Grundy County, Missouri - Chapter 15: The Early Bar, Etc, 1881

Chapter 15: The Early Bar, Etc

Karlji History - Bat- of 1S41 - Juries - Tmporia)if Case - The Present Bar - Trenton High School Historif-Its Rise and Progress - Its Present Condition-Coal-Trial Shaft - The First Compang - The New Organization - Depth of Shaft - The Coal Vein - Woolen and Flouring-miU - Cost - Weather and Crops - Below and Ahove Zero - Crops Injured - A Review of Its Efects - Trenton s Officials, 1847-1881 - Places and Distances.

Very few members of the Grnndj couHty bar of to-day remember the early practioners, or know anything of riding the circuit. There was a great deal of hard work and hard riding connected with the practice of the lirst courts of the county. Long and dreary rides through an unsettled country often became monotonous, and it was tiien that the legal lights of early times cracked their jokes and laughed long and heartily over amusing incidents of their career. Unfortunately, at the present day it is impossible to obtain any personal reminiscences, which would, in themselves, form an interesting chapter.

The first bar was a strong one, composed of big-brained, large-hearted, good-natured gentlemen, whose rugged health and lively spirits added a wholesome zest to their rattlina: intellectual encounters and hard fought batties in the legal arena.

The first court was held in a log house in Trenton, then known as Lomax store, in April, 1841. The judicial circuit was at that time composed of the counties of Chariton, Ray, Daviess, Livingston, Macon, Linn and Grundy, Judge James A. Clarke, of Monticello, Chariton county, presiding. Mr. B. F. Stringfellow, of Brunswick, Chariton county, was circuit attorney, and the following gentlemen were members of the bar: Messrs. Philip L. Edwards and Amos Reese, of Richniond, Ray county; Messrs. Benjamin F. Tarr and William Y. Slack, of Chillicothe, Livingston county; Mr. Anderson S. Harris, of Brunswick, Chariton county; Wesley Halliburton, of Bloomington, Macon county; and Ebenezer H. Wood, of Trenton. This composed the bar in 1841. Most of these gentlemen rode the circuit regularly. In 1852 Major John C. Grifhn became a member of the bar, the second menil)er from Grundy county. Later, Messrs. John H. Shanklin and Jacob T. Tindall were admitted. At that time Messrs. Stephen Peery and Daniel Metcalf were law students in the othce of Messrs. Shanklin and Tindall.

Grand juries were thiiii^s of the future when the tirst court was held irr (Trundy county. Petit juries were picked up anywhere in the woods when a jury trial was demanded. There were no jury rooms, and after the jury liad absorbed the necessar}' amount of law and evidence in a case they retired to the shade of a neio-hboriui; tree to deliberate on a verdict. At other times when the court wasn't very busy the judsje ami lawyers would take to the woods and give the jury full swing in the court-house.

An important case was brought from Platte county to Grundy in 1844. It was a charge of seduction brought by a Miss Ellis against one John Stockton, a man of considerable property. The case was vigorously contested and finally won by the plaintiff, the jury bringing in a verdict for $10,000 damages. B. F. Stringfellow was the plaintift's attorney. The verdict was a surprise to Stockton, but he managed to turn over his property to relatives and returned to his old home in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, where, while on the streets of Lafayette, he died from the effects of sunstroke.

Present Bar

The present Grundy county bar is a body of courteous gentlemen, whose legal cpialilications will compare most favorably with the best lawyers of the State. The following is the list of names registered as members of the bar: Jolm H. Shanklin, iVIarcus A. Low, A. H. Burkeholder, R. A. DeBolt,. W. E. Clark, John C. GritHn, A. D. Mullins, Luther Collier, Stephen Peery, Melvin Bingham, P. C. Stepp, A. K. Sykes, T. A. Witten, (leorge Hall, G. L. Winters, Nathan Hearty, M. G. Kennedy, E. M. Harber, W. W. Witten, George Tindall, Orville Shanklin, N. A. Winters, O. G. Bai)i, Walter Peery, Nash Peery. Several of these gentlemen are not in active practice, but their names are enrolled and for that reason are given.

