Linn County, Missouri - Chapter 15: War and Peace, 1882

Chapter 15: War and Peace

The Heroes of 1812 - Their Names and Record - 2' he First Deed of Record - A Second Deed - The First Will - The First Administrative Notice - A Record of Forty Years - Events as The;/ Happened from Year to Year - A Chapter for Reference, and a Key , to the Contents of the General History of the Work - Distances, Etc.

There were quite a number of this band of heroes living in Linn county a few years since, but they are now gathered to their fathers. The following well-known old citizens and pioneers of Linn county were still living up to 1871. Tiiey are now gone, but the record is here of those who shed so much luster upon the American arms in their struggle against British oppression which proposed to rule the land and the sea. The following is the list and record :

William Woodruff, aged eighty-three, first sergeant in Captain Daniel Cushing's company. Second Regiment United States Heavy Artillery, General Winchester's division. Scene of operations, western frontier.

Jacob G. Bailey, aged seventy-nine, Captain Charles Harney's company, Colonel Rennick's Tenth Rifie Regiment. Was at the battle of the Thames, in Canada; -witnessed the celebrated rifie duel between Tecumseh and Colonel Whitley; was so near as to see the flash of both of their rifles, which were tired almost simultaneously, each shot proving fatal. Was also present

"when Colonel Johnson's horse was shot from under him, and assisted in extricating him from under his horse. The next day Mr. Bailey assisted in burying the dead, and when they came to the body of Tecumseh, proposed to bury it in a separate grave.

David McCollum, aged ninety-one; was twelve years a commanding officer of the Kentucky militia, from 1808 to 1820; his memory was much impaired at the time, and he could not give a well defined account of his services.

Hasten Shiffiett, aged eighty. Captain Christopher Irvin's company of Kentuckians. Served on the northern frontier, and was at Colonel Dudley's defeat on the river Raisin, Michigan.

James Sportsman and William Sutherland were also known to be living in the county at the time, but no record was made of their services. Thomas Botts had also been a citizen of the county, but was then dead. He served in the same company with Seth Botts.

The First Deed Of Record

"This deed made and concluded on this thirteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, by and between Edward B. Cabal and Harriet F. Cabal, his wife, of the county of Chariton and State of Missouri of the first part, and Mendith Brown, of the -county of Linn and State aforesaid of the other part, witnesseth: That the said party of the first part for and in consideration of the sura of fifty dollars to them in hand paid by the party of tiie second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and the party of the second part from the further payment of the same is forever acquitted and discharged, hath transferred set over and quitclaimed, and doth by these presents, transfer, quitclaim and set over, unto him, the said party of the second part, his heirs, and assigns the following described tract of land, situated, lying and beino- in the said county of Linn, and State of Missouri aforesaid; to- wit, The southwest -quarter of section four (4), in township fifty-seven north, in range twentyone west, containing one hundred and sixty acres. And the said party of the second part being informed by the party of the first part that this said tract of land is held by a tax right only agrees to take the same and not hold the said party liable for an j further title in any way, nor for any money should the same be lost by a better title and agrees to take the same at his own risque, to have and to hold the same free from the claim of them, the said party of the first part their heirs and assigns forever. In testimony whereof the party of the first part have hereunto set their hands and seals on the same day and year aforesaid.

Be it remembered that on this thirteenth day of February in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, before the undersigned presiding justice of the County Court within and for said county, came Edward B. Cabal and Harriet F. Cabal, both personally known to me to be the persons whose names are subscribed to the foregoing instrument of writing as having executed the same and severally acknowedged the same to be their act and deed for the property therein mentioned, she, the said Harriet F. Cabal, being by me first made acquainted witli the contents thereof, and examined separate from her said husband whether she executed the said deed and relinquishes her dower to said land and tenements therein mentioned, voluntary, freely, and without compulsion or undue influence of her said husband, acknowledged and declared that she executed the said deed and relinquishes her dower in the said lands and tenements therein mentioned voluntary, freely, and without compulsion or undue influence of her said husband.

