Johnson County, Missouri - Chapter 16: - Jackson Township, 1918

In the original organization of Joimson cminty it consisted of four townsiiips of nearly the sanie area. Jackson was one and occupied the northwestern corner of the countw It was organized INIay 4, 1835. at the first county court.

Jackson township was named in honor of President .Andrew Jackson. The organization of subsequent townships in the county has taken considerable territory from the original Jackson townsliip. yet it still remains the largest township in Johnson county.

Geography. - Area, 81 square miles, or .51,840 acres. Geographically, the east four-fifths of Jackson township lie between the two upper main forks of Blackwater creek, and the west one-fifth lies on a ridge between the west fork of Black\\-ater and the hea(h\'aters of Big creek. This ridge constitutes a watershed running north and south between the tributaries of the Missouri ri\er on tlie east and the Osage river on the west.

Soil. - According to the Soil Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture for 1914. the chief soils of the township consist of (1) a large body of "black limestone" soil (Summit silt loam | constituting the main upland between the two Blackwater forks and (2) of the ridge already described of "mulattfi" soil (Pettis silt loam ), three-quarters to one mile wide and about eight miles long, between the west fork of Blackwater and Big creek. Along the lianks of tliese streams are the ordinary bottom soils, chiefly Osage silt loam in narrow strips varying from one-eighth to one-c|uarter of a mile wide: next to the bottom soil, and between it and the main bodies of the Summit and Pettis silt loam uplands lies an irregular strip one-eighth to one mile wide of a thinner, lighter soil, the Boone silt loam ("sandy" soil).

Summit silt loam upland, about 60 per cent, of the township. It lies in a fairly solid body between the two Blackwater forks as indicated and also on the west side of the west fork of Blackwater between the Boone silt loam, that adjoins the bottom land, and the Pettis silt loam that occupies the ridge on the west.

Boone silt loam, upland, about 20 per cent. This lies next to the bottom soil, as indicated, the largest area consisting of about six square miles in the northeast.

Pettis silt loam, upland, about 15 per cent. It consists of the eightmile strip already described on the west side, and is not found elsewhere in the township.

Crawford silt loam, upland, "red limestone" soil, about 3 per cent. It is found in irregularly shaped patches of one square mile and less over the southwest three-fourths of the township.

Early Settlements. - The first settlement in this township was what was known as "Basin Knob Settlement" and was nearly as early as the old Columbus Settlement. Jonathan h'ine came from Tennessee and settled here in 1829. He was the first to be Iniried in the old cemetery near Blackwater church. Baldwin H. Fine, from Ray county, Tennessee settled here in 1829. He was killed by a maraudering militia band during the Civil War, wlio at the same time killed Henry Shaffer and a IMr. Rogers. John Ferguson was also among the first pioneer settlers. Hon. Reuljen B. I-"ulkerson came here from \'irginia about 1830. He was a staunch Democrat and was prominent in the affairs of the county at an early day and represented Johnson county in the state Legislature at one time. Macklin White, the first to represent Johnson county in the state Legislature, was also a resident of Jackson township. Joseph Hooper came here in 1831 and settled on the Cockrell farm. A brother of his also settled on Sni creek about the same lime. I'^lias Lundy, a Virginian, also jdined the settlement .-it P.;isin Knob at a very early day. Tcnnpkins llradley came liere in 1836. His house was burned by Kansas inv:ulers during the Civil \\;ir and in 1863, he removed with his familv to C.alifornia.

The following is a list of some of the eaii\- settlers nian\- of \\ho>c descendants now reside in the county and the names are familiar to the present generation: Jackson Longacre. John Longacre, Jerry Jame^, Joseph Howard. Jowell Ellis. Peter A. Hall. Charles Hood, T. JM-anklin. W. Franklin, Greenville Crisp. Al. lulwanls. D. Edwards, Samuel, hdias and Amos Lundy. Amos Roberts. James Givens, G. Coibern. lienr\- Colbern. Moses Ferguson. Fee l^'erguson. Frank Bradley. William Davidson. Squire Campbell. James Craig. Alartin and Charles Phillips, John Miller, Joseph Rags. laic, William Ragsdale. Thomas Ragsdale, William Hopper, Calvin Shore, John Y. .Martin, Daniel Spainhowcr, Jesse Howard, William Hays, James Briggs, Samuel Shirlev, William Hill, WilHam P. Paul. William P. Tucker. William Doak. David Hogan. John C. Sparks and Judge John Windsor. The latter served as county judge in an early day.

Early Churches. - The early settlers of this section early provided for divine worship. Like most pioneer commuidties. preaching was helil in the private residences during the first few j'ears. In warm weather religious services were held in the groves. The first convert in the township is said to be Mrs. B. F. Fine. Thomas Wallace was the first circuit rider to \'isit the township. Soon after him came Thomas Ashb_\'. who was assisted by a young man named H. N. Watts, who \vas preparing for the ministry. Some of the early settlers declared that he was not a very promising youth, although contrary to expectations, he de\'eloped into a very prominent minister in later life. Re\". D. A. Leeper came about 1848 and remained about two years. Re\-. Samuel S. Colbern ministered to the spiritual wants of the community from 1852 to 1854. He was a strong, capable, conscientious man. I'iew Henr_\- Farmer was prominent among the first jireachers of the Baptist denondnation.

