Clay County, Missouri - Chapter 10: During the Year 1864, 1885

Chapter 10: During the Year 1864

Jayhawker raid on Missouri City - Tiie Federal Draft - Busliwhacker's Raid - Fletch Taylors' First Raid, and Murder of Bond and Daily - He Kills the Bigelows - His Letter to Capt. Garth - His Skirmish on Fishing River with Capt. Kemper - Miscellaneous War Items - Ford's and Jennison's Visit which They were not Invited to Repeat - Bill Anderson - Other War Incidents - Census - Presidential Election.

On the night of the 20th of Jiinunry, 18G4, a company of 40 thieves led by a man calling himself "Maj. Sanders," of Jennison's regiment of Kansas jayhawkers, crossed the river from Jackson county and captured Missouri City, then held by a small force of enrolled militia, under Capt. Geo. S. Story, of this county. Capt. Story was made prisoner and guarded, though in attempting an escape he was shot at. The robbers then plundered B. W. Nowlin's store of $2,000 worth of goods and fled.

In February the Federal draft caused no little disquietude in the county. Public meetiugs were held to encourage voluntary enlistments in the U. S. service, and the county court offered a bounty of $200 for each recruit so enlisting from this county. Under calls from the President previous to December 19, 1864, the full quota of men required from Clay had been 398, and the number furnished 407, making a surplus of 9. Under the call of December 19, 1864, the qut)ta was fixed at 98, and 47 were furnished, leaving a deficiency of 51.

Bushwhacker Raids

In the early summer of 1864 bands of bushwhackers and guerrillas invaded Clay county and began operations. Many Clay county men Ijelonged to them, and they found numerous friends and sympathizers here who aided and abetted them when it was possible to do so with reasonable safety. The war had been in progress so long, and had been waged with such bitterness on the border of Missouri, that people had come to possess the most intense hatred and animosity on the subject. Many Confederate sympathizers favored anything tliat would (246) injure the Fetleral Ciiuse, and as the bushwhackers chiiined to be fighting that cause exclusively, and did really fight the military representatives occasionally, it was deemed proper to aid them by at least feeding them, sheltering them, giving them information, etc. On the other hand some of the Unionists deemed it possible and laudable to kill " rebels " at all times and under all circumstances, and aided all bodies of troops that were pro-United States and anti-Confederate.

About the 1st of June four bushwhackers - said to have been Chas. F. Taylor, Arch. Clements, Peyton Long and James Bissett - drew the first blood in Clay county. Long and Bissett had their homes here. Chas. F. Taylor (or " Fletch " Taylor, as he is commonly called) was from Lidependence, and Clements, the cruelest, most desperate guerrilla of the war, was from Johnson county. Fletch. Taylor was the leader. June 5 these four, all dressed in Federal uniform, came to the house of Bradley Y. Bond, a quiet, reputal)le citizen of this county, called him out and shot him. Mr. Bond had been in the Federal service in 1862, but was taken prisoner at Lone Jack, paroled, and had been at home subsequently.

The next day the same men, with one or two recruits, went to the house of Alvis Dailey, called him out of the field where he was at work, marched him before thein, and as he was crossing a pair of bars shot him dead. Mr. Dailey was about 23 years of age, and had been a member of Capt. Garth's company of militia. The bushwhackers went to the house and said to the family that they had killed Dailey, and the one who claimed that he did the shooting said he had done it because Dailey belonged to the squad that killed Park Donovan, another bushwhacker, in the night fight the year before.

Now began that series of frightful scenes that occurred in Clay county in the summer and fall of 1864 when murders and killings were numerous, and robberies, plunderings and thefts were of such frequent occurrences as not to be mentioned, except as matters of course and of small consequence. Men were slain before the eyes of their wives and children, or else shot down without mercy by the roadside and their bodies left to fester and corrupt in the sun. Property was taken and destroyed on every hand, business of all kinds was prostrated, values were unsettled, everything was disturbed. Many people left the county, or had left, for the gold mines of jNIontana and Idaho ; others went to Iowa and Nebraska for safet}', others fled they knew not whither.

Vcu'iiy, those who had clamored so loudly for war in the beginning, and would be satisfied at naught else, should iiave listened to the lull

Ther is ful many a man that crieth " werre ! werre ! " that wot ful litel what werre amounteth. Werre, at his beginning, hath so greet an entre and so large, that every wight may entre whan him liketh and lightly finde werre : but what ende schal falle thereof it is not lightl}' to know. For sothly whan that werre is oones bygonne, ther is ful many a child unbore of his mooder that schal sterve 3'ong, bycause thilke werre, or elles live in sorwe and die in wrecchidnes; and therefore, er that eny werre be Ijygonne, men mosti have gret counseil and gret deliberacioun.

The bushwhackers swarmed through the county, crossing back and forth from Jackson when they pleased, and roaming where they listed. A negro, belonging to Abijah Withers, was shot by them in cold blood near Beauchamp's farm, south of Liberty. He was returning from town where he had sold a load of wood, and was shot, as alleged, " for fun."

Stables were robbed everywhere. In certain neighborhoods, the farmers slept in their barns and horse lots, thoroughl}- armed, and carefully guarding their horses. Money and other valuables were hidden away. Quite often the bushwhackers robbed Southern men as readily as " Feds.," one man's money being considered as good as another's.

June 15, George Shepherd and six other Jackson county bushwhackers rode into Missouri City, Ijut did no damage. Other bands bore were not harmless.

During the last week in June Fletch. Taylor's band, numbering now it is said 40 or 50 men, killed two men, Simeon G. Bigelow and John Bigelow, brothers and Union men, living in the northeastern part of the county. The Bigelows were Union men, and had come originally from one of the Northern States. Two years before the}' had belonged to Col. Moss' regiment of militia. The next day Bishop Bailey, another Union man, and a citizen of Sniithville, was killed b}' Taylor's band, while on the road from Sniithville to Liberty and four or five miles from home.

