Union Township

Union Township

Was organized out of the south end of Cole, June 2, 1840. It originally included the north-east corner of Hickory County, the south part of the present Union, and the south-east corner of the present Fristoe. Cole still ran south of the river to Township 39.

The first election was held at the house of Richard Gates, on. North Prairie, John MoEwin, George W. Rives and Samuel Weaver being Judges. The elections were afterwards held at the houses of James E. Foster, A. F. Doak and Thomas Miles, until Hickory Township and County were cut ofiF.

The first election was held at the house of John Holloway, where C. G. Heath now lives, and the elections have been held there ever since, Isaac Lusk, James Browder and John B. Wright were the first Judges. -

Hickory

Feb. 14, 1845, The only election ever held in this Township was held in Nov. 1844, at the house of Jesse Driskell ; Jesse Driskell, A. H. Foster and Thomas Miles being Judges.

The first election was held at the house of Joseph Hooper, where, I believe, they have always been held since. Joel Shepherd, James Walthall and Edward P. Bell were the first Judges.

I cannot ascertain, positively, that there were any Justices of the Peace or Constables in the County while it was under the jurisdiction of Pettis, Saline and Greene Couties. I think it quite probable that G-eorge H. Hughes, who was a justice at a very early day, while living on Judge Ham's place, was appointed while in Pettis County.

It is said by the old settlers that the people of this vicinity had some little business in the Courts of Pettis County, then held at a place on Muddy, called Pin Hook. I can hear of only one election in the County before it was organized. This was held at the house of Wm. Kelly, on the old Mannen Duren place, perhaps in 1834, and, I am informed by Mr. George Blanton, was attended with a fight, in which the voters generally participated.

Warsaw

By the act organizing the County, Jan. 3, 1835, John Fisher, of Pettis, Thomas Kimsey, of Rives, and James McCutcheon, of Morgan, were appointed Commissioners to locate a County Seat. They were directed to meet at the house of William White, on Little Tebo, on the first Monday of April, 1835. For some reason, which I have been unable to discover, they did not do anything.

January 9, 1837, by another act of the Legislature, Bethel Allen, of Pettis, Henry Avery, of Rives, and Richard D. Bradley, of Johnson, were appointed to locate a County Seat, and directed to meet at the house of Markham Fristoo, near the Osage, on the second Monday of March, 1837. Both sets of Commissioners were directed to locate the County Seat as near the centre of the County, and the Osage River, as a suitable site could be found.

When the Commissioners came to make the location, an animated struggle took place between the friends of Old Town, or Fristoe Town, which was a village on the NB i SE i Sec. 8, Tp. 40, R. 22, where the first house north of Warsaw, on the Sedalia road, now stands, and New Town, Log Town, Bristoe's Town, or Osage, which was on the NW } Sec. 8, Tp. 40, R. 22, where Mr. A. H. Dice's house now stands. At each of these places a little town had been started, and at each a small store or two, a grocery, and perhaps other small shops, were in operation. Markham Fristoe led the fight for Fristoe Town, and Lewis Bledsoe for Osage. The Commissioners rejected both, and selected the present site of Warsaw, where there was then no building, save Stephen A. Howser's house, near where Gillett's Mill now stands. There was no road even, except a path leading down the branch where the Sedalia road now runs. The road then crossed at Bledsoe's Ferry, on the farm now owned by Dr. Crawford, and Fristoe's branch road ran across the ridge above town.

the ridge, about one-fourth mile south of Mr. Dice's house. But through the efforts of Thomas J. Bishop, and others, a sufficient number withdrew their names from the petition to leave less than the necessary three-fifths of the tax-payers. Mr. C. P. Bullocks for Mr. Bledsoe, claimed that they had no right to withdraw their names, and sued in the Circuit Court for a mandamus to compel the County Court to change the location. Judge Wright decided that the petitioners had the right to take their names off before the petition was filed, and refused the mandamus. The case was decided at Judge Wright's first term, and occasioned much interest, John Wilson and James Winston, then of Boonville, and Judge Yancey, Hendricks and Waddle, of Springfield, taking part in it, as lawyers. Wm. L. Vaughn, soon afterwards, attempted to have the County seat moved to his farm one mile east of town, where he had a store and a projected town, called Argus, but failed.

On the location of the County seat, James Ramsey was appointed Commissioner. By order of the Court he had the site surveyed by Geo. Lewis, Deputy U. S. Surveyor, to ascertain the numbers of the land, and had a portion of it laid off into lots by Eobert Wyatt, Surveyor. A map of the survey was received by the Court, Nov. 14, 1837, and on the 1st of Jan., 1838, the town was named Warsaw, and the Commissioner ordered to sell a portion of the lots on the 15th of Feb., 1838. On this day the first sale of lots took place. D. C. Ballou and S. A. Howser were allowed $18.00 each for going to Springfield to prove up the preemption of the County to the quarter section of land on which the town was located.

In March, 1838, the building of a temporary Court House and Jail was ordered, and Adamson Cornwall was appointed Superintendent of Public Buildings. The Court House was let to Glover & Davis, and the Jail to Lewis Bledsoe. The Court House was a log house, built on the lot where the bank now stands, and was used until the present Court House was finished, in 1842. It was let at $300, but deductions made for poor work. The Jail was built where it now stands, by Lewis Bledsoe. It was rebuilt, partly out of original material, in 1852, by Thomas Rank, Mark L. Means being Superintendent of the work. In Nov., 1838, and April, 1839, orders were made for the building of a permanent Court House, not to cost over $2,500, and the contract was let to

Bolla M. Griffith. After doing some work on the foundation, he threw up his contract. Thos. J. Bishop was appointed Superintendent of Public Buildings, the plan was changed, a better building ordered, and the contract let, in 1840, to James J. Donald and Joel S. Shepherd, brick work, and B, W. Keown and Wm. Hurt, wood work. The house was in a condition to be used in

1842, but not completed. Indeed the upper story was never finished inside till the Masons leased it, about 1868. The original cost of the Court House, as near as I can ascertain, was about $4,500. The town of Warsaw was incorporated, by order of the County Court, July 6, 1840, and D. C. Ballou, S. H. Whipple, S. A. Howser and J. M. Staley, appointed first Trustees. Feb. 23,

1843, the town was incorporated as a city, by an act of the Legislature, and the city government conducted under the charter till the war. The city organization was revived, after the war, but was sufi'ered to lapse, and the town was again organized under the general law, by the County Court.

Before Warsaw was located, high hopes of a prosperous town in this locality were entertained. In Wetmore's Gazetteer, prepared in 1836, I find the following account of Osage, the town at Dice's : " The present proprietors of the town of Osage, consisting of men of large families, are about to take up their abode in the town, and establish there a seminary of learning, conducted by one of the best scholars (a graduate of an eastern college) that can be procured. Female teachers from Massachusetts will be likewise employed at the Osage Seminary. The proprietors are engaged in the erection of a hotel at the ferry, and a steam saw mill and flour mill will be erected next summer, on their own account. They will also build warehouses for the commission and forwai:ding business, on the river bank. With all the natural advantages of Osage, it is just to conclude that the population of this place will reach several thousand in five years, and even be second to St. Louis only, when compared with the other towns of the State. The country around the town of Osage is full of lead mineral, and the operations of experienced miners will shortly open rich and inexhaustible leads of this valuable ore."

Even after Warsaw was located, it was thought that the Osage was navigable only for keel boats, but very soon steamboats began to ply the river, and supply a very large section of country with goods, and the business of the town soon became very con- siderable. Extravagant hopes of its future were indulged. Additions were laid ofl which have never yet had the brush cut off them, and the town was chartered as a city.

The first store was built by Adamson Cornwall, on the corner diagonally opposite Hastain's corner, where Bibb & Walls had their saddlery store for a long time. In the back room of their store the Clerk's office was kept for some time, and a large part of the records were destroyed here early in 1839, when the store was burned.

