North Salem Township

Position And Description

This township lies in the northeast corner of Linn county. Its boundaries are: Commencing at the southeast corner of section thirty-five, township sixty, range eighteen, on the Macon county line; thence north along the county line to the Sullivan county line; thence west along the Sullivan county line to near the middle of section ten, township sixty, range nineteen; thence south to the southwest corner of section thirty-four, township sixty, range nineteen; thence east to the place of beginning.

The general surface of this township is broken and rough, owing to the presence of so many streams and water-courses. The headwaters of Yellow Creek, Winnegan, and Badger Creek, are all in this township. The soil is usually not verj' productive, and much of it is unbroken and unimproved. Some tracts, however, are remarkably fertile. In 1877, J. F. Baker, living three miles east of North Salem town, raised a watermelon weighing fifty-one and one-half pounds.

As the soil of the township is poor, it follows that the people are unthrifty; for, as a rule, in the west people do not grow rich on unproductive soil, unless they are foreigners. Many of the citizens of the township are still living in the identical cabins in which they first dwelt when they settled here, thirty years ago. As one old settler puts it: " We came here poor, and we have held our own mighty well!" For a long time after its settlement not much attempt was made to improve the territory now included within Korth Salem township. Indeed there was more new land broken in the township in the spring of 1877, nearly forty years after its settlement, than in any previous five years. The country seemed to be going backward, in some particulars. In December, 1878, James A. Baker, an old settler, caught a full-grown beaver, weighing forty-three pounds, the first he had ever heard of in this county. The animal was taken near Stulttebean's mill, section thirty-five, township sixty, range nineteen.

There are no towns in the township and the prospects are that there will never be any. The hamlet of North Salem, instead of w^axing populous and great, is on the wane, and each year grows " smaller by degrees and beautifully less." No railroads. In October, 1871, North Salem township voted 825,000 in aid of that wild-cat scheme known as the " Salera, Brookfield ife Northern Railway," but that so-called "enterprise" never amounted to more than to take $13,000 out of Brookfield township, and render no equivalent therefor. It is doubtful if any legitimate enterprise, no inatter how feasible, would now receive any encouragement at the hands of the people, who, owing to their circumstances, seem to have lost all sentiments of public spirit, as a thing they cannot aiford to indulge.

The population of the township in 1870, when its boundaries were larger than at present, was nine hundred and twenty-three. In 1880 it was eight hundred and seventy-two. The total valuation of the property in 1881 was $118,060. The township, therefore, has the least population and the lowest valuation in the county, considering its area, as it contains nearly 25,000 acres of land. The township was named for the village of North Salem

The first settlers in the center of North Salem township were Samuel Baker, Balaam Baker and Michael Stutflebean, who came in 1840, and James Baker and Stephen Stone, who came in 1812. All of these were originally from Kentucky. The first settlements were made on or in the vicinity of section twenty, township sixty, range eighteen.

In 1840-42, the country was very wild, and game of all kinds was abundant. Wolves were especially numerous. The Bakers killed dozens of them. On one occasion, James Baker says he crawled into a wolf den sixteen feet under ground, and took out eight wolf cubs. He and his brother killed about twenty-five in a ^^ear's time, shooting some of them down in the door-yard, after night fall. Yenison and other wild meat furnished the tables of the settlers for some years, in the matter of flesh diet.

For some time the settlers went to a horse-mill, seven or eight miles beyond Keytesville for their milling, and bought goods at Keytesville and Brunswick, when they carried their produce to those points, which they

The first child of either sex born in the community was a girl, named America Baker, whose birth occurred November 13, 1842, and who wasthe daughter of Balaam M. and Caroline Baker.

The first death remembered was that of Samuel Baker, a son of B. M. and Caroline, who died in January, 1845, and was buried on his father's premises. His was the first burial in the neighborhood, and doubtless the first death.

The first marriage recorded was that of Samuel Stufflebean and Miss- Maria Beals, which occurred in December, 1844. The ceremony was performed by Bev. George W. Baker, a Baptist minister.

The first minister w^as Rev. Balaam Baker, of the Christian or Campbellite Church, and he held the first religious services in the township at his own house.

No school-house was built until 1855, when the citizens united and put up a small log house, with a clapboard roof, which was the first temple of learning in the township. "Uncle 'Cager" (Micajah?) is set down as the first school teacher.

The first cloth woven was a web of jeans, and the weaver was Mrs. Esther Baker. Mrs. Sally Putman and her sister, Mrs. J. Bull, were also among the early weavers.

In the northwestern portion of the township where North Salem now stands and where is now the southern part of Sullivan county, but then Linn, the first settlements were made by Jacob Keith, William Putman, George W. Baker and Andrew Baker, in July, 1840, on section thirty-one, township sixty-one, range nineteen; and section eleven, township sixty, range nineteen. They came from Indiana directly, but were originally from Kentucky.

