Linn County, Missouri - Chapter 20: City of Brookfield, 1882

Chapter 20: City of Brookfield

Its location - The Scatters - The Usual Remarks About Game, etc. - Who Gave it a Local Habitation and a Name - Boarding Shanties and Several Other Things - Laid Out and how it Grew and Prospered - In 1801 Had Grown to about Fifteen Houses and Some Other Buildings - The First Child Born and What Followed - Deaths and Burials - Father Hogan - The First School - Brook field in the Civil War - Some Facts and Some liutnors Upon Which Facts Were Based - Brookfield Survived - Smallpox Scare - Tragedies Growing out of the Great Strife - The New Era and the Past to be Buried in Oblivion - Churches, Schools, Societies, etc.

The grounds upon which the city of Brookfield now stands - sections five, six, seven, and eight, in township fifty-seven, range nineteen, and section thirty-one, in township fifty-eight, range nineteen, was formerly known as " the Scatters." Along Elk Creek, in the valley where South Brookfield is, the grass grew rank and tall, affording coverts for deer and other game. The ground was marshy or swampy in the spring and fall, and a great resort for wild fowl, which sportsmen hunted and shot by hundreds. The location had quite a reputation as a ducking ground, and was visited by many hunters from a distance at times, even at an early day, when almost the whole country abounded in game.

Section six, township fifty-seven, range nineteen, on which the original town stood, was granted by the United States to the State of Missouri for railroad purposes, and by the State to the Hannibal & St. Joseph Kailroad Company, September 20, 1852. Section seven was first owned by Edward B. Talcott, to whom it was patented by the general government October 6, 1855. Talcott sold the east half to R. S. Forbes and R. S. Watson, June 11, 1857. Forbes and Watson sold to John L. Lathrop, trustee, December 19, 1857. Talcott conveyed the west half to John Dufi" on the eleventh of March, 1858; Duft' sold to John L. Lathrop, trustee, September 13, 1859. Lathrop conveyed the entire section to J. B. Helms, December 22, 1859.

In the spring of 1859 the Hannibal & St, Joseph Railroad was completed to the town site, and on the twentieth of July following the town itself was laid out under direction of Major Josiali Hunt, the railroad company's land commissioner. The company had located its division headquarters, round-house, machine shops, etc., at Thayer, six miles east of Brookfield; but, upon the completion of the road to the site of Brookfield, it was resolved to lay out a new town and re-locate the division. The work of surveying the town was done by an engineer named John Wood Brooks, from Boston, who took precautious that his name should be remembered while the town existed. The town was named for him, and four of the principal streets were called John, Wood, Brooks, and Boston. On the twenty-tliird of July, 1859, the plat of this town was recorded.

Just when tiie lirst human habitations were erected in Brookfield cannot be learned, but before the town was surveyed there were two boarding shanties on the south of the railroad track, opposite where the round-house now stands. lieve the railroad men, the track-layers and others boarded. Mr. Pat Kerrigan ke]^t one of these boarding-houses and a Mr. Landrigan the other. Prior to the building of these houses, if houses they may be called, the residence of Mr. Holsinger, south of town, was the only human habitation in sight. Esquire Samuel Sumner had lived east of town from about 1855.

Soon after the town Avas laid out the railroad company began the erection of a hotel and dining-house now occupied by the new railroad building, and by the old cellar, on the company's grounds, on the north side of the track, just west of Main Street. Capt. E. P. Dennis took charge of this hotel when it was ready for occupancy, and, assisted by his excellent wife, the first female resident of Brookfield, kept a very creditable hotel for some years. The corapanj' stopped its trains at Brookfield for meals, and the hotel prospered until a change in the time-table caused the trains to halt elsewhere.

In August, 1859, Major Josiah Hunt built two frame single-story houses on Brooks Street, near Livingston, and in the neighborhood of the present site of the Central Hotel. Captain Dennis, prior to this, had built a shanty where now is the middle of Main Street at about the crossing of Brooks, and another frame shanty was put up near the same time in front of where the round-house now is. In the latter house Thomas Bresnehan lived. ]N^orthwest of the depot, in the neighborhood of Caldwell Street, lived a Mrs, Bracken and her two sons, Joseph and William, in a log cabin. In October the family of Mr. Hurd occupied one of Major Hunt's houses which stood in the middle of Main Street, and the family of Cornelius Slaughter lived in the other. The railroad company had a long, low shanty or building on Main Street, in which the men ate and slept.