Trenton School History

The first school ever taught in Trenton, or in Grundy county, was in 183S, by an Englishman by the name of Moore. The house was a rough log cabin on the present site of the old cemetery. The school was taught by Jarvis Boyce, 1839-41, and by Geo. H. Hubbell, in the fall and winter of 1842-3. In 1844 a system of public school was inaugurated; a school board chosen, whose duty it was to elect the teacher. The iirst election of this kind ever held in the county was in the fall of 1844, and was quite interesting. Col. Jacob Tindall was the luckv candidate, and took charge of the school. In 1853 D. T. Wright, of his own means, erected the first frame building in the county for school purposes, on the lot where A. K. Sykes's residence is now situated. The school was now brought from the graveyard to town, and Mr. Wright became teacher. In the meantime,

Judge Snyder had driven all church organizations from tlie court-house, their former place of worship, and the building of Mr. Wright was rented by the different denominations as the only place to hold services.

In 1855 Joseph Ficklin, now professor of mathematics in the State University, Columbia, this State, was chosen to take charge of the school, which he did with general satisfaction.

In the same year, a regular district school-house was built where Rogers's lumber-yard now stands, and in this building Mr. T. Bradley opened school. The increase in interest and number made it necessary to have more room and better facilities; accordingly, the next year, Mr. Bradley erected the building now used by Fitterer & Hoffman for a grocery room. This was known as the Bradley building, in which he opened school, in the fall of 1856. This school was so popular that an assistant and music department were added, with Miss Chamberlin (now the wife of Dr. J. O. Harris) as teacher. In 1860 Mr. Bradley died, and the school was continued by his wife (now Mrs. Leedy, of our cit}'). She, retiring, was followed by Messrs. Colley and L. Collier, till 1863, when Prof E.. C. Norton, late of Ohio, was induced to take charge of the school. He remained in the district building till 1865, when a want of room forced him to go to the Bradley building.

Trenton now had sprung from a few rude huts to a flourishing little town, surrounded by an excellent and fast improving country. The cause of popular education met with one common unanimit}-, and so many were flocking to the school-room doors, that a larger building was no longer a question, but an absolute necessity. This fact was universally admitted, and steps were taken to supply the demand; and, in 1870, the present large and commodious building was erected, costing ff!l7,000. An eflicient corps of teachers was employed, with Prof. Norton as superintendent. Besides the now large home enumeration, many intelligent young ladies and gentlemen from abroad came and sought admission to the most excellent advantages offered. An extensive course of study was prepared and adopted, and students had the privilege of entering upon a regular course. Then began the reputation the Trenton schools have always so justly sustained at home and abroad as the leading educational institution of North Grand Eiver Yalley. The efficiency of teachers and schools was so general that many apj)lications came in for teachers from various fields; and, accordingly, in 1875, Prof. Norton was induced to resign the superin tendency and accept the position of vice-president and professor of mathematics at the Warrensbnrg State Normal. The position of superintendent was then tendered to Prof. W. D. Dobson, who had already distinguished himself as an able and efficient educator, teaching the first grammar department. Prof. Dobson held the position of superintendent till 1880, and with the earnest and faithful work of him and his efficient corps of workers, the popularity of the schools was kept up.

In 1880 a new board of education was elected, who, for some factionary cause, rejected Prof. Dobson and several former teachers, greatly against the wish of the people and the interest of the school. Prof. J. E. Vertrees became the next superintendent, and served only one year, when the board were ready to call back Prof. Dobson. Prof. Dobson declined to accept, whereupon. Prof. A. B. Smith was elected and has accepted.

If space would permit, we would like to speak more in detail of the Trenton schools. Suffice it to say, she has a flourishing alumni, whose association meets annually. The first class graduated in 1875, and was three in number, and most every 3'ear since a class has completed the course. This year (1881) the class numbered eight.

