Marshall Township

Marshall Township

town was laid out. The location had been sometimes known as the Elk Hill, so-called from the droves of elk which frequented the site itself, and the adjacent country.

Henry C. Simmons built the first house, in 1839. It was a one-story frame and was used as a saloon ! It was situated on the west side of the northwest corner of the public square. Thomas Davis built the first two-story house, and sold the first goods ; Col. Wm. Lewis put up the second store, and was the second merchant in the place. Alexander Skillen built the first hotel, or tavern stand; Col. Wm. Lewis, the next. The first public school house in the place was built in 1849 or 1850. It was a frame, and stood on lots five and six, in block forty-three. Its cost was about $350. The first church building was put up by the Methodists, on the lot where the Baptist Church now is. Mr. John McCowan was the builder. It was partly completed - the frame being put up - when the work stopped for a while, for the want of funds. It was dedicated by Rev. T. P. Akers.

Prior to the building of the first church and school house, religious services had been held in Skillen's tavern, and in the court house, and schools had been taught in private houses and in the court house. Probably the first religious services were held in Skillen's tavern, by the Cumberland Presbyterians, and it is claimed that Henry Gaines taught the first private school. Mr. Barbee was one of the very first teachers.

The first physicians were Drs. Lawton and Hicks. Lawton went to Booneville, and from thence to St. Louis, where he died. Hicks died in Marshall, as has been often stated, in 1849, of cholera. The first attorneys were Ramage, Trigg, McNutt, Shepherd, and Bryant.

The first cemetery used was the burying ground of Jerry Odell, north and east of the main part of town. In about 1857, Col. Geo. W. Allen established one, now to be seen between the Chicago & Alton railroad depot and the business portion of town. This was used during the war, and here the soldiers who died at Marshall were buried. Near this is the place where Dr. Benson and Flannigan were shot. This ground is fast being occupied. Houses are being built and gardens are growing over the dust of those buried there, and doubtless in fifty years from this date, when the next history of Saline county is written, the historian shall write of the mammoth business enterprises carried on and the gigantic business houses established upon the site of the second burying ground of Marshall.

When the public county buildings were put up Wm. Hook built the court house, Mr. Simmons did the iron work and "Black" Johnson the rock work on the first jail, a stone structure. The town was first incorporated in 1866. In order to take in more ter- ritory, February 10, 1870, it was re-incorporated, or. incorporated regularly. Robert S. Sandidge was the first chairman of the board of trustees, and acting ma3^or. The town was again incorporated as a city of the fourth class, March 20, IS 78, and under this organization A. A. Newman was the first mayor, being elected in 1878. The first post-office was established in 1840, and John Hood was the first postmaster. The present town officers are: Mayor, C. T. Shannon. Aldermen - first ward, C. G. Page and W. D. Bush; second ward, Andrew Holmes and I. N. Sergeant; third ward, A. A. Newman and James Tippin. Chairman of the board, A. A. Newman. City Clerk, Ed. T. Orear; City Attorney, J. M. Yantis; City Collector, Thos. Boatright; Marshal, Sail C. Aulger; Street Commissioner, Peter Holmes.

During the civil war, the place was almost constantly garrisoned by Federal troops, after the spring of 1862. There were many outrages perpetrated on the citizens of both Union and secession sympathies. Two or three stores kept open during the struggle, but the proprietors ran great risk. The Federals preyed upon prominent Confederate sympathizers - the families of Judge Bryant, Mrs. Sheridan, Mrs. Shroyer, and others. The Confederates retaliated upon the households of Judge DavidLandon, William Membry, Snell, and others. The women of these families often had to cook and wait upon the soldiers of both sides. Many of the men became fugitives ; of these, the most, by far, were Confederates in sympathy. The guerrillas, upon one occasion, visited the family of Judge Landon, a union man, and, with drawn revolvers, confronted him. His wife believes he was only saved by her prayers. The militia hunted Judge Bryant and other citizens as if they had been wolves.

Certain buildings in town, one of them the present store-house of Paddy , Flynn, were struck by Shelby's cannon-balls, when " old Joe" cannonaded the place in his fight with Gen. Brown, in October, 1863.

Since the war, Marshall has greatly^ improved, especially since the completion of the Chicago and Alton railroad, in 1868. It now has a population of over 3,000. It has a fine public school building, a good colored school building, and has an excellent corps of teachers. Its churches are mentioned elsewhere. Two large steam flouring mills, a grain elevator, and a good variety of business houses, add greatly to the prosperity of the place.

The Banks Of Marshall

There is a large amount of financial business transacted in the place. The surrounding country is very wealthy, and the deposits of the three banks of the place are extraordinarih' large. A short sketch of these banks is worthy to be given.