It is impossible to state with accuracy who were all of the first settlers of Brookfield, and the order in which they came, but among them were Captain Dennis, Mr. Hurd, Patrick Kerrigan, Mr. Landrigan, Thomas Bresnehan, Cornelius Slaughter, before mentioned, Jacob Van Meter, who built a hotel, which, after many additions and improvements, is now the Central Hotel, Frederick C. Loring, a butcher, who built on Livingston Street, between John and Woods, Henry Steinhelver, James Proctor, Michael Gannon, Michael McGrale, Ed Stevens, John McCormick, Charles Davis, the first train dispatcher, Ead Dennis, James Tooey, W. T. Snow, Augustus Turner, who came in 1860 and brought a sawing machine; A. J.

South of the track, on Main Street, in I860, went up three or four shanties, in one of which an A. J. Tillotson kept a small store. The first store on Main Street was put up bv Cornelius Slaughter in the spring of 1861; a frame, and stood on the northwest corner of Main and Brooks streets. In March, 1850, iiowever, before any dwelling-houses had been built the railroad company had moved up the round-house from Thayer, which had at first been intended for permanent division headquarters, and promised at one time to be a place of considerable importance, but which dwindled into insignificance with the progress of events, and in the course of time became wholly extinct.

For the first months thefewcitizensof the place bought whatgroceries and provisions they needed from Captain Dennis, of the Kailroad Hotel, who gave out the contents of his pantry and cellar freel}^ to accommodate the people.

There was a field of considerable size on the north side of the railroad track and east of the hotel, and here the Captain and the citizens had a large garden which was practically cultivated, and used, in common. The Captain was of great service to his neighbors. He officiated as a sort of postmaster until Mr. Tooey was commissioned, taking charge of a considerable amount of mail handed off the train, and mailing all matter entrusted to him. The hotel was not only the principal building of the place for some years, but its manager was the most important personage.

In July, 1860. Mr. James Tooey came up from St. Catharine and built the first store in the place. It was a frame two-story affair, and stood on Brooks Street, between Main and Livingston, in block six, and on lot nine or ten. Upon the comj^letiou of the building, Mr. Tooey opened a stock of general merchandise, and thus became the first merchant in the place, and was one of its most prominent citizens.

In August, 1860, the first post-oflice was established. James Tooey received the appointment of postmaster from President Buchanan. Mr. Tooey turned the oflice over to W. T. Snow, who has been postmaster ever since.

Up to the breaking out of the civil war Brookfield improved but slowly, and after that period until the close of hostilities, none at all. There were perhaps fifteen families in the place when Fort Sumter was fired on, and about the same number when General Lee proffered his sword to General Grant under the famous apple tree of Appomattox.

The first white child born in Brookfield was a son of Cornelius and Alice Slaughter. It was born January 7, 1860. The birth of this child was regarded as an important event in the history of the place, and there was great concern manifested. Captain Dennis stood as a sort of god-father, and declared that whatever other name the child should bear it should also be christened Brooktield. Accordingly, the child was named Williana Broolcfield Slaughter. Unfortunately, it only lived four days, dying on the eleventh. The weather being intensely cold and there being no cemetery near, the bodj^ was buried near the house where it had been born.

In November or December, 1859, James McKinney, an Irishman and a railroad man, died at the residence of Mrs. Bracken, in the little old log cabin on the hill. This was the first death in town. The second death xyas that of Slaughter's child before mentioned. Soon after, in Januar}^ 1860, a lady named Bosha, a cousin of Captain Dennis, died at the Railroad Hotel. The body was taken east for burial. In August, 1861, Mrs. Mj'ers died. She was the wife of the proprietor of the Myers House, the hotel built by Yaii Meter, the site of which is now occupied by the Central House. In the early part of the war a man dressed in Federal blue, suppose to be a deserter from the Union army, stopped at the Railroad Hotel and died the same night. He was a German, but no papers were found on his person to indicate where his home was or what was his name. A few days afterwards a little child belonging to some Mormon emigrants en route for Salt Lake, died on the train and was taken off at Brooklield and buried. Both the German and the Mormon child were buried where the mill now stands, on the b)-anch, as was the child of Mrs. Barlow, that died at about the same time.

