Greene County, Missouri - Franklin Township, 1883

Franklin Township

Position and Description - Caves and Springs - Early History - Items - The "Firsts " - Incidents - In "War Times - Hickory Barrens - Hunt's Mill - Bellview Church - Mt. Comfort Church - Biographies of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Franklin Township.

Position And Description

Franklin township comprises all of congressional township 30, and the south twenty-four sections of 31, in range 21. In character the topography of the country is varied, although inclined to be rough and broken. Like many other portions of Southwest Missouri, a great deal of the soil is poor and unproductive, with occasional fine farms and many fertile spots. Only a comparatively small portion of the township is prairie.

Caves And Springs

On section 17, tp. 30, on the farm of A. S. Sweet, in this township, is a small cave, in which is a fine spring. The cave can be entered some thirty yards. The spring is never-failing. On the same section, on the farm of Thos. Wright, are a similar cave and sjjring, except that the cave is larger and more roomy, and the spring finer. Both the cave and spring are among the most noted in Greene county. The township abounds in springs, and these and the branches of the Sac supply it with plenty of water.

On sectio'n 22, tp. 30, there are two fine springs sending out a large volume of water, with a fiill of forty feet in less than 200 yards, and affording plenty of water and power to turn a mill of two run of buhrs.

Early History

Franklin township had as one of its first settlers, James K. Alsup, Avho came from Tennessee in 1831 and settled on the Little Sac, in section 17, tp. 30. An old gentleman named Daniel Johnson came the same year, and settled in section 7. Samuel Scroggins came also in 1831, and made an improvement on the Little Sac, on section 22, tp. 30. In the fall of 1832, John Headlee arrived from Maury county, Tennessee, and put up his first cabin on section 10, near the line between that and section 9. At the same time with Headlee came Benjamin Johnson and James Dryden, and settled on section 9. The widow Simms, the mother-in-law of Mr. Headlee, also came at the same time with him, and made her home in the township. Larkin DeWitt came the same year (1832) and settled on the Sac. Kobert Ross, who came in 1832, lived farther east. Thos. J. Whitlock came to Greene county in 1832, locating first on the Kickapoo prairie, but soon after removing to tliis township, on the south side of the Sac, on section 21. Thomas James was an early settler of the township. He was born in North Carolina, afterward removed to Tennessee, and came to Greene county in 1835. Caleb Headlee, the father of Hon. Samuel W. Headlee, emigrated from Maury county, Tennessee, in 1836, and settled in the township. In the fall of 1834, David H. Bedell came from North Carolina and made a settlement in section 5, where he died in April, 1860. Nearly all the early settlers of the township were from Tennessee, but a great part had originally come from North Carolina before reaching Tennessee. The Headlee and Bedell families trace their ancestry back to New Jersey.

In the southern part of the township David Roper and family came from East Tennessee, and settled just over the township line on the south. David Appleby and James Appleby, with their families, came to section 33, from Bedford county, Tennessee, in 1833. About 1835 C. C. Williamson came from Kentucky and settled on section 29. About the same time came Erastus McMurray and his mother and brother.

Farther to the north, on section 7, came Daniel Johnson, from Ulinois, as early as 1831. He made the first improvement on the prairie in that quarter.

Drury Upshaw was another pioneer in the extreme northern part of the township, and the prairie now called " Upsher" prairie was originally named for him. Francis and Zachariah Simms and Henry Morrison, in other portions of the township, were early settlers.

Items Of Early History

The first marriasre in the neighborhood of the settlements in Franklin township was that of Lawson Fulbright and Elizabeth Roper, at the house of the bride's father, David Roper, in 1831. The ceremony was performed by Rev. J. H. Slavens, the pioneer methodist minister. At that time, however, old David Roper lived in what is now Campbell township. This is claimed by some to have been the first marriage of white persons in Greene county - at least within the present limits.

risoii 9oplin and Miss Sims, a daughter of the widow Sims (or Simms). This marriage occurred in 1833, at the house of Mrs. Sims, on section 4. Rev. Slavens officiated.

Dr. C. D. Terrill, of Springfield, was the first physician who practiced his profession in the township, and Rev. J. H. Slavens held the first religious services.

On section 10, township 30, Robert Foster taught a subscription school at a very early day. He received 50 cents per month for each pupil. The school house was built in 1837 by the contributed labo^ and material of the settlers. In 1835 a small log school house was built just across the township line, in Campbell township, and here David Appleby taught the first school, many of his pupils being from the settlements in this township). The house had no floor, and no patent seats or desks, or globes, or black-boards, or any of the modern appliances, but Mr. Appleby taught a good school, and received $1 per mouth for each scholar as his compensation. Robert Foster received only 50 cents per scholar for his work.

The first settlers of Franklin township, like those of other parts of Greene county, had to goto St. Louis and Boonville for their supplies. Sometimes the journey was made with ox teams and the trip occupied a month. The first mill visited was at the mouth of the James, or near where Ozark now is, in Christian county. Marshall's old mill, on Finley, was also visited, while very often the old mortar and pestle were resorted to for corn meal.

