Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 4: Early Settlements, 1881

Chapter 4: Early Settlements

Fort Osage started in 1808 - State admitted in 1821 - County organized 182b - Different settlements in the County - The names of the voters in Jackson County in iSsS - The vote for Gen. Jackson - Examples of Ancient Records,

Fort Osage was established as a government fort and factory in 1808. Around the fort a tract of land six miles square was laid off, upon which a limited number of white settlers were permitted to locate in order to raise supplies for the fort. Hon. Geo. C. Sibley, late of St. Charles, was government factor and agent from 1818 until the abandonment of the fort in 1825. By treaty with the Osage, Kansas and other tribes, the Indians' title to nearly all the territory of Missouri was extinguished in 1808, excepting a strip twenty-four miles wide lying eastward from the western boundry of the State and extending from the Missouri River south into the territory of Arkansas. The eastern line of this strip was a few miles east of Fort Osage and in it lay nearly all of Jackson county. The Indian title to the strip including an immense territory lying westward was extinguished in 1825. ^ The treaty was as follows :

" Art. ist. The Great and Little Osage tribes or nations do hereby cede and relinquish to the United States all their right, title, interest and claim to land lying within the State of Missouri and territory of Arkansas and to all lands lying west of said State of Missouri and territory of Arkansas north and west of the Red River, south of the Kanzas River, and east of a line to be drawn from the head sources of the Kanzas, southwardly, through the Rock saline, with such reservations, for such considerations, and upon such terms, as are hereinafter specified, expressed and provided for."

"Art. I. The Kanzas do hereby cede to the United States all lands lying within the State of Missouri, to which the said nation have title or claim lying west of said State of Missouri and within the following boundaries ; Beginning at the entrance of the Kanzas River into the Missouri River, from thence north to the northwest corner of the State of Missouri, from thence westwardly, to the

Nodewa river thirty miles from its entrance into the Missouri, from thence to the entrance of the Big Nemahaw river into the Missouri, and with that river to its source, from thence to the source of the Kanzas river, leaving the old village of the Pania :^epublic to the west, from thence, on the ridge dividing the waters of the Kanzas river from those of the Arkansas to the western boundary of the state line of Missouri, and with that line, thirty miles to the place of beginning."

"The settlers who had been previously stopped in their westward progress at the eastern confines of this strip of land, immediately made a general rush into the new purchase. The next year (1826) a census was taken preliminary to establishing a general county organization. The county records show the cost of taking this census by Jabob Gregg, still a resident of the county, to be ten dollars for ten days services. In 182 1, Francis G. Choteau estalDlished a trading post on the, south bank of the Missouri River about three miles below the present site of. Kansas City. He brought his wife and family all the way from St. Louis to the post in canoes and pirogues, the journey occupying over twenty days. By the great flood of April, 1826, every vestige of his improvements were swept away, and the post was transferred to a point on the Kansas River six miles above the mouth. A few years later several Frenchmen, who were mountain trappers, with their Indian families settled along the Missouri River below the mouth of the Kansas. The county was organized December isth, 1826, and July 2d, 1827, the first county court was held at Independence, Henry Burris presiding and Abraham McClellan and Richard Fristoe associate judges, L. W. Boggs, afterward governor, clerk. The commissioners, the same month, located the county seat at Independence. Although the timbered portion was soon quite thickly settled, various causes contributed to retard the development of the county, and principally the fact that a large portion of the finest lands were for many years withheld from sale. On the Blue River thirty-six sections were selected for educational purposes for the Kansas Indians, as provided in the treaty of 1825, and a still larger amount under an act of Congress donating public lands to Missouri for seminary purposes. These last were sold in 1832 and the proceeds applied to the state University at Columbia. That portion of the public land not reserved for other purposes was offered at public sale on November nth, 1828. Another drawback arose in 1830 in a bitter feud between the original settlers and the Mormons who emigrated in large numbers and settled in Jackson county. They entered several thousand acres of land, mostly west of Independence, professed to own all things in common, though in reality their bishops and leaders owned everything, especially the land titles, and established a Lord's Store-house in Independence, where the few monopolized the trade and earnings of the many. They published the Evening, Star, the first newspaper in the county - in whichv appeared weekly installments of 'revelations,' promising wonderful things to the faithful, and denouncing still more wonderful things against the ungodly Gentiles. The result was that the Gentiles threw the press and type into the Missouri River, tarred and feathered the Bishop and two others on the public square at Independence, and otherwise maltreated the Saints who retaliated upon their adversaries 'smiting them hip and thigh' at every good opportunity. On October 31st, a deadly encounter took place two miles east of Westport, in which two citizens and one Mormon were killed. The Mormons routed their enemies, and elated with victory determined to destroy that wicked place. Independence, which had been the scene of their sorest trials. A 'revelation' ordered the work of destruction and promised victory. They marched during the night, and soon after daylight of November 2d, arrived one mile west of the town, but the Gentiles pouring in from all quarters met them at that point and forced them to lay down their arms and leave the country in 24 hours, which they did, crossing the Missouri, November 3d, 1833."