Mr. Cornwall had previously had a trading post in the old Bender field, at the mouth of Grand Eivcr, being attracted there, probably, by the Indian village on the other side of the Osage. His daughter, now wife of Albert Kincaid, was the first child born in Warsaw. The first firm which built up an important business was that of White & Ayres. They came here in 1841, with a small stock of goods, advanced by Wm. H. Trigg, of Boonville, and so active and profitable was their business that, in a short time, they owned a large brick storehouse, the first built in the town, and a large stock of goods. About 1846, having accumulated a large property, Mr. White engaged in the Santa Fe trade, and took a stock of goods across the plains, with his family. On the route his train was attacked by the Indians, and he was killed and his wife and little girl captured. * The Indians were so closely pursued that they killed Mrs. White, and her body was found, still warm. The little girl was never recovered, although a large reward was offered for her. In 1843 James Atkinson came here, from Calhoun, and opened a store, and continued in business till 1861. He soon became a leading merchant, and one of the most public-spirited and prominent men in south-west Missouri. His mercantile operations were on a scale which would be considered large among the business men of Missouri, at this time. He was a very popular man, and had a strong hold on the confidence of the people. He was the leading spirit in the navigation and improvement of the river, the establishment of the bank, and most other public enterprises. Another prominent firm, which did a very large business, was that of E. C. Henry & Co. Mr. Henry came here from Howard County in 1843. Bennet & Shepherd came in 1844, and the firm, afterwards changed to A. C. & C I. Shepherd, continued to do a prosperous business till 1861. J. M. Staley & Son afterwards went into business, and were doing a very heavy trade at tho beginning of the war. Dr. James Dunn, Jr., was for many years a prosperous druggist and prominent citizen. Bibb & Walls did the chief saddlery business. Our esteemed fellow citizen, J. G. Phillips, in early times, as now, controlled the furniture business. He is the only one of the very early business men who is still in business here. Barkley & Bro. at one time did an extensive business. In the prosperous days of the town, steamboats were running the river whenever the water was sufficient, and, frequently, several would unload at our wharves at the same time. Immense cargoes of salt, whisky, iron, &c., were unloaded here, and S. W. Missouri and N. W. Arkansas were chiefly supplied from this point. The glory of the town departed on the advent of the war, and the railroads. Its principal business houses were burnt by stragglers, on the withdrawal of Fremont's army from the Southwest in the fall of 1861.

Early Courts

On the 16th of February, 1835, the first session of the County Court was held, at the house of Markham Fristoe, which then stood in the bottom, just below the west landing of Powers' Ferry, There were present, to use the language of the record, the " worshipful Joseph C. Montgomery and John W. Lindaay, Judges, and Markham Fristoe, Sheriff, and Thomas J. Bishop, Clerk." These officers, together with Judge William White, who took his seat soon after, were appointed by Governor Daniel Dunklin, soon after the organization of the County. The first order made was to grant a groiser's license to Ezekiel Williams. I observe from the records that during the first four or five years after the county was organized, about one-half or two-thirds of all the licenses issued for business purposes, were for dram shops. There seems to have been a little whisky shop in every neighborhood. I believe there were then twice as many dram shops in the county as there are now.

Judge Montgomery then lived in what is now Hickory County, on the farm now occupied by Mr. Samuel Walker. He was elected representative in 1838, and was foreman of the Grand Jury at one term, during the " Slicker war." He was the father of the Montgomery who was killed at Warsaw by Hoagland some years ago.

Judge Lindsay lived in the bottom near Mr. James C. Orr's, on Sterrett's Creek. He afterward moved to the present farm of Wm. M. Wickliffe. He died on the bench in 1840.

Judge White lived first on the Jesse Drake place, and afterwards on Little Tebo, on the Bedford farm, near Wm. M. Thompson's. He died at an early day, on this farm.

twice held at John Isbell's house, near the spring, on the branch, on the south side of John Failer's farm. A short distance south of the spring, on the ridgo in front of Mr. A. J. Wisdom's house, lived C. H. Allen, commonly known as " Horse " Allen, who wasthe first Circuit Judge, holding from 1835 to 1837. lie located a claim on the bottom, south of Mr. Failer's. It seems he at one time lived on the bottom, near James C. Orr's. He also entered the tract of land at Mr. Dice's, where the town of Osage stood, but his son-in-law, C. P. Bullock, lived on it. His Circuit, (the 6th), consisted of the Counties of Hives, Pettis, Benton, Polk, Greene, Barry and Morgan. He moved here from Palmyra, Mo,, when he was appointed Judge.

Judge Wright was appointed Judge in 1837. The Circuit then consisted of Benton, Pulaski, Polk, Greene, Barry and Taney, and was the 7th. These Counties then embraced about all of Southwest Missouri. Judge Wright held his first Court at Mr. Frisloe's house, and, there not being room lor all the lawyers at Fristoe's, Judge Wright, Winston and John Wilson went out to board at John Smith's, who then lived near the grave yard, in Mr. John Failer's field. Judge Wright liking the prairie bottom out there, Mr. Smith gave him a part of his claim, and he soon after settled on his farm, and lived there till about 1844, when he moved to Warsaw, The first few years of Judge Wright's service was a stormy time in the history of our Courts. During this time the cases growing out of the Howard and Newson feud and the "Slicker war" were tried^ Of the latter, some account will be given hereafter. Of the nature of the Howard and Newson feud I can get no very correct information. It seems to have existed soon after the organization of the County, between John H. Howard and Nathan Newson, both of whom lived on the river, below Warsaw, the latter keeping a ferry, for some time, at the farm now owned by Vaitch Light. Each had his party, and much bad feeling prevailed, resulting in many fist fights and law suits, and some bloodshed. One trial gave rise to an unusual manner of administering justice in this county. Howard had been indicted for unlawfully co-habiting with a woman who lived in his family, and was acquitted. Joseph McCarty had sworn against him on the trial, and he had him indicted and convicted of perjury. The sentence was, one dollar fine, one hour in jail, and one hour in the pillory. There being no pillory, Sheriff Cornwall executed the latter part of the sentence by tying McCarty to a horse rack with a bridle rein. Among the lawyers who practiced in our Court afc an early day, were Jno. S. Phelps, Charles S. Yancey, John S. Waddle, and L. Henricks, of Springfield, Jno. Wilson, of Boonville, father of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in 1871, and James Winston, famous as the author of the remark that " a turkey was a very inconvenient bird, being too much for one man and not enough for two." He and Hendricks both, afterward, moved to Warsaw, and, in 1844, I think, Winston ran for Governor, and Hendricks for Lieutenant Governor. Winston canvassed the State, traveling on foot. He was a very eccentric man, improvident in money matters, careless in his dress, but, withal, a man of unusual genius and eloquence. When he went to speak at St. Louis, his friends, ashamed of his shabby appearance, dressed him up in a suit of fine broadcloth, with swallow tail coat and stove pipe hat. After leaving St. Lonis, he continued to foot it over the State in his new suit, and kept it on till it was worn out. He was elected State Senator in 1850. Among the resident lawyers were C. P. Bullock, D. C. Ballou, Benjamin P. Major, George Dixon, K. B. Eidgley, Mark L. Means, Thomas Ruflfin and Felix Hunton. Benj. P. Major was elected State Senator in 1842.

Bank Of Niangua

About 1830, a man by tho name of Garland came to the lower Big Spring, on Niangua, which is two miles above the crossing of the Linn Creek and Warsaw road. He greatly pleased the few settlers in that region by announcing his intention of putting up a fine grist mill. He never put up anything, however, at the spring, but a blacksmith shop. With him were Spence, Quillen, Cross and Earley, and perhaps others. It soon became known that they received occasional visits from companies of four or five well dressed and equipped men, who came from the direction of St. Louis, with the avowed purpose of starting iron works at the spring. No iron works, however, appeared, but the country was soon found to be flooded with counterfeit bank bills. Suspicion settled on Garland and his friends as the makers of them, and a party of hunters finally came upon them at their headquarters, in a secluded and almost inaccessible ravine near the spring. The counterfeiters fled, and the hunters found their counterfeiting implements under a shelving rock, and a large quantity of unsigned counterfeit bills. It is said their practice was to take the bills to St. Louis, and have them signed in a cellar by a Mrs. Skidmore, whose husband belonged to the band. The band was organized as a bank, with a President, Cashier, Clerks, and a Board of Directors. Some of them operated in St. Louis, putting the money in circulation there. They had agencies, facetiously called branch banks, scattered through the country, who aided in putting the bills out in the country. Several men, who wore prominent in this county, at that time, were supposed to be -' branches " of the bank. The operations of the Bank were large, and the bills so well executed that they passed readvly with indifferent judges of money. A small store of Wyan & Trigg's, at Warsaw, which was conducted by their agent, is said to have received one of its $100 bills, and to have been so crippled by the loss that it had to close up.

The band is said, by some, to have been broken up on the information of the hunters who discovered them. By others it is said that Mr. Skidmore dying, and the bank refusing to continue a proper share of the profits to Mrs. Skidmore, she went to the United States District Judge, at St. Louis, and exposed it. The Judge placed the case in the hands of Gen. Augustus Jones, United States Marshal, who succeeded in arresting Garland and his chief confederates, and seizing their implements. Some say they escaped, others that they were acquitted, because all the bills found in their possession were unsigned.

About the same time, and later, a man named Abee, with some confederates, made spurious coin at some point on Niangua, between the two Big Springs. Abee's money became famous all over this country, and a number of Benton County men were supposed to have aided in its circulation. One of them paid off an execution, in the hands of B. W. Eamsey, Deputy Sheriif, with sixty odd dollars, in bright new counterfeit silver coin. Mr. Eamsey discovering the money to be false, it was replaced with good, without a word. After an overflow, Mr. Josephus Gill discovered a large quantity of counterfeit gold on the river, below Warsaw, under a cabin that had been washed away. One of their crucibles was found in a cave, on the Gravois.