The people are proud of their school, and it is with pride they can say that the schools have honorable representatives in the pulpit, the bar, and other fields of honor, trust and profit in many of our States and Territories. The enumeration for last year (1880) was 990, and it is conceded that for this year it will be over 1,000. Another additional department has been added this year, making now thirteen departments and fourteen teachers.

Coal

While the State of Missouri has many thousands of acres of coal lands^ it has only been of late years, and we might say within the last decade, that the real wealth of the State in her coal area has been discovered. We doubt even now, that anything like a full knowledge of her mineral resources are known, and we are aware that coal has been found in large quantities and in places which, a few years ago, geologists had positively decided that coal could not be found. Stratified coal, in the carboniferous age, it is conceded, extended over great areas of country, and at that time the deposits were about on the same level; the thickness of the deposits was not uniform, but would vary gradually at different places. In subsequent geologic periods the strata of the earth's surface became greatly changed, so that in some places they were wavy, in other places broken by faults or other depressions, and in other places, particularly in mountainouscountries, they were changed by upheaval and the shrinkage of the earth into folds of every conceivable angle, from the horizontal to the perpendicular.

It is therefore well known that the coal fields of the whole Northwest, including Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, as also Missouri and Kansas^ belong to the true carboniferous age, and that only in the AUeghanies, where subterranean action has taken place, can anthracite coal be found. The bituminous coal fields cover many thousand square miles of the country, and there are but few States that exceed Missouri either in the extent of her coal area, or in its quality. The subject is really one of great interest, and the scientific men have given it profound research - which it is hardly necessary to give here. -

It was not until 1870 that those persons who were acquainted with coalanining began to notice the general features of the country, and they became convinced that its geological formation was such that a coal strata was believed to exist, and that it must underlie a large portion of the county. The veins were not thought to be very thick, yet there was evidence enough to convince the most skeptical that a vein could be found that would furnish the fuel needed, and of a thickness that would compensate those who invested money and labor in its development. This belief at last took shape in the organization of a coal company in the spring of 1873. The company organized with a capital of ^100,000, a board of directors and the following officers: president, George W. Moberly; secretary, B. Markert, and treasurer, James Austin.

Trial Shafts

But previously to this organization Mr. Markert bored for coal near the woolen-miUs, at his own expense, in a search for a paying vein, and proved that coal did exist. He did not make any effort to sink a shaft. However, the company was formed and a shaft sunk on block five of the Harris Addition to the town of Trenton and about 150 yards north of the present shaft. That was worked some time but not being so convenient for the railroad company, the present location was selected and the shaft sunk. Mr. Joseph McMiillen was once president and Geo. Tindall secretary of a firm under the -name of the Grundy County Coal company which did some work in January, 1878. The present company is now in full possession of all the coal property, and the facts here given cover the principal history of coal mining in this county. The company employed a superintendent by the name of Jones who in July, 1873, commenced boring for the black diamond. At the depth of forty feet a small vein, only four inches in thickness, was struck. The coal was of a good quality, but, of course, the vein was not worth working. At ninety-six feet the bore showed a fourteen inch vein. This also proved a good quality of coal and comparatively free from sulphur. At the depth of 215 feet an eighteen inch vein was struck and that vein is now being worked. Still below that a distance of fifteen feet lies another vein of about the same thickness, but the roof crumbles and it is therefore liarder to work. After working: the 215 feet vein for some months the -work was temporarily suspended.

In the fall of 1875 some changes was made in the company. That is, a few of the stockholders dropped out, the remaining ones buying up their stock. The company still consists of the members of the original organization. They had sunk the shaft to the depth of 215 feet and in October of that vear commenced mininor on the eiu'liteen inch vein in earnest. The jnain drift has, up to this year, 1881, been extended some 700 feet from the shaft, nearly northeast. A drift has also been worked from 200 to 300 feet west and soutli.