Blackwater Methodist Episcopal Church. South, in the eastern ])arl of the townshi]) was the first church organized in the county, and is the oldest Methodist church west of Marshall, south of the Arkansas line (according to Rew Thomas Cobb, of I^e.xington ). Mr. Cobb states that the church was organized in the L'hristmas holiday's in 1829. and a log church built in 1834. The early [Kistors here were Thomas Wallace, Thomas T. Ashb}'. G. \\'. Beule}' Daniel A. Lapeer. Jesse Green D. F. Capell. E. E. Degg. Silas Williams. J. A. Chase. T. C. James. W. M. Pitts. James A. Gumming. R. A. Foster. R. W. Webster, R. Min-

E. W. Woodward, John B. Wood and J. D. fl. Wooldridge. Among the earl}' members of this church we find the names of Thomas Winsor and family, James Bradley and family, Richard Bradley and family, John Ferguson. Henry Shaffer, Rev and ^Irs. J. Fine, Baldwin H. Fine and wife. Jester Cox and family, William Smith and J. T. and E. E. Davis. Camp meetings were held annually near this church for a period of over thirty years and people came from as far as Lexington and Independence to attend them.

Basin Knob Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was organized in 1858. A. J. Longacre, James Sanders, Moses Mullens and William Hayes, with their families, and G. Christ and Polly A. Fulkerson were the first members. Their first building was burned in 1869 and later they erected another.

Elm Spring Baptist church was organized in 1859 by Re\'. George Minton and Rev. J. Gott. However, this congregation erected no building until 1870, the war having interfered with the carrving out of the original plans. In 1870, a neat frame structure was erected at a cost of one thousand dollars, in section 30, township 47, range 48, near Elk Springs on the north branch of the Blackwater. Among the early pi.stors who served here were the Re\erends George Minton, Harry Farmer, I. L. Crow, J. W. Williams. 1. X. Xewman. T. Gott,

F. M. West and J. B. Jackson. ,\mong the earl\- members of this congregation were John Winfrey. Jane Winfrew W. V. Snow and wife, Dorcas Hunter. Da\id Hunter, Josephus Martin and wife. X*. Williams and Richard T. Martin and wife. The first Sunda\- school was organized in 1866 and John \\'infre\- was the first superintendent.

Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1867. Newton Cobb, J. C. Sparks and William Harper and their families were the first members. Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal church was organized in the southern part of the tdwnship in 1870. Ten years later they erected a building at a cost of se\en hundred dollars.

Early Cemeteries. - The early cemeteries of the township were Lundy cemeter\- in section 31. a well-kept plat containing graves. Louis Edwards was the first to he interred here in 1855. The oldest cemetery in the township is Blackwater cemetery at Blackwater church, located in section 36. There are many graves here. The cemetery lot is enclosed by a stone wall and kept up and used today. There is also a cemetery in section 4 and one in section 15, and also in section 30. near the old Basin Knob church. Pittsville cemetery was established subsecjuent to the Civil War and j. A. McClure was the first to be buried here.

Early Schools. - Prior to the establishment of the public school system, the earl_\- settlers of Jackson township, like the average pioneers of the various sections of the state, had their subscription schools and the first log school houses were built by the co-operation of the pioneers of each neighborhood. However, the first schools were held in private residences until provisions were made for regular school buildings such as they were at that time. Among the old log school houses the Tucker school house was one of the last.

Early Teachers. - Many of the early-day teachers of this vicinit\- were capable and possessed of much common sense. Among the pioneer teachers appear the names of Jasper N. Ferguson. B. McCoy, C. Hufif, James Briggs, Mr. Tarpley. Mr. Devasier. Mr. Slocum. Mrs. Catherine Craig. Miss Lizzie Emmons, Michael E. Newman, W. W. Sparks, Louis H. Schi\-ington, Miss Nannie P. Pitts. A. Van Ausdol. Newton Cobl) and S. P. Sparks. In the early times there were fevi- women teachers.

The first voting precinct was at Mr. Lund_\''s. at Basin Knob. Basin Knob at that time was strong!}- Democratic and seemed ti) control the political destinies of the county.

First Postoffice. - The first postoffice in the township was established at Basin Knob and John W'infre}' served as postmaster there for ele\-en years. Later the postoffice was remo\'ed to Pitts\'ille.

Official Records and Statistics, Justices. - The justices of the peace of Jackson township, as far back as the reconls go. \\-ith the dates of

County Officers. - The following are the county officers who have been elected from the township since 1882. with the dates of their election :

Personal Property and Products.^Agriculture and personal property statistics for Jackson township as given by Missouri State Reports for 1877. and lohnson count\- assessors' lists for 1896 and 1916, are: ship, since this system was established in 1911. were up to January 1. 1918. twenty-three in number and aggregated $1,263, furnished by the citizens of the township, and $1,255 furnished by the county. In amount of tliis work Jackson ranks fiftli aiuong the townsliips of the count}'.

Organizations. - The following is a complete list of all organizations of every kind in Jackson township. Full details of each organization are in separate chapters on the different organizations.

There are two villages in the township. Pittsville and Elm. Chapel Hill, site of old Chapel Hill College, is just half a mile from the north line in Lafayette county.

Pittsville was laid out in 1858 and named in honor of Rev. ^^'illiam M. Pitts, a prominent Methodist devine. He was a native of Kentucky of English ancestry and was born January 6. 1810. He came to Jackson township in 1848. Pittsville was quite a flourishing village wdien the Civil War broke out. During the war a part of the town was burned by guerillas. Now it is the center of a very progressive community. It has stores, blacksmith shop, physician and good church and school house.