Lafayette County, Missouri - Chapter 1: A Pre-Historic Race Nations That Once Held This Territory, 1910

Chapter 1: A Pre-Historic Race Nations That Once Held This Territory

Lafayette county (then called Lillard) was included in the lot of new counties organized by an act of the Missouri Legislature November 16, 1820. It embraced all that portion of country taken from Cooper county, lying west of the present eastern boundary of Lafayette county, and between the Missouri river on the north and the Osage river on the south. It was named Lillard after James Lillard, the first member of the Legislature from this locality, who introduced the bill which created the several new counties above mentioned. The territory had previously been within Howard county, but in 1818 Cooper was cut off and from it came the present Lafayette county. The name Lillard was changed by the Legislature of 1824-5 to Lafayette, in honor of General Lafayette, the distinguished Frenchman, who at that date was paying St. Louis a visit, being received with a magnificent ovation. James Lillard had abandoned his namesake and returned to Tennessee and this displeased the people here, hence they sought and obtained a new name - Lafayette.

Before entering into the real history of the organized county of Lafayette, the reader will be informed as to how this territory was obtained by white men, its natural characteristics, geological formation and other points of general interest, including the various races of people who occupied its fair and fertile domain.

Mound Builders

Missouri has several evidences of a pre-historic race of people, and such evidences are found to considerable extent within Lafayette county. One evidence of this long-ago race of people's activities in this section of Missouri is at Kansas City, where, in 1876, on the banks of the Missouri river, were discovered several groups of earth works. Some were built entirely of earth, and some had a rude chamber or vault inside, but covered with earth so as to look the same as earth from the exterior. These were in irregular shape, generally oval in form and from four to six feet in height, and upon them were growing large forest trees. The works were investigated by W. H. R. Lykins, of Kansas City, and this is a part of his description of the excavation* made: great size and thickness, and the great prominence of the supraciliary ridges. The teeth were worn down to a smooth and even surface. The next one we opened was a stone mound. On clearing off the top of this we came upon a stone wall inclosing an area of about eight feet square, with a narrow opening or doorway for an entrance on the south side. The wall was about two feet thick ; the inside was as smooth and compactly built and the corners correctly squared as if constructed by a practical workman. No mortar had been used. At a depth of about two feet from the top of the wall we found a layer of five skeletons, lying with their feet toward the south."

In other sections of Missouri are found like evidences of a pre-historic race. Among such are those found in Crawford, Clay, Pike and Gasconade counties ; also some in Boone, Calloway and other counties. The first evidences of such people's workmanship were found in 1819, by Major H. S. Long, at St. Louis. He made a map of these "mounds" and sent it to the department at Washington. It was from this incident that St. Louis was styled the "Mound City." No matter what theory may be advanced as to the builders of these Missouri mounds by a pre-historic race, who at one time peopled this country, the citizens of Missouri and of Lafayette county may feel confident that a different type of humanity flourished all over this region hundreds - yes thousands - of years ago, and that they were marked by different modes of life from those of the North American Indian known to modern days. Their origin, their careers and into what they finally merged, or were succeeded by, will doubtless ever be mere speculations, as their true record has been lost in the shifting sands of oblivion.

In Lafayette county has long ago been discovered an ancient moundbuilders' village near the city of Lexington. It is situated on the north half of the southeast quarter of section 27, township 51, range 27, known as the old Cromwell place, just across a ravine north from the old Judge A. S. Tutt place. Here five or six acres are dotted over with flint chips, bits of ancient pottery and other relics of the race long ago forgotten in the world's history of races. The Lexington Intelligencer of June 25, 1881, is the authority for the following paragraphs :

"Two of the Intelligencer office boys, Frank Lamborn and Eathen Allen, Jr., have specimens of flint arrow heads and other curious things which they showed to Professor Reid, of the Missouri Historical Society, and he has listed and named them thus:

"Eathen Allen's List - One flint drill three and a half inches long, used by an ancient people to drill their soap stones for making pipes; four flint arrow heads of different sizes, shapes and colors; one flesher, an implement made of green stone, and which was used as a hand wedge or peeler in the process of skinning animals. This tool weighs just one pound. It was also used to peel bark, it is believed.