There were no bridges then across the streams. The teams had to be swum and the wagons floated across when the waters were high. Supplies were drawn from the towns on the Missouri River, and Glasgow was the chief milling point. The first fall after the settlers came, they were nearly all taken sick, and there was a great deal of distress and suftering among them. There was also a violent storm that did a great deal of injury

The first birth in this settlement was a child of "William and Sarah Putman that was born in August, 1840, and died soon after, without name. This was probably the first white child born in the township.

The first marriage was that of Wiley Keith and Miss Jane Summers, Christmas Day, 1842. This was a runaway match. John Lewellen, a justice of the peace in Yellow Creek township, performed the ceremony.

The first school-house in the settlement, and in the township was built by the settlers in the year of 1841, and stood on section eleven, township sixty, range nineteen. The floor was covered with plank sawed with a whip-saw. The building was worth probably $100. William Saunders {alias William Fenton) taught the first school therein. He had about twenty scholars, and received 815 a month for his services.

Old Time Politics In North Salem

As elsewhere stated, the politics of Korth Salem township has always been anti-Democratic. In the days of Whiggery the majority of the voters inclined to that ism. Since the war the towiiship has been overwhelmingly Eepublican. In 1860 Lincoln received some votes in the township, as he did throughout the northern portion of the county. Although not in the proper place the vote of the four northern townships of the county for Lincoin in 1860 are here given:

In 1858 there was an exciting political contest in the county for representative in the State legislature. Colonel A. W. Flournoy was the Democratic candidate and J. F. Gooch, the nominee of the Whigs, or Know-jSTothings, as they were then called. The race was very close, although the county was Democratic. The townships were all in but this one,'and Flournoy was a little in the lead. The politicians at Linneus were in a state of great excitement. At last, looking toward the north, they saw a horseman coming on the gallop, waving his hat. When he came nearer it was seen to be Dr. D. I. Stephenson, his horse covered with foam, and his face all aglow as he shouted, " Hurrah for North Salem! Flournoy, 15; Gooc/i, 54! " That settled the contest in favor of the Whigs. Two years later Gooch was again a candidate, but died during the canvass, and A. W. Mullins was selected in his stead to make the race against E. H. Richardson, who was selected, and afterward voted for the ordinance of secession in "Claib. Jackson's legislature" at Neosho.

Duking The War

North Salem furnished quite a number of men for the Federal or Union service. Some of these men were in Crandall's company, the first to enlist in North Missouri. No men are named as having joined the Confederate army, although it is reported that some did. The militia of the township "made it hot" for their secession neighbors, and some things were done in the township during the four years of strife that ought never to have been done.

Miscellaneous Incidents

Deaths. - In March, 1876, Mr. James Summers, living northeast of North Salem, a bachelor fifty years of age. was found dead in his bed. It was supposed that he died in an epileptic lit.

Petrifaction. - In the spring of 1876 the body of a little child that had been buried near North Salem for seven years, was exhumed and found to have become petrified.

Schools. - There are eight school-houses in the township. The Banta school-house had a reputation for having the best school in the township some years since. Miss America Clapp was a noted teacher in the years 1876 and 1877. On one occasion not long since the teacher of one of the schools in this township undertook to chastise a boy pupil for some misdemeanor. The lad "wouldn't have it that way," and drew his knife, with which he stabbed the pedagogue several times, inflicting severe wounds.

Casualties And Crimes

Powder explosion. - July 4, 1873, a Mr. Hannon and a young man named Moore were engaged at North Salem in firing a salute in honor of Independence Day. By some mischance about three pounds of powder which they intended using caught fire and exploded, burning them both severely. The boy's eyesight was badly affected. -

Accidentally shot. - A.iiorust 15, 1877, Mr. Nicholas Miller was at work with a mowing machine. It being the season for prairie chickens he had a gun with him on the machine to use against the birds wlien opportunity presented. While driving homeward the gun was accidentally discharged, the contents lodging in Mr. Miller's body inflicting a wound from which he died in a few days.

Dragged to death. - North of North Salem, in January, 1872, a school teacher named Debolt Miller, accompanied by his wife, was leading a horse to water, having one end of a halter fastened to his wrist. The horse became frightened and ran away, dragging Mr. Miller along the ground by his arm in spite of his elforts to free himself. Mrs. Miller followed after her husband as fast as she could, and when she came up with him found him lying under the horse. She went for assistance, but on her return her husband was dead.

