USA > Missouri > Pike County > The history of Pike County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
James Norton Henderson, horticulturist and dealer in fruit, is the son of James and Mary (Dawson) Henderson. He was born near Danville, Virginia, December 25, 1532, and in the year following his birth he came to Missouri with his parents, who settled in Lincoln county, where they both died in 1836. He was then taken by friends and raised until old enough to provide for himself. He was educated by attending the ordinary subscription school then in vogue. When eighteen years of age, in 1850, he went to California where he mined successfully until 1832, when he re- turned to Pike county, Missouri, and engaged in teaching school in Calumet township in the vicinity of Clarksville up to 1854, when he came to Louis- iana and was employed in the law office of his brother, Hon. John B. Hen- derson, as a clerk and an assistant for nearly two years, when in the summer of 1855 he engaged in the manufacture of plug tobacco, being associated with G. W. Thurmon, Thomas Cash, and John B. Strange in the firm style of Cash, Henderson, Strange & Co., who were the pioneer tobacco manufac- turers of Louisiana. They did a profitable business up to November 11, 1867, when their factory was burned, involving a loss of $30,000. In 1868 he went to Keokuk, Iowa, where, with Messrs. Cash and Strange, he again engaged in the manufacture of tobacco in the firm name of J. N. Hender- son & Co. They discontinuing the business in 1870, he then engaged in buying leaf tobacco at various points on the Missouri River and shipping it to the St. Louis market up to 1578, when he began to deal in and raising fruit in the vicinity of Louisiana city. During 1857, 1855, 1839, and 1:00,
743
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
he served as councilman in the city council of Louisiana. December, 1856, he married Ione Bartlett, daughter of Dr. E. M. Bartlett of Louisiana city, by whom he has one son, Merrill.
Edward A. McQuie, a farmer of Buffalo township, was born near Lou- isiana, Pike county, Missouri, March 1, 1838. He is the son of William L. McQQuie, a pioneer of Pike county, who came from Kentucky in 1829. He lived with his parents until manhood, when, becoming of age, in 1859, he made a trip to California, after which he returned to his father's homestead and remained until March, 1864, when he, with Dr. A. C. Robinson and William Griffith, went to Idaho Territory. En ronte they encamped at l'lumb Creek, in Nebraska, where he was accidentally shot in the arm. They arrived at Bannock City in July, 1864. During that summer they prospected in the vicinity of Bannock City, and during the fall he and Dr. Robinson built a house for the use of the first legislature of Montana Terri- tory, that territory having been recently formed out of a part of Idaho. In March, 1565, he left Bannock City and went to German Gulch, where he remained until the fall, when he received the intelligence that his father, on account of failing health incident to old age, could not carry on the farm, and he was requested to return home. Being eighty miles from Bannock City, he contemplated purchasing a horse to ride that distance, and being offered one at a price much lower than horses were selling at, suspecting the men, six of them, of being horse thieves, asked the question: "Gentlemen, where are you from?" which seemingly kindled their anger. While on his way to Bannock City he met two of the same gang, who, by circuitous routes, had headed him off, and evidently designing to take his life, fearing expo- sure, but being on his guard and well armed, he succeeded in reaching Ban- nock City the next day, and while taking dinner with Dr. Robinson four of the gang were hung at Virginia City for stealing the same horses offered to him the day before. He, with Dr. Robinson, undauntedly, set out for Mis- souri, and on their way they were lost in the mountains one day. Finding their way to Fort Collins they there joined a company of ninety-six men for self-protection against the Indians. On the Platte River they were attacked by the Indians. No one was killed but they lost eleven horses. They arrived safely in Pike county in October, 1865. He then assumed the con- trol of the homestead farm and the care of his aged parents. His father is still living at the advanced age of ninety-three. His mother died October 8, 1873, at the age of seventy-four. September S, 1870, he was united in marriage with Fannie W., daughter of Judge Robert Field of Saline county, Missouri, the Rev. William B. Bell officiating. They had born to them
!
744
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
two children: Fannie M., April 13, 1875, and Edward L., September 14, 1877. who died March 1, 1881.
