Johnson County, Missouri - Chapter 6: - Rose Hill Township, 1881

Introduction - Name - Location - Physical Features - Pioneer Settlement - Creeks - Soils - Productions - Hunting - Indians - Customs - Fishing - Trees - Wild Animals - Drain¬ age - Trapping and Fur-bearing Animals - Charteristics of Some Settlers - The Noble Pioneer Mothers - Voters of 1861 - Bridges - Roads - Benton City - Town of Rose Hill - Record of Town Plat - Post-office - Population - Statistics - Assessments - Officers - Churches - Schools and Early Teachers - Cemeteries - Agriculture - Incidents.

To the early settlers, were they all living to-day, there is nothing that thev would more ecstatically enjoy than the details of their pioneer days.

They love to live those days over in imagination. Those days long since gone, yet edulcate the lives that time has not cut down. Those who may chance to read this abroad should not imagine that the early settlers lived in the "castle of indolence." Far from it. No more energetic and industrious people ever dwelt upon the earth. Among the families of this township there was constant harmony of feeling up to the war of 1861, when old associations and kindred ties were broken, and devastating war made ravages for five years. The fashions of the old settlers are odd in this age. The plain manner of living that they enjoyed was true honesty. The costly fashions of the world were viewed by them in the light of deceptive sin. In brief, venenum in auro bibiUir , poison is drunk from golden vessels, was their sentiment. Since then time has played upon the manners and customs of the growing world, and, like a child in love with new toys, the present generation has forgotten the customs of their fathers. The favorite "drinking-gourd" has been removed, and the tin dipper or silver cup placed in its stead. The children of those brave old pioneers should feel proud of their ..noble ancestry.

In the substance of treatise on this township we shall endeavor to set before the public a synopsis, if not an acurately written essay, of the early settlers, and such incidents as are met in connection with their history. We will amplify on the name sufficiently to show the high regard in which the founder of Rose Hill held nature and her beautiful flowers.

The geograph}7, physical and local, will be elaborately examined in the proper place. The several creeks and fertile soils of the township will receive such attention as they demand. The early customs, hunting and trapping the wild animals, which then were plentiful on Big Creek, will be read with profuse interest by those living on the old hunting grounds. Further along, we will speak of the roads, towns, bridges, and mills. The historian would especially invite the girls of to-day to the thoughts in regard to the dutiful pioneer wives and mothers of that day. Population, statistics, and other records will be given, with a brief sketch of the cause of religion and education, from 1838 to the present time. The notes on farming and land production will be reliable.

This town. received its name from the little village of Rose Hill, August IT, 1869, when it was organized by an order of the county court. When the early settlers first came here, which was about the spring of 1832, they found the little hill sides of what is now called Rose Hill, covered with sweet wild roses, ranging from two to ten feet in height. This attraction of nature suggested a name for the little town, which was laid out by Garret H. Wood, and named Rose Hill on account of the splendors of nature displayed in the varieties of wild roses found on every hillside forest border, and often great clusters would stand aloof on some isolated gopher hill, or now and then peep out of the thick brush thickets, which

It will not be out of place to give some facts which will be appreciated information to the reader, in regard to the flowering shrub of the genus rosa , commonly called the rose. The varieties are the wild, caineae, or dog rose, white rose, red rose, cinnamon rose, yellow rose, and eglantine or sweet brier.

The rose is a shrub with oddly or alternately pinnate leaves, and prickly branches. It is distinguished for the beauty and fragrance of its flowers, which, in the native state, have fine petals of a delicate pink color. By cultivation, the number of petals is greatly increased, and the flowers present very many different hues in the different varieties, which are so numerous as to be distinguished with difficulty. The "rose of Jericho," is a plant growing on the plain of Jericho. The ancients used the rose as a symbol of secrecy, and it was hung up at an entertainment when nothing was to be divulged. Hence the Latin sub rosa , which means in a manner that forbids disclosure. In English history we read of the u W ar of the Roses," which grew out of the feuds between the houses of York and Lancaster, the white rose was worn by the Yorkists, and the red rose by the Lancastrians. These wars of the roses desolated England during the greater part of the fifteenth century, and extended over a period, altogether, of more than eighty years, and finally terminated in the battle of Bosworth Field, 1485, when the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII, the successful contestant, mounted the throne and assumed supreme regal authority, uniting in himself the title of both houses.

RoseHillis bounded on the north by Kingsville and Madison townships, on the east by Chilhowee township, on the south by Henry county, and on the west by Cass county. This township contains parts of three con¬ gressional townships, and contains about seventy-two square miles. On account of the variation of the government survey, part of the township is divided into lots.

