Saline County, Missouri - Chapter 10: From the Close of the Mexican War to 185o, 1910

Chapter 10: From the Close of the Mexican War to 185o

In accordance with a treaty made mth the Sac and Fox Indians at their agency in southern Iowa in 1842, they were removed from that state in the fall of 1845 and the spring of 1846 to a reservation for them in Kansas. Those who left in the fall of 1845 were not in charge of the government agent, but came voluntarily down the Grand River to its mouth, and then crossed over to the Saline county side to spend the winter in the bottom nearly opposite Brunswick, waiting for the mild weather of spring to open before removing to their reservation in Kansas. They arrived in the Miami bottom in January, 1846. The band was in the charge of the renowned chief, Keokuk ("the watchful fox"), and young Blackhawk, and other prominent braves. The band numbered about five hundred, men, women and children, or rather braves, squaws, and papooses.

Soon after the arrival of the Indians, the people of the northern part of the county grew indignant and resentful, chiefly because the Indians were destroying the game, and efforts were being made to call out the militia, when unexpectedly Major T. H. Harvey,* superintendent of Indian affairs, arrived at his home a few miles south of Miami. On learning the state of affairs,

* Major Thomas H. Harve}^ was superintendent of Indian affairs, appointed by John Tyler, President of the United States, in 1843, the office and headquarters of the superintendent of Indian affairs at that time being St. Louis.

Major Harvey was born in Northumberland county, Virginia, February 22, 1799. Major Harvey's father, Thomas, died when he was quite young, and he being the eldest of a large family of children, a great portion of his time was necessarily taken up in assisting in providing for the wants of his younger brothers and sisters, thereby limiting his own opportunities. He early developed a fine, vigorous constitution and precocity of intellect, and had married twice before he reached the age of twenty-one, being married first just before he reached the age of eighteen. His second wife was formerly Miss Elizabeth S. Edwards, daughter of Richard Edwards, of Northumberland county.

In 1835 Mr. Harvey made a trip west on a prospecting tour, traveling on horseback through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Being highly pleased with the soil of Saline county, while here he purchased the iMiller tract on Salt fork, afterwards known as "Harvey's Grove," which then embraced four hundred acres, principally timber. He returned the same year to his family in Virginia, and in 1836 moved his wife and children to this county. He afterwards entered two thousand eight hundred acres of adjoining prairie land just north of the first tract, which, taken altogether, constituted one of the finest estates in the county.

he came to Miami and sent messag'es to the Indian camp, requesting the chiefs and head men to come up and have a talk with him. These chiefs promptly responded, and the council met in the town of Miami. Keokuk and young Blackhawk, with a number of their sub-chiefs, and their interpreter, Joseph Smart, represented the Indians, Major Harvey and a deputation of citizens represented the whites. There was considerable discussion as to the situation on both sides. The Indian chiefs evinced great indisposition to moving at that time of the year, the weather being severe, saying that much suffering must necessarily ensue among their women and children. The matter was at last settled by the philanthropic Major Harvey. He owned a large tract of timbered land on the bottom above Miami, to which the Indians consented to remove their camp, and to remain there until the next spring, and not to trespass upon the lands owned by other whites in the meantime. This arrangement satisfied both parties, and the Indians were soon established in their new quarters.

The Indians left in March for their Kansas reservations, and not long afterwards the great chief, Keokuk, died, it was said of delirium tremens after a protracted debauch. Young Blackhawk had a white woman for one of his wives, it was said, a daughter of a woman who had been captured by the Sacs in early times. This, however, was a mistake. The woman in question was a white woman from a small town in Iowa, who had been forced to leave her home and join the Indians at their camp, at a small town in Van- Buren county, Iowa, becoming the wife of Young Blackhawk, or Pete, as the whites in Iowa called him. These Indians were well acquainted in Saline

Major Harvey represented his county in the Virginia Legislature several times before coming to !\Iissouri. He was elected to the Legislature in this state in 1838, as a Democrat. Li 1840 he was chosen state senator, his district comprising the counties of Saline, Pettis and Benton.

President Tyler appointed him superintendent of .Indian affairs for the western Indians in 1843, and he was continued in the same position by James K. Polk, President, during his administration, being ultimately superseded during the succeeding administration of President Taylor, and this terminated his official experience.

