Hickory County, Missouri - The whole text, 1909 (part 1 of 4)

F. Marion Wilson

The object of the Author in presenting this book to the people of the county is to preserve some of the local history and biography, and the only regret now is that the work was not performed twenty years ago, when many of the old people now dead were aUve. The matter for the book was not written like a real estate agent's advertisement, but to give our people as plain, inteUigent statement as to conditions in the county, and territory from which it was organized, and history of its pioneers as far as traditions and facts could be gathered. An enormous fund of information that might have been gathered, and more correctly presented has perished with the departure of the good old men and old women who were living here twenty years ago. Ours has been the difficult task of extracting such truths as were wanted from the few remaining old people, and meager parts of the official records preserved from fire, and it will be found that some of our dates and conclusions are doubtful or incorrect. Four good old men Hving in the county at the time differed in their dates about four years when giving the Author information about the destruction of the first Court House. To him who has not attempted the collection of historical data, the obstacles to be surmounted are unknown. Doubtful or incorrect traditions, conflicting statements, imperfect records, and the general obscurity which, more or less, envelopes all past events tend to mislead and bewilder, when such a task as the Author has tried to perform is undertaken. We have not furnished a history without errors. Theorists may think such a thing could be done, but thoughtful, practical people realize the contrary. We feel that all thoughtful people will appreciate our work, and that if it is preserved it will be useful to future generations. The family histories and family records came directly from members of families, and we do not expect many errors in them, but they after passing through hands of writer, copyist and printer will not be found to be without errors. Many requests were sent to members of old families for family records, that were not furnished, but the loss, if any, is not to the author of this history. We have received valuable assistance from several men, which we highly appreciate. Nothing promised to be given in this volume is omitted, and many things not promised are given. We call special attention of the young people to our short sketches as to early history of settlement, manners, customs, and disadvantages under which early settlers lived. In order to furnish names of all county officials, with dates and terms of office, we were compelled to search and compare scraps of old records, indices, and a bushel or so of old, musty, miceeaten, papers, and from the same source we gathered many other facts, and conclusions. A perfectly correct statement of dates, facts, and conclusions, with the disadvantages under which we have labored can only be accomplished in the imagination of one who lives on theories and dreams. We used every effort that we could call to mind, and probably expended twenty dollars for postage, and stationery in trying to procure family records, and family history, which we are sorry we cannot present in this book, but the fault is not ours. We also used strong efforts to procure plates so that pictures of noted old and new buildings, and noted citizens could be produced in this volume, but failed to arouse sufficient interest among our people. If we should have occasion to issue a second edition of the book we may use further efforts to procure these interesting matters, but for the present have done the best we could. We submit this volume to our subscribers, with the desire that it be received, with due allowances for disadvantages under which we labored in its producton, and with thanks to friends, who have kindly given us information, and hope that it will be appreciated by all who have chosen Hickory county as a home in which to live, raise their families, and be hurried beneath her surface. The Author.

County Organization

By an Act of the legislature approved on the 14th day of April, 1845, the boundry lines of the county were fixed as they now exist, except that the Northeast corner of the county was described as being at the Northeast corner of Section One (1,) Township 38, Range 20, instead of the Northeast corner of Section Twelve (12,) same Township and Range. The act provided that three commissioners; Henry Bartlet, William Lemon and James Johnson, should meet at Judge Joel B. Halbert's residence, then located on the Warsaw and Buffalo road, one mile South of where the town of Cross Timbers is now situated, on the first Monday in May, 1845, for the purpose of organizing the county. Prior to the date of this meeting, on April 25th, 1845, John C. Edwards, Governor of the State, appointed Joel B. Halbert, President of the county court, Jonas Brown and Amos Lindsey, associate justices. Jonas Brown Uved about two miles North . of what is now the town of Pittsburg, where Napoleon D. Lewis now fives, and was buried near his old residence about 1865. Amos Lindsey resided on the East side of the county, n^ar the county fine in Section 12, Township 36, Range 21, about five miles Southeast of the town of Preston. John S. Wilfiams was appointed sheriff and collector; Thomas Davis, treasurer; and Alfred H. Foster, clerk of the county court and clerk of the circuit court, probably May 6th, 1845. These officials, and the commissioners appointed by the Act of the legislature met at the residence of Judge Halbert in May,

1845, and transacted quite a large amount of business. A great deal of the county records having been burned in the destruction of two court houses by fire it is impossible to tell where the county court again met after May 1845, until August 1846, but it probably met at the residence of John Heard, about half a mile North of what is now the town of Wheatland, on the 10th day of August 1846. Having been elected judges of the county court, Amos Lindsey was commissioned as President of the court, and Jonas Brown and Armstead Runyan, associate judges, and it is believed that the court thereafter met at the residence of Thomas Davis, county treasurer, near the Southeast corner of the original town of Hermitage, in the old log buildings now belonging to Mrs. Eva Liggett-Crowley. On the 23d day of December, 1846, the legislature passed an Act appointing William Greene, of Camden county, William Divern, of Polk county, and Charles H. Yeater, of St. Clair county, as commissioners to locate a permanent county seat fpr the county to be named, and known as "Hermitage." These commissioners met and selected the present town of Hermitage sometime in 1846 as the permanent county seat, which action of these commissioners was ratified by a majority of the people, but the good people of the west side of the county continued to advocate county seat removal until 1396. On August 10th,

1846, Jacob A. Romans, who was afterwards a member of the county court was appointed county seat commissioner, and as soon as the county seat location was settled, and the Northwest one-fourth of the Southeast quarter of Section 23, Township 37, Range 22, was surveyed and laid out into lots, streets and alleys, he proceeded with the sale of lots, and from the receipts of the sale of lots paid into the county treasury in the end $840.21 1-2. County accounts at that time were kept to one-fourth of a cent. With this money and $200. borrowed from the "Internal Improvement Fund" May 3d, 1848, a court house was built on the West end of Lot 2, Block 8, in Hermitage, where the iron building owned by the widow and heirs of Ezekiel D. Blair now stands. It was a two-stoi;y frame building and was destroyed by fire in 1860, the lower room being used for school. The jail was of heavy logs hewn with the broad-ax, and had double walls, and was built on the South end of Lot 4, in Block 3, the lot on which Harry M. Lopp's photograph gallery now stands. It was abandoned about the close of the Civil War and shortly afterwards was sold and torn down, and some of the logs are now a part of a bam standing on Lot 2, Block 15, in Hermitage, while other of the logs are in an ice house near the same place. A second court house was built in 1860, on the South side of the public square, South of where the present court house stands. It was a substantial brick, two stories high, 40 by 42 feet, and built very near on the same plan as the present court house, and was destroyed by fire January 6th, 1881, with important records of circuit court, county court, and deed and mortgage records. The Records of the probate court and the collector's books were not destroyed. The roof and part of the upper story of this court house were blown away by a cyclone in April 1879, and repairs had been finished only a little more than a year when it was destroyed by fire. In 1870-71 the stone jail now standing in the Northwest corner of the public square was built by Philip Schleifer, of Polk county, James A. Brakebill supervisor, at a cost of $4,500. It was unroofed by the cyclone of 1879, and joists and roof burned out in 1899, and it was repaired on the inside with a heavy coat of cement, and steel cells put in. It had never had cells, and prisoners had frequently escaped from -it. The question of removal of the county seat which had disturbed the county from 1845, was settled in 1896, by the building of the present substantial court house. As we have said a second court house was burned January 6th, 1881, and up to 1896, about 15 years the county was without a court house. Courts were held, and officers stored away in any sort of building that could be rented in town, and county expenditures for rent were enormous. A court house could not be built unless two-thirds of the voters of the county favored it, and a two-thirds vote could not be had, because so many of our good citizens wanted the county seat removed. It began to be talked pretty strongly by the opposition to removal about 1889 that a court house could be built by subscription, but the talk did not receive much encouragement for a while. In the early part of 1895, the author of this book, at the earnest sohcitation of Judge William C. Hickman, who resides on the Warsaw and Buffalo road three miles South of Cross Timbers, wrote a subscription paper, giving a complete description of the brick work of the present court house. Judge Hickman caused numerous copies of the petition to be made, and found plenty of enthusiastic Hermitage and East side people to circulate them. The result was that money enough was raised, except about $350. to build a court house costing about $5,350. and in 1896 it was finished. The money was principally raised in Center township and East side townships. A few men on the West side of the county contributed liberally. Now to resume our story about officials of the county and official succession, Thomas Davis took the county treasurer's office at the organization of the county in 1845, served in that office until the Civil War came on in 1861, and on March 18th, 1850, he was commissioned judge of the probate court while holding the office of treasurer. Ephraim F. Halbert who now resides in Hermitage, and is past 76 years old was commissioned county treasurer on December 16th, 1862, and on November 8th, 1864, he was elected treasurer, and again elected in 1866, and in 1868, and was succeeded by James R. Wilson, father of Robert F. Wilson, of Wheatland, who served four years, when Mr. Halbert was again elected to that office and served until 1876, and was succeeded by John A. McCartney, who * served six years, and was succeeded by William Howard on January 1st, 1883, and he was succeeded by James R. Marsh, who served two years, and was succeeded by Benjamin F. Creed, who served four years, and was succeeded by Ezekiel D. Blair, who served two years, and was succeeded by Richard N. Fugate, January 1st, 1893. Mr. Fugate was re-elected November 6th, 1894, and served until February 19th, 1896, when John W. Montgomery was appointed to succeed him. John T. Ferguson was elected to this office November 3d, 1896, and served four years, when he was succeeded by John E. Morton, who served four years, and was succeeded by Dee Blair, who served two years, and was succeeded January 1st, 1907, by Allen M. Huckaby the present incumbent.