A day or two before the killing of these the Federals had killed a Mr. Smith, of Fishing Itiver township, and left his body lying in the road, some miles north of Liberty. David Coifman, a bushwhacker, had been killed in the southern part of Clinton. He and a comrade named Davis came to Jeff. Pryor's and demanded horses and money. A few hours afterward he was overtaken in a lane near a Mr. Smith's, on the road between Ha3nie.sville and Phittsburg, and killed l)y asquad led by a son of Mr. Pryor. Davis jumped his horse over a fence and escaped, but Coffnian's horse, which belonged to Ambrose Stone, not make the jump.

Sir - In accordance with promises I made to Mr. Gosnoy, one of the peace committee, in relation to leaving Clay county, if the Radicals would also leave (which, I believe, was the understanding), I got my men together and proceeded toward Clinton county, and had got there when I heard about CotTnian being killed. I immediately returned to avenge his death, and I did l)y killing the two Bigelows. I then started for Platte with some of my men, intending to stay out of these counties according to promises ; but hearing of one of my men being killed, I have come again to avenge his death - and I ivill do it. You now know why I returned, and I am going to stay here until the Radicals all leave this county ; and furthermore, I am going to tight all soldiers sent after me if they fall in my way. Sir, if you wish the peace of Clay county, you will use all your influence in keeping the Radicals out of here. And furthermore, I have found out that there has been citizens interrupted, imprisoned and driven from their homes, which is calculated to ruin this county more than any thing else ; for if the citizens are to be sufferers by you, I will make the Union party Slitter as much, if not more - for by your interrujition of them it recruits my company - whereas, if you and I would let them alone, we could fight one another, and we will be fighting men who have put themselves out for that purpose, and not fight the unsusi)ected citizen who is not in arms and deserving the fate which you wish to bring on hivTi and his family.

Now, sir; in conclusion, I will let you understaud what I am going to do : I want peace, if it can be gained by honorable terms - and you can give it to the citizens or not. In the first place, if the Federals leave this county, I will leave also ; but if they stay, I will be about, and if you don't interrupt the citizens, I will be equally as kind. I will carry war on as you carry it on. You can't drive me out of this county. I will await your actions. You can make peace or war - I will leave it to your choice. If I find that you are warring on the citizens, so l)e it; I loill retaliate - if you fight me alone, I will return the compliment. Your actions shall be my answer, or answer as you want. I remain, sir, yours,

The Bigelow brothers were killed only after a desperate resistance. Cornered in their house they refused to surrender and fouj^ht to the last as best they could. When their guns were empty they seized pieces of furniture and struck at their assailants until shot down. It is said that in this tiglit Jesse James, then a newly recruited member of Taylor's company, had his finger shot off.

On Saturday, July 2, 18(J4, Capt. B. W. Kemper, of Co. C, Ninth M. S. M., who had been in command of the post at Liberty for some weeks, set out into the country after the bushwhackers. He struck straight for the Fishing river country, a locality rough, broken into hills, hollows and defiles by the river and its numerous little branches, and withal wooded and timbered - a favoril^ place for the " knights of the brush."

At first Kemper had a considerable detachment, but this he divided into three or four squads, the more eft'ectually to scour the countr}'. Sunday night a shower fell, and Monday morning a trail showing that a considerable number of bushwhackers had passed was struck by Kemper's party of about thirty men, and they followed it hard and fast.

A short distance below the ford over Fishing river, where the road leading from Liberty to the old Laidlaw farm crossed, a high, overhanging bank caused by a sharp curve in the stream overlooked and commanded tke crossing. Upon and behind this bank at)()ut twentyfive guerrillas, under Fletch. Taylor, were in ambush awaiting their enemies. Unconscious of immediate danger the Federals rode into the ford and halted to allow the horses to drink. Immediately the l)ushwhackers from their place of concealment opened at almost point blank range a withering fire on the soldiers, who, surprised and terrorized no doubt, wheeled about in disorder and fled.

Two Federals were killed. Sergt. J. W. Kirby was killed instantly, and Private James Colston died in an hour. Capt. Kemper himself was severely wounded in the leg; Corporal John R. Kuberson was

Miscellaneous War Items

Kemper's Ninth M. S. M., composed the only Federal troops in the county. Cupt. Story's company had been disbanded in March. Gen. Roscrans issued order No. 107, allowing the people in districts where the bushwhackers were numerous to organize companies for protection and defense. Amass meeting was held at Liberty, July 11, and tittended by all parties, for even many of Confederate proclivities were opposed to bushwhacking. It was determined to keep cue or two companies of militia composed of citizens of the county constantly in service.

July 20, another very large mass meeting composed of 1,500 citizens from all parts of the county was held in Liberty, and the following resolution was one of many otiiers adopted : -

Fourth. That guerrillas - whatever the name they assume - and bushwhackers are the I'avenous monsters of society, and their speedy and utter extermination siiould be souglit l)y all brave and honorable men - and that all who knowingly and willingly sympathize with, hari)or, conceal, assist and feed them should be uniformly and rigidly held accountable and punished in accordance with the laws of war among civilized nations ; and we hereby distinctly, respectfully and emphatically protest against the action of the assistant provost marshals and others in authority in turning loose upon this and other communities men whose [)revious outrages and disloyal conduct called for a proi)er and salutary measure of punishment, many of whom have gone to the ])rush and are now fighting against the government and against their [leaccable and loyal neighbors.

July 12, four or five of Catherwood's disbanded men, or men on furlough, had an encounter with about the same number of Capt. Thomason's company of militia in Centerville (now Kearney). Thomason's men were in a house when Catherwood's came up and fired on them. The Clay county men ran out and returned the fire, Catherwood's galloped off; Thomason's men followed them and killed one and wounded another.

