Dunklin County, Missouri - Chapter 2: Indians and Other Races the Mound Builders, 1896

Chapter 2: Indians and Other Races the Mound Builders

This is a race who have acquired their name from the numerous large mounds of earth left by them. This race possessed a much less degree of culture than the races that built the ancient cities of Central America, and reaches back into an antiquity so remote as to have left behind no vestige of tradition.

United States. Remains of what were apparently villages, altars, temples, idols, burial-places, monuments, camps, fortifications and pleasure-grounds have been found, but nothing showing that any material save earth was used in the construction of their habitations. At first these works were supposed to be of Indian origin, but careful examination has revealed the fact that despite several adverse theories they must have been reared by a people as distinct from the North American Indian as were those later people of Central America.

The mounds and other ancient earthworks constructed l)y this people are abundant in Southeast Missouri. Some are quite large, but the greater part of them are small and inconspicuous.

*< Along nearly all of the water-courses that are large enough to be navigated by a canoe, the mounds are almost invariably found, so that when one places himself in such a position as to command the grandest river scenery he is almost sure to discover that he is standing upon one of these ancient tunnels, or in close proximity thereto. The human skeletons, with skulls differing from those of the Indians, that are found in these mounds are usually accompanied by pottery and various ornaments and utensils showing considerable mechanical skill. From the comparatively rude state of the arts among them, however, it has been inferred that the time of their migration to this country, if indeed they did migrate, was very remote."*

Their axes were of stone; their raiment, judging from fragments which have been discovered, consisted of the bark of trees interwoven with feathers, and their military works were such as a people would erect who had just passed to the pastoral state of society from that dependent alone upon hunting and fishing. They were, no doubt, idolaters, and it has been conjectured that the sun was the object of their adoration. The mounds were generally built in a situation affording a view of the rising sun; when inclosed in walls their gateways were toward the east; their caves in which their dead ^vere occasionally buried always opened in the same direction ; when bodies were buried in graves, as was frequently the case, they were laid in a direction east and west ; and, finally, medals have been found, representing the sun and his rays of light. Duuklin County is an especially rich field for the archaeologist. Situated on the farm of C. V. Langdon, one mile south of Cotton Plant, is one of the largest mounds in the county, adjoining are smaller ones. North of Cardvvell, two miles on Major Willie Ray's place, there is quite a number.

In the north part, and, in fact, nearly all over the county at comparatively short distances, these mounds are very noticeable. Extra large-sized human bones, skulls, earthen pots, rude ornaments, and various stone implements have been exhumed from many of these mounds.

The Indians

tinct people in the forest wilds of America have been questions much discussed by the learned and unlearned of modern times, but thus far have elicited onlv hypotheses in reply. The most common supposition is, however, that they are a derivative race, sprung from one of the more ancient people of Asia, and that they came to this continent by way of Behring Strait, and this doubtless is the true theory. The tribes with whom the first settlers of Missouri came principally in contact were the Pottavvattomies, the lowas, the Kickapoos, the Sacs, and the Foxes.

Among the Indian chiefs whom the first settlers of this county came in contact with were Chilletacaux, Senaca, Kinamore, John Big Knife, Corn Meal, John Ease, Moonshine, Buck-Eye and Chickolee. Chilletacaux near Kennett was the principal Indian village; the Indian chief of the same name lived there in a small log hut, the cracks of which were suflacieiitly large for his many cats to go in and out at will. Even after the county had a considerable number of white settlers the Indians came back in summer to their old camp grounds. The squaws *' tended " a common corn-patch, from which each one received her portion. They also made beaded moccasins and ornaments. The men hunted and fished. The Chickasaw Indians are said to have been lost during the earthquakes at Cuckle-Burr Slough, between Buffalo Creek and Big Lake. The Indians were all peaceable and kind when treated so by the whites.

Chapter Hi Sceneuy, Animals, Etc

The appearance, physical features, etc., of this part of the country before the earthquake of 1811-12, was very different from that of latter years. Before that disturbance of the earth's surface Crowley's Ridge extended to the lower end of Dunklin County, gradually sloping on the sides and south end to level but Dot low land.

Little River was called White Water, and was a beautiful but very crooked stream resembling a mountain creek; it had high banks on which grew highland timber, as oak, sassafras, walnut, mulberry, etc. This is a fact proven by the large amount of this timber that still remains (much of it in a good state of preservation), imbedded in the '* bottoms " along St. Francois and Little Rivers.

