USA > Missouri > Pike County > The history of Pike County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 34
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The house provided for was soon built and used for many years. It was described as a quaint building, having in one corner an inclosure for the colored people with a suitable entrance for them exclusively. The logs that once enclosed this sacred .spot are still doing duty in Ashley, and con- stitute the walls of the church for the colored people that stands near the Union Church.
About the year 1852 M. Moore was ordained as a ruling elder. At the
829
ASHLEY.
April meeting of 1864 W. M. Jones and Peter L. Branstetter were set apart to the ministry by a presbytery composed of Elders W. Davis, W. Priest, and T. P. Rodgers. The church has at this time perhaps no more uncon- promising defender of the old faith and order than Peter L. Branstetter, and it was through his kindly assistance that access was had to the records with- ont which this sketch could not have been prepared.
NEW SILOAM (REGULAR BAPTIST).
The Siloam. church in which the Regular Baptists still worship was built in 1868, and stands in Ashley township though near the Hartford township line. It is a structure of 46x32 feet and cost about $1,000. Elder W. Davis is still serving as pastor, but tells us his preaching days are about over, and that he must depend on younger men to take his mantle. From the very beginning he was a leading spirit in his branch of the church and in his younger days took great delight in defending the course he took, looking to a separation from the Missionary Baptists.
SILOAM CHURCH (MISSIONARY BAPTIST).
It now becomes our duty to revert to that remnant of the original Siloam that remained at the old site after they had been deprived of the church book, articles of faith, etc., or to that part of this old church that. accord- ing to the minutes of the Regular Baptists, had been excommunicated.
Notwithstanding all these perplexities, they claimed not only to be a church, but the original Siloam church, remaining " on original ground " in every sense of that word. They had, as they claimed, neither left the old premises nor discarded the old faith and remained within the pale of the Salt River Association. According to their own account, as found in the minutes kept from 1840, it was while E!der William Davis was preaching -- about the year 1841-that the noted controversy arose that resulted in dividing the church into two branches that have ever since maintained sep- arate organizations-the Missionary Baptists and the Regular Baptists.
The controversy arose from grave differences of opinion tonching meth- ods of church work and especially in regard to the subject of missions. It was, therefore, with respect to the subject of missions that Rev. Davis mainly took exceptions, and as he had a strong following, and was very decided in his convictions as to the path of duty, he proposed that " said church would leave the. Salt River Association, alleging that said association had gone into the missionary system, etc." Such is the language of the oldest record of the missionary wing of the church, from which we learn that this propo-
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
sition was vigorously opposed by a large number who " maintained that said association remained on original ground," and therefore refused to leave the association, taking the position that they were properly the Siloam church, even after the seceding wing-styled Regular Baptists-had carried away with them the church book. confession of faith, and rules of decorum, all of which, in the language of the record, "we think fully belong to us, and to which we fully subscribe, yet we are drawn to the necessity of adopting the following articles of faith and rules of decorum," which the minutes show to have belonged to "The United Baptist Church of Buck Run, Ken- tncky."
Of this church the following names appear as the constituent members: Samuel Parsons and Lucy Parsons, Levi Moore and Nancy Moore, Barzel Riggs and Eliza Riggs, Samuel Cruther, Mary Lovelace, Elizabeth Keith, Sarah Keith, Elizabeth B. Morris, Rhody Crow, Nancy Griffith, Sister E. Keith, James Moore, L. C. Mick, Reuben (a black man), Rachel (a black woman), Elizabeth A. Dismukes, Joseph Dismukes, George Hughs and Martha Hughs, Lewis Strader and Mary Strader. Accessions 'in 1843: Permelia HI. Keith, Matilda E. Rutherford, Harmon Hawkins, Thomas Rutherford. Accessions in 1844: H. G. Edwards, K. H. Johnson and wife, John Sisson and wife.
In 1841 David Hubbard served as one of the preachers and John H. Dun- can acted as clerk pro tempore.