The physical features of Rose Hill municipal township, are quite varied. In the northwest the soil is deep and fertile, and along the creek where the land overflows, it is swampy. In the northern and eastern part, the surface consists of beautiful rolling prairie. On the borders of the forest of Bear creek, the land is diversified.

In the southern part, along Big Creek, the bottoms are low and over¬ flowed several times per year. It is traversed on the eastern side by Bear Creek, and on the western side by Big Creek. Considerable of this township is fine prairie land, but a large portion in the eastern part is tim¬ ber land. Although the soil is generally very fertile, there is considerable land in the township which has never been turned by a plow. The bot tom lands of Big Creek afford good pasturage for stock. Water in the creeks is plentiful the whole year, and stock never suffers for good pas¬ tures of wild grasses along the swamp bottoms of Big Creek. Lost Creek loses itself before it reaches the main channel of Big Creek, in the swamp lands. The creeks have a deep bed and the banks are somewhat precipitous. Most excellent timber grows on all the creeks. Walnut, hickory, ash, pecan, oak, soft maple, sycamore, hackberry and cotton¬ wood are the varieties of trees of the forests. This is a township that is well wooded. In many places coal is found in abundance, but since tim ber is quite plentiful, it is not needed only for mechanical purposes. The water of the wells and springs is generally termed "hard." Plenty of water is found by sinking wells from ten to twenty feet. Lime stone abounds in many parts, and occasionally a few sand stones are found. This township is rich in alluvial deposits. In fact, the soil everywhere is first-class for all agricultural purposes. It may be denominated in this respect the "gem" of the county. The lands, many of them now in use, produce as well as they did when first cultivated. On the northern half are to be found handsome and well improved farms, owned by a class of intelligent and industrious farmers. Although the beauty of a surround¬ ing country is not so pleasant to drive over, yet one will no where find as fine farms as those along the bluffs of Big Creek. The stranger is at once attracted by the diversified beauty of the physical features of the rich productive lands of Rose Hill township No part of the county will surpass this section in the quality of the soil. To own a small farm here would undoubtedly be a small fortune to any family who loved the beau¬ ties of a handsome country residence. The water courses of this township all flow south and empty into Big Creek on the north, and on the south of Big Creek they flow north into the same stream. Between the creeks the surface is very undulating, and is naturally well drained. The crests of the ridges are generally covered with scrubby oak or hazel, and are almost useless lands at present. Once, the pioneers considered the vast, productive open prairies as useless, and would make their settlements fre¬ quently in the woods near some stream. Then the fires annually visited the prairies, and not only consumed the grasses but destroyed many young trees in the forests. There is some difference in the prairie and timber soils; the former is a dark limestone loam mixed with the debris of various rocks, and is suitable for cereals, while the latter is of a gray and reddish brown, and is well adapted to sorghum and tobacco culture. Corn grows much taller on timber land than on the prairie land, but there is but little difference in the yield. Blue grass takes well all over the township. Fruit growing is attracting some attention of late. There is no part of the county better adapted to vineyards, small fruits, apples and peaches than here. The following creeks drain the township: Big Creek, Bear, Lost, Elm Branch, Panther, South Walnut, Butcher, Scaly Bark, Doe

Creek, North Walnut, Jones Creek, Camp Branch, and Stillhouse Creek. " Terrapin Neck " is a peninsula on the west side of Big Creek south of Rose Hill. Here the land enclosed by the creek is very fertile and pro¬ duces fine grasses. The old settlers say that stock could almost winter in these bottoms forty years ago. Along the north side of Big Creek the inhabitants suffer some from malarial diseases, which rise from the swamp lands. As the bottoms are drained the miasmatic vapors disappear, and it is believed that very soon these bottoms will be as healthful as the sur¬ rounding uplands.

Early Settlers. -The first settlers of this township erected their cabins close to the creeks about the years 1832-3. There were two main set¬ tlements, Rose Hill and Bear Creek settlements. The first houses put up were roughly hewn log buildings that usually had two doors and a chim¬ ney. Henry Pemberton is among some of the old settlers, although he did not come here till 1843. He came from the State of Virginia. Religiously he was a Baptist, in politics a Democrat, and belonged to no secret society. His family were: Jerome B. Pemberton, L. W. Pember¬ ton: Wm. A. Pemberton, Thomas H. Pemberton, and John H. Pember¬ ton: James Bones among the first blacksmiths of this vicinity. James Harris came here at an early day from Tennessee. Isaac Hines and Manuel P. Fisher were also here at an early day. In 1838 Richard Scott came here from North Carolina. He was born in 1791, of Scotch par¬ ents, who came from Scotland. He married Miss Jane Beaty, who was born 1796 of Irish stock, and settled here with his young wife when there were no associations of any kind. He was in politics a democrat, and in faith a Baptist. The result of their martial life was nine children, six of whom are living; three were killed while "wearing the gray." Neighbors to Mr. Scott were: Thomas Anderson, Mrs. Scaggs, Mr. Gilliland. These men owned only claims till the government land came into market. Mrs. Scott is still alive and states that she remembers seeing plenty of deer, panthers, and elk. She says that she has seen the pioneers work elk to drays. Then the Indians camped on the hill sides about Big Creek and fished and hunted.

