Nodaway County, Missouri - Chapter 30: Agricultural Interests, 1882

Chapter 30: Agricultural Interests

GRAIN-S'lOCK - FRUIT AND GRAPES - NODAWAY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY - WHEN ORGANIZED - ITS OFFICERS AND DIREC TORS - LAST t AIRPREMIUM LIST

The progress of agricultural enterprise in the past quarter of a centuary, evident all over our land, in no section has developed more marked advancement than that displayed in the present condition of Northwest Missouri.

Nodaway County, in common with others of the earlier settled portions of the state, enjoyed the advantage of numbering among her original settlers a few men of means, intelligence and enterprise. This fact is fully illustrated in the character of some of the earliest attempts at improvement to-day extant within her limits.

Naturally, the first settlements were made in the timbered districts of the county, and it was not until a very large proportion of this part of the same was settled that the pioneers from the older states, many ftf whom had never seen a prairie till their arrival in Missouri, began to venture settlement in that, in those days, doubtful region of treeless expanse. Indeed, there are to-day living in the county, on well improved farms, men who at the period of their first arrival in the county, forty years ago, declared the opinion that the timberless prairies would never be settled. These now include some of the best improved and most desirable sections of the county.

The cultivation of cleared timber land, with the necessary presence of stumps, precluded the application of machinery long after the use of the same had become comparatively common in the older settled districts. Slave labor was to some extent employed, and the hoe, an implement almost obsolete in this advanced age, was the indispensable means of cultivating every crop which required tillage after planting.

Notwithstanding the comparatively careless character of farming, which soon succeeded the first efforts of the pioneers, even in that early day, the returns from the agricultural labor were considerable. The very fact of the generous soil, so readily responding to the efforts of the husbandman, induced this lack of diligence and laborious care in farming, which was indeed unnecessary. Men from the older states, who were accustomed in their former homes to manuring and preparing for seed, with much scrupulous care, the soil, which they afterwards hoed and plowed repeatedly to secure a scanty yield of corn or of some other product, soon learned that prairie sod corn, planted in simply upturned glebe, without any special subsequent attention, produced crops which, in their former homes, would have been regarded as enormous. Many of the early settlers of the county, who brought their slaves with them, came from districts of Kentucky and Virginia, where hemp was a staple product. The first attempt to introduce the culture of this crop, which was soon to become the great staple of Platte, Buchanan, Andrew and other counties, proved an unqualified success.

This success soon induced others to the culture of hemp, and in a few years this was recognized as the great staple, and so continued to be until the breaking out of the civil war, when in default of slave labor, the raising of this product was gradually discontinued. Other commodities were imported as substitutes, and in a few years the amount raised in the Platte Purchase became so insignificant as to be entirely omitted in commercial quotations.

In the palmiest days of hemp-raising but a comparatively small amount of wheat was produced in at least one-half of the Platte Purchase. The rich alluvial soil, fathomless in the depths of its exhaustless fecundity, was not so well adapted as the early pioneers thought to the yielding of wheat, which at best, commanded no such return as did hemp. So insignificant was the quantity raised (excepting in Platte County) that a considerable amount of the flour consumed in those days was imported.

Enterprise in the business of farming, in all its varied expressions, has, from time to time, been manifested in Nodaway County. All the latest appliances of art in the way of machinery for lightening and expediting labor are tested, and rejected or adopted on the basis of their respective merits, as soon as presented. The spirit of old fogy ism on the part of the community is found to exist only in rare and isolated cases.

The county, like all sections, has, to some extent, suffered from drouth, but this has, perhaps, been less frequent here than in the contiguous counties. The soil is of such a character that it retains moisture with a remarkable tenacity, and the natural drainage is so admirable that no portion of the cultivated lands are ever damaged by standing water.

Nodaway County, as we have already stated elsewhere in this work, is so well supplied with living streams of pure, good water, and they are so well distributed, that the people could not possibly make an improvement upon the arrangement if they were endowed with the power to make a readjustment of the system of streams and water-courses. In fact, nature has so wisely and generously veined the entire surface of the county with living streams of water, as to make it convenient to almost every quarter section, and where it is not found upon the surface, it can be obtained at an average depth of twenty feet.

Notwithstanding the drouth of 1881, which prevailed to an almost unparalleled extent over the entire Union, the crops of Nodaway County averaged fully one-half, while the grass crop was as abundant and nutritious as in any preceding year.

Besides the terrible consequences resulting from the civil war, Nodaway County suffered its full share from the grasshopper scourge of 1866, and especially 1875, when the corn crop of two-thirds of the county was entirely destroyed.