William Alexander MeQuie is the second son of William L. and Mar- tha ( Morrison) MeQuie, and was born near Hickman, Jessamine county, Kentucky, November 13, 1827. He came with his parents to Missouri when he was nine months old, they settling in Pike county, in the vicinity of Lonisiana where he was raised. He was edneated by attending the com- mon subscription schools in his boyhood and the Wood's Academy at Lou- isian. After becoming of age, in 1849, he went overland to California, his associates and camp-mates being John Burnett, now Governor of Oregon, E. B. Rule, deceased, late of Louisiana city, and Charles Duke, a revenue collector of California. They left Louisiana city, April 9, with a train of nine wagons, and were en route some six months when they reached Sacra- mento, where they equipped themselves for mining. After mining on the American and Ynba rivers some eighteen months, he, with T. Ford and J. Burnett, engaged in butchering and dealing in mining supplies, which busi- ness he followed until the fall of 1851, when he returned to Pike county. He then purchased the farm on which he now lives, and has engaged in farming ever since. March 29, 1855, he married Fanny Lingenfelter, of Fayette county, Kentucky, who died near Louisiana, Angust 24, 1871. October 15, 1878, he married for his second wife Mrs. Rebecca Ruder, rel- ict of Capt. Alhambra Ruder, an old and highly esteemed Missouri River steamboat pilot and captain, and daughter of Frederick J. Wiseman, Esq., deceased, an old resident of Louisiana city. In 1871, he with others, estab- lished the Bank of Pike County, he being a stockholder and one of the directors, which unfortunately was obliged to suspend in 1875 on account of the misappropriation of money in private speculation by the cashier. by which transaction he with others lost heavily. He enjoys one of the most pleasant homes in Pike county. Its surroundings show thrift and taste, and its interior. though nnostentatious, indicates culture and refinement, and the presence of a skillful housewife. Himself and wife are members of the M. E. Church South, of Louisiana city, of which he has held the office of trustee and steward for a number of years.
Thomas Jefferson Nalley, a farmer of Buffalo township, is a son of the late James S. and Matilda (Rector) Nalley. They came to Missouri in 1825, and settled for a short time at Bowling Green, Pike county, when they located on a farin five miles west of Louisiania, where the subject of this sketch was born January 27, 1856, and was there raised. His father dying February 25, 1875, he continued to live with his mother until
745
BIOGRAPHICAL, SKETCHES.
becoming of age, when he inherited the homestead. He was educated in the public schools of his neighborhood. October 11, 1876, he married Clarissa D., daughter of William Brysou, of Pike county. They have two children, James William and Thomas Jefferson, Jr. He is a member of the Nalley Chapel. M. E. Church South, of which he is recording steward.
George Keesecker Pilzer, a farmer of Buffalo township, was born near Falling Waters, Berkeley county, Virginia, September 12. 1814, where he was raised a farmer and lived until October, 1836, when he came to Mis- sonri, arriving at Louisville, Lincoln county, November 24 of that year. Ile remained there until March, 1839, when he came to Pike county and farmed as a renter until 1548, when he purchased a tract of wild land three miles sontheast of Louisiana, that is now his homestead, where he has pur- sned farming and horticulture ever since. April 6, 1843, he married Eliz- abeth Jane Venerable, of Pike county, and who died October 30, 1845, leav- ing a daughter, Elizabeth Jane, wife of Christopher Butts, of Audrain county. He married for his second wife, Hester Jane Estes, of Pike county, December 3, 1849, by whom he has five sons and one daughter.
Robert Barber Price. a farmer of Buffalo township, is the third of four sons of Jolin and Anna ( Barber) Price, who were natives of North Carolina and came to Missouri in 1519 and located in Pike county, on land three and a half miles southwest of Louisiana city, where he was born, January 19, 1821, and raised. He lived on the homestead with his parents until Octo- ber 8, 1846, when he married Phebe. daughter of Nicholas and Peggy (Cox) Gremmett, pioneers of Pike county, who came from Virginia in 1832. He theu farmed a part of the homestead as a renter after the death of his par- ents, his father dying in 1864 and his mother in 1873. He purchased the interest the other heirs had in the homestead, where he still lives and pursnes farming. Having spent his whole lite on the farm on which he was born it is not varied or eventful. They have four children: John N. and Win. H., farmers of Pike county, and Edna and Edward, at home.
Edward B. Rule. M. D., of Buffalo township, was born on a farm in Spencer township, Pike county, August 2. 1848. He lived with his parents in Pike, Audrain, and Ralls counties until 1868, he being mostly educated in Ralls county. In that year he began the study of medicine in the office of Drs. Buckner & Ayres, at Louisiana, and was under their preceptorship until he graduated as M. D. from the St. Louis Medical College in 1971, after taking two courses of lectures. He then located on Grassy Creek, in the vicinity of the Reading post-office, and where he has been in constant practice ever since. Since 1873 he has also been engaged in breeding Short- 47
746
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Horn cattle. March 7, 1872, he was married to Miss Nareissus T., daughter of John Reading. of Buffalo township. Himself and wife are members of the Nalley Chapel, M. E. Church South, of Grassy Creek.