During a dry fall season, as has been this present one of 1895, one may easily see where Little River ran before the earthquakes. By following up its bed or main channel there are yet remains of its high banks in some places that give it the appearance of a creek during a dry season. On either side of this main chann'el may be found imbedded in the earth the above mentioned highland timber thoroughly water seasoned, and although one may at present drive across it it is usually covered with water from a few to many feet deep, making the swamp called Little River from one to several miles in width.

East of Castor River (now known as New River in this county) and White Water or Little River, the country was described by Dr. Brookway through Col. Applegate as being before the earthquakes nearly level but not swampy, a beautiful country all the way to Point Pleasant in New Madrid County.

The tunnels erected by that prehistoric race called *' Mound Builders," were numerous along these watercourses and much more conspicuous than is generally supposed. But in 1811-12 the general appearance of the country was materially changed. The banks of White Water were shaken down, and Little River, with a swamp on either side, in some places several miles in width, was formed in its stead. The magnificent highland timber was uprooted and left nearly, or quite, buried in mud and water. The hills, forests and clay soil in the south end of the county as well as all along its eastern boundary disappeared. The scene was an open country largely covered with water, on which grew few or no trees. So it was described by Indians to the early settlers.

By the year 1830, West Prairie and Grand Prairie were nearly dry and covered with prairie and sage grass from three feet to the height of a man on horseback. On the edges of the prairies the wild strawberry and dewberry grew in profusion. In the lower places there was a growth called wild, or duck oats, and ffreat rush and canebrakes on still lower land. The creeks and sloughs, that are now nearly or quite dry, most of the year, were then, in many places, deep enough to swim a horse.

Much moss aad other aquatic growths flourished in the rivers and lakes then as dow. There was some small cypress in the swamps of Little River, but all over the lower end of the county the trees were comparatively scarce and unusually small. During the fall seasons after the prairies were burned off, as they were every few years, sometimes annually, an unlimited view could be had. When this grass was allowed to grow it became so hiojh and thick that it was difficult to pass through unless one followed the paths made by wild beasts from water to den.

No wonder that the waters and prairies were in turn blackened by thousands of geese, or made white by the beautiful swan, or changed to the dingy hue of the blue crane, or brightened by the rich coloring of the mallard duck.

The wild turkey did not fail to mingle his gobble with the mocking jabber of the parrot, and many parraquet. The American eagle built his nest in the cypress trees, in what is now the vicinity of Cotton Plant and Hornersville.

With small birds the woods were fairly tilled, although there were many kinds of hawks and owls to prey upon them. Year after year the trees grew larger, and the small growth thicker, until by 1850 the entire county was a vast forest filled with wild animals and fur-bearing creatures - a good hunting and fishing ground for the Indians, but still very sparingly settled by whites.

Wiley Clarkston killed seven of these animals from one herd at the head of Buffalo Island in 1845. Some other hunters killed sixteen from one herd. These animals left this county in the winter of 1847. Elk were more numerous than buffaloes. Nathanial Baker says he has seen several hundred of these quadrupeds in one herd in the fall of the year. They stayed in the swamps closer each year until January, 1865, when they went further west.

Deer, bears, wolves, panthers, catamounts, wild cats, and fur-bearing creatures, as beaver, otter, mink, coon and opossum, lived here in great numbers, and were for many years the staple product of the count}^

Physical Features

Twenty years ago this county was nearly covered with a heavy growth of timber, broken on the east of the north central part by West Prairie and in the south central part by Grand Prairie. The Glades, a strip of black, mucky, low land from two to five miles wide, lies along St. Francois River for several miles in the northwest corner of the county and is heavily timbered.

Crawley's Ridge, a range of hills that strikes the county on the north in section 22-23, township 23, range 9, is from two to several miles wide, and zigzags through the north part of the county as far south as Campbell. It supports some fine beech and oak timber. Among the clay soil of this ridge may be found some exceptionally fine potter's clay.

The east, central and lower parts of the county jue level, traversed by many little rivers, creeks or socalled sloughs, that divide the surface into many small islands.

Canaan Island, southeast of Campbell, at the foot hills, and Clarkson, are separated by Pond Slough. Taylor's Slough runs between West Prairie and Halcomb Island, and Varners River runs south of Halcomb and divides that island from Ten Mile Island. Chilletacaux River separates the last named island from Scrub Ridge, or Kennett and vicinity.