Confident in the power of her grand resources, and ever hopeful of better days, her people scorned in the hour of their calamity, to solicit aid of their more fortunate neighbors, and ultimately triumphed proudly over the ills which were poured upon her by malignant fortune. Phcenix like, she has risen from the wreck of every calamity more beautiful and enduring than ever, and to-day Nodaway County presents to the world a spectacle of solid growth and substantial wealth, of which many an older and more fortunate county might be justly proud.

Nodaway County embraces nearly nine hundred square miles, or five hundred and fifty-three thousand nine hundred acres It is the largest county in the state, excepting Franklin, Howell, Shannon and Texas. It is more than two-thirds as large as Rhode Island, and nearly one-half the size of Delaware. It has a less number of acres of waste land in proportion to its area, and contains more fertile soil than any county in the state.

When we consider the fact that the state is divided into one hundred and fourteen counties, and that ninety-five of these counties were organized before Nodaway County had an existence, we are prepared to appreciate something of its greatness in all that pertains to its growth and wonderful prosperity.

Its agricultural resources can only be estimated by comparing it with other counties and other sections of the country. According to the United States report for 1880, Nodaway County produced 6,961,556 bushels of Indian corn, being, in round numbers, 1,300,000 bushels more than is accredited to any other county in the state, Johnson being the next.

Illinois, which has for many years enjoyed the reputation of being the banner state for the production of corn, has a few counties which raise more corn than Nodaway. They are as follows :

Each of the counties named are older, and have more population than Nodaway, excepting Iroquois. Besides, each of these counties cultivated a greater number of acres of land in corn than did Nodaway, as may be seen in the statement below :

The average yield per acre of McLean, which produced 11,976,581 bushels, was a little more than forty bushels, while the average yield per acre of Nodaway County was a little more than forty-three bushels. The same number of acres, which were cultivated in corn in McLean County, would have produced here 12,779,213 bushels, or 802,632 bushels more than the McLean County crop.

With these figures before us, taken from the last census report of the United States, we may confidently assert that in the production of corn Nodaway County is the banner county of all the counties, of all the states of the Union, and this, too, without any effort on the part of her farmers, who have never made the raising of corn a specialty.

We might add to the above list the District of Columbia, which produced 29,750 bushels, and then have 346,006 bushels in favor of Nodaway County, or nearly as many bushels left over as the State of Rhode Island produced.

Pursuing the investigation of the cereals, we find that Nodaway County is not only the leading county in the state and country in the yielding of corn and in the average number ot bushels per acre, but it produces more oats than any other, the county of Montgomery ranking second.

But a few of the farmers, however, if any, rely upon the oat crop as one of the staple products of the county. Its cultivation here may be considered as one of the necessary incidents of general and successful farming, without which the average, thrifty husbandman could not so well care for his herds and his flocks.

Having mentioned some of the cereals, we shall now take up the subject of live stock, and proceed to show by the facts that Nodaway County stands first among all her sister counties in the number of horses, hogs and cattle, and that it ranks fifth in sheep.

According to the annual report of the State Board of Agriculture for 1879, (the latest we could obtain), the two counties containing the greatest number of horses were Nodaway and Harrison :

The Berkshire and Poland China breeds predominate. The farmers claim that the Berkshire hog fattens and matures more rapidly than any other, and that the Poland China, while longer maturing, is larger after it does mature, than other breeds, and weighs more when ready for market.

Among the cattle above enumerated, are several hundred short horns, of the best blood, imported from Kentucky. The first importation of these cattle dates as far back in the history of the county as 1841, when Colonel I. N. Prather brought with him six or eight head. He afterward brought others to the county, but for a period of many years, in fact, until 1865, there were but few short horns in the county. After that time a number of farmers turned their attention to raising this breed of cattle. They are now annually increasing in number, and but a few years will pass before Nodaway County will rank with the foremost in raising short horns.

The raising of sheep in the county has never been made an object of special attention, by the farmer, until the past two or three years. With a little more care and attention in this direction, the number of sheep now raised may be more than doubled during the next three years, and the county be made to rank first in sheep, as well as first in horses, hogs, and cattle. The natural sheep-walks are unsurpassed by those of any other county in the state, and the climate is finely adapted to their well-being and healthful growth.

The Merino, Cotswold, and Southdown are all raised, the Merino being the most numerous, and the most highly prized for its luxuriant and most excellent wool, and the Southdown for its superior mutton.

The facts here presented have been compiled from the most reliable and authentic sources, and should be carefully pondered by ever citizen of the county.

