■f%&^
>>7 ,
H I S T'O R Y
OF
Dunklin County, Mo
1845-1895.
Embracing an Historical Account of the Towns and Post-Villages of
Clarkton, Cotton Plant, Cardwell, Caruth, Campbell, Gibson,
Halcomb, Hornersville, Kennett, Lulu, Maiden, Nesbit,
Senath, Valley Ridge, Vincent, White Oak
and Wrightville.
Including a Department Devoted to the Description of the Early
Appearance, Settlement, Development, Resources, and
Present Appearance of the County.
With an Album of Its People and Homes
Profusely Illustrated.
BY
MARY F. SMYTH-DAVIS.
ST. LOUIS:
NIXON-JONES PRINTING CO.
1896.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Page.
Territory of Missouri 7
State Organization 8
Why we were Included in Missouri 11
Boundaries 13
Earthquakes of 1811-12 15
CHAPTER II.
The Mound Builders — The Indians 19-21
CHAPTER III.
Scenery, Animals, etc 23
Physical Features 26
Present Appearances — Floods 28-29
CHAPTER IV.
The Civil War 31
CHAPTER V.
Early Settlements 38
Pioneer Physicians — General Growth of
County ,...., 43
(3)
4 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
Page.
Churches —
Baptist —Methodist. . , 59-64
General Baptist — Cumberland Presby-
terian 68-70
Presbyterian — : Christian — Catholic. . . 72-76
CHAPTER VII.
Resources — Health Rate 77-83
CHAPTER IX.
Court Officials and Courts 86-99
CHAPTER X.
Towns and Villages —
Caruth — Cardwell 99-100
Cotton Plant — Clarkton 102-105
Campbell — Gibson — Halcomb 107-1 12
Hornersville — Kennett 114-119
Lulu — Maiden. 131-132
Nesbit — Senath — Valley Ridge 141-144
Vincet — White Oak — Wrightsville. . . 145-146
CHAPTER XI.
Politics, Exports, etc 146-150
Biographical Sketches Illustrated 151
A Group of Dunklin County Women 284-287
TO MY FKIENDS.
This little volume has been prepared to preserve
the past history of Dunklin County, Mo., perpetuate
the names of its pioneers, keep the time and manner
of settlement, record the names of its officials, and
preserve much other matter that would otherwise, in
a few years, be entirely lost.
Also realizing the many untrue and detrimental
things which have been spoken of her native county,
the author desires to bring it before its sister counties
and the world as it now exists, and to this end has
personally visited every locality of the county, and
more than fifty of the oldest and best informed citizens,
in search of information, and in every instance uying
that which proved to be the most reliable.
(5)
INTRODUCTORY.
As every book must be, in some part, more or less
the opinion of its author, the writer has endeavored
to be moderate in language of praise, and to avoid all
exao^o^eration.
The Album of our People and Homes has received
much care and attention, with the best possible results
from the material furnished.
While knowing the book is not perfect, it is hoped
that it will meet with the approval of all.
My friends will please remember that I was born,
reared and educated (with the exception of two years
in the Piedmont, Wayne County, public schools, when
a child) — in Dunklin County; and I acknowledge
with pride, not only my nationality, but my native
State and county.
I tender my grateful thanks for courtesies received
from many friends, and respectfully dedicate this his-
tory to the people of Dunklin County.
The Author.
(6)
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
TERRITORY OF MISSOURI.
Congress organized the Territory of Missouri, June
4, 1812. The first Council consisted of nine members,
and the House of thirteen. ** Territory of Louisiana "
comprised its real boundary, yet it practically con-
sisted of only the settled parts of Missouri, as follows :
Cape Girardeau, embracing the territory between
Tywappity Bottom and Apple Creek, Ste. Genevieve,
extending from Apple Creek to the Meramec River,
St. Louis', including that part of the State between
the Meramec and Missouri rivers, St. Charles, com-
prising the settled country between the Missouri and
Mississippi.
In October of the same year, these four districts
were reorganized into five counties, by proclamation of
Gov. Howard. The fifth was called New Madrid,
and included Arkansas, therefore the present site of
Dunklin County.
In 1814 the population of the entire Territory was
25,000. The country was rapidly settled up and new
counties organized.
DurincT the session of the Legislature, in 1816-17,
(7)
O HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO,
the old '*Bank of Missouri" was chartered; and in
the fall of 1817 the two banks, *' St. Louis" and
** Missouri," were issuing bills, the former having gone
into operation in 1814.
The first newspaper west of the Mississippi was
published at St. Louis, July 12th, 1808. It was first
called the Missouri Gazette, and measured 12x16
inches. It proved to be the forerunner of the Missouri
Republican, thence The Republic, and now so widely
read by the staunch Democrats of Dunklin County.
The first paper west of St. Louis was the Missouri
Intelligencer, established by Nathaniel Patton, in
1819, at Old Franklin, and later removed to Fayette.
In 1818 the first Protestant Church (Baptist) was
built in St. Louis, and in the same year a cathedral
was commenced on the site of the old log church which
had been built by the early French settlers.
state organization.
In 1818, the inhabitants of Missouri petitioned for
admission into the Union, through John Scott, dele-
gate to Congress. Two years was consumed in the
discussion of the slavery question, by the House of
Representatives and the Senate. The House insisted
on the gradual restriction of involuntary servitude,
and the Senate refused to indorse any anti-slavery
proviso whatever.
In 1820, while the matter was still under discussion,
that amendment, famous as the ** Missouri Compro-
mise," was presented by Jesse B. Thomas, of Illi-
nois, and adopted March 6th of the same year. This
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. ^
settled, for the time, all differences between the two
Houses, and allowed Missouri to enter the Union with
slavery. The pro-slavery senators consented to this
measure because they saw by the determination of the
House that they would be unable otherwise to secure
the admission of Missouri.
The people of the Territory of Missouri then
organized into fifteen counties, were authorized by
Congress to hold an election in May, 1820, to choose
representatives to the State Convention, whose object
should be the framing of a Constitution. Accord-
ingly, forty-one representatives convened at St.
Louis, June 12. The Constitution which the Con-
vention framed took effect from the authority of the
body itself, not being submitted to the vote of the
people. It withstood the mutations of parties and
all efforts at material amendment from the time of its
adoption till the Convention of 1865.
November 16, 1820, Mr. Scott laid before the
House of Representatives, at Washington, a copy of
the Constitution of the new State, when a fresh
debate arose, first, because the Constitution sanctioned
slavery, and, second, because one of its articles
especially enjoined that such laws should be passed as
might be necessary to prevent free mulattoes and
negroes from coming to or settling in the new State
under any pretext whatsoever.
The perils of the political situation becoming immi-
nent, Mr. Clay, of Kentucky, moved that twenty-three
Representatives, one from each State, be appointed to
act jointly with the Senate committee, in an attempt
fO HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTy, U6.
to adjust the difficulty. Such acomaiittee was chosen
with Mr. Clay as its chairman. The Senate also
appointed seven of its members on the joint committee
which, on February 26, 1821, reported to each House
the followinof:
*' Resolved, by the iSenate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America, in Congress
Assembled,
That Missouri shall be admitted into this Union on
an equal footing with the original States, in all re-
spects w4iatever, upon the fundamental conditions that
the fourth clause of the twenty-sixth section of the
article of the Constitution, submitted on the part of
said State to Cons^ress, shall never be construed to
authorize the passage of any law, and that no law
shall be passed in conformity thereto, by which any
citizen of either of the States in the Union shall be
excluded from the enjoyment of any of the privileges
and immunities to which such citizen is entitled under
the Constitution of the United States.
'^ Provided. That the Legislature of said State, by
a solemn public act, shall declare the assent of the
State to the said fundamental conditions, and shall
transmit to the President of the United States, on or
before the fourth Monday in November next, an
authentic copy of the said act, upon the receipt
whereof the President, by proclamation, shall announce
the fact; whereupon, and without any further pro-
ceeding on the part of Congress, the admission of the
State into the Union shall be considered as complete.''
HISTORY Oi^ DtNKLiN COUNTV, MO. 11
This resolutioD, known as ** The Clay Compromise' '
was soon adopted by both Houses.
The 26th of the following June, the Legislature of
Missouri adopted an act declaring the assent of the
State to the conditions of admission, and transmitted
to the President a copy of the same.
August 10, 1821, after a struggle of nearly two
years and a half, the admission of Missouri into the
Union was announced by the proclamation of Presi-
dent Monroe, and the State from that day took rank
as the twenty-fourth of the American Republic. The
seat of government was fixed at St. Charles, but was
moved, in 1826, to Jefferson City.
According to the first census taken in September,
1821, the population of the State was 70,647, of
whom 11,254 were slaves.
WHY WE WERE INCLUDED IN MISSOURI,
In 1804 Congress divided Louisiana into two terri-
tories by a line running with the thirty-third parallel
of north latitude. In 1812 the Territory of Missouri
was organized from a portion of Upper Louisiana, and
in 1819 Arkansas Territory was established. When
it was proposed to organize the State of Missouri, the
bill as first introduced provided that the parallel of
36° and 30" should be the Southern boundary of Mis-
souri throughout its entire extent, from the Mississippi
river West.
There were at this time many hardy pioneers on
the Mississippi below that line, whose interests were
linked with the settlements of the North by tiescommer-
12 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
cial as well as social, and they felt that as their position
was so far in advance of other portions of Arkansas
Territory, they were entitled to all the privileojes and
immunities which is offered by a State government.
Prominent among these pioneers was Col. John
Hardiman Walker, who owned larofe tracts of land in
Pemiscot and Dunklin Counties, and who was anxious
to have his lands annexed to Missouri. Many others
of the pioneers were desirous of being Missourians,
and until a late date became indignant if spoken of as
being properly «' Arkansawyers."
Col. Walker, Godfrey Lesieur, and several other
leading citizens of this portion of the State, by exert-
ing their influence with friends in Washington, suc-
ceeded in having the original bill amended and the line
from the Mississippi to the St. Francois rivers lowered
to the parallel of 36^. Hence we are for all time /
Missourians. ^r— *
Dunklin County was organized February 14, 1845,
from that portion of Stoddard County south of the
parallel of 36° 30". In 1853 a strip nine miles wide
was added to this territory on the north. The county
was named in honor of Daniel Dunklin, Governor of
Missouri from 1832 to 1836, then Surveyor-General
of the United States, etc. It lies between St. Francois
river and J^ew Madrid and Pemiscot Counties, in a
portion of the State which apparently belongs to
Arkansas.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 13
BOUNDARY — R. S. 1879, SEC. 3615.
Dunklin. Beginning at the northwest corner of
New Madrid County in the middle of township 23,
north, in range 10, east of the fifth principal meridian,
thence due west with the section lines to the middle
of the main channel of the St. Francois River, thence
down the middle of the main channel of said river,
with the meanderings thereof, to where said river
crosses the line between the States of Missouri and
Arkansas; thence east with said State line on the
parallel of latitude 36 degrees and 30 minutes, to the
middle of the main channel of said St. Francois River
where it crosses the State line at the southeast corner
of the southwest quarter of section 36, in township
22, north, in range 8, east of the fifth principal
meridian ; thence down the middle of the main channel
of said St. Francois River with the meanderings thereof
to the extreme south boundary of the State of Mis-
souri : thence due east to the southwest corner of
Pemiscot County ; thence with the western boundary
line of Pemiscot County to the southwest corner of
New Madrid County to the place of beginning.
jlrea,— It is nearly fifty miles in length, and em-
braces an area of 500 square miles.
The county is only about five miles neal* the center,
and reaches its greatest width on its southern extremity,
being there twenty-two miles wide. On the north
line it is eleven miles in width.
Soil.— The most productive is a black sand and
muck mixture which is especially adapted to cotton,
14 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
corn, other grain and garden vegetables. Excepting
a portion of Grand Prairie the lower end of the county
is almost entirely composed of this soil and is exceed-
ingly productive and fertile.
There is also another variety of sand lighter in
character. This is the soil of the prairies, which is
peculiarly adapted to the production of grain, potatoes,
watermelons, and vegetables whose value depends upon
early ripening. With intelligent attention both of the
above mentioned soils grow the very finest small fruits,
and that too with the very least labor.
Another variety of soil is found near the foot-hills
in the northwest part of the count}^ and is a rich,
yellowish loam. It is heavier than the sandy varieties
and is not easily exhausted. It produces large crops
of corn, and is adapted to grass, wheat and fruit. •
Still f\\rther up on both sides of the hilUridge the
soil is of a still heavier and black variety. The strip
of hills known as ** Crowley's Ridge " are principally
of a variety of clay. Here the peach and other fruits
are grown of good size and the best quality; and here,
also, the principal wheat crop of the county is grown.
The very best brick and potter's clay are found on
the ridge and along the St. Francois River in this
county. There is also a pure white variety that
resembles putty in appearance, and a red of similar or
ochraceous character, with a considerable show of iron
in many places. Our farm lands have proved to be
not easily exhausted, producing good crops annually,
many of them ^for over forty years, and without any
especial care,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 15
EARTHQUAKES OF 1811-12.
These are known as New Madrid earthquakes. They
have been felt not only in the county of New Madrid,
but also the adjacent country on both sides of the
Mississippi River. The center of the disturbance
seems to have been in Pemiscot County, in the vicin-
ity of Little Prairie.
Michael Braunm (father of Tecumsey Braunm, Miss
Lizzie Braunm and Mrs. Victorine (Braunm) Horner,
all yet living in Dunklin County) — Was a married
man livino: at the above mentioned place durins: the
time of the earthquakes. In describing the catastro-
phe he stated that in one particular place on the
Mississippi the earth rose like a great loaf of bread to
the height of many feet, the uprising being accom-
panied by a terrible rumbling noise. The swell
finally burst with one of the most severe shocks
of the period, and great quantities of sand,
water and a black sulphurous vapor, was thrown
out to nearly the height of an ordinary tree, com-
pletely darkening the atmosphere for some distance.
When it was again light it was noticed that many
acres of land had disappeared in the Mississippi, the
current of which was retrograded for a short time.
The rising motion and rumbling noise warned the
inhabitants, and they fled in dismay, so that no lives
were lost. Mr. Braunm's residence was about a half
mile from the seeming center of this particular shock,
and when it had subsided he placed his wife on a
horse, walking in front himself, to search out a way
16
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
over and between the deep fissures that had been
made in the earth, and thus sought a quieter locality,
as did the other inhabitants.
The description of the first shock as given by God-
frey Lesieur, who was an eye-witness to the scene, is
quoted from the *< History of Southeast Missouri,"
as follows : —
** The first shock was about 2 o'clock a. m., on the
night of December 16, 1811, and was very hard, shak-
ing down log houses, chimneys, etc. It was followed
at intervals from half an hour to an hour apart by
comparatively slight shocks, until about 7 o'clock in
the morning, when a rumbling noise was heard in the
west, not unlike distant thunder, and in an instant the
earth began to totter and shake so that no persons
were able to stand or walk. This lasted a minute,
then the earth was observed to be rolling in waves of
a few feet in height, with a visible depression between.
These swells burst, throwing up large volumes of
water, sand and a species of charcoal, some of which
was partly covered with a substance which by its
peculiar odor was thought to be sulphur. Where
these swells burst, large, wide and long fissures were
left running north and south parallel with each other
for miles. I have seen some four or five miles in
length, four and one-half feet deep on an average, and
about ten feet wide."
After this, slight shocks were felt at intervals until
January 7, 1812, when the region was again visited
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 17
by an earthquake equal to the first in violence, and
characterized by the same frightful results. Mr.
Lessieur says further, that upon this second visitation
the inhabitants, excepting two families, fled in dis-
may, leaving behind their stock and even many of
their household goods, all of which were appropriated
by adventurers and carried away in flatboals.
During this series of the most terrible earthquakes
that have ever visited the American Continent, which
occurred along the Mississippi Valley, streams were
turned from their channels or dried up ; hills, forests
and plains disappeared, and lakes, one of which, Eed-
foot Lake, sixty or seventy miles in length, and from
three to twenty in breadth, were formed. Vast heaps of
sand were scattered in various places, and whole
tracts of land sank below the level of the surrounding
country.
Dunklin County's swamps and sloughs were
undoubtedly made then, also its prairies and ** sand-
blows." Many of the fissures made in the earth are
yet plainly visible in this county, especially on Horse
Island, and near the foot of the hills west of Maiden.
All these fissures and the prairies, «' sandblows,"
sloughs or swamps, run in a northeasterly and south-
westerly direction in Dunklin County.
Judging by the description of this county before
these earthquakes, as given by Mr. Michael Braunm,
it seems to have sunk or settled down at least fifteen
or twenty feet, and in some places even more, all over
the south end and east side along the swamps of Little
River.
18 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
The small fissures in Dunklin County, made by the
earthquakes, run parallel with Seneca Creek, Kinamore
Slough, Honey Cypress, Buffalo Creek, Raglin and
Taylor sloughs, — and it is supposed that these are
only larger fissures made by the same catastrophe.
The Indians stated this to be a fact, also, that there
was no sand, sloughs or swamps prior to that time,
but a beautiful high-rolling country.
Since 1812 slight shocks have been felt in the same
region as the earthquakes of that date along the
Mississippi Valley. Two or three shakes are some-
times felt in one year. The last, and hardest one
since 1812, occurred about 5 o'clock Thursday morn-
ing of October 31, 1895. The Republic of November
2, 1895, says: ** Near Henson Lake, six miles south
of Charlestown, Mo., about four acres of ground
were sunk and filled with water, forming another lake.
Near Bertrand hundreds of mounds of sand are piled
up, ranging in size from twelve inches to ten feet in
circumference, and the ditches in this neighborhood
are filled with water, coming from the holes made,
there having been no rain to fill them any other way
for nearly two months. Near Big Lake, four miles
north of Charleston, are two small holes in the earth,
from which the water is spouting to the height of
three feet. Every bricklayer in the city (Charleston)
was busy all day replacing flues and chimneys that
were skaken down.
'* The trembling of the earth is said to have been
felt in at least seventeen States. The vibration
^eeiBS to have been most violent in the section ex-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 19
tending directly south of the State of Ohio. Only
a few slight personal injuries have been reported.
Considerable damage has been done to property in
many places, brick flues were felled, chimneys shaken
down,— plate-glass fronts and glass window panes fell
from houses, plastering shook from walls, clocks were
stopped and lights put out, and in some places people
were nauseated and rolled out from their beds by the
rocking of the earth."
These late shocks were much lighter in Dunklin
County than in many other places, the severity being
indicated by a message sent from Maiden to The Rep-
ublic on October 31, 1895 : *' The heaviest earthquake
since 1812 occurred here at 5:07 this morning, lasting
tiiree minutes, from northeast to southwest. There was
a fceneral scare but no damage is known."
CHAPTER II.
INDIANS AND OTHER RACES.
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
This is a race who have acquired their name from
the numerous large mounds of earth left by them.
This race possessed a much less degree of culture
than the races that built the ancient cities of Cen-
tral America, and reaches back into an antiquity so
remote as to have left behind no vestige of tradition.
They seem to have been a half-civilized people, and
pnce occupied Missouri and various other parts of tbe
20 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
United States. Remains of what were apparently
villages, altars, temples, idols, burial-places, monu-
ments, camps, fortifications and pleasure-grounds have
been found, but nothing showing that any material
save earth was used in the construction of their habi-
tations. At first these works were supposed to be of
Indian origin, but careful examination has revealed the
fact that despite several adverse theories they must
have been reared by a people as distinct from the
North American Indian as were those later people of
Central America.
The mounds and other ancient earthworks con-
structed l)y this people are abundant in Southeast
Missouri. Some are quite large, but the greater part
of them are small and inconspicuous.
*< Along nearly all of the water-courses that are large
enough to be navigated by a canoe, the mounds are
almost invariably found, so that when one places him-
self in such a position as to command the grandest
river scenery he is almost sure to discover that he is
standing upon one of these ancient tunnels, or in
close proximity thereto. The human skeletons, with
skulls differing from those of the Indians, that are
found in these mounds are usually accompanied by
pottery and various ornaments and utensils showing
considerable mechanical skill. From the compara-
tively rude state of the arts among them, however, it
has been inferred that the time of their migration to
this country, if indeed they did migrate, was very
remote."*
History of Southeast Missouri.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 21
Their axes were of stone; their raiment, judging
from fragments which have been discovered, consisted
of the bark of trees interwoven with feathers, and
their military works were such as a people would erect
who had just passed to the pastoral state of society
from that dependent alone upon hunting and fishing.
They were, no doubt, idolaters, and it has been con-
jectured that the sun was the object of their adoration.
The mounds were generally built in a situation afford-
ing a view of the rising sun; when inclosed in walls
their gateways were toward the east; their caves in
which their dead ^vere occasionally buried always
opened in the same direction ; when bodies were buried
in graves, as was frequently the case, they were laid
in a direction east and west ; and, finally, medals have
been found, representing the sun and his rays of light.
Duuklin County is an especially rich field for the
archaeologist. Situated on the farm of C. V. Langdon,
one mile south of Cotton Plant, is one of the largest
mounds in the county, adjoining are smaller ones.
North of Cardvvell, two miles on Major Willie Ray's
place, there is quite a number.
In the north part, and, in fact, nearly all over the
county at comparatively short distances, these mounds
are very noticeable. Extra large-sized human bones,
skulls, earthen pots, rude ornaments, and various stone
implements have been exhumed from many of these
mounds.
THE INDIANS.
Whence they came, and to what other race they are
allied, or whether they were originally created a dis-
22 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
tinct people in the forest wilds of America have been
questions much discussed by the learned and unlearned
of modern times, but thus far have elicited onlv
hypotheses in reply. The most common supposition
is, however, that they are a derivative race, sprung
from one of the more ancient people of Asia, and that
they came to this continent by way of Behring Strait,
and this doubtless is the true theory. The tribes
with whom the first settlers of Missouri came princi-
pally in contact were the Pottavvattomies, the lowas,
the Kickapoos, the Sacs, and the Foxes.
Among the Indian chiefs whom the first settlers of
this county came in contact with were Chilletacaux,
Senaca, Kinamore, John Big Knife, Corn Meal, John
Ease, Moonshine, Buck-Eye and Chickolee. Chille-
tacaux near Kennett was the principal Indian village;
the Indian chief of the same name lived there in a
small log hut, the cracks of which were suflacieiitly
large for his many cats to go in and out at will.
Even after the county had a considerable number of
white settlers the Indians came back in summer to
their old camp grounds. The squaws *' tended " a
common corn-patch, from which each one received her
portion. They also made beaded moccasins and orna-
ments. The men hunted and fished. The Chickasaw
Indians are said to have been lost during the earth-
quakes at Cuckle-Burr Slough, between Buffalo Creek
and Big Lake. The Indians were all peaceable and
kind when treated so by the whites.
klSTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. ^O
CHAPTER HI.
SCENEUY, ANIMALS, ETC.
The appearance, physical features, etc., of this
part of the country before the earthquake of 1811-12,
was very different from that of latter years. Before
that disturbance of the earth's surface Crowley's Ridge
extended to the lower end of Dunklin County, gradu-
ally sloping on the sides and south end to level but
Dot low land.
Little River was called White Water, and was a
beautiful but very crooked stream resembling a moun-
tain creek; it had high banks on which grew highland
timber, as oak, sassafras, walnut, mulberry, etc.
This is a fact proven by the large amount of this tim-
ber that still remains (much of it in a good state
of preservation), imbedded in the '* bottoms " along
St. Francois and Little Rivers.
During a dry fall season, as has been this present
one of 1895, one may easily see where Little River
ran before the earthquakes. By following up its bed or
main channel there are yet remains of its high banks in
some places that give it the appearance of a creek
during a dry season. On either side of this main
chann'el may be found imbedded in the earth the above
mentioned highland timber thoroughly water seasoned,
and although one may at present drive across it it is
usually covered with water from a few to many feet
deep, making the swamp called Little River from one
to several miles in width.
24 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
East of Castor River (now known as New River in
this county) and White Water or Little River, the
country was described by Dr. Brookway through Col.
Applegate as being before the earthquakes nearly
level but not swampy, a beautiful country all the way
to Point Pleasant in New Madrid County.
The tunnels erected by that prehistoric race called
*' Mound Builders," were numerous along these water-
courses and much more conspicuous than is generally
supposed. But in 1811-12 the general appearance of
the country was materially changed. The banks of
White Water were shaken down, and Little River, with
a swamp on either side, in some places several miles
in width, was formed in its stead. The magnificent
highland timber was uprooted and left nearly, or quite,
buried in mud and water. The hills, forests and clay
soil in the south end of the county as well as all along
its eastern boundary disappeared. The scene was an
open country largely covered with water, on which
grew few or no trees. So it was described by Indians
to the early settlers.
By the year 1830, West Prairie and Grand Prairie
were nearly dry and covered with prairie and sage
grass from three feet to the height of a man on horse-
back. On the edges of the prairies the wild strawberry
and dewberry grew in profusion. In the lower places
there was a growth called wild, or duck oats, and
ffreat rush and canebrakes on still lower land. The
creeks and sloughs, that are now nearly or quite dry,
most of the year, were then, in many places, deep
enough to swim a horse.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 25
Much moss aad other aquatic growths flourished in
the rivers and lakes then as dow. There was some
small cypress in the swamps of Little River, but all
over the lower end of the county the trees were com-
paratively scarce and unusually small. During the
fall seasons after the prairies were burned off, as they
were every few years, sometimes annually, an unlimited
view could be had. When this grass was allowed to
grow it became so hiojh and thick that it was difficult
to pass through unless one followed the paths made
by wild beasts from water to den.
No wonder that the waters and prairies were in turn
blackened by thousands of geese, or made white by
the beautiful swan, or changed to the dingy hue of the
blue crane, or brightened by the rich coloring of the
mallard duck.