Major Harvey joined the Methodist Episcopal church while in Virginia, and ever afterwards maintained a Christian standing. When the division in his denomination occurred in 1844, he cast his associations with the Methodist church South, in which he continued fellowship up to the time of his death, February 5, 1852. His- health had been for several years considerably impaired by exposure endured on the western plains in discharge of his duties as Indian agent and superintendent, and which laid the foundation of a pulmonary affection that finally terminated his life, dying in the prime of manhood at the meridian of his usefulness. He was a good legislator, a fluent speaker, and one of the most popular men that ever lived in Saline county.

Major Harvey's wife succeeded him to the grave in about a year, dying in January, 1853, and also had been many years a member of the IMethodist church South, having a county and in this part of Missouri generally, having lived here in the long ago and others of the band hax'ing visited here during the war of 1812.

In the presidential campaign of 1848, General Zachary Taylor, of Louisiana, was the Whig candidate for President, with Millard Filmore, of New York, for Vice-President. The Democratic candidate was Gen. Lewis Cass, of Michig"an. for President, and Gen. \\'illiam O. Butler, of Kentucky, for Vice-President. There was not much excitement over the campaign in Saline county that year. The Whigs carried the county by a reduced majority, the vote being, Taylor and Filmore, five hundred and twenty-six ; Cass and Butler, four hundred and thirty-eight; majority for the Whigs, ninetyeight. Not all the Whigs voted for General Taylor. Some of the returned soldiers did not like him and voted against him. There was a third presidential ticket in the field, that of the Freesoilers. composed of Martin VanBuren. fomierly a Democrat, and Charles Francis Adams, but it received no \otes outside of the Northern states. The Whigs made great and strenuous efforts to carry Missouri for "Old Rough and Ready", as they called General Taylor, as also they did throughout the L^nited States, and although the Whigs succeeded in electing their nominees, the}' failed to carry Missouri. The vote was for the Democratic electors, forty thousand and seventy-seven; for the \\'h.ig electors, thirty-tw'o thousand six hundred and seventy-one. majority for the Democrats, over seven thousand.

In Januarv of the }'ear 1849 began a series of animated discussions in Congress and the Legislature of the state concerning the (;|uestion of slavery, and of the power of Congress to legislate over slavery in the territories. Mr. W'ilmott. of Pennsylvania, had sometime before introduced into Congress a religious history similar to that of her husband. Five sons were reared to manhood. T. R. E. Harvey, one of his sons, represented tliis county in the Legislature in 1872. One of Major Harve_\'s sons, Theodore L., is yet living in Alonett, Missouri. His grandson, T. H. Harvey, an attorney-at-lav^-. is a resident of this city, Marshall; H. VV. Harvey, another grandson, lives on a farm near Fairville, Missouri. Other grandchildren live in Kansas City, Missouri, J. G. L. Harvey being county counselor of Jackson county.

Major Harve\- had a social, genial nature and was exceedingly popular with his Indian wards. On one occasion he spoke to a chief of his twin sons he had left at home. Soon afterwards, the chief sent the twins a jiretty Indian jiony as a gift. They also gave the Major wampums, bows and arrows, tomahawks and calumets, to indicate their regard for him. And when Major Harvey lay on his death bed, a band of Indians was hunting in his woodland, and hearing of his illness, asked the i)rivilege of seeing him, but the physicians thought it improper. Then the Indians built a tire and danced around it chanting the death song, and saying, "Major Harvey good man, Major Harvey die," and all these evidences of affection by the Indians were pleasant for his family to know. He died at his home, six miles northwest of Marshall, February 5, 1852, leaving a handsome estate for his familv.

proviso in a bill appropriating- money to carry on the Mexican war. in words as follows : "That as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any territory from the republic of Mexico by the United States, bv virtue of any treaty that may be negotiated between them, and to the use bv the executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for crime whereof the party shall first be duly convicted."

While the debate over this question of slavery in the territories was going' on in the Missouri Legislature. Hon. C. F. Jackson, of Howard county, introduced a set of resolutions on that subject that created considerable excitement in this state for several years following. The fifth clause in said resolutions took the position "That in the event of the passage of an act of Congress conflicting' with the principles herein expressed, Missouri will be found in hearty co-operation with the slave-holding states in such measures as ma}' be deemed necessary for our mutual protection against the encroachments of Northern fanaticism." Afterwards, when the author of the resolutions had become governor of the state, and the war came on over this c[uestion, he adhered to the opinion expressed in the foregoing resolutions, which had passed the Legislature ten or twelve years before, holding the position that this state should co-operate with her sister slave-holding states as to the issues brought on by the war.