Such is the Nodaway County ot to-day (1881), and such has been its wonderful growth and prosperity in material wealth during the past thirty-six years, the brief period of its political existence. To what it may attain during the next quarter of a century it is now difficult to imagine. When its population shall have trebled, and its thousands of acres of untilled lands shall have been turned by the plow-share to the sunlight of Heaven, then may we understand more fully its capabilities and possibilities; then, indeed, will its cattle be found upon a thousand hills, and its valleys yield up their increase.

Agriculture is the oldest and most honorable vocation of civilized man, and the farmers of Nodaway have special reasons to be proud of their county ; proud, because of its vast and magnificent extent, being an empire within itself; proud, because of its natural resources and geographical position ; proud, because of its importance to the great state of which it forms an integral and conspicuous part ; proud, because of its thrift and enterprise, and proud to anticipate the glorious future, which will dawn brighter and brighter until Nodaway shall rank first amid the one hundred and fourteen counties, which constitute the grand old commonwealth of Missouri.

Fruit And Grapes

Twenty years ago it was thought that Nodaway County was unfit for the growth and culture of fruit, but the experience of fruit men has demonstrated the fact that the climate, elevation and soil of the county is as well adapted to the successful growing of fruit as other districts located in a more southern latitude. It is true that fruit of all varieties do not thrive here, nor do they elsewhere in Northwest Missouri, but all varieties of the hardy kind grow in great abundance and to perfection.

Mr. T. W. Gaunt, a nurseryman, who has resided near the city of Maryville for many years, says: "We planted our first small nursery on the farm of our late and much esteemed friend, Colonel Graham, in the south part of Maryville, in the spring of 1857, ar)d since that time we have added many valuable acquisitions to our fruit list which have given great satisfaction by the hardihood and good bearing qualities of the trees. We shall continue in a line of progression by introducing from time to time the newer kinds of fruit, which, after duly testing, we shall have found them worthy of general culture. When we came to Nodaway County we were satisfied that if the flat prairies of Illinois would raise an abundance of fruit, as we have seen produced there, the high, dry, rolling lands of Northwest Missouri were especially adapted to fruit raising, and the many thousands of bushels of fine fruit raised every year on the trees we have sold throughout Northwest Missouri and Southern Iowa, that are bringing health and wealth to their owners, verify the belief we formed a quarter of a century ago."

There are now between three and five thousand acres in orchards, in the county, and these yield bountiful crops of apples, of as fine size, color and flavor as can be found almost anywhere. There are some varieties of cherries which do well, but the crop of pears, peaches and plums is very uncertain, the hard winters usually killing many of the peach trees.

The grape crop, in proportion to the number and extent of the vineyards, is very abundant. Many varieties are cultivated with great success, notably, the Concord, Isabella and Delaware. The Concord is found to be the most prolific and certain bearer, and is disposed of at a cost of one and two cents per pound.

The people of Nodaway County, feeling the need of a county fair, affected a preliminary organization, and issued an eighth-sheet poster, announcing that on Saturday, September 30, 1871, an exhibition of stock would take place at the stock yards of the National Hotel. The poster mentions the following committees :

On finance, to raise money for premiums - John Ham, William Anderson and A. P. Morehouse. The same committee was appointed to arrange premiums.

It was further determined to meet at the court house in Maryville, on Saturday, the 30th of September, at ten A. M., for the purpose of effecting a permanent organization, at which time all citizens of Nodaway County interested in the object and nature of an association of this kind, were requested to be present and participate in a permanent organization. It was arranged that all stock for exhibition should be on the ground by one o'clock, P. M., on said day. Premiums were to be awarded at three o'clock of the same day. The total premiums offered amounted to $60.50. John Ham was president, M. G. Roseberry, treasuer, and A. C. Case, secretary.

At this preliminary fair the subject was thoroughly discussed in reference to effecting a permanent organization, and October 28, 1871, the present society was organized with the following officers : A. P. Morehouse, President ; William Anderson, Vice President ; I. K. Alderman, Secretary, and John Ham, Treasurer.

The capital stock was fixed at $6,000, and divided into 300 shares of twenty dollars each, 200 shares of which were sold. The stock now amounts to about $3,500. The difference between these amounts of stock has been taken up by the company, who have issued family tickets in lieu thereof to the stockholders.

The directors for the first year were as follows : M. B. W. Harman, Joel Albright, A. P. Morehouse, W. R. McKenzie, G. N. Paige, A. Stingley, Samuel T. Ware, Thomas L. Marlin, John Ham, William Anderson* Samuel T. Kennedy and William Swinford.