The first marriage in Brookfield was a notable occasion, and a merry one. The couple were Frank Bernard and Kellie Mathews, both employed by Captain Dennis in his hotel. In the fall of 1860 the wedding came off. Captain Dennis gave up his parlor for the occasion, and the ceremony was witnessed by nearly all the citizens in that place. Esquire Sam Sumner performed the rite. Congratulations were showered u])on them by everybod)% and the young couple began life with the best wishes of all who knew them. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard lived in Brookfield more than a year after their marriage. They had a child born to them in November, 1861, and not long after they left for St. Joseph. Their present abode is unknown.

In the neighborhood of Brookfield probably the next marriage was that of Wilder Rickerd and Ellen Hall, the latter a daughter of Andrew Hall, which was performed at the residence of the officiating magistrate, Esquire Carter, in the winter of 1862.

In January, 1861, Jim Gallagher went down to St. Louis and there married Ellen Shea. The couple returned in a few days and made their home in Brookfield. Another early marriage of a Brookfielder was that of Mike McKinne}^ who went down to Carrollton and there married Mollie Hanovan. Before he went away Mike had built for himself and Mollie a snug little cottage on the hill, for he believed in securing the cage before capturing the bird. Mike was one of " the boys," and his companions resolved upon giving him a high old reception upon his return. On the night when lie was expected, pickets were out watching for liis return, and abundant preparations made for a grand charivari or "shivaree," as it was termed. At last the pickets gave the alarm and thefnn began. The crowd met Mike and his bride, who were on horseback, and escorted them to their residence with wild sliouts and cheers, much jingling of bells, tooting of horns, beating of drums, pounding of boiler iron, discharge of fire-arms, and all of the noise, din, and discord it was possible to make. Mike bore his reception in good part. He soon procured plenty of whisky, and treated the boys freely and liberally, and all ended merrily if not so wisely.

Brookfield was never wholly without religious influences. When there were but Kerrigan's and Landrigau's boarding-shanties, the hotel, the two families lEurd and Slaughter in Major Hunt's houses, and Mrs. Bracken's cabin, along came Rev. Father James Hogan, - then a poor, humble priest of Mother Church, now the lit. Rev. Bishop Hogan, of the diocese of Kansas City and St. Joseph, - bearing the missal and crucifix, and reminding the early settlers of their dependence on and duty toward the Divinity who shapes the destinies of towns and communities as well as the affairs of men. It was about the twentieth of December, 1859, when Father Hogaii first a])peared in Brookfield and held the first religious services in the place. The Catholic portion of the community assembled in Laudrigan's boarding-house, and here the good father elevated the mass, performed the other rites of the church, and pronounced the ^j)«a? vobiscum in the presence of a humble but devout congregation, whose service was as acceptable as though it had been performed in cathedral or St. Peter's. Many a time thereafter Father Hogan came to Brookfield to minister to the little flock of Catholics there congregated.

Landrigan's boarding-house was first used as a chapel by Father Hogan, and next the house of Michael McGowan. In August, ]860, the church was completed and dedicated, Father Hogan ofiiciathig. The building is still standing, but has been enlarged (see church history). It was the first church building erected in Brookfield.

The first Protestant meeting in Brookfield was held by the Congregationalists, over James Tooey's store on Main Street, where H. Emanuel's building now stands, corner of John and Livingston streets. Rev. Charles Pratt conducted the services. This was some time in the summer of 1863. The Methodists held a meeting in the school-house in the fall of 1865. The first sabbath-school was organized by Ephraim Banning, over Tooey's store, in 1863. He acted as su}>erintendent and had about twenty scholars. Books were furnished from the East.