Banking-House Of Wood & Huston

This house commenced the banking business in ' Marshall, February 14, 1874. The bank is, and has been from the first, owned and conducted by Will H. Wood and Joseph Huston. It commenced business with a capital of $20,000, which has been increased to $80,000. Business has gradually increased every year. The following is the official report of the condition of the bank, at the close of business on the 30th day of April, 1881:

This bank was first organized at Waverly, Lafayette county, in July, 1870. The incorporators were Chris. Catron, G. C. Fletcher, N. Corder, J. Corder, D.J. Waters, P. L. Peak, T. J. Fletcher, B. F. Coffey, J. A. Gordon, and J. W. Goodwin. G. C. Fletcher was the first president, and James A. Gordon the first cashier. These gentlemen are still in their original positions. The bank moved to Marshall, March 1, 1879. It now has a paid up capital of $50,000 and a surplus of $10,000. It has always paid adividend of not less than ten per cent. The following is its last sworn sta,tement, at close of business on the 30th day of April, 1881:

Banking House Of Cordell & Dunnica

BANKING HOUSE OF CORDELL & DUNNICA. The first bank in Marshall was that of Dunnica, Cordell & Co., composed of W. F. Dunnica, J. H. Cordell, and J. H. Eakin, succeeded by Cordell & Montague, with J. H. Cordell and E. D. Montague as partners. Cordell & Montague were succeeded by the Saline County Bank in 1874, W . W. Field being the president, and J. H. Cordell the cashier. March 6, 1877, the Saline County Bank wound up its business, selling its real estate to the Farmers' Savings, and on the same day the firm of Cordell & Dunnica, composed of J. H. Cordell and W. F. Dunnica began business, which is still continued, with a paid-up capital of $30,000.

Past Condition Of The Marshall Banks

Below is given the amounts of deposits and discounts of the three banks of this place, as published from time to time, and covering a period of a little less than two years:

Deposits. Discounts December, 1879

It will be seen from these figures, which are official and correct, that the increase in deposits has been nearly a hundred per cent., and the increase in discounts has been little less than two hundred per cent., in a short space of less than two years.

M. E. Church, South

The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was organized in 1842. The first members were Rev. John Hood and wife. Dr. John Hicks (or Hix) and wife, John A. Trigg, Mrs. Rebecca Trigg, Fleming H. Brown, Benoni Robion, and Thomas Davis. The first church building was erected where the Baptist Church now is, on Lafayette street, north of the northwest corner of the square. It was a frame. It still stands, in the rear of the Baptist Church, and is occupied as a dwelling house. During the war and after the fight at Marshall between Shelby and Brown, it was used as a Confederate hospital. It was dedicated by Rev. T. P. Akers. The second church was the present, which was begun in 1870. It was dedicated in October, 1876, by Bishop E. M. Marvin. The church is of brick, and cost, including the site, about $9,000. The pastors of this church were in its first days Benj. Johnson, - Jones, Wm. Prots man, Thomas Finney, Thomas Wallace, and others, who were "circuit riders." The pastors proper have been : Rev. M. G. Williams, I. C. Shack elford, W. F. Camp, S. M. Godby, W. M. Page, W. B. Palmore, and E. G. Frazier, present pastor. Present membership, about 200.

The basement of the church building is usually rented out foi* school purposes, and is rarely used for religious exercises, which are uniformlyconducted in the auditorium overhead; this is reached from the central doorway and a stairway through the vestibule, and also by way of a door and stairway in the tower. The choir occupies a gallery containing seats and a fine organ, situated over the vestibule.

Christian Church

This church was organized in 1851, the original members being C. H. Hickman and wife, A. F. Bruce and wife, B. F. Downs and wife, - Bowen and wife, Bettie Odell, S. Harris and wife, Mrs. Barbara Smith, Mrs. Georgia Bruce, and others. A frame church was built in the year 1852, at a cost of $2,000, It -was dedicated the same year by Rev. D. P. Henderson. It is still standing. The . pastors have been Elders J. W. McGarvey, - Stewart, George Plattenburg, W. H. Robinson, O. Spencer, John Duncan, R. N. Davis, R. M. Messick. Present membership, 300.

The original organization of this church was broken up during the war, and was re-organized in 1866, by Elder Geo. Plattenburg, with about thirty members. During the year 1880, this church, by an almost unanimous vote, decided that it would not tolerate the signing of dramshop petitions by its members. The church, at this time, is in a flourishing condition under the charge of its present pastor. Its officers at present are Dr. W. S. Holland, G. C. Fletcher, Dr. M. T. Chastain, W. D. Woodson, elders. The deacons, are W. H. Fletcher, Wm. Walker, Daniel Folck, and John Coyle.

