Shelby County, Missouri - Chapter 11, 1911

Chapter 11

Xo person can intelligently know the history of a country without a definite and clear understanding as to its geography and in order to have a clear and correct idea of the geography of Shelby county, in defining different localities and locations of land, we will insert the plan of government surveys as given in Mr. E. 0. Hickman's property map of Jackson county, Missouri. Previous to the formation of our present government the eastern portion of Xorth America consisted of a number of British colonies, the territory of which was granted in large tracts to British noblemen. By treaty of 1783 these tracts were acknowledged as valid by the colonies. After the Revolutionary War, when these colonies were acknowledged as independent states, all public domain within their boundaries was acknowledged to be the property of the colony within the bounds of which said domain was situated.

"Virginia claimed all the Xorthwestern territory, including what is now known as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. After a meeting of the representatives of the various states to form a Union, Virginia ceded the Northwest territory to the United States government. This took place in 1784; then all this Xorthwest territory became government land. It comprised all south of the lakes and east of the Mississippi river, and north and west of the states having definite boundary lines.

"This territory had been known as New France, and had been ceded by France to England in 1768. In the year 1803 Napoleon Bonaparte sold to the United States all territory west of the Mississii)pi and north of Mexico, extending to the Rocky mountains.

"While the public domain was the property' of the colonies, it was disposed of as follows: Eacli individual caused the tract he desired to purchase to be surveyed and platted. A copy of the survey was then filed with the register of lands, when, by i)aying into the state or colonial treasurj^ an agreed price, the jmrchaser received a patent for the land. This method of disjiosing of public lands made lawsuits numerous, owing to the different surveys often including the same ground. To avoid the difficulties and effect a general measurement of tlie

Iti8T0Ky Of Shelby County

Before going farther, we think it will be wise, as we later enter upon the history in townships, to give some history of county and townshiji system and the government surveys, which are important, as much depends in business and civil transactions ui)on county limits and organizations.

With reference to the dividing a state into county and townshi}) organizations, which, to a large degree, have the power and privilege of transacting and enforcing their own affairs and of in a way governing themselves, under the approval of and subject to the state and national government, of which they are an integral part and therefore subject thereto, we quote Hon. Elijah M. Haines, who is high authority on the subject. In "Laws of Illinois, Eelation to Township Organization," written by Mr. Haines, he says :

"The county system originated in Virginia, whose early settlers soon became large landed proprietors, aristocratic in feeling, living apart in almost baronical magnificence, on their own estates, and owning the laboring part of the population. Thus the materials for a town were not at hand, the voters being distributed over a groat area.

"The county organization, where a few influential men managed the wliolesale business of a community, retaining their ]ilaces almost at their pleasure.

scarcely responsible at all, except in name, and permitted to conduct the county concerns as their ideas or wishes might direct, was, moreover, consonant with their recollection or traditions of tlie judicial and social dignities of the hmded aristocracy of England, in descent from whom the Virginia gentleman felt so much pride. In 1834 eight counties were organized in Virginia, and the system extending throughout the state spread throughout all the southern states and some of the northern states, unless we except the nearly similar division into 'districts' in South Carolina and that into 'parishes' in Louisiana, from the French laws.

"Illinois, which, with its vast additional territory, became a county- of Virginia, on its conquest by Gen. George Rogers Clark, retained the county organization, which was formerly extended over the state by the constitution of 1818 and continued in exclusive use until the constitution of 1848. Under this system, as in other states adopting it, much local business was transacted by the local commissioners in each county, who constituted a county court, with quarterly sessions.

"During the period ending with the constitution of 1847, a large portion of the state had become filled up with a population of New England birth or character, daily growing more and more compact and dissatisfied with the comparatively arbitrary and inefficient county system. It was maintained by the people that the heavily poimlated districts would always control the election of the commissioners to the disadvantage of the more thinly poinilated

"The first legal enactment concerning the system provided that, whereas, 'particular townships have many things which concern only themselves and the ordering of their own affairs, and disposing of business of their own town,' therefore the 'freemen of every township,' or a majority part of them, shall only have power to dispose of their own lands and woods, with all the appurtenances of said town, to grant lots, and to make such orders as may concern the well ordering of their own town, not repugnant to the laws and orders established by the general court.'

"They might also," says Mr. Haines, "impose fines of not more than twenty shillings and 'choose their own particular ofiScers, as constables, surveyors for the highway, and the like.'

"Evidently this enactment relieved the general court of a mass of municipal details without any danger to the power of that body in controlling general measures of public policy.

