McDonald County, Missouri - Chapter 5: Townships, 1897

ANDERSON township was established by order of the county court at the March term 1896. The voting place was established at the town of Anderson, from which the township derived its name. The K. C. P. & G. R. R. enters this township near the northeast corner, runs entirely through and passes out on the south line a little west of the center. Beaver valley also enters near the northeast corner and empties into Indian creek just below the town of Anderson. The above-named stream meanders through the southern part of the township. The first settlement was mentioned in the chapter on Early Settlement. The principal place is Anderson, a nice little town, and one of the best trading points in the county. On Indian creek and -the adjacent valleys are many fine farms and prosperous families. The township was taljen from Buffalo, McMillin, Pineville and Erie townships and contains about 35 sections of land.

Buffalo township lies in the .northwest -corner of the county. It derives its name from 'Buffalo creek which runs through it, entering some four miles from the northeast corner and bear- ing southwesterly passes the south line some two miles from the southwest corner. This township seems to have been organized before the war, but the boundary was not as at present. The county court records also show that the township was organized May 3, 1871. This was evidently but a re- arrangement of the township with regard to the voting precinct, which for a short time included all the western portion of the county embraced in ranges 33 & 34. There was a voting place on Beeman valley before the war. The present voting place is at May.

The early settlements in this township were confined to Buffalo creek including Sugar Pork, and Beeman hollow. Campbell Price, father to our "Uncle Billy", came to this county about the year, 1836. He left Tennessee in 1829. Stopped in Arkansas one year, then moved to Spring river where he remained a few years, then settled on Buffalo creek. Daniel McRae came about the same time. James Woldon settled on Sugar Fork about 1837. James Beeman settled on the old Owens farm, at the mouth of Beeman hollow between 1837 and 1840. The Dobbses, Benagee Brown, James Crabtree, Richard and Simeon Price, George Nutting, M. Burns, Henry Barlow and a few other famlies were located here prior to or just after 1840.

trading points, each having a small country store. Formerly all the settlements were along the bottoms and valleys. On Buffalo are some very fine farms, those of W. C. Price, R. Harrington, H. D. Roark, Martha Owens and Samuel Ledford being among the best. W. C. Roark, deceased, settled in Roark valley along in the fifties and made a good farm, where he reared a highly respected family. In late years the Flat Woods are being put into cultivation, and are proving quite productive.

Center township was named from the central location it occupies on the east side of the county. It was organized pursuant to an order of the county court, May 9, 1872. Big Sugar creek, Mikes creek, Trent creek and Little Missouri are the principal streams. The voting place is at Powell, which is, also, the principal trading point.

This township was established, with several others, May 9, 1872. There had been a voting place in that part of the county for many years before that time. Once it was at the residence of Henry H. Fox, and at another time at a log school house near Powell; also at Yonce's store. This part of the county was known as Cooper township for a while, then was designated Fox township.

the time settlements were made in other parts of the county. M. A. Laughlin, J. S. Laughlin, Jubal Duwees, Billy Offield and Whittenburg settled on Big Sugar about 1834. Phillip Michael from whom that stream is named, settled on Mike creek in the early thirties. John Stafford, father of Claib Stafford, came from Tennessee in 1836, and settled on Mike creek. He afterward improved the place where J. H. Cowan now lives, where he died about 1856. Of four children but one, Claib, now lives in this county; he still occupies part of the old homestead. Thomas Ethridge lived on Mike creek when Stafford came here in 1836. Snyder lived where Powell now is. John Trent settled on Trent creek about this time, and the families of J. Dotson Billy Carnott and Barney Bixbey located about this time or soon after. John Puckett and son Jim came soon afterward. The Coopers came in the early forties and put up a mill at Powell on the place now owned by Mac Harper. L. Sherlock ran a distillery near there about 1838 and later. This township is five miles north and south by seven and one-half miles east and west, and contains 37 1-2 sections of land. The valleys are extremely fertile and contain many productive farms. The uplands are considerably broken but of late years are being put into cultivation and produce small grains, grass and fruits abund-

Cyclone Township was established by order of the county court at the June term 1896. It was named from Cyclone post office, at which the voting place was established. Big Sugar creek is the only stream of any importance in this township. J. A. Poster has a small stock of goods at this place and a grist and saw mill is in operation. There were but few settlements made in the present limits of this township in the early days, most of them being above or be low. A man by the name of Tyner is said to have located on the farm now owned by John Millison, in the early thirties. John Heraldson settled just north of the Billy Warren farm about 1838, and Levi Click, on the Barney Turner place in 1840. John Ferguson is said to have settled on Big Sugar prior to 1840, John Stafford, who formerly lived in Center, and a few other families lived here when the war broke out. They, however, left the county during that troublesome period and, a number of the old settlers say, that John C. Hampton was the only man living within the present limits of this township when the war closed.

