Linn County, Missouri - Chapter 2, 1912

Missouri's Admission as a State - Hazards of the Early Settlers - The Fertile "Locust Creek Country" - The First Settlement - Indians' Queer Barter for a Slave Girl - A Papoose for a White Boy - Why the Deal Failed - "Jack" Holland, the Founder of Linneus - Trouble With Wolves - The Old Mill at Keytesville - Organization of Linn County - First Mill on Locust Creek - Some of the Pioneers - The First Wedding - Early Ministers and Physicians.

The statesman for whom Linn county was named was largely responsible for the Platte Purchase, a noble tract of land which was added to the state of Missouri in 1836. The first official action regarding the Platte Purchase was a memorial of the Missouri Legislature, adopted in January, 1831, petitioning congress to make more certain and definite the northwestern boundary of the state. In this memorial it is said that "when this state was formed the whole country on the west and north was one continued wilderness, inhabited by none but savages, and but little known to the people of the government of the United States."

No action resulted from this memorial until January 27, 1835, when Senator Linn became greatly interested. He addressed a letter on the subject to Major John Dougherty, of Clay county, Indian agent on the Missouri river, who was at that time in Washington on business. Major Dougherty replied the same day, recommending that the Indian title to this territory be extinguished and that it be added to the state of Missouri. In the summer of 1835 a meeting of the people of northwestern Missouri was held near Liberty, in Clay county. At this gathering Gen. Andrew S. Hughes presided and a petition was formulated urging that this territory be added to the state. At the next session of congress Senator Benton introduced a bill to that effect. The proposition involved many difficulties ; for instance, that Missouri was already the largest state in the Union; that this district, north of the line of the Missouri Compromise, would be made slave territory; and that the

Indians would have to be removed from the district which only a short time before had been assigned to them as a permanent home. Nevertheless, but Httle opposition was made to the bill, and in June, 1836, it was enacted into a law. The negotiation of a treaty with the Indians was entrusted to Governor William Clark. The terms which he arranged with them were ratified by the senate, Februaiy 15, 1837, and the Indians removed in the same year. In October, 1837, the legislature of Missouri passed an act accepting this additional territory, and at the same time organized the county of Platte. Thus the so-called Platte Purchase was added to the state. Perhaps the most important service in the acquisition of this territory was rendered by Senator Linn ; but to Gen. David E. Atchison, Gen. Andrew S. Hughes, Major John Dougherty and E. M. Samuels is due the credit of beginning the agitation and bringing the matter to the attention of congress.

Lewis F. Linn, born near Louisville, Kentucky, November 5, 1796 ; son of Asabel Linn and Nancy Hunter, daughter of Joseph Hunter, Carlisle, Pa., and who from there removed to western Pennsylvania, before the Eevolutionary War, and afterward came down the Ohio with the expedition of Gen. George Eogers Clarke. Linn's father was son of Col. William Linn, and while a boy was captured by the Indians ^\^th two other boys, named Brashears and Wells, but afterwards escaped. His mother was first married to Israel Dodge, at Ft. Jefferson, where her father for a time was in command, by whom she had one son, Henry Dodge, a name well-known in the annals of Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin. Lewis F. Linn was educated at Louisville, studied medicine under the instruction of Dr. Gait ; came to Ste. Genevieve in 1815, where his half-brother, Henry Dodge, then resided, and began to practice medicine in partnership with Dr. Henry Lane there. Appointed commissioner to examine Spanish claims in 1832, and when Senator xilexander Buckner died in 1833, was appointed United States senator to fill the vacancy by Governor Dunklin, and in 1834 elected unanimously by the legislature, and re-elected in 1836-37, and also in 1842-43. Died in 1843 universally lamented.

From the time that Missouri was admitted to statehood dates its real development. The congested centers of the East began pouring their adventurous population into the new state. The men who first came were empire builders. They looked into the future and determined that their work should be a part of it.

In the early part of the last century the section this side of the Mississippi was the far-west. It was almost undiscovered. Save for the tales of hardy hunters and trappers it was unknown.

When Missouri was admitted as a territory on June 14, 1812, Napoleon was still the great figure of the Eastern Hemisphere. Nine years later, on August 10, 1821, when it was admitted as a state, his sim had set to rise no more. Tranquility in Europe brought prosi:)erity to American shores. The Atlantic seaboard developed rapidly and enterprise pushed westward. The choice spirits of Virginia, Kentucky and other states came by thousands into the new state of the Great Mississippi Valley. These pioneers, writing home to their friends, told of the magnificent streams and forests surpassing anything in their native states. Thus others were induced to come and the tide of immigration steadily increased. At first the settlements were mostly along the streams, but new lands were constantly taken up and the population spread in all direction. After a decade of trial the settlers were satisfied with their holdings. The land was good, the climate healthy and the friends they had made in the new state were as true and loyal as those they had left about the old homestead.