"Frank Lamborn's List - Consists of twenty-five arrow heads and javelin heads, varying from an inch and a half to five inches in length. Five socalled shovels, from three to six and a half inches long; one flesher; one stone ax - a beautiful specimen made from a species of granite.

"Last Monday evening the boys went with Professor Reid out to a place they called 'Indian Hill,' east of the old Masonic College, and there they found great quantities of flint chips, broken arrow heads, fragments of ancient pottery with different styles of ornamentation, and, best of all, a tiny ax made of copper. The last article is supposed to have been an emblem of authority, kept or worn by the chief. The abundance of flint chips and broken bits of pottery show that a manufactory of arrow heads, flint knives, shovels, stone axes and pottery must have been kept there for some time. The copper ax found at this point looks as though it may have been molded, instead of hammered out from the virgin ore."

Professor Reid made many other trips hereabouts and found other relics bearing the same unmistakable evidence of a pre-historic race. Other evidences are the mounds partly dug away at the Elizabeth Aull seminary property, and the one unexplored overlooking the river bank.

Where the old Lexington and Warrensburg road crosses the creek is a group of five mounds on Brush creek, section 36, township 50, range 27. Another mound is located on the southeast quarter of section 24, township 51, range 27; also two more on the Doctor Wilmott place, northwest quarter of section 23 ; others on section 22, a quarter of a mile northeast from the negro burying ground on the Aull estate. Still another large mound is found on section 5, township 50, range 27. Before the Civil war, old Mr. Odell dug into it from top to bottom. Its extreme height was about six feet. A layer of loose stones had been laid on the ground and then the earth piled up over them. No wall or chamber was found, nor any relics except a few crumbling human bones.

Jackson Cox, in his field in the south half of section 2, township 48, range 28, Sniabar township, plowed up an ancient pipe of flattened oval form, with a groove and two creases worked around from the stem hole. It is made of the pipe-stone variety of material.

Charles Teubner, of Lexington, made a collection, many years since, of over two thousand specimens in flint, comprising arrow heads, spear heads, javelins, daggers, knives, lances, etc. He also collected all over the state and had the largest collection of any man in the entire state, if not the country. Many of these fine specimens have found their way to the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington.

Advent Of The White Race

Florida was discovered by that daring adventurer, Ponce de Leon, in 1 5 12. He was a Spanish explorer who was imbued with the then current belief that in this country existed vast mines of gold, precious stones, and springs of water whose elements, if drank, would perpetuate vigor and youth eternally - at least such is ascribed to this adventurer by tradition and legend. It is believed also that the Spaniards in Old Mexico had gathered from the natives an inkling of this supposed "fountain of perpetual youth" from the healing waters now known as the Hot Springs of Arkansas, and the brilliant quartz crystals found among the rich ores of Missouri gave an understanding that here was true and untold wealth in store for the explorer who would but venture to this then unknown section of the New World.

Ferdinand de Soto landed in Tampa Bay, Florida, in 1539 and in May, 1 54 1, discovered the "Great river," a few miles below the present city of Memphis. After remaining there long enough to build rude boats, he pushed on as far as where New Madrid now stands, and this was doubtless the first time that the eyes of white men ever looked out upon the soil now known as the state of Missouri. This was three hundred and sixty-nine years ago, so that really, while the New Englander may boast of its Plymouth Rock, and Jamestown. Virginia, of its first American settlement, they are far behind in point of time in being viewed and explored by the white race. De Soto and his army entered Missouri from the south, twice crossing the Ozarks. He spent the winter of 1541-42 in Vernon county, in the extreme western part of the state. Ruins of their camp and smelting operations are still to be seen. They melted lead ore for silver and zinc blende (Smithsonite) for supposed gold. To their disgust, they soon found they handled but the baser metals, but which have in these later days made that section of our commonwealth one of vast richness.

The above was the beginning of operations by white men on what is now Missouri soil, and it was then abandoned for a period of one hundred and thirty-two years (June, 1673), when the French missionaries, Marquette and Joliet, went down the Mississippi river as far as the mouth of the Missouri river, which stream they named "Muddy Water river" and it was thus known until about 1712, when it was known as the "River of the Missouris," from the Indian tribe found living in lands now comprised in St. Louis county. These great navigators, en route down the river, camped on Missouri soil several times, and finally discovered the Ohio river, as well as the waters of the Arkansas. They reached Green bay, Wisconsin, again in September that year (1673).