The cut-off that joins St. Francois andVarneys rivers runs between Ten Mile and Two Mile Islands. The last-named river runs between Two Mile Island and Horse Island and Buffalo Creek, between the latter and Grand Prairie. Buffalo and Horse Islands are divided by Honey Cypress, and Seneca Creek runs between an island of the same name and Buffalo.

Formerly these creeks and sloughs were considered hopeless swamps. Now much of them are beginning to be appreciated as among the best land in the county. For years the high waters have deposited rich soil upon them ; this, with decaying vegetation, have raised them materially. As the heavy timber is cut off the land dries. In many places where, fifteen years ago, water stood in s|)ring saddlegirth deep to a horse, the land is this year planted in corn and cotton, and bids fair to yield an abundant harvest.

The Present Appearance

Is such as our people may justly feel proud. When it is remembered that less than fifty years ago an open farm of more than twenty acres was considered large, and ten acres was about the average size, now the glade has more and larger farms than did the county in 1858. The ridge has many line farms, well improved, and West Swamp, between the ridge and Maiden, is fast being opened up. From the north county line to Maiden, and south of there to Kennett, magnificent farms bound you on every side, making comfortable homes and independent livelihoods for their owners. If you travel from Campbell west to the St. Francois River, or southeast through Canaan Island to Halcomb, thence south through Halcomb Island to White Oak and on down throuijh Ten Mile and Two Mile Islands, and south to Senatli on Horse Island, your road lies in a well improved country. On every hand it gives evidence of thrift and prosperity.

South of Senath on Horse Island and Buffalo Island to the county line there are some of the finest farms in the county ; still there is much unimproved land and fine timber here, especially in the vicinity of Cardwell. From Kennett south to Cotton Plant on Grand Prairie and past Hornersville to the county line, are as fine farms as any county can boast.

Wild Growths

The blackberry, dewberry and strawberry grow wild in nearly every neighborhood in the county, from the hill-tops to the overflow regions in the extreme southeast corner. The wild grape, muscadine, persimmon, pecan, plum, crab-apple, and black-haw make beautiful the country, and laden the air with the delio^htful odor of their blossoms in spring, and hang out their fruit in tempting array among the autumn leaves.

On the hills there is a growth known as Japan clover, which is a good mast for hogs, sheep, cattle, etc. The wild grasses, yonkepins, mosses, etc., are plentiful.

These have, perhaps, from times immemorial occasionally visited the regions of the lower Mississippi Valley, always causing great alarm and considerable loss of property to the inhabitants.

The southeast corner of Dunklin County have, during some of these visitations, been inundated by the waters from the tributaries of the " great " river, and during some of these floods the muddy waters of the Mississippi itself have been easily noticed in the bounds of our county.

Among the most destructive floods which have reached this county may be mentioned those of 1844, 1857, 1858 and 1882-1883. The high waters of 1882 were the most destructive to the inhabitants of this county of any which have occurred within the memory of the present generation. There was no loss of life among the inhabitants, but considerable live stock and much corn and other produce was destroyed. February 28, 1882, the waters were noticed coming across the road near the Old Gulp Place south of Hornersville. It also flowed into all low places both north and south of the town.

The waters flowed with as much swiftness as a mountain creek after a heavy rain, and the inhabitants at once became excited. James A. Mizelle, who lived in a small log house near the bank of Little River, about a mile south of town, immediately, with the assistance of neighbors, built a scaffold for his corn ; put the beds into the garret of his house, emptied the bureau drawers of their contents and took his family and live stock to higher ground. On coming back next day in his canoe he found the scaff'oldor corn pen washeddown, the corn floating in every direction, and the fences in a similar plight. On looking into the house, which he was just able to do by lying down in his canoe or

However, this was an exceptionally low place, and yet, where it had been only the day before dry land, green with early spring grass, it was on March 1, 1882, covered by water from one to four feet in depth. The floods extended as far north as Cotton Plant and from one-half to two miles west of the river.

The sloughs in the county were also high, and the St. Francois River overflowed its banks in some places. But in a short time the waters subsided almost as rapidly as they had risen, and the farmers, though a little late, made good crops. The Government came to the assistance of the people and replaced such necessaries as they had lost.

The levee along the west bank of the Mississippi gives us reason to hope that these floods will not occur again; in fact, it is practically certain that it will afford us permanent protection. We have had no high water to do any damage in this county since 1884.