In 1874 a copper plate for printing U. S. Bank notes was plowed up in a field near Linn Creek, and Mr. Armstrong, of the Linn Creek Rustic took a very legible impression from it on coarse printing paper.

Slicker War

About the year 1839, came to Benton County, Hiram K. Turk, and his wife and four sons, James, Thomas J., Nathan and Robert. They settled on the road north of Quincy, just south of the old Archibald Cock place. ^Quincy was not then known, but that vicinity was called Judy's Gap, from Samuel Judy, who settled at the gap of prairie connecting Hogle's Creek prairie with the 25 mile prairie. Turk came from Tennessee where he had been selling goods. He is said to have had considerable property at one time, but was broken up when he came here. He had been Colonel of militia, in Tennessee, and was known here as Col. Turk. It is said that he had several buck shot in his body when he came. He and his boys at once opened a small store and dram shop, which became a kind of rallying point for the neighborhood. From the first, Hiram, James, and, in a less degree, Tom, acquired the reputation of being quarrelsome, violent, and overbearing men. Hiram, and, perhaps, James, drank to excess. They were men of fine forms, dressed well, for those times, and, in their better moods, were men of unusually courteous and dignified manners. They possessed more than an average degree of intelligence and education. Tom Turk's writing, found among the records, showB a trained business hand.

They had been here but a few months till we find them engaged in difficulties. We first have an indistinct account of James Turk swearing and threatening, on the arrest of some parties for theft. On the 18th of February, 1840, he made a violent assault on John Graham, a man. of some prominence, at that tmio, in the neighborhood of Judy's Gap.. On the next day Mr. Graham wrote the following note to the Justice of the Peace :

February the 19 day - 1840. mister wisdom sir please to come fourth with to my house and fetch your law books and ^mHs quick as you can a.s I have been Lay waid by /^es turk and smarUerwounded sL that I Cant Come to your house ^j-^jj^^A^gj^ Ujat he will Escape

On the 18th of February I went to Jas. Dudley's Blacksmith Shop to get my brother's mare shod to ride to Sac River. On my return home I met James Turk, and when he got in about fifty or sixty yards of me he got off of his horse, led it to the bushes and hitched, and came up into the road rolling up his sleeves. When he got in fifteen or twenty steps of me, he named that he had been wanting to meet with me some time back. I halted my mare, and told him to stand back, and he said, "G - d d - n your soul, 1 don't ask you any odds." I reined my mare back, and he still rushed on towards me, with his staff drawn. I still told him the second time to " stand back and have some honor in him and not rush on a man in that way." By this time he had got within about three steps of me. He pitched at me, and, with his left hand, caught my mare by the bridle. He threw his hand behind him, and drew out his bowie knife, and aimed at me with it; and, as he struck at me, I jumped on the opposite side of the nag. He ran around the mare's head, where I was, and made another lick at me, and I broke to run. He took after me with his bowie knife, striking at me as I ran, swearing, " G - d d - n you, I will kill you." The distance we ran, I think, was about twenty or thirty yards. I think I fell twice or three times in the distance, and he kept striking at me. By that time I had got rather out of the thicket into open ground. T drew out a pistol and told him, if he rushed on me any further, I would kill him, and cocked it. He halted but very little when he saw the pistol presented at his breast, and still moving toward me with his bowie knife and club, I bursted a cap at him. I wheeled, then, to run, and he made at me with his bowie knife and club, and struck me with his club and knocked me down, and,. as I was raising, he struck me across the head with his bowie knife. By this time Andy Ripetoe ran up facing Turk, and told him he had to stop. Turk observed to Ripetoe that he had nothing against him, but that he would kill me. He made a halt when Ripetoe told him to stop, and by that time I had got out of the thicket and up to my mare, and on her, and left him there, hunting the scabbard of his bowie knife. I lost my pistol when he knocked me down the last time, and I was afraid to go back into the thicket to hunt it while he was there. I went to Mrs. Ripetoe's and got a gun, and came back again to hunt my pistol. He was about one hundred and fifty yards from the place where we fought, in the road, going towards Judy's. He saw me coming with the gun, struck his iiorse, and broke in a gallop toward Judy's ; then jumped off his horse and said, " G - d d - n you, come on ; I will go home and get father, and all my brothers, and come to your house this night, and I will have your heart's blood at the risk of my life." Then I went into the thicket to look for my pistol, and saw it lying in the leaves where he knocked me down, and spoke to Ripetoe to pick it up; he did so, and we went back to his mother's, and stayed all night.

A warrant was issued, and W". W. McMillan deputized to execute it. With a posse of five men, he went to James Turk" and arrested him, but Turk refused to go to Graham's house for trial. Graham refused to go into the presence of Turk to testify till he was disarmed. Justice Wisdom ordered him to be disarmed, and took hold of him to assist, when old Hiram pulled him off, and Tom Turk drew his pistol, and made the oflScers stand off. The Turks and their friends then took James and went home. On McMillan's warrant, I find the return, " Levied on the body of Jas. Turk, Fob. 19, 1840," entered and erased. A warrant was sworn out against them for rescuing a prisoner. Sheriff Smith went out and made the arrest, and they were bound over by 'Squire Wisdom, - James, for the assault; Tom, for rescuing James; and Hiram for the rescue, and to keep the peace toward John Graham, whom he had threatened. During the proceeding, Iliriim Turk eliargcd Justice VVindom with prosecuting him through malice, whereupon the Justice fined him $20, the collection of which Turk had stayed by writ of prohibition from the Circuit Court. Those proceedings aided in planting the animosity that took shape in the Slicker war.

Some years before the Turks came to the County, the Joneses, four brothers, Andrew, Samuel, Isaac and John, had settled on Big Pomme de Torre, just above the Breshears' prairie. Among the early settlers they were prominent as horse racers and gamblers. They were coarse men, whose manners had been formed in the rough society of the borders. They are said to have been illiterate. I find their names always signed by mark.

At the August election, in 1840, held at Turk's house, James Turk and Andrew Jones became involved in a controversy about a bet on a horse race.* Jones proposed to fight it out in the usual stylo of those days, with the fists. Turk agreed, but stepping into the house, came out with a knife, and attacked Jones, when a general row ensued ; Turk's father and brother assisting him, and two of the Keaton's, and others, assisting Jones. At the Circuit Court sitting a few days later, Tom, James and Robert, were indicted for a riot, and Hiram and Jumos for the assault on Andrew Jones. John B. Clark was foreman of this Grand Jury, and Hendricks Circuit Attorney. At the December term, 1840, the throe boys were convicted of the riot, and fined $100. The fine was remitted by Gov. Thos. Reynolds. The case against Hiram and James was continued to the April term, 1841. A chief witness against the Turks was Abraham C. I^owell, a quiet and respectable citizen living three miles north-west of Judy Gap. The Turks had sworn he should never testify against them. On the morning of April 3, 1841, the first day of Circuit Court, Nowell, coming to Warsaw, in company with Julius Sutlilf, who lived close to the Turks, was

accounts say that the Turks had just opened a new stock of goods, and, making considerable sales on election day, soon discovered that several counterfeit bills, of the same denomination, had been passed on them. On Inqtilry, they traced thrin all ba<-k to Andy Jones, and the dilllculty is .said to have arisen from the Turks chargluii; him with circulating counterfeit money.

On the first day of the Benton County Circuit Court, in the Spring Term, in 1841, I was at a Blacksmith shop belonging to Mr. Glazebrook, in Benton County. I found Mr. Nowell, Mr. Addington and others, there. Mr. Glazebrook's shop is about 400 yards from the house in which he lived. I started from the shop and went to Mr. Cock's, about 400 yards. I stopped at Mr. Cock's until Mr. Kowell and Mr. Addington came up, then got on my horse and started on with them. I rode on with them till they ail came to a little branch, between Mr. Cock's and Mr. Bishop's. I here stopped to drink, and Mr. Nowell stopped by the side of me. Mr. Addington's horse stopped a few steps beyond us. While I was drinking, Mr. James Turk, and another gentleman, came up and passed Nowell and me. I heard Mr. James Turk speak to Mr. Addington, and say " Good morning." James Turk passed myself and Nowell about fifteen or twenty steps. He turned in his saddle, and said to Mr. Nowell, "Which one of your places, or quarters, shall T settle on ?" Mr. Nowell said, " Neither."

say much I will settle it on the spot." Nowell said, "no you won't." Turk, thereupon, got ofi"his horse, and ran his hand in his pocket, on the left hand side of his coat, and drew out a pistol, and advanced on Nowell. Nowell told Turk to stop. When Turk got his pistol out, Nowell spoke to me and said "let me have your gun." Turk was still advancing. Nowell took the gun from me and drew it up to his face, Turk still advancing. Nowell told him to stop, and, if he advanced any further, he would shoot him. Turk kept on advancing and Nowell shot him. James Turk's general character was that of a fighting man. I was his nearest neighbor; never had any diiBculty with him myself. Mr. Nowell has the reputation of being a peaceable man ; I never heard of him quarrelling with any other man.

further said that if they took the case to Springfield he would have him (Nowell,) fixed so he never would get there ; I think that the case in which Nowell was a witness, is the case that Andrew Jones had against James Turk and Hiram K. Turk. I think it was about a fight that took place at Hiram K. Turk's on an election. I think that the parties to the fight, from what I understood, were Jones, James Turk, Hiram K. Turk, and perhaps Bob Turk. This conversation 1 had with James Turk in the last part of last month, about a week before the spring term of the Benton Circuit Court, 1841.