The first mill was an old horse mill owed by Enoch Fedit on Scaly Bark. It is said that if a farmer wanted his grist that he must rise before day and go to mill. A few old settlers beat their corn in a mortar. James Bones beat his corn, and said it ought to be called mealy because it was so dear. Welcome Scot built the first water mill in the western part of the county. He sold his mill to John Baker about 1849, and went to the State of Cal¬ ifornia. The mill stood near the old bridge on Big Creek, one mile west of Rose Hill, and was burnt during the civil war by the Militia. The bridge was also burnt. John Newton, an esteemed citizen was one of the old settlers. Arch. H. Gilkeson run a carding machine here at an early day. John Tygart kept a distillery and furnished the old settlers with whiskey, which now-a-days is only used for " medical purposes." Maj. J. W. Smith may be reckoned among the worthy old settlers.

In 1854 C. L. Farnsworth came from Tennessee. He was born May 1, 1829, of German-English ancestry, and was united in wedlock May 2, 1854, and brought his young wife west. Mrs. Nancy Farnsworth, his wife, was of German-English extraction, born in Tennessee February 23, 1831. Mr. L. L. W. Baston is among the prominent old citizens now living in the township. The following comprises all those who were here prior to 1850: They were Nicholas Turner, Col. Henry McCarty and sons, Hiram Helm, Jonas Turner, Daniel Quick, Mr. Brumfield, Chesley Quin¬ lan, John, George, and James Bradshaw, Watson Linch, Obadiah, James, and O. W. Strange, Frank and Richard Jackson, Aikin, William, Nicho¬ las, and John Doak, J. G. Cocke, George Burnett, Isaac A. Hanna, Wm. Bigham, Samuel Reeds, Arch. Beard, Richard Anderson, John S. Ander¬ son, James Dolan, John Scaggs, Daniel Scaggs, and Joseph Scaggs, their father, Albert Hall, Wm. Hill, Moses, William, and Morris Hodges, John Hunt, Samuel Hunt, George Harnner, Ike Dunaway, James Ross, John Oldham, James Oldham, Henry Gray, Smith and Wm. Phroffit, William Horner, Thos. Anderson, R. Scott, Judge Unstadt, Garret J. Wood, Letch Brooks, Sidney and Leonard Scott, Daniel Fisher, Benjamin Derrit, Ike Hines, Squire Thompson, Berry Summers, Hansel Green, Wm. Crattic, Jesse Dixon, Martin Foster, Perry Foster, James Cox, Squire John Baker, Peter and Wilson A. Campbell, Coleman F. Shamlin, John and Watson Ham, Wm. Payne, Squire Ashby, George Gilliland, Sloan, Jones, and Kavanaugh Gilliland, Berry Strange, Maj. Wm. Wood, Alfred White, Benjamin McVey, Eld. Abram Stout, Wm. T. Hulse, John and Martin Orr, Julius, David, James, Garret, and Wilson Davenport, Z. Moore, Dan¬ iel Ramey, John Priestly, Marion, Hanna, and John Bailey, Harry and Nat Baker, and Elijah Gates. In a few of these proper names we have failed to get the initials and the correct orthography.

Many of these pioneers still live to recount their tales of early peril and hardship. About the bluffs of Big Creek and in the valleys of the smaller streams the Indians often camped. These ^were their famous hunting grounds, and wonderful stories are told of the buffalo, antelope, elk, and deer that roamed in vast herds over the hills and prairies, besides smaller game found in the forests that skirted the streams. The first settlers caught an abundance of excellent fish from the waters of Big Creek. A few old settlers can tell the story of seining, trapping, netting, and hook¬ ing fish. Sometimes of favorable seasons wagon loads of fish have been caught in one da}r from the lakes along the creek. Buffalo, gar,' suckers, bass, drum, black and white perch, blue and yellow cat, were the princi¬ pal varieties of fish.

Trapping vermin for their skins was, at one time, quite profitable. The demand for furs stimulated the pioneer to trap the cunning vermin which searched in the night time for food. Traps of various sorts were used At that time not many of the pioneers were able to buy a large number of steel traps, so they learned to make traps of wood. At that time there were plenty of wolves, panthers, wild cats, catamounts, skunks, pole cats, weasels, minks, badgers, gophers, jackass rabbits, common hare or rabbit, black, gray, fox, ground, prairie and flying squirrels, woodchucks, moles, muskrats, otter, raccoons and opossum. Some of the early settlers hunted and trapped these wild animals, either for their flesh, which they used as food, or their skins, which they sold for furs or dressed for clothing. With a few, a raccoon skin cap with the tails hanging behind was a hunter's pride. Some wore whole suits made of deer skins.