The wild turkey did not fail to mingle his gobble
with the mocking jabber of the parrot, and many par-
raquet. The American eagle built his nest in the
cypress trees, in what is now the vicinity of Cotton
Plant and Hornersville.
With small birds the woods were fairly tilled,
although there were many kinds of hawks and owls to
prey upon them. Year after year the trees grew
larger, and the small growth thicker, until by 1850 the
entire county was a vast forest filled with wild animals
and fur-bearing creatures — a good hunting and fish-
ing ground for the Indians, but still very sparingly
settled by whites.
The largest wild animals that inhabited this county
in early dates was the buffalo. James Baker and
^d
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Wiley Clarkston killed seven of these animals from
one herd at the head of Buffalo Island in 1845. Some
other hunters killed sixteen from one herd. These
animals left this county in the winter of 1847. Elk
were more numerous than buffaloes. Nathanial Baker
says he has seen several hundred of these quadrupeds
in one herd in the fall of the year. They stayed in
the swamps closer each year until January, 1865,
when they went further west.
Deer, bears, wolves, panthers, catamounts, wild
cats, and fur-bearing creatures, as beaver, otter, mink,
coon and opossum, lived here in great numbers, and
were for many years the staple product of the
count}^
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
Twenty years ago this county was nearly covered
with a heavy growth of timber, broken on the east of
the north central part by West Prairie and in the south
central part by Grand Prairie. The Glades, a strip
of black, mucky, low land from two to five miles wide,
lies along St. Francois River for several miles in the
northwest corner of the county and is heavily tim-
bered.
Crawley's Ridge, a range of hills that strikes the
county on the north in section 22-23, township 23,
range 9, is from two to several miles wide, and zigzags
through the north part of the county as far south as
Campbell. It supports some fine beech and oak tim-
ber. Among the clay soil of this ridge may be found
some exceptionally fine potter's clay.
iliStORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 2f
The east, central and lower parts of the county jue
level, traversed by many little rivers, creeks or so-
called sloughs, that divide the surface into many small
islands.
West Swamp is about five miles west of Maiden and
separates that vicinity from the ridge.
Canaan Island, southeast of Campbell, at the foot
hills, and Clarkson, are separated by Pond Slough.
Taylor's Slough runs between West Prairie and Hal-
comb Island, and Varners River runs south of Halcomb
and divides that island from Ten Mile Island. Chil-
letacaux River separates the last named island from
Scrub Ridge, or Kennett and vicinity.
The cut-off that joins St. Francois andVarneys rivers
runs between Ten Mile and Two Mile Islands. The
last-named river runs between Two Mile Island and
Horse Island and Buffalo Creek, between the latter and
Grand Prairie. Buffalo and Horse Islands are divided
by Honey Cypress, and Seneca Creek runs between an
island of the same name and Buffalo.
Formerly these creeks and sloughs were considered
hopeless swamps. Now much of them are beginning
to be appreciated as among the best land in the
county. For years the high waters have depos-
ited rich soil upon them ; this, with decaying vegeta-
tion, have raised them materially. As the heavy
timber is cut off the land dries. In many places
where, fifteen years ago, water stood in s|)ring saddle-
girth deep to a horse, the land is this year planted in
corn and cotton, and bids fair to yield an abundant
harvest.
28
mSTOUY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
THE PRESENT APPEARANCE
Is such as our people may justly feel proud. When it
is remembered that less than fifty years ago an open
farm of more than twenty acres was considered large,
and ten acres was about the average size, now the
glade has more and larger farms than did the county
in 1858. The ridge has many line farms, well
Levi Mercantile Co., Malden.
improved, and West Swamp, between the ridge and
Maiden, is fast being opened up. From the north
county line to Maiden, and south of there to Kennett,
magnificent farms bound you on every side, making
comfortable homes and independent livelihoods for
their owners. If you travel from Campbell west to
the St. Francois River, or southeast through Canaan
Island to Halcomb, thence south through Halcomb
Island to White Oak and on down throuijh Ten Mile
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 29
and Two Mile Islands, and south to Senatli on Horse
Island, your road lies in a well improved country.
On every hand it gives evidence of thrift and
prosperity.
South of Senath on Horse Island and Buffalo Island
to the county line there are some of the finest farms in
the county ; still there is much unimproved land and
fine timber here, especially in the vicinity of Card-
well. From Kennett south to Cotton Plant on Grand
Prairie and past Hornersville to the county line, are
as fine farms as any county can boast.
WILD GROWTHS.
The blackberry, dewberry and strawberry grow
wild in nearly every neighborhood in the county,
from the hill-tops to the overflow regions in the
extreme southeast corner. The wild grape, mus-
cadine, persimmon, pecan, plum, crab-apple, and
black-haw make beautiful the country, and laden the
air with the delio^htful odor of their blossoms in
spring, and hang out their fruit in tempting array
among the autumn leaves.
On the hills there is a growth known as Japan
clover, which is a good mast for hogs, sheep, cattle,
etc. The wild grasses, yonkepins, mosses, etc., are
plentiful.
FLOODS.
These have, perhaps, from times immemorial
occasionally visited the regions of the lower Mississippi
Valley, always causing great alarm and considerable
loss of property to the inhabitants.
30 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
The southeast corner of Dunklin County have, during
some of these visitations, been inundated by the waters
from the tributaries of the " great " river, and during
some of these floods the muddy waters of the Missis-
sippi itself have been easily noticed in the bounds of
our county.
Among the most destructive floods which have
reached this county may be mentioned those of 1844,
1857, 1858 and 1882-1883. The high waters of 1882
were the most destructive to the inhabitants of this
county of any which have occurred within the memory
of the present generation. There was no loss of life
among the inhabitants, but considerable live stock and
much corn and other produce was destroyed. Febru-
ary 28, 1882, the waters were noticed coming across the
road near the Old Gulp Place south of Hornersville.
It also flowed into all low places both north and south
of the town.
The waters flowed with as much swiftness as a moun-
tain creek after a heavy rain, and the inhabitants at
once became excited. James A. Mizelle, who lived in
a small log house near the bank of Little River, about
a mile south of town, immediately, with the assistance
of neighbors, built a scaffold for his corn ; put the
beds into the garret of his house, emptied the bureau
drawers of their contents and took his family and live
stock to higher ground. On coming back next day in
his canoe he found the scaff'oldor corn pen washeddown,
the corn floating in every direction, and the fences
in a similar plight. On looking into the house, which
he was just able to do by lying down in his canoe or
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 31
** dugout," he found the chairs and bureaus with their
legs in the air floating around in the top of the house.
However, this was an exceptionally low place,
and yet, where it had been only the day before dry
land, green with early spring grass, it was on March 1,
1882, covered by water from one to four feet in depth.
The floods extended as far north as Cotton Plant and
from one-half to two miles west of the river.
The sloughs in the county were also high, and the
St. Francois River overflowed its banks in some
places. But in a short time the waters subsided almost
as rapidly as they had risen, and the farmers, though
a little late, made good crops. The Government came
to the assistance of the people and replaced such nec-
essaries as they had lost.
The levee along the west bank of the Mississippi
gives us reason to hope that these floods will not occur
again; in fact, it is practically certain that it will afford
us permanent protection. We have had no high water
to do any damage in this county since 1884.
The levee begins near Commerce, north of Cairo,
111., and will extend to the mouth of the St. Francois
River, near Helena, Ark.
CHAPTER IV.
THE CIVIL AVAR.
Dunklin County furnished but few incidents of the
Civil War that are of much repute. The conflict par-
32 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
took largely of the character of a guerrilla or partisan
warfare, and with two or three exceptions there were
no regularly planned and executed campaigns by regu-
lar troops. At the beginning most of the inhabitants
of this portion of the country were desirous of pre-
serving the Union, but at the same time opposed to
the coercion of the seceding States. When, however,
the alternative of union or disunion was presented, the
majority of the counties of Missouri went with the
South. Dunklin, with the majority, supported the
*' State Guards," which by act of the Legislature was
organized in May, 1861.
The Governor of Missouri appointed N. W. Watkins,
Brigadier-General, to command the First Military
District, which embraced Southeast Missouri.
Gen. Watkins soon tendered his resignation, which
was accepted. His successor was Gen. Jeff. Thomp-
son. Upon assuming command he issued the follow-
ing proclamatory call: —
* ^^Missourians! strike for your Firesides and your
Homes!
** Headquarters First Military District, }
Missouri State Guards. ^
** Bloomfield, Mo., Aug. 1, 18(j1.
** To THE People of Missouri:
'* Havinor been elected to command the fifallant sons
of the First Military District of Missouri in the second
War for Independence, I appeal to all whose hearts
are with us to immediately take the field. By a
History of Southeast Missouri.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 33
speedy and simultaneous assault on our foes we can,
like a hurricane, scatter them to the winds, while tardy
action, like the gentle South wind, will only meet
with Northern frosts, and advance and recede, and,
like the seasons, will be like the history of the war,
and will last forever. Come now! Strike while the
iron is hot! Our enemies are whipped in Virginia.
They have been whipped in Missouri; Gen. Hardee
advances in the center. Gen. Pillow on the right. Gen.
McCuUoch on the left with 20,000 brave Southern
hearts to our aid ; so leave your plow in the furrow,
your ox to the yoke, and rush like a tornado upon our
invaders and foes to sweep them from the face of the
earth, or force them from the soil of the State.
*< Brave sons of the First District, come and join us !
We have plenty of ammunition and the cattle on
10,000 hills are ours. We have 40,000 Belgian mus-
kets coming, but bring your guns and muskets
with you if you have them, if not come without
them. We will strike our foes like a Southern
thunderbolt, and soon our camp fires will illuminate
the Meramec and Missouri.
'< Come, turn out I
'* Jeff. Thompson,
" Brigadier-General Comd'g."
Early in 1861 a regiment was organized in Dunklin
County for the State Guard's service. James A.
Walker was elected Colonel, and D. Y. Pankey, Lieu-
tenant-Colonel, and Birth Right, Major.
Among the captains of companies were S. P.
3
34 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Eldricige, Lee Taylor, A. J. Dooley, W. P. Jones and
Taylor Pickard. The regiment was organized at
Clarkton, and after spending some time in drilling,
joined Gen. Thompson's force and were in the fight
at Fredericktown. Gen. Thompson, with his State
Guards, entered upon an active warfare, and while
they did not do any serious damage to the Union army
succeeded in drawing the attention of a considerable
force. On August 11, 1861, a detachment dashed into
the valley of Hemburg, Scott Co., where there was a
small body of Home Guards. Killed one man,
wounded five andcaptured thirteen.
On August 20, 1861, Col. Jason H. Hunter was
sent out to develop the Unionists in the vicinity of
Bird's Point. At Charleston he met Col. Dougherty
with the Twenty-second Illinois Infantry, and engaged
them in a skirmish in the town, but was driven back
in confusion. When he returned to camp. Hunter
was placed under arrest by Gen. Thompson for dis-
obeying orders, his instructions having been not to
engage the enemy. Gen. Thompson's men numbered
about 3,000, about 800 of whom were Dunklinites.
In October, Gen. Thompson with his entire force
marched northward to Fredericktown, followed by a
considerable force of Union men under Col. J. B.
Plumer from Cape Girardeau. Before the arrival of
Plumer, Thompson left Fredericktown, and it was
thought by the citizens of the town that he was in full
retreat, and they so informed his pursuers.
Plumer at once followed the Confederates, and
when about a mile southof town, was met by the latter
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 35
in full force ; they had faced about and awaited the
approach of the enemy. During the fight that ensued
neither side suffered serious loss. Gen. Thompson
was driven back and retreated in safety to Greenville.
Meanwhile the Union forces had not remained idle.
July 17, 1861, B. Gratz Brown, with a regiment of
three-months' volunteers, was ordered to take posses-
sion of Pilot Knob, where he remained until August
8th, when he was relieved by Gen. U. S. Grant, with
his Twenty -first Illinois regiment. Gen. Grant at
once prepared to take the offensive against Hardee,
at Greenville, but when ready to begin active opera-
tion, he was relieved by Gen. B. M. Prentiss.
About September 1st, Gen. Grant was appointed to
the command of the district of Southeast Missouri,
which also included Southern Illinois. He established
temporary headquarters at Cape Girardeau, but a few
days later removed to Cairo, Illinois.
By order of the Department Commander he was
first to take command of a combined expedition from
Cairo, Bird's Point and Ironton for the capture of »Ieff.
Thompson. Gen. Prentiss had been ordered to move
from Ironton to Cape Girardeau, and the forces at Cairo
were to be ready to drop down the river to Belmont
and march westward from that point. When Gen.
Prentiss reached Jackson, he found orders from Grant
to halt his troops there, but disregarding them he
pushed on to Cape Girardeau, where he was met by
Grant, who ordered him to return his men to Jackson
at once. Prentiss believed himself the ranking officer,
and feeling much aggrieved at being placed under one
36 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
whom he considered his junior, he left his command
when he had counter-marched them to Jackson, and
went to St. Louis. This put an end to the expedition
against Thompson.
After the campaign at Fredericktown the regiment
from Dunklin County returned to New Madrid, and at
the end of six months was mustered out. Meanwhile
Gen. Grant, who was stationed at Cairo, had by
November 1, 1861, an army of 20,000 Union soldiers
fairly well drilled but entirely unexperienced in war.
Gen. Grant divided his men, dispatching Col.
Oglesby from Bird's Point with a force of nearly 3,000
men in pursuit of an equally large number of Confed-
erates, who were reported to be on St. Francois River
about fifty miles to the west. On November 5, Grant
received a teleojram from St. Louis informinor him
that the enemy were reinforcing Price from Columbia
by way of White River, and directing him if possible
to prevent it. Now Col. W. H. L. Wallace was sent
to overtake and reinforce Oglesby, and to change the
direction of the expedition to New Madrid. Gen. C.
F. Smith was ordered to make a demonstration on
Columbus from Paducah. Gen. Grant with his
remaining 3,000 men dropped down the river on
steamers convoyed by two gunboats to within six miles
of Columbus.
Learning early the next morning that the Confed-
erates were crossing troops to Belmont to reinforce
the camp at that place, Grant pushed down the river
and an hour after daybreak was landing his troops on
the west bank about a mile above Belmont. By 8
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 37
o'clock two companies from each regiment were
thrown forward, as skirmishers, and soon met the
enemy. The engagement soon became general and
histed for about four hours. Finally the Confederates
fell back and took refuge belovv the river bank. The
Union men wasted their time by plundering the de-
serted tents of the Confederates, thereby forfeiting
an opportunity to secure a signal victory. During
this time the Confederates dispatched two boat loads
of reinforcements from Columbus.
Gen. Grant was powerless to control his men until
they found themselves in danger of being cut off from
retreat ; they then formed in line and started for their
boats, which they reached with but little resistance
from the enemy.
The loss in this battle was considerable on both
sides. This closed the campaign of 1861.
In 1862, the first important movement in Dunklin
County was that made by Col. Edd Daniels in May,
with the First Wisconsin regiment. On oeing de-
feated in a fight at Chalk Bluff, Ark., with Col. W. L.
Jeffers, a Confederate oflScer, Daniels pushed down
through this county and captured the steamer Daniel
E. Miller, at Hornersville.
October 29, 1862, there was a skirmish at Clarkton,
between the Second Illinois Cavalry from New Madrid,
Rogers Battery from Columbus, and Col. Henry E.
Clark. The former captured about sixty men and
over sixty horses and then retreated.
In August, 1863, Col. R. G. Woodson made a raid
from Pilot Knob to Pocahontas, Ark., and captured
38 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Gen. JefF. Thompson and his entire staff, all of whom
were sent to Gratiot Prison, St. Louis.
From this time until the close of the war, there
were no regular organized troops from Dunklin
County except those allied with Col. Solomon G.
Kitchens, who recruited a regiment in the spring of
1862, in Stoddard County. Jesse Ellison was made
Lieutenant-Colonel, and Capt. Walker of this county,
Major, also Dr. Linamood was Captain of a Com-
pany from Hornersville. These all joined Gen.
Price in his operations against Steel in Southern
Arkansas, and remained with him until surrendered at
Jacksonport, Ark., on June 5, 1865.
Several merciless guerrilla bands operated in the
southern part of Missouri led by such men as Pope
Conyers, Timothy Reeves, Hilderbrandt and the
Bowlins.
CHAPTER V.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
In 1829 Howard Moore located and built a small
house near Maiden, and was the first white resident of
Dunklin County. Mr. Moore afterward bought the
old Chilletacaux hut and improvements near Kennett.
In 1830, Mich.'iel Braunm, Jacob Taylor, and Abija
Rice, natives of North Carolina, who had formerly
settled at Bloomfield, came to Dunklin County. The
friendly Indian Chief Chilletacaux preceded them and
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 39
cut out or eDlargecl the '* Indian trail" or " bridle
path " to allow their two-wheeled ox carts and *' pack-
horses " to pass through the rushes, grass and cane
which obstructed the way. Taylor stopped on the
slough that perpetuates his name; Braunm located on
Braunni's Point near Hornersville, and Rice located
two miles northwest of that town, near where his son
Pascal Rice now resides.
In 1831 Moses Norman located on West Prairie.
In February, 1832, Thomas Neel, sen., and his wife's
father, Ray, emigrated to this county.
Mr. Ray was killed by being thrown from his cart
before reaching his destination, and was the first per-
son buried at the ** Old Horner" burying ground,
and is claimed to be the first white person buried in
the county.
About the same time another emigrant, James
Crow, was killed by a runaway horse, and was the
second man buried in the county.
James Baker and Wiley Clarkston came in 1833,
and (passing three houses, the only ones between
Moore's and Horse Island on the Big Road) located
on Horse Island. Baker bought the claim of Jim
Finley, the first, and at that time, the only white
family on the island, while Clarkston entered land.
In the same year Russle and William H. Horner
settled at Hornersville.
Among those who located here within the next few
years were : Pleasant Cockrum and Horris in the
vicinity of Cockrum Post-office, Jack Cude at Cotton
Plant, Thomas Varner on Varner River, and George
40 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Sheppard near Kennett; Henry Meyers and N. W.
Seitz on West Prairie, Hugh Shipley, four miles
north of Kennett, and Evan Evans south of that
place, in front of the " eight big cottonwood
trees." McCullough and Lafayette Sexton were
also among the early settlers in this vicinity,
and Adam Barnhart, who settled the old Baker
Place; Hugh Shipley, the Suiters, Shultz and Jack-
sons were neighbors. Frank Lee was one of the
pioneers and located three miles north of Hornersville.
Dr. Given Owens located on Rush Creek in 1841.
A. D. Bridges came to the county with his parents in
1844, and soon settled on Bridges Creek near *' Four
Mile." About the same time Jordan Lacy, John
Holtzhouser, James Faughn, Tucker and William
Gear located in the vicinity of Maiden and Campbell.
Besides these, there were, in 1847, located as indicated,
the following : M. Gibany, who kept a small grocery
store near the present site of Maiden ; Dr. Allen and
T. Hatley, in the same vicinity; John Gunnells, Jesse
Long, Mrs. Floyd, Montgomery, John McMasteis
and Dick Skaggs, near Clarkton.
At the head of West Prairie was Ephriham Thorn-
berry and James Harris. On Halcomb Island was
the Barnes farm, a small farm where the John P.
Taylor place now is, and Louis Halcomb near the
'< Lone Pine," and farther south the Miller and Bill
Chapman places, John Shields, Holloway, Dr.
Bozark, John Lowery, H. D. Flowers, Field,
Hiram Langdon and John Scott, and Price in the
vicinity of Kennett. Billy Johnson on Johnson's Island
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, iMO
41
and Monroe on Ragland Slough. Near the present
siteof Caruth, A. Thompson, Mrs. Welch, C. Bancroft,
H. Spencer, Mr. Whitney, Joe Pelts and Robt. L.
Glasscock were located. Near Cotton Plant, Mr.
O'Dannell, Riley Clarkston and J. McGrue, Joe Laden,
Lone Fine.
Daniel Harkey had opened land. North of Horners-
ville was Mr. Oxford, James P. Neel, J. McDaniel, J.
Lucux, John B. Walker, and James Williamson ; and
one-half mile south of that place, the Old Culp place.
In 1850, Dr. Jacob Snider settled on his place west
of Maiden on the foot-hills, and found, for neighbors,
42 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Charles Vincent, William Cross, and the *' Widow
Scaggs," and next, the Millers, at the foot of the hill
at Dexter.
In the same year, A. T. Douglass located in Clay
Township. Among their neighbors were E. J. Lang-
don, Edward Spencer, Louis Chandler, Isair Jones,
John Marsh, James Bradley, John Doughtery, Dick
Cook, William Herman, Absolom Fairis, the Mifflins,
A. B. Williams and David Finley. Within the next
decade came the heads of some of the most prominent
families, who — or their descendants — are still with
us, such as : John P. Taylor, Judge Hodges, Henry
James, Judge J. M. Waltrip, Daniel Harkey, James
P. Neel, Bennett Marshall, Asa B. Douglass, Enoch
Shelton, Humphrey Donalson, A. C. Auston, William
M. Saturfield, Moses Farrar, Judge E. Aker, C. N.
Lasley, David Rice, James Oxley, James A. Smyth,
Henry A. Applegate, William H. Shelton, Robert W.
Stokes, John Wright, T. F. Ham, Isam A. Waltrip,
Garrol M. White, Elgin C. White.
In the sixties came Jonas P. Stewart, Maj. W. C.
Rayburn, Benjamin R. Hopkins, Thomas H. Davis,
Capt. William G. Bragg, Martin V. Baird, William N.
Guns, Dr. V. H. Harrison, Judge James H. Owens,
Thomas B. Reeves, Dr. F. M. Wilkins, T. C. Stokes,
Daniel R. Cox, Rev. T. J. Davis.
These early settlers have become the fathers of
many of our present leading citizens, and yet many
of Dunklin County's most prominent citizens have
located here since 1870 ; these will mostly be found in
the Biographical Sketches.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 43
THE PIONEER PHYSICIANS OF THE COUNTY.
None of the early settlers had more difficulties
to encounter than these worthy men. Their names
are: Dr. eToe Rice and Dr. Allen, near Maiden, and
Dr. Jacob Snider, six miles west of Maiden, where he
now resides ; Dr. James Rice, also Dr. Given Owen, of
*«Four Mile;" Dr. Floyd and Dr. Scaggs, near
Clarkton; Dr. Varner, on the river that is known by
his name ; Dr. Fisher, Dr. Bozark and Dr. William
Grinstead, at Kennett; Dr. Crawford Jones, near
Caruth, and Dr. W. H. Homer, at HornersviUe.
There were also Dr. Page and Dr. Andrew Sloan,
and Dr. F. M. Wilkins and Dr. Van H.Harrison, who
located in this county in 1859 and 1862 respectfully.
There are, certainly, quite a number of prominent
physicians who have resided and practiced in this
county for twenty or twenty-five years, yet could not
be considered pioneers.
GENERAL GROWTH.
Dunklin County has passed through all the varied
stages and experiences of the ordinary new country.
Because of its being difficult of access it was not
settled as rapidly as some of the other counties of
Missouri. Then its great forests, — wild honey, wild
fruit, wild animals, and peculiar geographical situation,
made it a favorite hiding-place for criminals and des-
peradoes. The stranger, associating these with the
common citizen, formed a prejudice against the county
which we have yet to entirely overcome.
44 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
It is a great mistake to think that the Dunklin
County citizen is not law-abiding, intelligent, indus-
trious, progressive, and in every way up with the best
people of Southeast Missouri.
True, the time was when our citizens ** pounded "
their bread in the top of a stump, hollowed out for
the purpose, with the aid of a maul on a ** sweep "
operated in a ** windlass" something like the old
fashioned *' well-sweep " — and when their meat was
venison steak, bear bacon, or some other wild meat,
and their sassafras and spice wood, tea and coffee, was
sweetened with wild honey.
In those days the pioneers ate corn bread three
times each day for six days, and on the seventh had
a change in the form of biscuits for breakfast, made
of wheat flour that had been hauled all the way from
Cape Girardeau, over that most terrible pole road, —
'' The Devil's Washboard/'
But soon the little steel handmill for grinding corn
replaced the Indian apparatus mentioned above, and
one step was made on the line of progress.
In 1844, the nearest horse-power mill was situated
about where Bernie now stands. To *< go to mill "
was a two day's job, and the citizen who had no hand-
mill, and had too large a family for which to pound
his bread, went "to mill" about once each month,
taking corn for his near neighbors, who, as he com-
placently stated, only lived from three to ten miles
distant, and had left their corn at his house the even-
ing before he expected to start to the grist mill.
The citizens from the south part of the county could
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 45
not make the trip even in two days with their ox
teams and usually made Chilletacaux hut their lodg-
ing place. The Indian chief would spread his buffalo
robes for them to sleep upon, and if it were cold
keep fires in his stick-dirt fireplace all night for their
comfort, and with a word and a motion of his hand
send his multitude of cats out through the openings
between the logs of his hut like so many spiders into
their holes.
John Gunnells owned and operated the first horse-
power mill in the north part of this county ; it stood
near the present site of the J. P. Stewart mill.
In the latter part of 1849 Higginbotham erected a
steam mill near the same place and operated it for
several years. One of the oldest mills in the county
was the ''West Prairie Mill" which stood on the
corner of the old Marshall Place, two miles south of
Clarkton. Another of the first mills of the county
was erected by a Mr. Wadkins, but was soon after-
ward bought by Bridges & Taylor, and operated by
them near Old Four Mile.
The first mill in the southern part of the county,
to grind for the public, was operated by Howard
Moore near Kennett. The public, as was customary
in such instances, putting in its teams to help do the
work and, in addition, paying the ordinary toll. In
those days each citizen, while his corn was being
ground, cut wood for the steam mills, besides paying
toll out of his corn.