During the spring in which James Turk was killed, Hiram and Tom. Turk were engaged in a number of petty lawsuits with their neighbors, and I have an imperfect account of Hiram Turk going to the house of Arch. Cock after night, in liquor, and breaking into the house with the avowed purpose of killing Cock; Tom. followed him and prevented him from doing any harm.

I was better than a mile from mine and Rankin's mill. I was going home on foot. Hiram K. Turk overtook me on the road and told me that a couple of gentlemen from Alabama had come on with authority to take Morton. He said that they were then going to take Morton, as he understood that he was at the mill. There was no one immediately along with Turk then. The company was at the left of Turk and myself. Hiram Turk and myself and the company, met just at the edge of the prairie. The company consisted of Condley, Rice, Thos. Turk, McReynolds and Gunter. The company consulted together and it was agreed by the company (I do not think that Rice and Condley said anything,) that Mr. McReynolds and Turk should go the way I was going, and they went with me. The othens took a left hand road and I did not see any of them except Rice until they met at the mill. After Turk, McReynolds and myself started towards the mill, Turk insisted that I should ride his horse as he was tired of riding, which I did, and Turk then went ahead, McReynolds and myself staid behind talking together. Just behind the mill in the edge of the woods, James Morton Avas gathering up plank. Turk went towards him and appeared to say something to him, and I think that Morton answered Turk, though I did not hear what was said. Morton stooped down to gather up more plank and Turk jumped and caught Morton by the waistband and the back of the neck, and told him that ho need not make any resistance tliat lie could not get loose, that he was in the hands of a man. Morton said he was not trying to get loose, or, who was trying to get loose. Turk let go of his collar and Morton insisted on know- ing by what authority they took him. I think Turk told him "we will show you." McReynolds got off of his horse and pulled out a pistol. Morton asked what that pistol was out for. McReynolds told him that if he attempted (o get away or make any resistance it was to shoot him with. Turk spoke to McReynolds and told him to get the strap. McReynolds got out the strap and Turk held Morton and McReynolds tied him. Morton complained that they were tying him too tight. Morton was then lead out of the woods to the road. I cannot say who lead him. Morton still insisted on knowing b) what authority they took him. Turk said it would be there in a few moments. Turk and all made a move down the road to n^eet the other company which had not got there yet. Just as they got started the other company came in sight. Gunter who was foremost got down off of his horse and took a rope and tied around the strap that fastened Morton's arms together. Morton asked Condley if he was the oflScer who was taking him, and he .said that he had nothing to do with it. They then put Morton on a horse and took him back to my house. They all ate supper at my house except Morton, who would not eat anything. They all got their horses ready, and Turk took off his coat and put it on Morton, and I think Thos. Turk put Morton on the horse. He was still bound. When Morton was asked to eat he said they would never get him to Alabama and that he never would eat another bite in the world. McReynolds said he would show his authority for taking Morton to the proper authority and took a paper from his pocket. It had some writing on it and something that looked like a State seal. I did not examine it. I understood from Turk and McReynolds that they intended to take Morton to Alabama. In the first place I think they talked of giving him up to Sheriir Smith. The company consulted together before they left my house, and the conclusion was that they should take him to Alabama. They talked of going by the way of Bolivar, also by Boonville, and Jefferson City and Cape Girardeau.

The mill at which Morton was taken, was on the Pomme de Terre, below Hermitage, at the place where Hickman's mill now stands. Morton was taken during the night to Mr. E. T. Condley's house, and also to Mr. Judy's. Mr. Condley then had a blacksmith shop on the rocky ridge road beyond Mr. N. Campbell's house, where the old North Prairie and Judy's "Gap road crossed. On the morning of the 22nd they crossed the ferry at Warsaw before sunrise and pushed on to the Missouri River. They were closely pursued by Morton's friends, including Judge Geo. Alexander, whose sister Morton married, but got out of the state. Morton was tried and acquitted, and returned in about a year. It is said that some connection with the trial of Morton, led to the removal of Judge Burr H. Emerson to this county.

Hiram K. Turk was arrested and bound over for kidnapping, by D. C. Ballou, Justice of the Peace. He was indicted and the indictment quashed about the time of his death; Finch, Otter and Hendricks were his Attorneys. The kidnapping of Morton warmed the already bad blood of the Joneses to murderous heat. According to the confession of Jabez L. Harrison when he was whipped by the Turks, a conspiracy was formed a few days after

Morton was taken off, to kill Hiram K. and Tom Turk. The Joneses of whom Andrew was the leader, engaged the co-operation of their friends and the enemies whom the Turks had made, and about the first of July 1841, Harrison says they met at the house of Archibald Cock and entered into an agreement to kill Hiram K. Turk, a writing being drawn up by Henry Hodge binding them to kill Turk, and to kill any one of the party who should divulge the conspiracy. Harrison says that the following parties entered into the agreement, viz: Andrew Jones, Nicholas Suden, \Vm. Brookshire, Milton Hume, John Williams, Henry Hodge, Thomas Meadows, Josiah Keaton, James L. Keaton, John Whittaker, Archibald Cock and Jabez L. Harrison. Mr. Cock, Harrison says, agreed to give Harrison a horse to join in killing the Turks. Justice to Mr. Cock, the Keatons and Mr. Hume, requires the statement here, that they were acquitted of this charge by the Courts. But such a conspiracy was doubtless formed, for on the 17th of July, 1841, Hiram K. Turk was shot from the brush and mortally wounded. He had been attending a law suit at Squire Alex. Breshear's, on Pomme de Terre, and was returning in the afternoon in company with Alex, and Thos. Cox, friends of the Turk's who lived near Judy's Gap, Andrew Turk and E. T. Condley. Andrew Turk was not related to the Turk's, but coming through the county and learning they were ot the same name with himself, he stayed with them a while and took a hand in many of their difficulties. The company were riding along a road now disused, running from North Prairie to Judy's Gap through the Breshears prairie. This road passed by the house of Squire Sampson Norton, which is the second house south of Pomme de Terre on the Warsaw and Hermitage road. Here many of the examinations were had during the "Slicker War." About a quarter of a mile west of Norton's while passing up a brushy hollow, Turk and Condley being some distance behind the others, a gun was fired from the brush, Turk's horse sprang forward and Turk fell off, exclaiming "I am a dead man." Mr. Condley while raising him up heard another gun fire, and Jabez Harrison afterwards said that he shot at Condley and would have killed him had he not stooped. The Cox's and Andy Turk ran back in great alarm. Andy Turk started at once to Warsaw for a doctor, and returned after dark with Drs. Tabor and Bush. The others took Turk back to Norton's, where he remained until a few days before his death, when he was taken home. He died August 10th, 1841. He was shot in the back of the left shoulder, the ball lodging under the right shoulder blade. Dr. Tabor attended him almost daily till his death, receiving for his services $118.

Circuit Court was in session at the time of Turks death, and Andrew Jones was indicted for the murder, and Milton Hume, Henry Hodge, Jabez Harrison and John Whittaker for conspiring to kill Hiram K. and Thos. J. Turk. Joseph C. Montgomery was foreman of the Grand Jury and Dixon Circuit Attorney. Harrison afterwards confessed that himself, Andy Jones, Henry Hodge and two others were in the brush when Turk was killed, and that Hodge shot him. Andy Jones was tried and acquitted December 9th, 1841, the evidence being insufficient to convict him. Harrison had not yet made his confession. Jones was defended by Hendricks, Otter and Eidgley. Hume's case hung in Court for more than a year, during a large part of which time he was kept in jail, The case against him was dismissed December, 1842, Henry Hodge, Harrison and Whittaker, who were indicted with him having left the country.

When the Turk's failed to convict Andy Jones they resolved to take the law in their own hands, and the Slicker War proper began. They determined to compel a confession as to who killed Hiram K, Turk, and to drive the Joneses and their chief friends from the country. To carry out these objects, Tom. Turk regularly organized a company of his friends to the number of about thirty, and had them sign an agreement. To justify themselves to the public their professed purpose was to drive out horse thieves, counterfeiters and murderers.