John Eastin Shannon, a farmer of Buffalo township, was born on a farm near Lexington, Missouri, September 10, 1821. When he was one year old he came with his parents, William and Margaret (Eastin) Shannon, to Pike county, they settling on Peno Creek, twelve miles west of Louisi- ana, where he was raised and lived until manhood. When he was twenty- three years of age his father gave him 240 acres of unimproved land, of which he made a farm, where he lived six years, up to 1851, when he ex- changed it for the farm on which he now lives, on Noix Creek, four miles west of Louisiana, then containing 420 acres, to which he has added by sub- sequent purchases 500 acres, making in all 980 acres. Mr. Shannon being raised from the time he was one year old in Pike county, and not seeking any political honors, but devoting his life to the pursuits of husbandry. the history of his life is uneventful. With the exception of his'nsual hunting excursions, of which from boyhood he has been fond, and a trip to California of several months, he has never absented himself from his farm. On going to California, in 1864, he was accompanied by Marion and Richard Biggs and William Holliday. Their train consisted of eighteen wagons and 200 head of horses and mules, which they were taking there to sell, requiring forty meu for teamsters and assistants. They arrived in Sacramento in June, and after disposing of their stock, returned in October, via Panama. Although past sixty years of age, he takes his yearly autumn hunts in the wilds of southern and western Missouri, and the Indian territory, and Ar- kansas. He loves to recount his adventures, and jokingly claims to be the only man in Pike county who has killed a bear. He is a careful, prudent man, and his home and its surroundings indicate taste and thrift. October 24, 1844, he married Margaret B., daughter of William Biggs, and a grand- daughter of Rev. Davis Biggs, a pioneer Baptist preacher of Pike county. They have seven children: Emnina, wife of Dr. William Salmons, of Louis- ville, Missouri; William O., of Audrain county; MeCune, of Montgomery connty; Richard M., of Audrain county; Minnie, wife of M. B. Halliday, of Pike county; John B., a student of the Missouri State University; and Peggie, at home. Himself, wife, and four of his children are members of the Noix Creek Baptist Church, of which he has been clerk since 1845.
John Johnson Smith, a pioneer mill-wright and carpenter of Pike coun- ty. was born near Owensburgh, Kentucky, October 28, 1812. He came with his parents to Missouri in 1817, they settling in the following year on
747
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Grassy Creek, then St. Charles county. His father dying when he was fourteen years of age, he continued to make his home with his mother on the home farm, but learned, millwrighting with his uncle, John Johnson, which trade he followed until 1837, when he began to work at the carpen- ter's trade, and has followed it ever since. October 19, 1837, he married Martha W. Yeater, of Pike county, who died on Grassy Creek, in Buf- falo township, December 19, 1875. By her he had seven children: William B .; Mary E., wife of William L. Caverly; Medora Ann, wife of Lafayette Reading; Martha J., wife of Horace McLeod; Lena, wife of William Love; Zachary T., and Joseph H., all residing in Pike county. He is a member of the Grassy Creek Baptist Church. He is a member of Perseverance Lodge No. 92. A. F. & A. M., of Louisiana city.
Joseph Henry Smith, a farmer of Buffalo township, was born on the farm on which he now lives, five miles west of Louisiana, October 13, 1853. He is the son of John J. and Martha W. ( Yeater) Smith, and was raised at his birthplace and lived with his parents until manhood. After becoming of age he remained on the homestead, which he farmed on the shares for his father. and in March, 1881, he purchased a one-half interest of his father. Being born and raised on the same place his life is not an eventfal one. Being raised a farmer he follows that avocation exclusively. January 6, 1880, he married Ella Collins, of Louisiana city. They have one child, Arthur Ray. He is a member of Grassy Creek Baptist Church, and his wife of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Louisiana.
