Cooper County, Missouri - Chapter 19: Tresext Condition of Cooper County, 1876

Present Boundaries of Cooper County. - Population of the County at Each Census. - Character of the Soil. - Chief Kinds of "Wood, Grain, &c., Produced. - "Woodlands Settled First. - Present Condition of the Schools and Churches of the County. - Men Hung in County, &c., &c.

Cooper. County as it now exists, is bounded as follows : On the north by the Missouri river, on the east by Moniteau county, on the south by Moniteau and Morgan counties, and on the west by Pettis and Sahne counties, and contains 567 square miles, or 355,172 acres of land.

Since its first settlement it has increased very rapidly in population and wealth. Although during the first few years after the Coles arrived, they lived here almost alone, their only neighbors being the Indians, on the south side of the Missouri river, and the Whites, in what is now Howard county. Yet about the close of the war of 181 2, settlers commenced arriving very fast, for by this time, reports of the rich and almost unsettled country lying south of the Missouri river, had reached the thickly settled portions of the United States, in the north and east. The flattering reports of the fertility of the soil and the healthfulness of the climate, caused many persons to leave a home where they were from year to 3^ear, barely obtaining the necessities of life, and seek a country which promised abundant harvest with little labor.

17,356; and in 1870, 20,692. In taking the census of 1870, twelve square miles of the county were omitted by mistake, so that, had the census for that year been taken correctly, the inhabitants of the county would have been found to number at least 23,000. It contains by estimation on the 4th day of July, 1876, 25,006 inhabitants.

The reason of the seemingly small increase of population, betAveen the dates of taking the census for the first few times, is explained by the fact that every year or two some new county was cut off from Cooper, thus taking away some part of her territory and population. So that, in fact, from the time of the taking of one census to that of another, the increase must have been very great, as notwithstanding the fact, that large portions of the county were detached from it, each census shows an increase in population over the preceding one.

Some of the main advantages which Cooper county holds out to the persons seeking homes, are the excellence of its educational institutions, the fertility of its soil, the healthfulness of its climate, the splendid facilities which it offers for the erection of manufacturies, and the fact, that being crossed by three railroads through its central portion, and skirted on the north by the Missouri river, the products of the county can be placed upon the markets with small cost to the producer.

The soil of most parts of the county is well adapted to the cultivation of almost every kind of grain 5 as also tobacco and everything of that kind which any country with this climate could produce. Of all the counties of Missouri, and Missouri is noted for havin^j as rich soil as can be found anywhere. Cooper stands in the front rank as to quality and quantit}' of grain, &c., raised, as also for having the greatest amount o*^ soil adapted to cultivation, for there is hardly any part of its soil but wdiat can be culti^ vated vvith advantage,

The face of the country is divided between prairie and woodland, about one-half prairie, balance woodland. The southern portion of tlje county is mostly prairie, and as It nears the Missouri river, the country gradually rises into heavily wooded hills.

The western portion of the county is drained by the Lamine and Blackwater rivers ; the central portion by the Petite Saline creek and its numerous tributaries, and the southeastern part by the Moniteau creek. There are many mineral and fresh water springs in the county. Among the former, the miOSt noted are the Choteau Springs, situated about ten miles west of Boonville. Although there are no improvements there, 3'et they are resorted to by many persons, for the water of these springs are noted for their fine medicinal qualities. J

The soil of the county is generally very fertile, being well adapted to agricultural pursuits. Nearly every species of grain can be raised here with profit, as has been abundantly^ proven in the past.

The bottom lands are well adapted to the cultivation of corn and hemp ; the uplands to the cultivation of corn, wheat, oats, rye, «S:c. Peaches, apples, and all kinds of small fruits grow in the greatest abundance. Grapes are cultivated extensively, especially around Boonville, and a great deal of excellent wine is manufactured here every year. It is estimated that at least three-fourths of Cooper county is under cultivation.

There are three railroads running through the county ; one a branch road, called the Osage Valley and Southern Kansas railroad, connecting Boonville with the Pacific Railroad at Tipton ; the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad, running diagonally across the county from Boonville to the Pettis county line; and on the south, the Pacific railroad runs about six miles through the county, making in all, fifty- four miles of railroad within the limits of Cooper county.

The exports of the county are corn, wheat, oats, flour, tobacco, stoneware, wine and woolen goods, which are produced here in the greatest abundance.

From 1820 to 1830 the population of the county increased very rapidly, consisting mostly of settlers from Kentucky and Tennessee, also from Pennsylvania and New^ York; from 1830 to 1840, mostly from Virginia and North Carolina ; since which time the emigration has mainly come from the eastern and northeastern states. From the time of the first settlement until 1830, the cultivated lands were confined exclusively to the timbered parts of the county, the settlers not deeming prairie lands fit for cultivation. Another reason for not settling the prairie, was on account of the lack of water, it then being considered necessary to settle by the side of a spring - cisterns, ponds, and even wells not having been much u^^g^j. When the people commenced making ponds and c'^si-gfos, the prairies settled very rapidly, thus proving th?'^^ ^^^y ^^.^j-g better civilizers than even steamboats or i'a'"^roads.

The churches throughout the county are very numerous, have their pulpits filled with able ministers, and are well attended by the greatest part of its citizens. The prevailing denominations are the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Christians and Episcopalians.

There have only been two men hung in Cooper county by a due process of law, which speaks well for her good morals. They were both negroes ; one named Luke, and the other Jack. Luke was hung in 1826, at Boonville, for killing his master, named Harris, who lived in what is now Lamine township; Jack was hung about the year 1830, for killing a man named Gabriel, who kept a distillery on Haw Creek, about six miles from Florence, which is now Morgan county, but was then in Cooper county.