Blackwater Township

Blackwater Township

town is named, and P. H. Rea, of Marshall, laid out the city's boundaries. This was in 1879. Now the tall spires and the noisy din of business remind the stranger that Blackburn is not merely a railroad station, but a live business town. In the spring of 1879, George A. Alkire built a house and opened the first store, keeping general merchandise.

Blackburn, though yet in its infancy, is quite a business point. Trent & Palmer have a large dry goods and clothing store on Main street, and are doing a splendid business. Trent, the resident member, is a young man of fine business qualifications, and very popular among his customers.

A. H. Shindler & Co. are live men, from Waverly, who have brought their trade with them, and are handling an extensive line of dry goods, clothing, and staple groceries. Their reputation for straightforward dealing and honesty will always insure them a lively trade.

The lumber business is in the hands of the enterprising young Catron Bros., who are handling all the lumber for that point, and of course are doing a good business.

J. H. Handley, mayor of the city, is proprietor of a mammoth livery stable, on south side of railroad ; runs a daily hack line to Waverly and Sweet Springs. *

Episcopal Church

The congregation of the Church of the Mediator was first organized at St. Thomas, now Waverly, February 17, 1856, and was called St. Thomas' Parish, In 1880, the present church building was erected at Blackburn, and the name of the association was changed to its present name, the Church of the Mediator. The original members were Rev. D. G. Estes, Jacob Fackler, Geo. J. Fackler, D. Creel, H. S. Davis, R. H. Creel, W. A. Richards, D. Trigg, J. Major, Wm. Ashford, J. S. Harding. The church building, at Blackburn was built in the spring of 1880, and was dedicated, September 14, following, by Rt. Rev. C. F. Robertson, bishop of Missouri. It is a frame, and cost about $800. The present rector is Rev. M. S. Woodruff, of Marshall. The rectors in past years have been

Blackburn Lodge, No. 315, 1. O. G. T., was organized Nov. 21, 1879, by T. J. Hutchinson, The charter members were E. Marshall, H. E. Mandorf, Thos. Doyle, M. Blackburn, T. Maupin, Wm. Washburn, Henry Miles, Y. Anderson, M. Welch, Phelps and Gregory, Misses Bettie Miles, Laura Davis, Owens, and Jones. The first officers were: E. Marshall, W. C. T.; Bettie Miles, W. V. T.; T. Maupin, P. W. C. T.; H. E. Mandorf, W. C; C. Bulkley, Sec'y; M. Blackburn, W. F. S.- Laura Davis, W. T.; H. Miles, W. M.; Mrs. Jones, W. D. M.; O. Gregory, W. S.; Mrs. Owens, W. I. G. The present officers are: Chas. Bulkley, W. C. T.; Laura B. Davis, W. V. T.; A. Davis, P. W. C. T.;

-Thos. Doyle, L. D.; M. Welch, W. Sec; T. B. Small, W. Chap'.; M. Biven, W. F. Sec; Ella B. Davis, W. Treas.; Spencer Small, W. M.; Belle Welch, W. D. M.; P. Welch, W. Sec; Ella Welch, W. I. G. The present number of members is 36. The lodge meets in

Mt. Leonard

[No report has been received from this place although solicited from, and blanks furnished to, parties best acquainted with its history, and most interested in its welfare. Enough is known, however, to state that the town was laid out in the latter part of 1877, upon the completion of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and named in honor of the Leonard brothers, principal proprietors of the place.]

Church Knights Of Honor

Mt. Leonard Lodge, No. 1938, K. of H., was organized December 20, 1879, by James Drowns of St. Louis. The charter members were Geo. L. Goulding, Wm. and Abiel Leonard, Leveritt Leonard, John and David Hancock, J. B. Carthrae, J. U. Fountain, D. U. Pinkerton, John Lynd, Entrecan, N. Richardson, John Bradley, E. Magoffin, Chas. Bulkley, John Edwards, C. Deathreage, J. K. Fmnell, John Cherry, R. James, - Dr. Harrison. The first officers were E. Magoffin, Dictator; J. B. Carthrae, V. D.; Abiel Leonard, A. D.; D. U. Pinkerton, R.; John Bradley, F. R.; Dr. Harrison, J.; W. M. Leonard, Chaplain; Nat. Richardson, T.; David Hancock, Guardian; John Wallace, S.; L. Leonard, John Wallace and N. Richardson, Trustees. The present officers are: Wm. Leonard, Dictator; E. Magoffin, V. D.; Taylor Entrecan, A. D.; John Cherry, R.; John Bradley, F. R.; John Lynd, G.; John K. Finnel, Chaplain; Nat.

Richardson, T. ; J. U. Fountain, Guardian; D. U. Pinkerton, S.; Abiel Leonard, Nat. Richardson, and John Edwards, Trustees. Present membership, about 30. The lodge meets in a frame hall, erected in 1880, at a cost of $700.

The Salt Springs

The hamlet and postoffice of this name is situated about eight miles west of Marshall. It consists of a postoffice, a dry goods and grocery store, a blacksmith shop, etc. It is situated within one-fourth of a mile from either of th? two large salt springs, in the beautiful -Salt Springs valley.