In regard to the living, dress and customs of the early settlers, the his¬ torian has but little to say but what is common in all new colonies or pioneer settlements. Here the frontiersman had no time to waste in row¬ dyism. There were but few dramshops, and but few old settlers drank to excess. The dress of the pioneer was comfortable, and suitable for the time and place. The housewife was often taken from her home and rela¬ tives to live with her chosen companion in the new, wild west. She had no place to go to display dress or engage in frivolous conversation with neighbors. She was always too glad to welcome a human being to her house; therefore she engaged herself with the business part of life, and left family gossip, so common now-a-days, entirely out of her mind. The cooking, although before a fireplace, was exquisitely good. There are but few cooks in this enlighted age that can come up to the standard of the culinary duties of the blessed old pioneer mothers. Ti hey weie valiant, courageous, and, above all, willing to submit to circumstances and bear the toils and hardships of a pioneer mother's life. Here much depended upon these noble women. They were not only the guardian angels of the home and religious circles of those days, but they quite frequently held the plow, tended the garden, used the hatchel or the swingling knife, milked the cows, churned the butter, and sometimes grated the corn when the meal bin was empty. These, and many other duties, were imposed upon the dear old mothers, who pledged themselves in the ties of wedlock to be true in the marital relations before they left their comfor¬ table homes and pleasant associations in the older states. It may be that the duty of true woman so belonged to their natures that they thought more of the future than of the past. Such brave and pious women as these could be esteemed as citizens, and capable of standing by the side of their husbands at the ballot box. Although toil pressed upon them and sometimes starvation, like a gaunt wolf, stared them in the face, vet, against all this, they successfully struggled without losing one gem from their laurel, knit by nature, and placed upon the heads of noble, valorous char¬ acters.' They were always modest, pleasant in argument, noble and wise in decision, strong in firmness, valorous in deeds of kindness, affectionate wives and consistent Christians. Their memories of Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky told the story in their mind which they could never express:

At a special election held in the town of Rose Hill (then Madison town¬ ship), on the lfth day of June, 1861, for the purpose of electing a county clerk to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Marsh Foster, we find that there were three candidates, who received votes as follows: E. S. Foster, 69; R. H. Prewitt, 48; and L. Hutchinson, 1. The judges were,

D. Dunham, Daniel Ramey, L. W. Pemberton. The clerks were, H. L. Barksdale and Wm. W. Dunham. Watson W. Ham, J. P., administered the oath of office to judges and clerks. The following is a list of the voters at this election, as they appear upon the poll-book: " M. Baker, Wm. W. Scott, D. B. Washington, F. C. Cowerdon, Wm. Stout, John A. Doak, W. A. Reed, H. D. Gilliland, W. H. Baker, T. J. Watton, Wm. N. Pemberton, W. L. Wood, A. O. Tannihill, Wm. Feland, R. G. Ramey,

J. M. Neal, W. C. Neal, J. Cecil, O. P. Smith, J. V. McCarty, J. McCarty, W. M. Bruse, S. Smith, D. L. W. Baston, James Hone, C. Lusby, James Savage, G. W. Vowell, F. M. Scott, M. P. Fisher, J. G. Hudson, James Stout, Wm. Majors, B. E. McCoy, C. D. Brooks, B. F. Fisher, N. Baker, B. E. Woolridge, Wm. Canada, A. White, J. Burnett, Jos. Brison, B. W. Greene, W. H. Frances, J. A. Bones, G. A. Flowers, F. M. Green, J. W. Barksdale, R. T. Woodridge, John Baker, H. H. Dobyns, S. Reed, E. Depp, Wm. Tutt, J. Smith, H. L. Barksdale, Wm. Donham, S. L. Hunt, R. M. Anderson, J. B. Anderson, P. Campbell, Wm. A. Scott, William Stephens, J. Langley, J. Orr, A. G. Beard, E. M. Sellers, M. W. Fulton, D. J. Fulton, A. J. Fulton, J. B. Pemberton, T. M. Nichols, James Furguson, John Umstadt, M. Hodges, R. S. Gilliland, G. W. Gloid, Jas. Businbark, Wm. Hodges, M. Bradshaw, W. H. Gilbert, A. Bradshaw, E. Dor¬ man, J. M. Moon, A. G. Fulton, C. Plowman, J. W. Anderson, C. S. Furguson, W. J. Majors, L. W. Pemberton, Joseph Tacket, D. Ramey, D. Donham, and B. F. Umstadt. No doubt many of the above names will be remembered by those living who voted at this election in 1861, when the fires of the late civil struggle were breaking out.