county's oldest and most prominent settlers, hence we have given it entire as showing exactly what an old pioneer had to say of that locality in which he took such a- lively interest. Then again old settlers themselves will accept it as more authentic than the writings of one who has only lived in this county sufficient time to compile this work. The following short extract is found in the Historical Atlas of Jackson county, published by Brink, McDonough & Co., in the year 1877:

" Jackson county was not settled or organized at as early a date as some others adjoining it. The territory embraced within its limits together with that of Cass, Bates and a part of Carson was occupied by the Osage Indians. Their title was extinguished by treaty with the government during the summer of 1825. However its first occupancy b)' white men dates back to the year 1808, when the government purchased from the Indians a tract of land six miles square which was afterward known as the ' Six Mile,' a name which that territory still continues to bear. This purchase was embraced within the limits of the Missouri River, Fire Prairie and Little Blue. A fort was erected upon it during the same year, and military garrison established which derived its name from the tribe of Indians called 'Osage.' The site of the fort was on a bluff of the Missouri River and a short distance from where the town of Sibley now stands. At the beginning of the war with England in 181 2, this fort was evacuated, and again re-occupied after the war until 1822 when it was finally abandoned. During the occupancy of this fort a few white families were encouraged by its officers to settle on the adjacent territory. After the removal of the troops immigration commenced filling up the country with great rapidity. The Indians were removed during the summer of 1825 and in the autumn of that year all the timbered portion of the county west of the Little Blue was partially occupied. The first settlers were principally from other portions of the State, but during the following year large immigrations from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, etc., augmented the population rapidly. During that year an application was prepared to submit to the Legislature for county organization, and the census of the district was taken. The 'Blue County,' as it was then called, was attached for civil and military purposes to Lafayette county and in the year 1826, at a general election, Abraham McClellan, of ' Six Mile,' and Silborn W. Boggs, of the same place, were returned as representatives to the Lower House of the Legislature. The ensuing Assembly passed an act organizing the county, which was approved December 15th, 1826, and Daniel Ward and Julius Emmons, of Lafayette county, and John Bartleson, of Clay county, were appointed Commissioners for the purpose of locating the County Seat. These gentleinen failed to comply with that portion of the act under which they were appointed requiring them to fix the future capital within three miles of the center of the county. The prevaihng opinion at that time and for many years afterward, in which these worthy Commissioners appear to have participated, that the magnificent savannahs which spread out in supernal beauty over that designated 'center,' was utterly useless for any agriculturnal purposes and would remain unsettled to the end of time, and following the line of settlement which was confined to the 'timber,' they located their seat of justice on the 29th day of March, 1827, in the southwest quarter of section two, township 49, in range 32, and gave it the name which it has since borne, that of ' Independence.'