"The New England colonies were first governed by a general court or legislature, composed of a governor and a small council, which court consisted of the most influential inhabitants, and possessed and exercised both legislative and judicial iiower, which was limited only bv the wisdom of the holders.

"They made laws, ordered their execution by officers, tried and decided civil and criminal causes, enacted all manner of municipal regulations, and, in fact, did all the public business of the colony."

Like organizations for the incorporation of towns were made in the first constitution of Connecticut, ado])ted in 1639, and the plan of township organization became popular and practiced throughout New England, as experience proved it economical, efficient and adaptable to all the requirements of a free and intelligent people, and as immigrants moved westward they carried their popular plans of organization with them and it became the adoption of the western states.

Thus we find that the wise plan of county and township organization had been thoroughly tested long before there was a need of its adoption in Missouri or Shelby county, but as new country was opened up and the easterners moved westward across the mighty river and formed thick settlements along its western bank, the territory and state, the county and township organizations followed each other in quick succession, more or less improved, according to the needs and demands of the poi)uiation, until they have arrived at an efficient state.

As the new counties were formed, they were made to inehide vmder legal jurisdiction the countiy bordering on the west, and were required to allow the actual settlers electoi-al privileges, and

The counties first organized along the eastern borders of the state were for a time given jurisdiction over the land bordering on the west, until they were sufficiently settled to support their own organizations.

Beginning at the southeast corner of Shelby county; thence north on the county line to the section line dividingsections 24 and 25, townshiii 58, range 9 ; thence west to the range line dividing ranges 9 and 10; thence south to the township line dividing townships 57 and 58, in range 10; thence west to the section line dividing sections 2 and 3, in township 57, range 10; thence south to the county line between the counties of Monroe and Shelby; thence east to the southeast corner of Shelby couutj'.

At the November term of the county court, 1882, the boundaries of Jackson were changed so as to exclude all the territory lying west of range No. 9, which is also west of Salt river, and attaching the same to Salt River township. The western boundary therefore begins on the range line between ranges No. 9 and 10, at the southwestern boundary of the county ; thence up Salt river to the section line between sections 14 and 15, township 57, range 10; thence north to Black Creek townshi)). The range line

Beginnirtg at the point on the county line between Marion and Shelby county on the section line dividing sections 24 and 25, township 58, range 9; thence north to the northeast corner of Shelby county; thence west on the county line to the township lincj, dividing township 59, range 10, and township 59 range 9; thence south to the section line dividingsections 19 and 30, township 58, range 9; thence east to the beginning. (Note change made in 1897 under North River township.)

Beginning on the county line, on the line between sections 10 and 11, in township 56, range 10; thence north to the northeast corner of section 3, township 57, range 10, on the township line between townships 57 and 58, range 10; thence west on the north line of township 57, range 10, and township 57, range 11 ; thence south to the county line between Shelby and Monroe counties, at the point of dividing sections 8 and 9, in township 56, range 11 ; thence east on said county line to the place of beginning. (Note change made in November, 1882, under Jackson township. Note change made in November, 1897, under Tjentner township.)

Beginning at the southeast corner of section 17, township 57, range 11; thence north to the township line between townships 57 and 58, in range 11 , to the north- east corner section 5, township 57, range 11; thence west on the township line to the range line between ranges 11 and 12; thence north on the range line to the northeast corner section 1, township 58, range 12; thence west on township line to the county line; thence south to the southwest corner section 18, township 57, range 12; thence east to the place of beginning. (Note change made in 1897 under Lentner township.

Beginning at the northwest corner of Shelby county; thence south on the county line to the township line between townships 58 and 59, in range 12; thence east on township:) line to tlie southeast corner of section 33, township 59, range 11 ; thence north to the southeast corner of section 4, township 59, range 11, on the county line; thence west on the county line to the beginning.

Beginning at the southeast corner of section 36, township 59, range 10 ; thence north on the range line to the county line; thence west on the county line to the northwest corner of section 3, township 59, range 11 ; thence south to the townshi]) line between township 58, range 11, and township 59, range 11, at the point between sections 33 and 34, in township 59, range 11, thence east on the township line to the place of beginning.

Beginning at the southwest corner of Shelby county ; thence east on the county line to the range line between ranges 11 and ]2; tlicnco north on the county line to the southeast corner of section 12, township 56, range 12 ; thence east on the county line to the southeast corner of section 8, township 56, range 11; thence north to the northeast corner of section 20, township 57, range 1 ; thence west to the count}' line at the point between sections 18 and 19, townshi]) 57, range 12; thence south on the county line to the place of beginning. (Note change made in 1897 under Lentner township.)

