Cooper County, Missouri - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 2 of those read), 1876

Boundaries of the Boone's Lick Country. - Derivation of the Name. - First Visit by White Men. - Second Visit. - Third Visit. - First Salt Manufactured in County. - First regular Settlement in Boone's Lick Country. - First Settlement in Cooper County. - Aspect of the Savages.

All of the present State of Missouri, lying west of Cedar Creek, and north and west of the Osage river, and extending to the territorial line on the west and north, was, for many years, known as the "Boone's Lick Country." The first settlers, who came here, knew it only by that name..

It received its name from a place called "Boone's Lick," in what is now Howard county, situated about eight miles northwest of New Franklin, near the Missouri river. This place was visited by Daniel Boone at a very early time, but the exact date is not known. Here Boone found several large salt springs, and, as such places were always resorted to by deer and other game, he often hunted in the neighborhood.

Although it has always been stated, as a surmise^ that Daniel Boone once resided at this Lick, and afterwards, within the present county of Cooper, yet it has been impossible to find anything authentic upon the subject; and, as Samuel Cole, a member of the first white family, which settled in the present limits of Cooper county, says emphatically, that Daniel Boone never lived farther west than St. Charles county, the conclusion is inevitable, that these his-

The first Americans, of whom we have any definite knowledge, who were ever in this portion of the State, were Ira P. Nash, a deputy United States surveyor, Stephen Hancock, and Stephen Jackson, who came up the Missouri river, in the month of February 1804, and located a claim, on the public lands, in Howard county, nearly opposite the mouth of the Lamine river. Thej^ remained there until the month of March, in the same year, employing their time in surveying, hunting and fishing ; and in the month of March they returned to their homes, which were situated on the Missouri river, about 25 miles above St. Charles.

While Nash and his companions were in Howard county, they visited "'Barclay's and Boone's Licks;" also a trading-post, situated about 2 miles northwest of Old Franklin, kept by a white man by the name of Prewitt. The existence of this trading-post, and the fact that "Barclay's and Boone's Licks" had already received their names, from the white persons who visited them, shows conclusively, that this portion of the country had been explored, even before this, by white Americans. But no history makes mention of this trading-post, or of Prewitt ; hence we are unable to determine when he came to the "Boone's Lick Country," how long he remained, and where he went when he left; but he, evidently, left before the year 1808, as, when Benjamin Cooper moved to what is now Howard county, in that year, there was then no settlement in this part of the State.

In July, 1804, Ira P. Nash, in company with William Nash, James H. Whitesides, William Clark, and Daniel Hubbard, again came into what is now Howard county, and surveyed a tract of land near the present site of Old

Franklin. On this second trip, Ira P. Nash claimed that, when he came up the river the February before, he had left a compass in a certain hollow tree, and started out with two companions to find it, agreeing to meet the balance of the company the next day at Barclay's Lick, which he did accordingly, bringing the compass with him, thus proving beyond a doubt, that he had visited the country before this time.

Lewis and Clarke, on their exploring expedition across the Rocky Mountains, and down the Columbia river to the Pacific ocean, arrived at the mouth of the Bonne Femme, in Howard county, on the 7th day of June 1804, ^^^ camped for the night. When they arrived at the mouth of the "Big Moniteau Creek," they found a point of rocks, covered with hieroglyphic paintings, but the large number of rattlesnakes which they found there, prevented a close examination of the place. Continuing their way up the river, they arrived at the mouth of the Lamine river on the 8th of the same month, and on the 9th at Arrow Rock.

When they returned from their journey in 1806, after having successfully accomplished all the objects for which they were sent out, they passed dow^n the Missouri river and camped, on the i8th of September, in Howard county, opposite the mouth of the Lamine river. And, as they journeyed down the river on that day, they must have passed the present site of Boonville early on the morning of the 19th of September, 1806.

In 1807, Nathan and Daniel M. Boone, sons of old Daniel Boone, who lived with their father in what is now St. Charles county, about 25 miles west of the city of St. Charles, on the Femme Osage Creek, came up the Missouri river, and manufactured salt at "Boone's Lick," in Howard county. After they had manufactured a considerable amount, they shipped it down the river to St. Louis where they sold it. It is thought by many that this was the first instance of salt being manufactured in what was at that time a part of the Territory of Louisiana, now the State of Missouri. Though soon after salt was manufactured in large quantities, "salt licks" being discovered in many parts of the State. Although these were the first white persons who remained for any length of time in the "Boone's Lick Country," yet they were not permanent settlers, as they only came up there to make salt, and left as soon as they had finished.