Samuel Allyn Stillman was born in Enfield. Hartford county, Con- neeticut, May 21. 1821. He was raised at his birthplace and in the city of Ilartford, Connecticut. He finished his education at the latter place when he was seventeen. He then entered the hat store of his cousin, Peter D. Stillinan. as a clerk, and was with him until becoming of age in 1842, when he returned to Enfield and engaged in farming on his father's homestead until his death in 1849, when he took charge of the homestead as one of the heirs, where he lived and pursued farming until 1854 when, the home- stead being sold, he went to Iowa and purchased a farm near Garnavillo, and followed farming there until selling his farm in 1866, when he came to Louisiana city, and became the first proprietor of the Globe Hotel, which he kept until 1880, when he retired from the hotel and engaged in horticul- ture and agriculture in the vicinity of Louisiana. He prides himself in bee culture, and has the most extensive apiary in the county. He yearly supplies the market with about 2,000 pounds of honey, there being a great
748
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
demand for his brand. He is also a successful fruit-grower, and owns an excellent young orchard. May 21, 1845, he married Miss Jane Eliza Burt of Massachusetts, by whom he has eight children: Mabel E., wife of C. S. Gleason, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Emma J., wife of J. M. Guile, of Lou- isiana city; William Burt, of Texas; Kibbie, at home; Cora F. F., wife of W. E. Tower, of Roodhouse, Illinois; Allyn J. and Gena, at home; Liska, attending the Nebraska State University at Lincoln, Nebraska. He also has an adopted daughter, Lottie, wife of W. R. Guillam, of Vandalia, Mis- souri, who is dearly beloved by the family, and is considered one of them.
Clayborne Martin Thurman, a pioneer of Pike county, is a native of Kentucky, and was born near Stanford August 4, 1807. When he was twelve years of age, his father being dead, he came to Missouri with his mother and grandparents, who settled in Lincoln county, at Woods's Fort, now Troy, where, in 1820, his mother married James Burnes, with whom he came to Pike county in 1821, and lived with him in Buffalo township until 1826, when he with four of his neighbors went to Galena, Illinois, on foot, to find employment in the lead mines. He worked in the lead mines on Fever River four months, when he enlisted in the U. S. army under General Dodge as a soldier in the Winnebago Indian War, and served five months, when peace was declared. He then returned to Galena where he continued to mine until 1825, when he returned to Pike county. He soon after entered a quarter of a section of land six miles south of Louisiana. He afterwards entered several parcels of land amounting in all to 3,000 acres. He then engaged extensively in farming, at one time having 300 acres of wheat. He also became quite a slaveholder, owning twenty-one at the breaking ont of the late war, all of which were emancipated. In 1866 he abandoned farming and purchased the steam ferry-boat at Louisiana city, which he owned and run up to 1876, when he sold it and then built a steam freight boat which he run one season, when it was sunk by the ice the following winter, after which he resided at Lonisiana and was engaged in settling up his business and making an effort to save his property, he having become deeply involved by domestic trouble and losing heavily on account of the war. In 1980 he left Louisiana city to reside with his son Joseph near that place, where he still lives. March 14, 1833, he married Rebecca Mackey, daughter of Capt. John Mackey of Calumet townsip, Pike county, who died March 1, 1852, by whom he has two children living: Joseph M. and George W. In 1862 he married Mrs. Susan Ann Griffith, they living together two years when they separated.
749
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHIES.
Joseph M. and George W. Thurman, sons of C. M. Thurman, were born in Buffalo township, Pike county, October 8, 1847, and July S, 1850, respectively. They lived with their father until manhood. They are both farmers of Buffalo township. December 12, 1878, Joseph M. married Mrs. Ellen Thurman, and lives on the homestead. In June, 1880, George W. married Miss Kate Jobnson of Illinois. They have one child, Susie Rebecca.
John Turner, a farmer of Buffalo township, was born in St. Louis county, Missouri, September 11, 1814. His father, John Turner, came from South Carolina in 1811 to Pike county, Missouri, and located on land that is now the Louisiana fair ground, but on account of the hostility of the Indians in 1813 he, with his fellow pioneers, built a fort near a spring, on land that is now the Isgrig farin. The fort is known as Buffalo Fort. He remained in the fort until the spring of 1814, when he removed to St. Louis county, where our subject was born as before stated. He came with his parents to Pike county in 1818, they settling seven miles south of Louisiana, where he was raised and lived with them until 1839. when he began to do for himself as a fariner, on a traet of land given him by his father, containing eighty acres, to which he has since added 200 acres more. He pursued farming until 1854, when he engaged in coopering, and the farm was carried on by his sons. March 21, 1839, he married Martha Shy of Pike county, by whom he has five children: Minerva Jane, wife of Joseph M. Anderson of Vernon county, Missouri; Samuel W .; Mary Louisa, wife of John McLeod; James A .; and Martha P., wife of Samuel Scott, all of Pike county, Missouri. Himself and wife are members of the Buffalo Cumberland Presbyterian Church of which he has been a ruling elder for thirty-six years.