Beginning at the southeast corner of section 36, township 58, range 10, on the line between township 58, range 10, and township 57, range 10; thence north on the range line between ranges 9 and 10 to the northeast corner of section 1, township 58, range 10, on the line between township 58, range 10, and township 59, range 10; thence west on north line of township 58, range 10, and township 58, range 11, to the northwest corner of section 6, township 58, range 11 ; thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 31, township 58, range 11 ; thence east on the township line to the place of beginning.

Beginning at the southeast corner of section 1, township 57, range 9, runningnorth to North river; thence following North river west to the east line of section 9, township 58, range 9; thence south to the southeast corner of section 33 - 58 - 9; thence east to the northeast corner of section 3 - 58 - 9 ; thence south to the southeast corner of section 3 - 58 - 9; thence east to the place of beginning.

Lentner Township was organized in the latter '90 and hiter was enlarged. Its present boundary is as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of section 10 - 57 - 11, running north to the northeast corner of section 3 - 57 - 11; thence west to the northwest corner of section 6 - 57 - 11 ; thence south to the Monroe county line.

The first settlements in Jackson were made in the spring of 1833 by David Smallwood, Henry Saunders, Samuel Buckner and Eusseil "W. Moss on the southern border and 1)y AV. B. Broughton and others in the vicinity of Oak Dale. Jeremiah Eust came from Fauquier county, Va., in 1836 and also settled at Oak bale.

It was organized into a township in Decemlier, 1837, by Russell Moss and others, being organized out of Black Creek, petitioning such a change.

Its original boundary lines were : Beginning at the southeast corner of the county; thence west nine miles to the middle of range 10; thence north "to the middle of the prairie between Black Creek and North river"; thence east to the Marion county line; thence south to the beginning. The first township election was held at "\V. B. Broughton's at Oak Dale, December 23, 1837, to elect two justices of peace and a constable. The judges at the election were George Parker, Samuel S. Matson and W. B. Broughton. The officers elected were AV. C. Mitchell and George Parker, justices, and Samuel B. Hardy, constal)le.

Lakenau was laid out on the Hannibal & St. Joe in June, 1858, by the veteran contractor, John Duff. It has a goodly location, rolling and well drained. It was christened in honor of Hon. Eobert F. Lakenan, a large land holder thereabout, but who later was a prominent attorney of Hannibal and a i^rime mover in the building of the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad. Mr. Lakenan married the daughter of Russell W. Moss. He died in Hannibal in 1883.

Wlien the Civil war broke out this village boasted of a depot and several houses. In July, 1864, the station was burned by Bill Anderson and his band when they made their raid within our borders and others suffered at their hands. However, the town has survived her many storms and has continued to thrive and flourish until she can boast of a goodly number of nice cottages and homes and some stores, shops, churches and school that any rural burg may well be ]irou(l of. She boasts of fertile farm land all about her, from which she enjoys a goodly patronage.

This is the south central township of our county and has always been prominent in all county affairs. It is composed of some seventy-five sections of land lying to the north and south of Salt river and southward to the Monroe county line. It comprises of timber, prairie, bottom and bluiT, stone, timber and water. Some coal veins have l)een worked, but the quality is so inferior and the quantity so meager that the yield scarcely pays.

Salt river, from which stream the township derives its name, enters the township at its northwest corner and flows to the southeast through the northern part of the township.

Along its banks is a heavily wooded strip which is being cleared only too fast. In the bottoms are fertile, rich hinds, which are being used and which yield abundantly under the new drainage process and up-to-now farming methods. These are also used for ])asturing.

It was Salt River township that boasted of the first permanent settler. Major Obadiah Dickerson, who located on section 17 - 57 - 10, on the north bank of Salt river on the main Shelbina-Shelbyville road, in 1831. A year or two later, George and Peter Ruff located on section 7, north of Walkersville.

In the year of 1837 came from Delaware Perry B. Moore, Isaac Moore and their sister,Mrs.MaryWai]es,who settled in the northwestern part of the township 57, range 11, section 10. In 1838 James Barr and John Barr, of Delaware, settled on section 15 ; James Carroll, of Indiana, on section 9, and John S. Duncan, of Kentucky, who had traversed or prospected the country in 1836, settled on the northwest quarter of section 16 in the year 1840. He was a valuable addition, as he lirought with him four large, magnificent horses of the blue grass blood, well harnessed, a good schooner wagon, and as these were a scarce article, they were ever in demand to break the tough sod overrun with the high prairie grass and his wagon to go to mill for the entire settlement. Mr. Duncan also had a surplus of money, a rare article with the early settlers. He was of a genial, hos- ])itable, ])hilanthropic disposition and a valuable asset to the country.