"On the 22d day of January, 1827, the Legislature appointed Abraham McClelland, Richard Fristoe and Henry Burris as presiding judges of the county. These officers held their first session and were sworn in on the 21st day of May following. These orders at that session provided for the division of the county into three townships. Fort Osage on the East, Kaw on the West and Blue in the center. The first deriving its name from the Fort referred to, the second from the Kaw or Kansas River, and the third from Blue River, which was named from the color of its waters. They likewise ordered that a plat of the county seat should be made and. presented to the court, which was done and approved on the first day of the following June. At the same session the following named persons were appointed Justices of the Peace : Wm. J. Baugh, Jesse Lewis and Joel P. Walker, for Fort Osage ; Wm. Yates, Lewis Jones, James Chambers and William Silvers, for Blue; Samuel Johns jn and Andrew P. Patterson, for Kaw township.

The first session of the Circuit Court was held at the house of John Young, near where the Ross House now stands, on the 29th day of March, 1827, in Independence, and was presided over by Judge David Todd, of Howard county.

Its first clerk was Robert Wilson, of Howard county, who was the appointee of the Judge and accompanied him for that purpose. It appears that this gentleman was so unfavorably impressed with what he regarded the rough exterior and uncultivated manners of the people, and the unfavorable prospects of ultimate civilization and refinement, that he gave up his position in disgust. He was succeeded by Mr. Samuel C. Owens, who served in that capacity for many years.

Subsequent to the survey of the county an act was passed by Congress granting to the State of Missouri a certain amount of land for seminary purposes. A large port on of that land was selected ia the vicinity of Independence, and the best lands of the county were thus reserved for settlement and held at $2.00 per acre. This miUtated to some extent against its early improvement. There were likewise two townships in the eastern part of the county, 49 and 50 in range 30, which was not opened for purchase for about fifteen years after the organization of the county. This likewise retarded its early settlement and improvement. " Lost townships" have a singular history. They were situated in the southwestern part of the county and known as "High Blue," and were not surveyed or sectionalized in the original survey. The officer reported to the government that as they were mostly "prairie" he did not think they would pay the expense of bringing ihem into the market, and further, that in attempting to run some lines through them he found the pressure of some powerful magnet which so influenced his compass as to make survey impossible. An amusing story is told in this connection by some old settlers, from which it appears the surveyor in "knocking around" came up one evening to a small distillery on the banks of the "Sni," and being of a familiar turn of mind he was soon on the most excellent terms with the distiller, and before leaving was so hospitably entertained that he lost his hat and field notes, which were discovered by an old sow and efifectually demolished. Ashamed of his loss, and not wishing to go over the ground again, this faithful official made the report as above stated. We cannot undertake to decide whether it was the head or the compass of this surveyor which was so much disturbed, the result is all we have to deal with, and we know that was to keep this land out of market frorn fifteen to twenty years after the other portion of the county. This, however, did not entirely prevent its settlement, as it appears that it was finally offered by the government. It was dotted over by finely impoved farms, and is now one of the best portions of the county. All difficulties in the way of settlement being at length removed, the county augmented in wealth and numbers very rapidly.

It is evident from all sources that the first settlement was at Fort Osage, on the Missouri River, afterward called Sibley. The government had established this for the purpose of frontier defense, and also to trade with the Indians. It is understood that Lewis and Clark made their discoveries along this county's northern border in the year 1804, and Fort Osage was established four years later. For nearly twenty years there were no important permanent settlements within the limits of the county, but just as soon as the Indian title was extinct the county was settled and organized. At Fort Osage there was a ferry across the Missouri River and all along to the present time it has been more or less used for crossing. Settlements were afterward made in the neighborhood at Blue Mills, and what was known as the " Hudspeth Settlement." This was eight or ten miles a little north of east, of Independence, on the road to Sibley. William Hudspeth, William Frankhn, Christopher, Joel and Richard Childs, Thomas Potts, Sr. , and Jr., David Bittle, Lynchburg Adams, Lewis Franklin, Jesse Morrow, William Huntsucker, John Hambright, Michael Rice, and many others, were among early and prominent settlers of that vicinity. A mill was built and operated on the east side of Little Blue by Michael Rice. At an early day a school was taught in the neighborhood by Geo. S. Parks. In this vicinity was built the iirst church in the county, called the "Six Mile Baptist Church."