Before Kemper's company left, Lieut. C. H. Gordon, its second lieutenant (now prosecuting attorney of Boone county), had a skirmish on Clear creek with two small companies of bushwhackers, Peyton Long's and Nin. Litton's. One of the hitter's scjuad, James Justus, was killed.

July 15, 1864, Col. J. H. Ford, of the Second Colorado cavalry, was sent into this county at the head of a body of 300 Federal troops, consisting of detachments of the Second Colorado, Ninth Missouri State militia, and Jennison's Sixteenth Kansas. Ford marched straight for Liberty and encamped. His troops, or at least the Colo- rado men and the Kansas, turned themselves loose upon the citizens and committed the wildest excesses. The Kansas men were especially bad. They stole whatever they could, and openly plundered hencoops, pig-pens and smoke-houses, and abused the citizens with the foulest language. In Liberty many of them robbed the merchants of considerable amounts of goods. The next day Ford issued the following order in regard to all this robbing and stealing : -

The colonel commanding desires to remind the officers and soldiers of his command that stealing, robbing and pillaging from the citizens of these counties must not be allowed. You are soldiers engaged in upholding the laws of your country, and protecting the lives and property of loyal citizens, and your conduct should be such as to inspire the belief that your object in visiting this country is not to destroy but to save. Battalion and company commanders will see that all such breaches of discipline are promptly and strictly punished. By order of James H. Ford,

Fortunately the Coloradoans and Kansans did not remain long in the county. They left in three days, to everybody's joy. Between them and the bushwhackers it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.

On the 10th of August a Mr. Columbus Whitlock, who lived in the northern part of the county, and was considered a harmless, inoffensive Union man, was murdered by the bushwhackers. He was on his way to Smithville for a physician to attend his sick mother, when the bushwhackers caught him at Bill Hall's, took him with them to a point on Wilkinson's creek, within a mile of Smithville, and there shot him to death and stripped the body of a portion of the clothing. Three days before Mr. Whitlock had married a Miss Angeline Cox, of Platte county. He was buried at Mrs. Rollins'.

About the 10th of August the noted guerrilla Bill Anderson came into the county from a successful raid as far east as Shelbina, Shelby county. He had but a dozen men left, however, out of twenty-five, although not all had been killed. Instantly four or five little bushwhacking bands ran out of their coverts and joined the noted leader, who soon had a company of sixty-five men. At Mr. Creek's, in the eastern pai"t of the county, a reorganization was effected, and Anderson given command.

Ray and Carroll to fonn a junction with some Confederate recruits under Col. J. C. C. Thornton (" Coon " Thornton) and a force of bushwhackers under George Todd and John Thrail. The lirst day out a squad of militia from a company stationed at Fredericksburg, Ray county, was struck at Mr. Ford's, two miles east of Prathcrsville, and chased to their quarters.

Capt. Patton Colly, of Ray, who commanded the company of militia referred to (Co. E, Fifty-first E. M. M.), set out at once at the head of not more than thirty men. Anderson, after the first encounter, moved eastward until he struck the county line, when he moved down the road along the line a little over a mile on the farm of Mrs. Summers and went into ambush, leaving a rear guard behind to give him warning if the Federals should follow him, as he expected they would.

Within an hour or two Colly came up and at once proceeded to deliver battle. He attacked the rear guard and drove it, and Anderson then came forward and decided the fight very shortly. The Federals were routed and driven off in a hurry. Anderson himself killed Capt. Colly,' shooting him out of his saddle with a dragoon revolver. Two other members of Coll3'^'s company, named George Odell and Piiilip Sigel, were killed in the fight.

A short time before the fight came off Anderson's men had captured two members of Colly's company, Smith Hutchings and John Hutchings, who lived in the southeastern part of the county, and were returning to their companj' from a visit to their homes when captured. When the firing began Anderson killed these two at once, without mercy, and it is said that after the fight their bodies were mutilated.

In response to repeated calls for reinforcements. Gen. Fisk, in command of this district, sent Col. E. C. Catherwood with several companies of troops into this county. Catherwood's old regiment, the Sixth M. S. M., had been partly disbanded, and he had entered the U. S. service and was recruiting a regiment which was known as the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry. Catherwood relieved Capt Kemper, who left the county with his company August 9, for Parkville. Catherwood arrived at Liberty August 3, and encamped in Steven's pasture.

1 According to the testimony of Niiiian Letton, now City Marshal of Liljerty, who was present as a member of Anderson's company, and says he saw the shoe fired.

He followed into Ray county and turned back. Here the pursuit had been taken up by Capt. Clayton TiflUn with a company of militia, and he was joined by Capt. Calvert's company, and the two, on the 14th, fought a severe skirmish with Anderson on the Wakenda, in Carroll, losing ten men killed, while Anderson lost but one killed.

In the first week of September, and up to the 15th, a considerable force of guerrillas under Todd and Thrailkill operated in portions of Clay, Platte, Clinton, Caldwell and Ray counties, before starting for' Boone and Howard. About the 15th the}' passed through the eastern portion of Clay, and Garth's and Younger's companies of home militia and some of Catherwood's men were sent after them.

After Bill Anderson was killed, October 27, 1864, many of his company deserted and some made their way into Clay, where forming into small squads, they continued to disturb the quiet of the country.

Sunday, November 13, a band of bushwhackers tired on some militia who were in the door-yard of Lieut. Smith, in the northern part of the county. Lieut. Smith and his little son were severely wounded. The militia returned the fire and the bushwhackers left. Eight days later - or, to be exact, on the night of the 21st - a band of them went to the arsenal, south of Liberty, and forced Maj. Grant to give them his uniform. The next morning, Lieut. Rhea, with a detachment of Catherwood's regiment, surprised five of the band in a house in the bottom, five miles below the arsenal. The bushwhackers I'etreated with one of their number wounded and leaving three saddles. One Fedei'al was mortally wounded, dying the next day.