Soon after the first settlement of Brookfield, or in 1861, Miss Lizzie Clark taught school in her father's residence, where St. Mary's Academy is now; but the first school taught in the town proper was by Miss Lizzie Renick, in the spring of 1863. The school-room was over Tooey's store on

Brooks Street, and Miss Eenick had about fifteen pupils. She began her school in the previous Jannary, but was forced to close it on account of the prevalence of small-pox in the place.

The first public school-house in the place was finished in 1865, and stood on the site now occupied in part by the Episcopal church. Soon after came along a traveling dramatic company and stopped in Brookfield. This troupe comprised the " celebrated Carey family." The good people of the place resolved to gratify their aesthetic natures and have an entertainment, and they believed, like Shakspeare, that " the play 's the thing." This was the first dramatic company that had visited the place, and* the populace was fairly a-hunger and a-thirst to witness this performance. Accordingly, the new school-house was seized upon and converted into a theater for the time being. It had been just completed and the fragments of mortar had not been swept out. Moreover, there were no seats in the room. However, the room was soon cleaned out, seats improvised out of boxes and planks, a "stage," so-called, put up, the people turned out en 7nasse, men, women, youths, and little ones, and the play went on. It was voted a big thing by the Brookfielders of that day. So much for the first school-house in Brookfield, the first use to w^hich it was put, and the first show of any kind in Brookfield.

The first physician to locate in Brookfield was Dr. Banning. He came into the place in January, 1861, and had his otiice in the Myers House. Just how long Dr. Banning remained in the place is not known. Probably the next after him was Dr. Shook, although Dr. Rider, of the Railroad Brigade, attended on some of the citizens during the war. Before Banning came, people were forced to send two miles into the country, south of town, for Dr. Rooker, who ministered to their ills, in connection with Dr. Harris, from Laclede.

All of the houses in Brookfield were either of frame or logs up to June, 1863, at which time Mr. James Tooey finished constructing a brick building on the northwest corner of John and Livingston streets. It is still standing.

Society was not of the quietest, most orderly character in the early days of Brookfield. There were a few hard cases among the inhabitants, and lawless personages appeared from time to time. Esquire Sam Sumner's court was often resorted to and the majesty of the law invoked to punish transgressors; but quite frequently the law-abiding, well-disposed citizens of the community took the law into their own hands and administered justice according to their own ideas thereof.

On one occasion the place was visited by a brace of swindlers who setup a " wheel of fortune " and tried other devices to entrap the unwary, and beguile the unsophisticated railroaders of their hard-earned money. A committee of good citizens soon had the "fakirs" in custody, and they were speedily tried in a court-room improvised out of a box car that stood on a side-track, convicted, and sentenced. The judgement of the court wae speedy, sliarp, and imperative. The culprits were sentenced to leave town witliin ten minutes and never to return except at the risk of forfeiting their worthless lives.

During the presidential canvass of 1860 the town was visited by the two rival candidates for the legislature, E. H. Richardson, the Democratic nominee, and A. W. Mnllins, the candidate of^ the Bell and Everett party. The town was Democratic. There was a good crowd in attendance from the country when the two aspirants for legislative honors met on this occasion to hold a joint discussion, and all shades of political opinion were represented in the audience.

Brookfield at that day was probably as quiet and orderly as most towns of one hundred souls, but there were occasionally sprees by those who indulged in too much of the ardent, which resulted in the violation of law and town ordinance, and was punished accordingly.

Brookfield In The Civil War

At last the civil war came and broke upon Missouri. Her people were divided in sentiment, and many well-meaning and honest patriots made strenuous efforts to avert it. The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad was an important thoroughfare at this juncture, particularly to the Federal authorities. If it were kept intact, troops could be moved rapidly from one side of the State to the other, supplies and munitions of war sent, and all of northern Missouri kept under Federal or Union domination. The great thoroughfare would also be of incalculable service in keeping open communication with the first line of defense adopted by the Union commanders - the Missouri River. It was of the utmost importance, therefore, that the road should be well guarded and kept in running order continuously.