We left the county court in 1846, composed of Amos Lindsey, Jonas Brown and Armstead Runyan. On August 7th, 1858, Amos Paxton was elected one of the judges of the county court. On August 7th, 1850, it is found that Isham B. Hastain signed his name to the record as President of the county court, but have found no record of his appointment or commission. November 5th, 1850, we find that William F. Bradley was President of the county court, and continued to be so in 1851, but we find no appointment or commission in the records. In 1852 Lewis B. Hawkins was a member of the court. Charles' S. Brent was commissioned President of the court August 4th, 1852, and on the same day Wilham F. Bradley appears in the record as a member of the court. Marcus S. Graff was President of the court in 1854-5. Alfred H. Foster, who had been clerk of all the courts was commissioned President of the county court October 19th, 1855, as were also Isham B. Hastain and Urias H. Owings, commissioned as judges on the same date. On August 6th, 1858, Alfred H. Foster, Jacob A. Romans, and William Woodrum were elected judges. John L. Hall was elected one of the judges of the county court in August 1860. January 14th, 1862, Jacob A. Romans was appointed judge but resigned in August of the same year. On January 23d, 1862, Isham B. Hastain was appointed, and on June 9th, 1862, WiUiam Woodrum was appointed, and on August 15th, 1862, Ephraim Dent was commissioned. In January 1863, John Lawrence was commissioned as Judge for six years, and was re-elected and served until January 1st, 1876. He was noted and eulogized as being the cause of his county not getting a fraudulent railroad bond debt, saddled on it as was done by the county courts of all the counties adjoining Hickory county, except Camden. On April 17th, 1865, John Pitts and Isham B. Hastain were appointed as associates of Judge Lawrence, and in November 1866, Henry C. Butler and Thomas S. Morgan were elected as associate judges. Judge Morgan died July 23d, 1869, and was succeeded by WiUiam F. Bradley who was elected November 5th, 1869, and at the November election 1868, John A. Pare was elected and served six years. In 1870 Mansfield H. Bernard was elected as associate judge, and on November 5th, 1872, James H. Nunn, who then wrote his name Niin, was elected associate judge, and served until January 1st, 1879. James M. Gardner was elected associate judge November 7th, 1876, and served two years. At the November election 1878, Marmaduke E. Ferguson was elected President of the court, with William C. Hickman and Joel N. Boone as associates. This was the first court that had been elected since 1860, that was Democratic in pohtics. Judge Ferguson's term was four years and in November 1880, Nathan K. Pope and Thomas H. Lord were elected associate judges. At the November election 1882, James H. Nunn was elected President of the court, with William C. Hickman and James T. Wallen associate judges, and November 4th, 1884, Thomas C. Anderson and James T. Wallen were elected associates. On the 2d day of November 1886, James A. Brakebill was elected President of the court, and Ben L. Mallonee and James M. Gardner associates. About the 1st of March 1888, Jlidge Brakebill resigned, and on March 12th, 1888, Joseph S. Hartman was appointed to serve until January 1, 1889, and on November 6th, 1888, Ben L. Mallonee was elected President of the court and James M. Gardner and Achilles Morgan associate judges. In November 1890, Judge Mallonee was again elected President of the court, with Joseph Riddle and James K. Moore as associates. On November 8th, 1892, Joseph Riddle and Vincent T. Cunningham were elected associate judges. At the election in November 1894, Francis J. Hooper was elected President of the court and Peter Solberg and Vincent T. Cunningham associates. In 1896, James H. Sharp and Peter Solberg were elected associate judges. In December 1897, Judge Hooper died and Ephraim F. H albert was appointed on January 3d, 1898, to serve until January 1st, 1899. James Cossairt was elected President of the court on November 8th, 1898, and James H. Sharp and Joseph Riddle as associate judges. November 6th, 1900, Henry F. Blair and James H. Nunn were elected as associate judges. At the November election 1902, James H. Sharp was elected President of the court and James H. Nunn and Melville H. Cooper associates. Judge Cooper was re-elected associate judge in November 1904. with William L. McCaslin. On November 6, 1906, Joseph Riddle was elected President of the court with D. E. 0. Thomas and William L. McCashn as associates, and were succeeded January 1st, 1909, by Nathan K. Pope and Joseph 0. Carpenter, the present incumbents. Josiah Dent sat as a judge of the county court at the July term 1865, but we have found no appointment or commission on record. The record does not show that a term of county court was held after October 4th, 1861, until August 4th, 1862. This was because of excitement caused by the Civil War. From the organization of the county in 1845, to 1890, funds known as the "Internal Improvement Fund," and "Road and Canal Fund," donated to the counties of Missouri by the general government under acts of Congress had accumulated, and been loaned out to our citizens until these funds amounted to about $8500. although large amounts of these funds had been lost or misplaced. County courts had not seen fit to use them for any other purpose than as loanable funds. But the court on June 21st, 1890, composed of Ben L. Mallonee, President of the court, and James M. Gardner and Achilles Morgan associate judges, decided that these funds would be more beneficial to the people of the county if used in the erection of a bridge across the Pomme de Terre river near Hermitage, so on June 21, 1890, the court by Patrick Chancellor, surveyor and road and bridge commissioner and F. Marion Wilson, clerk of the county court, entered into a contract with the "Wrought Iron Bridge Company, of Canton, Ohio," for the construction of an iron bridge across the river half a mile East of the court house for the sum of $5699. The bridge company soon took up the work and early in the year 1891, the bridge was completed and paid for from the "Internal Improvement Fund," and "Road and Canal Fund." A wooden bridge had been built across the river in 1860 and 1861, by Alanson F. Doak and Thomas Wilson about one-fourth mile above where the iron bridge is now situate, but a big rise in the river washed it away in a few days after it was finished. After the iron bridge was built and paid for the county court elected in November 1894, Francis J. Hooper, President of the court, and Peter Solberg and Vincent T. Cunningham associate judges, discovered that there was almost enough of the "Internal Improvement Fund," and "Road and Canal Fund" left, to build another bridge across the river, so that on May 5th, 1896, they entered into contract with D. M. Eddy and J. A. Dice, of Warsaw, Missouri, for the construction of a wire suspension bridge, across the river a short distance above the south ford and about a fourth of a mile from the court house, for which they paid $2100.

We must now go back to the organization of the county, and trace another line of officials, and we select the r ffice of clerk of courts. From the organization of the c unty until January 1st, 1883, the same clerk filled the offices of circuit clerk and recorder, clerk of the county court, and in some years clerk of the probate court. Alfred H. Foster was the first clerk of the courts of the county, and was probably first commissioned about April 25th, or May 6th, 1845, and while he recorded the commissions of all the other officers of the new county did not record his own commission unless he recorded it only in the circuit court record. He served until after the August election in 1853, and was succeeded by William Paxton, who last signed the record on October 9th, 1859, and was succeeded by Alanson F. Doak early in 1860, who last signed the record as clerk, April 2d, 1861. During the time he was clerk, Robert F. Doak, his son, who now resides at Cross

Timbers, appears to have been his deputy and did the greater part of the work. From this date to July 7th, 1862, no county record was made, but on the 7th day of July 1862, William H. Liggett was appointed clerk of the county court by the judges of the court by a writing signed by the three judges and recorded in the county court record. On June 1, 1862, he was appointed clerk of the circuit court and ex-officio recorder, by Burr H, Emerson, judge of the circuit court of the 7th judicial circuit, and was sworn into office at Linn Creek, Missouri, on June 9th, 1862, by Thompson J. Kelley, judge of the probate court, and served by this appointment and a subsequent elec^ tion until January 1st, 1867, when he was succeeded by William Q. Paxton. Mr. Paxton served eight years and was succeeded by Moses N. Neihardt on January 1st, 1875, who served eight years and was suceeded by Samuel Dent, as to the county clerk's office, and by William L. Pitts as clerk of the circuit court and ex-officio recorder. Mr. Dent served four years and was succeeded by F. Marion Wilson, January 1st, 1887, who was succeeded by William F. Coon, January 1st, 1891. Mr. Coon served eight years and was succeeded by Moses N. Neihardt, January 1st, 1899, who served four years and was succeeded by Paul Murphy, who served four years and was succeeded on January 6th, 1907, by Len G. Mallonee, the present incumbent. William L. Pitts served eight years as clerk of the circuit court and ex-officio recorder, and was succeeded by Benjamin F. Creed, January 1st, 1891. Mr. Creed served four years and was succeeded by William U. Morton, January 1st, 1895, who served four years and was succeeded by Samuel L. Williams who served four years, and was succeeded by Thomas J. Taylor who served four years, and was succeeded January 6th, 1907, by Amos F. Cossairt, the present incumbent.