During the Price raid, in the latter part of OctoI)er, and while the battles of Independence, Little Blue, and Westport were in progress, the excitement and alarm in this county were intense. Many of Confederate sympathies hoped that Gen. Price would defeat the Federals and cross the river and wrest the county from the Federals. The militia of the county were on the qui vive constantly, watching the fords or crossings, and guarding the towns. In Liberty the "curbstone brigade," an improvised company of militia, was called out on two occasions when the alarm was given that the raiders were coming.

But Gen. Price was defeated at Westport and on the Little Blue ;ind turned southward, and soon after his entire command was disastrounly defeated, Gens. Martnaduke and Cabell and 1,500 men taken prisoners, and then his retreat became a straggling disordered rout into Texas, his train destroyed, his men starving, and his army saved from annihilation onh' l)y the hard fighting of Gen. Jo. Shcli)y'8 division at Newtonia. Then the hearts of our people of Confederate

Census Of 1864

A census taken in December, 1864, showed the total white population of the county to be 9,421, of which 4,671 were males and 4,740 females, showing a preponderance of females at that time owing to the absence of so many men in the war or in Montana and Idaho. The total number of slaves was 1,756, of whom 1,013 were females; free colored, 58. Total population, 11,235.

The Political Canvass Of 1864

Amid all the turmoil of war, the political canvass of 1864 went on about as usual. Gen. George B. McClellan and Hon. George H. Pendleton were the national candidates of the Democratic party, and Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, the nominees of the Republicans. For Lieutenant-Governor on the Democrat ticket, with Gen. Thos. L. Price for Governor, was Hon. Luke W. Burris, of Clay. This fact gave the canvass something of interest to our people. Burris had been a Whig, but was now a cordial supporter of the Democrat party and policy, for Whigism was no more.

A short time before the election, during the Price invasion, when the Confederates had advanced as far as Lexington, Mr. Burris and Gen. Tom Price addressed a large audience composed very largely of soldiei-s and militia, whose presence and whose half-uttered thi'eats to suppress the meeting did not prevent the speakers from uttering their sentiments - "Copperhead" sentiments although they were called.

Some Leading Incidents From 1865 To 1885

Miscellaneous Military Incidents in 1865 - Tlie Last of the Busliwliackers - Surrender of on. Shepherd's Band - The Drake Constitution - Robbing of the Clay County Savings Bank - Political Canvasses - The Eailroads of Clay County - Hanging of Sam Walker - Census Statistics - The James Brothers.

In January, 1865, a band of bushwhackers from Jackson county kept the county in a constant state of disquietude by their predatoiy operations against the people. This band was led by " Wild Bill," a desperado who aped the character of Andersou in some respects and imitated the practices of Jennison in others.

About the 1st of January, " Bill " and his baud robbed a Mr. Stone of what pleased them, shot at him and abused him and his wife, then went to A. Withers', in the bottom, and took a horse and some clothing. From here they visited other houses in the neighborhood robbing and plundering, finally retiring to their lair in the Sni hills over in Jackson. Three weeks afterwards they robbed the mail three miles below Richfield. A company of militia went out from Liberty after them, skirmished with them and drove them back into Jackson.

A battalion of the Third Missouri State Militia, under Maj. Angus Bartlett, was stationed in the county during the winter months. In April, under the militia law, a company of militia was organized in the county with John W. Younger as captain, and Ben. Cooper and David Smith as lieutenants.

In February, the following families in this county were served with notices of banishment from the county for " treason and notoriously disloyal practices," said the order; John Ecton's, Dr. Reuben Samuels', Mrs. J. H. Ford's, Wesley Martin's, Mrs. Rupe's and Kemp M.. Wood's. The sentence of banishment against Mrs. Winfrey E. Price was revoked by Maj. Bartlett.

On the 29th of March, Wm. T. Reynolds, a prominent merchant of Liberty, and well known as a Union man, having served in the militia under Col. Moss, was shot in his store by a Federal soldier, and died from the wound April 20.

between Oil. Shepherd's band of a dozen bushwhackers and a company of citizens organized as militia. Shepherd's baud was routed at the residence of Mrs. Fox and pursued some distance. Two of the bushwhackers were killed - Alexander Dever and his brother Arthur. The militia lost none. The Devers were both buried in one grave.

The news of the surrender of Gen. Lee and his army to Gen. Grant at Appomattox caused the hearts of the Southern sympathizers of this county to sink heavy within their bosoms. It was now evident that a bad investment had been make when stock was taken in the Confederacy, for it was clearly apparent that defeat, utter, complete and overwhelming, would soon overtake the cause of those who followed the stars and bars. The Confederate people of the county became resigned to the inevitable, and waited patiently for the end.

The news of the assassination of President Lincoln was received in Clay county with general regret. In Liberty the stores were closed, the town generally draped in mourning, and a large public meeting held to give expression to the prevailing sentiment of sorrow. A committee composed of A. J. Calhoun, F. Givinner, S. H. Hardwickand John Broadhurst reported a series of resolutions deploring the death of the President as a " great national calamity," condemning the act itself, and declaring that " under any circumstances we are devoted to the flag of our country."

The Last Of The Bushwhackers

Sunday, May 28, the remnants of Oil. Shepherd's band of bushwhackers, which had been operating in various portions of the county for some time, came in and surrendered to Lieut. Benj. Cooper, of Capt. Younger's company of militia. The band numbered but five, as follows: Oil. Shepherd, captain; " Ling" Letton, James Corum, Alfred Corum and Milton Dryden. Previous to the surrender the following correspondence passed between Shepherd and the militia officers : -

Capt. Younger, Sir: - I understand that peace is made. Myself and my little band, wishing to quit fighting and obey the laws of the country, 1 will send you these few lines to show you the terms that we are willing to surrender on : we must keep our side arms - for you know we have personal enemies that would kill us at the first opportunity. We have three revolvers that we captured from your men, whicli, if they belong to your company, we are willing to give up if you require it. I also have horses in my outfit that belongs to citizens of this county, that we are willing to return to their proper own- ers,for we did not take them for our profit - we took them to save our lives. I have a horse that I rode from Texas, that there is no use in a man talking about me giving up. When my men surrender, they expect to leave the State.