In 1842 L. C. Musick occasionally preached, and Barzel Riggs was the regular clerk, whose minutes show that Rev. A. D. Landrain was at this time called to preach, and accepted at a salary of $25 per annum. Services with more or less regularity were continued until September 20, 1851, when
INDIAN CREEK CHURCH
was constituted at a meeting held for this purpose at the school-house of the Union district, township 51, range 3, west, in Hartford township. At this organization Walter MeQuie officiated, and in order to distinguish it from other churches the above appellation was adopted. Of this new church the following were the constituent members: Rev. Lewis Duncan, Thomas Weatherford, Levi Moore, James Shaw, Robert Shaw, Harriet Duncan, Nancy Moore, Matilda Weatherford, Julia Ann Shaw, Catharine Shaw and Margaret Reeds.
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ASHLEY.
WATSON SEMINARY.
This excellent institution of learning is located in the village of Ashley, but its sphere of usefulness is not circumscribed by the boundaries of the connty or even of those of the state. Its pupils have gone abroad and into many states of the Union, and by virtue of their scholastic attainments, and Christian enlture, become valuable members of the community. It is not too much to say that this seminary has its representatives in California, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Colorado, Kentucky, and other states. To these states as well as its own it has fur- nished ministers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, aud editors, to say nothing of its host of intelligent men and women in the humbler, though not less hon- ornble, walks of private life. The foundations of this school were laid by the will of Samuel Watson and the following charter:
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EXTRACT FROM THE WILL OF SAMUEL WATSON.
"Fourthly-I give and bequeath to my slave Esther her personal free- dom from me and my heirs, forever. *
"And I further give and bequeath the sum of five hundred dollars for the purpose of supporting her free from any public charge, should she live to become too old aud infirm to support herself. The said sum of $500 to be paid into the treasury of said county of Pike, under the direction of the county court of said county.
"And it is furthermore my will and desire that after the death of said Esther two hundred dollars of the said sum be set apart, and the same is hereby bequeathed to the said county of Pike for the purpose of sup- porting a free school for the poor of said eonnty.
"Fifthly-I give and bequeath to said county of Pike, the further sum of one hundred dollars for the purpose of supporting a free school for the poor of said county, and direct my executor to pay the same into the county treasury of said county under the direction of the county court. This with the before mentioned sum of two hundred dollars making the entire sum of three hundred dollars for the support of a free school for the poor. it is my will and desire shall be loaned under the direction of the county court of said county, and the interest to be added to the principal from year to year until there shall be some legal provision for free schools in this state, and whenever a free school shall be established in said county by law then it is my will and desire that the interest which may thereafter accrue on the sum total of principal and interest, up to the time of establishing sneh school, shall be annually appropriated towards defraying the expenses of
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
said public school, reserving the said three hundred dollars, and the interest that may have accrued thereon, before the establishment of such public free school, as a permanent fund.
CHARTER.
AN Act to incorporate Watson Seminary.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
"SECTION 1. A school is hereby established in the county of Pike by the name of the 'Watson Seminary,' in honor of Samuel Watson, deceased, of said county, the directors of which, when selected as hereinafter required, are hereby constituted a body politie and corporate with all the powers of a corporation ; and as such may sue and be sued, have a common seal, and such property, real and personal, as may be necessary and proper to effect the purpose of its creation, under the name and style of ' Watson Seminary.' "Sro. 2. The principal and interest of the fund donated by the said Samuel Watson, now under the control of the said county of Pike, shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, a permanent fund for the support of said seminary, and in addition thereto the amount of fines now in the treas- ury of said county, and all moneys that may hereafter acerne to said county by way of fine, penalty, or forfeiture, which shall be paid into the treasury of said county, as the same is paid in, shall be added to and become a part of said fund, and the whole shall be loaned ont as the ' Watson Fund' of said county is now loaned out, under the direction of the said county court, in sums of not less than one hundred dollars, the borrowers being solvent men, and required to give at least three good securities, and to pay annu- ally an interest not exceeding ten per cent for the use of the same.
"Src. 3. The bonds given by the borrowers of said fund shall be in the same form and payable at the same time, as is required by the general law in relation to township school moneys; and the county court shall have the same power to enforce the collection of the principal and to have the said bonds well secured as they have by the provisions of the law.
"SEc. 4. The county of Pike is hereby authorized to borrow, for county purposes, the amount now in the treasury of said county on account of fines, penalties, and forfeitures, and whatever amount may hereafter be paid in on the same account, the county paying interest as an individual borrower.