The offices of sheriff and collector were held by the sams man until 1874. The first sheriff and collector of the county was John S. Williams. He was appointed on May 6th, 1845, to serve two years, and by appointment and election served until September 1st, 1850, when he was succeeded by John Mabary who served until August 12th, 1854, when he was succeed by Henderson Dollarhide, who died in office in the summer of 1855, and Zebulon Lewis appears to have acted as sheriff until September 4th, 1855, when Alanson F. Doak was appointed. Mr. Doak held the office until the election in August 1858, when he was succeeded by William Y. Evans who served until sometime in 1861. We do not find that the county had another sheriff and collector until August 12th, 1862, when Harrison H. Jamison was appointed. Mr. Jamison appears to have been elected November 4th, 1862, but resigned about July 1st, 1863, and on July 11th, 1863, George S. Selvidge was appointed to fill the vacancy, but only served for a few months, and was succeeded by John W. Quigg, October 15th, 1863. Mr. Quigg by this appointment and subsequent elections held the office until he was succeeded by William A. Pitts, who was elected November 3d, 1868. Mr. Fitts served four years and was succeeded by John D. Pitts, who was elected November 5th, 1872, and served two years in both offices, but was defeated for the office of sheriff November 5th, 1874, by William D. Harryman, but was elected to the cffice of collector. Since that time the offices of sheriff and collector have been separate. Mr. Pitts held the office of collector until about March 1st, 1876, when he defaulted. Jesse M. Cooper was appointed by the Court to fill out the unexpired term of Mr. Pitts. W. D. Harryman was again elected sheriff at the November election 1876, and was succeeded at the November election 1878, by Y/ilUam L. Mc- Caslin, who was succeeded by Wm. McCracken who was elected November 2d, 1880, and re-elected November 7th, 1882, and was succeeded by Thomas H. Lord, who was elected November 4th, 1884, and re-elected November 2d, 1886, and was succeeded by George W. Lindsey who w£s elected November 6th, 1888, and again elected November 4th, 1880, and was succeeded by Melville H. Ccoper who was elected November 4th, 1892, and was succeeded by James K. Moore, who was elected November 6th, 1894, and re-elected November 3d, 1896, and was succeeded by David E. Hitson who was elected November 6th, 1888, and re-elected November 8th, 1900, and was succeeded by Lewis W. Hogg who was elected November 4th, 1902, and reelected November 8th, 1904, and was succeeded by David E. Hitson who was elected November*6th, 1906, and was succeeded by Thomas H. Lord the present incumbent. In the office of collector, Ezekiel D. Blair succeeded Jesse M. Cooper, who was appointed March 13th, 1876. Mr. Blair was first elected November 7th, 1876, and re-elected in 1878-80, and was succeeded by Joseph S. liartman who was elected November 7th, 1882, and was succeeded by William McCracken who was elected November 4th, 1884, and was succeeded by James Vaughn who was elected November 2d, 1886, and was succeeded by

Amos M. Paxton who was elected November 6th, 1888, and re-elected November 4th, 1890, and was succeeded by Edwin H. Yeaw who was elected November 8th, 1892, and was reelected November 4th, 1894, and was succeeded by Wash F. Reser who was elected November 3d, 1896 and re-elected November 8th, 1898, and was succeeded by John H. McCaslin who was elected November 6th, 1900 and re-elected November 4th, 1902, and was succeeded by Eugene T. Lindsey who was elected November 8th, 1904 and re-elected November 6th, 1906 for a term of four years.

The first probate judge of the county was Aaron Triplett, who was appointed by the Governor, August 24th, 1849, but no term of the court was held until December 3d, 1849, although the record shows that Alfred H. Foster did considerable writing and signed it as "clerk" in vacation. John S. Williams was present as sheriff at the court. Thomas Davis was commissioned probate judge March 18th, 1850, and was succeeded by Wilham Paxton who was commissioned by Governor Sterling Price, September 5th, 1853, and served until this court was merged into the county court in December 1859. In 1867 the probate court was re-estabUshed by an Act of the legislature and on July 23d, 1867, WiUiam H. Liggett was appointed judge of the court. He was elected November 3d, 1868, and by successive elections served until January 1st, 1879, when he was succeeded by George S. Selvidge who served until January 1st, 1883, and was followed by Charles S. Essex who served four years, and was succeeded by Moses N. Neihardt January 1st, 1887 who served four years, and was succeeded by James J. Ramsey, January 1st, 1892. Judge Ramsey served four years and was succeeded by Luther J. Slavens who was elected November 6th, 1894 and served eight years, and was succeeded by Joseph S. Hartman January 1st, 1903. He served until after November election 1904 and resigned and removed to Aztec, New Mexico. John W. Montgomery was appointed to fill the vacancy November 29th, 1904, and served until January 1, 1907, when he was succeeded by James H. Holt the present incumbent.

James Lester was appointed assessor November 1st, 1846. John Dollarhide was elected assessor in 1850-2, and Joel J. Bradley was elected in 1854, and John Dollarhide was again elected in 1856, but the legislature changed the law in 1857 and he only served one year. Under the law of 1857 the county was divided into four districts, running North and South through the county and appointments made by the county court. District No. 1, was Stark township and in that township in 1858 Asa Johnson was appointed. In district No. 2, Dr. B. F. Barnes was appointed. In district No. 3, Robert Allen was appointed and in district No. 4, Harrison H. Jamison was appointed. In 1859 district No. 1, had Lewis B. Hawkins, No. 2, John C. DoUarhide, No. 3, Marcus S. Graff, and No. 4, Harrison H. Jamison. In 1860 the law had again been changed and Harrison H. Jamison was elected county assessor. Harrison H. Jamison was appointed county assessor February 7th, 1862, but Vanrensaler Bennett made and returned the assessments for 1862-3. Lyman Stiltz was appointed assessor in February, 1863, but being in the army in Company "B" 8th Regiment Missouri State Militia he refused to quit the army and become assessor. Lycurgus Coon was appointed assessor June 22d, 1863, his term to end November election 1864, and the record recites that his appointment was made because of the resignations of Vanrensaler Bennett, Lyman W. Stiltz, Martin K. Pitts, Amasa Yeaw, and Asa Johnson refusing to serve. Mr. Coon gave bond and took the oath of office. Robert Allen was appointed March 8, 1864, and Asa Johnson was again appointed on October 1, 1864, and the record of December 29, 1865, shows the appointment of Ephraim Dent. On November 6, 1866, James A. Brakebill was elected assessor, and by re-election in 1868, served two terms, turning the office over to F. Marion Wilson, who was elected November 5, 1870. Samuel Dent was elected November 3, 1874, and was succeeded by Amos M. Paxton, who was elected November 7, 1876, and was re-elected and served four years, and was succeeded by William F. Coon, who was elected November 2, 1880. On November 7, 1882, James A. Pine was elected and was reelected November 1884, served four years and was succeeded by Melville H. Cooper, who was elected November 2, 1886, and succeeded himself by re-election November 6, 1888. William A. Lightfoot was elected November 4, 1890, and was re-elected in 1892, and served four years, and was succeeded by Herod M. Holt, who was elected November 6, 1894, was re-elected in 1896-'98, and retired January 1, 1901, and was succeeded by S. C. S. Vaughn, who was elected November 9, 1900, and reelected in 1902-'4, his last term expiring January 1909, and was succeeded by Thomas S. Hall the present incumbent.

Under the law of this state up to March 9, 1872, there was no office of prosecuting attorney, criminal prosecutions being attended to by a circuit attorney, who visited all the counties in his judicial circuit, but on May 22, 1867, the county court appointed Charles Kroff, county attorney, and the record shows that he was continued in office by his election November 4, 1868. In 1872 on November 5, Sidney Wilson was elected the first prosecuting attorney, and in 1874 was re-elected but resigned about May 1, 1876, and was succeeded by Ernest P. Baldwin who was appointed May 31, 1876. At the November election in that year Charles Kroff was elected to this office and served two years, being succeeded by Ernest P. Baldwin on January 1, 1879. In November 1880, Mr. Baldwin was again elected for a term of two years, at the end of which he was succeeded by F. Marion Wilson who served four years, and was succeeded by Alexander W. Brownlee on the first day of January 1887. Mr. Brownlee served two years, and was succeeded by William D. Harryman who was elected on the 6th day of November 1888, and re-elected in November 1890, and v/as succeeded January 1, 1893, by William L. Pitts who served two years, and was succeeded by John W. Robertson on January 1, 1895. Mr. Robertson served two years and was succeeded by William A. Dollarhide who was elected November 3, 1896, and served two years, and was followed by Hazen Green who was elected November 6, 1900 and re-elected in 1902, served four years, and was succeeded by William A. Dollarhide, January 1, 1905, who served two years, and was succeeded by John W. Montgomery on January 1, 1907, and was succeeded by F. Marion Wilson the present incumbent.