Now, Capt. Younger, these words I write in earnest ; there will be uo use in talking about myself and band coming to Liberty if you don't allow us our side arms, and give us an honorable parole. We are willing to blot out the past and begin anew. If I come to Liberty, will let you know distinctly that I and my men intend to behave our-' selves, and not throw out any insinuations nor insults to soldiers nor citizens, nor we don't intend to take any from them. Understand me, we blot all out and begin anew. Now, sir, Capt. Younger, if you wish peace and prosperity in this county, you will accept these propositions. Drop me a few lines in answer to this. Yours, respectfully,

Richfield, Mo., May 25, 1865 Mr. Shepherd - Sir: I have just received a letter from you in which you state you are desirous of surrendering your forces. Sir, in reply to your proposition, I will say that the terms upon which you are willing to surrender can not be accepted by me. You wish to retain your arms - this you cannot be permitted to do under any circumstances. If I accept your surrender it must be upon the same terms that others of your "profession" are being accepted; upon which is a return of all arms and other property which may have been taken by you during your operations, and stU arms which you may have had before, or which you may now have in your possession. With this, sir, I will close. Yours, etc.,

Liberty, May 26, 1865. Oliver Shepherd, James Corutn, Alfred Oorum, James Dever and others - Understanding from Tilman Bush that you have expressed a desire to surrender to the military authorities here, if such terms as you wish were granted yon, I have but to say that your surrender must be unconditional. You will be required to give up A'our horses, arms and military equipment of every description, and upon doing so you will be guaranteed militar}' protection, but you are not to suppose that you will be shielded from the civil law if it should be enforced against you for any ofl'enses you have committed. I have no power nor disposition to assure you of such immunity, and it would manifestly be wrong to do so. David Smith, regard to surrendering the latter. It is said, liowever, that some of the men hid two or more revolvers each before coming to town. Lieut. Cooper was faithful to his word, and protected his prisoners from some of the county militia who threatened to kill them. All of the bushwhackers left the county, for a time at least. Oil. 'Shepherd was killed by a vigilance committee in Jackson county, in 1868. " Ning " or " Ling " Letton is the present city marshal of Liberty, a reputable citizen, a worthy and faithful official, and since his surrender universally respected.

Under the "ousting ordinance" of the Drake constitution Gov. Fletcher, in May, removed the then county officers and appointed in their places James Love, circuit clerk, i)/ce A. J. Calhoun, removed; county clerk, William Brining, vice E. D. Murray, removed ; sheriff, James M. Jones, vice Darius Gittings, removed ; comity court justices, Joseph T. Field, John Chrisman, and Milliner Haynes, vice Alvah Maret, Isaac Wood and James M. Jones.

Vote On The Drake Constitution, June 6, 1865

On Tuesday, February 13, 1866, the bank of the Clay County Savings Association, at Liberty, was robbed of about $60,000 by a band of brigands, presumably from Jackson county, although it has since l)een ascertained that some of the members resided in Clay. At the same time, and incident to the robbery, a young man named George Wymore, a student on his way to a school, was without any sort of l)rovocation whatever, inhumanly and mercilessly shot down by the robbers and instantly killed. The following account of the afl'air was given by the Tribune of February 16, 1866: -

Our usually quiet city was startled last Tuesday by one of the most cold-blooded murders and heavy rol)l)eries on record. It appears that in the afternoon some ten or twelve persons rode into town, and two ot tlicni went into the Cla}^ County Savings Bank, and asked the clerk (Mr. Wm. Bird) to change a ten dollar bill, and as he started to do so, they drew their revolvers on him and his father, Mr. Greenup

Bird, the cashier, and made them stand quiet while they pi'oceeded to rob the bank. After having obtained what they supposed was all, they put the clerk and cashier in tiie vault, and no doubt thought they had locked the door, and went out with their stolen treasure, mounted their horses and were joined by the balance of their gang and commenced shooting. Mr. S. H. Holmes had two shots fired at him, and young Geo. Wymore, aged about 19 years (son of Wm. H. Wymore), one of the most peaceable and promising young men in the county, was shot and killed while standing on the opposite side of the street at the corner of the old Green house. The killing was a deliberate murder without any provocation whatever, for neither young Mr. Wymore, nor any of the citizens of town, previous to the shooting, knew anything of what had taken place. Indeed, so quiet had the matter been managed, if the robbers had succeeded in loclving the bank vault on the clerk and cashier, and had retired quietly, it would likelj' have been some time before the robbei'y would have been discovered.

The town was soon all excitement, and as many as could prscure arms and horses went in pursuit, but up to this writing nothing is known of the result. Our citizens exhibited a commendable willingness to do all they could to assist in the capture of the robbers and their booty.

Thus has our city and people been grossh^ outraged by a band of thieves and murderers, and that, too, when the people thought they were in possession of permanent peace ; and a worthy young man murdered, one of our most successful and abl}' managed monied institutions, and many private individuals, have been heavy losers. We hope to God, the villians may be overhauled, and brought to the end of a rope. Indeed, we can not believe they will escape.

The murderers and robbers are believed l)y many citizens, and the officers of the bank, to be a gang of old bushwiiacking desperadoes who stay mostly in Jackson county. But it makes no difference who they are, or what they claim to be, they should be swung up in the most summary manner. Bobbing and nmrdering must l)e stopped, and if it I'equires severe medicine to do it, so be it. Desperate cases require desperate remedies ; and we believe our people are in a humor to make short work of such characters in the future. The people of Clay county want peace and safety and they are going to have it.

The Clay Countv Savings Association, at Libertv, Mo., was robbed on the LStiiinst., of SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, by a band of bushwhackers, who reside chiellv in Clay county, and have their rendezvous on or near the Missouri river, above Sibley, in. Jackson county.

