Johnson County, Missouri - Chapter 1: The Introduction and Name, 1881

Chapter 1: The Introduction and Name

History, in its most general signification, is a narrative of events. It includes a record not only of national events and affairs in the world at large, but also an account of small districts, families and of the lives and acts of individuals. History is of two kinds - narrative and philosophical - the former mere statement of facts as they occur, one after another; while the latter also comprehends deductions from those facts and the relation of cause and effect. At first history took the form of tradition, which is oral opinions or memorials handed down from father to son or from ancestor to posterity, and much of it was obscure and mythical, assuming the form of religious belief.

Among the oldest examples of written history are sculptured inscrip¬ tions and records of the acts of rulers, especially their victories, and are found on temples and pyramids of Egypt, Assyria, Greece and Phoenicia. Herodotus, the "father of history," was born about the close of the fifth century, before Christ, and his writings, so far as known, are the earliest that can be classed under the name of history. Thucydides was the second great historian, but his writings approached more nearly the philo¬ sophical style than Herodotus. The ancient historians of Greece and Rome usually confined themselves to plain narrative, as Xenophon in his Anabasis , Caesar in his Commentaries , and Livy in his History of Rome . Tacitus showed his purpose in portraying tyranny in its blackest colors. Eusebius was the first great ecclesiastical historian.

Modern history has the tendency of critical, rather than merely narra¬ tive. Many of the histories written within the last half century, are won¬ derful monuments of critical research. In these days the historian is no longer a mere reporter, he must be prepared to analyze character, and to weigh events. He must seek his materials at the fountain head, must compare the private with the public actions of the characters he portrays, and present to his readers a picture of men and women which shall be accurate in minute detail, and yet embrace the remoter consequences of their actions.

Annals are a chronicle divided into distinct years, biography, the history of the life and character of a particular person, memoirs, an account of transactions in which the narrator bore a part, a romance, a fictitious tale and chronicle, the narration of events when time is considered the chief feature. All these are closely related to and fall within the province of history. The writer of history includes within his subjects more, and a greater variety of material than any other literary man, and history is a more fruitful source of practical instruction than any other branch of liter¬ ature. The pleasure and profit derived from careful perusal of the pages of history, is unlimited. Histories are multiplying as the popular demand increases, for the chief object in making a book is its sale. All books, except, perhaps, the Bible, are made with the prime object of profit. Scientific works, works of fiction, histories, school books, books of poetry, newspapers, and all other periodicals, are issued with the full expectation of pecuniary profit to the publisher, and it is right that they should receive reward, for, in the strife for wealth and power, men would otherwise neglect the cultivation of the mind, and the production of hidden truths. No man would publish a newspaper for the sole purpose of conferring a benefit on his fellow; no man would publish a history for the sole object of glory, or through a philanthropic act, desire to confer a blessing to those into whose hands it chanced to fall. Literature, like all other occupations, must be suitably rewarded. It is not at all probable that the publishers of this work would have undertaken such a great task unless they right¬ fully expected suitable remuneration.

It is intended to make the history of Johnson county all, and far more than the publishers have promised or their friends expected. Mistakes and inaccuracies will occur. No history nor any other book, not even the Bible, has yet been written without them. Books of this character have been known in older states for several years. County, township, city, neighborhood, and even family histories have been compiled in most of the eastern states, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and many other western districts. The history of one of these counties combines the good qualities of many histories in one book, besides furnishing a personal sketch of rare worth and gratification. A short history of the state, which also relates to many national affairs, then a detailed history of the county under many different heads, in such a manner that if the reader will make it a careful study, he will be greatly pleased and profited.

The historian should be a man of broad and generous views, free from prejudice. Such is a stranger who goes into a county to place in order its history. True, he meets with many obstacles which would not present themselves to one who has long resided among the scenes he desires to narrate; but the advantages possessed by a stranger are far greater than those possessed by the resident. The stranger has no " friends to reward," and no " enemies to punish." He enters upon his task free to select from the best and most reliable sources, those items of history which will inter¬ est the greatest number, without having his mind pre-occupied with a special subject or particular class of citizens.

Just as in an important trial at law, he who enters the jury box least prejudiced by former knowledge of the case, makes the best juror; so the intelligent stranger can most impartially decide what is acceptable history, and what is not. The corps of historians who furnish this record of such facts as they have, with diligent work been able to obtain, do so with no other motive than doing their task well; and fulfilling their promise to their patrons. That persons will harshly criticise this work, and that too, when the greatest array of facts testify to the correctness of the book, is conceded; but the value of a record like this, will only be appreciated in future years, when a greater portion of its pages would have been lost or forgotten, had not laudable enterprise rescued them from oblivion. To attempt a criticism on another is thought by some, to show wisdom and culture; to such the following lines of Pope appropriately apply:

