Harrison County, Missouri - Chapter 5: Early Settlexment, 1921

SOURCES OF INFORMATION - CHARACTERISTICS OF PIONEERS - HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS - JOSEPH ARNOLD, FIRST SETTLER - SETTLEMENTS IN 1839 - SETTLERS PRIOR TO 1850 - ASEPH BUTLER SETTLED HERE IN 1840 - JOHN MAIZE, UNCLE TOMMY TAYLOR, THOMAS FLINT, THOMAS TUCKER. CHARLES L. JENNINGS, E. M. JENNINGS, JOHN W. DROWN, AVILLIAM R. ALLEN AND OTHERS - HIGH STANDARD OF CITIZENS. - "THE PLANTING OF THE COTTONWOOD TREE."

Prior to 1859 there was no newspaper published in the county. The inhabitants prior to that date were not privileged as are we to read the weekly chronicles of the events in their community, and in writing of that time, we now having passed beyond listening to the statements of the oldest inhabitants we must seek information fi'om the most reliable and authentic sources and in writing of others. In preparing this article much reference is had to articles heretofore written and published by Elder John S. Allen a^nd Colonel D. J. Heatton, and much information has been derived from contributors of today.

Tliis county, as was usually the case in all new countries, was settled by people who set out to establish, on new and cheap land, homes and communities for themselve.3 and their families. They were people without much means, generally, who had courage and energy, determination and endurance, and who were capable of economy and patience. They were self-reliant and coming as they did with the purposes they did, were a people of farmers and honesty. Among them there was no place for a lazy man, a dude or a thief.

Of course before the first settlements were made the country had been explored and traversed by hunters and trappers. These had given names to many of the creeks and groves. For instamce it is said that a camp of hunters on a creek a few miles southeast of Bethany from the number of skunks they found there, named the creek Pole-Cat, a name it bears to this day. Big- Creek was named by settlers near its mouth where it flows into Grand River. Shane Creek was named after Thomas Shane, one of the first settlers upon its bamks. And Sugar Creek was named from the unusual fact that along its course were found many hard maples from which sugar is made and to this day there are landowners in that region who have preserved their sugar groves.

The time or place of the first settlement in the county is not definitely known. Joseph Arnold, who until his death some years ago lived about three miles south of Bethany, is accredited with being one of the first settlers and he stated that in the spring of 1838 his father and Levi Hunt settled on the west bank of Big Creek about five miles south of Bethany. That they found there when they came John Fields living a little lower down the creek on its east bank. That he had a little log hut and a small field enclosed and in cultivation. In the year 1838 William Mitchell, Jacob Mitchell and others settled on Sugar Creek in the southeast part of the county.

During that year and 1839 several families settled in the county at different points and the neighborhoods were known by the names of some of the more prominent of the first settlers. There were such neighborhoods as Dunkerson's Grove, Taylor's Grove, Harris' Mill, Foster's Farm, Allen's Big Spring, and like designations were common about the country by which different localities became well known among the people, and as commonly referred to as are nov/ the towns and villages.

In the history of Harrison County, published in 1888 and edited by the late Colonel D. J; Heaston, of Bethany, we learn that efforts had beei?' made to obtain the names of the actual settlers prior to 1850 and to arrange them by neighborhoods, but it was found impossible ; but the following list then taken from public records and interviews then had with pioneers was pubhshed therein alphabetically:

Of course, it is not claimed that the foregoing is a full or complete list of all the early settlers but it is believed to be the lai-gest list that has ever been published. In writing a history of the county for the "Atlas" prepared by Edwards Brothers, in 1876, Colonel Heaston made a list of early settlers embracing about one-half the names above given. The others have been added from other sources.

In 1840 Aseph M. Butler settled west of Big Creek on the farm where he lived and died near the south line of the county. He came from Vermont. About the same time John R. Maize, who died October 9, 1921, settled near him. In the same year Thomas Tyler settled near the head of Pole Cat Creek on what was later known as the Birdine Taylor farm, upon which stands the Kutley Chapel. It was an old joke among the settlers that Uncle Tommy Taylor was the smartest man on Pole Cat, having shown his wisdom by settling so far up toward the head of the "critter." He certainly showed wisdom in selection of the site of his location. No better or more beautiful country is anywhere to be found.

The same year Thomas Flint settled near him. He was a minister in the Christian Church and continued to preach many years. He was an intelligent man, and did much good in properly directing the morals of the people. He was appointed circuit clerk upon the first organization of the county and died in office. David and William A. Ti'avis also came here in 1840. They settled a few miles northeast of Bethany. It was reported about this part of the county that David Travis was one of the best hunters among the early settlers and in addition to other game occasionally killed an elk. In 1841 there settled near where Bethany is John W. Brown, Thomas Tucker, Charles L. Jennings, E. M. Jennings, William R. Allen and others. At that time there were no v/hite settlers north of them except a few at Fort Des Moines where there was an Indian town and a fort. John W. Browm was one of the best known men among the early settlers and one of the best citizens that ever lived in the county. Before the organization of the county he was elected a justice of the peace or "squire" as he was familiarly called, and what cases there were, were decided by him and the man who was not satisfied with his decision was set down as a contentious man. After the organization of the county he was both circuit and county clerk for twenty years.

The first settlers of this county were all an exceptionally good class of citizens and all accounts we have learned of them agree in this. No county was ever settled by a better class of men than John S. Allen, William R. Allen, Aseph M. Butler, David Buck. Daniel Bartlett, C. L. Jennings, T. M. Geer, Lewis Charlton, Henry Fuller, Samuel Edmiston, John W. Brown, Thomas Flint, Thomas Tucker, T. M. Dunkerson, Elisha Meeker, M. K. Howell, Philip Harris, James A. Dale, Ephraim Stewart. William A. Travis, David Travis and those who settled with them near Bethany. Even William Penn and his early colony were no better.