William Christie and John G. Heath came up from St. Louis in 1808, and manufactured salt in what is now Black Water Township, Cooper County. The place is known to this day as "Heath's Salt Lick." He for years afterwards, every summer, made salt at the same place, and was known as the "big salt maker." The salt springs are located on "Heath's Creek," which was also named after him.

Previous to the year 1808, every white American who came to the Boone's Lick Country, came with the intention of only remaining there a short time. Three parties had entered it while on exploring and surveying expeditions ; two parties had been to its fine salt licks to make salt, and, no doubt, many of the adventurous settlers living in the eastern part of this State, had often on their hunting expe^ ditions, pierced the trackless forests to the "Boone's Lick Country," but, of course, there is no record of these, hence, those expeditions of which there is a record, are placed as being the first to this part of the country, w^hen, in reality, they may not be.

But in 1808, one adventurous spirit, determined to forsake what appeared to him to be the too thickly settled portion of the State, and move farther west to the more pleasant §olitudes of the uninhabited forest. In the Spring of that year, Col. Benjamin Cooper and his family, consisting of his wife and five sons, moved to the "Boone's Lick Country," and located in what is now Howard County, about two miles south-west of "Boone's Lick," in the Missouri river bottom. Here he built him a cabin, cleared a piece of ground and commenced arrangements to make a permanent settlement at that place. But he was not permitted to remain long at his new home. Governor Merriwether Lewis, at that time Governor of the Territory, issued an order directing him to return below the mouth of the Gasconade river, as he was so far advanced into the Indian countrv, and so far away from protection, that in case of an Indian war he would be unable to protect him. So he returned to Loutre Island, about four miles below the mouth of the Gasconade river, where he remained until the year 1810.

But the rich Territory was not destined to be left forever to the reign of wild beasts or still more savage Indians. Aside from the fact that the character of the men of the early days caused them continually to revolt against living in thickly settled communities, yet the Boone's Lick Country, and especially w^hat is now Cooper County, presented advantages, which those seeking a home where they could find the richest of lands and the most healthful of climate, could not and did not fail to perceive. Its fertile soil promised, with little labor, the most abundant harvests. Its forests were filled with every variety of game, and its streams with all kinds of fish. Is it a wonder, then, that those seeking homes where these things could be found, should select and settle first the rich lands of Cooper and Howard Counties, risking all the dangers from the Indians who lived in great numbers close around them ? Two years after the settlement of Benjamin Cooper and his removal to Loutre Island, the first lasting settlement w^as made in the Boone's Lick Country, and this party was but the forerunner of many others Avho soon followed, and in little more than one-half of a century have thickly settled one of the richest and most attractive parts of the State of Missouri.

On the 20th of February, 1810, Col. Benjamin Cooper with several others returned to what is now Howard County. They came up on the north side of the Missouri river from Loutre Island, and all of them, except Hannah Cole and Stephen Cole, settled in Howard county, north of the Missouri river. Hannah Cole and Stephen Cole settled in what is now Cooper county; Stephen Cole, about one and one-half miles east of Boonville, in what is now called the old "Fort Fiield^" now owned by J. L. Stephens; and Hannah Cole, in what is now East Boonville, on the big bluff overlooking the river at a point of rocks where a lime kiln now stands. Benjamin Cooper settled in Howard county, in the cabin which he had built two years before, and which had not been disturbed by the Indians, although they occupied all the adjacent country.

When the famiHes of Hannah and Stephen Cole settled in what is now Cooper county, there was no w4iite American living in Missouri west of Franklin county and south of the Missouri river. Those who came with them and settled north of the Missouri river, were their nearest neighbors, but they were most of them two or three miles distance from this side of the river.