The sum of FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS will be paid by the Association for the recovery of the stolen money or in that porportiou for the sum recovered. Every citizen, who values his life or property, will be expected to give his aid in capturing the thieves, as they are thoroughly organized and will no doubt continue to depredate on life and property, as they did here yesterday. Done by order of the Board of Directors.

A heavy snow fell within a few hours after the robbery, covering up the tracks of the robbers completely, and rendering it impossible to follow their trail far. It was learned positively, however, that they crossed the river into Jackson county and scattered themselves through the " Cracker's Neck " region and amid the almost impenetrable fastness of the Sni hills. It was almost wholly a matter of conjecture who they were ; onfe man who met them declared he knew some of them, but afterward he refused to swear to his statement. This was in all probability really the heaviest bank robbing that occurred during the " reign of the robbers," in Missouri, Iowa and Kentucky, from 1866 to 1881. Despite assertions in sensational publications to the contrary, it is quite certain that no other hank was ever roblied by the Missouri bandits of so large a sum as even $50,000.

The robbery caused the temporary suspension of the savings bank, l)ut the officers finally settled with their creditors by paying 60 cents on the dollar, a settlement that was satisfactory to all.

In August, 1866, one J. C. Couch, of Gentry county, was examined before a magistrate under a suspicion that he was one of the robbers, but he was discharged. A fellow named Joab Perry, who was lying in Independence jail on another charge, was taken out by the Clay county officials and brought across the river for examination, but escaped from custody and was never afterward arrested.

Political

At the Presidential election, 1868, the vote in Clay county stood : Seymour, Democrat, 313; Grant, Eepublican, 291. For Governor - John S. Phelps, Democrat, 320 ; Joseph William McClurg, Republican, 284. For Congress - Gen. James H. Shields, Democrat, 319 ; R. T. Van Horn, Republican, 286.

In 1870, wiien the question of i-e-enfranchising the ex-Confederate sympathizers was before the people, and the candidates for Governor were B. Gratz Brown, Liiieral Republican, T. W. McClurg, Radical Republican, the total number of registered voters in the county was 955.

In 1872 the vote was: For President - Greeley, Democratic and Liberal Republican candidate, 2,207 ; Grant, Eepublican, 528 ; Charles O'Conor, "straight" Democrat, 27. For Governor - Silas Woodson, Democrat, 2,472 ; John B. Henderson, Republican, 527. For Congress - A. S. Comings, Democrat, 2,477; D. S. Twitchell, Republican, 524.

In 1880 the vote was : For President - Hancock, Democrat, 2,969 ; Garfield, Republican, 589 ; Weaver, Greenbacker, 193. For Governor - Crittenden, Democi-at, 2,979; D. P. Dyer, Republican, 586 ; Brown, Greenbacker, 196. For Congress - D. C. Allen, Democrat, 1,650 ; John T. Crisp, Democrat, 1,377 ; R. T. Van Horn, Republican, 547; Clark, Greenbacker, 179.

In 1884 the vote stood: For President - Cleveland, Democrat, 3,179 ; Blaine, Republican, and Butler, Greenbacker, fusion electors, 919 ;sti-aight Blaine, 22 ; St. John, Prohibitionist, 58. For Governor - Mai-maduke, Democrat, 3,093; Ford, Fusion, 903; Brooks, Prohibitionist, 136; Guitar, straight Republican, 9. For Congress - Dockery, Democrat, 3,217; Harwood, Republican, 803; Jourdan, Greenbacker 108.

The branch of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad through this county was completed in the latter part of the fall of 1867 and first part of 1868. It was completed to Liberty about October 15, 1867. William J. Quealy, of Hannibal, was the chief contractor. This road was chartered before the war, and was originally called the Kansas City, Galveston and Lake Superior. Afterward the name was changed to the Kansas City and Cameron. It was merged into the Hannibal and St. Joseph February 14, 1870, and is still a part of the same. The first regular train over the bridge across the Missouri at Kansas City passed July 4, 1869. The " old reliable " Hannibal and St. Joe has been of incalculable value to Clay county. Besides giving our people an outlet to the markets of the world, at all times and seasons, it created in this county five new towns and villages, and caused the development of many tracts of unimproved land, and added largely to the value of much land already in cultivation.

The Chicago, Rock Islahd and Pacific began running its trains over the track of the Hannibal and St. Joseph, from Cameron to Kansas City, in the summer of 1871. ^ It is not allowed to take on or discharge passengers or freight in this county, or even between Cameron and Kansas Cit}^

The Grasshopper Year

The 3'ear 1875 will long be remembered in Clay county as the " grasshopper year." In May vast swarms of grasshoppers, or Rocky Mountain locusts, made their appearance in this quarter of Missouri and devastated entire regions of country of vegetation, and of almost every green thing. In Clay they were, indeed, a burden. They made their appearance in such numbers that in many places the ground and entire surface of the earth was completely covered with them. Entire fields of wheat, and young corn, and meadows were devoured in a few hours. Gardens disappeared as though a fire had passed over them. Fortunately the pests departed from the county in a few weeks. Corn was replanted, and in the fall very good crops were raised.

Hanging Of Sam Walker

October 14, 1873, a negro named Samuel AValker shot and killed his wife, Katie, who at the time was employed as a domestic in a family at Liberty. Walker claimed that his wife was unfaithful to him. He came to Liberty from Platte county. One night he waylaid, shot and badly wounded a negro whom he suspected of visiting his wife, and a few nights thereafter shot the woman herself as she stepped out of doors for a bucket of water.

Walker was apprehended the same night in the chimney of a negro cabin down in the river bottom. He was indicted and arraigned in November following, and his trial continued to March, 1874, when he was tried and convicted, and sentenced to be hung May 15, two months later, a short shrift, certainly. On his trial he was defended by Col. Rucker. The evidence was conclusive against the prisoner, and he even confessed his guilt.