In early days there were no bridges. Now and then an old trapper or settler would sometimes keep a " dug out " canoe, dug out of a walnut log, which was used to set travelers across the streams. The first bridge was erected across Big creek, near the old village of Rose Hill, prior to 1850. Now there are two good iron bridges on Big creek, and the old wooden bridge near Rose Hill will be torn away this fall (1881), and a new iron bridge put in its place by the order of the county court at a cost of $2,700. In 1872 the Osage Division of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad was build through the northwestern part of this township and a little town was started in section 35, near the northern line of the townshp called Benton City and the post office Me Clurg in honor [of ex¬ governor Me Clurg At first a few little stores and shops were erected but in a few years it was abandoned and now it is nothing more than a rural scene on the R. R. Roads are generally good except in the creek bottoms close to the many lakes.

The town of Rose Hill was laid out by Garret J. Wood, one of the first business men of the place, and named for the sweet, fragrant wild roses that attracted his notice in the vicinity, in 1842. Henry F. Baker and N Baker were prominent merchants. The little town grew and prospered till the war which was the death knell of the " City of Roses." Before the war farmers for many miles came here to mill, also to do their shop¬ ping. The railroad with the thriving town of Holden twelve miles away, did much in the work of retrogression which the war had inaugurated.

The following persons are doing business in Rose Hill: J.D. Plum, mer¬ chant; Henry Fort, blacksmith; J. A. Haller, physician; and the following teachers: Miss Hattie Sheller, Miss Lydia Metzler, Miss Mattie Metzler.

The original town of Rose Hill was divided into six blocks. The town plat bears date of May 5, 1842, signed by G. J. Wood and recorded by Z. T. Davis, Co. recorder, May 12 1842.

The first postoffice of the vicinity was established about 1840, and was called " Big Creek " till 1860, when the name was changed to Rose Hill. The office was first kept on Scaly Bark creek. The postmasters are as follows: Garret J. Wood, Henry F. Baker, N. Baker, E. R. Ashby, Dr. Chas. Thornton, Geo. Hodges, Lon. Hunt, W. M. Shepherd, James O. George, and Mrs. Etta Plum. At present, much of the mail matter that belongs to this township is taken out of the Holden postoffice.

We give the following statistics of the township: The population for 1880, as taken by L. Cruce, U. S. enumerator for the township is 1,653 inhabitants. The population and statistics according to the state census was as follows: Voters, 293; white population, 1,432; colored, 23; horses, 858; mules, 355; cattle, 2,233; sheep, 1,596; hogs, 3,709; bushels of wheat, 49,789; corn, 271,450; oats, 9,838; rye, 292; pounds of tobacco. 3,051;

The average assessments of land is about $8.50 per acre which is con¬ siderable less than one-half the value per acre. The grass products of this township are immense. The bottoms furnish a greater growth of vegetation than any other part of the county. This year (1881) the corn¬ fields are quite small owing to the drought and the chinch bug pest; how¬ ever, in a few places, a fair crop is realized.

The following comprises a list of the justices of the peace: W. D. Hall, John A. Doak, Dennis Dunham, James Doak, Squire McClellan, J. O. George, L. F. Brown.

The cause of religion was not neglected by the early settlers. Wher¬ ever a Christian heart is, there will be rays of affection thrown out from it. The light of a Christian is not hid under a bushel. God blessed the pio¬ neers with honest hearts, and wherever they go the light of a noble and true life shines forth. With them, whoever took hold of the plow never turned back. Although many of them owned large tracts of land and were engaged considerable in physical labor in order to support their large families, yet there were but few that lightly regarded the religion of Christ. Their family devotions were to them sacred institutions, whose fruits we see in truly pious sons and daughters who have become dutiful wives and loving husbands. In those days covetousness was subdued. The pioneers realized the brittle thread of human life and were not so anxious as many of this age to sell their souls for shining gold. The folowing stanzas from different poets illustrate their principles:

At first the pioneer Christians held their meeting "from house to house." The Methodists were the most prominent among them, and the first cir¬ cuit riders had no easy time in traveling to their " appointments." Some of them were constantly in the saddle except during their meetings. The circuit rider wras known by his gait and equippage. Invariably he car¬ ried his saddle-bags, containing a bible and hymn book, and his pack of clothes. The Cumberland Presbyterians, Baptists, and Church of

Daniel Capell, Wm. Horn, Rev. Parker, Eld. A. H. Stout, A. A. Moore, who now resides in Wellington; David Hogan, who is living in Vernon county; A. Van Ausdol, B. F. Thomas, J. B. Morrow, J. Whitsett, and Rev. Hults. Camp meetings were held in early days on Bear Creek, near where there is a church building conjointly owned by Cumberland Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist Episcopal (south) and Christian churches. Prior to the war a union log house served the people as a church.