Jack Cude put up the first mill at Cotton Plant
about 1847. A Mr. Clark owned also a grist mill
46 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
which E. J. Langdon bought in the early part of the
'50s, and successfully operated for years. These
mills were crude affairs, being either small horse-
power or steam mills of no great force, and were all
corn or grist mills. To get their wheat ground into
flour the pioneers were compelled to go to Bloomfield,
Mo., or Cape Girardeau, or else had it ground in the
corn mill and then *' bolted " it by hand.
During the very earliest days the pioneer women
picked the seeds from their cotton, — which they used
for making cloth, — by hand. But about 1850 a
small cotton gin was established in the southern end
of the county to *' gin spinning cotton for the ladies."
E. J. Langdon soon bought this and carried on the
first extensive cotton business in the county.
The first merchants of Dunklin County could not be
said to have extensive establishments, on the contrary,
most of them kept small concerns covered and boarded
up on the sides with clapboards made by hand from
native trees. One of these, called a '' grocery," stood
on the site of Maiden's present public school building.
An old citizen says that, after excepting the barrel of
liquor, the entire stock kept in 1844 could have been
tied in an ordinary tablecloth. The proprietor of this
'* grocery " was Mr. M. Gibany.
Martin Hodge kept a somewhat more substantial
grocery store at Old Four Mile in the same year.
Abb Wheeler was one of the first merchants at Old
Cotton Hill. One of the first stores in the county
was owned by Elbert C. Spiller, at Kennett. John
Timberman and John Muse were the pioneer mer-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 47
chants at Clarkton, as also was John H. Stokes, who
established a store at the same place in 1856. E. J.
Langclon and Lsiar Jones ran a cooper shop and sup-
plied their neighbors with pails, tubs, etc., and
a blacksmithj near Cotton Plant in the latter part of
the '40s. Mr. Langdon also established the first
general store in that vicinity, which he continued to
run for many years.
William Saturfield was proprietor of a general store
at Hornersville as early as 1857. For several years
Jack Miller hauled goods from Cape Girardeau in an
ox wagon for many of these first stores. Another
way of bringing goods into the county was on small
boats that ran from Memphis, Tenn., up Little River
to Hornersville. The pioneer farmers of Dunklin
County cultivated a small corn crop in summer and
hunted or trapped for fur and game during the winter.
Later on they raised some wheat, also cattle and hogs,
but gave very little attention to fruit or garden vege-
tables. Not until after the Civil War did they culti-
vate any cotton except a few rows for spinning cotton.
Now all this is changed, for although checked by
the Civil War, as was all the rest of our country,
Dunklin County has climbed far up the ladder of prog-
ress. Her cotton gins, saw mills, grist mills and like
enterprises, blow their whistles on every hand, while
they turn out the best product of their kind.
A good flouring mill is now making and sending out
four good qualities of flour from Campbell. The
Laswell Milling Company owns and operates a very
large saw mill and lumberyard at that place. Maiden
48 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
has a large stave factory which handles and ships out
of the county an immense amount of timber, and is
an enterprise any county might be proud to possess.
Kennett has cotton gins, corn-sheller, cotton seed
huUers and other like machinery, and prepares a large
portion of the products of the county for market.
Kennett also has a cold storage warehouse, and much
fish and game are shipped from this place. No finer
fish or frogs exist than those in the waters of Dunklin
County. They are not used for currency, as has been
sneeringly stated, but they bring to our county about
$30,000 annually, besides afi'ording us two fine home
dishes that satisfies the palate of the Dunklinite in the
same manner as it does the St. Louisan.
There has been much gossip about we using furs
for currency. Now this was the case but to a very
limited extent forty or fifty years ago. There was
found among Hon. James P. Walker's papers three
years ago a note which proves that to some extent this
was done. It read: —
18 — . November 15th, afterdate I promise to pay
to Jas. P. Walker twenty-one he minkskins for value
received. (Signed)
Many stories have been told about the pioneers
taking large fur hides to their merchants, buying a
few goods and receiving a small hide for change.
This no doubt was true in some instances, but it has
been greatly exaggerated. The fact is the fur buyers
from Cape Girardeau and other places, as well as E.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 49
J. Langdon and other home merchants, paid the old
hunters thousands of dolhirs in gold and silver each
season for their furs. Many of the old citizens say
the fur traflSc during those pioneer days amounted
from $75,000 to $100,000 annually.
There is yet some fur in our county, but this traffic
has, of course, greatly diminished in recent years.
Our farmers now deal in cattle, hogs, horses, mules,
cotton, corn, watermelons, wheat and other produce.
George W. Marshall raises and ships more cattle and
hogs than any other farmer in the county. Ben. F.
Hicks is also an extensive stock dealer, and T. J.
Douglass buys and ships extensively.
There are, besides those mentioned above, a number
of prominent and extensive stock raisers and dealers in
this county who dehorn and prepare their stock in the
latest approved manner for market; feeding corn
from steam crushers, and turning that grain into fat
beef and pork. Yet it is a fact, that our people con-
tinue to buy much of their meats from St. Louis.
Yet our farmers are progressing and each year raising
more of the necessaries of life, buying less on credit
and saving more provisions and money for "next
summer." Our merchants have kept pace with the
rest of America's business men, and now show a
large amount of the latest merchandise displayed in
commodious, and even elegant frame or brick
buildings.
Small frame buildings, irregular sidewalks and other
marks of newness are disappearing from the main
streets of our larger towns, and cement or other good
4
50 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
walks are being laid in their place, with brick and
large frame houses as backgrounds. The residences
of our towns and country are yearly putting on a
look of more permanence, beauty and luxury. We
have a number of public buildings which would be an
honor to any county of a like age. The Courthouse,
situated on the public square in the town of Kennett,
the county seat, was erected in 1892, at a cost of
$15,000. The official rooms on the first floor are con-
venient and fitted up with the best modern furniture.
The court and jury rooms on the second floor are
amply commodious and neatly furnished.
The jail is a frame building furnished with Pauley
Bros, cells and was erected in 1882 at a cost of $9,000.
There are in the' county forty-five church buildings.
There are fifty-four school buildings worth between
forty and fifty thousand dollars. We have places for
sixty-seven teachers at an average salary of $43 per
month.
Our home teachers hold nine first-grade certificates,
thirty-six second, and eighteen third grades, given by
the Dunklin County Teachers Institute, which meets
annually. The last term was held in Kennett in June
of 1895. There are also five Normal diplomas and
four certificates from the Cape Girardeau State Normal
School.
Prof. T. J. Baird, county school commissioner, and
conductor of the Teachers Institute for two years
past, and Prof. R. S. Douglass, who was assistant in
the County Institute, are considered at the head of the
educational faculty in the county. These gentlemen
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 51
graduated with high honors from the Cape Girardeau
State School and are both natives of Dunklin County.
Most of our other teachers are either natives or have
resided at least several years in the county, and as a
body would be an honor to any county in our State.
We lack in our towns the benefits derived from large
colleges, but, as a whole, to take our county all over,
we have as good — many informed persons say bet-
ter — public school buildings than any county in South-
east Missouri. Nearly all are nently painted, finished
inside with hard oil and fitted up with modern furni-
ture. The terms of school run from four to ten
months; six months being about the average.
When we consider that fifteen years ago there was
scarcely a respectable school building in the county,
and but few organized districts, one may readily see
that we have made a grand stride along the line of
progress.
As to morals no county has improved more rapidly
than Dunklin during the last decade. The pastors of
the various church organizations, reported from all
over the county a greater number of additions during
the past year than ever before in a like period.
The Dunklin County Fair Association has fairly
well equipped grounds at Kennett, and every year
becomes better and more interesting. Every kind of
stock, machinery, farm products, ladies' fancy work,
and all other things displayed are noticeably better
each season.
Dunklin County's banks are operated according to
the most approved business principles. The Bank of
52 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Kennett, at Keiinett, has a capital stock of $25,000,
with a deposit on January 1, 1895, of $71,192.81.
The Dunklin County Bank, at Maiden, has a capital
stock of $15,000, with a deposit January 1, 1895,
of $31,000.
Dunklin County's newspapers have passed through
all the ins and outs, ups and downs, incidental to the
county paper. Its career commenced with the
"Dunklin County Herald," established in 1870 at
Kennett; at about the same time the ** Missouri
Democracy" was removed from Cape Girardeau to
Clarkton, and in January, 1871, the two were consoli-
dated and published at Kennett.
In 1872 Albert & Baldwin established the <*Adver-
tiser" at Clarkton. In a short time it was purchased
by Charles E. Stokes, who, in September, 1874, en-
larged it, changed the name to the ** Enterprise," and
in 1876 it was removed to Kennett, and about the
close of the year suspended.
In October, 1877, the '< Dunklin County Advocate "
was established at Clarkton, by W. R. McDaniel, but
very soon after the office was taken to Kennett, and
for a time it was published by J. W. Baldwin. In
1879 it was removed to Maiden, by Charles E. Stokes,
and its publication continued under the name of the
** Maiden Clipper." It was published by successive
owners until the spring of 1886, when it was returned
to Kennett, and after about a year suspended. It was
superseded in Maiden by the *' Dunklin County
News," published by John P. Allen, and edited by R.
G. Sandridge.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. * 53
This paper has been subject to some changes and
published by successive owners.
At present the << Dunklin County News,'* Maiden,
Missouri, is ** Issued under full pressure and with
great good will, weekly, by the Edwards Printing
Company, Casper M. Edwards, editor and manager,"
and is a *' paper for the people." *' Progress versus
Poverty;" ** under no man's thumb, anchored to no
clique, bound to make things hum every time we
speak." Mr. Edwards is an amiable and able gentle-
man, and believes in keeping in close touch with his
people, not behind, neither far ahead, as —
*' The man is thought a knave or fool,
Or bigot plotting crime,
Who for the advancement of his race,
Is wiser than his time."
The *'News" is Democratic in politics, and its
columns are always wholesome and newsy. April 19,
1888, the ''Clipper" was revived by Robert H.
Jones, who had also been associated with it for several
years during its life at Maiden. It was published at
Kennett as the " Kennett Clipper," by R. H. and L.
Jones, until April, 1893, when it was bought by its
present owners, and its name changed to the ** Dunklin
Democrat," Kennett, Dunklin County, Mo., published
weekly by the Dunklin County Publishing Co., E. P.
Caruthers, editor.
Mr. Caruthers shows marked ability and great
energy and — *' Publishes for all of the people in the
best county in the best State on earth." Undoubtedly
the best county paper in Southeast Missouri.
54 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
His paper is always newsy and sure to be up with
the times. The people of the entire county are
justly proud of the ** Dunklin Democrat."
The population of Dunklin County in 1850 was
1,220; in 1860 there was 5,026; in 1870 the census
showed 5,982; 1880 showed 9,604; 1890 grew to
15,085; and this present year, 1895, it is estimated
to be fully 20,000. The growth of this county in the
past fifteen years has certainly been phenomenal, but
not so great as may be reasonably expected within
a like number of years in the future. Its increase in
population has been based on the great natural re-
sources of which the county abounds. The fact that
this is a desirable place for young or enterprising
citizens to start up and make homes of their own is
yearly, nay weekly, bringing us permanent citizens.
The people of this county have not always enjoyed
the large number of splendid public roads, and the
means of ingress and egress afforded by our present
railroad system. Until within the past ten years the
road leading west from Cotton Plant, crossing Buffalo
creek at the Dave Woods place, and leading southwest
to the St. Francois River, was scarcely more than a
bridle path. If the traveler desired to go west to
Gainsville, Ark., or other points, he crossed the river
at Bowlen's Ferry, by allowing himself and saddle — if
he was on horseback — to be ** paddled" across the
river in a canoe, while he held his horse's bridle and
let him swim behind. Now the railroad leading w^est
from Cardwell in the south end of this county to
Paragould, Ark., takes the place of these crude accom-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 55
modations. The public roads — several in number —
leading to this vicinity are well protected by levees and
bridged wherever necessary. The public road leading
from the extreme south line of the county by Horners-
ville, Cotton Plant, and so on north to Kennett,
Clarkton, Maiden, and to Dexter, branches every few
miles to every little post-village in the county and
is always well kept and never becomes impassable;
one may pass over the county with a one-horse buggy
at any time of the year. At Kennett the public road
is intercepted by the Kennett and Caruthersville Rail-
road, which affords quick transportation east to
Caruthersville on the Mississippi River.
The St. Louis, Kennett & Southern Railroad con-
nects Kennett and Campbell, and connects with the
St. Louis Southwestern Railway, at the last mentioned
town, bringing Dunklin County in close touch with
the outside world.
The St. Louis, Southwestern Ry. Cotton Belt
Route, passes through Maiden, and connects that town
with Campbell and all Western points, and brings both
of these towns within a few hours' ride of Cairo, 111.
The Delta Branch, which runs into Maiden from
the North, makes accessible St. Louis and the North.
The five railroads in this county are fairly well equipped
considering the short time they have been in operation.
It will be noticed that the above railroad system
shows Dunklin County to be in easy access to Missouri
and the remainder of the United States of America.
Shipping facilities are good, and the officials of the
several railroads are courteous and accommodatinsf.
56 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
CHAPTER VI
CHURCHES, ETC.
In 1846, the first church house ever erected in
Dunklin County was built by the small neighborhood
around it and stood about one mile south of the
present site of the town of Maiden. The building was
composed of hewed gum logs. Thomas Warren, a
Freewill Baptist minister, organized a church of that
sect, which occupied this house. The organization
lived and flourished until the winter of 1849-50, when
an epidemic of what was l^nown as black tongue broke
out among the inhabitants, and nearly depopulated
the sparsely settled neighborhood. December 29,
1849, Mrs. Jordan Lacy and seven other persons were
buried at the old burying ground south of Maiden.
This church organization was soon lost sight of, and so
far as can be ascertained there has never been another
Freewill Baptist organization in the county up to the
present time.
Rev. Miller next organized a General Baptist Church
which worshiped in this house. He preached here
about one year and then died at his home in Gains-
ville. Ark. Soon after this a missionary Baptist
minister effected an organization whose members wor-
shiped in this house.
The Beechwell General Baptist Church and the Oak
Grove Missionary Baptist Church are properly out-
growths of these early organizations. The second
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 57
church house built in the county was the Old Liberty
near Caruth, which was erected about 1853. The
members of the M. E. C. S. worshiped in this house.
They now have a good frame building on the site of
the old log church.
In 1853 or 1854 a large log church with a Masonic
lodge above was built in the town of Clarkton. Al-
though other denominations worshiped here, this
house was looked upon as belonging to the Cumber-
land Presbyterians; it stood on the site of the pres-
ent Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Clarkton.
Perhaps the next church building erected in the
county was the old Harkey's Chapel. At first this
was a small log building used for school, church and
other public meetings (as were also all the other
church houses in the county up to twenty years ago),
and it stood on the Daniel Harkey Place, now the
William Ray Old Place, near Nesbit. The principiU
organization which worshiped in this house was that
of'the M. E. C. S. Later this church built a house on
the corner of the William Herman farm. A few
years ao-o they built the new Harkey Chapel at Nesbit.
Before'anv of these houses were built the people wor-
shiped under bush arbors or clapboard shanties. One
of these shanties stood near the Scaggs Place north ot
Clarkton. The preacher's stand was ** two blackjack
poles driven in the dirt tioor, with a cypress board
pinned to their tops." In this same place of wor-
ship the lights were, in one instance, when tallow
candles grew scarce, made in egg shells.
Here is a good description of the method of maknig
58 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
these lights : *' A small hole was made in the little end
of an egg and the shell emptied of its contents, it was
then filled with bear's oil or coon grease, a twisted
cotton wick put in it and the shell set in a saucer of
salt." One of the pioneer ladies says the egg-shell
lamps gave a very good light and that they were
plentiful.
One of the pioneer preachers who often stood be-
hind the board-stands, and read his text by the light
of the egg-shell lamps, had his attire made from
homespun cloth. In color his trousers were usually
of copperas and black, his shirt of copperas and white,
with suspenders of the same; in summer he wore no
coat and his tall '* beegum " hat was the only piece of
clerical looking apparel which he possessed.
He was, however, a good, conscientious man, who
did all in his power to bring his congregations to
understand their spiritual needs and duty to their
Creator, and although the gentlemen of his congre-
gations carried their oruns with them to church, even
on the Sabbath, they listened earnestl}^ to what he
said and were no doubt benefited. The wolves, bears,
panthers, wild cats and other wild animals were so
numerous in those days that it was considered best not
to go away from the house without some means of
protection, hence the gun was a constant companion
of the pioneer. The clapboard shanty was not only
the church of the pioneer but school house of his
children, where they attended the two or three months
** pay " school each summer.
More might be said of places of worship, customs
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 59
of the pioneer, etc., but one may from the above
realize something of what those pioneer days were
like. It is only when one looks back on those days
and then compares them with the present that one can
realize the height to which we have climbed during the
period of fifty years which comprise the time of the
organization of Dunklin County. At present there are
about forty-five church edifices in the county, repre-
senting a value of $50,000.
Of the 20,000 inhabitants in this county fully 5,000
are members of some one of the eight different relig-
ious sects planted within its limits. Thirty-nine
Sunday-schools are carried on most of the year, and
in them religious instructions are given to 4,000 chil-
dren. The co-operative Sunday-school movement
has done much to awaken an interest in Sunday-school
work. H. A. Applegate, president of the Dunklin
County Sunday-school Association, certainly deserves
great credit for his work along this line, and it is
earnestly hoped that every Sunday-school in the
county will be represented at its next annual meeting,
which will take place at Halcomb in July of 1896.
At Halcomb, Campbell, Clarkton and Cotton Plant
are strong union Sunday-schools.
BAPTIST.
TheRegular order of Baptists are commonly spoken
of as Missionary Baptists.*
Beginning in 1796, the first Baptist settlement, the
* This information is principally taken from Baptists of South-
east Missouri, by H. F. Tong.
60 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
first ministers, the first convert, the first baptism, the
first church, the first Baptist Association, were estab-
lished west of the Mississippi river; and these were
the first Christians other than Roman Catholics to set
foot on the land of Missouri.
The second Baptist Church formed in Missouri was
Bethel, organized in 1806. The first house of worship
erected, save those built by Catholics, was built by
this church not long after its organization. It was
constructed mainly of large yellow poplar logs well
hewn, and was about 20x30 feet, and located about
one and one-half miles south of Jackson, Mo.
This was the first permanent organization in the
State ; and from this church directly or indirectly
sprang all the churches that composed the first Asso-
ciation organized west of the ** Great River.'*
Black River Association, the fourth in Southeast
Missouri, was organized at Greenville, Wayne County,
Missouri, November, 1835, with six churches —
Black River, Cherokee Bay, Bear Creek and Green-
ville, being four of them. The membership consisted
of about 180 names. The ministers connected with
its organization were Elders William Mason, S. Win-
nington and Henry McElmurry, who was chosen
moderator, and Sam L. J. McKnight, clerk. This
Association was located, at the time of its organiza-
tion, in one of the largest, and, doubtless, one of the
most'destitute fields of Southeast Missouri, extending
from the southeast part of Madison County southward
through Wayne, Stoddard, Dunklin, and westward
into Butler County.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 61
Of the organization and establishment of the
CD
different churches of this Association, we have not the
means of knowing, neither have anything but meager
accounts of its first ministers and their works been
preserved.
Elder John W. Brown of the Black River Associa-
tion lived in Dunklin County, in quite early times.
He was a man of great faithfulness and deep piety.
He died August 13th, 1868.
Elder James H. Floyd, a native of Clark County,
Mo., was born in 1832, and came with his father's
family, when comparatively young, to Dunklin County.
In 1854 he united with the Baptist Church, and in
1854 began preaching. With the exception of one
year in Texas, he spent the remainder of his life in
this field. He died June 8th, 1874.
Elder L. L. Stephens was another of this min-
isterial band. He died in the year of 1872. Elder
Sanders Walker was also one of the early workers
among the Baptists in this county, and baptized
many of the oldest citizens now living who belong to
that faith. Elders M. V. Baird and M. G. Whitaker
are two other ministers who should be classed among
the pioneer workers of Black River Association in the
county. The following appeared in 1870 in a number
of the Tennessee Baptist edited by J. R. Graves: —
<* Martin V. Baird was ordained a minister of the
Gospel in the usual missionary Baptist form by Elders
David Butler, Pasley, and L. L. Stephens on the 9th
of January, 1870, in compliance with a request of
62 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Oak Grove Church, also at the same time and place
two deacons were ordained. Brethren M. J. Whitaker
and J. H. James. '< John Wright,
*' Church Clerk."
Elder M. J. Whitaker was ordained a minister of the
Baptist Church July 12, 1874. The ministers repre-
sented in the Black River Association in 1881, were, be-
sides the two just above mentioned, David Lewis, J. F.
Bibb, W. H. Dial, T. B. Turnbough, R. H. Douglass, T.
Hogan, W. G. Henderson, L. D. Cagle, J. J. Wester,
H. D. Carlin, J. H. D. Carlin and Elder Stringer.
From this association as the country has settled up
other associations have been organized, and the terri-
tory of Black River Association diminished until it is
now confined to the limits of Dunklin County.
This Association held its Sixtieth Annual Meeting
with the First Baptist Church at Halcomb, September
13, 1895, with M. V. Baird, moderator, and S. F.
Hale, clerk. Delegates were present representing the
following churches: Bible Grove, Caruth, Campbell,
Friendship, Halcomb, Holly Grove, Kennett, Maiden,
New Hope, Octa, Oak Grove, Prairie Grove, Salem,
Shady Grove, Varner River and Zion.
This association owns ten church houses valued at
about $8,000. In membership they are about 900
strong. There are ten Sabbath Schools in the county
under the care of the Baptists; besides, they take part
in several of the Union schools.
The ministers who reside in the county and belong
to this association, nearly all of whom have the care of
HISTORY OF PUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 63
y—--^^
■P'
Baptist Church, Campbell.
64 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
one or more churches, are M. V. Baird, M. J. Whit-
aker, B. C. Bohanaii, J. M. Blaylock, L. T.Eagle,
W. H. Dial, R. H. Douglass and R. H. Mount. Of
these ministers Rev. M. V. Baird is the oldest in the
ministry, and is looked upon as the best informed and
widest read man of this denomination in the county.
He is also a favorite with the ministers and people.
Judge R. P. Owens was for many years clerk of Black
River Association. Many other faithful and devoted
ministers have served in this ministerial band, whose
names for want of space must be omitted.
METHODIST.
The first Methodist Society west of the Mississippi
was organized about three miles west of Jackson,
some time between 1806 and 1809. Among the mem-
bers were William Williams and wife, John Randal
and wife, Thomas Blair, Simon and Isaiah Poe, Char-
nal Glasscock and the Seeleys. Soon after a house of
worship was built of large hewed poplar logs from
two to two and one-half feet thick. This belonged
to the Western Conference, which included all of the
territory west of the Alleghany Mountains. Several
circuits were established in the bounds of this Confer-
ence, the first bein the Missouri and the Meramec.
About 1808, Z. Macldox, a local preacher, partly organ-
ized the Cape Girardeau Circuit. In 1810 New Madrid
Circuit was organized by Rev. Jesse Walker.
In May, 1816, the Missouri Conference was organ-
ized, but not until 1820 was the Cape Girardeau
District formed.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 65
As early as 1830 Uriel Haw was presiding elder
of this district and Christian Eaker pastor of West
Prairie, Missouri. West Prairie, Missouri, extended
into Dunklin County, but it is not probable that any
preaching was done within its limits for many years
after this date. In fact, it is certain that but little
preaching was done in the county until after the divis-
ion of the Northern and Southern churches in 1844-
45, when the Southern Conference was declared to
be a distinct church under the name of *' The Metho-
dist Episcopal Church South." The Missouri Con-
ference met in Columbia, Mo., on September 24,
1845; Bishop Soule presided, and made an elaborate
address in favor of the Southern Church. A vote was
finally taken upon the question of a union with the
Methodist Episcopal Church South and with a few
exceptions the members were found in favor of uniting
with the new church. Cape Girardeau District, which
belonged to the Missouri Conference, took in this
county.
In 1847, the St. Louis Conference was organized and
a new district called Greenville District was formed
from the western part of Cape Girardeau District.
This county was still, however, left within the limits
of Cape Girardeau District.
In 1852, J. M. Kelley was presiding elder of this
district and Grand Prairie was " to be supplied."
Jonas Davidson is said to have organized the first
Methodist class in the county about this year, at the
old Gravel Hill church site. In 1853, J. H. Headlee
was presiding elder and T. H. Smith pastor of Grand
5
66 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Prairie Circuit. It seems that Eev. Headlee was the
first presiding elder who visited the county in that
capacity.
In 1854, J. C. Berryman was presiding elder and
Grand Prairie was again left *' to be supplied."
Rev. Jonas Davidson appears to have been the
*' supply " in many instances in those early days when
preachers were scarce, and not too willing to go into
barren localities. Among the first preachers who
*' rode " the Grand Prairie Circuit were Ed. H. White,
Pickney L. Turner and S. C. Stratton. There were also
a few local preachers. During the war, preaching
was nearly suspended and James Copeland was the
first circuit preacher after the hostilities ceased in
1865. In 1873, Poplar Bluff District was formed,
and since that time the growth of the M. E. C. S. in
this county has been steady and marked.
The names of the charges in this county, are Grand
Prairie Circuit, Clarkton Circuit, Kennett Circuit,
Kennett and Maiden Stations.
This church has twelve church houses and one-fourth
share in a union church in the county, and two par-
sonages — one in Kennett and one in Nesbit. Their
property is worth approximately $13,000. The num-
ber of members is 1,600.