Thk Coal

is of good (piiility, a compact bltuiuiiious variety, tine in texture and not ot" over bria^lit luster. Its compactness causes less loss by shrinkage when exposed to the air. The thinness of the vein and its depth make mining rather more expensive than in larger veins, or of those lying nearer the surface. The price paid is five and three-fourth cents per bushel. The men and boys employed number from sixty to seventy-five, and the price of the coal varies to consumers. It is now furnished at twelve and one-half cents cents per bushel and has been uj) to fifteen cents. In large quantities |2.45 is charged per ton. This price is paid by the Chicago, Rock Island 6c Pacific Eailroad Company, who take an average of 1,500 tons per month, delivered, but that is of little expense as the shaft is but a couple of hundred feet from the platform alongside of the track. It has now been for seven years under the superintendency of Mr. N. Shanklin, an energetic, business man, and one of the foremost gentlemen in the county. He claims that no fortune has yet been drawn out of that shaft, that it will be several years before he or the stockholders can retii-e to their several beds of ease and shake hands with the world as money kings, yet it is safe to say that the money has been well invested, and that the stock is not running around asking for buyers to any alarming extent in the present year of our Lord, A. D. 1881.

Its Future

Its future is one of promise, and it is expected that an additional force will be put on soon. It is a big boom for Trenton, and if railroads have made her, the coal comj^any has helped to suj^port her and has added largely to her population and wealth.

City Woolen And Flourino-Mills

Among the important industries of Grundy county, the manufacture of woolen goods and flour takes a high rank, and the Trenton woolen and flouring-mills have aided not a little in making Trenton a market for wool and wheat for a large area of country surrounding the city.

This mill has been in active operation since the spring of 1870, and from that time many a yard of cloth has been manufactured and many a bushel -of wheat ground. The building was erected in the latter part of 1869, but not entirely completed until the date given above. The founders were the Messrs. Markertes & Bolseu, but the firm dissolved on the 1st day of Aup-ust, 1870, Mr. Bolser sellino: his interest to the Messrs. Markertes, who in turn disposed of a third interest to Dr. J. 11. Kerfoot for the sum of $8,000. These gentlemen continued as members of the firm until September, when Dr. J, II. Kerfoot retired and Mr. C. Gilham purchased his one-third inter- est. Under the firm name of Markertes & Gilliam the business flourished for three years, when the whole establishment was purchased by the McGuire Bros, on the 22d of Fel)ruary, 1874, and styled the Trenton Manufacturing Cojnpany. These gentlemen remained proprietors for several years, when they retired, selling the mills to Messrs. Eockwell & Flannigan, who disposed of it to the present proprietors, Messrs. Smith & Bixty in 1879.

Cost

The original cost of the mill was $24,000. The mill is a combined woolen and grist-mill and does custom grinding. It is the only establishment in the county which cards, weaves, spins and manufactures M^oolen goods, and, in fact, doing a large and general business in both departments. The machinery is operated by a forty-horse power engine, and is capable of turning out about 7,000 pounds of flour, 135 bushels of corn, and 2,000 pounds of wool in twelve hours.

Wool is carded and spun at the rate of twenty-one cents per pound, and carded alone at eight and one-third cents per pound. The mill manufactures four excellent grades of flour. The well known brands, "Best," "Family," "Standard," "XX," are known over this and surrounding counties as brands of superior merit and fine quality. The Trenton woolen and flouring-mills have largely helped to make Trenton the bustling city that she is.

Weather And Crops

The winter of 1873 will long be remembered as the coldest in the history of Trenton. Tlie cold Avas intense, and the whole northern portion of the State felt the extreme severity of the weather. Among the older residents of the State it was conceeded to be the coldest winter visiting this section in the past fifty years. The thermometer ranged all the way from ten to twenty degrees below zero, and on the 26th and 27t]i of January it reached its lowest ebb in the city, the mercury marking tM'enty-eight degrees below zero, each day. At the farm of P. H. Yakey, two miles east of Trenton, on the same days, it Avas reported that the mercury reached thirty-two degrees below zero. This extreme cold caused great surprise, when contrasted with the usuallv mild, invio-orating: winters of northern Missouri.

