Grundy County, Missouri - Myers Township, 1881

Myers Township

Its Location - Organized in 1812 - Running Streams - Undulating Prairies - Forests of Timler - When Settled - Indians and Wild Game - 1840-41 - Institutions of Learning - Methodist and Christian Churches - The First Babif - Cartmill-Bickets Nutdials - Spintiing-tvheel and Loom - Its First and Present Town Officers - Biographies.

The township of Myers occupies the extreme northeastern portion of Grundy county. This township came into existence in 1872, by the following order of the County Court:

" It is ordered that all that part of township No. 63, of range No. 22, lying in Grundy county, Missouri, and sections No. 4, 5, and 6, of township No. 62, of range No. 22, and all of sections 17, 20, 29, and 32, be known as Myers township."

The township previous to this order, formed a part of Liberty township. The soil of the township is fertile and productive, gently undulating prairie with a plenteous supply of timber along the streams which traverse its territory. Two branches of No Creek wind their way lazily through the central portion of the township, while the eastern portion is traversed by the head waters of Medicine Creek, and a branch of the sweetly named Honey Creek, dashes across the northwestern corner.

As may be noticed by the critical reader, the name of Myers in speaking of this township in the earlier pages of this history has been invariably spelled My res., as it appeared upon the old county map of Grundy county. Myers is the correct orthography, and the name will be so found upon the map, and, whenever referred to, in the latter part of this work.

It was several years after the settlement of the southern portions of the county before the eye of the early settler alighted upon the rolling prairies of Myers, or the northern portion of Liberty township, as it was known at that time. The cabin of the pioneer was seen dotting the banks of the Grand River and its forks, long before there was ever a thought of invading the domain of the then isolated section of country now known as Myers township. The Indian, with stealthy tread, followed the panting deer unmolested, or indolently passed his time along the banks of the purling waters of the streams, at sweet peace with all the world. Nothing disturbed the stilly quietness of nature until 1840, when Thomas Peniberton, a hearty pioneer of Washington township, lured by the broad, tillable acres of north Liberty, left his new home, and planted the first stake in the soil placed by the hand of a white man within the territory of Myers, whose present boundary lines are Mercer county on the north, Sullivan county on the east, Liberty township on the south and Franklin township on the west. Not long was the sturd}' Pemberton left "monarch of all he surveyed," but 'ere the joyous spring had melted away into sunshiny summer, and his rude cabin home had received the last stroke of his ax, he was followed by Jacob Thrailkill, and when the summer waned and the cooling frosts of winter made the step buoyant, other settlers came. There was James li. Ford who located in the extreme northeastern portion of the township, on section 16; farther south were the Ralls, John, Alex. V. and Morgan, on the west were Coonrod Woltz and W. W. Cartmill; also came James B. Dufl'; and there were the Myers, Lewis and Milton J., after whom the township is named, and their claims were located near the central part of the township; thus, before the spring, of 1841, before Grundy had become a county, Myers township was teeming with hearty sons of toil, all busily bending to their work, until

"All through the country 'round stakes were seen, Standing with tops above the verdant green; And here and there a httle space was cleared, On which the rude cabin should be reared; Then fell the trees before the magic ax, Cabins were reai'ed, with mud daubed up the cracks, And chimneys were built up of oaken sticks - The settler's ready substitute for bricks."

Later came William Turner, John Hooker, James A. Roberts, Sebron Reed, William Bennett and William Cunningham, and with their thrift, they were just the men to assist in the onward progress of the township. These conclude the list of those who were the early settlers of North Liberty, and to-day they with the rest are known for their energetic progressiveness, and the township of Myers with its seven hundred and fifty inhabitants and broad, cultivated fields, shows the result of their early efibrte.

Institutions Of Learning

Like other townships, Myers had its old log school-house. The first temple of learning was known as the "Ralls log house," built of logs hewn and pointed, having been erected in the eastern part of the township, in 1842 or '43, upon the land of John Ralls. A gentleman by the name of Green was the first schoolmaster. After this school building came into disuse, another was erected near the central portion of the township, known as the Myers school, and was built with money raised by taxation. These wei-e the forerunners of the present school-houses, six in number, all substantial frame buildings.

The honor of liolding the first reli<^ions services is divided between the Methodist und Christian denominations. During the early settlement of the township, the Methodists held religious services at the liomes of the settlers in the Myers neighborhood, under the guidance of lli^v. liichard Minshall, while in the eastern part of the township, the Kev. William Reed, a minister of the Christian denomination conducted services in the Jlalls neighborhood, and preached in the log school-house. No churches have been erected, but services are conducted in different school-houses.

The Myersville M. E. (Church, South, was organized in 1865, and still exists. The origiiud members were Lewis Myers, Nancy A. Myers, Melvina Myers, Margaret Myers, John Hush, Sai-ah Rush, Isaac Washburn and Mary Washburn. The services are held in school-house number seven. The first minister was Rev. Mr. New, and he has been followed by Rev. F. Stauber. Rev. Harrison Winn, Rev. Mr. Bonner, Rev. B. A. Washburn, Rev. John Burris, Rev. B. ¥. Todd, Rev. William Hart and Rev. W. C. Reuter. The congregation now numbers about fort}'^, and is in a flourishing condition.

Very few were the ills that the flesh of the rugged pioneers were heir to, but occasionally there was work for the physician. The first who practiced in the township was Dr. W. G. Regnier, who died years ago. Another of the early physicians was Dr. John Martin, now a resident of Jamesport.

Among the earWest scenes of sorrow were the deaths of the little son of Mr. John Ralls, and Benjamin F., son of Mr. and Mrs. Myers. They were laid away in quiet resting places, mourned by those left behind.

The first couple stricken with the tender passion, were Mr. John A. Cartmill and Miss Fanny Rickets. They were united in marriage with primitive ceremony, and proved a happy, loving couple.

The weaving and spinning was done by the women, in addition to their other household duties. Anions the first to use the loom and wheel were Mrs. W. W. Cartmill and Mrs. James H. Ford. The old loom of the latter is a treasured relic in possession of her daughter, Mrs. Wm. Cooksey. It is a curiosity, and a quaint reminder of the days of " auld lang syne." Mills were scarce at that day, and while the wife was busy manufacturing clothing, the husband was away in Linn county getting the corn ground. There were only horse-mills, and often after traveling for miles to use a mill the settler would find so many before him that he would have to move on, and sometimes remain up all night in the hopes of getting a chance to grind his corn and return home.

The township was organized in 1872 and the first board of trustees were Messrs. W. T. Chipps, J. H. Morris, James Ford, James Warren, assessor, and John Reed, clerk. The first meeting was held at the house of Mr.