The Methodists had " classes " at several of the residences and held regular meetings the first year of the settlement. The residence of Isaac Hanna was one of the most important meeting places. Other denomina¬ tions held services at the various residences until " Old Bethel " church was erected, a log house put up in 1838. Preaching was held in the Scaly Bark school house till 1840. Among the early preachers of the Cumberland Presbyterians were John Whitsett, John Marr, Thos. John¬ son, Robert King, Frank Moore and Benj. Thomas. The early Metho¬ dist ministers were Revs. Wallace, Reaper, and Burgess.

The Bear Creek M. E. Church , (south), is prominent among the denominations. This organization was effected in the year 1837, in the house of Obadiah Strange, with the following charter members: Sarah Strange, W. Strange, E. C. Strange, Mary Strange, Polly Strange, Mrs. D. S. Profitt, Sarah Profitt, Mr. Homer, Mrs. Homer. Services are held at the Union Bear Creek church. This building was erected in 1859, and cost $1,300. Judge A. G. Beard, James Strange, Mahala Strange, A. A. Doak, Mary Doak, Geo. Barnett, Mary F. Barnett, Geo. Strange, and Winnie Strange, are among the prominent members. The present mem¬ bership of the church is: males, 13; females, 23; total, 36. The Union Sunday-school is superintended by Mr. T. D. Smith, and Samuel Baker is secretary. This is now called Chilhowee circuit.

The Bear Creek Cumberland Presbyterians organized here at an early # day, and worshiped at the Union church, and participated in the Union Sun¬ day-school. J. G. Cocke, S. V. Turner, J. G. Adkins, and families, were some of the early members. Dr. R. Z. R. Wall is a devoted member of this church. It is said that Rev. David Hogan, one of the pioneer minis¬ ters, preached one year for $2.50, and rode ten miles to his appointments.

Bear Creek Baptists were organized prior to the war. Rev. William Owsley, Sally Owsley, and Anthony Owsley were of the faithful few. We learn that Mrs. Owsley, a lay member of this church gives the inter¬ est on the sales of 109 acres of land towards supporting the gospel. The Baptists do not meet regularly any more, but have changed their place of meeting to Borthick school house in Chilhowee township.

Rose Hill C. P . Church was built long before the war, and only a few years ago it was used for a school house, but now it is owned by James A. Ashbey. The following are some of the old members: Leonard Renick, John Newton, George Gilliland, Dennis Dunham, Mrs. Melissa Gilliland, and Mrs. Elizabeth Baker. J. M. Short is superintendent of this excel¬ lent Evergreen Sunday-school, and Miss Lucy Baker, secretary.

The report as furnished A. J. Sparks, county secretary of Sundayschools by H. A. Stitt is as follows: " School continues all the year; aver¬ age attendance, sixty-four. For seven years this school was open eight months in the year; but two years ago, Jan. 20, 1879), we were converted or reconverted to the Sunday-school work, and aided and encouraged by the noble efforts of Rev. G. W. Whitsett, who organized the school, and we have never lost a Sabbath day's work since. In the years that Mr. J. M. Short has been our superintendent, he has never missed a Sabbath from school. We are no *- freeze-out " school, but hope, when the last trump shall sound, it will find us, or somebody else, with a good Sundajr-school at Rose Hill."

The C. P. church was organized here in October, 18S0, with forty-two charter members. The following are some of the members: B. F. Lewis and wife, Mollie Lewis, Newton H. Horn, wife and two daughters; D. L. W. Baston, Martha Baston, Bettie Baston, Joel Thomas and wife, John W. McElvain, Mrs. Fannie Hultz, Mrs. Ella Redford, Mrs. Cecil and daughter. Rev. Frank Russell visits the church once a month.

The M .E. church organized in 1881. Biglow Buzzard, L. Gibson and wife, Elbridge Myers and Milton Eaves. Rev. J. Paye is the circuit rider. At present there is no Sunday-school here.

A small class of Methodists meet at Mt. Xenia school house in " Ter¬ rapin Neck." Mr. Briggs, superintends a Sunday-school and Miss Rosa Brown, is secretary. Mr. Howard A. Stitt a music teacher, is vice-pres¬ ident of the Sunday-schools of the township. J. H. Houx, M. H. Burnett, A, F. Smith, and W. S. Woodard, are among the worthy and faithful ministers, who have labored in this township.

the stranger as well as the affection of the relative. The burial ground is looked upon as a sad, lonely place. In the graveyard silent death reigns.