Perhaps none of the circuit preachers of early days
were so great favorites among the masses of the
people in this county as was Rev. Cox, commonly
called ** Uncle Jake." Rev. J. H. Headlee was also
a great favorite, and worked in this county when the
circuits were 200 miles lonof, and when the circuit
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 67
** rider's " resting-place was usually in the saddle on
horseback. The following is extracted from a letter
recently received from him: —
*«I went to Dunklin County as circuit preacher in
the fall of 1842. My circuit embraced most all of
Stoddard and Dunklin Counties; extending from a
little north of where Allen ville now is to Grand
Prairie. There were twenty-one appointments to be
filled in three weeks, and over two hundred miles to
travel on horseback to reach them. The population
was so scarce that a great deal of travel was necessary
to find many people.
** By far the greater portion of your county was in
a primitive condition, Clarkton and Kennett were not
yet built and all the country between, where they now
stand, was a wilderness. Dunklin County was included
in the Old Cape Girardeau District. Nelson Henry
was appointed to the district in the fall of 1871, and
continued there four years. I think he was followed
by J. K. Lacy, and I was made Presiding Elder there
in 1853. My recollections of that county are that
what few people it contained were very quiet and in-
offensive, and very kind and hospitable to the preach-
ers, and every one else so far as I know. I well
remember the name of Jonas Dancer, a local preacher,
a man of limited attainments, but strong and vigorous
mind. He subsequently went to the border of Texas
and was killed by the Indians. Also Dr. Thomas
Bancroft, one of the grandest men I ever knew. He
died many years after at New Madrid.
68 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
*' Edwin Langdon was there then, a young man
recently from Vermont. He was a good man and
true. I am spending the evening of my life pleasantly
here, waiting for the sun to go down."
I should have said that Rev. Headlee is in the
Methodist Home for superannuated preachers at Cale-
donia, Missouri. The number of Sunday-schools under
the care of this church are twelve, they having an
enrollment of 1,000 scholars, and one hundred officers
and teachers. Mention of the present pastors will be
found in the Biographical Sketches.
GENERAL BAPTIST.
In 1878 the Liberty Association of General Baptists
had become so large that it was deemed advisable to
divide it. Accordingly seventeen churches, nine of
which were in Stoddard County, five in Dunklin
County, one in Butler County, and two in Clark
County, Ark., with seven ordained ministers, and
a membership of 887, were set off and organi'zed into
New Liberty Association. The organization was
effected by forming themselves into a circle, joining
hands, typical of God's eternal love, singing and
prayer, extending the right hand of fellowship to
each other, and electing J. F. Patterson, moderator,
and C. B. Hyson, clerk. The ministers at that time
were, T. J. Davis, J. W. Bolin, R. M. Hatley, W.
E. Bray, W. E. Almon, L. McFarlin, D. W. Farris.
The Fifteenth Annual Session of New Liberty Asso-^
elation of General Baptists, met with Pleasant Grove
Church, in Stoddard County, Missouri, on Thursday
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 69
before the second Sunday in October, 1893. At 10
o'clock A. M. the introductory sermon was preached
by Elder T. J. Davis, followed by Elder J. W. Bolin.
Three new church organizations, under the names of
Beech Grove, near Kennett; Maiden, in Maiden, and
Poplar Grove, were at this meeting, added to the
association from Dunklin County.
The associations met with Beech well Church, five
miles west of Maiden, on Thursday before the second
Sunday in October, 1894. They have in this county
the following organizations: Bethany, Friendship,
Beechwell, Mount GileadjLone Oak, Free Union, Pleas-
ant Valley, Maiden, Campbell, Liberty, Cold Water,
Salem and Beech Grove, with a membership of about
800. They own about eight church buildings in the
county, representing an approximate value of $6,000.
This church takes part in several of the union Sabbath
schools in the county and has about four in its own
churches with an enrollment of 200 scholars and twenty
officers and teachers. Beechwell Church was the
first General Baptist Church in the county which lived
any considerable length of time. It was organized by
Kev. Elonzo Fowler in September, 1869, with
twenty members. Its membership now reaches about
275. Rev. T. J. Davis was pastor of this church about
twenty years. Rev. Davis has been one of the lead-
ing lights of this church for years and still resides in
Maiden.
Of the other old ministers we have no means of
obtaining accurate information. Rev. L. McFarlin,
recentlv deceased, was one of the best loved ministers
70 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
in the county among his own denomination, and uni-
versally respected by all who knew him. He came to
this county in 1872. Other ministers of this denom-
ination in the county are: H. H. Noble, W. E. Bray
and R. M. Hatley.
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIANS.
One of the oldest churches in the county is the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Clarkton. They
commenced to build their first house in 1853, and
finished it in 1855. It was constructed of hewed logs
and was two stories in height, the second story being
used for a Masonic hall. There were several glass win-
dows above and below in the house. The lumber for
the doors, flooring and finishing was all sawed by hand
with a rip saw, and the work mostly done by Billy O.
Davidson. The seats were long benches of a better
grade than the ordinary church seat of pioneer days.
When J. H. McKnight was pastor in 1868 this church
was 175 strong. Their present church building was
erected in 1883 at a cost of $1,600. Rev. T. S.
Love preached for this church during the war, and it
was here, while the congregation was worshiping
on a Sunday, in the time of hostilities, that
a band of guerrilhis surrounded the house and calmly
told the worshipers that they did not wish to disturb
them but would like to chano^e clothes with the s^entle-
men.. The men were called out, the doors closed on
the women and the desired change soon effected.
One young man, who seemed to be more thoughtful than
the rest, saved his boots by slyly poking them in the
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 71
Stove, in which, fortunately, there was no fire, before
leaving the room. The rest of the men were left
barefo^'ot, their only consolation being a choice of the
very dilapidated footwear discarded by the guerrillas.
As the men had little show for resistance with their
women and children with them, they mildly acquiesced
in the arrangement and after the " boys " left, laugh-
ingly sang a hymn and then went home. Many of
the old citizens yet living well remember this incident.
Maj. W. C. Rayburn was for many years prominent
among the leaders of this church. We regret that a
list of the original' members cannot be obtained.
Canaan Church at Gibson was organized in 1862, and
is another old and well-known church. E. J. Stock-
ton was its first pastor. Among its elders have been
M. J. Benson, W. R. Weathers, John C. Agnew and
S. T. Weathers. They have 110 members, a good
Sunday-school of eighty-five scholars with five officers
and teachers. This denomination has an organization
at Kennett which has bought a lot on which they ex-
pect to build a house of worship. Mrs. Melinda
Hogue in her will set apart certain property for the
puqoose of building a Cumberland Presbyterian Church
at Halcomb. The members of this denomination at
Halcomb think they will get about $1,000 from this
source, and will build a house of worship as soon as
expedient.
Their church property is perhaps worth $4,000, and
have a total membership of 210. The following are
ministers who have pastorated the churches of this de-
nomination in this county :— Elder Robert Jones, F.
72 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Keller, D. A. Knox, Roberts, J. D. C. Cobb, C. M.
Eaton and W. W. Spence. Rev. Grable is at present
pastor of Canaan Church. A union Sunday-school is
carried on in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at
Clarkton.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
"At a regular fall meeting of the Presbytery of
Potosi (U. S.), commencing its session at Irondale,
Washington County, Mo., on the 3d of October, 1872,
a committee consisting of Rev. W. B. Y. Wilkie and
W. McCarty and Elder W. A. Pouder was appointed
to visit Clarkton, Dunklin County, Mo., and should
the way be clear, organize a church in connection with
said Presbytery.
'* In accordance with this action the committee, on
the 30th of November, 1872, after divine service, pro-
ceeded to enroll the names of the following persons
(constituting the original members of an organization
to be known as the Old School Presbyterian Church of
Clarkton, Mo.), viz.: Mr. Z. B. Penney, Dr. V. H.
Harrison, Judge John H. Stokes, Mr. Charles E.
Stokes, Clement McDaniel, Mrs. E. B. Austin and
Mrs. Lucretia Stokes. Of these. Dr. V. H. Harrison,
Messrs. Charles E. Stokes and Clement McDaniel were
received on profession of their faith in Christ, the
others by letters of dismission from other churches.
*' At the same time Mr. Z. B. Penney and Dr. V.
H. Harrison were elected to serve as ruling Elders,
and on the 1st of December, 1872, after sermon, were
regularly ordained to office. Rev. W. B. Y. Wilkie
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 73
proposing the constitutional questions, offering the
ordaining prayer and delivering the charge to the
Elders, and W. McCarty delivering the charge to the
congregation.
'* Committee:
" W. B. Y. WiLKIE,
** William McCarty." *
The Old School Presbyterians have a church at
Maiden and one in Kennett. The church at Kennett
was organized in June, 1887, by Kev. J. W. Rose-
borough, Synodical Evangelist, and W. Beale, pastor,
of the churches of New Madrid and Clarkton.
Through the influence of Rev. W. Beale a house of
worship was erected during that year, which was
the second church house of this denomination in
the county, and the first one of any kind erected in
Kennett. This church denomination owns some of
the nicest church edifices in the county, being worth
about $4,500. They have three Sabbath-schools with
about 175 s-cholars enrolled and about ten oflScers
and teachers. The Sunday-school at Kennett, under
the care of this church, is said to have failed to meet
at the regular hour, 3 o'clock p. m., less than a half
dozen times since its organization in 1887. Rev.
William McCarty was the first Presbyterian preacher
at Clarkton, and in the county. Beside those ministers
already mentioned J. E. L. Winecoif , Robert Morrison
and L. F. Linn, and several others, have from time to
* Taken from an old church book in possession of Z. B. Penney.
^4 HISTORY or DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
time preached for the congregations of Old School
Presbyterians in this county.
The Old School Presbyterian Church of colored
people at Chirkton was organized with ten members
on September 29, 1890. They are now about twenty-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 75
five strong, have a pastor most of the time and a
very good Sunday-school.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
The first Christian Church was organized in this
county at Maiden in 1885, by Rev. John Sewell, from
near Pophir Bluff, and Rev. Martin. The organiza-
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, KENNETT.
tion, as first effected, had twenty-two members.
Prominent among these first members was Dr. F. M.
Wilkins and wife, R. C. Vincent and wife, and other
leading citizens of Maiden. The church grew rapidly
until it numbered about the greatest in the town.
In eJune, 1889, a Christian Church was organized at
Kennett by Elder S. M. Martin, with 168 members.
This congregation now has one of the prettiest church
buildings in the county, of which its members are
justly proud. Besides the two just mentioned above
76 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
they have organizations at the following places:
Campbell, Halcomb, Bethel Church, Bark Camp, Lulu
Church, and Bible Grove. They own four houses of
worship and one-fourth in a union house, which they
value at $5,900. Their houses are among the neatest
and best churches in the county. They have a mem-
bership in the county of 550, and four Sunday-schools
with an enrollment of 200 scholars, and about ten
officers and teachers.
In 1876, a Christian minister held a series of meet-
ings in Kennett, but nothing definite can be learned of
the organization. But little can be learned of the
ministers of this denomination who first visited this
county, although there have been quite a number
from time to time. Elder H. C. West of Kennett
(recently deceased) has for several years looked after
and preached to most of the Christian churches in the
southern part of this county. He was not considered
a brilliant talker, but was earnest, zealous and uni-
versally respected. Other elders in the county are K.
H. Stanley, Maiden; and M. Marcum, Wrightville.
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
St. Patrick Catholic Church was dedicated by
Father Furlong, July 15, 1894. This church is situ-
ated in the town of Maiden, and is a neat little house
of worship worth about $1,000. It is the only Catho-
lic Church in the county, and as the Catholics who
reside in the county do not, perhaps, exceed fifty in
number, they are pardonably proud of their first home
within its borders. Among its first members were
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 77
Mrs. Crawsbaw, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Davis, Mr. and
Mrs. Thomas Casey, Mrs. Keene and Mr. and Mrs. Joe
Arnes of Kennett. Father Furlong, who resides at
New Madrid, administers to their spiritual needs on
the fourth Sabbath of each month.
CHAPTER Vll.
RESOURCES.
This section is unsurpassed in its agricultural
resources; all the products of the field, dairy,
orchard, garden and vineyard, may be produced
from our soil with ease. This is the banner county
of the State for cotton, and is a very large corn
producer.
The character of the soil is of such a nature that it
is susceptible of the highest state of cultivation and
productiveness. It yields promptly and bountifully
to every intelligent touch of labor. Its resources
only need development to make it one of the richest
counties in the State.
The timbers of Dunklin County are abundant, the
county being literally covered with a very fine grade
of timber where the land is not in cultivation, and
consists of sycamore, sweet, black and tupelo-gum,
cypress, white, burr, cow and black-oak, locust, red-
elm, hickory, ash, cotton-wood, maple and some
beech, walnut and poplar. There are also mulberry
78 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
and many other less valuable timbers in large quan-
tities.
This county sent to the World's Columbian Exposi-
tion an ash block two feet long, five feet, eight inches
in diameter, which not only excelled any ash on ex-
hibition from any State in the Union, but also from
any other country in the world. There was also a
walnut block three feet, eight inches, and a hickory
block three feet, nine inches in diameter. The only
specimens of iron wood from this State were sent
from Dunklin County. Cork wood, which is found to
be plentiful in this county and not found elsewhere in
the State, made a very valuable acquisition to the
exhibit.
The products of our fields sent were a cucumber
weighing forty-six pounds, and very fine samples of
pumpkins, sweet and Irish potatoes, corn and the finest
cotton of any county in Missouri. It may be stated
here that this county produces annually more cotton
than the entire remainder of the State of Missouri.
Nearly all kinds of fruit, tame and wild grasses,
yonkepins, mosses, etc., went along with the exhibit,
and showed Dunklin County's resources and products
to be equal to, and in some instances better, than any
county in a State made up of good counties.
There are about 317 ,24:2-fi^^y acres of land in this
county.
From personal knowledge and from such informa-
tion as can be gained from the Map of Topographical
Survey of the Swamp Lands in Southeast Missouri,
made under the direction of N. C. Frissell, chief
((
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 79
eogineer, by J. R. Van Frank, assistant engineer, the
writer judges the following to be a very close estimate
of the lands now in cultivation in the county.
Acres.
In Township 16, R. 9 3,000
16, R. 8 2,000
16, R. 7 1,000
17, R. 9 9,000
17, R. 8 4,200
17, R. 7 500
18, R. 9 7,700
18, R. 8 1,500
19, R. 10 3,000
19, R. 9 3,500
20, R. 10 5,190
20, R. 9 1,000
21, R. 10 11,140
'' 21, R. 9 ... . 5,130
21, R. 8 900
22, R. 10 10,400
22, R. 9 6,940
22, R. 8 480
23, R. 10 3,940
23, R. 9 1,920
23, R, 8 200
Total acres 82,640
Of the remaining 234,602-^^0% acres there are probably
at least 100,000 acres that might be practically put in
cultivation. There are approximately 100,000 acres
k i
80 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
within the limits of the county which are subject to
overflow in spring, and this includes some of the lands
in cultivation. Thirty-five thousand acres of this
overflow lands lie west of Little River, and the
remaining 65,000 acres in the swamp of that river.
Taking the estimate of high land, which is and might
easily be put in cultivation, at 182,640 acres, then
there is left 134,602-3^0% acres of swamp lands in
Dunklin County, that may not be cultivated now.
Still it is reasonably certain that the levee along the
Mississippi River will protect Dunklin County from
the periodical overflows, and give it a much larger
tillable area. On this swamp land the timbers are
abundant and valuable.
The value of lands in this county varies from $3.00
to $25.00 per acre. The timbered land is worth from
$3.00 to $7.00, and the improved land from $15.00 to
$25.00 per acre, according to the amount of improve-
ments, proximity to towns, etc.
Certainly there is land in our county that cannot be
bought for $50.00 an acre, simply because its owners
do not wish to sell at any price, knowing that their
land is every year increasing in value, and that it pro-
duces more than plenty of lands in other places which
have been bragged up and sold for $75.00 to $100.00
per acre.
That the lands in Dunklin County may be made to
produce good crops with less labor than almost any
other place is a fact worthy of note. Where, as in
many places, farmers are obliged to use from two
to four horses to break their land, the Dunklin
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 81
County farmer uses only one and two horses
for the same purpose. It is a rare thing for one to
see a farmer plowing four horses in this county. This
is ovvins: to the fact that the soil does not bake and
get hard, but is easily penetrated by the plow and
turns readily. Where the stumps are off the cultivator
may be used with the greatest advantage.
Our lands produce, on an average, from thirty to
fifty bushels of corn per acre; from 800 to 2,000
pounds of cotton per acre. This year, 1895, the
acreage of cotton is about a three-fifth crop, but having
better cotton than usual brings the crop up to about a
three-fourth crop. Wheat average twelve bushels per
acre on the sand and along on Halcomb; this wheat
averages fifty -nine pounds per measured bushel.
Wheat ofrovvn on the clay land of the ridge and on
clovered land averages twenty-five bushels per acre,
and in weight averages sixty-one pounds per measured
bushel. This is on the crop of 1894, in this county.
J. I. Caneer of Horse Island states that off of fif-
teen acres of clover he gathered four to seven bushels of
clover seed per acre, which brought him $4.00 to
$5.00 per bushel. Sold $50.00 worth of hay and put
up 47,000 pounds of hay in the bale. He says further
that the pasture was worth $50.00 to him, he having
kept about thirteen head of horses and twenty-five of
cattle on it for six weeks. These facts show that our
land will not only produce good corn and cotton but
good wheat and clover when properly and intelligently
cultivated.
Now that we have a good, flourishing mill, the
G
82 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
farmers of Dunklin County should certainly study the
above statistics and give more attention to wheat and
clover. To give here a list of our exports will show
our principal products perhaps better than any other
way.
For 1892 our exports were as follows: —
Cattle, heads. . . .
740
$40.00
per head
$29,600
Hogs, heads
1,020
8.00
per head
8,160
Mixed stock cars.
3
500.00
per car..
1,500
Wheat, bushels.. .
(3,220
.80
per bu..
4,976
Corn, bushels. . . .
18,560
.35
per bu..
6,496
Mixed grain cars..
164
343.00
l)er car.
56,252
Flour, barrels.. . .
300
3.50
per bbl.
1,050
Cotton, bales ....
15,433
35.00
per bale
540,155
Cotton seed, cars.
557
150.00
per car.
58,485
Lumber, cars. . . .
959
185.00
per car.
177,415
Staves, cars
614
125.00
per car.
76,750
Watermelons, cars
8
75.00
per car.
600
Bacon, pounds... .
2,640
.06i
per lb. .
172
Fish, pounds. . . .
72,000
.05
per lb. .
3,600
Poultry, pounds. .
9,000
.10
900
Eggs, dozens
10,620
.10
per doz.
1,062
Peaches, baskets..
60
.40
24
Other shipments.
80
250.00
per car..
20,000
Total
1987,197
5,085 in
The census reports of
1890 g«
Lve us li
population, which
would
make us
J receive
on our
exports in 1893, $65.44 per capita.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 83
The water of Dunklin County is pure and healthful,
and there is no such thing as a scarcity at any time of
the year, unless it might be up on the ridge where the
people use a few cisterns. But there are good springs,
from which clear branches trickle down through the
valleys during all times of the year, affording plenty
of water for people and stock. There are also a num-
ber of sulphur springs on the ridge, which, if opened
up and properly cared for, would no doubt be equal
in healthfulness and medical properties to many of
the so-called great springs. All over the remainder
of the county the ** driven well," or Pitcher Pump with
galvanized iron pipes, is in use. One of these pumps
may be driven to the depth of twenty feet, and made
ready to send forth a bountiful supply of pure, clear
water in two hours' time. The water is strained through
fine gauze at the lower end, and there is no possibility
of anything impure getting into the water, as it is
pumped fresh from the interior of the earth just as
you want it, and that too, with ease ; any child six years
of age can pump the water for the family. There is
no such thing as drinking musty water full of
** wiggle tails " in Dunklin County.
HEALTH RATE.
Since the doing away of the dug well, caused by the
introduction into the county of the iron pump, the
health rate has increased a hundred per cent.
Malarial diseases, such as chills and fever, are far
less prevalent. Malarial fever, which usually runs
about two or three weeks, is the most serious malarial
84 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
trouble we have. This disease is not dangerous unless
it runs into typhoid fever, which it does not one time
in a thousand. A prominent and popular physician
says he has not seen but two cases of typhoid fever
during his residence of eight years in the county.
Many other prominent physicians say they have
never treated a single case of this disease in the
county. Diphtheria is also nearly unknown here.
There has perhaps not been exceeding three dozen
cases of this disease within its limits, since the settle-
ment of the county. Scarlet fever is another much
dreaded disease that is seldom seen here. When you
realize that our children are free from diphtheria and
scarlet fever you can readily understand how it is
that the death rate is lower, instead of higher, as
many uninformed people imagine, than it is in many
so-called healthy localities.
It has been estimated that one death out of every
seven in the United States of America is caused by
consumption, and as yet it has laid its terrible grasp
on very few citizens of this county. It ma}^ be con-
fidently stated that two-thirds of the deaths caused by
this disease occur among the late emigration and not
among the early settlers, showing decisively that the
disease is not contracted here, but brought from other
localities.
Indeed, it is a matter of remark that diseases of the
throat and lungs are so seldom seen and so mild as
compared to other localities. A person with an ordi-
dinarily good constitution may have pneumonia or
*' winter fever" for two or three consecutive winters
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 85
and yet be a fairly strong person, living for years
afterward.
As to epidemics of various other diseases they do
not occur here as often as in many localities which
are termed healthy. I believe these facts will be sub-
stantiated by any well informed physician in the
county.
It is not the purpose of this writer to pretend that
this locality is exempt from all diseases, for it is not,
but to show that, while we have malaria here, we are
exempt, or nearly so, from many dread diseases that
are prevalent in other localities. The malarial season
in Dunklin County is from the middle of July to the
middle of October; this is presumably caused by the
decaying of the rank vegetation grown in the spring
and early summer. During dry seasons malarial dis-
eases are much less prevalent than during wet ones.
At the present time malarial diseases are not so
prevalent as formerly, occasioned from the fact that
as the timber is cut out and the land allowed to dry, it
is put in cultivation ; thus the causes of malaria cease
to be so numerous.
After all that has been said about the unhealthful-
ness of Dunklin County, our people have better health
during the winter, and as good, taking the year
around, and can show a lower death rate than many
counties in the various States of our great Republic,
which are considered healthy. It is an erroneous idea
that people can not live long here. Our list of old citi-
zens disproves this. Among the biographies of Dun-
klin County people, will be found the names of plenty
86 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
of citizens, yet hale and hearty, who have lived in thib
county from forty to sixty-five years.
CLIMATE.
The climate is mild, the thermometer seldom falling
much below zero. The winters, though variable, are
short and mild, and while the summers are warm they
are not excessively oppressive. Februar}^ April,
May, June, October, November and December are
usually exceedingly pleasant months.
It is hard to say which of the two seasons, spring
or fall, is the most pleasant, or at which time one
sees Dunklin County at its best.
CHAPTER IX.
COURTS, OFFICIALS, ETC.
The first County Court was organized in the spring
of 1845, and was held about 140 rods from the site
of the present courthouse.
The first Circuit Court met in 1846. The place of
its sitting was under a large oak tree and a small hut
made of round poles. It stood near one corner of the
court square and was about 10x12 feet. This small
hut was scarcely high enough for the honorable judge,
lawyers and jurors to stand in, and was floored and
lined with a coarse cotton domestic by these same dig-
nitaries after they assembled.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 87
A. D. Bridges and Holtzhouser were two of the
jurors who helped to hiy the ** puncheon floor."
Maj. H. H. Bedford was one of the lawyers in at-
tendance and assisted to line the wall to protect the
lawyers' papers from the wind which whistled through
the openings between the poles or logs. Puncheons
or slabs with peg legs were the only seats except a few
chairs borrowed from one of the citizens.
Among the lawyers who attended these first courts,
besides Samuel A. Hill, the district attorney, were
Col. Soloman G. Kitchens (deceased) and Maj. H. H.
Bedford of Bloomfield. It may be stated incidentally
that Maj. Bedford has never failed to attend but one
regular term of Circuit Court, and but two call terms
since the organization of the county, sitting in our
courts, from the first one that met in the little pole
house down to the last session in 1895, which sat
in a $15,000 brick courthouse.
The first courthouse built in the county was erected
on the public square in 1847. It was forty feet
square, one and a half stories high, and composed of
hewn gum logs from twelve to eighteen inches broad.
One large door in the center of the south side had a
window on each side of it. The seats were two rows
of long benches arranged so that the aisle ran through
the center of the room to the judge's stand on the
north side ; back of the stand was another window.
The lower room was the court room, which was also
used for church and other public meetings. The
stairway leading to the jurors' and officials' rooms on
the second floor was on the outside. The windows,
88
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
both upstairs and down, were of the 8x10 inch, twelve
pane size ; these and the '* upstairs " gave the court-
house what was considered in those pioneer days quite
Tatum Block, Kennett.
a grand appearance — and it was a good building for
so new a country, for it must be remembered that
there was not a saw mill within a radius of a hun-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 89
dred miles, and railroads were thirty years in the
future.
All the lumber used for flooring and finishing was
sawed by hand with a rip saw. Hiram Langdon,
father of Judi^e E. J. Lansfdon, was the contractor
and chief workman on this first courthouse. It was
destroyed by fire during the war.
A large frame building was commenced in 1870,
and completed in 1872. It had been occupied but a
short time when it was also burned to the ground on
April 9, 1872. From that time until 1892, the county
had no courthouse, but held its courts in an old
frame building on what is known as the Tatum block.