Emigration To California In 1849

In the spring of 1849 '^ great migration from Saline county to California in sea'rch of gold took place, gold having been discovered there the previous fall, and the author can yet recollect the interest and excitement that was occasioned in this county. About one hundred and fifty men left this county that spring for that distant territory, crossing the plains and mountains to the west of us. California was regarded by the people generally as a far-away terra incognita, or unknown region. But as a matter of fact California was settled by the Spaniards long before Missouri was by the Americans, and it is a singular fact that the immense deposits of gold had not been found by the Spaniards long before discovered by the Americans at Sutter's Mill in 1848.

During the spring and summer of 1849, o^ the main traveled state road up the river on the south side through Saline county, there might be seen almost a continuous caravan of covered wagons moving westward. After reaching the borders of Missouri, and the territory to the west of us. the emigrants would band together, forming a caravan controlled by a captain, who was at that time elected by vote in order to assure co-operation and mutual protection against the Indians as they traversed the plains and mountain country then almost entirely inhabited by these savages.

The discovery of gold in California soon created a wonderful change in the currency here, and also in the prices of commodities, products of this county and state, particularly of cattle, horses and mules, all of which advanced greatly in value, and the demand for the same being also much accelerated. Although there were cattle in California, and had been for hundreds of vears, they were mostly wild and unfit for domestic use. and after the mines were open there was a great demand for work oxen and milk cows, that were largely supplied from this state, large droves of milk cows and oxen were collected and driven out to California and sold there for a handsome profit.

After a while great quantities of gold taken out of the mines in California began to be converted into money and. finding its way into the currency of this county, gave additional acceleration to commerce as well as adding further enhancement to the value of property.

These Argonauts, gold seekers to California, notwithstanding the lure of the gold, preserved a strong attachment for their native state, Missouri. An interesting incident illustrative of this has been related of a company in California from the eastern part of this county about the confluence of Salt fork and Bldckwater, of which the late Dabney Marshall was one. This particular band of gold seekers having reached the auriferous section of that wonderful state, and having worked steadily and energetically and successfully for several months back in the interior of the territory, probably on the American river, the entire party determined to make a visit to the seaport, San Francisco, as a matter of rest and recreation. Reaching there, and having spent several days and nights in viewing the sights of the city, at last they determined to visit the coast to get a view of the grand Pacific ocean, the majority of the party never having had a view of the ocean before that time. The entire party were walking along the l)each when the tide was coming in. and the waves running high. The weather being fine and the atmosphere clear, there were many exclamations of the magnificence and grandeur of the view, the sight being novel to all of them. After a while, Dalmey Marshall spoke up, saying, "Yes, gentlemen, it is all very fine and grand, but I would much rather see Blackwater." Dabney had been born and reared and had fished on Blackwater and was unable to appreciate the beauties of the Pacific ocean while so far away from the local attachments of his boyhood.

Some years before this trade with CaHfornia sprung up, the people of Sahne county had begun the improvement of their cattle by the importation of the Durham breed from Kentucky, of later years called Shorthorns, Gen. Thomas A. Smith being- among- the first owners of thoroughbred cattle in Saline county. Col. John O'Fallon, of St. Louis, who was an intimate friend of General Smith, having served under him in the army, while the General was in command of this western country, had become wealthy by the advancement of real estate in St. Louis and was the owner of an extensive herd of Durham cattle at his farm, then in the suburbs of St. Louis, but now constituting a portion of O'Fallon Park in that city.

In the month of June, 1843, Colonel O'Fallon sent up to General Smith by steamboat a fine Durham bull and two cows as a present. At that period, 1843, Colonel O'Fallon was the owner of the largest and best herd of Durhams in the state, and this present sent up to General Smith doubtless resulted in a very great improvement of his herd of cattle, not only of his own herd, but those in the vicinity. About the same time, or perhaps a year or so before, Col. Thompson Gaines, of Kentucky, brought out a considerable number of thoroughbred Durhams, which were distributed from the farm of his brother-in-law. Gen. William Miller. This herd of Colonel Gaines comprised a dozen or more of fine animals, male and female, which were ultimately distributed over Saline county and, of course, resulted in a much improved class of cattle.