The surface of this township is similar to Center, many productive farms being found in the valleys and creek bottom. It is six miles east and west, and five miles north and south,

Samuel Claiborn, who formerly lived on the Ab Johnson farm, was a prominent character of this vicinity for several years before the war. His true name was Sams, but many years before, he had killed a man in Tennessee, and changed his name in order to conceal his identity. He moved from here to Hickory county where he died at the advanced age of 98 years.

Erie Township was established June 9, 1872. The name is derived from the village of Erie, for many years the principal trading place and only post office in the township. The voting place is at this village. Indian Springs is in the northeast, and Donohue (now called Goodman) is in the northwest part. Indian creek runs almost diagonally through the township from no rtheast to southwest. Some of the best farms .in the county are in this locality, and the Mc- Natt Mills, now operated by F. A. Sears, is noted throughout this part of the state as one of the oldest and best milling properties in the southwest.

In addition to the names of early settlers mentioned in chapter II, the following have been secured: Ira Yates settled on the place now owned by Mr. Dalton sometime in the thirties. John May field informs me that his father located in this county in 1840, instead of prior to that time as elswhere stated. He came from Monroe county, Kentucky, and settled on the place which Mr. Mayfield now owns. A man named Kell had settled on the place now owned by George Airman before the Maylields came. About the same time Harris lived on the John Harmon place at Erie and a family named Antney, on the Ebbinghaus farm. The Lees came about the same time and settled where John Boyd lives. Dan Harmon says that William Cleveland, a half blood Indian was the first settler on Indian creek. He owned a place where Erie now is which he sold to Mark Harmon, who came to this county from Green county Tennessee several years be* fore the war. He, also, informs me that the first school ever taught in Erie township was in a little log house at the mouth of Elk Horn. Moses Pollard was the teacher, having been employed by Mark Harmon, Jonathan Blair and W. C. Duval. A man named William Broad lived on the Ebbinghaus place prior to the war and owned a few slaves; Jonathan Blair also, was the owner of a negro woman.

Elk Horn township lies in congressional township 23, and includes part of ranges 30 and 31. It was established practically as at present, by order of the county court, May 9, L872. The name was derived from the two creeks in its western part. Bethpage is the principal trad- ing point, post office and voting place. Besides the two Elk Horn valleys, there are extensive Flat Woods in this township and a large per cent, of its territory is in improved farms. The land is generally productive and it has appeare of being one of the prosperous sections of the county. According to the order of the court, it is six miles from east to west and seven from north to south, containing forty two sections.

This part of the county was mostly overlooked by the first settlers, there being no large streams as in most of the other townships. There were a few however, who came here in an early day. In 1847 there is said to have been but one house between where McNatt's mill now is and Mitchell's prairie. This was Bullard's, a family of that name having settled on the fiat woods prior to that time. Mitchell lived on Mitchell's prairie some time in the early forties, and it may be earlier. The Brocks caine in an early day, and there was a small German settlement near the Barringer place along in the forties.

Elk River township lies south of the river in range 33, extending to the Arkansas line. In 15, when this was a part of Barry county Elk River township comprised the southwest corner. Though changed several times, and given other names, this township dates back to the organi tion of the county. In its present form it w;:s established in the reorganization in 1872. It has the distinction of being the place where the first settlement was made in the county, (1828.) This is the first that can be designated, but down near the river near where the John Marshall farm now is, there is an old grave yard, grown up with brush and briers until it is almost impossible to get to it, and in such a secluded place that hundreds of our people do not know it is there. In this abandoned burial place are a number of tomb stones, all made out of native limestone, large, broad stones, nicely dressed. The lettering is almost defaced by time, but one, at least, indicates a death in 1807. Whether a settlement was made there prior to that time I have not been able to ascertain.

