breath of a multi- tude, and when he spake, he spake as a multitude, and his judgments were always right, for he executed righteously and acted in truth and justice. When Strong-force, the judge, heard that Willti had removed the landmarks of Hanoch, he sent forth some of his men of war to settle the matter, but said unto them, be gentle in the matter, and if Willti shall withdraw himself from the possession of Hanoch, it shall be well, and if not, you shall fetch him before me. So when they came to Willti, they were very gentle with him, and talked very easy before him. And Willti gave them a promise that he would not intrude on Hanoch's possession beyond the old landmark on Camp Hill. So the men of war returned to their homes, supposing all was right. But after they had left the tent of Willti, Samidah said unto Willti, How long wilt thou play the fool with Hanoch ? for behold these few men are all
j-The People.
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HISTORY OF NODAWAY COUNTY.
the friends that Hanoch has in the whole country, and cannot we raise a greater force than Hanoch ? And Willti said unto him, wait awhile, my son, until Dato returns home again, and we will see what we can do. Now Dato began to think himself a man, and had left home and gone to a far country to get him a wife, for he had hunted the country through for a wife, and could get none, for one said, his ears are too close to his mouth ; another said that his mouth crowdeth his ears ; so he had gone to find him a wife in some other country. So the matter between Willti and Hanoch was put to rest until Dato's return.
CHAPTER IV.
And after Dato had traveled over many countries, he returned to the tent of Willti, his father, with a down cast look, for behold, he could find no one that would become his wife. And when he was told of the ill success of Willti, his father, in robbing Hanoch, the son of Gyhor, of his possession, he was bowed down with grief and rage, so that he could not hold up his head for a time. And after Dato revived a little, Willti said unto him: My son, I have no rest because of Hanoch, for he hath many friends, so that he is secure, though he lifts not his hands against me. And Dato said unto him : I will go through the country and see how many of the people are Hanoch's friends, and I will tell the people that we are soldiers of Immanuel, and they will look upon us to be upright in heart. So Dato saddled his mule and commenced his journey, and examined the minds of the people, as he went to see if they were friendly towards Hanoch. And it came to pass that the people all spoke well of Hanoch, so Dato passed on until he came to the land of Gothic, where lived a man whose name was ""Manasticat," and when Manasticat saw Dato he bowed to him, and Dato bowed and lapped out his tongue. So when they had talked together a little Manasticat said unto Dato: Come down, I pray thee, from thy mule, and tarry with me, for the day is far spent. And Dato got down from his mule, and Manasticat con- ducted him to his castle. And it came to pass, when Dato went into the castle of Manasticat, that he spied a damsel on whom he set his heart to have her to wife, and when he had made known unto her his desires, behold she was well pleased, and said unto him, I will be thy wife.
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