Settlements were next made at Independence, then at Westport, then Lone Jack, then Blue Springs, then Kansas City, and many other points, such as New Santa Fe, Hickman's Mills, Stony Point, Wayne City, Oak Grove, Pink Hill, Greenwood, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Buckner, and others.

The early settlements were all in or near the timber or some spring of water, the settlers thinking the prairie land not only difficult to be subdued, but actually worthless as far as agricultural purposes were concerned. When they first commenced breaking the prairie they used the " barshear" plow, to which they attached from four to eight yoke of oxen. Independence was located for the seat of justice in March, 1827, and from that time it became the most important point in the county, both in size and business. Soon the Santa Fe trade, of which more particular mention will hereafter be made, sprang up, and soon rendered Independence a growing city of extensive commerce on the prairie. Among some of the early settlers were John O. Agnew, Solomon Flournoy, Robert Rickman, William Lawrence, Leonard H. Renick, Henry Baker, Samuel C. Owens, John R. Swearengen, Russell Hicks, John W. Moodie, Reuben Wallace, Joseph H. Reynolds, Samuel Weston, Robert Weston, John Lewis, Richard McCarty, Lewis Franklin, Allen Chandler, S. D. Lucas, Richard Friscoe, John McCoy, William McCoy, Alexander Todd, Henry Ruby, Reuben Ruby, and others. After a correct enumeration in the fall of 1834, it was found that the town of Independence contained just 250 inhabitants.

At an election held in the court house at Independence, August 4, 1828, there were 231 votes cast for John Miller for Governor. The following is a verbatim copy of the abstract of the votes :

' ' An abstract of the votes given at a general election held at the court house in the town of Independence, in the County of Jackson, and Township of Blue, on the first Monday in August, the same being the fourth of said month, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.

"We, the undersigned, judges of the election held^at the time and place above designated, do certify that the preceding is a correct and fair abstract of all the votes given, and that the number annexed to each in4ividual name is the amount of votes respectively given to each person. Given under our hands, this fifth day of August, in the year aforesaid. '

Aaron Overton State Of Missouri

"I, Isaac Jones, a justice of the peace within and for the county and township aforesaid, do certify that Aaron Overton, William Yates and Solomon Flournoy, as judges of the foregoing election, and Samuel Weston and Samuel C. Owens, as clerks of said election, were each of them sworn according to law, prior to their entering upon their duties. Given under my hand this fifth day of August, 1828. LEWIS JONES, J. P."

The following are the names of those voting at the aforesaid election : "A poll-book of a general election held at the court house in the town of Independence, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, on the first Monday in August, 1828.

Names Of Voters

At the same general election for State officers the electors in Fort Osage township met at the house of Joel P. Walker, and the following is a list of the voters :

A general election held at the house of Joel P. Walker, in the county of Jackson, Fort Osage township, on the first Monday of August, A. D. 1828.

"A poll book of the general election held at the house of William Johnson in the township of Kaw, Jackson county, on the first Monday of August, A. D. 1828.

"We the undersigned, Judges of the above election, having carefully compared and corrected the poll books thereof, of which this is one, do certify that the above poll book presents a correct statement of the votes given at said election, and for whom the said votes were given.

The fourth and last voting precinct in Jackson county was called Harmony, and the following named persons voted at the August election, A. D. 1828.

"A poll book of a general election, held at the Mission school house in the township of Harmony, county of Jackson and State of Missouri, on the ist Monday of August, 1828.

" We the undersigned Judges and Clerks, after being duly sworn do certify that the above election was held according to law, August 4th, 1828.

The manner of conducting elections in those early times was somewhat different from the present time. Three judges of the election and two clerks were selected to receive and record the votes. Each clerk kept a separate list of those who presented themselves at the polls. The elector would give the name of the candidate whom he desired to receive his vote, and the clerk would record the same opposite his name, thus leaving a record, not only of the party voting, but also the name of the person for whom he voted. Of those who voted at the August, as well as the November, election of 1828, none are left without a record of their favorite candidate. At the above election, August 4, 1828, there were 316 votes cast in the county for John Miller, 231 in Blue, 44 in Fort Osage, 29 in Kaw and 12 in Harmony township.