The first heated term of note or of which any record was kept, occurred in the summer of 1878, when on the 13th, 14th and 15th of July the mercury rose from ninety up to one hundred and four degrees in the shade. Several sunstrokes were reported, but no deaths occurred. This was the warmest weather experienced by the citizens of Trenton until July, 1881, when two weeks of verv warm w^eather were recorded, the mercury risino; from ninetysix to one hundred and four degrees daily. A few days of pleasant weather intervened wlien a second heated term beg^an on the 4th of August. The atmosphere was sultry, scarcely any breezes stirring. The sun's rays came down with burning intensity, parching vegetation to a crisp, aml)er hue. With the exception of a slight shower or two, there was no rain-fall of flny consequence during the months of July and August. The heat fell with deadening blight upon the crop prospects. The large yields anticipated in the early part of the summer, especially in corn, began to fade away to a small average, and throughout the country the farmers became disheartened and discouraged. Wheat for 1881 had fallen off on account of the severe winter, full twenty-five per cent below the yield of 1880. Corn by this drought, shows a loss of full forty per cent over the previous year's average yield. Hay, oats and flax did a great deal better, but did not reach better than a fair average except in hay; dry weather had a bad effect on the water supply, many cisterns and not a few wells giving out, necessitating the nse of river and creek water. Running streams were very low. The following shows the record for August:

Review

These were the exceptional hot days but there were very few days in the month of August, 1881, that did not reach over ninety degrees at two p. m, and many not of record that stood from ninety-two to ninety-six.

While the summer heat on the average has been very great, the heated terms have been longer and more debilitating and depressing in their effect than any season in the memory of the traditional "Oldest inhabitant." The winter previous, 1880-81, had been one of severity, with a greater amount of snow than had fallen in many winters, falling as late as the 12tli of April in Missouri, with heavy spring rains, and the greatest freshet since the year 1844 on the Missouri, and greater than that year on the river north or above the mouth of the Kaw. The memorable freshet of 1844 at Kansas City was aided by an immense flow of water from that river.

August 29th quite a heavy rain fell in the afternoon whetting the earth some two or the inches, but the backbone of the drought was completely broken on the night of the 31st of August, and on the following day, September 1st, when a very heavy rain-fall was experienced - too late for corn, but in excellent time to put the ground in good condition for the plow for winter wheat. The rain seemed to be general all over the State. The winter of 1880-81 and the summer of the latter year will long be remembered for their variable and extreme weather of both heat and cold and the heavy snow and spring rains and dry summer. The peculiarity of the atmosphere seemed, also, to have a peculiar effect on human nature, especially those whose minds were not evenly balanced. The murders, suicides and crime generally even to this date, September 1st, have exceeded any full previous year. Why it has proven so let the philosopher explain : certainly men have been strangely afflicted, and murder seemed to be the only remedy that would appease their maddening brain. The cities seem to be more afflicted than the country. Tlie dense mass of brick and stone reflected the heat which affected the body and the brain, alike debilitating the one and maddening the other. Thirty-one murders recorded in Chicago in seven months; and in St. Louis, August seemed to almost breed them, for several men were shot down by these persons upon the most trivial pretense. The East seemed to be afflicted the same way. The Southern cities escaped the intense heat and its murderous effect. The heat was more regular and the hot days were fewer.

1857 - Nathaniel McBride, mayor; John "W". Bagley, John B. McDonald, William Collier, Sr., and George W. Moberly, councilmen; Stephen Peery, clerk and corporation attorney; H. Cooper, marshal.

1858 - R. P. Zantis appointed councilman, vice McDonald, resigned; John C. Griffin appointed corporation attorney, and W. L. McGuire, clerk, vice Peery, resigned.

1859 - No officers elected and the town corporation ceased to exist. This state of affairs continued for seven years, when new officers were elected.

rick, mayor; Isaac Coles, R. C. JSTorton, W. II. Roberts and W. H. Smith, councilmen; Lntlier Collier, clerk; George Hall, corporation attorney; James Wauisley, marshal.