Farnsworth cemetery is on Benj. J. Farnsworth's land. Mrs. Rebecca Farnsworth was the first laid to rest here. That was in 1870. Now there are five graves here.

Wall Family Cemetery is in section 13, township 44, range 28, and contains the remains of the deceased relatives of the name applied to this place. The first buried here was Mildred B. Wall, in the year 1858.

farmer and respected old settler, living near. The Wm. Stout place is near this graveyard, and owned by an old settler by that name. There are a few other small burial places in the township of less note.

It is claimed that Mr. Scaggs was the first person buried in the town¬ ship. The health of the early settlers was generally good, and but little sickness, except fever and ague, invaded their homes.

The educational interests of this township haVe always been fostered by the people. Many that are now living look back with pride on their school days in the old log school-house. Children then under the care of a loving, kind teacher, accomplished more than many leading men of this age are willing to admit. In that day there was no com¬ plaint among school children, as we often have now-a-days, caused by poor ventilation. The boys and girls generally had happy dispositions and healthy, sound bodies, and grew to manhood and womanhood with¬ out being carried to "medical springs," or " drug stores." Even if these boys and girls did not learn so much from their books, they were blessed in other ways. In the pioneer schools, no pupil ever lost his health. How different in this age ! Then boys did not study to be clerks in dry goods houses, but for the high and noble purpose of knowing how to do busi¬ ness for themselves. Many a youth then earned a dime a day, which was the beginning of an intelligent, economical life that now surrounds the owner with wealth, beautiful fields and " cattle upon a thousand hills." The boys and girls trained in some of these early schools, are well informed in history and its kindred sciences. Most of them are readers and think¬ ers and have some good books. The fop of town may scornfully point at their dress, but he is a pauper of the vilest debris, compared to the wealth and happiness enjoyed by these brave, true-hearted sons and daughters of the soil. He has a deceptive, flattering, vile heart, enshrouded by fashion and vanity, while in the bosom of those he would scorn, a heart beats pure, honest, sincere, steady and tranquil in obedience to the laws of their country and their God. In brief, these plainly dressed peo¬ ple are to be commended.

At first the pioneer teacher taught in the homes of the scholars. Parental instruction was not neglected, and besides the catechisms and family stories, the parents taught their children to read and write. In those early days, school-books were not in western markets and the children were compelled to use the oldest books u.sed by father and mother in their school days. Very soon after the settlements were made and the people felt the necessity of schools, the log school-house went up. The teacher was employed upon his success in his profession. The price paid them for teaching was meager, but in proportion to the price of other labor. Often the teacher took his board among the scholars and thought but little about preparation for school room duties. Then if an instructor could teach the three " R's," he could command the position of teacher.

Among the old teachers who used the rod in the old log school-houses of this township, we mention, Richard Anderson, W. W. Sparks, Abram Stout, Chas. Wingfield, Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. Massey, A. Van Ausdol, M. Palmer, Alfred Hocker, A. B. Sanders, Benj. Howell, George Harrison, Wm. Kirkpatrick, Dr. Thos. Jones, Lewis McCoy, and Benj. Turner.

war. Now it is used for a kitchen. A log school-house stood on Bear creek near old Bethel church, where a subscription school was taught. Besides these there wTere several more log school-houses. It must be remembered that the public school fund was too small at that day to depend upon it for the support of the schools, and then nearly all of the schools were run by subscription.

Rose Hill school-house is a two-story frame building; the upper story is used by civic societies. This one is the prominent school of the town¬ ship. Through the kindness of Miss Lucy Baker, we are enabled to give the following list of teachers: Calvin Reifsnider, William Coats, John Garl, Vincen Jones, Amos Metzler, Wm. R. Gist, Wilson Naylor, James Stufflebean, Henry Wood, H. A. Stitt, Sie Cook, Miss Alice Hunt, Miss Kittie Renick, Emma Wallis, Miss Della Wallis, Miss Sallie Young, Mrs.

Quick School is known as one of the best schools of the township. From Mrs. Daniel C. Quick, we get the following list of teachers of this school: W. C. Rowland, John Cass, P. Stubblevain, Nannie Metzler, Nannie Graham, Flora Hall, Mrs. Franklin, Mrs. McCrabb, Harriet Quick, Cyrus Anderson, Wm. Peake, Lucy Umstadt, and M. Fanny Narron.