" SEc. 5. No part of the Watson Fund above constituted, by the provis- ions of the second section of this act, shall be appropriated for any por- pose whatever until, from the accumulation of interest thereon, and the payment of fines, penalties, and forfeitures, the whole fund shall amount to the sum of $2,000.
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ASHLEY.
"SEc. 6. When the fund shall reach the sum of $2,000, it shall be the duty of the county court of Pike county to give public. notice, by adver- tisement, that said seminary will be established at such place in said county as will contribute, or procure, the largest donations in money. or real estate, for the erection of buildings for said seminary, and for establishing and purchasing a library and suitable apparatus for the same, and which may in other respects be most advantageous for the location of said seminary. Said subscriptions shall designate the place where said seminary is to be located, and the amounts subscribed shall be secured to the satisfaction of the county court, and made payable to the county of Pike, and filed in the office of the clerk of the county court.
"SEC. 7. At the term of the county court of the county of Pike held next after the publication of the advertisement above mentioned, the said court shall appoint not less than three nor more than five commissioners, residents of one or more of the adjoining counties, who shall meet on a day fixed by said court, at the court-honse in Pike county, and examine said sub- scriptions, and shall fix upon the location of the said Watson Seminary at the place having the largest subscription in value in the opinion of said commissioners, and possessing the greatest advantages for the permanent location of said school. The said commissioners shall file a report, in writ- ing, of their proceedings with the clerk of said county court, and the place designated by a majority of said commissioners in their report, shall be the permanent location of said Watson Seminary.
"SEC. 8. So soon as the said seminary shall be permanently located, it shall be the duty of the county elerk to appoint nine directors, resident householders of the county, five of whom may be in the immediate vicinity of said seminary, who shall have the management of the same, receive prop- erty for the use of said school, appoint teachers, purchase a site for buildings, contract for their erection, and from time to time make rules and regulations for the government of the schools and the board, and for the management of the property belonging to the said seminary; but they shall contract no liability. nor contract any debt which will encroach upon the principal of the fund, nor shall they approriate the acerning interest or any part thereof, to any other purpose than the payment of teachers' wages.
"SEC. 9. At the first term of the county court, after the necessary build- ings are completed and the school is in operation, the county court shall draw their warrant upon the county treasurer for the amount of interest due for the preceding year, in favor of such officers as may be appointed for that purpose by the board of directors, and the same shall be done an- nually thereafter.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
"SEC. 10. It shall be the duty of the board of directors from time to time to examine into the securities and other evidences of debt belonging to said Watsou fund, and notify the court of the necessity of requiring additional security, or of their enforcing the payment of interest in arrears; and no di. rector shall borrow from said fund directly or indirectly.
"SEC. 11. The directors shall appoint such officers as may be necessary. and shall till all vacancies which may occur in their body by removal, resig- nation, or otherwise.
"SEc. 12. The directors shall biennially make a report to the superinten- dent of common schools. of the condition of said seminary, stating the uni- ber and ages of pupils. the branches studied, the price of tuition, the amount received from interest on the fund as well as from pupils, and any other in- formation calculated to show the condition of said school, also the property held by said seminary, and the amount of its indebtedness.
"SEC. 13. All the interest aceruing upon the fund donated by the said Samuel Watson, at the time of the appointment of said directors, shall be appropriated towards the education of any indigent youths in said county of Fike who may apply for the benefit of the same; and it shall be the duty of said board to have them educated at said seminary withont charge of tuition, use of room, or any apparatus that may belong to said school.
"SEC. 14. The board shall adopt some plan by which selection can be made from said applicants for the benefit of this portion of the fund, and by which the number of the beneficiaries may be limited according to the annual interest accruing upon the same.
"SEC. 15. It shall be the duty of the board to make provision for the selection of any young men of good moral character, and industrious hab- its, and residents of the county, not exceeding ten in any one year, who may attend said seminary free of charge: Provided, the said young men will give satisfactory assurance to said board that they will teach in some ยท primary or common schools in the county, or state, at least one year after he or they have left the seminary: Provided, further, that no such student shall continne longer than two scholastic years at said seminary 'on such terms, nor shall any such young men under the age of sixteen years be taken into said seminary upon the terms prescribed in this section.