The first grist mill built in the township was a steam mill, put up in 1858 on section 16, township 30. On the same section, on Sac river, Dysart & Headlee built and operated a saw mill, in 1848. The mill stood near the southwest corner of the section.

The first burying ground was at Mt. Comfort, on section 16, township 30. The first settlers in this part of Missouri often brought the dead bodies of their friends from twenty miles away for interment in this cemetery, and here many of the "rude forefathers" of the country sleep.

As long ago as 1834, when old Thomas Whitlock was out hunting on one occasion he found a large pile of stones. Making an investigation the bones of a dead Indian were found. It may be presumed that the dead warrior belonged to the Osage tribe, and hud died while on a hunting expedition to this country, since the Osages frequently visited this section on such expeditions, and a favorite method with them of burying the dead was to cover the body with a heap of stones. Sepulchral mounds of this character have been found in Taylor township.

Wild animals were plenty in these parts when the settlers first came. In the fall of 1834 one Isaac Smith was out hunting, and found the carcass of a deer all covered up with leaves. He came home and secured some of his neighbors and their dogs, and, returning, found a huge, fierce panther up a tree. The beast was shot five times before it was killed.

Wolves were plentiful, and wolf-hunts were common and often exciting. There were hundreds of herds of deer and thousands of turkeys, and venison and turkey were common articles on every pioneer's bill of fare.

In War Times

During the civil war the majority of the people of Franklin township were Unionists, and many of the men enlisted in the Federal service at the start and served through the war. The first Union flag in the township was made by Mrs. T. J. Whitlock, for Capt. Gattly's company of Home Guards. The banner was afterward carried through the war by Capt. Reed's company. Twenty-fourth Missouri.

Some time in 1862, the house of Burreli Sims was robbed and his family abused by a Confederate raiding party. Some money was taken. The same party committed other depredations in this township.

Mr. Mansel Putman, accused of being a Confederate sympathizer, but never in the military service, had a thrilling experience. He was arrested by a party of Federal troops, and was being taken to Springfield. Fearing that his cajDtors intended murdering him, Mr. Putman, when a few miles from home, just over in Campbell township, started to run. His guards fired on him, and one large minnie ball passed through his body, entering near his right shoulder and coming out at his left side, making a fearful wound. Badly hurt as he was, Mr. Putman contrived to make his escape. He ran and hid in the brush for a time, and then crawled to a cave, where his family found him and fed, nourished, and cared for him until his restoration to complete health.

and a school house. The store was built in the winter of 1881, by C. & W. Appleby. The post-office was established before 1861, but was discontinued during the war, and re-established afterward.

Hunt's Mill is located on section 22, township 30. There is here a general store, recently established. Jonathan Hunt is the proprietor of the mill, which is turned by the water from the springs before mentioned.

Is located on section 28, township 30, range 21. It was organized about 1849. The names of original members were David Appleby, and wife, Nancy Bell, B. Thomas and wife, James McCurdy and wife, J. N Appleby and wife, W. B. Logan and wife, Henry Sheppard and wife. The church building was erected in 1876. It is a frame building, the cost being $860. It was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Dunlap in November, 1876. The names of the pastors that served are the following: Daniel Emmerson, G. A. M. Renshaw, A. G. Taylor, U. S. Messmer, J. M. Brown, John H. Wilson, E. M. Hulbert, G. F. Davis, C. C. Hembry (the present pastor). The present membership 30. The first services were held at the residence of David Appleby, and for a number of years at the Hall school house, located on William A. Appleby's farm on section 27, township 30, range 21. In the winter of 1865 a revival was held by Brother Halbertand some 13 members additional was the result.

Was organized in 1834 near where the Presbyterian church now stands under a brush arbor. It is situated on section 16, township 30, range 21. The names of the original members are as follows: William Allen and wife, L. Deroitt and wife, Mrs. Montgomery and daughter, Robert Rose and wife, T. J. Whitlock and wife, William Dysart and wife, Hosey Williams and wife, C. C. Williams, Sterling Allen, Robert and Mary A. Dysart, David Headlee, wife and son S. G. The first church building was a log house erected in 1837. The present one is a frame structure costing $800, built in 1859. It was dedicated in the fall of 1860, soon after it was built, by Rev. Silas Hinman. The pastors that have served the church were William Piland, Anderson Young, J. Blair, Thomas Johnson, G. Buckhanan, C. C. Williams, Waters, T. J. Garrett, D. W. Amos, T. H. Henderson, C. W. McBride, B. P. Fullerton, J. Barr, S. W. Delzell, A. D. Delzell, William Albright (present pastor) ; number of present mem- bership is 70. This church was first called the Kisteopoo congregation. The services were held in different houses before the church was completed, the first protractive meeting was held in August, 1844, at the house of T. J. Whitlock. The meetings were held at this house once every month till the church was completed.