One of the most important points on the road was Brookfield. Here were machine shops, a round-house, and division headquarters. Extra locomotives and cars were always to be found, and t:ie amount of railroad property, always under control of the Federal niilitary authorities, was very considerable. The secessionists in Chariton, Linn, and surrounding counties, were threatening a raid upon, the little place, and the destruction of the railroad property. Occasionally, assaults were made on the road at other points, and some damage done. The Platte River bridge was sawed by some miscreants in such a way that when a train loaded with ordinary passengers, men, women, and children, passed over, it fell, and many innocent lives were lost. These episodes coming to the knowledge of the Brookfield populace, a majority of whom were Union in sentiment, gave them no small concern. There were no soldiers to be obtained, and barring Crandall and McCollunrs company of home-guards, no help that could be relied on in an emergency.

In the last days of June, 1861, there came to Brookfield the first Federal soldiers. They composed Captain Littlefield's company, of the Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, and numbered at least eityhty men. They had been sent to protect the round-house and repair shops, and they went into camp on the railroad grounds, where the blacksmith shop now stands. Soon after its arrival; viz., on the fourth of July, Littlefield's company was presented with a fine large United States flag by the ladies of Brookfield, the work of their own hands. Those engaged in the offering were Mrs. E. P. Dennis, Mrs. Hurd, Mrs. Worthley, Mrs. Barlow, Mrs. F. C. Loring, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Alice Slaughter, and Mrs. Ellen Gallagher. Mrs. Dennis made the presentation speech, and" Captain Littlefield res])onded. The soldiers had prepared a pole, and to the top of this the flag was soon raised, and given to the winds. The da}' was a " big" one in the history of Brookfield, and the occasion one long remembered. A great crowd was present, many attending from the country. The flag was taken away by Captain Littlefield when he left Brookfield.

Soon after Littlefield's company left, which was the last of July, 1861, an alarm was given that the secessionists, or *' rebels," were about to attack Brookfield, and the commander at St. Joseph was telegraphed to for aid. He responded by sending down a company of Germans, belonging to Peabody's regiment (Twenty-fifth Missouri Infantry), under command of a Captain Schmidt. This company was not in uniform, but the men were all armed with United States muskets. They quartered themselves in the round-house, having no tents, and piled up the cord wood around the building for breastworks, in case they should be attacked. These troops remained some daj's, but the expected and dreaded rebels did not put in an appearance.

The next Federal troops to visit Brookfield was the Third Iowa Infantry, Colonel Williams. This regiment came in August, 1861, and remained some time. It was sent here for the purpose of assisting in the recruiting and organizing of Union volunteers from this section of Missouri, as well as for the protection of Brookfield. Fred C. Loring, the village butcher, had already received a commission as captain, and was recruiting a company of cavalry at Brookfield, as was Captain Wesley R. Love, at Laclede; both of these companies were afterwards in the Seventh Missouri Cavalry Volunteers. The Third Iowa went into camp over on Rose Hill, and spent the principal ])ortion of its time in drilling and making scouts up and down the railroad and into the country. Some of the members of the regiment were seized with pneumonia and died, and were all buried on Rose Hill, where their bodies still lie. In 1867 the town council adopted a resolution to liave these bodies taken up and reinterred, at the town's expense, in the public cemetery, but for some reason this was never done.

Winkler. He had enlisted in the Federal army, and i2^one on a scout with some Kansas or lovva troops down to Shelbina. Returning, he was standing on top of a box-car filled with soldiers, when a musket was accidentally discharged by one of them, and the ball, passing upward through the roof of the car, struck Winkler and killed him. The body was taken oft" at Brookfield, and buried with the honors of war, in the ground now occupied by the residence of Hon. W. H. Brownlee.

From the fall of 1861 until the close of the war Brookfield was garrisoned by various companies and organizations of Federal militia or home-guards - including the famous "Railroad Brigade,'' an organization composed of railroad employes armed by the general government, and a portion of the time under the command of Major Crandall, - with occasionally a detachment or company of reojular volunteer troops. Among the very las.t organizations was the Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry, of unsavory memory. The place was a great recruiting point. Here was begun the organization of the Eighteenth Missouri Infantry, at first under the authority of a self-styled "Colonel'' Morgan, of Chariton county, who, for some reason, was never commissioned. The commander was afterwards Madison Miller, of, St. Louis. The organization of the Eighteenth was begun in August, 1861, and the companies at Brookfield left some time in the fall. Many recruits came in from Chariton, Carroll, and other counties, and took service in the Eighteenth or some other regiment.