In 1892, the present courthouse was erected. A log
jail was built at about the same time as the first court-
house. It was a square structure with a stairway on
the outside, leading up to the door in the gable end.
On entering you stood on a log floor, in the center of
which was a trap-door ; from here ran another stair-
way to the floor of the prison room below ; small
square holes in the wall, made safe by iron bars,
aftbrded light and ventilation.
This building was subsequently replaced by a second
of the same character, and in 1882 the present jail,
with Pauly Bros, cells, was erected.
The amount of crime committed in this county has
not been greater than that of other counties of
Southeast Missouri, and yet there have been some
crimes committed here the remembrance of which
causes deep regret to every good citizen. The fail-
ure in the administration of justice by the court in a
90 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
few cases, made our people indignant and led to the
administration of Lynch law, by which three persons
met their deaths.
In September, 1874, George Koons was taken from
the jail and hung for the murder of Barton Reynolds.
Koons was a worthless character and had killed Rey-
nolds while lying in a drunken stupor in front of
Shelton's store in Kennett. About six months later
a stranger was hung on the charge of horse-stealing,
and on September 10, 1886, Bowman Paxton was taken
from the sheriff, while on his way with him from
Kennett to Maiden, about three miles south of the
former place, and hanged to a tree by the road side.
For a trivial offense he had shot and killed John Mc-
Gilvery, a blacksmith of Maiden.
Several other murders have occurred in the county,
and the perpetrators of some of them have gone with-
out punishment. These facts have caused us to re-
ceive considerable censure, and not altogether un-
justly.
But it is a fact that is well known that our officials
and citizens have for a number of years done all in
their power to enforce the laws and punish criminals,
and it is safe to say that no county in Southeast
Missouri has, for the past decade, had less crime com-
mitted or had better enforced laws than has Dunklin.
As the records of this county were entirely destroyed
by fire in 1872, it has been impossible to ascertain
much concerning the actions of the courts prior to that
date.
The Charles P. Chouteau land case has been one of
TIISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 91
the most notable cases in the history of the county.
A history of the case cannot be given here, but it may
be stated that it started from the fact that *< on the
18th day of December, 1855, the District County
Court of -Dunklin County made an order of record
appointing and directing George W. Mott as commis-
sioner of Dunklin County to subscribe for the said
county to $100,000 of the stock of the Cairo &
Fulton B-ailroad Company of Missouri, to be paid for
by conveyance of 100,000 acres of low swamps or
overflowed lands within the limits of the aforesaid
county." The county in the case against Charles P.
Chouteau — he having bought the claims of the Cairo
& Fulton Kailroad Company — claimed that no petition
of a majority of the legal voters of Dunklin County
had been presented to the District Court as the law
required in such cases, and that the order was there-
fore, ** without warrant or authority in law, and was
null and void."
The lands were for years a matter of controversy,
being claimed by both Charles P. Chouteau and the
county. The county from time to time sold portions
of this land to citizens of the county, making war-
ranty deeds for same.
An agreement was finally made as follows : ** Where-
as, there being a large portion of the lands of this
county claimed by Charles P. Chouteau, esquire, of
the city of St. Louis, and the same lands are claimed
by Dunklin County, and the county having made
patents to some of the lands, and it appearing to the
court, that it would be to the best interest of the
92 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
county to compromise the dispute as to the ownership
of said lands ; it is therefore agreed by the court that
if said Charles P. Chouteau will make a quit-claim,
deed to parties who have purchased or hold under
persons who have purchased any of said lands known
as the Cairo and Fulton Railroad lands, and hold
patents therefor, the court will have executed in due
form of law a conveyance of all of said lands not
heretofore sold, and release from any lien for taxes
which may have accrued on said land up to the present
time."
A deed to this effect was made and signed by
Charles P. Chouteau and E. J. Langdon, Presiding
Justice of the County Court of Dunklin County, on
Jan. 1, 1884. This land was afterwards brought into
dispute again, and suit brought by the county against
Mr. Chouteau to gain possession of these lands and
to have set asix3e *' and to have decreed to be null and
void, certain patents, commissioners' deeds and orders
of compromise," made and ordered to be made by the
County Court concerning these lands.
The action was begun in the Circuit Court of
Dunklin County, Missouri, and was sent by change of
venue to the Circuit Court of Madison County, where
it was tried, the court giving evidence to the effect
that the actions of the court of 1884, commissioners'
deeds, etc., were good, and relinquished the county's
right to such land as was claimed by Charles P. Chou-
teau except such as had been sold by the county and
quit-claimed by said Charles P. Chouteau.
A new trial was afterward brought in the Supreme
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
93
Court of the State of Missouri, which court sustained
the decision of the Circuit Court of Madison County.
Thus settling the controversy.
The list of officials following— back of 1882 —
has been gathered with much difficulty from old citi-
zens and more especially from Judge T. E. Baldwin
and W. G. Bragg, of Kennett, and also from Maj. H.
H. Bedford, of Bloomfield, and is as correct and
complete a record as it seems possible to obtain
now.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
John D. Cook of Jackson, was presiding judge of
the Tenth Judicial Circuit when Dunklin County was
organized in 1845. He retired from the bench in
1849. The next judge was Harrison Hough of Mis-
sissippi County, who presided until the Fifteenth Judi-
cial Circuit was organized.
The first judge of the Fifteenth Circuit was Albert
Jackson of Jackson, who was made judge in 1854.
He filled the office until the suspension of the courts
in 1862. John W. Emerson of Iron County was
appointed judge in 1863, but resigned in 1864, and
James H. Vail, also of Iron County, was appointed as
his successor. Judge Vail was a Republican and was
not popular and there was considerable trouble about
his holding the office.
Upon the formation of the Twenty-third Circuit,
Ira E. Leonard was appointed to hold the courts
until the next regular election, when Reuben P. Owen
of Stoddard County was elected. He was a very
94 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
popular judge and remained upon the bench until
1885, when he resigned.
In 1886, John G. Wear of Poplar Bluff was chosen
to succeed Judge Owens. He has been re-elected at
each succeeding election and is now the presiding
judge.
COUNTY OFFICIALS.
The representatives in the State Legislature from
Dunklin County have been as follows: H. D. Flowers
in 1846, Russell Horner in 1848, John Huston in
1850, C. T. Jones in 1852, T. J. Mott in 1854, C. T.
Jones in 1856, James McCuUough in 1858, H. A.
Applegate immediately after the war, or the adjourned
session of 1865, also in 1866-68; John Lowery in
1870, T. B. Turnbough in 1872, J. H. Barrett in
1874-76, Jesse Long in 1878. He died shortly after
his election. W. H. Helm was chosen to fill the
unexpired term. W. M. Harkey in 1880, John P.
Taylor in 1882, J. T. Wilson in 1884, T. R. R. Ely
in 1886, F. Joe Rice in 1888, C. P. Hawkins in
1890-92, D. C. Pollock, 1894.
County and Circuit Clerks and Recorders. — John
S. Huston, 1846; B. C. Henslee, 1850-54; John W.
Marsh, 1858-60; Leonard T. Bragg, 1864; W. G.
Bragg, Sr., 1866-68 ; R. R. Roberts, 1870-74; T. E.
Baldwin, 1878.
In the year 1882 the offices were divided, making
a separate office of county clerk, but still leaving the
offices of circuit clerk and recorder combined. Circuit
clerk and recorder, W. G. Bragg, Jr., 1882-86; and
HISTOUY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 95
J. B. Blakemore was appointed to fill the unexpired
term of Mr. Bragg, and was also elected to that
office in 1890-94.
COUNTY CLERKS.
The first man elected to the office of county
clerk after the offices were divided was C. R.
Mills in 1882. On the death of Mr. Mills, not
long after his election to office, D. B. Pankey was
appointed to fill the unexpired term, and elected in
1886. Virgil McKay, 1890-1894.
SHERIFF AND COLLECTOR.
The first sheriff and collector is said to have been
John H. Dougherty; Louis Holcomb in 1848-50;
William Kimbrow, 1854; Lee J. Taylor, 1856-58; Elan
G. Rathburn, 1866-68; James H. Barrett, 1870-72 ;
W. P. Nichols, 1874-76; More M. Rayburn, 1878-80;
I. F. Donalson, 1882-84 ; J. R. Allgood, 1886-88 ; Col-
lin Morgan, 1890-92; W. G. Petty, 1894.
The offices of sheriff and collector were held jointly
until 1886, when they were divided, and James H.
Owen was the first collector, being elected to that office
in both 1886 and 1888. Mr. Owen died shortly after
his last election and D. Y. Pankey was appointed to
fill his unexpired term. T. J. Douglas was collector
in 1890-92 and F. Joe Rice, 1894.
ATTORNEYS.
Samuel A. Hill of Cape Girardeau City was the
District Prosecuting- Attorney in 1846. Maj. H. H.
96 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Bedford of Bloomfield held that office from 1846 to
1860. Then Henry Porter served in that capacity for
a short time, when David G. Hicks of Bloomfield was
elected and served until the change of the law
made it necessary to have county instead of district
attorneys.
The county attorneys have been: J. M. Fisher, John
P. Taylor, elected in 1876-78 and 1880. T. R. R. Ely
in 1882-84; C. P. Hawkins, 1886-88; R. M. Finney
in 1890-92, and C. P. Hawkins in 1894.
TREASURERS.
An old man by the name of Price was the first treas
urer; Campbell Wright an4 Louis Chandler were also
treasurers before the Civil War. Next after the war
G. T. Sloan and Daniel Brewer, also W. F. Shelton,
Sr., served as treasurer for a period of eight years.
N. F. Kelley was elected in 1882, T. E. Baldwin, 1884;
F. Joe Rice, 1886 ; J. W. Sexton in 1888 ; R. A. Laden
in 1890-92, and J. F. Smyth in 1894.
ASSESSORS.
This county was assessed from Stoddard County
for several years. The first assessors after the war
were J. Q. A. Keck in 1866-68; John W. Black,
1870; G. T. Smith, 1872; Gilbert L. Derryberry,
1874; James M. Douglass, 1876-78; W. J. Davis,
1880-82; G. T. Smith, 1884; Virgil McKay, 1886-
88; B. F. Crenshaw, 1890; T. R. Neel, 1892; Louis
Ham, 1894.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 97
PROBATE JUDGES.
Have been John H. Stokes, Given Owen, 1876-78-
80; T. E. Baldwin, 1882-84; C. O. Hoffman from
1886 to 1894, or to the present time. Jonas Eaker was
judge of a District County Court, having probate
jurisdiction in 1855, and it was by the order of this
judge that George Mott was appointed agent for and
on behalf of Dunklin County to make deed or deeds
for 100,000 acres of low or swamp lands to the Cairo
and Fulton R. R. Co.
JUDGES OF COUNTY COURT.
The first court was composed of Edward Spencer,
Howard Moore and Anderson Thompson in 1845-46.
Next was Edward Spencer, Moses Farrar and Billy
Johnson in 1850. Moses Farrar, Edward Spencer and
Given Owen in 1854. Given Owen, S. P. Eldridge,
Moses Farrar in 1858.
After the Civil War the first court was held by Elgin
C. White, Jacob Snider and W. W. Shelton, in 1866.
W. W. Shelton, A. L. Johnson and Wm. M. Harkey,
in 1870. Harkey resigned and the unexpired term
was filled by John H. Bird. Then A. L. Johnson, W.
W. Shelton and John H. Bird, in 1872. A. L. John-
son, W. W. Shelton and R. L. Hodge, in 1874. J.
B. Hogue, R. L. Hodges and John T. Johnson, in
1876. Given Owen, Charley Stevens and E. J. Lang-
don, 1878. E. J. Langdon, Given Owen and J. M.
W^altrip in 1880. E. J. Langdon, J. W. Black and J.
M. Waltrip in 1882. J. M. Douglass, N. J. McBride
98
and J. H. Owen in 1884. J. M. Waltrip, J. W. Baker
and J. M. Douglass in 1886. J. M. Waltrip, W. R.
Dalton and O. L. Thurmond in 1888. W. H. Shel-
ton, J. P. Craig and S. F. Hale in 1890. W. H.
Shelton, J. A. Hogue and W. J. Davis in 1892. W.
C. Whiteaker, Thomas Waltrip and J. H. Harkey in
1894.
Dunklin County lawyers make up a large and able
bar, composed of the following attorneys: Hon. T.
R. R. Ely, Hon. C. P. Hawkins, who have both rep-
resented this county in the State Legislature, also R.
M. Finey and J. P. Tribbe, all of Kennett. D. R.
Cox, W. S. C. Walker, Charles Vancleve, J. L.
Downing and R. H. Stanley, Jr., of Maiden ; Dunklin
County nlso claims H. N. Phillips, who is perhaps our
best orator.
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY FOR 1895.
District Officers .
Congressman of the 14lh District, N. A. Moseley,
Dexter, Mo.
Senator 23d District, B. F. Walker, Dexter, Mo.
Circuit Judge 22d Circuit, John G. Wear, Poplar
Blutf, Mo.
County Officers.
Representative D. C. Pollock.
Circuit elk. and recorder J. B. Blakemore.
County clerk Virgil McKay.
Collector F. Joe Rice.
Coroner A. Harrison.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 99
Sheriff W. G. Petty.
Prosecuting Atty. » . C. P. Hawins.
Treasurer J. F. Smyth.
Assessor Lewis Ham.
Probate Judge C. O. Hoffman.
Pres. Judge County Clerk W. C. Whiteaker.
Judge 1st District Thomas Waltrip.
Judge 2d District J. H. Harkey.
County Calendar,
Circuit Court convenes on the 2d Monday in January
and July.
County Court convenes on the 1st Monday in January,
April, July and October.
Probate Court convenes on the 1st Mondays in
February, May, August and November.
CHAPTER X.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
CARUTH
Is a little post-village first established by Wm. M.
Satterfield about 1881. Mr. Sattertield built a large
two-story house in which he did a flourishing business
during the remainder of his life. He operated a grist
mill and cotton gin, built many tenant houses, and
caused the little village to move on in a manner typi-
cal of *' New America." Since the death pf Mr.
LofC.
100 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Satterfield in 1890 it has seen quite a decline. Several
business men have at different times opened stores
here, but have remained only a short time. At present
there are no oroods being sold here, and the post-office
is kept at the home of Rev. R. H. Douglass. Mrs.
Douglass is the accommodating and efficient post-mis-
tress. Caruth is situated on the main public road
leading south from Kennett and at a distance of eight
miles from that city and in the very heart of *' Grand
Prairie." It is surrounded on all sides by some of
the finest and best improved farms in Dunklin County.
No neighborhood in the county has prettier homes
or more cultivated people. The neighborhood has the
benefit of a six or eight months' school annually. The
Baptists have a new church edifice at Caruth and carry
on a Sunday-school. The Liberty Church of the M.
E. C. S. is within less than a mile distant. Passing
Caruth is a daily hack line which leaves the U. S.
mails from both the North and South. The post-office
was named by Mr. Satterfield in honor of an old
friend, who was a member of the McCombs, Caruth
& Byrns Hardware Co., of St. Louis, Missouri.
CARDWELL
Is situated about two miles from the St. Francois
River, six miles north of the Arkansas and Missouri
State line, and in section 3, township 16, range 7, on
Buffalo Island. It is the terminus of the Paragould
and Southeastern Railroad and its people believe it is
destined to be the metropolis of the south end of the
county.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 101
Cardwell was laid out and surveyed by Burtig
Brothers, of Paragould, Arkansas, and named in
honor of Mr. Frank Cardwell, cashier of the Bank of
Paragould ; the first house was erected by Cox Bros, of
Paragould and the second by J. R. Pool. The post-
office was established February 16, 1895. Since that
date the town has had a steady and rapid growth. Its
people show their energy and thrift by their manner
of felling the great forest trees, sawing them into
lumber and shaping them into neat and comfortable resi-
dent and business houses. The place which was one year
ago the forest home of the bear, deer, coon and turkey,
is to-day a thriving little railroad town of 150 inhabi-
tants, having two general stores, owned respectively by
Burtig Brothers and Lamb & Hale ; they both carry a
full line of fresh goods, and buy cotton and other
produce. J. W. Wetherby, J. M. Gist and J. A.
Southers, each carry a nice selection of fresh gro-
ceries. There are three restaurants and two saloons.
Hotel Cardwell is a large well-built house, that
would be a credit to any town of 1,000 inhabitants.
Three saw-mills, one cotton gin, and grist mill, a
livery stable and two blacksmiths, do a prosperous
business at this new town. Daily mail is brought by
the Paragould and Southeastern Railroad, which con-
nects with the Cotton Belt Route at Paragould.
The new road was completed from Paragould to
Cardwell in February, 1895, and will now compare
favorably with older roads in the South and West.
The business of the road is quite heavy and increasing.
They have a first-class depot at Cardwell and are
102 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
fairly well prepared to accommodtite the general
public. The train carrying passengers arrives from
Paragould at 11 o'clock a. m. and leaves for Paragould
at 1 o'clock p. m. A six months' school with fifty -
three pupils enrolled under the supervision of Mr.
Walter Cook, one of the most successful and best
informed teachers in the county, alone speaks well
for the enterprise of the people of Cardwell and
vicinity. They have preaching once and twice each
month and the M. E. C. S. has bought a lot on which
they expect soon to build a house of worship.
There are some good farms opened and fairly well
improved around this new town, but there are thou-
sands of acres of land that will produce anything
that can be produced in this climate upon which there
is scarcely a tree amiss. The timber is mostly large,
plenty of it being from three to five feet in diameter,
and in many cases worth more than is asked per acre
for the land.
COTTON PLANT.
In 1848 Buffalo Creek levee, between Cotton Plant
and Kennett, was built by Judge E. J. Langdon and
Billy O. Williams. W^ith the money which he received
for this work, Judge Langdon purchased a stock of
general merchandise and started a store near the
present site of Cotton Plant. About 1854 he bought
a cotton gin of a Mr. Clark. At that time it stood on
the old Anderson Tompson place. Judge Langdon
improved this crude gin and began to encourage the
farmers, or perhaps hunters would be as correct a
name, to raise cotton. He also bought the Jack Cude
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
103
place at Cotton Plant and established his family in the
resident houses.
From that time Cotton Plant began to take on a
tangible form, but at just what time it took its name
is not certain. It was first spoken of as Cotton Plant
by a stranger, who on coming into the county, noticed
around it the only plants of cotton in that part of the
county.
The plants of this growth are very pretty and sure
to attract the attention of any one not accustomed to
seeing them grow, more especially when in bloom.
The red and white blossoms are very attractive among
their beds of dark green leaves, and in the fall season
the balls of soft fleecy white cotton are by many con-
sidered quite as pretty as the bloom. Anyway you
take it the little town's namesake is worthy of atten-
tion, and for this particular town no more appropriate
name could have been chosen than Cotton Plant. It
was for years the source and center of the cotton
business in the south end of the county save what was
raised on the west prairie around Old Cotton Hill,
Cotton Plant had the exclusive cotton traffic of the
county until long after the Civil War. The
history of this post-village is the history of
Judge Langdon's prosperity. From his modest
beginning as half owner in a cooper's shop
and blacksmith's, with Isiah Jones as partner, as
contractor and builder of one of the first levees in
the county, as founder of one of the oldest general
stores, he became the owner of a village containing
about one hundred inhabitants, with a school and
104 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
church house, over which was an Odd Fellows and
Masonic Hall; a commodious store well filled with the
latest wares, and one of the largest landholders in
the county. In his latter years he might have stood
on the upper gallery of his pretty village home and
surveyed, almost us. far as the eye could see, his
own domains, well improved, on the east, south, or
west. He was the first and only postmaster up to the
time of his death ; although, ])rior to his decease, for
several years, he did not reside at Cotton Plant in
summer, and in fact kept his family at Arcadia, Iron
County, Mo., most of the time, but he never ceased
to hold his citizenship in Dunklin County and always
came back to vote.
He erected from time to time new cottages in Cot-
ton Plant, but would never sell any lots. He prob-
ably had two reasons for this; one was he did not wish
a competitor, another was he did not want any one to
have the right to sell any intoxicants in his little
town, as he feared they would do if they owned prop-
erty. He was for many years the sole merchant in
this part of the county, and always did a prosperous
business, selling goods at a time when they could be
sold at a large profit, he bought, or took in on debts,
large tracts of land, until at the time of his death, in
1892, his estate was worth about $200,000 or $300,-
000. At different times he had several partners in
business, but as often something happened that caused
him to be again alone. At one time he sold to T. R.
Neel and C. Y. Langdon and they ran the store for a
time, but sold back to Judoje Lanadon.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
105
He again sold out, this time to A. J. Lano;clon, who
was doino: a ireneral mercantile business at Cotton
Plant, at the time of his father's death.
In 1894, A. J. Langdon sold to Wm. M. Gates, who
is doing a general mercantile business in the Langdon
old store, and has built up for himself a surprisingly
good trade. The tirst church and Masonic hall, erected
about 1874, was burned in 1883. Shortly after an-
other building of similar character was erected on the
same site. The lower story was owned and built by
tTudge Langdon, and the upper by the I. O. O. F. and
Masonic fraternities.
The lower story was set apart for school and church
services, and is yet held so by the heirs of Judge
Langdon. A six or eight months' school is annually
kept at Cotton Plant.
It may be said in connection that Judge Langdon
was very generous and furnished a home for several
years to the circuit preachers of Grand Prairie Circuit,
free of charge, besides giving liberally. He also
nearly always had several widows and their children
" under his wing," so to speak, and gave them homes
and financial assistance. No man whom this county
has ever known, was more universally loved and
respected by its people than the founder of Cotton
Plant.
CLARKTON.
The *' pole road " between Weaverville and Clark-
ton was a nice plank road at first, and was to Clarkton
then about the same as a railroad is to a little town
now. Bach was the name first given to this place, but
106
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
after the plank road was built, and it began to thrive
it was called Clarkton, in honor of Henry E. Clark, a
contractor on the new road. Being in the midst of
West Prairie, which was easily cleared and tilled, on
the road from Gainsville, Ark., to Weaverville and
New Madrid, it soon had good stores, mills, gins, etc.
The first house erected here stood about where the
late residence of Z. B. Penney was burned. The
store was on the old Cottage Hotel lot, and its first
proprietors were John M. Muse and John Timberman.
John H. Stokes also established a store here in
1856, which his son, Robert W. Stokes, had charge of
until the breaking out of the Civil War. Clarkton
was during the war the site of several skirmishes ;
some of its stores were destroyed by fire and the plank
road was burned.
This was a heavy blow to the new town. For
although the road was afterwards rebuilt, or partially
so, with poles, it was a very rough affair ; and when
once traveled from end to end, it was not so hard to
understand how a certain witty traveler's imagination
was wrought upon, until he dubbed it *' The Devil's
Washboard." But Clarkton withstood all this, and
after the cessation of hostilities built up again.
Z. B. Penney, E. C. White, Oscar Summers and John
Muse established stores, and George Rogers (later of
St. Louis) erected a flouring mill, and several grist
mills and cotton gins were built, papers were estab-
lished by different newspaper men, and Clarkton
became the metropolis of the county. It had at one
time nearly 500 inhabitants, the best schoolhouse in
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 107
the county, two good churches, and muny ueat resi-
dences, and was, without doubt, one of the prettiest
towns in this part of the State. The Cottage Hotel
erected by Z. B. Penney was, in its day, a boon to
travelers in these parts.
The building of the railroad, however, from New
Madrid to Maiden dealt Clarkton a terrible blow from
which it has never completely recovered. Still it
does considerable business for a country town, for its
citizens are nearly all of old and highly respected
families who have nice homes and are good livers.
In fact, among the best and most influential citizens
the county has ever had, have been those in the
vicinity of Clarkton. At present it has two general
stores owned respectively by M. W. Hubbard and
Judge James M. Waltrip. A drug and grocery store
are kept by Pack Harrison and his brother, Dr. Arthur
Harrison. There is also a blacksmith shop, two mills
and cotton gins.
Some fine farms are in close proximity to Clarkton,
those of Asa B. Douglass, the Rayburns, Wm. N.
Gunn, Judge R. L. Hodges, — Scaggs, Martin V.
Baird and George, W. Marshall's are the best known.
The last named is, I believe, all things considered, the
most desirable farm in the county. Those of T. J.
Douglass, near Caruth, and Ben. F. Hicks, of Hal-
comb, are, in fact, its only rivals.
CAMPBELL.
This place is situated at the terminus of the St.
Louis, Kennett and Southern Railroad, and the Cot-
108
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
ton Belt Route of the St. Louis Southwestern Railroad
passes through it. Although many of its citizens are
those who formerly lived at Old Four Mile, Campbell
bears no resemblance to that country post-office, but
it is a live little railroad town.
When the town first started Maj. Rayburn laid off
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 109
ten acres of the farm of G. M. Williams into town
lots, and the railroad company did the same with forty
acres. The Lasswell Brothers put up the first store,
and E. C. Haines the first saw-mill on the site of the
new town. But Campbell was not designed on the
country store and saw mill style, for the citizens here-
about intended from the first to make a good town of
it, and they have, for it has some of the best business
enterprises of any town in the county. The Lasswell
Milling Co., incorporated February, 1894, with a paid-
up stock of $30,000, is one of these enterprises.
It has, in connection with a 30,000 feet capacity
sawmill and planing mill with machinery of the latest
improvement, both of which have the record of putting
out from 75 to 100 car loads of material per month,
a trainroad with steel track some seven miles or more
in length, running southwest from Campbell, with
ample equipment of rolling stock, consisting of a
locomotive and ten train cars; besides, it owns ten
standard gauge logging cars, which are in control of
the St. L., K. & S. R. K., and bring timber from
stations along this, and the Kennett and Caruthersville
R, R., to the mills at Campbell.