The families of the first settlers south of the Missouri river, were composed of the following members : Hannah Cole and her children Jennie, Mattie, Dikie, Nellie, James, Holburt, Stephen, William and Samuel. Stephen Cole and Phoebe, his wife, and their children James, Rhoda, Mark, Nellie and Polly, making seventeen in all, members of the two families who made the first settlement in what is now Cooper county, but what was then an untrodden wilderness. Here they were surrounded on all sides by savages who

Only four of these children are still alive ; they are Dikie, Jennie, Mark and Samuel Cole. Dikie Cole, now Mrs. Dikie Dallias, and Mark Cole, lived in this county for some time, then moved to St. Clair county, where they now reside. Samuel Cole, and Jennie Cole, now Mrs. Jennie Davis, have resided in this county ever since the first settlement by their mother. To Samuel Cole we are indebted for a great deal of the early history of this county, for he was here a long time before any other person now living here, except his sister, came to the county.

When Benjamin Cooper and those who were with him came up the river, there was no road nor anything to guide them through the wilderness. They had to take, as the path in which to travel, any opening which they could find in the thickets which would permit the passage of their wagons and animals. When they arrived at the river, where old Franklin now stands, Hannah and Stephen Cole desiring to cross the river with their families, were compelled to use a large canoe, or '^perogue," as it was then called, swimming their horses behind them.

Their only neighbors at that time on this side of the Missouri river, were the Sauk and Fox Indians. The Sauk Indians, under Q^uashgami, their chief, lived on the Moniteau Creek, in the south part of Cooper county. When the settlers first came here, these Indians professed to be friendly to them, but, as is generally the case with all savages, they stole horses and committed other depredations. During the War of 1812, these Indians took sides with the British against the Americans. After the conclusion of the war, the Sauk Indians were ordered off to Grand river, and from thence to Rock river. Their other chiefs during this time were

Samuel Cole states that he often hunted with these chiefs, and found them generally kind and obliging. He was also well acquainted with Blackhawk, who was at that time a common Indian warrior, but who afterwards became a noted chief. The whites at that day, although they well knew the treachery of the Indians, were accustomed to hunt and fish with them ; also sometimes to visit them at their villages ; yet they always kept on their guard against the wiley savages.

When the settlers first came to this county, wild game of all kinds was very abundant, and was so tame as not to be easily frightened at the approach of white men. This game furnished the settlers with all their meat, and in fact, with all the provisions that they used, for most of the time they had little else than meat. There were large numbers of deer, turkeys, elk and other large animals, and to use the expression of an old settler, "they could be killed as easily as sheep are now killed in our pastures." The settlers spent most of their time in hunting and fishing, as it was no use to plant crops to be destroyed by the wild game. Small game, such as squirrels, rabbits, partridges, &c., swarmed around the homes of the frontiersmen in such numbers, that when they did attempt to raise a crop of any kind, in order to save a part of it, they were forced to kill them in large numbers.

But these inoftensive animals were not the only ones which filled the forests. Such terrible and blood-thirsty wild beasts as the bear and the panther could be seen very often lying in wait for any unwary traveler who ventured near their lairs. Near where the present residence of Washington Adams stands, in the City of Boonville, a panther was one day killed by Samuel Cole which measured eleven feet from the end of its nose to the tip of its tail, and which was thought to have been one of the largest panthers ever killed in the State of Missouri.

Not only were the settlers and their families thus well provided with food by nature, but also their animals were furnished with everything necessary to their well-being. The range was so good during the whole year that their stock lived without being fed at all by their owners. Even when the ground was covered with snow, the animals, taught by instinct, would in a few minutes paw from under the snow enough grass to last them all day. Their only use of corn, of which they planted very little, was to make bread, and bread made of corn was the only kind they ever had.

After the first settlement of what is n®w Cooper county, the settlers remained here nearly two years without any neighbors nearer than the opposite side of the Missouri river. For nearly two years they encountered alone the dangers of the forest, and lived in peace and quietness, although they at times feared an attack from the Indians who lived south and west of them.

But in the latter part of the year 1811 some more adventurous spirits moved to this side of the river, and began to settle around and near the present site of Boonville. They settled near one another, so that in time of danger they could readily gather at one place. This timely arrival revived the spirits of the settlers, for already could be heard the dim muiterings in the distance, which foreshadowed a long and bloody conflict with the Indians who had been induced by the emissaries of the British government to take sides with that country against the United States of America.