While so far as I can learn, none of the Jones party were ever convicted of horse stealing, there were several circumstances which gave much plausibility to this charge against them. In December, 1840. Bird D. Parks of Henry County, had a horse to stray from him, and it was taken up at Mr. Hunts, near Cole Camp. A few days after, Champlangford Carter who ran with the Joneses, claimed the animal and took it to Cole County, Samuel Parks and James Y. Parks brothers of Bird D., followed him, found the horse in his possession, and had him arrested and committed to jail at Warsaw. Andy Jones, Wm. Brookshire and John Thomas, constant associates of each other, and of Carter, bailed him out. He confessed his gailt by running off. Andy Jones and Jabez Harrison made a pretense of going to Arkansas to bring him back. Harrison got a horse from Arch. Cock for the trip, which he claimed was given him for helping to kill Hiram K. Turk. The habits of Jones and some of his clonest friends, also gave color to the charge of horse stealing. Tbey did not stay at home at regular work, but were much of their time absent, and not about any known legitimate business. Soon after Andy Jones was acquitted, B. H. Williams and Joseph Sharp lor«t a horse apiece, and they were found in the latter part of .January, 1842, on Warbleau, under the control of Morgan Trahan another crony of Jones. In pursuing the horses they also found where a deer had been killed, and a knife supposed to belong to Jones lying by it. Jones was known to have spent the night with Trahan, at a bouse near where the horses were found. About the time these horses were found, Jno. and Moses Owsley came down from Muddy Creek, in Johnson County, in search of stolen horses. They represented that they had been horse racing with Andy Jones and his associate Thomas Meadows on Muddy, and charged Meadows with stealing their horses. I may state here, however, that they afterwards found their horses in Cass County, where they had followed a mare bought from that County. The Owsley's fell in with the Turk company, and all these charges fixing a serious suspicion on Jones and his friends, the Turk's siezed the opportunity to make their attack. Their company was rallied on the 2Sth of January, 1842. Among the men going with the Turk company or approving it, the following names were prominent : Thomas J. Turk, Nathan Turk, Robert Turk, Andrew Turk, Isam Hobbs, John Hobbs, Jeff. Hobbs, Alex. D. Cox, Thomas Cox, James Cox, Thomas Draffin, Nathaniel Hamilton, James Rankin, Alex. Brown, Robert Brown, Chas. S. Brent, James Jackson, /Vnslem Jackson, Wm. Norton, James Morton, Alston Gregory, Wm. Evans, Wm. Y. Evans, John Hobaugh, Joseph C. Montgomery, Ben. Miller, Eph. Jamison, and James Mackey. Tom. Turk was leader, and his brothers, the Hobbses, Coxes, DraflSn and Gregory, his most active followers. Mackey was bugler, and got the name "Sore Mouth Mackey" from blistering his lips blowing his horn.

Henry Hodge, Thomas Meadows, William Brookshire, Jabez L. Harrison, Loud Eay, Harvey White, Luther White, Nicholas Suden, Julius Sutliff, John A. Whitaker, Milton Humes, Berry Chapman, Jno. W. Chapman, John Thomas, John Williams, James Blakemore, Lee T. Blakemore, Archibald Cock, and Abraham Nowell. Several of these men, among others the last four, were not charged with being engaged with the Joneses in any dishonest operations but were on the Jones side on account of personal hostility to the Turks.

de Terre to Andy Jones house about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The Owsleys from Henry County were with the company on this expedition. The only men they found at Andy Jones' were John Jones and Berry Chapman. Tom Turk asked John Jones how many men were there to fight them, and on Jones replying none but himself and Chapman, Turk siezed Chapman and they took him a short distance from the house, tied him to a tree and took a vote as to whether they should whip or shoot him. They decided to whip. Turk told Chapman that he and all his friends were counterfeiters, horee thieves and highway robbers, and that they intended to kill all the Joneses, but if Chapman would tell them who killed Hiram K. Turk they would not whip him. Whether he confessed is not known, but they released him without whipping and ordered him to leave the County by next morning, on penalty of death. They left and when night came on they went to the house of Thomas Meadows, who was accused of stealing Owsley's horses. He lived on Pomme de Terre near Andy Jones. I have no detailed account of the visit to his house. They got him out of his house, stripped and tied him to a tree, and whipped him ("slicked" him as they called it,) most unmercifully with hickory withes. By the time they finished the blood was running in a stream six feet from him. He owned that Andy Jones had stolen three horses and three mules, but denied that he stole Owsley's horses. As above stated it was afterwards ascertained that he was guiltless of this charge. My best information is that he died in a short time from the ''slicking," though others say he did not. In the latter part of the same night they went to the house of

William Brookshire and slicked him almost as severely as they did Meadows. This seems to have ended their work of Friday night. On Saturday evening they started out from Rankins' mill and went d&wn to Samuel Jones' house, but not finding him at homo they went across the Ponjme de Terre to North Prairie, to John Wood's Mill. As they approached the mill they saw two men gallop oflf toward the house of Major James Blakemore, then County Surveyor, who lived on the farm now occupied by Capt. Ben. Reeder. They followed, and after considerable searching found Isaac Jones under the kitchen bed, in Blakemore's house. They took him over to Rankins' mill, abused him, and threatened him, but finally turned him loose about seven o'clock, ordering him to leave the County in ten days. They then went on to the north end of the Twenty-five Mile Prairie, to the house of Luther White, and slicked him. The following is his own account of it, taken from his evidence before E. T. Major, Justice of the Peace :

On the night of January 29, 1842, about half an hour after dark, Thomas JTurk, Thomas Draffin, Robert Turk, Nathan Turk, N. Hamilton, Thomas Cox- Charles S. Brent, Samuel Brown, Isam Hobb.«, John Hobbs, and another Mr- Hobbs, whose name I ilid not know, Anslem Jackson, William Evans and William Y. Evans, came to my house armed with guns and pistols. Thomas Cox said he wanted to get into my house, and I asked him who he was. He answered that his name was White. I told him that he could not get in. He swore he would get in if he had to break down the door. He said he believed that J had the Joneses there, hid in my house. I told him there was no person there but my own family. He then told me that he had nothing against me, that the Joneses were a set of liorse thieves, counterfeiters and murderers, and he believed that I had them hid in my house, and said to me "Mr. \Vhite let me in and you shall not be injured. We have nothing against you." 1 then opened the door and let Cox in, and he examined the house and found no one there but my family. He then took a chair and sat down by the fire, and told me that he and his company had caught Thomas Meadows and given him three hundred lashes, and made him own that Andrew Jones had stolea three horses and three mules; and also, that they had caught William Brookshire. and had given him as many lashes as thev had given Meadows, and that they had made Brookshire own who had killed Hiriim K. Turk. I asked Cox who it was that had killed Hiram K. Turk. Pie said that Andrew Jones, Jaboz Harrison and Henry Hodge were in the bushes. He also told me they had caught Julius Sutlifi', and found a large quantity of counterfeit money on his person. He then got up and stepped towards the door, getting between me and the gun, where it was lying in the rack. He then presented his gun at me and cocked it, and put it against my breast, and called to the boys out side to break the door down quick. They then commenced kicking and knocking against the door. Cox told them to kick down the door, the inside and broke a small chain with which it was fastened, and the door flew open. It opened on the out side of the house. They all then rushed in, and Thomas J. Turk drew out two pistols and cocked them, and said now we have the hold and carried me out of doors. They tied me and took me over to Samuel Browns and kept me there until they could get their supper. While there some of them roasted hickory withes saying they were for my old back. They then took me near half a mile on the State road, after they left Browns, to William Evans', and there stripped me of my clothes and tied me to a tree, and whipped me. Robert Turk struck me the first four or five licks, then a one eyed man that I did not know commenced, and struck twelve or fifteen licks with a switch. He then stopped about five minutes. The others told him that was not the way to do, and the one eyed man then commenced on me again. I think he struck me about twelve or fifteen licks with the switch and stopped. Thomas J. Turk then my brains out. The one eyed man struck me four or five licks more and then they turned me loose, and told me to go home. They said they thought they had made an honest man of me, and told me to keep out of the company of the Joneses, and if I did not leave inside of ten days, that was nothing to what they would give me. I then went home.

After slicking White they went to bed at the house of Judge Montgomery, and other houses in the neighborhood. By sunrise next (Sunday) morning they vpere at the house of John A. Whittaker, vpho lived at the first house in the edge of the prairie on the road going from Warsaw^ to Springfield. They demanded of him to open his house to let them search for horse thieves, counterfeiters and murderers, and told him they were in search of Milton Humes and Jones. He refused to admit them until they promised not to hurt him. Finding no one but the family in the house, Tom Turk insisted on slicking him, saying he thought it was understood before they came that he was to have a brushing. The others refused to consent and they ordered him to leave in ten days under severe penalties. A few days afterward they went to his house again, decoyed him out by pretending to be his friends, and gave him about thirty lashes.

