Minton Township

Early Business Men

Drury T. Easley and R. J. Poindexter were, according to the best information obtainable, the first business men in what is now Minton Township. They came to this part of the country from Franklin County in 1849 and started a small store near the mouth of the Tarkio. It is said they were reasonably prosperous in this enterprise but they listened to the call of that siren which lured thousands to the gold fields of California about that time. They did not get on well with the Goddess of Fortune, in the far west and returned to Missouri in 1852, and again engaged in the mercantile business, this time in what is now Bigelow Township.

The first ecclesiastical edifice erected within the present boundaries of Minton Township was the White Church which stood on the east bank of the Big Tarkio, on a farm owned by B. M. Beasley, in the southeast quarter of section 32, township 61, range 39. This church was built in 1860 by the Southern Methodists, at a cost of about $600. The organizers of the congregation were Isaac H. Jones and wife, Isaac Jarvis and wife, Mrs. Susan D. Beasley, Mrs. Elizabeth Poindexter, U. T. Cramer and wife and Mrs. Mary A. Spoonamore.

The first sermon was preached in this church by Rev. Mr. Dodd, of Calloway County, Missouri, on the Fourth of July, 1860. In the winter of 1871, the structure of this, the pioneer church in Minton Township, was destroyed by fire. In the succeeding summer the "Brick Church" was built by the congregation to replace the burned building. This they located on the southeast quarter of section 29, one mile south of the site of the old White Church. It was a neat building, thirty by fifty feet in the clear, and cost, when completed, $2,000. At the time it was built it was considered one of the best buildings of the kind in the county.

Isaac Hays

In the chapter devoted to Forest Township mention is made of the death, at the advanced age of 104 years, of Mrs. Pope, of Forest City. Minton Township also, it appears, had her phodigy of longevity, in the person of the venerable Isaac Hays, who died in October, 1880, at his residence just within the limits of Minton Township, where the Big Tarkio enters the latter from the former township. From a notice of his life, written by the Rev. W. S. Mahan, of Mound City, Holt County, Missouri, and published in the Kansas Chief, in 1880, we quote the following:

"Isaac Hays was born in Greenbriar County, Virginia, July 28, 1778. At the age of two years he moved, with his parents, uncles and grandparents to Kentucky. They joined Daniel Boone and his pioneers in the fort where Boonsboro was subsequently built. They remained at the fort about nine years, and Father Hays, as he was familiarly known in this country, retained to the last a very distinct recollection of Boone.

"On attaining his majority Mr. Hayes moved, with his mother and sister, to Garrard County, Kentucky, and, in 1812, was married to Miss Anna Hohimer, whose parents came from North Carolina. In February, 1813, he took the place of one Samuel Davis, who had been drafted, to go with the command of the unfortunate Col. Dudley, to join Gen. W. H. Harrison, at Fort Meigs, receiving for so doing one hundred fifty-five silver dollars. He was subsequently in the disastrous engagement with the British and Indians, at that terrible massacre.

"With his fellow captives he was taken to Malden, Canada, and there paroled. Furnished with two days rations they tramped through the wilderness to their homes, and arrived on the 5th day of May.

"August 14, 1814, another draft was made and our hero drew the black bean. He was forthwith enrolled in the company of Capt. William Woods, Col. Stoughton's regiment and Gen. Adair's brigade, which was ordered to join Gen. Jackson, at New Orleans. Just previous to starting from home he united with the M. E. Church, not wishing, as he expressed it, if killed, to die in his sins. Embarking in flatboats the expedition started from the locality where Portland, Kentucky, now stands, bound for New Orleans. At Natchez, and subsequently at Baton Rouge, they were met by couriers, urging them to make all haste.

"January 4, 1815, they passed the city of New Orleans and encamped three miles below its site. On the 8th was fought the memorable battle which immortalized Jackson. Isaac Hays was one of the seven in the American ranks who were wounded. The scar of this wound, which was on his left arm, he carried to the day of his death. Father Hays, in speaking of that memorable occasion, mentioned that a ball passed through the crown of his hat, just grazing his hair, and another ball cut off part of the rim of his hat and went through the cape of his hunting shirt. He also stated that a light rain fell continually, but ceased in the afternoon, when the sun shone out beautifully. He saw Gen. Packenham's body, lying within one hundred yards of the ditch. He had been shot in the head, the bullet entering the left eye.

him by a deserter whom he had befriended. Arriving April 27 he found his home in ashes and its contents destroyed. His wife and child, however, had escaped the flames. He remained in Kentucky till 1827, and was major of his home regiemnt of militia, elected over three competitors by 250 majority. After leaving Kentucky he settled in Indiana, but soon after moved to McLean County, where he remained a number of years. His wife dying, he returned to Kentucky and married a widow, Mary Renfrow, in the same house where he had married his first wife.