750
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVIH.
CUIVRE TOWNSHIP.
Introduction-Topography-Spring Hollow Lime Works-Old Settlers-Rer. John Mattheus' School-Early Modes of Living-Mount Pisgah Baptist Church-Schools. BOWLING GREEN-The Court-House- Business Interests-Ciric Societies -- Churches- Bowling Green College-Biographies.
This is the middle or central township of the county, and within its lim- its and near the center of the same is situated the town of Bowling Green, the capital of Pike. Cuivre is irregular in form, and is bordered by six of the other townships of the county. It embraces one hundred and one sec- tions and has an aggregation of over 64,000 acres of land.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The mean elevation of the township is not far from $00 feet above the tide, which gives both tone and rarity to the atmosphere; while the absence of swamps and lagoons contributes much to the health of the people. The western, southern, and central portions of the township are made up of broad stretches of prairie whose undulating surface contributes alike to the drainage of the lands and the beanty of the scenery. In the northern and eastern portions of Cuivre are to be found some timber, covering the bills that project themselves above the surrounding country and lining the mar- gins of the streams, whose clear waters hasten to mingle with those of the Mississippi. The soils of this township, while not to be compared to the rich lands of Calumet, are by no means either poor or unproductive, but on the contrary yield a rich return for the labor bestowed. Indeed the prairie lands, once regarded as almost worthless, are gradually and constantly de- veloping elements of prodnetiveness which surprise even the oldest and best farmers of every portion of the county.
Within the last few years public opinion respecting the relative in- trinsic values of the wooded and prairie portions of the township has under- gone a very radical change, and at this time the preference is largely given to the prairie, especially when these lands can be bought at less than half the cost of the good timbered lands of the county. This township, which is already fairly settled and developed, is constantly receiving new acces- sions of farmers from the best class of immigrants, coming from Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, and other states, attracted here by the cheapness and fer- tility of the land and the beauty of the peaceful and pastoral landscape. The manner of cultivation is every year improving and the generous scil liberally responds to the farmer's care. With surface drainage, subsoiling,
751
CUIVRE TOWNSHIP.
and the use of an alkali, the time is not far distant when the prairie lands of Cuivre will be sought after as the ne plus ultra in this portion of the com- monwealth of Missouri.
As a grazing district this township is unsurpassed. The native grasses are highly nutritious and as a fat-producing element are unexcelled, while the beautiful blue-grass, which appears indigenous to the soil, is sure to sneceed the eating out or disappearance of the former. Timothy also grows luxuriantly, and while supplying the hay necessary to winter use likewise furnishes the late or early pasturage. ..
The stone supply of the township is both varied and abundant. Near Bowling Green are several quarries of building stone whose beauty and dur- ability are unsurpassed, and nothing but an unfortunate location with re- spect to facilities for transportation has prevented the investment of large capital with the view of supplying the cities of the country with a building stone which, while admitting of the highest polish, has never been known to be even partially affected by the action of the weather. Limestone also abounds in unlimited quantities and as pure as can be found anywhere in Missouri or the west.
-
As touching the water supply of Cuivre but little can be said. The streams known as Peno, Sulphur, Noix, with branches of the Cuivre, drain the township and furnish for the most part the requisite stock water, while the springs and cisterns meet the demands of the people for drinking, culi- nary, and other family purposes. The watershed which divides the waters of the above named streams is made up of a good part of the town of Boy- ling Green, whose highest point is on Centennial avenue, near the C. & A. depot, and where the land. sloping in four directions, apportions among as many streams the waters which, by different courses, are to reach the same great river and together flow onward to the sea.
SPRING HOLLOW LIME WORKS.
The abore kiln or works is situated about one-fourth of a mile east of the town, of Bowling Green in a gulch or ravine long known as " Spring Hol- low." The land upon which the quarry is situated was purchased in 187- by P. P. Parker for a very small consideration, and was at the time consid- ered almost worthless, but after a test of the stone had been made in 1878, and the quality of lime which it produces being recognized by the local masons as first-class, an old fashioned pot-kiln was built in 1879, and the lime burned gave such general satisfaction that a patent kiln was con- strueted in 1881 at a cost of near two thousand dollars, the product of which
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.