The execution came off at the appointed time, on what is called the show grounds, west of the railroad depot, in Liberty. A large crowd of both sexes, races, and all ages was present. The details occupied fully four hours. The condemned man had been visited the day before by two Catholic Sisters of Charity, and then professed the Catholic religion, but on the scaffold he seemed to have gone back on Catholicism and to have become a good Protestant. He prayed, sung, exhorted, talked and bade farewell to all who would come up and shake hands with him, and the scene was by no means an attractive one. Sherift' Patton, the one-armed" ex-Confederate soldier, had charge of the hanging.

The Flood Of 1881

In the spring of 1881 the Missouri river was higher than it had been since 1844. The bottoms were overflowed and much damage resulted. Harlem was all under water, and many buildings were destroyed. Some old settlers declared that the river was even higher in 1881 than it was in 1844. Certainly the damage was greater, for there was more to destroy. The ensuing season was drouthy, and crops were a partial failure. The next fall corn rose to $1 a bushel.

Census And Other Statistics Of 1880

The total population of the county in 1880, according to the official census, was 15,572, of which 8,132 were males and 7,440 were females. The whites numbered 14,059; the colored people, 1,513. By townships the population was as follows : -

The native born population was 15,127, of which number of persons 10,586 were born in Clay county, 2,053 in Kentucky ; 333 in Tennessee; 253 in Ohio; 244 in Indiana, 240 in Illinois, and the remainder in other States. The number of foreigners was 445, of whom there was born in Ireland, 166 ; in the German Empire, 117 ; in England and Wales, 53 ; British America, 35 ; Sweden and Norway, 16 ; Scotland, 14 ; France, 8.

In manufactures the total value invested was $129,125; the value of products, $378,915. The number of operatives employed was 142 males and 11 females ; amount of wages paid, $32,513.

Race Population In 1860, 1870 And 1880 The James Brothers

No attempt will be made in this history to give a detailed history of the noted bandit brothers known familiarly, not only throughout the United States, but in Europe, as the James' boys. It is only from the fact that they were natives of the county and for a time resided here that they are mentioned at all. Other publications profess to narrate their exploits and their career correctly, but whether they do so or not is no affair of the publisher hereof, and perhaps of but little consequence to any one. What is set down here may be relied on as accurate, however, and is given with the partial knowledge of its truth on the part of a largo majority of the readers.

Alexander Franklin James was born in this county, January 10, 1843. Jesse Woodson James was born in the house where his mother now lives, in Kearney township, September 5, 1847. ^ Both boys were raised on their mother's farm, in this county, to their early manhood, except for a time during and immediately subsequent to the Civil War. What little education they possessed was obtained at the common county schools of their neighborhood. Neither of .them ever attended any other sort of school.

In 1851, the widow James - whose maiden name was Zerelda Cole - was again married to a Mr. Simms, also of this county, a widower, with children. At the time of her second marriage she was 26 years of age, and her husband was 52. The union proved unhappy, and in less than a year was terminated by a separation. Tl;e lady alleges that the chief trouble arose from the fact that her three little children, Frank, Jesse and Susie, whom she had always humored andindulged, gave their old step-father no end of annoyance. He insisted that she should send them away, and to this she once agreed, but her near relatives informed her that if she did so they would never more recognize her, and so she separated from Mr. Simms, who, she yet alleges, always treated her with kindness, and for whose memory she still has great respect. He died not long after the separation, and sometime afterwards Mi's. Simms was married to Dr. Reuben Samuel, her present husband.

In the fall of 1861, when 18 years of age, Frank James volunteered in the Confederate service, Ijecoming a member of Capt. Minter's company, Hughes' regiment, Stein's division. He was present at the capture of Lexington, and marched with Price's army into Southwest Missouri. At Springfield he was taken with measles, and on the retreat of Pi'ice's army before Gen. Curtis, in February, 1862, he was left behind in the hospital. The Federals, Avhen they captured Springfield, took him prisoner, paroled him, and he returned home to his mother's farm in Kearney township. He was arrested by Col.Penick in the following early summer and released on a $2,000 bond. He returned to his home and went to work.

From time to time Frank James was accused of having aided and abetted the Confederate cause, in violation of his parole. The accusations may or may not be true, but in the early spring of 1863 he was again arrested, taken to Liberty and cast into jail. From here he contrived to make his escape, and soon afterwards, while a fugitive he determined " to go to the brush," as the phrase then was, and accordingly joined a small band of bushwhackers, under the leadership of Fernando Scott. This was in May, 1863, and a few days later he took part in the raid on Missouin City, when Capt. Sessions and Lieut. Grafenstein were killed. Thereafter he was a bushwhacker until the close of the War, winding up his career with Quantrell in Kentucky. During his career as a guerrilla Frank James participated in three or four skirmishes with the Federals in this county.

III May, 1863, soon after Frank James had gone to the l)rnsh,a detachment of Capt. J. W. Turney's company of Clinton county militia,' under Lieut. H. C. Culver, accompanied by Lieut. J. W. Younger, with a few Clay county militia, visited the Samuels homestead in search of James and his companions. Failing to find them, they sought by thi-eats and violence to force the members of the family to give them certain information they desired. Dr. Samuel was taken out and hung by the neck until nearly exhausted, and the boy Jesse, then not quite 16 years old, who was plowing in the fieJd, was whipped very severely.

A few weeks later, Dr. and Mrs. Samuel were arrested by the Federals and taken to St. Joseph, accused of " feeding and harboring liushwhackers." This was the charge preferred against Mrs. Samuel ; but no charge whatever was ever filed against Dr. Samuel. Miss Susie James was not arrested. Mrs. Samuel had her two small children with "her at the St. Joseph prison, and three months later another child was born. She was released by Col. Chester Harding after two weeks' imprisonment and sent home on taking tiie oath. Dr. Samuel was released about the same time. While Dr. and Mrs. Samuel was absent in St. Joe their household was in charge of Mrs. West, a sister of Mrs. Samuel.