It is impossible to find all the returns of the Presidential election of 1828, November 4, when Andrew Jackson, after whom this county is named, was elected the first time. We have nearly all the names of those who voted for Jackson in Independence and Fort Osage, but in the fifty-three years that have passed since that time the papers containing the balance of the county electoral vote have been lost.

Herewith we give a copy of the judges certificate to the vote in Independence, which shows that the Jackson electors received 57 times as many as the Adams electors, or a majority of 157, being over 98 per cent of all the votes cast in Blue township. There was not a vote cast in Fort Osage township for J. Q. Adams, but there were 49 cast for Jackson, as the reader will perceive from what follows the Blue township canvass :

"We, the undersigned judges of an election, held on the first Monday in November, 1828, in the county and township aforesaid, for the purpose of electing electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, do certify that the following named persons got the number of votes annexed to their respective names, to wit :

"An election held at the house of Joel P. Walker on the 3d day of November, 1828, for President and Vice-President, electors received the following vote:

"I do certify that the judges and clerks were sworn according to law. "Given under my hand, this the 3d day of November, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twenty-eight.

J. P. Walker

''Dear Sir: - At an election held at Harmony township, in the county of Jackson, in the State of Missouri, A.ugust 2, 1830, for the purpose of choosing a Representative to the Legislature, High Sheriff and Coroner for said county, we the undersigned affirm that Robert Johnson, Representative, received 13 votes; J. R. Swearingen, for High Sheriff, received 14 votes; A. McClelland, for Repre-, sentative, received i vote.

A. Jones

Clerks. "We the said Jones, Modrel, Colby (judges), and S. B. Bright and J. H. Austin (clerks), were duly qualified by oath of office as the law directs."

County Of Jackson, '

"We, Samuel C. Owens, Clerk of the County Court, and Richard R. Rees and John Smith, two acting Justices of the Peace within and for the county aforesaid, do certify that we have carefully examined the poll books of general election held on the first Monday in August, 1836, in the different townships of said county, and find on inspection thereof that

John Smith

The following ancient document was handed us by Mr. R. Wallace, which we publish without comment, further than to state that Mr. Jacob Gregg, of Snia-bar township, is the only man now living whose name is mentioned in the document referred to. Here it is :

"The State of Missouri, to the sheriff of Jackson County, greeting: - You are hereby commanded to cause to be empannelled and come before the judge of our circuit court of pur said county of Jackson, on the first day of our next November term, at the court house, in the town of Independence, a grand jury of good and lawful men, not less than sixteen nor more than twenty-three, housekeepers of said county, who are then and there upon their oaths, to enquire into and present all such offences as may have been committed within the body of said county, and that you make due return of the names of said jury and this writ : f Private! Witness: Samuel C. Owens, clerk of our said court, at office,

"I, Joseph R. Walker, sheriff of Jackson County, do certify that the foregoing named persons were summoned as grand jurors for November term, 1828.

Westport was the next place to become settled after the town of Independence and vicinity; and after the Santa Fe trade had found its chief starting point at Independence, for several years it gradually transferred a portion of it to Westport. J. C. McCoy, who now resides in Johnson county, Kansas, laid out the town, and was one of its principal settlers for some time. Robert Johnson was another early settler there; James McGee and sons, John Harris, Jacob Ragan, William Matney, Johnston Lykens, and many more, were among the early settlers in the vicinity of Westport. Before Kansas City became of any commercial importance Westport was a flourishing town, with a large Santa Fe trade.

Perhaps the next settlement was made at Lone Jack, where families had clustered in the vicinity, and became very much attached to the place. Lone Jack was thus named from a large jack oak tree, which stood alone there in the prairie. It has since been a post-village of considerable importance. Among the early settlers in the vicinity we mention the names of Warham Easley, Galen Cabe, John Snow, Stephen Easley and John Daniel. This was the principal settlement in the southeastern portion of the county, and here their township elections were held.