In the year 1843, o^ 1844, Richard P. Shelby (the uncle of the author of this work, and subsequently father-in-law) received from his father. Gen. James Shelby, of Fayette county, Kentucky, a famous imported Durham bull named "Welby," a large blood-red animal, whose back was as straight as an arrow, that had been imported from England by the Kentucky Importation Company, a company wliich was at that time extensively engaged in the importation of these high-bred animals, and of which company Gen. James Shelby was a member and a stockholder. The author of this work can well recollect this famous Shorthorn animal. He was kept confined in a stable the greater part of the time, but occasionally would escape to roam over the prairie with utter disregard of fences.

The stock of cattle in Saline county prior to that time was called scrubs, but subsequently became what is known as graded cattle. There were other herds of Durham cattle brought to Saline county about the same period, but of which no account has been preserved for the historian. The stock of cattle at the present time is either graded or thoroughbred throughout the county, there being no scrubs whatever.

Hemp Culture

Saline county was a great hemp producing- country, this crop requiring the very best land. Between 1840 and 1850 the people of Saline began the extensive culture of hemp. The crop ultimately became the main income, producing crop of the county, its cultivation continuing to increase in acreage and quantity up to the beginning of the Civil war in 1861. Aaron F. Bruce, west of Marshall, was one of the largest hemp growers in the county, usually having several hundred acres. The crop required great and severe labor in its preparation for market, and it ceased to be a favored or a profitable crop after the abolition of negro slavery. None is now raised in Saline county so far as known tQ the author, while for twenty years previous to the war it was the main and ruling crop of all our agricultural products. The most severe and arduous labor connected with its culture was in the cutting of the hemp and in "breaking" it in the removal of the lint from the stalk. However, about 1850, John Lock Hardeman, one of our most intelligent and extensive hemp farmers, invented a hemp breaking machine, which lessened that labor to a considerable extent, and about the year 1854 an attachment had been added to the McCormick reaper by which hemp was cut by machinery also. The inventor of this attachment to the hemp cutting machine was old Mr. McCormick, the father of the McCormick Brothers, who invented the reaper and established the great manufacturing concern for making these machines in Chicago. During the summer of 1854 (known as the dryest year that ever occurred in the history of Missouri, when there was almost a complete failure of the corn crop) this old Mr. McCormick, who was a Virginian by birth, the inventor of the hemp-cutting attachment, made a visit to Saline county in order to look after the operation of his machines. During this visit, he came to my father's house, he having one of his machines for cutting hemp, and the author yet retains a vivid recollection of the old gentleman who took dinner at our house at that time. It was a season of extreme drought and hot weather, no rain having fallen hardly during the entire summer, and at the dinner table the old gentleman, who was an interesting talker, related an incident of his experience in the forenoon of that day as he was traveling from Pettis county to our house. Stopping at a farm house on the high ridge between Heath's creek and Blackwater, to ask for a drink of water, a negro woman had brought out a pitcher full and a glass in answer to his call, and, handing him the glass, as she poured it full of water, remarked at the same time, that "We sell our drinking water at five cents a glass"; whereupon he said he immediately poured the water on the ground and, handing the glass back to her, said, "Well, I never paid for a drink of water in my life, and I am not dry enough to do so now", and riding off, he left the negro servant much amazed at his conduct. The old gentleman was a good talker, entertaining us all the while at dinner, appearing to be in the neighborhood of seventy years old.

In the summer of 1849 cholera again made its appearance in this county and was very fatal and destructive. Arrow Rock, Saline City, Cambridge, Miami, and Marshall were all visited by the dreadful scourge, and there were sporadic cases in the country. The country people were afraid to visit the towns and kept away except when it was absolutely necessary for supplies or medical attendance. When they did come to town, they would ride up to the front of a store, call for what they wanted, get it, and ride away as quickly as possible. Mr. Snoddy's was the first case brought to Marshall. He had been to Miami and contracted the disease. Riding into ^Marshall from his farm, he had to be helped down from his horse, and died in a very short time. Dr. Hicks, a prominent physician of Marshall, attended Mr. Snoddy. In a short time, the Doctor was taken with the disease, suffering apparently very little, underwent no pain, although he felt certain that he would die, and passed away in a brief period. There were six deaths from cholera in the town of Marshall, and about fiftv throughout the countv.