The society started with an indebtedness of $2,500, which has been entirely liquidated, and at the close of the fair for 188 1 they had a surplus in the treasury of $700. They have held ten fairs, every one of which has been a success. The first fair was held October 1, 1872, and continued four days, the premium's aggregating about $900. The premiums have been increased in amount from year to year, until they have now reached the handsome sum of $4,500. The society has laid out in improvements on the fair grounds every year from $800 to $1,500. When the society was organized there were no short horns or thoroughbreds in the county. Nodaway, for all kinds of improved stock, is now the banner county of the state. All of this improvement is largely due directly or indirectly to the influence of the county fair.

The benefits of such an organization, when rightly conducted, are varied and manifold. The society placed right ideals before the people, and by various incentives, calls them to a higher plane of thought and action. The best thoughts of the world, the results of much study, experiment and investigation are transferred from all lands and brought into the homes of the people. The premium list covers the whole circle of human industries, and every family in the county feels the benefits incident to emulation. The gathering of people in masses, and the annual display of the best products for examination, comparison and study carries higher ideals and new thoughts to every home. Farmers discuss these matters around the fireside, and their farms begin to show improvement in every way. Improved breeds of stock are introduced, better seed is sown and new cereals tried, improved implements are bought, farm houses are constructed on better plans, and the home is furnished with many comforts and luxuries which would never have been thought of without the fair.

these organizations for human improvement, but Nodaway County Fair has not fallen below the average. It has, on the contrary, been a powerful means in Nodaway County for the dissemination of those improvements in agriculture, and new methods of living, which cause the American farmer to be admired by the people of many lands.

1877. - Simeon Wright, President ; S. P. Kennedy, Vice President ; A. P. Morehouse, Secretary ; Thomas H. Brown, Treasurer. Directors - A. P. Morehouse, A. Stingley, Frank Bellows, Henry Linnville. John Lamar, Simeon Wright, Lycurgus Miller, S. T. Kennedy, Thos. H. Brown, I. N. Wray, and Thomas L. Marlin.

1878. - Same officers. Directors - A. P. Morehouse, A. Stingley, Frank Bellows, Henry Linnville, John Lamar, Simeon Wright, Lycurgus Miller, S. T. Kennedy, Thomas H. Brown, I. N. Wray, Henry Fleming, and John Ham.

The Last Fair

The last fair was opened September 26, 1881, under the most favorable auspices, and continued four days. It was estimated that from twelve to fifteen thousand people were in attendance. We give below a list of the premiums awarded, and the names of the persons to whom

Herd of cattle owned by one person, not less than five in number, under two years old, including bull, W. M. Wright, first, and L. Miller, second premium.

G. S. E. Vaughn, twelve head of imported Cotswolds, imported from Canada ; also two thoroughbred imported Southdown bucks ; also his well known Cotswold buck David.

L. E. Shattuck, twenty head of thoroughbred Spanish Merino sheep, six ram lambs, eight yearling ewes, one two-year-old ewe, three spring lambs.

M. L. Stewart & Bros., of Camp Point, Illinois, twenty-five head of imported Cotswold sheep, two head of imported Southdowns and eighteen head of American Merinos.

F. M. Wallace, of Hopkins, one Cotswold ewe, Daisy, two ewe lambs, four months old, two rams four months old, and one ram, three months old.

B. G. Eaton, of Hopkins, eight thoroughbred Cotswold, registered sheep, with the famous buck Comet at their head. Comet is three years old and his fleece weighed thirty pounds, sheared at the public shearing last spring.

For the best twenty-five pounds butter, offered by J. J. Smith, two entries ; Mrs. J. T. Duffey and Mrs. Thomas Martin. Mrs. Duffey awarded premium of a portable creamer.

For best loaf of bread, by Hawkins & Craig, the following entries : Mrs. Thomas Martin, Malissa Carman, Mrs. J. B. Miller, Mrs. Charles Hyslop, Mrs. J. J. Bean, Mrs. D. T. Cline, Mrs. W. and Joe Meeker. Premium, Mrs. Charles Hyslop, sack of Mexico flour.

T. W. Gaunt offered three splendid premiums for the best display of fruit from trees from his nursery. These premiums were decided on Friday, as follows : D. M. Vinsonhaler, first ; H. M. Sharp, second, and William Sturgill, third.

For premiums offered by the Homestead, the following entries were made : For best two pounds of butter, Robert Richardson ; for heaviest six ears of corn, J. W. Kennedy and E. McAlister ; for best looking baby from the country, J. L. Scott. Butter premium, Mrs. Richardson ; corn premium, Mr. McAlister ; baby premium, Mr. J. L. Scott.