A few days after Meadows, Brookshire and White were whipped, Jabez L. Harrison was at Samuel Browns store, which was on the old road a short distance north of where Wheatland now stands. Old Mr. Cruce who stuttered badly was there, and seeing a company of men coming said to Harrison "y-yonder c-comes them s slickers. Y-y-you'd better 1-leave here, y-you d-d-damned r-rascal; t-they'll c-catch you and w-whip you to d-death." But he refused to go, and they took him off near Mr. Whitehead's house and gave hina a cruel lashing. In the language of my informant, they "cut him to the hollow." They afterwards said he had the tenderest skin of any man they slicked. It was at this time that they made him confess the plot to kill Hiram K. Turk. A few days after they were slicked, Brookshire and White, who were drinking men, met at Brown's store and while drinking got to talk- ing about being slicked. White asked Brookshire to let him see his back. Ou examining it lie said to Brookshire with, a lisp, that was habitual with him, "Wellth, Billy, they cuth my rindth a heap worse than they didth yourn."

This was all the slicking that was done with the exception of Samuel Yates, who was slicked eighteen months afterwards near Warsaw. These slickiugs threw the whole County into excitement, and the feeling was so intense that the entire community took sides in sentiment with one party or the other, and many good citizens openly favored each side and gave them aid in their law suits.

As soon as the slicking began the Jones party swore out warrants before Squires Sampson Norton and Alex. Breshers, on Breshers' prairie, and Edward T. Major at Warsaw, against the Turk party, and had nearly all the prominent men bound over. A number of the Jones party were recognized as witnesses against them. The Turk party retaliated by swearing out warrants against several of the Jones party. Andy was bound over on a charge of stealing Jno. Woods' bull and killing him for beef at a Christmas frolic, a few days after he was acquitted of killing Hiram K. Turk. Arch. Cock and the Keatons were arrested on Jabez Harrison's testimony for conspiring to kill Hiram K. Turk. All through the months of February and March, 1842, the parties waged against each other a war of criminal prosecutions. The excitement had grown so great that the militia was called out, under the direction of Col. D. C. Ballou. Capt. John Holloway having had experience in the Black Hawk war, was in command in the field. A number of expeditions were made by the militia to make arrests. In executing the warrant against Andy Jones for stealing the bull, he was pursued through the north end of the Twenty-five Mile Prairie. He took refuge in the house of Horace Dark, and on Alex. Cox, a prominent Turk man, demanding of him to surrender, he fired at Cox and said he would have killed him had not his gun gone off too soon. He was bound over for this assault. A few days after, while the two parties were in Warsaw attending to examinations, Andy Jones drew his Gun on Cox again, in front of Walls old book store, then known as the "Duch Fort," it being a grocery kept by John Mayer and the headquarters of the Jones party. He was bound over for this assault also.

During the excitement of these prosecutions, the two parties came to "Warsaw in companies, numbering near a hundred men each, fully armed. But strange to say no serious collision occured between them. On one occasion the Turks who had their headquarters in what is now the Hastain House, fearing the Joneses were too strong for them, circulated the report that they had a cannon, and thursting an old stovepipe out at a window put the Joneses to precipitate flight. Many minor altercations took place in town at this time, and subsequently when law suits were going on. Thomas Howser, who sympathized with the Joneses, got into a quarrel with Hobaugh and Mackey, Turk men, cut Hobaugh and was shot by Mackey. Wm. Terry was attacked by Tom. Turk and Isam Hobles and knocked down with a club, in the old Dutch Fort. This house was the scene of nearly all their rows.

After the slicking was over the Turks continued to scour the country, threatening to slick the Jones men, and ordering them out of the country. About this time Jacob Dobkyns was killed, but I am not able to fix the time of his death. The Turks were threatening to whip one Metcalf, who lived in the neighborhood of Quincy, and he requested several of his friends to spend the night with him, among others Dobkyns. During the night a shot was fired through a crack of the door, and Dobkyns instantly killed. It was reported that Eobert Turk fired the shot, intending to kill Metcalf. The threats of the Turks, together with the fact that the weight of public sentiment was against the Joneses^ drove the chief men among them out of the country, and when the April Court, 1842, came on they failed to appear, and their bonds were forfeited. This practically terminated the "Slicker War" proper, but a number of terrible tragedies growing out of it, took place during the next two years.

At the April Court, 1842, Abraham C. Nowell was tried for the murder of James Turk and acquitted. During the following spring and summer, with the exception of an assault on Arch. Cock by Eobert Turk, June 20, but little violence prevailed. During this year and the next, occasional rumors would be circulated that the Joneses were in the country, and the Turks would organize and patrol the country, with considerable demonstrations of violence.

learning that he was at home they secreted themselves near his house, which was three miles north-west of Quincy, on the morning of October 18th, to kill him. On coming out of his house early in the morning to get a bucket of water from a barrel in front of the door, he heard a gun fire and as he raised up to see whence the shot came, another gun fired and he received a bullet near his heart. He staggered back a few steps and fell dead in his door. Four men were seen to run off, and their places of ambush were afterwards found. A daughter of Mr. Nowell, Mrs. John B. Lemon, is still living in this County, and from her I have obtained much information in regard to the Slicker War.

From the killing of Nowell dates the division of the Turk men among themselves. It is said that Tom Turk fired first at Nowell, and that Isam Hobles fired the shot that killed him. Hobbs accused Turk of missing him on purpose in order to throw the killing of him on Hobbs. From this grew a bitter quarrel between them, the particulars of which I have been unable to obtain, the indictments against them having been found in Polk County, and the records afterwards destroyed. It seems that the Turks and Hobbs lived, at this time, some distance beyond Quincy. Isam Hobbs was frequently indicted, in Polk, for assaults, and for gambling, as well as for murder. Tom. Turk was also probably indicted in Polk. While on his way to Bolivar, as a witness in some case, JefF. Hobbs was waylaid and killed. This was probably in 1843. In the same year, perhaps, Thomas Draffin was found dead, shot through the head, the shot having entered at his mouth. The Turks buried him as quietly as possible, and reported that he had committed suicide. It was supposed however, that he had been murdered. It is known that he had sent a message to Mrs. Nowell, proposing to see her and tell her who it was that killed her husband, and it was supposed he was killed to prevent this disclosure.

In September 1843, it was reported that Andy Jones was in the country, and Tom. and Eobert Turk, and several of their principal followers, came down to Warsaw on the 19th. They rallied at the house of W. L. Vaughn, below Warsaw, with a number of citizens living in the vicinity of Warsaw. At night they went down the river and searched the houses of Elijah Cherry and one Donaghe, who lived near where Gray Cook now lives. From there they went over to the house of Samuel Yates, who lived on the farm now owned by Mrs. Shaver. Deputy Sheriff John B. Ferguson was along, with a writ for Jones. Yates refused to admit them, and the Sheriff becoming satisfied that Jones was not there, he and many others went home. But the Turks and others remained, and just before day, got Yates out of the house by promising not to hurt him. They tied him to a tree and gave him a severe whipping with a cowhide. In the struggle to tie him his wife seized a gun, and would have fired on them had she not been restrained by one of the company. Thirty-eight men including a number of most respectable citizens, were indicted for this affair; among others, Elijah W. Eamsey, Wm. L. Vaughn, Jonathan Martin, John B. Ferguson, George H. Hughes, George Blanton, James Walthall, James Thurman, Billington Johnson, Benj. H. Williams and Wm. Lankford. The case was dismissed as to most, of these, it being clear that they were not present, or not active participants. All the others were acquitted, except Jonathan Martin who was fined $23.10. He thinks he must have been fined because he was the only man who showed any mercy to Yates, having untied him. He appealed to the Supreme Court and the judgment against him was reversed. The Turks were indicted but never tried. A short time after, while Tom. Turk was returning from a blacksmith shop, where he had been to get his horse shod, preparatory to starting for Kentucky, he was way -laid by Isam Hobbs and shot dead. Hobbs was arrested, broke jail, and fled to Potosi, in S. E. Mo. ; was re-taken, again escaped from the Bolivar jail, fled to Tennessee and was riddled with bullets and instantly killed, in attempting to escape arrest there.

Nathan Turk followed the Jones to Texas, and Andy Jones, Harvey White, Loud Ray, and perhaps others of the Jones party, were hung there, through his instrumentality, for horse stealing and killing friendly Indians. He himself was killed in an affray at Shrevesport. Soon after the death of Tom. Turk, his mother and her youngest son, Eobert, returned to Kentucky. She is said to have deeply deplored the violence of her sons and husband. Her share in this bloody drama is unwritten, but it is hard to conceive of a heavier burden of woe than fell to her lot.

Noted Criminal Trials

In 1840, Wm. Grizzle was tried on a change of venue from Pulaski County. He was indicted and found guilty of murder in the first degree and Sheriff Smith erected a scaffold for his execution in the hollow, between the hills, a short distance south of Mr. E. S. Drake's house. A large concourse of people gathered to witness the execution, and the prisoner was on the scaffold, when a commutation by the Grovernor to imprisonment in the Penitentiary was produced. Judge Wright had received the commutation some days before, with instructions to hold it to the last moment, to see if he would not confess. He did confess to the killing some days before the day of execution, but his confession being coupled with the charge that he slew the man for improper familiarity with his wife, the commutation was carried into effect. Another account says he had killed a man with whose wife he had been unduly familiar, having waylaid him as he came from mill.