The Coroners so far as the records show have been: Wm. H. Duncan, James H. Gill, Ephraim Dent, Madison Maxwell, Dr. Samuel L. Coble, William P. Daugherty, Daniel C. McNeil, Peter Solberg, Henry C. Brookshire, V/illiam C. Gentry, WiUiam F. Warren, John J. Bramberg, John W. Mowell, John H. Newman, George B. Viles, WilUam C. Gentry, Albert S. Johnston, WilUam C. Gentry, and WiUiam S. Woodford.

Early History And The Way It Was Done

If the young people of Hickory county, just now growing into manhood and womanhood could hve one month under the surroundings and conditions that existed here in 1840, 1845 and 1850 and, even to a great extent up to 1860, they would get a large amount of information and experience that they can never get anywhere in this country. As late as 1850 sawed boards or plank were not seen or used in or about the construction of dwelUngs or other buildings. The saw mills were not started then, and there was not a mile of railroad in Missouri. The only chance to get freight from outside the state was by steamboat lines that olowed the waters of the unimproved rivers. All heavy freight to this part of the country was brought up the Missouri and Osage rivers, to Jefferson City, Boonville, Tuscumbia, Linn Creek, Warsaw and Osceola and then hauled out among the people with ox teams, taking about ten days to make the trip to Boonville and back home. Springfield at that time hauled the greater part of the goods sold there from Linn Creek, then called Erie. For building houses the broad ax to hew logs and puncheons, and the froe to "rive" or split blocks into three and four foot boards to cover houses, and outbuildings were always in demand. These boards were laid on the building on what were called ribs and ridgepoles, which were laid on top and run from one end of the building to the other. No such a thing as nails were used. The boards were laid down and weighted down with logs running from one end of the house to the other, usually, not so large as the logs used to erect the walls of the building, but large enough to hold the boards. The man who was an expert with the broad ax was in great demand, at as high as fifty cents a day in corn, bacon or wheat. Actual cash not being much in use. Deer skins and furs were next to legal tender. The school houses were Uttle if any inferior to the best dwellings but were often built of round logs without hewing, and the roofs put on the same manner as they were put on dwellings, the floors made of split logs or puncheons, smoothed on the broadest side with the broad ax, and many of them were the bare ground inside the log pen or school house. The cracks in the houses were smoothly daubed with yellow clay with some man's naked hands, which left the finger print to show for itself. Trowels were of no use in those days. Naked hands were made before trowels. Stone was plentiful but the easiest and usual way to build a chimney to a school house or dwelling was to cut a hole in one end of the building six or seven feet high and build a pen of split logs as high as the hole, then draw in the chimney by using shorter timbers and building it a little higher than the building with split timbers and pieces of poles. A chimney was no good unless it tapered from about seven feet above the ground to the top, as it wouldn't draw. Here again good daubers were a necessity, for unless the chimney was so well daubed with clay, or some other dirt, as to cover every bit of the wood there was great danger of the house being burned. In the fire place it was a great convenience and safety to build a back wall of most any kind of loose stone and stand up large flat stones against the walls of the chimney on the right and left of the fire. "A fellow" crAild chew tobacco and squirt the tobacco juice into the fire place and hear it fry, with great ease and satisfaction. Nobody but a numb-skull would have bought a spittoon if he had known of such a thing. No quarrels then in the family about a person missing the spittoon and hitting the carpet because there was no carpet. Some few of the people built chimneys of stone a long time ago but they were of the more wealthy class, and were regarded by their neighbors as slightly "stuck up," and didn't have much more influence in the community than a millionaire would have had in a community of Populists in 1878. The seats for the children in the school houses were made of puncheons like those in the floors, if there was a puncheon floor. It was all easy and cheap. An auger was procured and two holes were bored at each end of the puncheon in the rounding or sap side and pegs or legs were driven into the holes in the puncheon, and it was turned over and set up in the floor, and there was your bench for the children. It was often about the right heighth for the big boy or girl, but awfully awkward, unhandy and tiresome for the little boy and girl, who had to sit all day long with their feet hanging down and not reaching the floor. Many a poor little boy and girl whose legs went to sleep went to sleep themselves and fell off onto the floor. The writing desks too, were cheaply and easily constructed, as was also the windows in these school houses. They were just immense for cheapness and durability. Here again the auger was brought into use with the puncheon, and holes were bored on the inside of the building in one of the straight logs in the wall, and several long pins driven into the holes and the floor puncheon, as nice and smooth one as could be found was laid on these long pegs or pins that were driven into the wall, and the puncheon pushed back close against the wall where it lay, as sohd as the "Rock of Ages" if one of the pegs didn't break or season and work out of its place. Then the next thing was Ught - a window, that was not troublesome to locate, since the writing desk was up. The first log in the house above the v/riting desk was cut out or sawed out, and there was plenty of Ught, and fresh air right in your face when you was sitting at the desk. Young man, if you had gotten your "schooling" with all these conveniences about you you would have known some things that you do not know. Of course, there was plenty of wood and a wide fire place in the school house, but the people usually preferred to have their schools in warm weather. The country was sparsely settled and the roads to the school house for some of the children were long, and none of the children had more than two winter wraps, and the question of shoes was a serious one to contemplate when winter was coming on. The quick steam tanneries that burn up the leather were not in operation then, and the leather to make the shoes had to be tanned near home, and the shoes made near home. If "Old Brindle" or one of the yellow steers died, after the hide was peeled off it was taken to the old man Clark's tan yard, and he by some kind of a process, mostly with ashes and the currying knife took the hair off and put it in a box in the ground that he called a "tan vat," and it was necessary for it to stay there from eighteen months to two years and soak in a lot of ground or pounded black oak bark, and the ooze or juice that it made before it was tanned leather and fit to make shoes of. It often happened that cold weather came on and neither "Dad" nor

"Grand-daddy," nor old man Jones had any tanned leather to make shoes, so the children and old folks had to have shoes or go barefoot all winter, which the children sometimes did; so a hide was taked out of the "tan vat," not more than half tanned and it was made into shoes that would swell, stretch and crawl off the children's feet in wet weather, and when the shoes became dry they would shrink until many a poor boy and girl raised a squall at the idea of putting on their shoes when their feet and ankles were sore because of the cuts and bruises of the raw hide shoes. The old folks fared no better on the shoe matter. Every cobbler who could peg raw hide into shoes was in demand, and some outrageous looking things were made and called shoes. They were all put together with an av/1, hammer, wooden pegs, and flax thread, gummed with wax, or what was called "whang leather," made of the dressed skins of deer, squirrels, house cats etc. A man or boy who could not dress one of these hides so it would not get hard after becoming wet and then drying, "didn't know much about "whang leather." The children took their dinners to school with them, which generally consisted of corn bread, made of coarse corn meal with a good deal of bran in it, water and salt, and no grease, fat meat, or some of a lean hog that had been killed in the woods wild and had probably never eaten a grain of corn, and sometimes a bottle of milk. Cows gave down their milk then just like they do now, and gave plenty of it, but there were no Jerseys, and no reds, roans, or Herefords to make beef. Sometimes the people had wheat bread, but the wheat had been f railed out with a club or tramped out on the ground by horses traveling in a circle over the bundles with the heads up; the hoofs of the horses beating the grains out of the bundles and driving them down through the straw to the dirt floor making a mix up with the dirt, chalf, and offal of the horses that tramped the wheat. Then the wheat was gathered up, piled, and loose wheat swept into a heap on the tramping floor, and fanned a time or two through a little machine called a wheat fan that stirred about as much wind as pulUng a turkey backwards. The wheat was then taken to mill to be ground, the mill having little machinery to take the refuse out of the wheat, or bran out of the flour. It was such flour as this that the people used here as late as 1855, but they would not use it now, and are almost ashamed to say that they ever did use it. Further about the schools. Some of the teachers had been over to "Rule 3" in Smiley's Arithmetic, but others did not know multiplication, subtraction and division. Everyone in school, talked, read and spelled aloud. No student was ever punished for making a noise. It was the more quiet ones, who were scolded because they were regarded as not being studious if they did not make a noise in "getting" their lessons. At the busiest time during school hours you could hear the children a quarter of a mile away, spelling and reading. Some big "leather-head" of a boy would try to spell louder, when "getting" his spelling lesson than anyone in school, and he was usually commended by the teacher as the most studious boy in school. Back in these years and times that we have been attempting to give a glimpse of, the first institution or business a new town like Hermitage, Preston, Pittsburg and Quincy needed was supposed to be a "grocery," in which was to be kept green coffee, dark brown sugar, powder and lead, .and a lightning quality of whiskey. It was the rule for the boys and men to gather at these places every Saturday, and on all public days going there on horseback, on foot, and with ox teams and wagons, and a great many of the men and boys buying and trading for a good supply of whiskey, having a few fights, and taking coffee home for the women to parch, and some of the brown sugar to hide from the children. The men and boys usually leaving the "grocery," very late in the evening, and getting home after dark, to the women and children, log house and dirt floor, with the coarse, rotten paper in which the coffee and sugar were wrapped bursted and part or all of the coffee and sugar wasted. No coffee for the women to parch and no sugar to hide from the children. In these times no man had an outfit for living and raising a family without a rifle gun, shot pouch, and powder horn, a pair of bullet molds, a stock of flints that would make the fire fly, and two or three dogs, and a great many men took this outfit with them to town on Saturdays, where the 'grocery" was situated, and it they could not get a man fight, the dogs would get up a fight and that would cause a man fight. The fights were generally a fair fight with clinched and naked fists, but occasionally a knife was used, but that was regarded by most of them as being cowardly. The man who worked a team of horses with leather harness was looked at as "high-toned." Prior to 1860 the people here did not wear "store clothes," hke they do now, and in 1850 to 1855 if you went to church or other gatherings not one man or woman to the hundred had about them one thread of any clothing not manufactured in and about the home, by the spinning wheel and loom. If one did wear "store clothes," he or she was regarded as something of a "dude," although the people had never heard the word "dude" up to this time. Only a very few full suits of "store clothes" until about 1858, and they were worn by some men from the cities or some Northern or Eastern man, and these were few and far between, for Northern and Eastern people were not generally welcome in a slave state. A man then who wanted the "nigger" freed was a "black abolitionist," and it was thought, by a great many, that if he got justice he should be run out of the country, but sentiment has so changed now that perhaps, no man in the county wants negro slavery. A Vermont Yankee Doctor, came into the neighborhood of Preston before the Civil War, and to make himself agreeable, and a fit man to live in a slave state, bought a crippled "nigger," cheap, and went with the Confederacy when the Civil War came up.