Of course they found many diflSculties and dangers, but they reckoned with these when they left home and were prepared for them. There were Indians and ^^^.ld animals in the forests ; the streams had not been bridged and the crossings were hazardous. Men out hunting would sometimes be separated from their families for weeks, because of a sudden rise of the water.

In some parts of Missouri the Kentuckians made the land look homelike by importing blue grass seed from their native state. Before many years northern Missoi;ri became as great a blue grass country as Kentucky ever was.

"The Locust Creek Country" was the name given to a broad and fertile stretch of land tributary to that stream. The settlers of Howard and Chariton counties frequented the Locust Creek Country to hunt and fish. James Pendleton and Joseph Newton, who lived near Fayette, were among the first white men to ^-isit this region for that purpose. They were so charmed with it that they decided to pick out a location and remain here jiermanently. They came in the fall of 1831. erecting their log cabin and filing claim to Section 14, Township 58, Eange 21, now the southwest corner of Locust Creek Township. Having jiroperly established their location the two hunters went back to Howard county for their families and returned with them in the following spring. These were the first white settlers in Linn county.

Tlie family of William Bowyer was the next to come from Howard county. Mr. Bowyer and his brother Jesse were among the Howard county hunters who had \dsited the Locust Creek Country and liked it so well that they decided to make it their permanent home. That was in January, 1832, five years before the county was organized. The Bowyers made their first camp on Section 2, about a mile and a half west of Linneus. There was a good spring within easy reach, always an advantage of much value to the pioneer. A substantial log cabin was built and the Bowyers put their shoulders to the wheel of development of the country. William Bowyer 's family consisted of his wife, Martha, two small children, a young slave girl, Ann, by name, and Mrs. Bowyer's brother, Lewis Tyre. Jesse Bowyer, having assisted in getting William located in the Locust Creek Country, went back into Howai'd county after his own family. William accompanied him. It was in the winter time and while they were away there was a heavy snow fall. This snow melted rapidly and Locust Creek, along with all the other streams of that country, were soon running bank full and overflowing. There were no bridges or ferry ; the country was practically a wilderness, and the Bowyers were not able, because of the swollen streams, to reach the home of William for several weeks. Mrs. Martha Bowyer. with the characteristic intrepidity of the pioneer woman, encouraged her little flock and told them that all would be well. They were in a land remote, its terrors of field and forest entirely unknown, but this brave mother's spirit was equal to the emergency, and when her husband and his brother returned the family was found in good shape, but mighty anxious to see them. While the men were away the Indians were frequently about the Bowj^er camp, but they were good Indians and molested no one.

Later on, however, a party of Indians came down from Iowa and when they visited the Bow;s-er settlement they saw the negro girl, Ann, who was as lively as she was black, and they became so much interested in her that they tried to make a deal with the Bowyers' to let them have her. Ann cut up high jinks when she found the warriors wanted her, and nearly raised the roof off the house by her lamentations. The Indians supposed that she would be tickled to death to become the bride of some noble warrior, and were much puzzled over her actions, but when they understood what was bothering Ann they ceased to importune for her.

The frequent proximity of the Indians was occasioned by their visits to a village they had on a 40-acre mound a few miles southwest of Linneus. Here they held their pow-wows and went through their dances, which would have been of great interest to the settlers had they been numerous enoiagh to hold their own in the event of an uprising. But in those days the white families were very careful not to become too intimate with the Indians, or to observe their peculiar forms of worship too closely, lest some little inadvertence might start trouble.

"William and Jesse BoA\^"er at once set about constructing log cabins and clearing away the timber. Two of the cabins, built in a workmanlike manner, of round logs, were finished and occupied March 1, 1832. Then the brothers devoted their time to preparing the land for farming. They had at that time all out-doors to work in, and no likelihood of any controversies with neighbors over division fences and dividing lines.

In 1832 Silas and Peter Fore came to Section 29, Township 59, Eange 20, some two miles northeast of Linneus, and located. The act of tEe legislature organizing Linn county honored Silas Fore by choosing his house for the seat of the county government. Among the other parties who soon settled in the neighborhood were Judge James A. Clark, Thomas Russell, John J. Flood, Dr. Nathaniel Dryden and David Curtis. A year later John Yount came from Cole county, Missouri, and located on Section 11, Township 58, Range 21. The above list com- I^rises the settlers in Linn county on February 24, 1833.

