Cass County, Missouri - Chapter 16: Townships, Towns and Streams, 1917

At this late date it is no easy task to write the story of a county whose history, if properly written, is so intensely interesting. We expect criticism. Some will find errors ; that is expected. Do not censure, but gather the facts as best you can. Thereby the future occupants of our beloved county, between our joint efforts, may discern and gather the truth.

This volume is a chronicle of events and persons, as we have gath¬ ered from the best sources obtainable and from personal knowledge. The writer was born in the confines of the county and has lived his sixty-five years upon her soil. These years reach back to a date over¬ lapping the lives of others who were of the very earliest settlers and from recollections of what these pioneers have said much of this story is made.

However, before we tell the story of those who settled first and their hardships, privations and joys, let us in some systematic way tell the story embodying the greatness of the county from wealth and accom¬ plishments. For, if we are nothing now, little does it matter from whence we came, or who we are. Our industries are worthy of men¬ tion, the agriculture, horticulture, mines, stock and dairy business, com¬ mercial enterprises, transportation, geology, natural resources, churches, schools, professions, press, banks, fraternal orders, and other matters affecting the growth and development of the county, deserve and will receive attention, as best we can gather.

Statistics, the rise and disappearance of towns, early explorers, traders, trappers and hunters, and Indian lore we desire to incorporate herein. None, we know, will be perfect. May others by reading these pages be stimulated to do better.

Look at any State map and see we are located near the center of the western border of Missouri State, practically forty miles south of the mouth of the Kaw - south of Kansas City, near the center of the United States. There is Kansas on our west line, north line of town¬ ship forty-six making our north line, while Grand River part of the way and the south line of township forty-three is our south line, and our east border adjoins Henry and Johnson Counties. Jogging along sections in east part of range twenty-nine, all west of the fifth prin¬ cipal meridian and particularly bounded in our prefatory. The county contains in round figures seven hundred and twelve square miles and four hundred and sixty thousand acres. The county is at present divided into eighteen municipal townships with the significant names of Polk, suggestive of President Polk; Pleasant Hill, after the beautiful emi¬ nence and city at the north part; Big Creek, after a stream crossing it; Raymore, after two men, Ray and Moore; Mt. Pleasant, from a high promontory around which it nestles; Union, suggestive class of early settlers; Peculiar and West Peculiar, both from the origin of the first postoffice therein; Dolan and West Dolan, from an old settler by that name; Grand River, a stream by that name; Camp Branch, a stream by the same name; Index, some early inhabitant's imagination; Sherman, after an Ohio statesman and general; Dayton, an early statesman of the Union; Austin, after an early settler of that locality; Everett, reminds us of a candidate for vice-president and perhaps some admirer has per¬ petuated the name; and Coldwater, after its clear, fine, gushing springs of cold water.

At present there are towns, namely, Dayton, Main City, Austin and Everett, all off from any railroad; then there is Harrisonville, the county seat, Pleasant Hill, Belton, Drexel, Garden City, Peculiar, Creigh¬ ton, East Lynne, Strasburg, Freeman, West Line, Cleveland, Raymore, Archie, Lone Tree, Coleman, Jaudon, Daugherty, Gunn City, Lisle, Win¬ gate and Hadsell are towns on some of our seven railroads crossing the county. There are other railroad stops as follows: Ord, Kimpton, Bar¬ ton, Prettyman, Harrelson, Jaudon and West Belton. Former towns

The streams are Crawford Branch, Lick Branch, North, South, Middle and Main Grand River, Big Creek, Camp Branch, Sugar Creek, Black's Creek, Eight Mile, Tennessee, Town Creek, Muddy, and per¬ haps other small rivulets only known to be named by close neighbors.