Methodist Episcopal

This church, often called the Northern Methodist, was organized in October, 1865. The original members were D. Buie, John Hood, Jennie and Sallie Hood, W. A. Hulse, David Landon, F. G. Landon, and C. M.

$3,300. The pastors have been: S. Alexander, J. R. Sasseen, W. Stevens, H. R. Miller (assistant), A. P. Salloway, G. T. Smiley (assistant), A. P. Colton, F. Oechsle, Stanford Ing, J. S. Porter, and the present pastor, John H. Gillespie. Present membership, fifty. This society was, for a long time, embarrassed with a heavy debt, but is free now and is in a fair way to reap a rich reward.

The Old-School Presbyterian Church

The first organization of this church was some time prior to the year 1846, and after 1840. Some of the first members were Stephen Smith, Mr. Martin, Joseph N. Laurie, and their wives, and Daniel Snoddy. The first preacher was Rev. Gary Hickman, and after him came Revs. - Reynolds, Wm. C. McPheeters, Pauling, Cambern, and Clark. The ruling elders were Daniel Snoddy, who died of cholera, in 1849; Joseph N. Laurie, and Thompson G. Miller.

At first, the congregation met in the court-house, but at last Wm. B. Sappington gave the church a lot, and another was purchased on the south side of the southeast corner of the public square, being a double corner lot, and, in 1860, a fine frame church building, 40x90 feet in size, and costing about $2,500, was built thereon. Although there was an indebtedness of about $900 on the church at the time, the church was dedicated the same year, by Rev. Mr. Painter, of Booneville. Rev. James Clark was the first pastor after the church was finished. He died in Iowa, in 1879.

During the war, preaching was very in;egular, and at last discontinued entirely, and the organization broken up. The church records were in the court-house when it was destroyed, by Col. Jackson's Confederates, in 1864, and were bui-ned with it. At the Marshall fight, in 1863, one of Shelby's cannon balls passed through the church, and another struck it. The soldiers often used the church for sleeping quarters.

New Organization. - After the war, .viz., January 11, 1869, the church was re-organized, by Rev. J. H. Quarles, of Lexington, Missouri. The original members were seventeen in number, some of whom were J. H. Cordell, George and Sophia Rehm, Mrs. Sabina Shroyer, Mrs. Mary Wilson, Miss Mary Allen, Dr. and Mrs. E. S. Clarkson, and Mrs. Sallie A. Mack. The pastors of this church have been, since the re-organization. Dr. J. L. Yantis, E. M. Yantis, John Montgomery, B. H. Charles, A. W. Nesbitt, and L. P. Bo wen. The elders, J. H. Cordell, George Rehm, T. G. Ehrnman, G. M. Francisco, Dr. C. L. Hall, and J. L. Woodbridge. The present membership is about 125. -

In the year 1870, the congregation sold the lots and the church building on the southeast corner of the square, and with the proceeds, and additional subscription, began the^erection, upon another lot, of a new church of stone, which was finished in the spring of 1872. Its entire cost was about $8,000. It has not yet been dedicated, but it is expected that it will be in a short time. The old church is still in existence, and stands now south of the public square, where it has been used, until lately, as a school-house. The new one is the only building of the kind in the place, and bids fair to last for a generation, even though it now begins to wear an antiquated appearance, with its ancient style of architecture, its buttresses, its towers, and its Gothic openings. And long may it stand, with all of its grandeur, and yet with all of its picturesqueness and its beauty.

First Baptist Church Of Marshall

The brethren and sisters of Marshall, Saline county, Missouri, met according to notice given at the last meeting of the Saline Association, on the 30th of January, 1868, with a view to be constituted into a church.

The presbytery was composed of Rev. Wm. M. Bell, of Miami Baptist Church, Rev. J. C. Hamner, of Miami Church, Dea. N. J. Smith, of Miami Church, Rev. J. Kingdom, and Rev. S. W. Marsdon, D. D., of St. Louis, Dea. James H. Huey, of Union Church, and Rev. C. Ingham, of Old Path Church.

In January, 1872, they purchased the house and site of the M. E. Church, South, and in 1873 erected their new brick building at a cost of about $5,000, which was dedicated the same year, since which time Rev. Wm. M. Bell, Rev. I. B. Dotson, Rev. J. C. Hamner, and Rev. B. G. Tutt have been its pastors; Rev. B. G. Tutt being the present pastor, and one of the best in Missouri. It has a present membership of about 175, and a Sunday-school in connection with it, which was organized about the time the church was organized, and has since been kept up, and has a present membership of 75. The church expenditures for the last year, (1881) were $1,170.