Farming that was done in the 50's would be thought to be done at great disadvantage, if done that way by the farmers of to-day, but it was sufficient for its day. Farmers opened up and plowed all their land and raised all the crop they needed for home consumption. They did not need much surplus because there was next to no market for a surplus of any kind of crops, and for cattle and hogs they had no outside consumers, except for a few cattle and hogs that could be sold in the larger towns, or driven on foot to St. Louis, then not as large as Springfield. Kansas City, Springfield, St. Joseph and Chicago were all on the map, but half a dozen fat cows and two dozen fat hogs would have overstocked the market of the largest one of them on any day in the year. Besides if fat four year old steers had been driven to the Chicago market on foot it would have been necessary to have taken them to a blacksmith shop and have them shod before starting to market. The lands put in cultivation were for the most part small fields of rich timber land, that were cleared of their brush, saplings, and trees, and strong, heavy, rail worm fences were erected around them. The ground was broken the first time with yokes of oxen, with nearly all sorts and shapes of strong grub plows, and coulters, made in the country or village blacksmith shop of iron, for the purpose, and generally to suit the man who wanted the plow made. There was some steel but it was

Fcarce and high priced. Horses were not used in plowing new lands, and few of them were ever hitched to wagons to draw them. The farmer usually said that when he wanted to pull a heavy load he wanted a yoke of big steers. Most of the steer calves were yoked together at one and two years old with a wooden yoke that rested on the top of their necks, and for larger oxen with strong bows of hickory or white oak, so bent as to be nearly in the shape of a well shaped hen egg. This bow was put on the oxen's neck from below, and the upper two ends, which usually stood seven or eight inches apart went through large auger holes in the yoke that lay on top of the oxen's necks, and key holes and keys through the ends of the bows that extended above the yoke kept the bows from slipping down and releasing the oxen from the yoke. The load to be drawn was made fast at the center of the yoke between the oxen by means of a staple that went up through with a ring in the staple, these being made of iron, by the country blacksmith. When "Old Tom and Buck" and "Jack and Ball" were hitched to a heavy load, one pair of oxen before the other, and urged forward with their shoulders pressing against the bows and the tops of their necks and front withers pressing against the yoke, with a man behind them with a platted raw hide whip six feet long and a cracker on the end two feet long, and the whole whip outfit well fastened to the little end of a tapering green hickory pole, about as long as whip and cracker both, and an inch and a half in diameter at the big end, and the driver would pop his whip until you could hear it distinctly for a half mile, the load behind these four oxen would move if it wasn't everlastingly fast to the earth. The farmers for plowing land for first plowing in the spring, that had some of the stumps and roots out of it used what was called a Carrie plow, and "Carrie" was probably the most suitable name that could have been given, for one of them would carry dirt from one end of the row to the other and carry it back to the same place. The stock or wood work of these plows somewhat resembled that of the modern breaking plow, but iron was scarce at that time and steel too scarce, and valuable to make into plows; so if you will go and buy a modern Peoria or Moline 12 or 14 inch breaking plow, and take it to a blacksmith shop, and have all the back part of the wing, shear or turning side cu^ off about two thirds of the way forward towards the point, andleave the shear or wing in shape so it will have three points, and then supply the place of the steel you had cut off with a wooden piece about a third longer than the steel you had cut off, and twisted or turned in the same shape of the steel, you will have a wooden "mold board," and complete "Carrie," except that the metal will be steel instead of iron, and you may be sure that it will carry dirt. To plow corn the farmers had shovel plows which were single iron plows on a wooden stock. The plows were somewhat Uke the plows on a cultivator but were larger. The "bull tongue" plow was also in use. It was a single plow with a wooden stock, but the plow part was longer, stronger and narrower than the shovel plow. Some of these old plows could be seen in the county .not many years ago. There were no iron and steel garden rakes and hoes, except those made by the country blacksmith, and but few such things were ever made. In the 50's the grain was nearly all cut with the cythe and cradle, but the old fashioned sickle had not been forgotten and was often used in tangled or blown down grain. The chopping ax was probably the most used tool in these years, and cash had to be paid for a new one, and the blacksmith who could "upset" - put steel into the edge of one that was worn out so it would not chop, and temper the steel so that it would not break or bend about the second stroke that was given to a sound log was a valuable man to have in the community, and was worth going ten miles to see. The blacksmith who could make smooth horse shoes and horse shoe nails from old wagon tires and other old iron was very"much in demand. The people did not need much horse shoeing, but they also sometimes wanted their oxen shod when they wanted to make long trips, and the blacksmith was expected to'make all the shoes and nails, largely out of old irons; so you see the blacksmith was a necessity in every community. Blacksmith shops were so necessary and useful that shops were comparatively numerous, and many a spot at a cross road'or alongj^the public road, or in a town where a blacksmith shop has stood and the smith has hammered old irons has been forgotten, but are found occasionally by finding a pile of old cinders. All the blacksmiths in this section of the country burned charcoal. Perhaps a load of stone coal never was brought to this county until after the Civil War. The manufacture of articles made of iron and steel in the great shops of the country has driven a great many country blacksmiths out of business in the past 45 years.

The man now, who was a boy in the early 50's, large enough to go to mill ten to twenty miles and ride the old family horse on a bag of corn or wheat containing about a bushel and a half had sorrows and troubles of his own on these milling trips. If the old gentleman didn't yoke up the steers, and hitch to the wagon or cart, and take three or four bushels of corn to the mill the boy was in it for the trip, and he was put on old "Sorrel" with the bag of corn or wheat, generally corn, and started for the mill, and many a poor boy's bag of grain fell off on the ground, and he cried and "tugged" and "tugged" and cried, trying to get it back on his horse until he could see stars, and wished he was dead, and then had to wait for someone to come along and put it on for him. If the bag fell off as he went back home, so much the worse, for it was Ukely that he had set around the corn cracker (mill,) waiting for his "turn" to be ground until he was very hungry, and if in winter almost without fire, and was nearly frozen to death. Those old millers never did have a fire except a lot of smoking chunks. If in spring or summer he probably had had an old "Missouri Ague" chill with a shaking that made his teeth rattle, which was always immediately followed by such a high fever that the boy almost burned up. Such chills and fever were so common that everyone had them, and when you first got out of bed after having one of these chills you felt Uke a thin, old house cat looks and you didn't feel any worse than you looked. After you had them for a while, which you was very Ukely to do, if you didn't take quite a good deal of bitter tea, made from roots and herbs, and a lot of quinine if you could get it, and then stay out of the morning dews that fell on the tall weeds and grass every night almost like a rain. A Missouri shaking ague was a terror, but the old fashioned kind of it left the country when the thousands of wild turkey and deer left it, and neither have come back to stay and never will. Clearing up the woods, broadening the farms, plowing almost half the lands, the building of more numerous residences, more school houses and churches, has driven out the shaking ague, the deer and turkeys, and a great many of the old "fogies."