The first school house was built on the l)resent site of Bacon Chapel. It was built of round logs, with a ])uncheon floor, a clapboard roof, windows of greased paper and benches in the rough.

The first school was taught by John B. Lewis in 1838, his ])upils numbering about twenty. Some of the pupils were Isaac, John and [Mary A. AVailes, Anderson, Cornelia and Mary Tojjin, George and Mary Lewis.

In the year 1838 Dr. John Mills, hailing from Ohio, located in the western ])art of this townshiji and lived near the north line in section 9, township 57, range 11. He was the practitioner of a radius of twenty miles about for some years, but finally went to California. Elsewhere will be found a history of Bacon Chapel. ' It was the first church building and was built by the Methodists on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 9, township 57, range 11. It was first built in 1845. It was built of logs and the outside was covered, sides and roof, with clapboards. Old P\ather Eads could not wait till the building was completed, but conducted the initial service before the floor was laid. It was a service after the Pilgrim fathers' style, one of h'umility, loyalty and fervent in sjiirit. The building stood for twenty years and was succeeded by a splendid building in the 60 's, which l)uilding still stands as a monimient of the earlv methods of that settlement.

David 0. AValker was au early settler who built the mill on section 18 - 57 - 10, which was the cornerstone for Walkersville, which hamlet was christened for .Air. Walker.

Other settlers in this vicinity were W. T. Coard, section 1 - 57 - 10; Dr. James Rackliffe, on the northeast quarter of section 12 - 57 - 11 ; Prettyman Blizzard, James Carothers and Michael Watkins in the neighborhood of Bacon Chapel.

It was about 1839 when this township was organized as a municipal township and its limits then extended to the west county line. Its present confines are defined on a previous page.

In war this township has its history elsewhere written as the Shelbina fight in 1861 and Bill Anderson's raid in 1864. In the spring of 1862 Walkersville came in for some bushwhacking liy Tom Stacy's Confederate band, and soldiers Long and Herbst and citizen Lilburn Hale were killed, and Soldiers Henning, Ring and Deeuer were wounded. The soldiers were of the Eleventh Missouri State Militia.

The bushwhacking of the Third Iowa soldiers, elsewhere detailed, occurred in tlie road near the old IMajor Dickerson place, then occupied by Mr. Connelly, who was an eye witness to the shooting of the bushwhackers. John Jacobs was in the door yard and had called to get water when a negro runner came up. telling him that straggling soldiers were coming. The main body would have made havoc of the house and inmates

Jefferson township comprises the southwestern division, including all of township 56, range 12, which forms the panhandle district, so prominent on the map of our county. The greater portion of this township was prairie land, which has been transformed into elegant and valuable farms. The land as a whole is rich and productive and beautiful farm homes enhance the value of the improved modernized farm lands, and stock abound in her meadows. This township was not opened up by settlers until about 1840 - perhaps because of the need of a wooded district in that day and the superabundance of the tall prairie grass, so stubborn to till with their pioneer implements. The first locations were made on Crooked, Otter and Mud creeks. In the years 1845-46 we find on Otter creek. Esquire Barton, Joel Million, John Hendricks, Henry Spires, Henry Smock, Madison Reynolds, Joseph Reynolds, Thomas Dawson, Elijah Bishop, J. M. Donaldson, John Kyle.

In the extreme southwest corner was Slielton Lowry on Mud creek, and on Crooked creek were Enoch K. Miller, Ed Tansil, William Bush, John Dimgan, Henry Kidwell, V. Godfrey, Daniel Thrasher, H. Shoemaker, Samuel Stalcup, William Stalcup, Senior, and William Stalcup, Junior.

Immigration was more rapid with the building of the Hannibal tS: St. Joseph railroad, but not ^mtil after the war did real improvements liegiu rapidly.

overrun liy troops of both armies, as we have recorded elsewhere, aud its citizens on .both the Union and the Confederate sides were maltreated and miu'dered.

A Union man named Fifer was murdered b}' the Confederates, as was also an earlj' pioneer by the name of Henry Spires, who was cruelly put to death and his body left to be later discovered by his friends.