It will be seen from this that the supply of timber
for this company is almost limitless, and it is the
source of employment of some 150 or 175 men.
This company about one year ago bought a tract of
land and added it to the town plot, as the McCutchen
Addition, and the town has within that time almost
doubled itself in size and population ; there having
been about thirty new buildings, erected mostly on this
no
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
new plot, and this gives the town a very attractive ap-
pearance from the east, south and west. The officials
of the company are J, F, Lasswell, President, W. D.
Lasswell, Vice-president and GenerarManager, and
J. P. Lasswell, Secretary and Treasurer.
The ** Campbell Roller Mills " fill
a long-felt want
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. Ill
of this county, and gives Campbell another paying
enterprise. It is new, having done its first work on
the fall crop of 1895, but it makes four grades of good
flour. The building is four stories, and the machinery
of the very best, having a capacity of fifty barrels per
day.
For convenience of shipping, the company have
built a 600-foot railroad switch. The officers are
numbered among the best citizens of the county, being
J. Q. A. Gardiner, President; W. D. Lasswell, Vice-
president; Louis McCutcben, Secretary and Treasurer,
and W. E. Hopper, General Manager. Besides this,
Campbell has a cotton gin, woodwork and blacksmith
shop, four hotels and a number of staple and fancy
groceries and general stores.
A large amount of produce is shipped from this
place, as the farming community is a good one. This
is also a fine fruit growing locality, being at the foot
of Crawley's Ridge in this county, and the people are
quiteproudof the ** Pollock & Stanley Nursery." It is
only about eight years old, but its business is annually
increasing and the fruits, shrubs, etc., worked are of
the best standard kinds.
As the people are progressive and up-with-the-times
folk, they are, of course, proud of their good school
building, and cheerfully support an eight months
term, which is this year under the management of
E. E. McCullough, and Miss Katie Lawson.
The Campbell Baptist Church on Riffle avenue and
Main street, the M. E. C. S. on Martin avenue and
Oak street, and the Christian Church on Martin
112 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
avenue and Pine street, are all neat churches and
speak well for a town of 600 inhabitants.
This is one of the oldest settled communities in the
county, and many of the citizens of Campbell have
been residents here between forty and fifty years.
Among the oldest are A. D. Bridges, of the firm of
Bridges & Son, who located here in 1844. Mrs.
Owen, widow of Dr. Given Owen, who also came to
the county in 1844; Dr. Bray, who has been here since
1850; and old ** Uncle " Billy Gear, who has been here
*' about as long as any one ; " and J. Q. A. Gardiner,
who has been a citizen of Dunklin County since 1869.
A number of others might be mentioned but this is
enough to prove that Campbell is a fairly healthy
locality, for these old people are all hale and strong
considering their age.
GIBSON.
This is a little station on the railroad between
Campbell and Kennett. It has a saw mill, cotton gin
and grist mill, owned by J. G. Dover & Son, and a
grocery store, by J. A. Northern ton, and a good
church and schoolhouse. Among the old fami-
lies around Gibson, nearly all of whom have good
farms, are the Northerntons, Weathers, Bensons,
Davidsons, Taylors, Barnes, Moores, Ozbirns, Sanders
and Browns.
HALCOMB.
This is a town on the St. Louis, Kennett & Southern
Railroad. It was quite a thriving village before the
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 113
railroad came through; many say it was a more
thriving town then than now. Owing to a dispute
which arose between the people of the town and the
railroad company, the depot was, first built about a
mile below town, and the station called Pine City in
honor of the Lone Pine near by. However, a satis-
factory settlement was at length made, a depot erected
at Halcomb, and the station at Pine City discontinued.
The town has several stores, the oldest general mer-
chant beinoj Judo^e John A. Hoojue. Dr. I. W.
Powell has a very nice drug store here, and is one of
the leading physicians ; the others are Drs. G. W.
Quinn, W. G. Hughes and E. T. Applegate.
Halcomb has a good school building and supports a
good school eight months in the year, and two
churches. Baptist and Methodist. A legacy was set
apart by Mrs. Hogue to build a Presbyterian church on
that church lot in Halcomb, so that it will soon have
three churches. The largest Union Sunday-school in
the county is carried on in the Methodist church at this
place under the supervision of Dr. E. T. Applegate and
Rev. Owen by.
Halcomb has been a o^reat lumber center, but the
saw-mill business is not so brisk as a few years ago.
Considerable farm produce is shipped from this place ;
melons and strawberries are two of the most prom-
inent products, and these cannot be excelled for either
quality or size, and are generally ripe more than a week
earlier than in the surrounding counties. Almost
anything can be successfully raised around Halcomb
that can be grown in this climate, and its agricultural
114 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
resources only need development, for no better soil
can be found anywhere. Wheat, oats, clover, corn,
grasses, melon, small fruit, poultry and eggs, are
raised plentifully here.
Not only the town of Halcomb, but all of Halcomb
Island, has improved very rapidly in the last few
years. There was not a brick chimney nor a glass
window in the neipjhborhood fifteen vears ag-o. Then
one could not see over a quarter of a mile in any
direction on account of the heavy timber, and deer
roamed the woods in the neighborhood even in the
daytime. Now one might stand on a house-top in
Halcomb and see farms for a distance of five miles, or
as far as the eye can see. Seven churches and six
schools with 600 scholars enrolled are within the
bounds of the little island.
Col. H. A. Ai)piegate's, the Messrs. Blakemore's,
John P. Taylor's [deceased] and Ben F. Hicks' are
noted farms. Mr. Hicks' is said to be the most con-
veniently arranged and best fenced farm in the
county.
THE TOWN OF HORNERSVILLE.
W. H. Horner came to Dunklin County in 1832,
and located on the bank of Little River, entering from
the Government, at the old land office in Jackson,
Mo., the east fractional half of section 8, township 16,
range 9, east, and built a large log house — which is
yet standing and owned by VVm. Herman — by the
side of a mound where he would have dry land in time
of an *' overflow," and there opened up a small farm.
. HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 115
Believing he was near the head of navigation on a good
trading point, he concluded to lay off a town.
In 1842, he laid out the town of Hornersville, con-
taining all of fractional southeast quarter of section 8,
township 16, range 9. Commencing at his own dwell-
ing place, which is situated on lot one, block one, he
laid off the plot along the river bank. The town site
is one of the most beautiful in the county ; command-
ing a splendid view of the open river, it is higher than
the surrounding country and is well drained by Little
River, which at this point, more especially in spring,
is exceedingly pretty.
The first merchant in the town was Jesse Storv, who
in later years lived at Weaverville, New Madrid
County. Jeff. Molt and Horner and Satterfield were
other early business men. Wagster and Douglass,
dealers in tobacco, cigars, fine wines, liquors, etc.,
was i)lainly discernible on some of the door posts of
an old house a few years ago. Joel Chandler was
another early resident and merchant of Hornersville.
in its early days " Hornerstown " was a brisk trading
point; the hunters and Indians bringing their furs to
the merchants and buying of them their traps, tents,
ammunition, guns, etc.
By 1861 it had become a considerable town, had a
schoolhouse, church and Masonic hall. It was, how-
ever, nearly destroyed by the war, and for several
years after made very slow progress, having not
more than one or two small merchandise houses and
a grocery or saloon or two. W. F. Shellon kept
a saloon in a little house which had no door
116 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
shutter. A box, or some similar contrivance, was
placed across the door at night to keep the
cattle out. The counter was a dry goods box; the
stock on hand consisted of a barrel of liquor and a
tin cup. The cup was filled and passed around to the
boys.
Other business men here about this time were
Edwards and McCrackin, H. G. Pasley, Henry
Stewart, and later Harkey and Schultz. They com-
menced business about 1870, and were very successful,
soon ranking among the best business men in the county.
Hornersville has at present two general stores, a
grocery store, grist mill, two sawmills, and a drug
store. The leading merchant is Dr. John L. Mathews,
who is one of the best posted men in financial and
mercantile matters in Southeast Missouri. Dr.
Mathews keeps one of the best stocked general stores
south of Kennett, and Pope and McKay are enlarging
their business with encouraging prospects.
Hornersville is one of the best trading points in the
south end of the county, and its merchants sell thou-
sands of dollars' worth of goods every year.
Some of the lands around this town are subject to
overflow in spring, none in the county, however, excel
it in fertility. These high waters do not come every
spring. The waters have not been high enough to
inconvenience Hornersville and vicinity since 1886.
It is a reasonably healthy locality, and thus need
only two practicing y)hysicians — Drs. E. T. Anderson
and Floyd Kinsolving. A daily hack from Kennett
brings the U. S. mails. Tom Kinsolving is postmaster.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 117
Mrs. Samuel Edmonston and Mrs. W. N. Cole^accom-
modate the traveling public, and their guests fre-
quently dine on wild goose, duck, turkey, venison
steak, frog legs and fresh fish, as this is one of the
greatest hunting and fishing centers in the county.
The history of Hornersville would fill a good-sized
volume in itself, and can only be touched lightly here.
At first it was only a peaceful little hamlet where the
steamboats and keelboats from Memphis landed to
exchange their wares for produce, game and furs.
In those days the fur buyers were ordinary person-
ages, and in spring laid their sacks of gold in the
tents of the hunters as though they were so many
sacks of salt. A thief was considered the meanest
and most insignificant of all creatures and hence the
gold was never touched. Fighting and brawling
among the neighbors was unheard of, and preaching
at people's houses, singing meetings, corn huskings,
old fashioned quiltings and log rollings were frequent
occurrences. But all this soon changed, as this place
was found to be a good-hiding place for desperadoes,
it being impossible to trace them through the dismal
swamps of Little Kiver.
John A. Murrell's gang made Hornersville one of
their meeting-places, and as the citizens were too scarce
to put them down, they had things about their own
way for a while. They at first palmed themselves off
on the citizens as Masons, and when a man was per-
suaded to take the oath, to break it meant certain
death, thus the only thing he could do was to ** keep
quiet," after such persuasion.
118 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
More .will be said about this ^'g.mg" elsevvhere,
but it may be said here that Hornersville was not their
only place of meeting in this county, and that they
did not commit as much crime here as in many other
older and more thickly populated counties. However,
there is no doubt but the influence of this "s^anor"
was very demoralizing and that they sowed the seeds
of future depravity.
Soon after the suppression of this gang the Civil
War broke out, and as Hornersville was about the
largest town in the county it was the common stopping-
place of the "Yanks," the *' Secessionists " and
*' Guerrillas," when they were in the county.
During these hostilities the town hall was burned and
the town nearly demolished. It was several years
after the war before order was even partially restored,
and many so inclined had ample opportunities to
cultivate their evil propensities. But be it said in
behalf of Hornersville, that although there has been
a number of murders committed here, there
has not been more than in other towns of
its age, and the many stories of its *' desperate "
men, have either been exaggerated or made out-
right. There has never been a time in the history
of Hornersville when a man who acted the gen-
tleman was not treated as such, unless, perchance,
he fell in the hands of the Murrell gano:. Homers-
ville was never incorporated, and it must be confessed
that the associations of the saloon of former years
gave some cause for the stories told of its morals.
But it has had no saloon for several vears : its ** blind
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 119
tiger" and '* dejicl full," days are past, and the peo-
ple in that locality say it will never have another
saloon, at least, until it is incorporated. The ladies
of that vicinity are setting a high standard of morals
for ihe sterner sex, and it seems almost needless to
say that the standard is fast being reached. The
ladies declare they will never again suffer anything to
be said ao^ainst the morals of their husbands and
brothers, for with a few exceptions, they are as
gallant, moral and law-abiding as any men in
America.
Hornersville has a ofood church buildino^ nearinorcom-
pletion, and in it a Sunday-school, weekly prayer
meetings, and weekly singing are carried on for the
edification of its people. The people of this vicinity
are of the *' big-hearted " kind, and if you have occa-
sion to visit Hornersville, you will be met with old
fashioned Southern hospitality.
The people of this vicinity expect the Paragould and
Southeastern Railroad to strike this town. Believing
it will come east near the line of the old wagon road
known as the '* Bear Road," pass through Lulu and
Hornersville on its route southeast to Osceola, Ark.,
and Memphis, Tenn. Should this be the case, Horners-
ville has everything to make it the best town between
Kennett in this county and Osceola, Ark.
KENNETT.
Dunklin County's capital is centrally situated, one
mile east of Varney's river, and is about 270 feet above
the mean tidal wave of the Gulf of Mexico, where the
120
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
high or overflow waters never touch it. From the
clock tower of the county courthouse one may view
many miles of as beautiful and prosperous a county as
there is in Southeast Missouri. Kennett is considered
the oldest town in the county, and yet Hornersville
was laid off in town lots before the former town. But
w
m
Residence of R. H. Jones.
Kennett was an Indian village long before this county
was settled by the whites; and as the Indians thought
it a desirable centralizing point, as also did the early
settlers, they located and built little log cabins near
its present site, until the pioneers dignified it by call-
ing it a town.
The Indian chief Chilletacaux, must be given the
honor of building the first log hut and, in a way, of
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 121
starting the town of Kennett. He was a progressive
Indian and aspired to live in a house instead of a wig-
wam. So, according to his progressive views, he
built a two roomed log, or pole cabin, planted some
peach and apple trees around it and believed himself to
be quite up with the times. In his kitchen he built a
mortar with attachments for the purpose of pounding
his Indian corn into meal for breadstuff. The chief's
claim eventually was bought by Howard Moore, who
turned the corn mortar into a coffee mortar, and
erected near by one of the first grist mills of the county.
*« Uncle " Dave Moore, who was the second white child
born in the county, can yet describe all of those early
improvements, and remembers how the little place was
first called Chilletacaux, in honor of the Indian chief
and his claim.
In 1845, when Dunklin County was organized and
Chilletacaux was chosen as the seat of its government
the lawyers, who looked after its legal affairs, soon
arrived at the conclusion that Chilletacaux was too
long and hard a name for a county seat. They made
their opinion known to the county's representative in
the Leofislature and asked him to effect a change of
name. He complied, and had the town called Butler.
But this name proved unsatisfactory also, as the mails
for Butler town and Butler County were continually
getting mixed and causing delays and annoyance.
Again the representative was appealed to, with the
result that Kennett was chosen as a name for Dunklin
County's seat of government. The pioneers built a
little pole hut to be used for school and church ser-
122
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
vices, and this served as a place of shelter, when shel-
ter was necessary, for the first court officials after the
organization of the county until the citizens had time
to erect a courthouse. This they did in 1847. The
building was of logs, but was substantial and suffi-
ciently large, and served its purpose admirably until it
was destroyed by fire during the war.
The history of the several courthouses of this
county has been given elsewhere, and it is sufficient
to say here that the present courthouse, erected on the
public square, in 181)2, is one of the finest in this part
of the State, and of which not only Kennett but the
entire county is proud,
Kennett's first store was opened by Elbert C. Spil-
ler, who was for a time in partnership with James
Cude ; they continued in business for several years,
and were finally succeeded by A. M. Davis, and J. R.
McCullough, John S. Houston, John H. Marsh, and
Campbell Wright. Kennett grew steadily, and had
good prospects when the war broke out. This left it,
as it did the remainder of the country, in a very deplor-
able condition ; business had been suspended, and a
heap of ashes marked the remains of what had once
been the courthouse ; in short, the town had been
destroyed and had to be rebuilt again.
W. F. Shelton beofan business here about the close
of the war, commencing in a very crude little log
cabin. His present wealth testifies to his having done
a prosperous business; but many of its other citizens
seem to have dropped off in a Rip Van Winkle dose,
from which they were never fully aroused until the
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 123
whistle of the locomotive was heard in their midst.
This occurred about January 1, 1892. True, it had
before this begun to cast about and put forth consid-
erable energy, although it still enjoyed retiring at 9
p. M., and rising at 6 a. m.
Kennett had to this date built two good churches
and a Methodist parsonage. It had a cotton gin and
grist mill or two, and general stores were run respect-
ively by T. E. Baldwin & Co., Tatum Bros., Phillips
& Co., S. S. White & Co., W. F. Shelton, B. Weil,
and others. A drug store had been opened by A. B.
Mobley, and a family grocery by G. W. Huskey. The
brick bank building on the north side of the square
had been erected and the citizens were striving for the
new courthouse. It was even then a thriving, if a
modest town. At present and in the last four years
Kennett has been on a prolonged and steady " boom."
A *'boom" in this instance does not mean that
Kennett has advertised and deceived unwary home-
seekers into coming to ** the garden spot of America,"
*' a perfect paradise," etc., or described it so that
one might expect to see the corn cobs grown around
it set with gold dollars instead of ordinary corn, or
the cotton bolls tilled with silver coin so that it would be
easy to gather all one would ever need in a day. Oh,
no, Kennett has done nothing of this kind, in fact,
it has had less extravagant praise bestowed upon it,
and less advertising than any town in this part of the
State. Its people have been content to let others lind
the many advantages they enjoyed as citizens of
Kennett and Dunklin Co., believing that its true
124
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
merits would gain Qiore lastins: friends than brajr^ed-
up localities.
Kennett makes no claims at being a "perfect
paradise," but it is a real live American, Missourian-
ized town.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 125
This may be understood as raeaning that the people
are descendants from all nationalities, who — or their
forefathers Ions: asro — had chosen Missouri as their
favorite State, Dunklin as its best county, and Ken-
nett as their choice town in their adopted country ;
and that they have gone to work with all the energy
and bustle — peculiar to the American — to make it
just what they want it.
Kennett has nearly 2,000 inhabitants, and they may
be said to be typical Missourians as well as Americans.
Some might term them a bit old-fashioned, perhaps,
for althoijojh its o^entlemen have caught a whiff of the
bicycle craze, its ladies are yet innocent of the
bloomers and the ''wheeled horse;" and yet the
latter understand how to arrange their hair in the latest
style, use six yards of silk in a dress sleeve, sing, dance,
lead a prayer-meeting, preside over a society club,
command and retain the respect of their male com-
panions, and rule their part of the nation, not with
scolding or the ballot box, but with that something
which is called " tact." In this way they appear sub-
missive, thereby making mankind happy, but at the
same time have their way pretty much the same as all
other American women ; and last, but not least, they
can teach their children, and personally keep their
homes in the good old-fashioned way. Be this woniiui
old-fashioned or otherwise, she is the typical woman
of Kennett and of Dunklin County.
The men possess a large number of the good qual-
ities and a sprinkling of the less desirable ones peculiar
to both sexes and all nations, and are energetic, thrifty,
126 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
law abiding, reverential, money-making and able,
reojardless of callino:. From the saloon man to the
doctor of divinity they are always ready to go down
into their pockets every time their wives tell them
their town needs a new church, the widows and
orphans assistance, or any other charitable deed done.
These are the men who have given this town a four-
years' *' boom " which has not yet reached its zenith.
.W4
t-
Eesidekce of T. E. King, Kennett.
These are the kind of men you will find in Kennett and
all over Dunklin County. They are thoroughly awake
now and are determined to make their corner of
"Grand old Missouri," all that any other part of it
can be made.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 127
Two years ago Ken net t had a fire which almost
swept out the south side of Main street, but the ashes
were scarcely more than cool until brick structures as
good as any to be found outside of a city had replaced
those old frame buildings and the town was really the
gainer instead of the loser thereby. It has four
attractive churches and a $9,000 public school building.
Over 400 scholars are enrolled and under the able
tutorage of A. B. Sloan, as principal, and Misses
Ida Morgan, Alma Stokes, Ada Summers and
Lemma Timberman, assistants. The term is nine
months.
The business of the town is of a substantial and
lasting kind and can only be exhausted when the
county is depopulated. The 5th of September one of
Kennett's cotton gins turned out the first bale of
cotton for this year, and since that time its gins, four
in number, have been kept busy almost day and night,
and will continue their work for a month in the new
year of 1896. Three steam corn shellers will prepare
for market the surplus corn of at least the south end
of the county.
Tatum Bros., W. F. Shelton, Jr. & Co., Levi Mer-
cantile Co., and B. Weil may be said to be the old
and permanent general store companies although there
are others who do a good business.
To mention all of the general and fancy grocery
companies, hardware and drug stores and other like
enterprises would be tedious : suffice it to say that it
has all these, with special delivery wagons, etc., fish,
ffame and cold storage warehouses, lumber yards.
128
HISTORY OF DUNKLIX COUNTY, MO.
brick yards, etc. It has a nice new opera hall and a
number of handsome brick business houses.
life-
The Silver Cornet Band has fine instruments, new
uniforms and makes fully as good music as any band
of its age in this part of the State.
MO. 129
As to hotels, Kennett has three: The Commercial
Hotel, presided over by Mrs. E. G. Slicer, who is an
all-rouDd hotel woman; The Gatis House, which is a
general travelers' home, and the Wyman House, which
is the largest in towMi.
A live growing town always has a live growing
newspaper, and Kennett is fully up with the times in
this line; and has in the Dunklin Democrat a most
able champion of Dunklin County and its capital. It
is now in its new brick office in the Tatum Block.
Every subscriber will receive this paper every week in
the year and always find something new in it, and this
is much more than can be said of many county papers.
Kennett's people believe, and rightly, that they have
in Mr. E. P. Caruthers one of the most able editors in
the Southeast, and are never afraid to have their
county paper compared with any in this part of the
State, for after a close comparison one must think just
a little more of the Dunklin Democrat.
The Bank of Kennett has a nice building, a time
lock, burglar-proof safe, etc., and a capital stock of
$25,000. January 1, 1895, it had a deposit of nearly
$72,000. T. E. Baldwin is president, W. F. Shelton,
vice-president, and D. B. Pankey, cashier.
The town is in a good condition financially, it is out
of debt and the taxes are light. All the business houses,
churches, hotels, and the courthouse, as v/ell as the
streets, are, without exception, lit by electricity.
Within the last few years there have been a number
of valuable additions to the plot of Kennett; among
them are the Shelton, Baldwin and Bragg, and the
9
130 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
railroad companies additions. The lots have been
sold and houses erected at such a rapid rate that now
there are comparatively few vacant lots for sale.
Kennett never has any vacant houses; one must
watch and wait to get a house for any purpose.
In America one may have a fair idea of the degree of
prosperity of a town or community by the character
of its residences ; these speak well for Kennett.
Many of the new residences are in architecture and
finish unsurpassed by any to be found in a town of
its size. Among the handsomest are those of Judge
T. E. Baldwin, D. B. Pankey, J. F. Tatum, K. H.
Jones, W. G. Bragg, and Mrs. Sturgis. The resi-
dences of Drs. Finney and Harrison are exceptionally
fine homes.
The St. Louis, Kennett and Southern, and the
Kennett and Caruthersville Eailroads are among the
most potent influences of the prosperity of Kennett.
They are doing an immense business, and in a credit-
able manner for new roads. A. J. Keerfoot, the retir-
ing superintendent, has proved himself a thorough
business man of no mean ability, by his rapid manner
of bringing these roads up to their present standard.
Louis B. Houck is the present superintendent, and
makes Kennett his headquarters.
These roads belong to the Houck System, and will
no doubt be all that as enterprising a town as Kennett
could desire in the near future. Kennett will always
be a good town, surrounded as it is by fine farming
land, the most convenient shipping point for the
south and central portions of the county; the seat
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 131
of one of the best counties in the Slate, the resources
of which are just being realized, — with moneyed
men to back it, it has everything to not only make it,
but keep it, a good town.
LULU.
Lulu post-office was established in October, 1883,
and named by Judge E. J. Langdon, as he said **in
honor of one of his old sweethearts, who, by the by,
was one of the most beautiful women I ever saw."
Mr. J. T. Karnes was the first postmaster, who, when
the office was established, was running a small general
dry goods store at that point. As it was too far for the
farmers to go to either Cotton Plant, Senath or Cock-
rum for their mail, the office was a great convenience
to them as well as to Mr. Karnes. Lulu is now a busy
little village 17 miles from Kennett and in a fine belt
country. It has two general stores, a grist mill and
cotton gin. The business is run by J. M. Karnes and
J. M. Tucker; they buy and ship cattle, hogs, cotton,
corn, eggs and other produce; in fact do an ** all-
round " country merchant business, carrying a heavy
stock and selling an immense amount of goods. They
think theirs will be a good town when the Paragould
and Southeastern Railroad is extended from Cardwell.
The large and substantial farm houses and other gen-
eral improvements tell their own story of fertile soil,
energetic farmers and their prosperity. A good
school six or eight months in the year, a church house
in which two or three denominations preach, are near
by. This is a desirable locality to buy land as it can
132 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
be bought reasoDubly, and there can scarcely bo finer
land in this or any other county.
MALDEN.
Maiden, though comparatively a new town, is the
largest in Dunklin County. Its growth has been
phenomenal; in fact it has had a *' boom," extending
over fifteen consecutive years, and while there is a
slight calm after the storm of immigration which has
poured into it, Maiden is now, and by reason of the
fine agricultural resources surrounding it, must con-
tinue to be a thriving and prosperous town. Its
beginning was similar to other railroad towns, com-
mencing with the railroad company's supply store,
officials' and workmen's residence, etc.
The citizens of Old Cotton Hill and its vicinity, and
men with money from other places, soon, however,
congregated here and speedily made a good town of
Maiden. In 1877 the Little River Valley and
Arkansas Railroad was extended from New Madrid to
Maiden, which was then the western terminus of that
road. This road, which was under the direction of
Maj. George B. Clark, ran its first cars into Maiden
in February, 1878. The town was laid out by the
railroad company in 1877, the chief engineer being
Hon. Oscar Kochtitzky ; among his assistants were
G. Z. Loman, F. A. Smith and Geo. W. Peck.
Many were the comic sayings about this new road
when first built. It was a narrow-gauge, and some
old citizen said its trains reminded him of a small
*' Dydapper Duck " by their downward and upward
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 133
motions as they came into town over the cotton ridges.