and every little "brat" of a child in the wagon bed, calling, only, about two of the dogs, and starting out from home, with "Dad" issuing the usual commands to the oxen:-"wo-haw Buck, gee, Jerry!" Everyone in clean home-spun clothes, and all jolly and happy. If the young man wanted to "spark" his girl, he had to crawl into the wagon with the family, he and his girl go on foot, or if he was up in the world enough to own a "scrub" saddle horse, he and his girl could both ride the horse. It was just delightful for a young man to have such a horse to take his girl to meeting, ni^ht or day. The horse saddled, his tail tied up, the rider on him rides up to a stump, log or block and his girl hops up behind him on the horse, as light as a feather, and away they go five, ten or fifteen miles to some place where there is to be preaching at the residence of some man who has a roomy log house. The girls didn't need any "high falootin" riding skirts. In these days when the boys and girls went to preaching in their home-spun clothes, with the girl riding behind him at nearly all hours of the day or night there were not many Harry-Evelyn -Thaw-Stanford White cases. Virtuous conduct seemed to be adhered to for virtue sake.

No attempt will be made to give a description of all the household furniture of those days but as the author of this little book all through hfe, has been fond of sleeping and eating, a description of bedsteads and cooking utensils will be given. There were many kinds and contrivances called bedsteads, some of which were made by boring two holes in the inside wall of the house near a corner, and putting one post out in the floor with two auger holes through it near the top end. There were two poles or railing driven into the holes in the wall and the other ends went through the holes in the post, which made a stout platform. But the best and most substantial bedstead of the good farmer had four posts with places mortised into them for the ends of the bed rails to be driven into and pegged with wooden pegs driven into small auger holes. These bedsteads were strong and substantial. In both the long and short rails were auger holes, about six inches from each other made with a half inch auger through which were woven across the bedstead, from side rail to side rail, and from end rail to end rail, about one hundred feet of half inch cotton or hemp rope. On this web of rope the beds were spread, and the old people and infants slept, while those two or three years old, and on up almost to manhood and womanhood slept on what was called a "trunnel" bedstead, made on the same plan of the larger bedstead, but small enough to be shoved under the large bedstead, out of the way during the day. The ropes or cords in the bedstead, would stretch in a few months until two persons sleeping in the same bed would roll against each other, and, then the ropes or cords had to be drawn tighter to make the bed comfortable enough on which to sleep. Many a poor innocent babe, at from two weeks to two or three months old was smothered to death by the parents roUing together on one of these beds after the cords had sagged down. Perhaps not a cook stove was brought to Hickory county until after 1860. Cooking was done with several cooking vessels, but the leaders were cast iron tea kettles, in which coffee was boiled until it was black; the skillet, a cast iron vessel, with a long solid cast iron handle, cast iron legs about two inches long which, when 12 inches in diameter was about three inches deep, which was for the purpose of frying meats, eggs etc., and baking bread. But when bread was to be baked, a cast iron lid made with the skillet and for it was used to cover it. A pile of live coals was taken out of the fire place on the flat stone or hearth or the naked ground where a flat stone hearth should have been, in front of the chimney fireplace, and the skillet set on the hot coals, the dough for bread put in it, and the lid put on the skillet, and a lot of live coals put on the Ud, and the dough being between two fires was usually cooked pretty quick. The oven was much like the skillet with the long handle broken off. It had ears to lift it by, had a lid Uke a skillet and was used for making bread, and sometimes was used as a skillet. The dinner pot was a necessity. It was of cast iron with legs usually two or two and a half inches tong, the bowl or main body of it was nearly round, with an open top. It was set on coals or upon the wood in the fireplace, and was used to boil meats and all sorts of vegetables. It had ears on two sides at the top, and a bail could be hooked in these ears to lift it. These vessels were all made by pouring molten iron into molds like "running" bullets in bullet molds. The outside of them was somewhat rough, but the inside was as smooth, black and sUck after they were cooked in once or twice as the skin on a young negro girl's forehead.

The first mill built in the county that was of much importance was built by Amos Paxton for a man named Rankin in Section 34 Township 38 Range 22, down the Pomme de Terre river, below Hermitage, about six miles, by the roads if there had been any. It was a water mill and was patronized for 20 or 30 miles aromid when the water in the river was sufficient to run it. The Lopp people also built a dam across the river about three miles above Hermitage a short time after Rankin had his mill built, and Jonas Brown built one on Lindley creek above the ford on the Bolivar and Warsaw road, something like three fourths of a mile, but these could not be run when the streams were low, and the people were forced to go to the Brice mill at Bennett mill old place, 12 miles this side of Lebanon, the Deloney-Howard mill on Little Niangua about 15 miles below Almon, or the Hightower mill, where the Arnholdt mill now stands, about five miles above the mouth of Big Niangua. About this time William Montgomery, also built a httle mill on Mill creek, about 23 or 24 miles East of where Preston stands. The older Cruce also had a tread mill on what was known as the Joseph S. Naffziger, place Southwest of Wheatland about five miles, in Section 32 Township 37 Range 23. Mills could be operated for a longer time in the year on the Nianguas than on Pomme de Terre and Lindley creek, and at the Brice mill, because the Nianguas are almost made by springs, and the spring near the Brice place does not rise and fall very much. William Dollarhide run a distillery on the John Jackson, old place Southeast of Preston and got his meal ground to make his "still beer" at the Jonas Brown mill on Lindley creek. Mr. Dollarhide probably had the first distillery in the county. The first steam mill was built by the Donnells, William L., and Thomas, about where the mill now stands that is owned by Doak & Scruggs, North of Cross Timbers. They also had a store a short distance Southwest of the mill. These water mills built in what is now Hickory county were probably all built from 1842 to 1846. Prior to this, of course milling was more unhandy, the country being more sparsely settled. The first blacksmith shop in what was Stark Township was probably at the William L. Brookshire place, about a mile south of Judge Hickman's residence and was run by WiUiam Bone, and very early Daniel Epley had one about 150 yards East and a few degrees to the North of where the residence of John M. Dollarhide now is. From the later 40's through the 50's the tan yard of Thomas Davis situated near the town survey to the North of Hermitage, was probably the largest thing of the kind in the country. Signs of it may yet be seen at the place. A

Eric Eklof Almon Water Mill House

The principal crops raised by the first settlers were corn, and vegetables, such as potatoes, cabbage and onions. As the settlers increased crops of oats and rye and small crops of timothy and red top hay, and wheat began to be raised, but it was not fully understood by the farmers until the close of the Civil War how valuable the hay crop could be made. Hungarian grass, a kind of millet was raised to feed cattle before the war, but it was not much of a success, either as a crop or a feed. Alfalfa,, red clover, and kaffir corn were not on the list of crops. Molasses cane or sorghum began to be cultivated about the middle of the 50's, and the juice was mashed out of it with wooden cane mills that had rollers from 16 inches to 2 feet in diameter and you could hear one of those cane mills screaking and squalling at a distance of half a mile, no matter which way the wind blew. When the juice was mashed out it was put into iron wash kettles and boiled to the proper thickness for molasses. When this new way of making molasses was in its early days it was amusing to see the children and some of the older people sopping into the kettles where it was boiling, and getting the half made molasses all over their faces and hands and in their eyes and hair. The molasses when finished were not the cleanest mess on earth, but they were sweet, and cheap, and filled the place of the dirty cane molasses that the people who were able to buy had been buying for many years. The first of these molasses made were unclean, but it was only a few years until zinc pans were on sale, made for the purpose of boiling the juice down to molasses, and greater care was taken as to cleanliness, but when the people first commenced making these molasses many a poor boy groaned with pains in his stomach after drinking too much of the cane jiiice, or sopping the kettles too much. One young man who had drank two quarts of the juice from an old wooden mill asked the man who was doing the grinding of the cane if he thought that two quarts of the stuff would hurt a "feller."