The Name

Clustering around the name of an object are associate thoughts as immortal as the name itself. If, as has been said, "there is nothing in a name, " then history is vain ; for often a single name contains a whole his¬ tory. The name Washington signifies to the mind, more than any three syllables written or uttered at random. A name is not merely a single sound or combination of sounds. It has a perpetual existence. The per¬ son or thing may die or vanish away and be forgotten, but the name will live forever. Even the ideal picture of Homer, the greatest of poets, will fade from earth, but his name will not leave the pages of history till time shall be no more. So much importance is attached to the name of an object, that it becomes the first thing claiming attention. Immediately after the creation, God brought every living thing " unto Adam to see what he would call them. " Nothing exists apart from its name, but the name exists perpetually without the object. In this world there is very little unalloyed truth, but in the expression, " there is everything in a name, " we have a statement much nearer universal truth, than in the expression " there is nothing in a name. "

For ages the names of heroes have been given to places and things. During the short history of America, its great men have been honored in the name of numberless counties, townships, cities, towns, municipalities and post offices. The great name of Washington is met everywhere, from the capitol of the nation, down to the smallest hamlet of a rural dis¬ trict. Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant and many other names applied to places are found in ever)' section, and in every state of our union. It may be asked why, if there is so much in a name, we do not give the most important name to the most important thing.

The appellations of deity are too universal and sacred to be circum¬ scribed; for, " at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth."

In our own state of Missouri, we have counties bearing the immortal names of Benton, Boone, Buchanan, Clay, Douglas, Franklin, Green, Har¬ rison, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Madison, Washington, Wayne, Webster, and many others. It has become a favorite custom to have a county and other smaller divisions of territory known by the name of some individual, but a state or nation is not thus named. Many names are given by accident. Some places take the name of a river, mountain or aboriginal tribe. Our language has become enriched by the new names which have crept into it, and by the modification of old ones.

Robert Macklin White, a member of the Missouri state legislature at the time when Johnson county was organized, presented the name to the general assembly, which our great county now bears. His recom¬ mendation was adopted, and we give herewith a short biographical sketch of the eminent man, in whose honor it was christened:

HON. RICHARD MENTOR JOHNSON was born near Louisville, Ky., Octo¬ ber 17, 1780, and died in Frankfort, November 19, 1850. He received an edu¬ cation at Transylvania University, subsequently studying law and practicing with success. At the early age of twenty-three he was elected to the Kentucky legislature, and at twenty-seven to the congress, where he remained a member of the house till 1819. He supported President Madison in his administation, and raised a body of Kentucky riflemen and commanded them with the rank of colonel in the war of 1812, on the Canadian border. During the winter of 1812 and 1813 he was again in congress, but when that legislative body adjourned, he raised another regiment of Kentucky volunteers and operated against the Indians. He joined General Harrison in September and with him pursued Proctor. With the gallant charge of his mounted riflemen at the battle of the Thames, October 5, 1813, he mainly contributed to the brilliant victory gained over the English and Indians. Col. Johnson fought with distinguished valor in this engagement, and it was by his hand that the Indian leader, Tecumseh is com¬ monly supposed to have fallen. He was carried from the field desperately wounded, his person, clothing and horse having been pierced by more than twenty-five bullets; but he so far recovered that in the following February he resumed his seat in congress. He was elected, in 1819, to fill a vacancy in the United States senate, and continued in that dignified body for ten years. In 1829 he was returned to the house of representatives and held his seat till 1837. In 1836 he was candidate for vice-president on the Van Buren ticket, receiv- ing a large pluralty of votes, though not a majority as required by the constitu¬ tion, he was elected to the office by the senate and discharged the duties of pre¬ siding officer of that body for four years. He was again candidate on the dem¬ ocratic ticket for vice-president in 1840, and was defeated. When he retired to his farm in Scott county, Kentucky, he had spent upwards of thirty-four years of continuous public service; at the time of his death, however, he was a mem¬ ber of the legislature. He was a strong advocate of pensioning the soldiers of the revolution and war of 1812. His public services both to his native state and the nation were great. Measures of justice and relief to the oppressed found in him a warm supporter and earnest defender. He was the author of the law abolishing imprisonment for debt, in his own state. May Johnson county wor¬ thily bear the name of this distinguished American statesman and soldier.

Johnson is also the name of ten other counties in the United States. Of these ten counties, Johnson county, Iowa, whose county seat is Iowa City, is the most important, but this is only one-half the area of Johnson county, Missouri, and according to the census of 1880, falls below it also in population. Johnson county, Missouri, is preeminently the banner county in the United States in area, population, richness of soil, mineral resources, religion, intelligence and prosperity of its inhabitants, bearing the same name.

Ben. Jonson, (the name differing from the foregoing only by the omis¬ sion of h), was an English dramatist, born in 1573, and died in 1637. He stands next to Shakespeare as a dramatist and humorist and lived contem¬ porary with Shakespeare.