In 1678 the French people built a fort at a point near present Peoria, Illinois, had a trading post and missionary station there, and during the winter of 1681-82 Robert de la Salle made preparations to explore the Mississippi river country to its mouth. He embarked with his fleet in February, 1682, but he makes no reference in his log book of stopping on Missouri soil. He reached the mouth of the Mississippi early in April, that year, and at once set up a column bearing the cross of the royal arms of France, and there, during the imposing ceremony, La Salle, in a clear loud voice, proclaimed and took possession of all the country between the "great gulf and the frozen ocean," in the name of the "most high, mighty and victorious prince, Louis the Great, by the grace of God king of France and Navarre, the fourteenth of the name, this 9th day of April, 1682." This whole territory was by him named Louisiana - Louis' land - and named the river itself St. Louis. Thus it came about that the state of Missouri first became a part of Louisiana and passed into the ownership and authority of the French government.

Up to 1705 the French people had kept on the east side of the Mississippi river, but during that year they sent out an exploring party in search of gold. The party prospected as far as the mouth of the Kansas river, where now stands Kansas City, but, not succeeding, returned in disgust. Then in 17 12 the king of France gave a royal patent to Anthony Crozat for all the lands within the Louisiana country. He sent out practical miners in search of gold, but they found only iron, copper, lead, mica, pyrites, quartz crystals, etc., so after five years of disappointment, in 171 7, Crozat returned his charter to his king, Louis XIV.

The next scheme was in 17 16, by the Scotchman, John Law, whose wild frenzied-finance scheme, as it might be called today, was known as the "Mississippi bubble," "The South Sea Bubble," etc. This was another gold mining enterprise which failed, but some of the miners fell to lead mining and sent the product of the mines back to France. In 1731 this charter was returned to the king.

First Permanent Settlement In Missouri

Lippincott's "World's Gazetteer" says : "Fort Orleans, near where Jefferson City now stands [as a matter of fact, the location was in Lafayette county], was built by the French in 1719; this was a temporary safe-guard for John Law's crazy gold hunters, but did not make a permanent settlement.

Kaskaskia, Illinois, was settled by the French in 1673, and was the metropolis of the 'Upper Louisiana' for about a century. In 1735 some of the French moved across the river and made a settlement in Missouri, at what is now known as St. Genevieve, which was the first permanent settlement made and maintained within the state; the previous adventurers in search of mineral wealth had located mining camps at several points, but had not established any permanent town or trading post."

The next settlement was made at St. Louis, by the noted Frenchman, Pierre Liguest Laclede, who lived in New Orleans in 1762 and organized the Louisiana Fur Company, carrying on his operations as far north as St. Peter, Minnesota. He located his main post where St. Louis now stands, the date being December, 1763. He named the place in honor of his king, Louis XIV, but never once dreamed that for two years the territory had been the property of Spain. The English government took possession of the territory about Kaskaskia (Fort de Chartres), after which many of the French and friendly Indians came to the site of present St. Louis, which caused the place to grow quite rapidly. The next settlements sprung up at New Bourbon, 1789, while St. Charles had been settled prior to this some years. St. Charles county was organized in 1803 and comprised all the territory lying north of the Missouri river and the entire states of Iowa, Minnesota, Dakota, and on west to the Pacific ocean. This was the largest single "county" ever known in the world, and St. Charles was the county seat.

In 1 80 1, the territory west of the Mississippi river was ceded back to France by Spain and two years later President Jefferson purchased from France, through Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, the entire territory of Louisiana, for fifteen million dollars. Change after change went forward until, in June, 1812, Congress passed an act naming "Missouri Territory," and in October of that year was held the first annual election. The territory was admitted to the Union as a state August 10, 1821, the capital being first at St. Louis, then at St. Charles for five years, but in October, 1826, it was removed to Jefferson City, its present site.

The above will give the reader of the history of Lafayette county a more intelligent understanding as to the conditions that obtained prior to the organization of this county, the various forms of government and nations under which it has existed since the discovery by white men.