"SEC. 16. The board of directors shall prescribe the branches of learn- ing which shall be taught, fix the prices of tuition for such students as do not attend under the provision of any one of the last three preceding sec- tions, receive any donation of maps, books, or other property for the use of said school, and carefully preserve the same, and keep a minute of their proceedings.
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ASHLEY.
"SEC. 17. The fines, penalties, and forfeitores accruing to said county of Pike, after the organization of said seminary, shall still be paid into the county treasury, and be applied to the increase of said permanent fund:
"SEC. 18. An act entitled . An act to establish the Watson Free School,' approved February 23, 1843, is hereby repealed, as are all other acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act.
"This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. " Approved January 25, 1847."
The order of the county court advertising for bids (see section six of char- ter) was printed in the Northeast Missourian, and dated August 11, 1853. On the seventh day of November, 1853, the citizens of Bowling Green and vicinity, and Ashley and vicinity, each filed subscriptions, Bowling Green's being $3,000 in money and the old seminary building, valued at $500; and Ashley's 84,375 in money and four acres of land valued at $400. Thus Ashley was the successful bidder and obtained the location.
Location .- At the February term of the county court of 1854 commis- sioners were appointed by the court to examine subscriptions, site, etc. (see section seven of charter), and in accordance with their report Watson Sem- inary was located at Ashley.
Directors .- At the same term of the court the following gentlemen were appointed as the first board of directors: W. A. Harris. Simeon P. Rob- inson, John McCormick, Joshna Sylvester, Samuel F. Murray, Dr. John C. Wellburn, Peter Carr, Samnel N. Purse, and Philander Draper.
The county court by its order of June 9, 1854, turned over the subscrip- tion paper to this board of directors for collection. The board organized February 4, 1854, by electing John McCormick, president, Joshua Sylves- ter, secretary ; and accepted the site for the building, tendered by Lemuel M. Wells in his subscription. The building was let to contract September +, 1854, Conrad Smith, of Louisiana, obtaining the contract.
Principals .- The board elected Rev. J. B. Poage as principal, October 25, 1834. to take charge of the seminary from first Tuesday in April, 1855, when school was to open. This position he held until June, 1860. On the 11th day of June, 1860, the board elected Prof. John A. McAfee, one of the first pupils of the seminary, and afterwards a graduate of Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, as principal for a term of five years. At the ex- piration of this time he was re-elected and served until June, 1867, when he resigned. Rev. B. D. Thomas was, on the 24th of September. 1867. elected as principal for a period of five years, but tendered his resignation June 20, 1868, which was accepted. Prof. Joseph C. Watkins was elected
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
principal August 31, 1868, for a term of one year, but by re-election !. remained at the head of the school until June, 1881, when he tendered hi- resignation. On the 21st of June, 1881, the board elected the present in .. enmbent, Prof. J. D. Blanton, as principal for a term of five years. P're ; B. is an accomplished scholar and a genial gentleman, and is in the vigor .. young manhood. Under his management the school promises to sustain. the excellent reputation that it has achieved in the past.
Litigation .- The legislature of Missouri having attempted by the passage of various acts at different times to so alter, amend, and repeal the charter as to withhold the fines, forfeitures, and penalties accruing in the county from Watson Seminary, and also to change the mode of electing the direct. ors, etc., and the county court withholding said fines, etc., in obedience to said acts, compelled the board of directors to resort to the courts for redress. A suit was brought in the circuit court of Pike county before Judge G. Porter, and tried at the March term of 1871, resulting in favor of the sem- inary. The committee to which this business was referred made the fol- lowing report :
" To the Board of Directors of Watson Seminary:
" Your committee appointed for the purpose of instituting proceedings to test the legality of the act of the legislature, repealing that part of our charter placing all the fines, forfeitures, and penalties accruing in the county of Pike in the Watson Fund, would respectfully report that we employed Elijah Robinson, Esq., to take charge of the case, and that upon his motion the case was argued before his honor Judge G. Porter, at the March term of 1871 of the Pike county circuit court, and resulted in the court granting a writ of peremptory mandamns requiring the county court to return to the Watson Fund all the fines, forfeitures, and penalties that have accrued since the repeal of our charter and now placed to the credit of the county per- manent school fund.
" May 8, 1871.