"In 1854 Major Hays moved to Holt County, Missouri, and settled near the mouth of the Big Tarkio, where he continued to reside up to the period of his death. In March, 1861, his second wife died, and he was left entirely alone, as his two sons had entered the army and his daughters were married and gone. The old major was an uncompromizing Union man, and boldly defied a gang of robbers, who, calling themselves Confederate soldiers, plundered his house during the stormy days of the rebellion.

"During the Civil war the old man made a third matrimonial venture, espousing, this time, a widow residing in Hiawatha, Kansas. He had, by this marriage, four children.

"On Major Hays' one hundredth birthday five hundred people dined with him, and mainly at his expense ; and, as he was poor and a governemnt pensioner, it was resolved that when the one hundred and second anniversary arrived the same should be celebrated at the expense of his friends. Accordingly, on July 28, 1880, several hundred persons again dined with him, in J. C. Hinkle's grove, but, on this occasion, as determined, at their own expense, many of them making him, besides, small donations. Appropriate addresses were delivered by the Rev. W. S. Mahan and Gen. Wilkinson, of Mound City. The Rev. Mr. Campbell led in prayer, and the whole affair was a success enjoyed by all present."

Fortescue

The land on which the town of Fortescue was built was originally owned by Bailey M. Beasley on the south side of the railroad track and by James Stuart on the north side. Dr. J. L. Minton also owned some of the land comprising the townsite. Beasley's holdings were bought by Jacob Book, now a resident of Mound City, who laid out the town in April, 1890. The plat was filed August 8, 1890. John R. Minton filed the plat of an addition to the town May 8, 1904.

and J. L. Minton. Mr. Beasley was especially active in his efforts to interest J. F. Barnard, who at that time was superintendent of the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad, and who had much to do with the building of the line across the Missouri River from a point of connection with the main line at Napier. The agreement to locate a town between Napier and the Missouri River was contingent upon the land owners donating the grounds for a depot and doing the necessary grading for the side tracks. In addition to this they donated the ties for the switch tracks. Thus it is that provision was made for the building of the town of Fortescue.

Business Interests

Of course with the coming of the railroad, business enterprises began to loom up, and here and there a store building was erected. The first business house was built of frame by Bailey M. Beesley, and occupied by Wm. Crawford. On December 20, 1894, this building was desaroyed by fire, and Mr. Crawford lost his entire stock. It was rebuilt, and is now occupied by S. M. Howard & Co., general merchandise and implements, the "Company" being Judge A. W. VanCamp, at one time a member of the County Court, and a substantial citizen of the township. This building is located on the south side.

The second business house was erected on the north side, by I. M. Minton, and was occupied by the firm of I. M. Minton & J. P. Davis, and was of frame.

The third building for business purposes was of brick and was on the north side, erected by Dr. J. L. Minton, and was first occupied by Charles Craig as a general merchandise store.

I. M. Minton built a brick store and large frame warehouse. E. D. Shellenberger occupied it with a general merchandise stock in 1907. January 1, 1910, James Duke bought the stock and on August 29, 1910, the building and warehouse were destroyed by fire, and Mr. Duke lost his entire stock. This fire was the most serious in the history of the town.

Schools And Churches

The first school house was of logs and stood on land belonging to John W. Haigler, which is now a part of the accreted land which has been the cause of much litigation between John C. Hinkle and others. The first teacher in this primitive school was Hugh H. Simpson, who later conducted a drug store in Bigelow, where he died several years ago. This old log school house burned in 1858, while school was in session and the term was finished in the smokehouse of John W. Haigler.

A new frame school was built on land owned by John C. Hinkle, further back from the river. Simpson continued to teach for several years. He was followed by a Mr. Parker and he by Edmund Anibal, father of Charles Anibal of Craig. Out of this district, in later years was formed the Idlewilde and Haigler districts. A brick house was erected in each, the one in the Haigler district being later claimed by the ever changing current of the Missouri River.