Kansas City was not settled for a long time after Sibley, Independence and Westport. As late as 1839 wild deer, wolves and wild turkeys inhabited those bluffs and valleys, where Kansas City now stands, undisturbed by man; there were large trees and thick underbrush, which made it most emphatically a wilderness. In the month of December, 1839, Mr. H. G. Rees, who now lives at Independence, crossed the river from Kansas City to Harlem, at a point just below the present great railroad bridge, and when about to step upon the ferry boat a large flock of wild turkeys came from the opposite shore, sailing over his head, and ahghted only a few yards distant. When the turkeys saw the men they ran up the bluff into the unsettled wilderness, where the business portion of Kansas City is now located. Mr. Rees had remained over night in an old log hut among the trees, on the south side of the river, in which Thomas Smart then lived. Blankets were nailed upon the inside of the cabin, to break the wind from those endeavoring to keep warm 'within; the chinks between the logs had not been plastered with mud, and it was difficult to keep warm.

New Santa Fe was also an early but not very important settlement. It was on the direct route of travel for those starting from Independence engaged in the Santa Fe trade, situated near the southwest corner of the county on the Kansas State line. There were only a few houses here and at the present time scarcely more, but some of the early inhabitants in that locality were John Bartleson, William Gray, John Whitsett, Edward Gray, Richard Kirby, John Fitzhugh, George Fitzhugh, John B. l,ucas, John Self, Linzey Lewis. Most of the early settlers in this section went to Independence and Westport for supplies. They usually lived in the timber and ate hominy and potatoes, frequently having no bread. At or near Stony Point, near the south boundary of Sni a-bar Township, there were several early settlers. Near the present site of the little village of Blue Springs was the early home of the Smiths, Clarks, Burrises, Dailies, Judge R. D. Stanley and others. The first prairie broken in Jackson county was done here by David Dailey near the East Fork of the Little Blue. The work was accomplished with a "barshear plow," which consisted of a beam to which was fastened the coulter or "shear," as it was called, to cut the tough sod, with wooden mouldboard. When Mr. Daily undertook to cultivate or cross plow his field the tough sod collected in a huge pile in front of the plow, necessitating an abandonment of the work till the turf became dead and decayed. When it became apparent that he could not mellow the sod he took his ax and cut holes in the obdurate turf, dropped therein his corn and with another stroke of the ax covered the seed. In this way he planted and raised a good crop the first year. At that time there were no weeds and grasses, such as the fox-tail and other species, which at the present time so obstinately resist the labors of the husbandman. When they plowed the prairie they attached to the plow six or eight yoke of oxen and opened a much larger and deeper furrow than at the present time. Mr. Dailey lived here a long time and finally sold out to a wealthy Virginian by the name of Frank Coward, Dailey moving further southeast in Van Buren. When Mr. Dailey first came to this State he landed at St. Louis and obtained hats for his dozen boys. We have never heard of a man who by one and the same wife had so large a family as Mr. Dailey afterward reared. They had twentyseven children. The anecdote told of him on landing at St. Louis is this : "When he applied for a dozen hats for his boys the merchant was surprised and told him if he would bring twelve of his own boys into the store he would give each a hat. Mr. Dailey, delighted with the promise as his money was very scarce at that time, went down to the river landing and took his boys back to the merchant who provided each with a good new hat."

David Dailey was a very industrious man and possessed an iron constitution. No neighbors hved near and wild turkeys came to the house and ate feed with the hogs in the trough; wolves howled about and often destroyed the pigs and sheep of early settlers. He built a grist-mill and ground for customers who came from long distances. The mill was run by horses on a tread wheel, corn and wheat being the principal grain. He also had a distillery to manufacture whisky, and it may be well to note in this connection that it found a ready market in the immediate neighborhood. The old man died about five years ago at the advanced age of ninety.