In 1844, a quarrel arose between Ben P. Major, a prominent lawyer, and at the time Slate Senator, and Elijah Cherry, who had been County Judge, and was a well-known citizen. The difficulty grew out of a political contest. They met on Main Street, became involved in a fight, and Cherry cut Major so that he died shortly afterwards. Cherry was acquitted.

Another noted homicide was the killing of John H. Wilson by Thomas Coats, in 1845. Bad feeling arose between them at a party, at a hotel, and meeting afterwards on Main Street, a few hot words passed, and Coates stabbed Wilson, and killed him. Coates, also, was acquitted.

I believe this was the last trial for a capital offense committed in the County, until after the war. Just before the war Haythornwhite was bound over for the murder of Vannoy, but he went off during the war, and was never tried.

The most prominent name in the criminal annals of the County was that of Stephen H. Howser, commonly called Hogue Howser. He was a eon of Stephen A. Howser, the first settler at Warsaw.

the plains, en route to California. He also killed a man named Farris, in Gasconade County, in 1853, was tried at St. Louis, and sentenced to the penitentiary in 1859, and pardoned. At the beginning of the war he had acquired a wide reputation as a lawless man. Soon after the war began he wantonly killed a man at Bolivar. Soon afterwards, as he rode out of town with Mr. D. D. Jones, he shot him dead in the road, at the corner of Mr. Powers' field. His motive is supposed to have been to get Jones' money. Ho was followed to Vernon County by some of our best citizens, and killed, while attempting to escape from a house in which they had surrounded him.

Pomme De Terre Bridge

In 1837, John H. Howard, who at first settled on the river below Warsaw, near where Mr. P. W. Duckworth now lives, moved to the farm now owned by the heirs of E. B. Cunningham, and established a ferry on the Pomme de Terre, at the upper end of the fiield, on the State road. The road then left the present road south of Mr. Albert Crabtree's, passed by the Cunningham house, and crossed the creek near the farm now owned by John H. Johnson. I think Jonathan Harris then lived on that farm. Mr. Harris and Mr. N. Campbell laid oif a town on their farms, and called it Fairfield, and had a post office, and perhaps some small business houses. In 1836 Judge Geo. Alexander obtained a license to keep a ferry, near his house, on the Osceola road, below where the bridge now stands. On the 8th of June, 1841, the County Court appointed D . C. Ballou and B. W. Keown to select a location for a bridge on the Pomme do Terre, with instructions to locate it between the crossing of the Springfield road and the crossing of the Osceola road. They reported Dec. 22d, 1841. The report was laid over, and seems never to have been acted on. October 18, 1843, an order was made, locating the bridge at Alexander & Cornwall's mill, Alexander, Cornwall and Elbert being judg'es. Thos. J. Bishop was appointed commissioner to contract for building it, and it was not to cost over ?2,000. July 15, 1844, the stone work was let to Capt, Jno. HoUoway, by order of court, at $2,486. Holloway completed his work March 1846, and was allowed $100 for extra work. The wood work, on a cheap plan, was first let July 15, 1844, to Wilson C Foster, at $499. But the plan was afterwards changed, and the present plan, by Monroe Asbury, was let to Foster in May, 1845, at $1,622.66. He was paid $72.66 for extra work on completion of his contract in April, 1846.

Howard's ferry, where the town of Fairfield had been originally laid off. The court appointed Milton Kinkead, Stephen A. Howser and James P. Bone to examine and report on the advantages of the respective sites, and on their reporting in favor of the present site, the bridge was built there.

California Excitement

From the close of the Slicker war, in 1844, till 1861, but few events of a remarkable nature occurred in the history of the County, and I shall only make brief mention of that period, in addition to the allusion to it under the various heads of this sketch.

The effects of the Mexican war, and the gold fever of 1849, were strongly felt in the County. The demand for live stock created by the war, and the emmigration to California, had a marked influence in raising prices, and giving activity to business, and, probably, did more than all other causes to bring relief from the stagnation caused by the crash of 1837. The organization of a company for the Mexican war is spoken of elsewhere. The California gold excitement was high here, as it was generally in the West. Many of our prominent men crossed the plains, some to stay for a short period, others with their families, intending to remain. A few made money, but it is doubtful whether the majority would not have done better to have remained at home in their usual pursuits.

Cholera

CHOLERA. The year 1849 is notable for the prevalence of cholera at Warsaw. In June of that year James Blakey and William Peak returned from the South, where they had taken a drove of horses. On June 6th, Mr. Blakey, who was the husband of Mrs. Sarah B. Blakey, still liviog at Warsaw, was attacked with cholera, and died the next day. Mr. Peak was also attacked, and in a very short time died. Mr. Blakey's child and sister, Mrs. Ben. P. Major, Dr. Benson, Mr. Kidwell, and a colored man, also died. Several others had the disease, but recovered. Great excitement and alarm prevailed, and many people left town. The farmers were afraid to come to Warsaw, and business for some time was almost wholly suspended. I believe this is the only instance in which the cholera has ever visited the County.

Improvement Of The Osage

During the period now under consideration, (1844 to 1861,) considerable effort was made to improve the navigation of the Osage river. In 1839, an act was passed to establish a general system of internal improvements in the State of Missouri, and under this act Mr. Henry King surveyed the Osage River and made a report, which is published in the Senate Journal of 1840. The act was repealed in 1841, and I think no other work was done under it on the Osage.

In 1847 an act was passed organizing the "Osage River Association," a company consisting of the counties along the river, and such individuals as might take stock in it. The counties were authorized to invest their road and canal, and internal improvement funds, in the association, and also to levy a tax for the improvement of the river. James W. Field, of Benton County, was appointed director by the act, with power to organize the company. D. C. Ballou, who was in the legislature when the act was passed, was appointed director for Benton County by the County Court, in 1852. I think some work on the wing dams was done by this association, but how much I am unable to determine.

By an act of February 14, 1855, this association was dissolved, and 850,000 was appropriated for work on the river. Sydney R. Roberts, of Linn Creek, James Atkinson, of Warsaw, and William L.Vaughn, of Osceola, were appointed commissioners to superintend the work. Under this act the last work on the river in Benton County was done. Some work has since been done near the mouth of the river, under appropriations made by Congress, between 1868 and 1872. Experience has demonstrated that the wing dam system of improvement, on which all the work has been done, is of no permanent benefit, but probably an actual injury to the navigation of the river. In 1847, 1849, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1873 and 1874, memorials were passed by the Legislature, earnestly urging Congress to grant aid for the improvement of the Osage.

Kansas War

ans to rally and protect southern settlers in Kansas, In response to the call, a company of about 50 was raised at Warsaw, James McBlwrath, James E. Barkley, W". D. Barkley and Arnold B. Whipple being leading men. They joined Col. Eeid at West Port, in Jackson County, and marched on to Gen. Lane and John Brown's Free State forces at Lawrence. Through the intervention of the U. S. forces, both parties were disbanded, and the Benton County men returned home, after having been out about two weeks.

I desired to ^ive an account of the orcranization of the first Churches in the County, but have been able to get correct information in only a few cases.

I think the first Church ever organized in the County, was Antioch Church, of Primitive Baptists, which now worships, and has a neat building, on Xorth Prairie, four miles northwest of Cross Timbers, in Hickory County. It was organized at the house of Washington Young, in the Kichwoods, in 1833, Elders James Richardson and Elijah "Williams being the first ministers. The first members were James Dawson, John Potter, Daniel Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Xancy Young, Ann Foster, Nancy Holloway, Nellie Dawson and James Richardson. The preachers for this Church have been James Richardson, James H. Baker, Hezekiah Parker, Daniel Briggs, Marquis Monroe and Marcus "Walker.

Another early Church was organized June 24, 1842. at the house of James H. Lay, on Little Tebo. Elder L. Elgin was the first preacher, and Marcellus F. Dunn, Meshac "Willis, James H. Lay, William Jean.^i. Jeremiah Bess and Josephus Gill the first members. This was the beginning of what was aftorwards known as Bethel Christian Church. Among the Ministers who have prenched at this Church, were Elgin, Heremond. D. de Jarnette, Allan Wright, Winthrop H. Hopson, Charles Carlton, McGarvey, and George W. Longan, the latter a man of rare ability and piety, having long been the chief support of the Church. A good house was built, but the congregation was broken up by the war, and no regular preaching has been had since. A few of the members still meet in the neighborhood occasionally for worship.

I think that about the same time this Church was organized, another was organized by Elder Elgin, at Warsaw, which has continued, with many vicissitudes, to the present time. It built the brick Church known as the Christian Church, in War-

The Presbyterian Church, in Warsaw, was organized at an early day, - the exact time I have not ascertained. The brick Church was built about 1849. This Church, in its best days, was in charge of Rev. J. V. Barks, an able and most exemplary minister.

The Baptist Church in the Vinson neighborhood, near Lincoln, and Wesley Chapel, a Methodist Church, near the same place, were early Churches. Their members were scattered by the war, and solitude again broods among the forest trees which for years resounded with the songs of the early worshippers.