Noel is the principal town and is one of the most important railroad points in the county. Elk River, Butler and Mill creeks, are the streams, and some of the finest farms in the county are on the river bottom. The voting place for many years was at the Marshall school house, but in 1896 it was moved to Noel.

McMillin township was named from John McMillin, who lived just above the present site of Coy. It was created by order of the county court, May 9, 1«72. Patterson and Buffalo creeks are the principal streams which flow through it while the river forms the southern boundary.

The settlement of this township dates back to between 1835 and 1840. Abner Sherman, a native of Ohio, located in 1842. David Cummings came out as Missionary for the Indians when they were removed to the Territory, and settled the farm just above where Tiff City now stands. Uncle Andy Smith was a local preacher in 1842, and lived on the place where C. L. Moore and his wife were killed in 1894, Eleven Caulk was among the first settlers on Patterson creek and owned slaves. Finley Lane settled here in 1845. The Ollivers, James Bly, Allen Williams, and several other families settled along the creek in the early forties. W. B. Mitchell came from Tennessee in 1852; Bradford Seabourn in 1858. One of the first establishments of this township was a distillery. Alfred Oliver erected one near where Mathew Kincannon now lives, way back in the early days. The building was of logs and was three and a half stories high. It had an immense brick chimney some sixteen feet square. William Houghton, who affcarwaris owned the Langley farm on the river, ran a distillery at Enterprise. He also raised horses for the southern market. He would trade twenty gallons of whisky for a pony mare which he would keep for breeding. It is said he raised fine horses and made quite a fortune. James Bly operated the distillery afterwards. He owned several slaves. Of course it was against the law to sell liquor to Indians then, as it is now, but a profitable business was carried on with them. When a pony or other article, or money was to be exchanged, the property was left at a convenient place where it was taken care of by the distiller. The Indian would then make a search in the woods and "find" a lot of whisky. It was a remarkable coincidence that the value of the property and that of the liquor found was about the same.

Hugh Dunagee ran a tan yard near where the Morrison school house now is. M. Sliger, also, ran a tan yard at the McMillin place. He sold to John McMillin who continued the business until after the war. David Harlin, a part Cherokee, settled the Keenan farm along in the thirties. Mathew Kincannon came out from Tennessee when the Indians were removed, and settled on what is now the Hafford farm. John Walker, in those early days, settled where Henry Manning now lives. A free negro called Free Lewis settled the Morrison farm, where Charlev Keenan now lives.

It was established as a separate township by order of the county court, May 9, 1872. The voting X3lace is at Schell's mill, and the post office there is called Mountain. This is the principal trading point in the township, and considerable business is done here.

The first settlers of which an account could be obtained came in about 1840 or 1841. John Rose, James Boles and a man by the name of Clemons came at that time. Along in the early forties Charley Boles and a family named Moore came. Clemons had a corn cracker at the mouth of Otter creek. In 1846 Henry Schell bought the mill and located there. His son Henry now owns the land. Mrs. Elizabeth Schell, widow of the elder Henry, is now 78 years old, and has a pretty vivid memory of the early days. Her father, Jacob Yocum, settled in Stone county in

.5. For a number of years he paid the Indians an annual rental of thirty bushels of corn for the privilege of living among them. He kept a small farm, and hunted and trapped during the fur season. Ruben Burnett now owns the plac 3 settled by James Boles. John Carter owned a negro couple who had three or four children. Henry Schell brought a negro boy to this county with him. Ho afterwards sold him for $400, and deeded his land with the money. On the Berry Moore place is an old orchard that was bearing fruit before the war. Many of the trees were still bearing good fruit a couple of years ago. Phillip Schell states that the people of that township held an election to express their opinion in regard to secession. He states that all except a man named James Guess voted against going with the Comfederacy. Guess voted for secession, and went south soon after the war broke out. He soon repudiated his action and went North at the first favorable opportunity. The balance of the citizens of this township, after the war came up, allied themselves with the Confederacy. This township is nearly five and one-half miles square. It contains twenty-five full sections, five half sections on the east side, and five fractional half sections on the Arkansas line.