Certainly its accommodations were crude, but it was
as good as the ordinary new road, and it was subse-
quently made a standard gauge and merged into the
Cotton Belt Route, and is now equal in every respect
to the best roads in the South and West. It connects
at Paragould, Ark., with the main line of the Iron
Mountain, andat Jonesborough, Ark., with the Kansas
City and the Memphis road. The Delta branch, which
runs into Maiden from the north, connects at Delta,
Mo., with the Behnont branch of the Iron Mountain,
thus giving Maiden a direct line to St. Louis and all
Northern points.
These roads are known as the St. Louis South-
western Railway, Cotton Belt Route, and it seems
almost needless to say they have been among the most
potent influences in the progress of the '* Queen City "
of Dunklin County.
Maiden is situated about five miles from the north
line of this county, near the line between Dunklin
and New Madrid counties, in a very fine agricultural
country. It is essentially a Missouri town, and has
one of the finest public school buildings in Southeast
Missouri, surrounded by a splendid grove of forest
trees. This school has a very large attendance of
pupils, and, during this winter of 1895-96, is under
the able management of W. C. Canterbury, principal,
and Miss Annie Stuart, Miss Vara Waltrip, Miss
Minnie Price, Miss Mayme Hughes and Miss Williford,
assistants.
Five church buildings is the number in this Mis-
134
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
souri town of 2,000 inhabitants; they are owned by
the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian and
Catholics, and are all a credit to a town of its size.
p
i f
I - S^
I
Besides these it has an Opera and Music Hall, several
handsome brick business houses, and as many sub-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 135
stantial and pretty residences as may be found in this
part of the State.
One of the largest enterprises of Maiden at present
is the Heading or Stave Factory. The plant covers
about ten acres of ground, is lighted by electricity
and has a capacity of 4,000 sets per day. It gives
employment to about 140 hands and has a pay-roll of
$1,000 per week. During the year of 1895 this
Heading Factory received 350 cars of rough material,
and forwarded 1,000 cars of finished work.
The large amount of white-oak and other valuable
timber around Maiden is rapidly being put on the
market, thus affording the farmers a home market
for their surplus timber. This is certainly an enter-
prise of which any town might be proud. This fac-
tory runs at its full capacity day and night, and to
fully realize its importance and magnitude one should
see the hundreds of loads of timber on its grounds
with more arriving daily, and the large amount put
forward for shipment each week.
Other enterprises of this enterprising town are: R.
A. Behymer, manufacturer of all kinds of rough and
dressed cypress lumber, shingles, lath, etc.; The
Maiden Machine Works, H. H. Watson, proprietor;
Maiden Corn Co., G. W. Peck, proprietor; and a
Cotton Compress which turns out the latest round
cotton bales, established by Sexton Merchandise Co.
of Maiden, and Jerome Hill Cotton Co. of St.
Louis, Mo.
The principal business firms are : Levi Mercantile
Co., T. C. Stokes & Co., Allen Store Co., Sexton
1/
r
Opera House and Music Hall, Malden.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 137
Merchandise Co., T. C. Bufortl & Co., Kauffmaii
Bros., and Cox & Bohlcke, general merchants; H.
Bohlcke Furniture Store; More Drug Co., and H. P.
Kinsolving, drugs; M. Clem, M. Fly & Co., and
John P. Allen, groceries.
To mention all of the miscellaneous and smaller
enterprises would call for more space than has been
allotted to Maiden, and it goes without saying that
every live Missouri town has or is fast gainiug its
own marble works, undertakers, music emporiums,
news stands, public libraries, real estate companies,
saw mills, and many more miscellaneous enterprises.
Maiden has its share of all these, and more, for besides
being the largest watermelon' shipping town in the
county, it is also a large shipper of corn, cotton and
other produce, and has a number of cotton gins, steam
corn shellers; warehouses and cold storages, for it
ships considerable fish and game.
Dunklin County Bank, of which H. P. Kinsolving is
president, and W. J. Davis, cashier, is financially in
orood condition, and has withstood the late financial
depression of the country without inconvenience. It
has a capital stock of $15,000 and an aggregate deposit
of $31,584.32.
Maiden has two good papers, the *' Dunklin County
News," edited by C. M. Edwards, and referred to else-
where in this volume, and the " Dunklin County Keg-
ister," recently established by E. G. Henderson, lately
of the *' Evening Shade," Arkansas. This paper is
bright, newsy, and bids fair to be an honor to even as
thrivinir and enerofetic a town as Maiden. Both of
138 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
these papers are issued weekly and are in politics
Democratic.
The Rapp House is the principal hotel and is well
and favorably known to the traveling public. Another
»1
ifct
Rapp Hotel, Malden.
is the Spooner House, which is well known and is the
oldest hotel in town.
Maiden is easily the metropolis of the north^end of
this county. Kennett striving for metropolitan honors
has stimulated Maiden to put forth every effort to
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 139
retain the crown of honors accorded her several years
ago as the *' Queen City " of Dunklin County.
In the past two years she has built churches, busi-
ness houses, handsome residences and modest cottages,
which has attracted many strangers to her; she has
also joined to her town-plat several handsome addi-
tions. One of the largest and prettiest is that of
Spoonerville, which is itself a nice little town.
A few years ago the business of this town was of a
somewhat different character to that of the present.
Its first merchants, who were James Gregory, Jackson
& Erlich, Wm. M. Harkey, Sisel & Plant, and later
on, J. S. Levi & Co., Squires & Lasswell, Decker &
Co., Gregory & Gardner, Davis &Co., Mr. Yearwood
and Wm. Bridges, general merchants, and O. M. Wal-
lace, hardware and furniture. Maiden Stove and Im-
plement Store, and E. Mayes & Co., G. T. Vancleve
and Dr. F. M. Wilkins, drugs, must certainly have
reaped some of the benefits of *' red letter days " in
Maiden.
A busy day meant that farmers from all over this
county. Green and Mississippi counties of Arkansas,
were in town wath hundreds of bales of cotton, and
much other produce, which was practically changed
for the wares of these merchants. It then shipped
more produce and sold more goods than all other
towns of the county combined. Its cotton gins, five
or six in number, were during the cotton season kept
busy almost day and night, and its planing mills,
corn mills and granaries, were equally so. One of
these planing mills was operated by H. B. Spooner,
140 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
who, with the assistance of Wm. M. Satterfield,
started the machinery to work in 1885. Now her
factories, cotton compress, and other enterprises, have
obviated the necessity of smaller affairs, and while
she does not sway so large a scope of country, that
immediately surrounding her is much better devel-
oped, more thickly populated and the value of the
timber and surrounding soil is just being appreciated.
The farmers are turning their attention somewhat
from cotton, and raise more corn, watermelons,
poultry, eggs, cattle and hogs.
The soil surrounding this town is particularly well
adapted to the raising of small fruit and garden
vegetables, such as tomatoes, corn, beans, cabbage,
etc., and a cunning factory is an enterprise which it
is anticipating, and one which could certainly get
plenty of food from the surrounding country.
The people of Maiden are genuine Missourians and
Dunklinites, and are proud of the State, county and
town to which they belong. When it is remembered
that the first white settler of Dunklin County located
but sixty years ago near Maiden, on what was then an
Indian huntino^-orround, where the ax of the woodman
had never been heard, where the buffido, elk, wild ox,
bear, wolf and smaller animals were as plentiful as
squirrels and rabbits to-day ; where the plow of the
farmer had not penetrated even so much as an inch of
soil, and that Maiden itself had not been dreamed of
twenty years ago, it is at once understood that Maiden,
as one of the youngest towns in one of the youngest
counties in the *' Grand Old Iron State," deserves
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 141
the honor to be known as the Queen City of Dunklin
County. It would not seem too much to say that
Maiden is one of the very best first-class cities in
Missouri for its age. The town which reaches the
standard of this city — builds the churches, schools,
public halls, brick business houses, comfortable homes,
attracts important enterprises to its limits, organizes
banks, lays out and iu^.proves nice parks, in less than
twenty years, as Maiden has done, and yet maintains
a solid financial condition — must certainly be a
** hustler," and have the livest of live American
people.
NESBIT.
Nesbit is in the Harkey neighborhood and has
grown out of a country store, cotton gin, grist
mill, etc. , establis^hed by Mr. Harkey, commonly sj)oken
of as ** Nug " Harkey. The young men of the
neighborhood at first jocularly called it ** Need More,"
and by this name it was known for a few years. In
1885 T. R. Neel opened a general store in the Harkey
house. Mr. Harkey having discontinued his business,
Mr. Neel established a post-office which he called in
honor of Mr. Nisbit of the firm of McKay, Nisbit &
Co., Evansville, Indiana. After running the business
for a while Mr. Neel took for a partner T. J. Douglass;
they built a large business house, and for a time did
an immense business, but subsequently Mr. Douglass^
drew out of the firm and later Mr. Neel sold out to
McKay, Nisbit & Co. J. F. Smyth managed the busi-
ness for them for about one year and then bought
their interest. He ran a general store until May, 1895,
142 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
when he removed to Caruthorsville, Pemiscot County,
Missouri. At present A. H. Short is postmaster and
keeps a very nicely selected and fresh line of
groceries.
Judge J. H. Harkey operates at this place a grist mill
and cotton gin and does about the best business in his
line in that part of the county. Harkey Chapel
church is one of the neatest in the county and the
number of its members is large. A weekly prayer
meeting, Epworth League, singing and Sunday-
school are **ever green" in this neighborhood and
the morals of its people are the best. Its young people
are noted for their sobriety, industry and intelligence,
and its elderly people for their commendable exem-
plary lives. This people succeeded in getting the
parsonage of Grand Prairie Circuit, M. E. C. S.,
located at Nesbit, and when it is completed it will be a
pretty preacher's home. A good six or eight months
school is usually taught in the school building one-
half mile distant.
SENATH.
The post-office of Senath was established in the
spring of 1882 at the residence of A. W. Douglass
and named in honor of his wife, Mrs. Senath Hale
Douglass.
Eobert W. Baird was the first postmaster and served
in that capacity for several years. In July of 1889,
the office was moved to the pleasantly situated town
of Senath. From this date Senath began to put on the
tangible appearance of a village. Its location in Salem
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 143
Township on Horse Island is u good one, being ten
miles from Kennett, the county seat, and on high land,
drained on one side by Honey Cypress, and on the
other by Buffalo Creek. Fine farms surround it on
all sides, and they are owned by an industrious and
thrifty class of farmers.
At present there is in Senath three general stores
conducted respectively by Baird, Satterfield & Co.,
K. M. Bone & Co. , and J. I. Caneer. All do an exten-
sive business furnishing the fine country around them
with general supplies. There is one barber shop and
J. I. Caneer accommodates the traveling public.
Two cotton gins and grist mills and a blacksmith
find plenty of work to keep them fairly busy.
Dr. R. W. Baird is the oldest and leading physi-
cian ; Dr. W. W. White also has a good practice, and
Dr. Burks has only been in the county a short time.
Miss Hulda Douglass is a notary public, and is the
only woman in the county holding that office. Two
churches, and one of the neatest little schoolhouses
in the county, are conveniently situated.
Usually a live Sunday-school is kept up in at least
one of these churches. Miss Hulda Douglass is, in
a way, a leader and chaperon for the young set and
children; this is evidenced by their superior manners
and morals.
The day school at this place has turned out some of
the brightest young people in the county, who are
now themselves teaching. The whole district takes
pride in the public school, and cheerfully supports an
eight months' term.
144 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
The principal products sold at Seaath are cotton,
corn, cattle, hogs, poultry, eggs, butter, beeswax,
furs, etc.
The business men are all wide-awake, up with the
times, and own good lands and other property, thus
making a substantial basis for their merchandising.
The town is making a firm and substantial growth.
VALLEY RIDGE.
This is a post-village on Crawley's Ridge, in the
northwest part of the county. It was established and
named by Oxley, who came to the county in 1875 and
made a homestead entry on his present home. He
first established a grain store, afterward adding a
general store. The name Valley Ridge was given to
the post-office because of the peculiarities of the
ridge land ; it is as rich and productive as the valley
land and nearly every hill can be tilled. Corn, oats,
wheat, etc., all kind of grasses are grown here, and
the ridge cannot be excelled for fruit.
The many " well-to-do " farmers and fine farms
along this ridge testify to its being a most desirable
place in which to live. The Lone Spring on Beech Hill
in front of the Will Zebra place is perhaps the best
known spring, but there are a number of sulphur and
other mineral springs among these hills. There are
some signs of lead and some claim of silver and gold
to be found here, but these hills are for the most
part entirely unexplored, excepting those that are in
actual cultivation.
W. J. Oxley & Co. run a general store. Mr.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 145
Oxiey, of this firm, has been postmaster ever since the
office has been established. It has a daily mail system.
Rush Creek schoolhouse and Bethany General
Baptist churches are the places of worship near here.
Among the old families along the ridge are the James
Faughn, Higginbotham, Vincent, Dr. Jacob Snider,
Lacy, Whitehead, J. P. Stewart, Green Tucker, Ben
Hopkins, Harper and Gunnells.
VINCET.
George W. Maharg was the founder of this post-
village. He first opened a store near the old Pelt's
gin; later he removed to the present site of Vincet
and did a general merchandise business for several
years, but finally discontinued business and went to
Kennett, where he died a few years since. The post-
office is now kept in the store of James Rogers. It is
on the bank of Buffalo Creek, at the point where the
levee crosses, leading north to Kennett, and is five
miles south of that town.
It has a new saw mill to cut up the cypress and
Other heavy timber along the creek, and a cotton gin
and grist mill. The Old Shady Grove Baptist Church
and the new schoolhouse are within a distance of a
half mile. Vincet is at the head of a five-mile scope
of the richest and most productive land in the county,
which is also high and beautiful.
WHITE OAK.
This is a station on the St. Louis, Kennett &
Southern Railroad, and sells goods to, and handles
10
146 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
the U. S. mails for, about the same farmers as did once
the old post-office at Shumache. White Oak, like
many of the other little places in the county, is small
and insignificant within itself, but around it is a pros
perous country, set with good farm-houses, neat
churches and comfortable public school buildings.
The people are industrious, intelligent and independ-
ent livers, who raise something to spare every year.
White Oak gets its share of trade and shipments.
WRIGHTS VILLE.
This is a little post-village northwest of Clarkton
about four miles. The Wright brothers founded and
named it, and keep the post-office in their store.
They also run, in connection with their store, a cotton
gin and grist mill. Near by is a blacksmith shop,
good schoolhouse and church. Around here are many
nice farms and old ''well-to-do" families. Amono:
them might be mentioned Judge Baker, Whitaker, of
the Whitaker nursery; W. H. Shelton, late judge of
the first district.
CHAPTER XI.
POLITICS, ETC.
Dunklin County has always been largely Demo-
cratic. Fifteen years ago there was scarcely more
than a dozen Republican voters in the entire county.
Since then, however, much of the emigration has been
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 147
from the North and East, a considerable number being
Republican in politics. At the regular November
election in 1894, the following votes were polled at
the various voting precincts : —
Demo- Repub- Peoples
crat. lican. Party.
Liberty 41 19
Lulu 26 6 5
Senath 134 63 2
Hornersville 66 8 1
Cotton Plant 109 40 1
Kennett 319 87 4
Sumach 22 6
Halcomb 153 111 36
Clarkton 103 16 13
Wrightsville 62 27 1
Campbell 154 154 2
Valley Ridge , 27 24
Maiden 257 158 15
Totals ■ 1,473 719 80
Total number of votes cast being 2,272.
This, however, must not be considered as the full
number of legal voters in Dunklin County, as at the
Democratic primary election of August 11, 1894, the
vote for C. O. Hoffman, candidate for probate judge,
with no opponent, stood — Kennett, 540; Sumach,
51; Cotton Plant, 194; Hornersville, 160; Lulu, 41;
Senath, 209; Liberty, 56; Halcomb, 189; Clarkton,
153; Wrightsville, 85 ; Campbell, 168 ; Valley Ridge
30; Maiden, 355; total, 2,232. As will be seen from
148 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
these figures the Democratic party alone polled nearly
as many votes in August, 1894, as did the three par-
ties in November of the same year. The fact is that
while the other parties turned out on the regular elec-
tion day, a large number of Democrats remained at
Residence of James F. Tatum.
home. This county has, and should poll no less than
3,000 votes in November, 1896.
The Democratic Central Committee is composed of
W. F. Shelton, chairman ; R. S. Chapman, Isaac
Wise, Wm. R. Satterfield, W. Blakemore, Harrison
Foley, F. A. Maze, L. McCutchen, and O. S. Harrison,
secretary.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 149
The Republican Central Committee consists at pres
sent of H. P. Kinsolving, chairman ; H. A. Gardner,
J. W. Redding, J. C. D. Towsen, A. Isaacs, J. P. Gist,
H. W. Austin, J. R. Pool, and W. S. Gardner, secre-
tary.
The Peoples Party Committee could not all be
ascertained, but W. P. Baird is chairman, and Frank
Moore, secretary.
EXPORTS .
A few of the exports for 1894 were: Cattle, 837;
hogs, 1,042; corn, bushels, 11,700; game, pounds,
96,471, 6,075 ; eggs, dozens, 50,970; feathers, pounds,
2,898 ; cooperage, cars, 169 ; lumber, feet, 10,395,000 ;
horses and mules, 480; mixed stock, cars, 18; melons,
cars, 525; fish, pounds, 792,400; tallow, pounds, 4,327 ;
poultry, pounds, 66,978; hides, pounds, 29,909 ; logs,
feet, 490,000 ; beeswax, pounds, 987. This, for a
county which has been organized but fifty years, is a
good showing; and is put below the average, as the
average cotton crop is about 15,000 bales. Then the
cotton seed, stave, cars, cross-ties, strawberries, of
which one man raised about 500 crates, corn meal,
flour barrels, and nursery stock, are not enumerated
at all. This county has two good nursery farms. The
Whitaker and Stanley & Pollock ; one of these billed
for delivery in one week in 1895, 8,952 trees.
The valuation of taxable property in Dunklin
County is $3,000,000. The rate of taxation is eighty-
five per cent, exclusive of the special tax of twenty
150 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
cents voted for the purpose of building the Court
House. The bonds issued in 1891 for this purpose
will all be paid in 1896. It will be seen that Dunklin
has about the lowest tax rate of any county in the
State of Missouri.
This favorable state of the financial affairs of the
county is undoubtedly a great compliment to its
officials, whose sagacity and wise use of the public
money in the past few years has helped to bring this
about.
The Lone Pine Tree in Dunklin County is about
one mile south of Halcomb. How it came here or
what is its age is unknown.
Pine is not a growth of this county, but there might
have been pine here before the earthquakes of 1811-
12. The tree looked much the same many years ago
as now, and little is known about it, except that its
boughs have often sheltered the noted desperado,
John A. Murrell, and his clans.
In 1849, '50 and '51 this tree was headquarters in
this county of this clan. Murrell made his raids
through this county at stated intervals, and his allies,
some of whom were located in this county, met him
under the Lone Pine.
The tree was also a noted landmark of the Indians
and early hunters in these parts.
BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Hon. H. A. Applegate, born December 28, 1828,
in Burlington, N. J. His father, Dr. H. A. Apple-
gate, was a native of the same State and a graduate
of Princeton College, and also took a medical course
in Philadelphia. Dr. Applegate emigrated to Paris,
Hon. H. a. Applegate.
Tennessee, in 1839, having previously married Miss
Ann M. Taylor, a descendant of Zachariah Taylor.
Her death had also occurred in 1834.
The son, H. A. Applegate, grew to manhood in
Tennessee and received a good education in the common
and high schools of that State. In 1854 he married
Mary E. McMurray, who died in 1863, leaving one
(151)
152 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
child, Mary E. (Mrs. Monroe Dement). In 1857 he
came to Dunklin County, Mo., and purchased land,
where he now resides, at Halcomb.
In his political views he was formerly an old-line
Whig but since the Civil War has never voted anything
but the Democratic ticket.
He was Representative from Dunklin County shortly
after the war, and the cut of him in this book exactly
portrays Dunklin County's Representative as he looked
in 1868; the picture was made in Jefferson City in
that year. He was again elected in 1870 and repre-
sented this county two terms.
During the war he w\as captain of an independent
company for some time and was in a number of
enojaojeraents.
He was also one of the pioneer merchants of New
Madrid, Mo., and of Hornersville, this county. Since
his retirement from office in the seventies he has
devoted most of his time to farminsj and stock-raisinor.
He has one of the most beautiful homes near Hal-
comb, surrounded by a splendid grove of forest trees.
In 1867 Mr. Applegate took for a second companion
Mary E. Patton, who bore him three children,
Florence (Mrs. Alexander), and two who died in
childhood. This wife also died in April, 1875, since
which time his daughter and son-in-law have resided
with him. He is about sixty-eight years of age, but
is more vigorous than many men much younger and,
except that his hair is somewhat gray, he looks much
as he did when this picture was made, nearly thirty
years ago.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
153
Rev. Martin V. Baird was born June 7, 1837, at
Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee, and is the son
of Thomas and Mary Martin Baird. The parents
removed to Gibson County, Tenn., when their son,
M. v., was about thirteen years of age; here he
finished his growth and obtained a good education in
Rev. Martin V. Baird and Wife.
the common schools and in Bluff Springs Seminary at
a time when that school was in a flourishing condition.
He begun teaching at a very early age, and taught
part of the year and attended school the remainder,
continuing in this way for several years.
In 1860 he emigrated to Dunklin County, and located
near Clarkton, where he has since resided, with the
exception of one year, when he went back to Ten-
nessee aocj taught a ten months' term of school near
154 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Dire Station. He was offered the position as teacher
at Rutherford the next year, but had concluded that he
liked Dunklin County best, so he returned here.
He was previously married, March 30, 1860, to Ollie
B. Hopper, of Gibson County, Tennessee. To this
union was born six children, all of whom died in
infancy but Walter P. (also deceased) and Thomas J.
(see sketch).
Mrs. Baird died April 7, 1890, having been the
wife of Rev. Baird for over thirty years; she was a
most excellent woman and beloved by all who knew
her, and was for many years a consistent member of
the Baptist Church.
June 1, 1891, Rev. Baird took for a second com-
panion Mrs. Lilian M. Harvey, widow of Dr. Harvey
(deceased), of Kennett, Mo. She was the daughter
of Benjamin and Emma Iney Adams, natives of Vir-
ginia.
Lilian M. Adams was first married in her native
State, Georgia, to Dr. Joseph W. Harvey, on February
19, 1860, and they came to Kennett and located in
May, 1861. Dr. Harvey was a pioneer physician of
this county and well and favorably known. He was
sergeant under Price in the late war, and was surren-
dered at Pittsburg, Va. He died February 16, 1877.
Dr. and Mrs. Harvey had eight children, three of
whom are living, Sterling Price, Matilda G., and
Dock.
Mrs. Harvey was married also to Dr. T. J. Rhodes,
who died in 1881. Mamie L. is the child of this mar-
riage. On her marriage to Rev. Baird, the couple
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 155
took up their abode at the home of Rev. Baird, near
Clarkton.
Considerable of the history of Eev. Baird, as minis-
ter of the gospel, is given in the sketch on the Baptist
churches elsewhere in this volume. Suffice it to say
here that he is the oldest meuiber of the ** Black
River Association," and the oldest minister in the
county, not in years, but in point of ministerial work.
He has at different times been pastor of all the old
Baptist churches in the county, and he has presumably
administered more baptisms than any other Baptist
minister in the county. He is a man of impartial
judgment, firm in his convictions and beliefs, yet
withal liberal-minded. With most of the Baptist
con o-re sat ions he is a favorite, and he is looked upon
as the best informed and extensively read minister of
the Baptist denomination in the county.
Thomas J. Baird, school commissioner of Dunklin
County, was born December 25, 1866, and is the son
of Rev. M. V. and OUie B. Hopper-Baird (see sketch
elsewhere). Mr. Baird is a native of Dunklin county,
and was reared on his father's farm near Clarkton, this
county. On August 3, 1892, he was married to Lizzie
A. Helm, a daughter of W. H. and Hulda Mott-Helm,
of Kennett, Mo.
Mr. and Mrs. Baird have one little daughter, whom
they call Kittie.
Mr. Baird was first appointed school commissioner of
Dunklin County by Gov. Francis, in August, 1891,
and has since then been twice re-elected without
156 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
announcing or making a canvass for the office. He has
the honor of holding the first normal diploma issued
by the State Normal School at Cape Girardeau, Mo.,
to a student from Dunklin County. He led his class
and graduated with high honors in 1890, and has for
three successive years conducted the County Teachers
Institute of this county.
T. J. Baird.
He taught his first school, after graduation, in
Licking, Texas County, Mo. In 1894 he filled the
position of principal of the public school at Kennett,
at which place he owns a nice home, where he now
resides.
Mr. Baird is looked upon as a leader by the educa-
tional faculty of the county, and is held in high
regard by the teachers, as an evidence of which they
recently chose him president of the Dunklin County
Teachers Association.
Mr. Baird owns a good farm near Clarkton, Mo., is
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 157
a Democrat in politics, and is well and favorably
known all over the county.
Mrs. Baird was, before her marriage, also a teacher,
and was educated in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She is a
lady of high attainments.
James M. Baird, son of Robert and Margaret Baird,
was born Feb. 7th, 1853, at Potosi, Washington
County, Mo. He came to Dunklin County in Jan.,
1878, and married Lucy Douglass, daughter of A. T.
and Elizabeth Mott-Douglass, on June 16, 1880.