An incident something like that which occurred in William Bowyer's family over the little negress, Ann, took place at James Pendleton's home shortly afterwards. The Pendletons had a little son, AVilliam D., of whom they were intensely fond. A troop of Indians came along one day, the chief carrying a female papoose which he offered to trade even for little William. Mr. Pendleton studied the matter a while and then shook his head; the Indian chief, as the red man's habit was in barter, then added a bundle of deer-skins to the papoose; still no trade being made, he had his bucks fetch out a lot of wild honey and some turkeys, and even went so far as to promise the boy's father that he would make William a great and illustrious chief, one who should reflect glory upon his father's name. Mr. Pendleton appeared to be very much struck by these honors, and the Indian chief looked eagerly for a consiuumation of the trade, but at last Mr. Pendleton, with apparent reluctance, declined the offer. The Indian didn't get mad over it; he just concluded that his pile hadn't been tall enough to reach Mr. Pendleton 's price and he departed without further ado.

By the spring of 1834 the settlers in the Locust Creek Country had increased considerably. The Black Hawk War was over and the white men who had been serving in it returned to their claims.

Then came Col. John ("Jack") Holland, the founder of Linneus, the county seat. Holland's cabin was built within the present caty limits of Linneus. John Yount and David Curtis were the constructors. James F. Pendleton, George Cason, John Kemper and son, Enoch and Luke Patrick returned in the spring of 1835. William Pendleton started for the same section, but met with an accident resulting in his death. AVhen near the crossing of Yellow Creek, close to the fork, where there is a good bridge now, one of the teams stalled and he took hold of the wheel in an effort to lift it out of the mire. With the application of his full strength came instant death. Apoplexy or heart disease was ascribed as the cause. His was the first death in Linn county.

It was during these days that the pioneer lived on the fat of the land. The finest game was plentiful, and to those hardy hunters who loved a little excitement plenty was furnished by the bears and panthers that were fairly numerous throughout the Locust Creek Country.

The wolves were troublesome. There were three varieties, the black, the gray and the coyote or prairie wolf. The latter was the same sort of animal that Mark Twain encountered on the western plains in the 60s, and which he described so entertainingly in his story of the west, "Eoughing It." Sheep and hogs had to be carefully guarded, and even then many were lost through the rapacity of these long, cunning animals of the forest.

There were no trading points nearer than Brunswick-on-the-Missouri and Keytesville, the county seat of Chariton county. A mill was at Keytesville, a circumstance which gave that town much prestige. The settlers from a wide stretch of country patronized the mill there, and got their supplies. It frequently happened, in a busy season, that the mill would get far behind and the farmers would have to wait their turn for days and sometimes weeks. It was the business of the head miller to see to it that each man was accommodated in the order of his arrival, and his wagon or sacks were marked so as to indicate his turn. While waiting the settlers would fish, hunt, pitch horse-shoes and talk politics. When a newspaper or a publication of any kind was brought in it was a Godsend to the waiting patrons, and would be discussed eagerly. Sometimes information several months old was fresh news in the backwoods of Missouri.

The records show that Linneus was built on land that was a gift from Jack Holland and wife, the first settlers there, it being understood that the town was to be the permanent county seat.

During the evnts above noted the Locust Creek Country was tributary to Chariton county, but as it filled up rapidly the population soon became large enough to justify an organization of its own. So in the winter of 1836-37 a bill was passed by the legislature establishing Linn county, the boundary of which may be found further along in this sketch. This bill was approved by the governor, Daniel Dunklin, January 6, 1837. The act of organization included also the counties of Livingston, Macon and Taney.

From the date of the organization Linn county developed rapidly. People began coming in from other parts of Missouri and also from other states. The fame of the Locust Creek Country as a rich agricultural section, fine hunting ground and its delightful climate spread far and wide.

The first mechanical enterprise was a horse-mill put up by William and Jesse Bowyer, on the east side of Locust Creek. That mill did most of the work that had been going to Keytesville. It was erected three years before the organization of the county and it was operated successfully for many years thereafter. The population had grown to such proportions that soon after the county was organized Botts' mill began grinding on Parson Creek, 59-22, and Maddox and Eooker put up a mill on Yellow Creek, 58-18. In 1840 Seth Botts and William Bowyer constructed a water mill on Locust Creek, SVL- miles from Linneus. This old mill was not quite completed when Mr. Bowyer sold his interest to Thomas Botts, a brother of Seth. The Botts brothers completed the mill and operated it for many years. Linn county was thus equipped to do the grinding not only for its own people but for those of the adjoining settlements. There was not much money passed in those days, the miller being paid a certain percentage of the grain for his labor. The waj' he got his ready cash generally was by feeding corn thus paid him to hogs, and selling the hogs to buyers.