While Morgan was at Brookfield his men made several incursions into the surrounding country. One of these was made into Carroll county, in company with two companies of the Seventh Missouri Cavalry under. Capts. W. R. Love and Fred C. Loring. At the crossing of Hurricane Creek, in Carroll county, this force was ambushed by a force of about fifty Confederates under Captain Logan Ballew, and sixteen men of Captain Love's companv were wounded, but none killed. This was about the tenth of October, 1861.

From time to time alarms were given that the Confederates were coming to attack Brookfield. In September, 1861, a number of families of Union sentiments had been driven out of the Grand Pass country, in Saline county, b}' the secessionists, and were making their way to more friendly localities. Mr. Enoch Meedles's family was one of these. As the party neared Brookfield they were discovered, and when they went into camp, a few miles south of town, word was brought in that they were rebels, coming to capture the town and burn the round-house. The next morning, as the cavalcade appeared over the hill, a great many hearts quailed at tlie sight, and everybody felt great relief when the truth was learned.

After the fight near New Cambria, early in the war, the Federal wounded to the number of eight or nine, were brought to Brookfield for treatment, and from here sent to Laclede. The headquarters of the officers in com- mand were usnall}' in the Central House - or where that building is now - and the hospital where the T^evv Cambria wounded were was the Catholic church. The government had a long low building running parallel with the railroad track, in which stores were kept, and often troops were quartered. Here Morgan's first companies of the Eighteenth Missouri were placed upon their arrival - there being no tents here at the time, nor for some time afterward.

In the month of August, 1802, the Confederate Col. J. A. Poindexter, raided through Randolph, Chariton, Carroll, Livingston, and this count3\ Some of his men, upon the dispersion of Poindexter's force by the militia under General Guitar, wandered off and out into the neighborhood of Brookfield, and wei-e picked up by the Railroad Brigade. Several hprseSy which had been abandoned by their riders, were also captured as they wandered about on the prairie. (J)ne of the men captured was so worn out with fatigue of long and hard riding, and was suffering so much from the loss of sleep, that he was captured asleep, taken to Brookfield asleep, lay asleep while he stayed here, and it is declared that he was asleep when the train stopped at Laclede, where the prisoners were taken, and where one of them was shot by the troops there stationed, on a charge of having been concerned in the destruction of a railroad bridge.

A block-house was erected early in the war at Yellow Creek bridge for the protection of that structure, but in 1863 it was moved up to Brookfield^ and maintained there until the close of the war. It was so constructed as to be available for a successful defense against any ordinary force, or one likely to be brought against it, and was a tower of strength and a castle of refuge to the citizens as well.

Brookfield was also a place of refuge for miles around. In the early days of the war the white refugees from the southern counties flocked in, many to enlist in the Federal army, and many more to take the cars for Illinois and other points in the North. Afterwards, especially after President Lincoln's emancipation proclamation went into efi'ect, numbers of negroes flocked into the place, "for protection" they claimed, but probably to escape work and to be fed at the expense of the government. Major Crandall, who had been master of transportation, and was commander of the post and of the Railroad Brigade, tried to arm the abled-bodied male negroes, and make them assist in the defense of the place and themselves; but this they refused to do, whereupon the Major drove them summarily from the place, and forced them to seek a loafing place elsewhere.

In January, 1863, small-pox broke out in Brookfield. A lady from St. Joseph brought it into the family of Mrs. Cornelins Slaughter, whom she was visiting. Mr. Slaughter was absent in the Federal army. Mrs, Slaughter was immediately put in quarantine as it were. She was compelled to wait upon her family, who were soon seized with the loathsome

-disease, without assistance - without even medical attendance. Dr. Harris, of Laclede, was sent for, but he refused to visit the afflicted family, saying that h« was afraid he w'onld carry the sinall-pox home with him. Esquire Oarter and others provided as well as they could for the plague-stricken family. They hauled up wood within a convenient distance of the house, supplied provisions, etc. On the eleventh of February Mrs. Slaughter's little nine-year old daughter died of the terrible disease, and another daughter recovered from the disease itself, but was left an imbecile for life. John McCormick took charge uf the body of the dead child, and buried it at Thayer.