In August, 1840, Mr. E. Cameron started the Osage Banner, a Whig paper, at Warsaw. It suspended in about nine months. The Osage VaVey, a Democratic paper, was started by Bevin & Co. (E. Cameron being the Co.), early in 1842. Bevin was an eccentric man, rode around the country with a large box of papers tied behind his saddle, seeking subscribers, became noted for his oddities, and finally, things not going to suit him, he walked into the river, on a cold day, up to his chin, with the purpose of drowning himself He thought better of it, however, and walked out again and left the country, his paper being suspended. In 1843 W. T. Yeomans started the Osage Yeoman, Democratic, and in the spring of 1845 Cameron & Eitchie bought it out, and began to publish the Saturday Morning Visitor, neutral in politics. In 1848 its name was changed to the Warsaw Weekly Whig, and it was published as a Whig paper by E. Cameron & Co., Ritchey being the Co. About 1850 Cameron went to Osceola, and Ritchey continued to publish the paper as the Democratic Review, until it was bought out by Murray & Leach, and published as the South West Democrat. The South West Democrat, at the beginning of the war, had attained a large circulation, and possessed as much influence as any paper in South West Missouri. Mark L. Means, who wielded a vigorous pen, did the chief political writing for it, and shaped public sentiment to a large extent. The paper was a strong advocate of the Southern cause, until it was suspended by the enlistment of its proprietors in the Southern army. Mr. Leach was one of the first to fall in the war, being killed at Cole Camp.

After the war, Messrs. Smith & Reed, in the fall of 1865, established the Warsaw Times as a Republican paper. It has beon published ever since by Mr. Smith, making its age over ten years, the greatest ever attained by any paper in the County.

In 1866 Messrs Soyster & Edmondson began the publication of the Benton County Index, a Democratic paper. It suspended about 1869. About 1870 F. D, Harkrider established the Benton County Democrat, and in 1872 sold it to Ben R. Lingle, who conducted it till 1874, and sold to Messrs. Woodbury. They sold to C. H,

War Of 1861

To the war of 1861, I propose to make only a very general allusion. Its events are yet too recent to admit of a narration of details, witheut reviving memories which should sleep.

At the breaking out of the war, most of the prominent politicians of the County were southern men. The Southwest Democrat, an influential paper, espoused the southern cause with great vigor. When the news of the attack on Fort Sumter came, the wildest excitement prevailed, and two companies were soon organized at Warsaw, under the state law, for resistance to the Federal government. The first, called the Grays, was commanded by Capt. O'Kane, a graduate of West Point; the second, called the Blues, by Dr. Stephen F. Halo, an old resident of the County. After the attack on Camp Jackson at St. Louis, they were called to Jefferson City by Gov. Jackson, but soon returned. In the meantime the Germans around Cole Camp, who were universally loyal, organized as Home Guards, and camped at the barns of Henry Heisterberg and Harmon Harms, about two miles east of Cole Camp. They numbered several hundred, and were commanded by Capt. A. H. W. Cook. The Warsaw companies had received reports that the Home Guards were preparing to march on Warsaw, and on the evening of June 18, 1861, they forestalled them by marching out to Cole Camp. One or more companies from Henry County were co-operating with them. Their movements were made so quietly, that about dawn on the morning of the 19th, they attacked the barns and took the Home Guards by surprise. They were generally asleep until awakened by the fire of the assailants. Being untrained militia, and thrown into confusion by the suddenness of the attack, they made but little resistance, but fled in all directions. It is said that from fifty to one hundred were killed in the attack and pursuit. I think the exact number who fell was never known. The Warsaw companies lost six men - Jno. H.

Leach, editor of the Democrat, A. B. Whipple, a lawyer, Eice Howser, post master at Warsaw, Wm. Gill, Allen Kemper and George Teft. The affairs at Boonville and Camp Jackson, which occurred about the same time, are of much greater notoriety, but the Cole Camp battle was a more bloody contest than either of them.

A few days after the fight, Gov. Jackson's forces came through Warsaw from Boonville, in retreat before Gen. Lyon. The Warsaw companies followed south ; were in the battles at Carthage and Wilson's Creek, and returned to Warsaw in August, soon affer the latter battle. After the attack on Lexington, the southern forces were compelled to retreat before Gen. Freemont's army, in the fall of 1861, and the County remained under the control of the Union men till the close of the war, with the exception of occasional raids and bushwhacking expeditions.

Some time in the winter of 1861-2, Gen. Ed. Price, son of Gen. Sterling Price, came through the County with a large force of recruits, and camped at Warsaw at night. During the night he was overtaken by a force of Federals and captured, at the house of Judge Wright. His men were on the south side of the river and escaped.

In the year of 1862, the enrolled Militia and Missouri State Militia were organized, and a detachment of one of these organizations was generally stationed in the County. In September, 1863, Shelby came through the county, on his raid, and gave the Militia and citizens of Warsaw a general stampede ; supplied himself with goods at the stores, tore out the records of the County that had been made under Union jurisdiction, and hastened on to the Missouri river.

At the time of Price's retreat from Missouri, in the fall of 1864, several hundred of his men came through this County, shot Jas. D. Perkins, the Circuit Attorney, in the streets of Warsaw, and on their way out, through the Richwoods, killed other citizens. In the spring of 1865, a small band, on its way from the south, came through the southern part of the County and killed several citizens ; came to the river bank, opposite Warsaw, exchanged a few shots with the citizens, but passed on to the Missouri river without attempting to enter the town. One of them, named Hill, was arrested in Lafayette County, and put in the Warsaw jail, but was taken out in the night and shot.

The above leading events, very inadequately, represent the connection of the people of Benton County with the war. While some lives were lost, and much property taken by the organized forces of both sides, the people of the County suffered chiefly from the lawlessness which resulted from the war. Evil disposed persons made a pretense of espousing either side for the purpose of plunder, or of wreaking private malice. The insecurity of property and of life, became so great that a large portion of the best citizens left their homes. Many peaceable citizens were killed, houses aud fencing were burned, and the ordinary course of "business, to a great degree, suspended. Farmers ceased all kinds of improvement, and many improved farms lay idle. Lands were sold at ruinous prices, or abandoned unsold. But the return of peace soon revived the energies of the people, and the population and wealth of the County in a short time exceeded what it was before the war.

Conclusion

I have thus spoken of the more important events in the history of the County to a time still fresh in the memory of the present inhabitants. The want of time, the difficulties of giving an impartial account of events so recent, and the little necessity, as yet, for committing an account of this later time to writing, warn me to stop at this point.

What I have written is only one feature, and a minor one, of the history of the County - its public life. Its private life, which is its real history, is too infinite in its details for narration. The parting from friends, and the early associations of childhood; the tedious journey to the land of hope in the west; the solitude of the camp fire, and the cabin in the wilderness ; the struggle with poverty, toil and disease ; the weary pining for the old home ; the loss of husbands, wives and children in a land of strangers ; the discouragement and return of some, the perseverance and better fortune of others ; the melting of the forest before the axe of the pioneer; the spread of bountiful fields; the erection of comfortable, and in many cases, of beautiful homes ; of churches and school houses ; the formation of new ties in place of the old ones ; the growth of a generation for whom this has the sacred associations of fatherland - all this is the chief history of Benton County, but is too endless to be written in a general sketch. "Happy are the people whose annals are dull."

Circuit Attorneys

John W. Lindsev, William White. George Alexander. Judge LlndBey died In 1.^40. and Stephen A. Howser was appointed to fill the vacancy till the Aug. election. . .

Adamson Cornwall, Joel B. Holbert and Markham Fristoe. Hickory County being organized in 1*15, and Judge Holbert living in that County, ceased to be Jud-e. Judge Cornwall died on the bench. Burr H. Emerson becanie Judge Tn 1S45, in place of Judge Holbert, by appointment of Gov. John C. Edwards.

I860. Markham Fristoe, Joshua G. Phillips, Stephen H. Davis. Ousted by conveution of 1862. 1862. Elemelech S. Drake, David Kidwell and Thomas Jackman. Judge Drake resigned, and Harrison H. Ham took his seat as successor, on Jan. 26,1863. 1866. Harrison H. Ham, Daniel Freund, Joseph Monroe. 1868. Joseph Monroe, Daniel Freund and Sewell W. Smith. 1870. Joseph Monroe, Seweh W. Smith, Peter E. Holtzen. 1872. Sewell W. Smith, Peter E. Holtzen, Stephen H. Davis. 1874. Peter E. Holtzen, Stephen H. Davi.s and George Gallaher.

Probate Court Circuit Clerks

1835. Thomas J. Bishop. Jan. 1&54. Henry F. Burns. Dec. 1854. Edward T.Major. Ousted by Convention in 1862. 1862. Benjamin F. Bibb. Deputies. F. A.Hanford, Willis C. HaU, R. H. Bibb, Morris Foster and A. Tillotson.