There is a deed of recoi*d dated January 25, 1837, made by Isaac F. Keas, and Casandria, his wife, to Armstrong Beatty, relinquishing their right, title, and interest in a certain tract and parcel of land purchased of the United States, which fell into the hands of John W. Usher, or to his infant heirs. The consideration was ten dollars. The record beins^ torn and part of it missing, the above substance is given. In the first deed the heading to the acknowledgement evidently should have been Chariton county instead of Linn. The deed is copied verbatim as recorded.

First Will Of Record

"I, William Cornett, of Howard county, State of Missouri, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do ordain this as my last will and testament.

It is further my will that my beloved wife, Nancy, have all my personal and real estate for the sole purpose of raising and schooling my children, and as my afflicted son, Jarrett, cannot have any benefit of schooling, it is my will that ray wife give to him what she thinks proper in that case. And it is further my will, that at the death of my wife, that what then is left after raising and schooling my children and what my wife gives to my son Jarrett, be equally divided between my children.

I, Enoch Kemper, clerk of the County Court of Linn county, do hereby commission William Taylor, a justice of the peace within and for Howard county, Missouri, to take and certify the attestation of Edward Turner, of the aforesaid county of Howard, to the above and foregoing will as the law directs.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and private seal, (there being no public one provided), this twenty-ninth day of December, 1840.

Be it remembered that on this fifth day of January, 1841, came before me William Taylor, justice of the peace within and for said county, Edward Turner, who after ijeing duly sworn deposeth and saith that he became a subscribing witness to an instrument of writing purporting to be the will of William Cornett, dated the third day of February, 1830, together with Polly Foster and Jeremiah Phillips, at the special request of AVilliam Cornett, and that the said William Cornett did then and there publish and declare the said instrument by him signed, to be his last will

Administration

Know all men hy these presents: That we, Rebecca Grant, Daniel Grant, John Holland, and Edmond Keith, of the county of Linn, and State of Missouri, are held and firmly bound unto the State of Missouri, in the sum of twenty thousand dollars, for the payment of which well and truly to be made, we jointly and severally bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, and administrators firmly by these presents. Witness our hands and seals this thirtieth day of December, 1839.

The conditions of the above bond are that if Rebecca Grant and Daniel Grant, administrators of the estate of John D. Grant, deceased, shall faithfully administer said estate, account for, pay and deliver all moneys and property of said estate, and perform all other things touching such administration required by law, or the order of any court having jurisdiction, then the above bond to be void, otherwise to remain in full force. Sealed and delivered in presence of witness, R. W. Foster.

The first County Court was called to meet at Silas A. Fore's, but was transferred to the house of E. T. Dennison, the first Monday in February, 1837.

The first mills recorded are Botts' mill on Parson Creek, township fiftyseven, range twenty-two, 1834, and Maddox & Rook's, township fifty-eight, range eighteen. East Yellow Creek, in the year 1840.

The first bridge built in the count}' was in the winter of 1841-42, across Locust Creek. To be fourteen feet, of sound white oak. This was near William Bowycr's. Two others were ordered built, one across Main Yellow Creek, west fork, and one across East Yellow Creek, to be twelve feet wide, of sound white or burr oak. They were completed in March, 1842. They were contracted for in January.

The Linneus Bulletin purchased the right to do all the paid work of Linn county, in printing and job work for one year, for $1, December 6, 1875.

The election to compromise the township railroad indebtedness of Benton, Locust Creek and Jefferson carried in favor of paying fifty cents on the dollar, September 20, 1879.

Brookfield, the commercial metropolis of Linn county, is about midway between Quincy and Hannibal on the east and St. Joseph and Kansas City on the west and southwest, and is the division between the above named points on the Hannibal, St. Joseph & Kansas City Railroad.