Pettis County, Missouri - Chapter 13: Blackwater Township, 1919

Rlackwater township was one of the original five townships laid out when Pettis County was organized in 1833. It occupied then, not only its present territory, but all of Houstonia and parts of Dresden and LaMonte townships. It continued in this organization until 1844; at which time its boundaries were changed to include the territory now occupied by Hous¬ tonia, and itself taking from it parts of Dresden and LaMonte townships. Blackwater held this territory until 1873, when the county adopted town¬ ship organization and took Houstonia township away from it, leaving its territory as it is today.

This township is bounded on the north by Saline County, on the west by Johnston County, on the south by LaMonte township and on the east by Houstonia and Hughesville townships. It contains 34,560 acres, and some of the most magnificent homesteads in the county.

The western and central parts of this township are high, rolling prairie land, while the eastern part is more or less broken. It is well drained by several small streams, the largest of which bears the same name as the township. The Blackwater enters the township at about section 30 and flows across the northwest corner through sections 30, 19, 20 and 21. Blackwater township derives its name from this stream. The south fork of Blackwater finds its headwaters in LaMonte township. Following these two streams in size come Elk Fork Creek, Beaver Dam Creek, Wolf Creek, and numerous other small branches, each of which has its local name and importance. Along all of these water courses a fine growth of timber

The physical features of the township are perhaps more diversified than those of any other part of the county. Nowhere in such close proximity is to be found the rough and woody hills bordering at once on the beautiful rolling prairie, as are seen in this section. But little, or at least a comparatively small amount of the land is so broken that it would not be susceptible of cultivation.

This township was one of the favorite resorts of the red men prior to the time of its being taken possession of by the whites. Everything was favorable for their pursuits. It was near the great "salt lick" and salt springs, from which places the trails of buffalo and other game that came to them every few weeks. It was a country supplied with abundance of all kinds of game in which the lovers of the chase delighted to pursue. It was a country adapted in every way for their primitive modes of agri¬ culture, where they had but to stir the ground, plant their meagre fields of corn and their labors were sure to be rewarded. It is no wonder then that here they found a resting place for their dead. These places of burial were plainly marked years ago, but now they are nearly obliter¬ ated. A few have been explored and in them were found such remains as are common to the last resting places of the Indians, stone imple¬ ments of agriculture and of the chase. None of the more ancient have been explored, so it is not known if they were of the prehistoric mound builders, or just of the red men within the limits of our own history.

There are in the township numerous holes supposed to have been made by the earliest white men, who passed through this country - the Spaniards. Excited by their great thrist for precious metals, these rapa¬ cious men sought in every country where there was the most remote possibility of a discovery of valuable metal. From the mouth of the Mississippi to the headwaters of the Missouri, the adventurers searched in every conceivable nook for the treasures hidden from them, but which they were determined to find. How well their search was rewarded we do not undertake to say, but are of the opinion that their reward was not equal to their expectation. There seems yet, however, to be some sort of mineral in this locality. In the vicinity of these prospectors' openings there is quite an attraction for electricity. In these immediate neighbor¬ hoods stock is quite frequently killed by lightning, much more so than in other parts of the township or county. In these vicinities the surveyor's needle will not work. Mineral in this township is much talked of but, as yet, wholly undeveloped. On the old Shank farm there is an unusual formation of shale containing large shells. This formation is in great quantities on top of a high knoll, from ten to twenty feet below the surface above stratas of coal.

Previous to any settlements having been made in Pettis County, excursions were made into it by parties from adjacent settlements in search of game and honey, and in search of more desirable homes, where they, if they did not, like the Israelites of old, find a land flowing with milk and honey, they at any rate found one overflowing with abundance of meat and honey; for buffalo, elk, and deer were as numerous upon the luxuriant grass of the rich and beautiful prairies as are cattle, sheep and horses at the present day upon our pastures and meadows. Such was the condition of this township when the brave and hardy few first made their resting place within its limits.