The water-mill, crude as its construction was, filled an important place in meeting the needs of the jDioneer. It was a sort of community headquarters where the people met to exchange news and information. If the Indians were becoming troublesome in a certain locality upstate, there would be some patron at the mill who would apprise the pioneers there of the matter and thus enable them to make preparations. Then there was always somebody who had A\ith him a fairly late paper, which he would read to the crowd. The first mills were used only in the grinding of the corn, l)ut later on they were improved so as to make flour of a fairly good quality, and saws were attached to cut the lumber. Near the mill was generally a good blacksmith, a skillful man who did many kinds of iron work. These two industries, milling and blacksmithing, were the forerunners of the great industrial develoiDment Missouri was destined to see.

Among the settlers who came in after Linn county was organized the following are noted : James A. Clark, 19-59-20 ; Augustus W. Flourney, Section 31 ; Jeremiah Phillips, Section 36-59-21 ; John J. Flood, Section 19-59-20; James Howell, Clay Township; Robert Warren, Jackson Township; David Mullins, Rock Creek; Meredith Brown, Parson Creek ; Abraham Benable, Benton Township ; Irvin and John M. Ogan, Clay Township; the Ashbrooks, Grantville; Mordecai Lane, Yellow Creek. John Cherry, John Kemper and Chas. A. Fore and Robert C. Combs came to Linn county along about this time. Almost every day new people were coming in and the county soon became so thickly populated that the settlers were strong enough to resist any possible attack of the Indians. At that time the shadow of the red man had almost passed from Missouri. He left, however, many interesting evidences of his occupation. There were camps along the creeks and numerous mounds where the dead were buried and where oftentimes the archaeologist can find most interesting specimens of Indian handicraft. These consist of battle-axes, pipes, arrow-heads and now and then pieces of pottery.

Professor Rover, who came from Howard county, taught the first school, in 1837, on 24-58-21. He had from 18 to 20 pupils, among whom were the following: James and Elizabeth Beckett, James and Robert Tisdale, James, Kenneth and Martha Newton, James M. Prailie, Rebecca Pendleton and the children of David Mullins. R. W. Foster conducted a school one winter northwest of Professor Rover's school. Mr. Foster afterwards became county surveyor and county agent for Linn county. Allen Gillispie taught the first school at Linneus.

The Rev. Mr. Wilhite, Baptist, was one of the early ministers to the settlers. There being no church buildings, he held meetings in groves in good weather and in the settlers' cabins when it was inclement. The Rev. John Baker was another of the early preachers operating in the Locust Creek Country. He was a Primitive Baptist.

The first recorded wedding was that of Henry Cherry, son of John Cherry, and Miss Susan Kemper, daughter of Enoch Kemper, which occurred in 1838. Mr. Kemper for a long time held the position of county clerk. His death occurred while occupying that office.

It will be noted that, a while back, the death of William Pendleton was spoken of as the first to have occurred in the county. The old records also speak of the demise of James Copeland as being the first.

At any rate, both died in the same year, 1834. Copeland lived on Locust Creek, just west of Linneus. The next recorded death was that of Jubal Hurt. The administration of Hurt's estate, in 1838, is among the first recorded.

Mr. Webber, a widower, died in 1839, and his remains were buried at Linneus. In December of the same year John D. Grant, who surveyed Linneus and conducted the first sale of town-lots, died. Robert W. Foster, the school teaelier referred to above, was appointed surveyor to fill Mr. Grant's place.

In 1834 a physician came all the way from Keytes\'ille to see a brother of John Yount, who was here. Among the early physicians to move to Linn county were Drs. N. J. Dryden and Isaac Ralph. For many years they were the only resident physicians, and their practice required them to travel over a wide stretch of country, because physicians were few and far between. Oftentimes the Linn county pioneer doctors would have calls that took them clear up to the Iowa line.

The Rev. Jesse Goins was a Baptist minister who quite lived up to his name. He traveled through Linn, Livingston, Grundy and Sullivan counties, preaching at the various settlements. He was always a most welcome guest at all of them. His home was in Linn county. Another early-day minister, also a Baptist, was the Rev. A. F. Martin, whose duty called him from settlement to settlement just as it did the Rev. Mr. Goins. Hard on the heels of the Baptist i^reachers came the Methodist circuit riders, who worked shoulder to shoulder in advancing the cause of the Master among the settlers.

Linn county, as has been indicated before, was settled largely by Kentuckians. Many had come from that state years before and settled first in Howard, Chariton and Boone counties, but later moved into the Locust Creek Country because of certain material advantages there. There was a strong settlement up on Parson Creek, Jackson Township, in 1838. Benton, the territory now included within the boundary of Baker and Yellow Creek Townships, began to settle rapidly also about this time, and on up to 1840 and beyond. By 1840 Linn county had become well established. Its population, numbering 2,245, was distributed in the various townships with fair regularity.