Cattle stampeded. - In the spring of 1879 about three hundred head of cattle that were grazing in this township, were stampeded by certain parties, and driven off some ten or fifteen miles. It was believed that the intention was to take some of them to certain markets and sell them. Some of the parties were indicted for the offense, but as yet no one has been punished.

North Salkm Village

The little village of North Salem, on section eleven, township sixty,, range nineteen, was first started about the year 1850, by " Jack " Baker, and called " Whig Town,'' by which name it was long known. The Whigs were in the majority over the Democrats in that section in those days, and the township has always been anti-Democratic. In April, 1858, the town was regularly laid out by William Sanders, on land owned by John K. and Susannah Baker. When the post-office was established Mr. Putman wished to call it Salem, in honor of his old home in Indiana; but there was already one Salem in Missouri, the county seat of Dent county, and gothe place was called North Salem. Singularly enough, the records showed that the town of North Salem was laid out in April, 1858, while Putman's Addition was platted October 11, 1856, two years before the main town, on land owned by Peter and Araminta D. Putman.

John Baker, a son of Rev, Baker, is said to have l)uilt the first house in North Salem, and also the first building used as a store in the township. Here the leading articles were groceries aird whisky, which were sold or bartered in exchange for pelts, honey, tallow, feathers, etc. The first regular dry-goods store was opened by Peter Putman, in about the year 1857* Dr. David I. Stephenson, a native Missourian, was the first practicing physician in the place. The doctor now resides in Linneus. He states that the first person to practice any of the branches of medicine and surgery in

The first minister was Rev. Baker, who afterwards died in IS^orth Salem. Joseph Bryan taught the first school in the village, in the year 1858. In December, 1874, the present school-house was built, costing five hundred dollars. It is a frame, twentj^-two by thirty feet in size.

In the early days of North Salem it was a favorite resort for the settlers, nearly all of whom at that day drank whisky. There was a plentiful supply of that beverage in the village. Dr. Stephenson states that every Saturday, during the summer months, the men would meet at the village and have a shooting match, the prize usually being a quarter of beef or mutton. A great deal of whisky was drank, and sometimes there would be a fisticuif between the belligerently disposed. These affrays were always fought with nature's weapons, no other kind being permitted.

In 1870 the population of North Salem was thirty; in 1880 it was only twenty-four. The place is very insignificant in size and importance, and its future prospects are not so brilliant as to dazzle the beholder.

Methodist Episcopal Chukch

North Salem has one church building, the Methodist Episcopal, or Northern Methodists. The church organization was constituted in 1862, during the civil war. Some of the original members were James and Rachel Duskins, S. C. and Mary Arnold, Thomas and Elizabeth Severe, David and Ann Moore, and Levi Nix and wife. The church building, a frame, was erected in 1870, at a cost of $1,350. It was dedicated by Rev. M. Shumate. The pastors of this church have been Nathan Cordray, J. McKnight

Post-Offices

Sedgwick post-oflBce, section fifteen, township sixty, range eighteen, in this township, was established some years since, and named in honor of the Union general of that name who was killed in one of the battles of the Wilderness, in Yirginia, in the spring of 1864. Captain Seevey was the first postmaster.

Garfield post-oflice was established in November, 1880, at Stufflbean's mill, on Yellow Creek, on section thirty-five, township sixty, range ninteen, and named after President Garfield. North Salem is the other post-oflice in the township.

Official History. '

The ofiicial history of this township cannot be given, for the reason that the township clerk, Mr. George D. Kelsey, refuses to furnish the necessary information, although promising to do so, coolly pocketing the postage stamps furnished him to defray the expense of forwarding by mail a brief transcript of his records. He explains that he has sold out his property and has no longer any interest in the affairs of the township.

The Sedgwick Old School Presbyterian Church was first organized May 12, 1878. Some of the fir^t members were Samuel and Nancy Price, and their daughters, Martha and Lucy Jane; William Henry Jones, Mary J. Jones, and Ephraim E. Jones. The congregation has no church building, but holds services in the Elm Grove school-house. The pastor is Rev. David A. Wilson, of Milan. The present number of members is twentytwo. In connection with the church is a sabbath-school, which was organized in May, 1877; it is the only sabbath- school in the neighborhood, and has an average attendance of near sixty scholars. It is in a highly prosperous condition.

United Brethren Church

There is a congregation of the United Bretheren Church in this township, which meets at the Hill school-house. It was organized in the year 1863. Among the original members were W. D. and Rachel Hill, Janies and Elizabetli Breedlove, and Mary J. Newton. The first pastor of the congregation was B. J. Murra_y ; after him were Revs. Carpenter, J. Edwards, Wallace, McKinney, Hess, Fields, J. W. White, and the present preacher, George Fraker. The number of members at present is only seven. W. H. Coram is the present class-leader; Polly A. Hill is the class-steward.