Financial Conditions

In the 40's and early in the 50's there was not much money in this part of Missouri. It is probably not true of this county, as it was organized as late as 1845, but it is true that in some of the older counties of the state cash was so scarce at one time that taxes were paid to the Collector in deer skins and furs, which were sold in the markets by the Collector, and the money applied on taxes. There was some subsidary coins, Spanish silver dollars, but only occasionally was an American silver dollar seen, as only about eight million of them had been coined as late as 1860. There were quite a lot of American gold coins prior to 1850, that had been coined at New Orleans and Philadelphia from gold mined in the Carolinas and Georgia, but don't imagine for a moment that the average farmer had his pockets full of them, for they were almost too dear for them to own,, unless they were of the more wealthy class. The gold mines of the Carolinas and Georgia, were rather extensively worked prior to the discovery in CaUfornia, and we believe have never been entirely abandoned. We used to hear the fathers say that they could tell where the gold pieces were coined by their color, the gold from California being a deeper or richer yellow color than the gold from the Carolinas and Georgia. There were also some foreign gold coins, and along in the 50*s and up to 1860, quite a lot of paper bills issued by State banks that were under, really no sort of restraint or bank inspection laws, and when a man had twenty thousand dollars in one of them he could not tell whether he was wealthy or poor. Banks went broke and the bills were at a discount so often that all was uncertainty as to the value of the bills from one morning to another. Many a man supposed he had his thousand of dollars, one week and learned next week that the only money he had that had purchasing power was a few silver halves, quarters, dimes and half dimes he had in his purse. If a man had bills issued in another state communication was much slower than now, and it was sometimes a week or ten daysibefore he found out that he was "busted." This^situation was remedied early in 1862, by an Act of Congress that taxed these shoddy banks out of existence. The discovery of gold in California, in 1849, began to increase the supply of money here to some extent about 1853-54, and it was a wonderful benefit, for the summer of 1854, in Missouri was as dry as the summer of 1874, or 1901. This part of the country had not fully recovered from the crop failure of 1854, when the financial panic of 1857, came all over the country, and the country had not recovered from that when the Civil War came y in 1861, although the gold mines of California had scattered^ a lot of gold coin everywhere. Lookings^ckJiowL^to the 50's, and on down to 1860, it looks hke the nation w^ld have been absolutely insolvent in 1860 had it not have been for the discovery of gold in CaUfornia. Early in 1861, before Mr. Buchanan, had retired from the presidency, the government borrowed money that cost 16 per cent, and in 1862, pretty good cows sold for $5.00, when such cows now, although, those that were of inferior grade, would sell for $20.00, in gold. The $5.00 per head, then paid for cows was paid in "Green Backs," issued by the government under an Act of congress of March 12th, 1862, after the war had commenced, and was at a discount of about 25 per cent, but was a legal tender, and you was bound to take it, and generally glad to get it. We believe the country never did have that thing called money that all kinds of it had exactly the same purchasing power until 1879. In the 50's the retail country merchants did an extensive credit business, and doing business that way led purchasers to buy more than they would have bought otherwise, many creditors failed to pay their bills, and as a result of this credit system, the scarcity of good money, and losses from worthless "wild cat" bank bills many merchants were unable to pay their debts. The losses of average farmers here because of the "wild cat" paper bills were not great, for a great many of them never had cash enough due them, so that they would have more than two or three ten dollar "wild cat" bills, and these very soon went into the hands of the 'grocery keeper," or "store keeper." About all the coin went out of circulation in 1861, and up to early in 1863, you could often not get a bill changed, if you had one. But congress by an Act provided for an issue of 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50 cent paper bills, and they were issued to the amount of several million dollars, and the people then had plenty of change. Some of these small bills may yet be seen in the country.

Short Sketch Of The Early Settlement

It is uncertain as to what year it was that white people first caiiie to what is now Hickory county, but it is likely that it was as early as 1827. The lands in this county were not surveyed and report of survey filed until in 1837, and no entries of land were made until 1838. The first settlers evidently came in on the old wagon roads from St. Louis and the counties near St. Louis, and from the Missouri river at Boonville. Two main old roads led out from these points as early as 1821, one from St. Louis Southwest through what are now the counties of St. Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, Crawford, Phelps, Pulaski, Laclede and Webster to Springfield, and the other from Boonville South through Cooper, Pettis, Benton, Hickory and Polk to Springfield, and then on to Fayettville, Arkansas. These roads were marked and cut out, and became Government roads in 1835, under Act ot Congress. The Boonville and Springfield road passed through by Quincy and Elkton, The early settlements of Southwest Missouri were generally at the heads or mouths of streams, and the settlements up and down the streams followed. The Inglis and Zumalt people settled on what is now Inglis creek in the Southeast part of the county probably as early as 1830, but founded no big settlement. Joseph Blackwell came here from Tennessee with his family about 1828, and James S. Blackwell, who resides at Elkton, in Tyler township, was born on the Jonas Brown place North of Pittsburg, nearly 75 years ago. Mr. Blackwell sold this place to Jonas Brown for $200. in gold. Martha J. Nowell, who afterwards married Phillip H. Lacey, and died Oct. 29, 1885, was bom not far from Quincy, June 8, 1829. Montgomery Township was no doubt named for Joseph C. Montgomery who lived near the Walker springs, five miles North of Wheatland, as early as 1832. He was a judge of the County Court of Benton County in 1835 and 1836 and that Township brought the name "Montgomery" township with it into the organization of this county. There was a very early settlement Northwest of Cross Timbers, about the Benton and Hickory County line, near or on Turkey creek, and the head of prairie hollow, that had Dawsons, Youngs, Holloways, and Lakes, and organized an old Baptist church. Samuel Judy, who afterwards entered the Northwest quarter of Section 21, Township 36, Range 23,

(December 22, 1838) lying two and one half miles West of Elkton, and now assessed to W. A. and E. P. Brown, lived near Quincy or perhaps on the present site of Quincy on the "Military" road, and run a blacksmitfi shop as early as 1832, and the Post Office here run by Aaron Ripetoe was no doubt the first Post Office in the county. A long time ago but not nearly so early there was a Post Office at the Vanrensaler Bennett place three miles North of Wheatland named Bledsoe, perhaps following the name of one of the sons of Judge Joseph C. Montgomery, who lived at the Walker spring and may have at an early date kept the Post Office. John Stark settled near the mouth of Stark creek about 1830 and died there about 1866. One of his sons James C. Stark lived over there in that neighborhood until very recently and now Hves in Taney County, Missouri, but there are several grand-children and great-grandchildren of the old man, John Stark in that neighborhood now. There was a man named Drenan, who settled on Little Niangua, not far from the mouth of Stark creek as early as 1831 and his descendants may be found in that part of the county now. For an account of the early settlement of Little Niangua country see the history of WiUiam Montgomery's settlements under the head of Family Records. Jesse Driskill settled sometime in the 30's, about two miles Northeast of where Preston now is, and his numerous descendants may be found down further North along Stark creek at this time, the eldest of whom are Obediah and James K. P. Driskill. A man by the name of Culberson settled the Thomas S. Morgan old farm in the 30's, and a man named Clifton first settled the McHuffman old farm on Little Niangua in Section 35, Township 38, Range 20, about 1834. William R. Lopp's grand father or grand mother Hved on the Andrew Alexander place on Lindley creek as early as 1835. Most of the early settlers came from Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina, some however came from Ohio and Virginia. The following land entries, in parts of the county show with the greatest certainty when and in what sections of the county the first permanent settlements were made: Robert H. McCracken, October 22, 1838, S. E. quarter Section 27, Township 36, Range 23. William J. Metcalf, October 22, 1838, N. E. quarter Section 27, Township 36, Range 23. Samuel McCracken, December 22, 1838, W. half S. W. quarter Section 26, Township 36, Range 23. About this time half a dozen other parties entered other rich lands about Elkton and West of there on and near Weaubleau creek, and on down the creek as far ag Section 1, Township 36, Range 24, where Wm. G. Banyham entered what was once called the 0. P. Fletcher place on Big Weaubleau on December 28, 1838. Thos. Holland on December 7, 1838, entered the E. half S. W. quarter and W. half S.E. quarter of Section 11, Township 36, Range 23, and about that time John P. Rogers, J. H. Henderson, Bird Estes, James Brians and others entered all the other land down that little creek to Big Weaubleau creek. The lands in Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4,, Township 35, Range 23, were entered by James B. Maloch, Robert B. Runyan, John H. Taylor, James McCracken, William R. Vestal and others in 1839 and 1840. John T. Thomas entered the W. half N. W. quarter of Section 4, Township 37, Range 23, a little South of Quincy, November 30. 1838 and also land in Section 5. Others shortly afterwards entered lands on down Hogle's creek. Jonas Brown entered 160 acres, the place where he made his farm two miles North of Pittsburg, May 20^ 1842, and other entries up and down Lindley creek followed in two, three and five years. Barney Pitts and James G. Pitts entered land up on Pomme de Terre in Sections 28 and 35, Township 36, Range 22, August 23, 1847, and that appears to have started entering land up and down the river. Thomas Davis entered on March 31, 1847, the S. W. fourth N E. quarter Section 23, Township 37, Range 22 lying immediately North of Hermitage, and William Waldo on April 23, 1847, entered the 40 acres immediately South of the old survey of Hermitage. This started land entries in the vicinity of Hermitage. The first entry made in Township 37, Range 21, was made by Alexander Foster November 28, 1843, of S. E. fourth of S. E. quarter of Section 22, and the next by Jesse Driskill September 2, 1844,. of an 80 acres lying immediately North of the Fisher graveyard. No other entries were made on Stark creek until after 1850, except the entry of William Edde for the W. half N. W.- quarter and the N. E. fourth N. W. quarter Section 24, Township 37, Range 21, made January 18, 1845. Amos Lindsey and James Lindsey entered land in Section 1, Township 36, Range