Later came on the Putnam county militia, noted for its cruelties, and put to death Confederates Wilson, Butler and Phillips. Phillips was a father-inlaw of Fifer. Mrs. Fifer, during the days of anxiety as to the outcome of the war, mourned the loss of a husband and a father and doubtless her sympathies were not in the war, as one side had stolen from her her father, the other had ruthlessly struck down her life companion. In the spring- of 1862, the Black Hawk Cavalry, of Macon, strolled down into Mud Creek district aud encountered the Confederates encamped there, in which one Confederate gave uj) his life.

Major Taylor built the rirst cabin in Clay townshi]i on section 6 - 57 - 11, in the southeastern iiart of the township, iu the year 1835. Mr. Taylor's cabin was built on the southern edge of Salt river l)ottom a mile from the stream itself. Major was merely his given name and had no military bearing. He emigrated from Kentucky.

In 1839, James Parker, of Delaware, settled on section 8 - 57 - 11, and Isaac Tobin, a Virginian, was near by. In 1836 John Lewis settled on the northwest quarter of the same section, and iu 1839, Captain Melson, a Kentuckian. located some four miles west of Lewis. It was at the home of Mr. Lewis the first class of the Methodist church was formed, on the northwest corner of section 8 - 57 - 11, in the fall of 1837. Here originated the Bacon Chapel church, Mr. Lewis and wife were the leaders. Others there were Stanford Drain and wife, Mrs. Margaret Moore, ]\Irs. Mary Parker, Mrs. Wailes and Mrs. Jane Parker, the wife of James Parker. It was in 1837 that Rev. James Pryor, of Ohio, held jtrotracted services at the home of Mr. Lewis. It was claimed he was the first Methodist preacher ever in Shelby.

The township was organized in 1845, when the county was Whig, aud was named in honor of Henry Clay, whom his followers hailed as "gallant Harry of the West." Much of the land was in the hands of speculators for years, and little cultivation was done thereabout until after the Civil war.

The little city of Clarence is here located, but is elsewhere fully mentioned. Here lies also Hager's Grove, section 15 - 58 - 12 on Salt river. We also give it space elsewhere, but early history says tills site was ]iurchased of William P. Norton, of Ralls county, I)y Jobn Hager, hence the name. For awhile it had only a blacksmith shop, but in the sjiring of 1857 Joseph and William Walker, ]^r. Pile and William P. Casey, emigrants from Iowa, bought a steam sawmill and ])ut it iu o])eration at Hager's Grove. A Mr. Spauldiug ran a blacksmith shop at the same time.

Later Thomas J. Blackburn established a small grocery store in a log house. His stock of trade, as it is told, was a small amount of cheese and crack- ers, a small parcel of staples and a barrel of whiskey. Dr. Pile aud "William Walker died in a short time, and in August, 1859, G. L. and B. F. Smith bought Blackburn's stock and opened up a much improved and enlarged stock in Dr. Pile's two-story frame house. The Smith brothers had the village platted by County Surveyor Gray, and in 1859 a postoffice was established with B. F. Smith as postmaster.

The Smith Brothers held forth until 1861, when Morris Osborn joined partnership with B. F. Smith, who survived until 1863, when war hard times came on and the goods was closed out at auction. In 1866, John Patton and L. E. Irwin opened up a store and since that year it has always been a thriving trading point. The old saw mill has been burned several times, but some of the original machinery is intact.

Previous to the Civil war George Jones bought an interest in the old mill and added thereto a grist mill and distillerj'. These were under the supervision of the Jones brothers aud their father, John Jones, until during the war. During the life of the distillery, it is said the Grove was quite "brawlish." The mill has frequently changed hands.

Lentner is situated in the northeast corner of section 29 - 57 - 11, immediately on the line between Clay and Salt river township, on the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad. The road at Lentner divides the townships, the westward being in Clay and to the east of Salt river. The depot is in Clay. This town was previously called Crooked Creek, but later was uamed Lentner by John L. Lathrop, of Chicago, a large land holder in this township.

Taylor township was so named in honor of President Taylor. It comprises the northwest portion of the township and all of township 59, range 12, and the west half of township 59, range 11.

The land here for the most part is good soil and the central part is of excellent prairie. In the eastern portion we find timbered land. In the western jiortion Salt river runs almost due north and south and along this stream the laud is somewhat broken.