Pineville township is one of the original divisions having been established when the county was first organized. Pineville, the county seat, is the principal town, while Lanagan, the railroad station, is not far behind in business importance. The two Sugar creeks and Elk river are the principal streams, but there are numerous valleys that contain many productive farms. The history of its first settlement is more fully treated in the early settlemenl of the county and in the sketch of the town, and in the chapter on County Organization. Until 1896 it contained much more than at present, but in that year considerable was taken off to form Anderson township, and several sections off the east end to form Cyclone township. This leaves Pineville near the north line instead of practically in the center as before.

This being the county seat and most of the roads in the county leading to it, the people of this township experienced more of the ravages of war than any other portion of the county, detachments from both the Northern and Southern army alternately passing through.

Prairie township occupies the southwest corner of the county. It is named from Cowskin prairie which extends over the greater portion of its surface. Southwest City is the principal town, not only of this township, but of the entire county. Saratoga Springs is a small village near the east side. Honey creek, which runs through the southwest corner is the only stream of any consequence. This township con tains quite a body of prairie land and is the most productive of any portion of the county of the same size. The large fields of w^heat,

Until a few years ago the voting place was at a school house on the prairie not far from J. P. Barnwell's, but Southwest City being the trading point for nearly all the people of the township, they petitioned the county court to change it to that place, which was accordingly done.

This part of the county was quite thinly settled until some time in 'the fifties, wThen considerable land was entered. A few families settled on Honey creek prior to that time. In June, 1842, Burton McGhee located w-here Soutlrwest City now is and established a trading point there. About the time the Indians were removed to the Territory, settlements were started at various points along the state line some two or three of which were within the present limits of this township. After McGhee put up his store people settled near there, and Soutlrwest soon became a point of considerable importance. W. Gonce, Jessee Ware, J. P. Maddox, S. J. Hess and Mark Howard located there a few years later. The two Fields families, R. Caldwell, H. Remington, H. D. Budd and John McGhee are mentioned among the early settlers. Robert Shields, a native of Pennsylvania, but later from East Tennessee, came to this county in 1846 and settled on the farm on which his son George R. still lives. S. Briedlove, R. F. Cleve- land, B. S. Ervin and John Hays all had entered land in the fifties. There were a few settled on the river between 1837 and 1840, but their names have not been ascertained.

Richwood Township is situated in the northeast corner of the county, and is five and onehalf miles from east to west, and seven miles from north to south. It was established as a separate township by order of the county court May 9, 1872. The principal town is Rocky Comfort, a nice little village near the northeast corner. One fork of Indian creek takes its rise at a spring in this town and meanders through the north and west part of the township. Mike creek and Kings creek, also rise in this township. The southern part is somewhat broken and hilly, but most of its surface is comparatively level. Although it was not settled to any great extent as early as some other parts of the county, it is now thickly populated and much of it is in a high state of cultivation. The soil is generally productive, especially for small grains, fruit and meadows. There are more orchards here than in any other part of the county except where the Ozark Orchard Company have invested in the last two years.

Indians in the neighborhood as late as 1840. The Lambersons, Christians, T. P. Tomlinson, and a few other families whose names could not be ascertained, were here about the latter forties and early fifties. John Davidson settled in this county in 1858. Mrs. Ford, mother of John A. Ford, located near Rocky Comfort in 1843. Isaac Plumlee settled in this township in 1853.

White Rock Township was in existence soon after the organization of the county, and the voting place about where it is now. There was a church where Jane now is and one of the first free schools in the county was established there. Milo Martin taught a subscription school there in 1856, having the whole township in which to work, and secured thirty scholars. He organized the school district that fall.

William A. Davenport settled in this township in 1836, on the farm now occupied by Joab Brown. His father, Martin Davenport, came the next year. William DeHaven lived on the Bookout place about that time. There were a few other families whose names have not been learned which came about the same time. William K. Young came to this county in 1848, and he says there were a number of families here then and sev< ore came soon after. W!

creek from Elijah Evan's place. Dr. Davenport came in 1853; he practiced medicine here for twenty years. Along in the fifties, J. H. Slinkard, J. W. Brown, Gilbert White, John Coffee, Morgan and several others settled in this locality. Little Sugar creek and Little Missouri are the principal streams; Jane and Caverna are the two villages. The township is six miles square, except the fractional sections on the state line. The surface is generally broken, but the soil is extremly rich and the farms all productive.