Among the earliest settlers of the township was Isaiah Prigmore, who came to this township in 1829, from Kentucky. Peter Fisher came to the township in 1832, from Kentucky, and lived here a number of years, and died in Texas. Benjamin Snelling settled in the township in 1833. He now rests in one of the township cemeteries. Samuel Fisher came to the township in 1834, from Kentucky. B. F. Prigmore was born in the township in 1838. George Miller came to the township in 1836, from Cooper County, lived here a number of years, and died in the south¬ ern part of the State. John Loper and Hiram Taylor, attracted by the productiveness of this section, came here in 1837, from Illinois, and lived here many years. Both are now dead. John Rice came to the township in 1840, from Cooper County. He was prominently identified with the interests of the township for many years. Elijah Roberts came in 1840, from Cooper County. He lived a number of years in the township, but finally went to Texas, and there died. James Scott came in 1838, from Cooper County, and lived a number of years in the township. His wife died in the township on the original homestead, at the advanced age of ninety years. David S. Ramsey came to the township in 1840, from near the vicinity of Georgetown, this county. He lived here a number of years, but died before the Civil War.

The first school taught in Blackwater township was taught by sub¬ scription. The site of the school house was near the old Blackwater Chapel and the master was a man by the name of Jones. The first public school was taught in a building near the Joseph C. Higgins farm. The old building was destroyed by a storm in 1875, and later rebuilt near its old site.

This township has more schools than any other in the county, except Green Ridge. Sunny Dell has an attendance of fifteen, and Ruth Yates is the teacher. Stokeley has an attendance of eighteen, and Mrs. Arthur Bradley is the teacher. Bleak Mound's attendance is twenty-seven, and Elizabeth May is the teacher. Eden Valley has an attendance of twentythree, and Arthur Bradley is the teacher. Dunksburg has an attendance of twenty-seven, and Esther Westbrook is the teacher. Brookside's at¬ tendance is sixteen, and Myra Kemper is the teacher. Elder Ridge has an attendance of thirty-five, and Bonnie Lynn is the teacher. Oak Grove's attendance is eleven, and Ada Lewis is the teacher. These are all public schools, operated under that system, are splendidly attended and capably taught. Seven public schools, in all, in the township. Buildings are well built and well kept.

In the early days, in this township, people would gather together in the home of some neighbor and attend church there. This was before churches were built in this section of the county. The first preaching in the township was at Mr. Prigmore's, by Duke Young, from near Tebo. He was of the Christian denomination. The first church was organized at James Roberts' and was of the Old Iron Side Baptists, and was organ¬ ized by Martellus Embry. This was on South Fork. They built a small log house of worship, with hewed benches, and in this they continued to worship for a number of years.

The next organization was that of the M. E. denomination. This class was organized by John Rice. They built a place of worship on section 5, township 47, range 23, and called it "Blackwater Chapel." South Fork Baptist Church, three miles south of Sweet Springs, then called Browns¬ ville, was organized in 1855 and a church built the following year. Salem Presbyterian Church was organized in the fall of 1880, and a church build¬ ing erected the same year five miles north and west of LaMonte. T. H. Maddox was the builder. T. H. Allen was its first pastor.

Wake Forest Baptist Church was organized in November, 1866, by Rev. A. P. Williams and Rev. W. M. Bell, three miles south of Houstonia, and a church was built there in 1870. Absalom Williams, Ben F. Pitts, Rodney Fisher and Phoebe Pitts, were the original members of this con¬ gregation. Blackwater Chapel is a Methodist Church, and is one of the older church organizations in the county. The present church building is a frame in good condition. The church is furnished with good com¬ fortable pews and has an organ. The church cemetery, "Blackwater," adjoins the church. Membership is fifty-three and they have a Sunday school attendance of thirty.

County Line is a Baptist Church, and is situated in the southwestern part of the township. It was established in 1844. The church has a mem¬ bership of forty-four and a Sunday school with an attendance of fortyfour. The building is a frame, well furnished, and the church property is valued at $2,000. Hickory Grove is in this township. There is a build¬ ing, but it is closed and services discontinued.

Farming and stock raising is the principal industry in this township. The land is rich and grows everything most that can be grown in Missouri. Every farmer is a stock raiser. He has learned to drive his crops from the farm rather than haul them off. Cattle, hogs, sheep and goats are raised in great numbers.