" Respectfully submitted. " P. B. BELL, "Chairman of Committee."
The county court again withholding the fines, etc., in obedience to an- other act passed by the legislature, from the Watson Fund, another suit was brought and tried in the circuit court of Ralls county in May, 1882, before Judge Bruce, and again decided in favor of Watson Seminary.
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ST. CLEMENT.
ST. CLEMENT.
This quaint little village is located on the gravel road leading from Bow- ling Green to Ashley. Its distance from the latter town is about two miles. At this time there are here congregated about fifty families of Germanic extraction and of the Catholic faith. Originally these came from the pro- vinces of Hanover and Westphalia in Prussia, bringing with them the re- ligion, language, habits, and customs of their ancestors. To perpetuate these, as they have a right to do in free America, they have built a church and established a school, both of which are well supported for a town of its population. A number of lots have been laid out and sold to persons who contemplate the erection of buildings on them in the near future. The beautiful prairie in which the village is so snugly nestled affords ample room for the growth of the town.
The very first who were attracted to this fine location were Clement Grote and William Klumpe, who, in 1870. bought 1,000 acres of land and commenced farming in partnership. The first family consisted of the hus- band, wife, and three sons-Clement, Henry, and Joseph; and three dangh- ters -- Christina, Caroline, and Mary. The second family had one daughter, Maggie. During the same year came Herman Deters and their son George; Theodore Johnson and wife, and their son Bernard; Henry Albers and wife and their daughter Mary; Henry Brockland and wife. The last two families did not, however, long remain. In 1871 came Joseph Wilmes and wife. and two sons and two daughters; in 1872 Mrs. Maggie Linhoff and son Frank, and step-sou Hermann Bushman; Godfried Greve and wife, and sou Frederick. In 1873 came Henry Bimslager and wife. Subsequently these were joined by Ernest Pohlmann, Henry Grote and wife and two sons, Jo- seph Grote and wife and son Clement, George Koster and wife and two children-George and Annie.
ST. CLEMENT'S CHURCH (CATHOLIC)
is a brick structure, costing about $2.000, well furnished, having two altars, a statue of the Blessed Virgin, one of St. Clement, and seating capacity of about 700. This church was built in 1873, Messrs. Grote and Klumpe be- ing the principal promoters of the enterprise. At first the services were ir- regular, there being no stationed priest. The first regular pastor stationed was Charles Brokmeir, who came on the 15th of November, 1852, and has since that time performed the priestly functions. This official was born in Germany, in the province of Westphalia, where he spent nine years at the gymnasium, coming to New York in 1875, and finishing his theological
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
studies at St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1830, when he was ordained and stationed for two years at St. Nicholas Church, St. Louis. Missouri, from which he came to this place. His congregation is regular and constantly increasing.
ST. CLEMENT'S SCHOOL.
. was opened about six years ago. The branches taught are those usually found in our public schools, supplemented by the catechism and other works peculiar to the church. At present about forty pupils are in attendance under the management of the priest. The school-house is a neat little frame building, erected about two years ago.
BUSINESS.
The town contains one store, handling dry goods, hardware, and groceries, and one blacksmith and wagon shop.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ASIILEY TOWNSHIP.
James A. Barbee. This gentleman, the son of Bratcher B. and Adaline (James) Barbee, was born in Kentucky December 25, 1824. His parents were natives of Fauquier county, Virginia, from which state they moved to Kentucky, and afterwards, in 1834, they came with their children to Pike county and settled in Cuivre township. Here he continued to reside until 1845, when he removed to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where he lived until 1863, when he again settled in Pike county. Mr. Barbee lost his first wife in December, 1828, by whom he had three children, James A., May P., and William C. Barbee. Some time after Mrs. Barbee's death her husband was again married, this time to his wife's sister, Hannah James, by whom he had one child, Adaline. Mr. Barbee lived for some years with his sons James A. and William, after his return from Wisconsin. He worked for many years at the trade of the shoemaker. He was very industrious and was always employed. He was also fond of hunting, and was an expert with the rifle. He was generons to a fault, upright in his dealings, and a firmn believer in the doctrines of Christianity. James 1. Barbee. the son of the above and the subject of this sketch, was reared a farmer. and received such an education as the schools of the country at that time afforded. For be-
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