21, in May and September 1847, and Amos Lindsey and Daniel Darby entered land in Section 12, Township 26, Range 21. Luke Palmer entered the N. E. quarter Section 15, Township 37. Range 21, November 28, 1847. Eliza Inglis entered 80^ acres in Sections 4 and 5, Township 35, Range 21, November

Timbers is located, July 8, 1848. Samson Norton entered the N. E. fourth of the N. E. quarter of Section 8, Township 38, Range 22, March 31, 1847, and the N. E. fourth of the N. E. quarter of Section 10, Township 38, Range 22, was entered by Alexander Bieshears, April 5, 1847. James Atkinson and Ira E. Tilford entered land in Section 15, Township 38, Range 23, December 30, 1843, and the 160 acres where the town of Quincy now is was entered by Isaac M. Cruce, October 11, 1843. Noting the location of these entries it will be seen that they were mainly on lands that were rich, timbered, and well watered, about the heads and up and down the streams. Level ridges and prairies were not wanted. The pioneers wanted lands that looked somewhat hke such as they had left behind them in the older states. There was also an early settlement near Avery. The early settlers had troubles and vexations about building their log houses, and other log buildings, especially when the logs were large and heavy. Between 1840 and 1850, the country was so sparcely settled that the man who had a house to raise had to go ten to fifteen miles to invite his neighbors to help him. No neighbor ever charged anything for helping, even if he did go fifteen miles and work two days. A man who would have made a charge would have been thought to be too close and stingy for a neighbor, and if he afterwards had a building to raise would not have gotten help. The pioneers, also had big log rolling days. The timber in the creek and river bottoms was large, thick and heavy and after the land was cleared, the timber cut down, and trimmed up and rails made, and the land fenced there were on most fields heavy green logs lying around so that the ground could not be plowed until the logs were rolled together and burned. It had to be out of the way of the plow, and after the house, smoke house, corn crib and stable were built the logs were of no use to the farmer. There were no saw mills in those days. Hundreds of thousands of what would have made the finest of walnut lumber went up in smoke and ashes after these log rollings. The men came far and near to these log roUings, and many of them were powerful men physically, among whom we call to mind and name a few that we have known or heard of, as follows: The Palmers, Wilson, John and Reuben; WilUam Whelchel, Horace Dark, WilUam, John and Merideth Richards; Josiah Dent, Joe, Green and Elisha Stephens; Bill Anderson, the Hicks men, William Bird, Charles Barber, John W. Quigg,

Amos Paxton, Amos Lindsey, William M. Dorman, Nathaniel McCracken, John H. Brannon, Camel Jordan, Jacob Bartshe. The men did not always go alone to these house raisings and log rollings. The wives and grown up daughters often went to a quilting had by the good wife of the man who had the house to raise or the logs to roll, and everybody stayed all night, or until within a few hours of morning, and after the day's work was done the old fashioned fiddle was brought out and tuned, and there was a dance that made the big log house shake, and the puncheon floor rattle. It was not often that there was a house raising or a log rolling had without plenty of whiskey, and plenty, meant all the people that were there wanted, but it was whiskey that had come from a distillery, and not from a cellar or dark room where poisons are mixed, and then called whiskey. Most every one present drank of the whiskey, including the females, but not as great a percent of them became besotted on pure whiskey then as become besotted now on various combinations of poisons called whiskey. There may have been, and probably was, an excuse for those who invaded and cleared up a wilderness using pure whiskey, but the use of pure whiskey by the pioneers of this country when they were opening up a wilderness is quite a different thing from filling up on high priced poison, when the person taking the poison is not sick. It may have been partly the necessities, and dependence of the people on each other that made them so,but no matter what the reasons for it those who were the pioneers here were much more clever, open hearted (handed) and much less selfish than we are now, and we are growing more selfish each year. Borrowing among neighbors, such things as meal, coffee, in fact anything the borrower was without was a common every day matter, and but very few people had things they would not loan, even half they had or a httle more than half, and there was generally no half heartedness about it. There was not many of that sort of stingy fellows in the pioneer days, whose chins grow to a sharp point before they are forty-five years old, but we have them with us now, and they are increasing in numbers.

State Senators

The county has beeen honored since 1864 by the election of the following State Senators: WilUam L. Snidow, William Q. Paxton, Ernest P. Baldwin, and J. Houston Childers.

Of those now living, are the following: Joseph Whitaker, Weaubleau; Ephriam Dent, Wheatland; George S. Selvidge, Meade, Kansas; Alanson H. Dent, Osceola; E. Madden Kerr, Elkton; F. Marion Wilson, Hermitage; John W. Campbell, Stockton; John Whitaker, Weaubleau; and J. Houston Childers, Muskogee, Oklahoma. Later:-Since the copy for this book was written Hon. E. Madden Kerr, was again elected to to the Legislature and died during the 1909 session, and Hons. Joseph and John Whitaker have both died in Weaubleau.

Circuit Court

The records of this court from the organization of the county to 1858, were destroyed by the burning of the Court Houses in 1860 and 1881, but from parts of old Minute Books, old Index Books, and Court Dockets, and information received from old settlers the statements here given are beUeved to be very nearly correct. The first term of the Circuit Court was convened at the residence of Thomas Davis, probably in September 1845, anyhow it was warm, pleasant weather. But little business was transacted. The meeting of the court and officers was at the residence of Thomas Davis, then County Treasurer, near the Southeast corner of the original survey of the town of Hermitage; and was in the buildings now standing near the Northwest corner of the South East one fourth of the South East quarter of Section 23, Township 37, Range 22, known as the Davis- Woodrum-Liggett place. Foster P. Wright was Judge of the court, Alfred H. Foster Clerk, and John S. Williams Sheriff. A grand jury was summoned, and met and transacted its business out among the spreading oaks. One old gentleman who was a member of that grand jury told the author of this httle book, a few years ago that some of the meetings were held under a white oak tree that stood in the alley about 40 feet East of the Southwest corner of Block One of the original survey of the town of Hermitage. The tree was dead in 1872, but stood there until about 1875. This information was received from James Lindsey, an old and highly respected citizen who died only a few years ago, and John C. Dollarhide, who is yet living at a ripe old age, having lived in the county since 1840. WWle there was strife and contention between the East and West sides of the county as to the location of the county seat, Circuit Court was never held anywhere in the county only in and about the town of Hermitage, probably because the Wilson County Tennessee people largely iita the offices and used their "pull" for Hermitage. Foster P. Wright continued to be Circuit Judge until 1850. Waldo P. Johnson, who was afterwards United States Senator from Missouri, a Senator in the Confederate Congress, and in 1875 President of the Convention that made the present Constitution of the State of Missouri, was Judge from 1851-53, DeWitt C. Ballou 1854-58, Foster P. Wright 1859-61, Burr H. Emerson 1862-71, David McGaughey 1871, Robert W. Fyan 1872-82,

Fyan elected to Congress November 1882, and Ben V. Alton appointed for 1883-84. Washington I. Wallace was elected in November 1884, and served until January 1, 1893, when he was succeeded by Argus Cox, of Mountain Grove, Wright County, Missouri, who is the present incumbent. Judge Wallace last signed the record November 19, 1892, and Judge Cox first convened court here on May 8, 1893.

The oldest circuit court record preserved from the fire in the court house is of Monday morning September 13, 1858. Present: DeWitt C. Ballon, Judge of the court; Thomas W. Freeman, Circuit Attorney; WiUiam Paxton, Clerk; and William Young Evans, Sheriff. The names of Grand and Petit Jurors were as follows: Grand Jurors, H. H. Jamison, Foreman, William Park, John T. Thomas, David McGee, Benjamin F. Sims, Peter L. Yoast, James G. Wallace, Lewis Parker, G. W. Webb, James Stephens, Ephraim Dent, Thomas Pentecost, Jacob Reser, Abraham Charlton, William H. Gregory, and Thomas Lawrence. Petit Jurors: Samuel Tillery, WiUiam H. Hendricks, Nathan Glasscock, Gideon Creed, Manuel Mashburn, John Pitts, Charles F. Shook, Isaac T. Dorris, James Lindsey, A. W. Kennedy, John Stark, D. A. Boaz, Edward Lucas, John Miller, Joseph Edde, James Stephens, Amasa Curtis, Richard

D. A. Whitlaw, Squire L. Pine, A. C. Ritchey, A. G. Black, Levi Breshears, William F. Bradley, Green B. Stephens, Elisha Estes. John Starkey, Lewis Parker, Preston Richardson, and Horatio N. Cooper. Court adjourned September 13, 1860, and did not meet again until September 14, 1863, when the court was presided over by Burr H. Emerson, Circuit Judge.