The great Salt Springs constitute one of the most important and interesting features of the county. The water of one of them contains fifteen per cent of salt; of the other, seventeen per cent. By a little improvement, invalids and health-seekers could here have the benefits of a sea-bath. The springs are large, and very beautifully situated. The splendid and delightful Salt Springs valley contains ninety, or more, of these smaller springs of salt water, besides many soft water springs. One of the latter . discharges 125 gallons per minute. It is situated on Mr. Langan's farm.

This township, being almost destitute of timber at the time, was not settled when Miami, Cambridge, Clay, and the other townships bordering on the river were.

In the vicinitv of where'the railroad station of Norton now is, the first settlements were made, in 1839, by Robt. Brown, Matthias C. Gwinn, Elias Wilhite, Dudley Cooper, David Ford, Thos. Duggins, H. Swisher, John Pulliam, Samuel Wall, and Owen T. Willis, from Virginia and Tennessee, and by Cuth. Hickman, from Kentucky, in 1840.

The first marriage was that of Wm. N. Oliver, of the Platte purchase, and Miss Mary Ann Jackson, near Mt. Horeb Church, about the year 1843. The first death occurred in the fall of 1843, and was a son of Thos. C. and Elizabeth W. Duggins.

The first physicians, always excepting, of course. Dr. Sappington, were Drs. Long and Hicks, of Marshall. Dr. Long died at Lexington, and Dr. Hicks at Marshall, the latter of cholera, in 1849.

The first minister remembered was Rev. Dodds, a Methodist, who first held service at Richard Durrett's residence, near Rock Creek. The first school was taught by Capt. Ruxton, about three-fourths of a mile west of the present site of Norton, about 184-. It was a small subscription school. Thos. C. Duggins opened his school in 1841-2, at Pink

Mrs. Jackson, wife of Thomas Jackson, had the first weaving done by her servants. -There were, in the first settlement, no mills nearer than Jonesboro. Groceries were brought from Miami and Old Jefferson. Potatoes and peas were often used when the people could not get meal. The latter was often ground in hand-mills, or grated upon the old-fashioned tin graters.

The first female child born in the neighborhood was Margaret Pemberton, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Pemberton. The marriages of Misses GofF and Nancy Durrett were the first.

Drs. Price, Penn, and Sappington were the first physicians. Thos. Fristoe was the first minister. The people went to hear him preach away down to Zoar Church at Jonesboro.

The history of Marshall township is so largely blended with that of the county in general that no separate mention of it need here be made. As soon as the county seat was permanently located at the town of Marshall, the township began to settle up rapidly, and even before 1839, many of the best tracts of land were occupied.

The boundaries of this township have been considerably expanded since its first survey, and many of the settlements and settlers upon its borders are named in the history of other townships.

Mt. Olive Church

It is due to the many memories clustering about this chnrch that extended mention of it should be made. It is situated about five miles south of Marshall, and is the joint property of the Old School and the Cumberland Presbyterians. The two denominations have walked and worshipped together in the spirit of unity and in the bonds of peace for more than a quarter of a century, forgetting, in a great measure, the grounds and points of difference between themselves.

The Cumberland congregation was organized, February 22, 1852, by P. G. Rea. Some of the original members were Harry Buie and wife, Wm. and A. E. Burke and their wives, and John Buck and his wife. The ministers who have preached for the church are P. G. Rea, James Mar-

It was organized with Wm. Burke and John Buck as elders. Mr. Burke is still living, now seventy-five years of age, and discharging faithfully the duties of his office. His services have been very valuable to his church and community. The following elders have been since added: Bolivar G. Doyle, in 1860; Wm. Corum, in 1861; W. K. Mahard, in 1868. The membership is between forty and fifty.

The Old School branch of the church was organized in 1853; the same year in which the house was built. The ministers that have preached for this church from its organization, are Rev. G. Hickman, William Paulding, George C. Crow, James C. Clark, James Morton, GeOrge Cameron, James C. Clark, J. L. Yantis, and Joshua Barbee. The elders which constituted its first session were Joseph Laury, and .

In a few years Thompson G. Miller was made an elder. Just after the war, in 1866, Dr. Wm. Fisher and Robert Stuart were added to the session And in 1875, Isaac Sydenstriker was elected as an additional elder. The membership numbers between forty and fifty. The two denominations worshipping in the same house, has been a great advantage to the neighborhood, affording public worship almost every Sabbath, and making the interest of one identical with the other. The cemetery, which is enclosed in the same grounds with the church, has been an object of considerable pride and attention upon the part of not only both churches, but the entire community. Nature has made the location more than ordinarily attractive, but the noble dead that live beneath its sod have rendered it more sacred to the hearts of many. It is to be hoped that the same care and attention will be shown to these grounds to the latest generation, and the blessings of Providence always attend these churches, and brotherly love continue and abound in every heart.

The church building, a frame 28x46, costing about $1,100, was built in 1853. It was dedicated in a year or two by Dr. Nathan Hall, of Lexington, Kentucky. During the war there was regular preaching at Mount Olive throughout all of those dark and bloody years, an uncommon circumstance. People of all denominations attended, some coming for miles. It was visited regularly by the people of Marshall.

The cemetery has been used by all of the surrounding country. Many former citizens of the town of Marshall sleep within its sacred precincts.