The other schools of the township are Doak, Scaly Bark, Boston, Fink, and Mt. Xenia. The following teachers deserve credit for noble work: Miss Nora Pemberton, an excellent young lady, has taught several terms with good success. She resides in Mt. Xenia district. Prof. Reynolds, afterwards principal of the Warrensburg public schools, taught in Mt. Xenia district during the autumn of 1874. He was an active member of the teachers' township association, which was organized and conducted by A. J. Sparks at the Quick school-house in Cass county. Mr. George E. Ropp, although comparatively a new-comer, has distinguished himself as one of the leading teachers of the county. He has taught three succes¬ sive terms at the Boston school, where he still continues his work. He is one among the worthy bachelors of this township.

Teachers' wages range from $35 to $50 per month. They secure board at eight to ten dollars per month. The government and sanitary condition of the schools are placed wholly in the hands of the teacher.

The agricultural interests and stock-raising stands foremost in Rose Hill township. Large stock farms are found in various parts of the town¬ ship. Some of the leading farmers and stock-growers are the Farns¬ worths, Campbells, Bastons, Beards, Quicks, Johnstons, Walls, Taggarts, Doaks, Pembertons, Thistles, Tharps, Woods, Stranges, Montagues, Sol¬ omons, Hannas, Roses, Smiths, and McCartys. This, indeed, is one of the best grain-producing townships of the county. The soil is mostly a rich, black loom, capable of producing generously, even in drouthy years. Stock water is found in abundance, all the year, in the streams. The swamp lands are being fast reclaimed from Big Creek bottoms. Now, many place where fine buffalo fish were seined grow fine grasses. The soil of the uplands is well drained. Immense crops of corn, wheat, oats, and hay are produced annually.

Stock-growing appears to have received a great deal of attention of late years, and the herds and flocks have been largely improved by the impor¬ tation of blooded animals.

Along Big Creek bottoms one may see, in the proper season, hundreds of fine cattle and sheep, grazing or resting, under the shade trees. This pasturage is sufficient to large herds of cattle. Here, the grass is the common prairie turf, which makes excellent hay, and furnishes good pas-

Mr. L. W. Pemberton, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, residing north of Rose Hill, has one of the famous farms. On this farm wheat averages fifteen to twenty-five bushels per acre; flax, ten bushels per acre; corn, fifty bushels per acre; timothy and clover, two tons per acre. Most of this land has been in cultivation about forty years. It lies in sections 1 and 6, township 44, range 29. On the farm, the soil is of a deep black limestone, and once produced fine hemp. Near Black water, the soil is a gray, waxy land. Mr. Pemberton has some springs on his place. The greater portion of this township is good hemp land. Mr. Pemberton keeps some mixed stock. His fine horses, mules, and cattle look well.

Daniel C. Quick not only keeps some excellent cows, but large herds of cattle in the creek bottoms, and a beautiful deer park. He has forty-two head of beautiful deer. This year he raised about one dozen fawns. He claims that it is profitable, and, from his past history, we learn that he is not apt to handle things that are not profitable.

The amount of wheat, oats, and flax that is shipped from here is simply astonishing. The roads are constantly lined with heavily loaded wagons* shipping to Holden and Gunn City. The price of wheat is from 75 cents to $1.04, according to quality.

A gentleman said he had five land-buyers in one day. The quality of the soil and the immense crops produced sufficiently advertises this land. When the land-buyer sees this land he exclaims, "Eureka!"

J. Little thought he would like a change of location, he went to Kansas, and did not like it; thence, to Missouri, and came home the other day, and advanced the price of his land ten dollars per acre. He - says that he saw more leaving Kansas than he saw coming into the state, and that most of them intend on set¬ tling in Missouri. Mr. A. T. Whitsett disposed of his farm the other day for the sum of $14,000. A gentleman from Illinois made the purchase.

Mr. L. Cruce informed us that he had threshed his wheat this year (1881), which averaged twenty-five bushels per acre, and sold it at $1.30 per bushel.

On the 11th of July, 1881, Mr. L, H. Little lost his barn and out-build¬ ings by fire. His loss was as follows: Barn, 300 bushels of wheat, 250 bushels of corn, five tons of hay, a stack of oats, out-building, some valua¬ ble orchard and ornamental trees, and all his farming implements, valued

Mr. George T. Wood was murdered, in 1861, by a drunken rake, hardly compus mentis , by the name of Charles Martin, who afterward was killed, as he deserved.

During the war several families were made homeless. Their houses were burnt, and their stock driven off by the Kansas jay hawkers. The following persons are among the unfortunate: Sidney Scott, F. Mar. Scott, James B. Scott, Mrs. Melissa Gilliland, and Barton W. Green. The following are among the slain: James Barnett, Henry Pemberton, Wm. Pemberton, Charles Pemberton, B. W. and F. M. Green, Campbell Pem¬ berton, Wm. H. Baker, Samuel Smith, Huston Gilbert, Joe Reed, Wash¬ ington Reed, A. Reed, William N. Hall, and Samuel Doak.