Catholic Church

St. Peter's Church was organized in the year 1869. The original members were Col. M. Flynn, M. Schreckler, P. Flynn, D. McGrath, Mrs. A. T. Harrison, A. Holmes, N. Mooney, and T. McCaffrey. A brick church was built in 1870, at a cost of $1,200.. It was dedicated in June, 1871, by Rt. Rev. P. J. Ryan. The pastors have been E. Hamill and John T. D. Murphy, the first and present resident pastor. The present membership is 325, comprising persons of four nationalities.

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

The date of the organization of this church is August 16, 1871. The original members were W. E., M. L., J. S., and 3. J. Burke; W. M. and S. A. Nordyke, Mary Swisher, J. T. and H. Burke, A. M. Utz, M. Odell, J. R. Burke, A. C. Johnson, S. M. and S. A. Oldham, John Gilmore. A brick church was built in the year 1873,, at a cost of $4,027.72. It was dedicated, October 12, 1873, by Rev. James Morrow. This church has had for pastors, Revs. W. E. Burke, S. W. McCorkle, W. H. Doff, M. B.

Irvine, P. G. Rea, and, lastly, M. B. Irvine, who has been in charge for one year. Present membership, 91. This little church, because of its small membership, has had a hard struggle at times for existence, but has been true to its promises. It has just passed through a gracious revival, in which there were ninety professions of faith in Christ,' and sixty-one were added to the church. It is now in good condition, and its future is hopeful.

Episcopal Church

E. D. Montage, Wm. Gosline, John R. Vance, Mrs. Emily Montague, Mrs. J. H. Cordell, Mrs. J. V. Chase, Mrs. Robt. Montague, Mrs. Mary Gaines, Mrs. Joseph Field, Mrs. L. Marmaduke, Mrs. Wm. R. Bruce, Dr. and Mrs. B. St. George Tucker. A frame church building was erected in 1874, at a cost of $1,900. It was dedicated the next year by Rt. Rev. C.

Colored Churches

There are three colored church organizations and congregations in Marshall, one Baptist and two Methodist. All three have comfortable church buildings and a large membership. No reports have been received from the Methodfst Churches, whose pastors are Revs. Tays and McDonald.

Baptist Church

Fairview Colored Baptist Church was organized in August, 1876. Some of the original members were Rev. Johnson, Commodore Miller, Harrison Greene, Wm. Carter, and Wilson Colder. A frame church was built the same year and dedicated upon the organization of the church. Its cost was $550. The pastors of this church have been Harrison Greene, Wm. Carter, Wilson Colder, John Brown, and Albert Spears. The present membership is 115.

Royal Arch Masons

Saline Chapter, No. 74, R. A. M., was constituted under its dispensation May 8, 1872. It received its charter October 11, 1872, and was set to work by Xenophon Ryland, of Lexington. The charter members were Adair Wilson, M. T. Chastain, H. D. Doak, F. H. Shrock, J. P. Strother,

Odd Fellows

E. R. Page, N. G.; Otis Caton, V. G.; W. T. Smith, rec. secretary ; John P. Martin, per. secretary ; - Wronker, treasurer. The present number of members is 37. The lodge meets in a brick hall on the southeast corner of the public square, built in 1868, at a cost of $2,000.

United Workmen Knights Of Pythias

The town of Norton, located on the Chicago & Alton railroad, about midway between Marshall and Slater, was laid off by Jesse Van Winkle, who was the owner of the land, it being the eastern part of a 500 acre tract, section 18, township 51, range 20, purchased by him of Dudley Cooper in the summer of 1878. The town and railroad grounds embrace eighty acres. The railroad company have built a handsome station house and platform, and a side-track 300 feet long. In the same year, 1878, an elevator, with a capacity of 20,000 bushels, was built by Mr. John M. Woodson, of St. Louis, who is a partner with Mr. Van Winkle in the town enterprise. He also built a large storeroom, now occupied by Van Winkle & Clarey, general merchants. One blacksmith shop, and residences make up the rest of the town, so far.

As a business point, the village of Norton is backed up by a splendid body of farming country. Four roads branch out from it, and open communication with a grain-growing and stock-feeding region that has few superiors in the county. The famous

Sulphur Springs

SULPHUR SPRINGS, five miles northeast of Marshall, are situated but one mile from Norton, and will yet prove of great advantage to it. Already these springs are the summer resort for quite a number of invalids and pleasure-seekers.