In May following, Mr. John Ricker, a prominent and well respected citizen, living in the countr}', contracted small-pox, and died therefrom, June eleventh. Isaac Lambert, a neighbor, caught the disease from Ricker, and also died,

While Captain William Thomas's Company F, of the Sixty-second Regiment Enrolled Militia, was stationed at Brooktield, in November, 1864, an affray occurred between two members, in which one was killed and the other badly wounded. One of the men was named Jack Brown, who lived in Macon county, and Mr. Alexander, of Linnens, was the other party. A few days prior to the row Brown offered a horse for sale in Linneus bearing the United States brand. lie was prevented by Alexander, and meeting him in Brookfield quarreled with him on a frivolous pretext, and shot him through the body. Alexander fell, and was carried into the quarters, but rallying in a few moments, he stepped to the door and shot Brown twice wounding him so badly that he died in a few days. Alexander lay for some weeks at the residence of James Tooey, but finally recovered, and is at present a citizen of Linneus. He was never arrested, it being considered that he was justifiable in what he did.

In the summer of 1862 a doctor, whose name is not remembered, but who lived near Hannibal, was arrested by the militia, on a charge of being a -'rebel," and of being concerned in the destruction of the Platte River bridge. The arrest was effected near Macon, and the prisoner was ordered sent to St. Joseph. At Brookfield the train bearing the prisoner stopped? and some of the militia got on board. Learning the fact that there was such a character on board, they interviewed the doctor and his guards, and it is said entered into a conspiracy with the latter to murder the prisoner. They pretended to be his friends, and got him away from his guards. After the train had started, and while in was ascending the heavy grade west of town, they told him to and run for your life!" The confiding prisoner jumped and started to run, but was shot and instantly killed by his pretended liberators, who, it is averred by parties yet living in Brookfield, came back to town and laughed heartily over the "joke" they had played off on the confiding rebel. The bod}' was buried where it fell, and just as it fell, without a coffin. Some time afterward the sisters of the unfortunate man camfi in search of their brother's remains, but could not find thein; the militia who knew where they were would not give any information, and the few citizens that knew were afraid to. Afterwards, however, other friends of the dead man came, procured the remains, and took them away.

Some time in the fall of 1862, three men, two of whom were named Nicholson, from Platte county, boarded the east bound train of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Road at Mooresville, having purchased tickets for Quincy, Illinois. All three men had served in the Confederate army, but had left the service, returned home, and had taken the oath of allegiance to the Federal and State governments. The militia and "Penick's men," as the old organization of the Fifth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, was called, gave them a great deal of trouble and uneasiness, however, and, believing their lives in danger, they resolved to leave the country and go to Illinois, where they intended remaining until the war was over. They made their way to Mooresville and boarded the train in safety; but they were pursued, and a telegram sent from Mooresville to Brookfield, ahead of the train, ordering their arrest when they should arrive. When the train arrived the militia went aboard, found the men, and took them from the cars. That night they were examined and questioned very particularly. They admitted that they had been in the Confederate service, and had fought against and probably killed Union soldiers " but they, of course, tried to kill us," they added. Soon after their examination they were taken out of prison, their hands manacled, and they were led out east of town, or rather in the direction of the fair grounds. As they walked along one of the Nicholson boys suspected that they were being taken out to be killed, and he contrived some way to free his hands. Presently, when they were well away from town, the command was given, " Halt!" The young man whose hands were free, instead of halting, sprang forward, and, bounding away like a frightened deer, was soon lost in the darkness and escaped. His brother and the other prisoner were shot down dead. Their bodies were given rude, if not barbarous, sepulture, but a io.'N spade fulls of dirt being thrown over them where they lay. In a day or two thereafter Mr. Enoch Needles, while hunting his cows, come upon the bodies thus half covered and presenting a revolting sight. The militia returned to their quarters after the shooting, and did not make public what they had done; but young Nicholson, who is still alive, related the circumstances as he vowed they transpired. After the war the father of the murdered Nicholson boy came to Brookfield, and spent some days in searcliing for the remains of his son, which he intended removing to Platte county, but he could find no trace of them.