Fortescue school district, as now known, was in the territory composed of the east side of Walker, all of Lake Shore, southern part of Elm Grove and the northern part of Idlewilde. The present brick structure was erected in 1907, and it became a special school district in April, 1910.

On April 12, 1915, the proposition to consolidate the Fortescue, Walker, Elm Grove, Walnut Grove and Idlewilde districts into a rural high school, was submitted to the voters. The proposition carried by a decisive vote and bonds amounting to $15,000 were issued for the purchase of ground and the erection of a high school building.

In 1860, J. C. Hinkle hauled the lumber to build the historic old country church known as the "White Church/' erected by the South Methodists on what is now the Main street of Fortescue, then thickly studded with the pawpaw and dogwood brushes and very heavy timber. The first services were held July 4 of the same year and the preaching was done by a Rev. Dodd. Among those who helped to organize this church were: A. B. Welton and wife, Amanda Shepherd, Permelia Morris, I. H. Jones, Rich Oldhsm, Oliver Bush, Sr. J. C. Hinkle and wife became members of this organization in 1867. The church was closed during the war. In 1872 the edifice was destroyed by fire, and the present brick structure was built one mile north of Fortescue in 1873. This church is now in a regular circuit of the M. E. church, South, and the Rev. O. C. Lockhart has this charge, who fills his regular monthly appointment. His predecessor was Rev. Capp.

Bank

The Bank of Fortescue was organized June 20, 1914, at which time the officers elected were: A. W. VanCamp, president; John E. Slater, vice-president; and R. C. Brownlee, cashier. R. F. Poynter has succeeded Mr. Brownlee as cashier, otherwise the original officers remain unchanged. The bank has a capital of $10,000 and is doing a prosperous, profitable business.

The bank's first depositor was Irene, the 9-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Minton. The first check drawn on this bank was by John Iden.

Fortescue Post Office

With the great development and settling up of the section immediately surrounding Fortescue, the location of business enterprises, the demands came for a post office, and hence a petition up to Walter Q. Gresham, then Postmaster General, asking that a post office be established at that point, to be known as "Fortescue." The prayer of the petitioners was granted, and the post office of Fortescue came into existence by the appointment of Bailey M. Beesley, as its postmaster, whose commission was dated April 18, 1886. The following have served since Mr. Beasley: H. A. Bowles, 1886-87 ; Henry Bildelman, 1887 ; C. C. Hopkins, 1888; Geo. H. Minton, 1889; Wm. Crawford, 1890-91; Chas. Gray, 1891-95; T. J. Butrick, 1895-1900; Chas. Craig, 1900-1904; E. L. Craig, 1904-1906; Chas. Craig, 1906 to date.

Elevator

John H. Lynds, of White Cloud, Kan., who was interested in a chain of local grain markets in Kansas and Nebraska, built an elevator in Fortescue in 1900. It had a capacity of 3,000 bushels and its equipment was complete in every detail. It was destroyed by fire December 16, 1906, the loss being estimated at $15,000.

Mr. Lynds rebuilt the structure during the spring and summer of 1907. In June, 1914, John F. Iden, bought the business and operated the elevator until June, 1915, when he sold to J. W. Hill.

of the most important stations on the Burlington lines in this section of the state for the reason that it is the junction of what was formerly the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs railroad and the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, the first named being the line between St. Joseph and Omaha and the latter being the western line of what is now the Burlington system.

Napier was established as a station January 1, 1882. In 1887 the St. Joseph & Nebraska Railroad was built from Napier to a point opposite Rulo in the Missouri River. The Rulo bridge across the river was completed October 3, 1889 and was built by the Atchison & Nebraska Railroad Company. Through traffic to the west and northwest was established at once. Napier then became an important junction point and September 1, 1911, it was made a division point on the Burlington system. The town, like Fortescue, was named for an English stockholder in the railroad company.

Napier became a post office in 1883. The postmasters who have served the patrons of the office are: William Brisco, E. G. Smith, S. A. Babb, J. L. Minton and W. G. Craig. The first money order issued was on July 4, 1902, and was in favor of the Akhurst-Everly Arms Company of St. Joseph.

The Presbyterians organized a class here May 4, 1914, with a goodly number of members. Arrangements were at once made for the erection of a church building.

Among the historical events of the town are the robbery of the store of Craig & Co., November 25, 1896, and the drug store of W. A. Lowe June 13, 1907. Among the fires of importance which have visited the place was that of the W. J. Alkire implement shed September 28, 1909.