Jesse James remained at home during the year 1863, and with the assistance of a negro man raised a considerable crop of tobacco. The next summer, in June, 1864, a year after he had been cruelly whipfjed by the militia, he too " went to the brush," joining Flotoh. Taylor's band of bushwhackers, of which his brother Frank was a member. He was present when the Bigelow brothers were killed, and took part in the capture of Platte City, where he and other liushwhackers had their anibrotype pictures taken. The original picture of Jesse James is yet in possession of his family, but copies have recently been made and sold throughout the country. While with Bill Anderson's company on the way to Howard county, in August, 1864, Jesse was badly wounded by an old German Unionist named Heisinger, who lived in the southern part of Ray county, at Heisinger's Lake. Three or four bushwhackers went to Heisinger's., got something to eat and were looking about the premises when the old man fired upon tlieiii from a sorghum patch, put a bullet through Jesse James' right lung, and routed the party. This practically ended his career as a bushwhacker.

It was a long time until Jesse was able to be in the saddle again. In February, 1865, in the rear of Lexington, when coming in with some others to surrender, he was fired on by a detachment of Federals belonging to the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, and again shot through the right lung. From this wound he did not recover for many months. He was nursed first by his comrades, then by his aunt, Mrs. Wesf, in Kansas City, and at last taken by his sister. Miss Susie, to Rulo, Nebraska, where the Samuel family had been banished the previous summer by order of the Federal military commanders in this quarter. At Rulo, Dr. Samuel was making a precarious living in the practice of his profession - medicine - and hei'e the young guerrilla lay until in August, 1865, when the family I'eturned to their Clay county farm. Jesse united with the Baptist Church sometime in 1868.

When, as is alleged, the James brothers entered upon their life of brigandage and robbery, their associates were those of the old guerrilla days, and it is but true to say that this life succeeded to or was born of the old bushwhacking career. Not every old Confederate liushwhacker became a l)andit, for many of the most desperate of Quantrell's, Todd's and Anderson's men became quiet, reputable citizens, but at the first every bandit in Western Missouri was an cxguerrilla.

After the Gallatin bank robbery the civil authorities of this county began the chase after the now noted brothers and kept it up for years, or until Jesse was killed in April, 1882, and Frank surrendered. The pursuit was considered by each Clay county sheriff as a part of his regular duties :ind transmitted the same as the books and papers of his office to his successor.

Lack of space forbids an enumeration of the many adventures of the officers of this county in their efforts to capture the James boys and their partners. One fact must be borne in mind. Every sheriff worked faithfully and bravely to discharge his duties. The heroic and desperate fight near the Samuel residence-' between the intrepid Capt. John S. Thomason an4 his brave young son, Oscar, and the

' While serving with the bushwhackers Franic was Ivnown as " Bucl;," and Jesse was called " Dingus " by their companions. While in a camp one day, shortly after he went out, Jesse was practicing with a revolver and accidentally shot oS the end of one of his lingers. Shaking his wounded hand, and dancing about with the pain, he cried out, " O, ding it! ding it! How it hurts! " - Decembet 14, ISCO.

two l)i-others, when the Captain's horse was killed ; the night tight made by Capt. John S. Grooms ; the many expeditions by night and day, in season and ont of season, by Thomason, Grooms, Patton and Timberlake,can not here be detailed, interesting as the incidents thereof may be.

Connected with the career of the bandit brothers, may be briefly mentioned the attempt of Pinkerton's detectives to eflect their capture - an attempt blunderingly and brutally made and ignominiously ailing, resulting in the killing of little Archie Peyton Samuel,' the tearing oft' of Mrs. Samuel's right arm, the wounding of other memfbers of the family, and the complete discomfiture of the attacking party of detectives. Whether or not, either or both of the James boys and another member of the l)and participated in this melee, and whether or not one of the detectives was killed, can not here be stated.

The murder of Daniel Askew, the nearest neighbor of Dr. Samuel, which occurred a few weeks after Pinkerton's raid, has always been attributed to one or both of the James brothers, though the charge is stoutly denied by their friends. Askew was called out one night and shot dead on his doorstep. A detective named J. W. Whicher, who, as he himself avowed, came to this county to plan in some way the capture of the brothers, was taken across the Missouri river into Jackson county and killed by somebodij., in Jackson county, March 10, 1874. That any considerable portion of the people of the county ever gave aid or comfort or countenance to the bandits who infested Missouri, whether the James boys, or who ever they were, is so preposterously untrue that there is no real necessity for its denial. Not one person in one hundred of the people of the county knew either of the James boys i)y sight, and but few more had ever seen them. After they entered upon their career of brigandage their visits to the county were so unfrequent and unseasonable and so brief that only the very fewest saw them, and it was not long ere those who once knew them intimately would not have known them had they met them face to face in open day ; for from smooth-faced boys they were growing to bearded men, and no change is more complete than that from adolescence to manhood.

Moreover, it is most absurd, and most unjust, too, that any considerable number such as live in the county of Clay should be supposed to have any sympathy with villainy and villains of any sort. The county is and has now been for years full of school-houses and churches and abounding with Christian men and women who fear God and keep His commandments, and keep themselves aloof from evil associations. Morality and love of the right are the rule among our people ; immorality and viciousness the exception.

At any time within the past fifteen years five hundred men could have been raised in an hour to capture the James boys. Dozens of the best citizens of all classes have frequently volunteered to acconv pany the officers in their search for the l)andits, and have lain night after night in the woods and watched roads and bridges, and done everything in their power to vindicate and uphold the law. Even when Jesse James was shot at St. Joseph a public meeting at Liberty applauded the fact and indorsed the manner of his taking ofi".

That the James boys had a few confederates in Clay county is barely possible. Who they were, however, can now never be known. It is probable that if they existed at all they were few in number, and their services and the character of their connection unimportant and unconspicuous.