About the year 1837 Lewis, Alexander and Robert Gillaspy settled in Taylor, locating on Black Creek, in the southeast portion. About the same time, Mr. Steed located on section 29 - 59 - 11, nearly two miles east of Leonard, and Mr. Buckalew located in the western portion, a mile or more east of Salt river, on section 28 - 59 - 11, in 1839. Ambrose Perry also was a pioneer in this quarter.

Thomas G. Poage moved from Paris, Monroe county, to section 18 - 59 - 12, in October, 1839. He was located in the northwestern portion, near the Macon line, and in a short time moved over into Macon. In those early days there lived in that quarter Samuel Vandiver, on Salt river, section 8. Griffeth D. Shelton lived on the bluff, in section 29, at the edge of Salt river bottom. Phil Upton, the murderer of Daniel Thomas, in section 28, a mile to the east of Shelton; Robert Nickell, a Virginian, to the west of Salt river, ou section 18, near Xickell ford, year ISJiO. Robert Xickell did not sojourn long. One of his children choked to death on a piece of saucer, and the Nickell's longed for their old Virginian home and friends in the hour of their bereavement and soon sold out and returned to their native soil.

Griffeth Shelton was a cooper and worked his trade for the benefit of his neighbors. He made buckets, tubs, churns from the cedar brought up from Ralls county, found in the Salt river hills. He was also a great hunter and killed scores of deer in the early days.

In the spring of 1842 Benjamin F. Foreman came up from Ralls county and bought Mr. Buckalew's farm, on the southwest quarter of section 21 - 59 - 12. Then there was Edwin Brensley, an Englishman, on the northeast quarter of section 20, and he had as a neighbor Cyrus Saunders. Daniel Michaels lived to the center of section 28. William Mills lived in the northwest corner of the county. He it was that killed a man named Watson at Mills's own home by knocking him over the head with a double-barreled shotgun. He was acquitted on the ground of self-defense. Mills was a member of Glover's Third Missouri Cavalry and died in the Federal army.

In the early setttlement days of Taylor the pioneers often had to go to Florida, Mouroe county, to mill, as this county had not at that day a good established mill. In the year 1846 Benjamin Foreman liought a liorse mill - a sweep mill - from a nuin by the name of Hargis, in the south part of the county and, moving it up on his farm, he run it a number of years. The settlers flocked here for miles about, each furnishing liis own team to do his work. A small yoke of steers attached furnished motive power for about three bushels an hour, but with his two good teams hitched thereto it would turn out about five bushels per hour.

It ground both corn and wheat; the flour, however, had to be bolted by hand, liut though the system was a slow one, it made as good bread as the up-to-now machinery. Each customer was served in his turn, and some days the mill was so thronged the customers were delayed to the wee hours of morning. The toll rate was one-eighth of the grist.

There was an abundance of game in this town.ship in her early days, it abounding along the river banks - bear, wolves and deer in great number. Bear creek was so named by hunters who killed a large bear of the black variety at the mouth of Bear river while hunting.

Judge Samuel Huston taught a school just over the line in Macon county in 1841, and most of the children in that northwest corner were placed imder his tutorage. Jack Griffin taught another school close by.

In 1840 religious services were held at the home of Thomas Poage. At that day the Old School Baptists were in the majority. Two of the old veterans of this denomination were James Ratliffe and Ben Davis. Near the same time old Dr. Shultz of the Christian church was an active man in the cause he espoused.

The first physicians who ]iracticed in this township were Dr. Long, of Sliolbyville; Dr. Mills, of Bacon Chapel, and Dr. Edmunds. For years Shelbyville was their nearest jwstoffice, and for years Thouuis G. Poage was the disseminator of news and intelligence, he taking the ouly newspapers thereabouts np to about 1845. Mr. Poage took the St. Louis Republican and Boone's Lick Democrat, and although these sheets would be about two weeks old before they would reach their destination, yet his house was considered headquarters for intelligence and news from the outside world, and Poage himself was a king bee.

The first bridge over Salt river in this quarter was built by Benjamin Foreman in the spring of 1849 at the Ray ford. The flooring lumber was whip-sawed. The same year, John Swinney crippled himself by letting a chisel fall on his

The hamlet of Leonard was formerly named Millersburg, by Adolphus Miller, who built a mill there after the war. Its site is located on the northwest quarter of section 80 - 59 - 11, on Black creek. There are some ten or twelve stores, a bank and a postoffice.

Cherry Box is also located in Taylor, a postoffice in the northwest portion of the township. The ])lace boasts of a general store, blacksmith shop, church and a good school and town hall.