They have two children, Hiilah C, born May 16, 1884,
and Hettie N., born Sept. 21st, 1891. Mr. Baird is a
bricklayer by trade, but has been merchandising at
Senath for several years. He and J. M. Douglass
first opened a business at Senath under the firm name
of J. M. Baird & Co., but in eTanuary, 1894, took W.
R. Satterfield as a partner, and changed the style of
the firm to its present name of Baird, Satterfield &
Co.
This firm operates a mill and cotton gin ; buys all
kinds of farm produce, and keeps a full and complete
line of everything usually kept in a general store.
The post-office is kept in the store of the above
mentioned firm, and J. M. Baird is postmaster. Mr.
Baird is Democratic in politics and he and Mrs. Baird
are both members of Missionary Baptist Church.
Judge T. E. Baldwin, of the firm of T. E. Baldwin
& Co., real estate, Kennett, Mo., was born October
23, 1849, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. His parents,
158 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Thomas and Elizabeth Lobdell-Baldvvin, were natives
respectively of Virginia and Louisiana. They were,
however, early settlers of Scott County, Mo., where
they were reared, educated and married. After their
marriage they removed to Cape Girardeau, Mo.,
where they both died in the year 1859. Their son, T.
E. Baldwin, came to Dunklin County in 1870, to take
Judge T. E. Baldwin.
charge of a mercantile business at Clarkton for a firm
in Cape Girardeau. He remained here one year, and
was then elected clerk of the Clarkton Common Pleas
and Probate Court ; he was re-elected and held the
oflSce until the court was abolished in 1875. In 1877,
he was appointed to fill an unexpired term of Circuit
and County Clerk; he was elected at the regular elec-
tion in 1878 to the same office. In 1882 Mr. Baldwin
was elected to the office of Probate Judge, and filled
this position four years. In 1884 he was also elected
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 159
County Treasurer, both terms of office expiring
in 188G.
Judge Baldwin was married in 1872 at Clarkton,
this county, to Miss Mary Pankey, daughter of Col.
D. Y. Pankey, now of Kennett. Mrs. Baldwin is a
native of Virginia, but reared and educated in Dunklin
County.
The children of Judge and Mrs. Baldwin are Sallie
(Mrs. L. P. Tatum), Edwin, Ernest, Paul, and
Lilian.
Judge Baldwin has always shown great interest in
school and church advancement in the county, and is
exceptionally well posted in commercial and official
affairs ; he has held many public and private trusts
and has left a record which none can challenge. He
is a member of the Masonic and I. O. O. F. Lodges,
and* he and Mrs. Baldwin are both members of the
Presbyterian Church.
Just now Judge Baldwin is in the real estate busi-
ness, and within the past year has added a nice addition
to the town-plat of Kennett.
William G. Bragg, of the firm of T. E. Baldwin &
Co., real estate dealers, Kennett, Mo., was born Sep-
tember 21st, 1852, in Knox County, Tennessee. He
is the son of Capt. William G. and Frances Tully-
Bragg, natives of Kentucky. The parents came to
Kno°x° County about 1827, where the father engaged
in merchandising until 1865, wdien he came to Dun
klin County, locating at Kennett, and there died in
1888. He was a Republican in politics, and filled the
160 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
office of Circuit Clerk in this county just after the
Civil War, and was also deputy for some years. W.
G. Bragg, Jr., came with his parents to this county
and received a common school education. He began
clerking when quite young, and on reaching manhood
began business under the firm title of Tatum & Bragg.
He has since been ens^aired in the mercantile business
W. G. Bragg.
under different firm names. In 1878 he was elected
to the position of Clerk and in 1882 re-elected, filling
the position for six years. A few years ago Mr. Bragg
went to Washington and spent about two years there,
but returned to Dunklin County and again located in
Kennett, where he is at present in the real estate bus-
iness. In 1877 he was united in marriage to Kittie
Chapman, daughter of Turner and Hulda Mott-Chap-
man. Mr. and Mrs. Bragg are members of the
Christian Church, and Mr. Bragg of the Masonic
fraternity.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 161
C. D. Bray, son of E. M. and N. M. Owen-Bray,
was born January 20, 1874. Mrs. N. M. Owen-Bray
is a daughter of Dr. Given Owen, and a native of this
State, and now resides on the Bray ** Old Farm,"
near Campbell. Mr. E. M. Bray was a native of
Tennessee, and came to Dunklin County in 1858, and
married Miss N. M. Owen in 1867.
r>^
Cyrus D. Bray.
Their children were five in number: Rhoda T.,
Cyrus D., Mary E., Adrian O., and Elija Monro.
Mr. Bray died in 1884, and, since his death, Cyrus D.,
the subject of this sketch, has done much toward the
support of the family. He is assistant postmaster
and druggist in the well-known McCutchen pharma-
cy, and is polite, efficient and fast climbing up the
ladder of honorable prosperity. He is Democratic in
politics, and his parents were members of the Baptist
Church, and his father was a Mason. Mr. Bray is the
young man whom a couple of burglars coolly tied to
11
162 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
his bedpost in the winter of 1894, while they robbed
his pockets, the McCutchen safe, etc. He says they
were in his room when he awoke; they gave him a
whiff of chloroform and told him to keep quiet ; he
complied and they were quite polite in their treatment
of him, being careful not to wrap the cords painfully
tight around his limbs. He soon released himself but
the burglars had made good their escape.
Nathaniel Baker and Joe Peltz are two of the
pioneers of this county yet living, who have enjoyed
many buffalo hunts and elk drives together in what
is now Dunklin ('ounty, but which was, when they
were lads, an exceedingly fine hunting-ground, actually
and truly flowing with wild meat, wild fruit and wild
honey. They lived here when swan were so plentiful
that they would not waste ammunition killing geese,
thinking them too small, when wild cattle, bear, wolves
and fur-bearing creatures were as plentiful as is now
the rabbit, squirrel and opossum. The geese, ducks,
swan, etc., had to be watched out of the corn patches
like swarms of blackbirds.
'* Uncle Nathaniel," came to Dunklin County with
his father, James Baker, in 1833. They first settled
on Buffalo Island, and were the second family to
locate there. They removed to Grand Prairie in 1842,
and settled on the place where Mr. N. Baker now
resides. He soon married a daughter of Hugh Shipley,
and their pioneer home is yet preserved almost as
first built.
Mr. Baker is a Democrat in politics, and both he
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 163
and wife are members of the Old Liberty class of M.
E. C. S.
Mr. Peltz came to Dunklin County a little later than
Mr. Baker, and there were but about ten white families
in the south end of the county when he arrived here.
*' Uncle Joe " is yet a great hunter, a staunch Demo-
crat, and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
These pioneers have lived to see the *' Buffalo
Wallows " and *' Elk Stamping Grounds " turned into
cotton and cornfields; the Indian wigwams replaced
by modern buildings; the poky old pack-horse and
two-wheeled ox cart outstripped by the " wheeled-
horse " and steam engine ; the old-fashioned summer
barbecues rounded up into an annual Fair lasting sev-
eral days. In short, what was 62 years ago, when
they first saw it, an Indian hunting-ground, has been
given the name of Dunklin County, and peopled by
20,000 busy and progressive Americans.
Kev. J. M. Blaylock was born Oct. 28, 1846, in
North Carolina. His parents, Mariet and Martha
Swarengin-Blaylock, were natives of North Carolina.
They emigrated to East Tennessee on French Broad
River in 1859, and in 1865 came to West Tennessee.
August 12, 1866, J. M. Blaylock, who had been long
a wanderer from his father's house, started home, and
on arrival found that his father had died on the same
day and about the same hour that he had started for
home. February 5, 1867, he was married to Miss M.
M. Rowe, a native of Tennessee. Six children have
been born to this union, the eldest dying in infancy;
164 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
the others are, W.M., Mettie L., Mittie Bell, John M.,
and L. C. Rev. Blaylock says he was converted on a
Methodist camp-ground at Manley Chapel, under the
preaching of Rev. John Peoples, in 1869, united with
the Missionary Baptist Church at Bear Creek, Carroll
County, Tennessee. Was ordained a deacon shortly
after, and was ordained to the ministry by Union Hill
Church in 1884.
In the same year he came to Dunklin County and
located near Valley Ridge. The first year he was
pastor of Old Four Mile Baptist Church, doing mis-
sionary work the third year, and before and since
that time he has been pastor of a number of churches.
In 1889 he removed to Caruth, this county, but now
resides near Shady Grove, one of the churches of which
he pastorates. He is recognized as a forcible and
impressive speaker.
Maj. Henry H. Bedford, attorney at law, Bloom-
field, Mo., was born November 27, 1823, in Jackson
County, Tenn. He is the son of J. M. and Elizabeth
Hale-Bedford, natives of North Carolina and Ten-
nessee respectively. The father was born in 1799.
The son, H. H., is a citizen of Stoddard and not of
Dunklin County, Mo., but has been identified with
both counties for over half a century. He attended
the first Circuit Court ever held in Dunklin County,
and has attended every other regular term held in this
county but three. No other personnge is so constantly
seen in the courts of this county as Maj. H. H. Bed-
ford. He was one of its first attorneys and came all
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 165
the way from Bloomfield, Stoddard County, to Horners-
ville, Dunklin County, on horseback for his first wife,
whom he married in 1847, and who was a daughter of
Frank Lee, one of the very earliest pioneers of this
county. After her death he was again married in
1852 to Mrs. Minerva Handy. The children of this
marriage living are: Orlando, Ida V., Ethel, Arthur
C, and May. In 1861 he enlisted in Capt. Hale's
Company of Cavalry, and when the regiment was
organized at Belmont he was elected major, in which
capacity he served for about a year, when he was taken
ill with pneumonia ; his regiment returning home he
never again resumed command. He participated in
several hard skirmishes during his service and bore
himself like a brave and gallant soldier. In 1857 and
1858 he represented Stoddard County in the Legisla-
ture, and for fifty years has been prominently connected
with the public affairs of that county and Dunklin.
He is a largre landholder in both counties and knows
as much, perhaps more, of the early history of these
two counties than any other man living. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity and is held in high
regard by legal and official circles in Dunklin County.
D. T. Boyd, M. D., of Campbell, was born in Collin
County, Texas, March 5, 1870. Attended school at
McKinney, Texas, two years, and afterward at Farmer-
ville, Texas. Taught in the public schools of that State
for a while, but commenced the study of medicine in
the spring of 1890. Entered the medical college at
Nashville, Tenn., in the fall of 1890, and graduated
166 HISTORY OF DUNKLTN COUNTY, MO.
from the University of Nashville and Vanderbilt Uni-
versity in the spring of 1892. He came to Dunklin
County in March of the same year and located at
Campbell, and is now the leading young physician of
that place. Married Miss Lula Taylor of Bonham,
Texas, in August, 1893. Was made a Mason in
Dk. D. T. Boyd.
August, 1892, and has been a member of the Cum-
berland Presbyterian Church since 1889.
The parents of Dr. Boyd were M. M. and Mary J.
Walker Boyd, both natives of Henry County, Tenn.
T. C. BuFORD, merchant. Maiden, Missouri, was
born in Oford, Mississippi. He is the son of H. A.
and S. L. Gill-Buford. His father was a native of
Murray County, Tennessee, and his mother of Rock
Hill, South Carolina. They emigrated to Mississippi,
and here their third son, T. C, was reared and edu-
cated. He is well educated and follows the profession
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTV, MO. 1^7
of bookkeeper. He came to Dunklin County in
May, 1895, and is now the proprietor of the Buforcl
establishment, in Maiden, on the corner of Main and
Madison streets. He has a new and well-selected line
of oreneral merchandise and is doing a thriving bus-
iness. He is a young man of intelligence and noted
for his liberality, and is always ready to help along
any enterprise to forward the progress of his adopted
county.
Dunklin County will always be glad to welcome
more such citizens. He is Democratic in politics.
f
A
Dr. Van H. Bond.
Van H. Bond, M. D., Ph. G., of Cotton Plant,
was born in Shelby County, Tenn. (near Memphis),
December 8th, 1869. His parents, R. T. and Bettie P.
Bond, were born and educated in West Tennessee, and
are now residing near Union City. They removed to
Obine County in 1870, in which county Van H. Bond,
168 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
the subject of this sketch, attended the public schools
until November 2, 1888, when he came to Clarkton,
Dunklin County, and commenced the study of phar-
macy with his uncle, Dr. V. H. Harrison, afterward
taking two courses of lectures in the National Institute
of Pharmacy, from which he received the degree of
Ph. G., standing first in his class. He then commenced
the study of medicine with the same preceptors, and
in the fall of 1890, entered the ** Missouri Medical
College," at St. Louis, Mo., taking three regular
courses of lectures, and receivins: the deojree of M. D.,
the 27th of March, 1893. He then returned to his
present place of residence, where he has, by close
attention to professional duties, not having refused to
answer a single call for two years, built up a large and
fairly lucrative practice.
Key. J. L. Batten, pastor in charge of the Meth-
odist Church, Kennett, Mo., is the son of John and
Emily Rogers-Batten, natives of North Carolina and
Tennessee, respectively. The elder Mr. Batten had
delicate health and he and his wife traveled consid-
erable, and their son, J. L., the subject of this sketch,
was born in Pike County, Mo., November 30, 1848.
He grew to manhood and was educated in the common
schools of Tennessee, and was married on October 31,
1867, to Mary J. Nicholas, a native of Hickman County,
Kentucky. They have one child, Grace, born June 7,
1883. On reaching years of maturity Rev. Batten
united with the M. E. C. S., and traveled one year as
a <* supply," when he joined the St. Louis Conference,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 169
October 9, 1876. Clarkton Circuit, Dunklin County,
was the first circuit to wiiich he was sent. This
circuit then embraced the north half of Dunklin and
south part of Stoddard County, Mo., and had fourteen
appointments, to which he gave one sermon each month
and often more. He was made presiding elder of
Poplar Bluff District in 1885. He served this district
>i^~'
*%
Rev. J. L. Batten.
three years and Salem District two years, after which
time he again went back to the pastorate.
He was stationed at Maiden and Kennett in 1894,
and at Kennett in 1895. In fact for seven years of his
ministerial life he has been connected with the pastorate
in this county and has been well known here for twenty
years.
Perhaps no minister now belonorinoj to the St. Louis
Conference, or Poplar Bluff District, has done so
much to advance the cause of Christianity in Dunklin
170 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
County as has Rev. J. L. Batten. To say tbat the M.
E. C. S. in this county recognizes hira as one of its
most powerful and eloquent ministers, that he is
well-beloved by its members and highly esteemed by
all, is but voicing public sentiment.
^
J. n. i>i.Aivh;iviORE.
J. B. Blakemore, Circuit Clerk of Dunklin County,
was born March 1, 1857. He is a native of Ten-
nessee, and his parents, James H. and Mary E.
Adams-Blakemore, were also natives of that State.
The subject of this sketch married Miss Belle Val-
entine of McKinsey, Tennessee, in November, 1882.
She died January, 1885, leaving one son, James
Willie. Mr. Blakemore came to Dunklin County in
1886, and in November, 1887, married Miss Alice
Hughes of Halcomb, this county, also a native of
Tennessee. In 1888 he was appointed to fill an
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 171
unexpired term as Circuit Clerk, and elected to that
office in 18^0; and re-elected in 1894 by the largest
majority of any candidate in the county having an
opponent. He is Democratic in politics.
Rev. S. C. BiFFLE, late pastor of Grand Prairie
Circuit, M. E. C. S., in Dunklin County, was born
December 24, 1848, in Wayne County, Tennessee.
His parents, Johnson L. and Mary Ann Hill-Biffle,
were born and reared in Tennessee, but removed to
Missouri, locating in Bollinger County, when the sub-
ject of this sketch was but eight years of ago. Here
he grew to manhood, working on a farm and attend-
ing the country schools a few weeks each winter.
When a voung man he also attended the Bellview
Collegiate Institute a part of two years, and followed
teaching for three years. In 1866 he united with the
M. E. C. S. and was licensed to preach by the Fourth
Quarterly Conference of the Marble Hill Circuit in
1873. In 1874, he was employed by D. J. Marquis,
Presiding: Elder of the Charleston District, to take
charge of the Gayoso Circuit, Pemiscot County,
Missouri.
October 15, 1874, he was admitted on trial in the St.
Louis Conference, M. E. C. S., and was appointed to
the Houston Circuit. Two years later he was received
into full connection and has tilled the following pastoral
charges: Greenville Circuit, 1875 to 1878 ; Oak Ridge
Circuit, 1878 to 1879 ; Poplar Bluff Circuit, 1879 to
1880; Marquand Circuit, 1880 to 1881; Houston Cir-
cuit, 1881 to 1883 ; Farmington Circuit, 1883 to 1887;
172 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Lutesville Circuit, 1887 to 1890; Doniphan Circuit,
1890 to 1892; Grand Prairie Circuit, 1892 to 1895.
His labors as a minister have resulted in good to a
great many ; during his pastorate in Dunkhn County
more than three hundred persons were added to the
Methodist Church. He was a prominent factor in the
successful religious movement that has been going on
in the south end of Dunklin County for the past three
years.
November 3, 1874, Rev. Biffle was united in mar-
riage to Miss Annie Allbright of Madison County,
Mo., who has since this time shared the toils, trials
and joys of an itinerant's life. To this union have
been born three children, Atticus L., Mary C. and
Sebastian C.
Joseph I. Caneer, merchant at Senath, Missouri,
was born February 13, 1859, in Gibson County, Ten-
nessee. His parents, W. T. and Sarah Karns-Caneer,
were both natives of Tennessee. Their son, Joseph
I., grew to manhood in his native State, receiving a
fair education in the common schools of the same.
He came to Dunklin County and located at Senath,
July 4, 1886, opening a general mercantile business
in September following. He started in business alone
and with but little means, and from this has gained
an extensive business and trade. He keeps a well-
chosen, new and complete line of general merchan-
dise. July 19, 1894, he was united in marriage to
Mrs. Willie Buie. They have one son, whom they call
Melvin. Mr. Caneer is Republican in politics and is
a first-class all-round business man.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
173
Edgar Prewitt Caruthers, editor of the '' Dun-
klin Democrat," the leading paper of Dunklin County,
was born in Cook Settlement, St. Francois County,
Missouri, October 27, 1854. His father was Solomon
D. Caruthers, for many years County Clerk and Pro-
E. P. Caruthers, Editor Dunklin Democrat.
bate Judge of Madison County. His mother was
Mary Jane Harris, daughter of S. P. Harris, an early
Southeast settler. The subject of this sketch entered
a printing office, that of the *' Fredericktown Con-
servative," and there commenced his trade in 1865.
He later published the " Bee " at the same place, and
174 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
was for a time Enrolling Clerk of the State Senate ;
six years Clerk in the State Auditor's Office, then
official reporter of the House, and served one year on
the reportorial staff of the '' St. Louis Republican."
Afterward for eiglit years he was editor and publisher
of the ** Index," a Democratic paper at Medicine
Lodge, Kansas; and for the next two years was in the
book and job printing business at Carthage, Mo.
In May 24, 1893, he came to Kennett and began
editing the *' Dunklin Democrat," since which time
that paper has steadily grown in favor, and now has
the largest circulation of any paper in Southeast Mis-
souri. Mr. Caruthers has been twice married, his
first wife being Miss Mary Fleming of Madison County.
She became the mother of his four living children,
and died at Carthage, Mo., November 15, 1891. He
was again married on January 25, 1894, to his present
wife. Miss Minnie L. Chandler, of Kennett, Mo., a
daughter of Thomas Chandler of this county.
Mr. Caruthers is a member of the Masonic frater-
nity, president of the Southeast Missouri Press As-
sociation, a member of the State Association, and is a
man who makes and retains many friends.
William M. Cates, merchant at Cotton Plant, Mo.,
was born June 26, 1849, in Orange County, North
Carolina. His parents were Nancy A, and John
William Cates, natives of the above mentioned State.
Mr. Cates emigrated to Tennessee and there married
Eliza A. Short, February 26, 1870, Rev. David Hali-
burton, a Baptist wiuister of Gibsoq County, officiate
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 175
ing. They came to Dunklin County in 1878, going
to Texas shortly after ; there they remained two years,
when they returned to Dunklin County, where they
have since remained. (See Photo., p. 195.)
They have had born to them four children, Amanda
Melvine, John William, Lena R., all of whom died in
infancy; their only living child, Ella F., is a bright
young girl of fifteen summers, well calculated to honor
and make her parents happy in their old age. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Cates are members of the Baptist Church
and of the Rebekah Degree of I. O. O. F.
Mr. Cates has devoted most of his time to farming
and stock-raising, but went in the mercantile business
at Cotton Plant in 1893. He is a careful and discreet
business man and carries a full and complete line of
general merchandise. He is a Democrat in politics.
Riley Clarkston came to Dunklin County in
1834, with his father, Wiley Clarkston, and this was
the third ftimily to settle on Horse Island. When he
came here there was nothing representing a church,
house, school, post-office or physician in the bounds
of the county. He was a lad nearly grown when he
first heard a sermon preached, and the old Liberty
church was the first one he ever visited, in the later
forties or early fifties. He used to go to Gainesville,
Arkansas, for a physician for the family, even in the
night if it were necessary, crossing in a canoe himself
but swimming his horse through St. Francois River at
Bowlen's Ferry. He says he has helped to kill as
many as sixteen bui^alo from one herd on Buffalo
176 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Island and that these husje animals were so tall that
'* He could ride clear under a limb on which a buffalo
would hang his hair," and that in those days he killed
from fifty to seventy-five bear each season before
Christmas. They baconed the bears, dried their
venison hams, and strained their wild honey and
always had plenty to divide liberally with a new
neighbor. Mrs. Clarkston says she has many times
pounded their bread and coffee in a mortar in the way
she learned from an Indian squaw before there was
any horse mills and when they could not afford a steel
hand mill. Mr. and Mrs. Clarkston reside near Senath
on Horse Island, are fairly strong and healthy for their
age, and are true pioneers of Dunklin County.
Wiley N. Cole, born September 22d, 1854, is a
native of Carroll County, Tenn. His parents, John
and Mary A. Bivins-Cole were also natives of Ten-
nessee.
W. N. Cole, the subject of this sketch, married
Mollie Woody in 1874, who died in the same year.
In 1875 he married Elizabeth Ballard. By this mar-
riage he has one son, Kichard E., who is a young man
about twenty years of age. Mr. Cole came to this
county in 1877, and married his present wife. Miss
Margaret Clifford, in 1878. The children of this mar-
riage are Lula B., Hettie M., Sir Wallace, John
Palmer and Pearl ; they also have two little boys dead.
Farming is his principal occupation, and he owns 160
acres of good land near Hornersville, although he
holds the tenth edition of a master's and pilot's cer-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
177
tificate for a steamer of one hundred and twenty-five
ton capacity to run on St. Francois and its tributaries.
He has also run on the Mississippi river as clerk of
the G. M. Sivley, a boat of about 130 tons.
Steamboating is no doubt his best loved profession,
and he is exceedingly well acquainted with both St.
Francois and Little Rivers. Mr. Cole is a member of
the I. O. O. F. and Democratic in politics. Mrs.
Cole and daughter, Miss Lula, are members of the
Missionary Baptist Church.
Dr. R. G. Cook and Wife.
Dr. Ralph Guild Cook was born August 1, 1837,
in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., and was the son of
Nathaniel and Mary Clark-Cook. He came to
Dunklin County and located at Hornersville in 1865,
but soon after removed to Cotton Plant where he spent
12
178 HISTOKY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
the remainder of his life. He was a graduate of
Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, at Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, and was as good a physician as any in
the county. For many years prior to his death, which
occurred February 5, 1882, he had an extensive prac-
tice. August 8, 1866, he married Miss M. K. Wagster,
daughter of Critenden and Kiddy Jones- Wagster, who
came to Dunklin County about 1850. The children
of Dr. and Mrs. Cook are Arvellah and Amasso S.,
deceased, Thomas J., Mary Kiddy, Zellah, Mrs. John
Night, Ralph Vaumeter and Guild Davis. Dr. Cook
was a zealous worker in the Christian Church, of which
he was a member, and he was equally zealous in
advocating the teachings of Odd Fellowship, and his
presence in the lodge room always insured an inter-
estino^ and entertaining meetino^.
He helped to organize the Rebekah Degree, the
degree for ladies, of the I. O. O. F., at Cotton Plant,
and named the lodge in honor of his daughter, Arvel-
lah. He was as enthusiastic in the ladies', as in the
gentleman's degrees, of sanguine temperament, and
jolly as a boy up to the time of his death. This
county has had few better men or citizens. Mrs.
Cook is also a member of the Christian Church, and
of Arvellah Lodge No. 36, Daughters of Rebekah,
Cotton Plant, Mo. She has since the death of Dr.
Cook resided on her home at Cotton Plant, which
Dr. Cook left to his family. It is one of the most
beautiful homes in the county, surrounded by a fine
grove of forest trees. Mrs. Cook owns Old Hicka-
bod, the famous white stork of Dunklin County.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 179
The bird was captured by Alf. Hector, on Big Lake,
Arkansas, io 1861. The tip of one wing being sliot
off, Mr. Hector gave the bird to Dr. Linamood, and
shortly before his death. Dr. Linamood gave him to
Dr. Cook. He is a tall white stork, and must be very
old. Because of his age and associations, Mrs. Cook
and family are very proud of Old Hickabod.
John B. Cook, of the lirm of N. N. Rice & Co.,
Kennett, Mo., was born March 5, 1858, in Murray
County, Tennessee. He is the son of Robert J. and
Celia Beakey-Cook, natives of that State. In January,
1860, he came to Dunklin County, and located on
Horse Island when that island was very sparsely
settled.
He married Lucretia, daughter of Hon. David
Rice. She was born March 20, 1857, and is a native
of this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Cook have two children, Rosetta A.,
born April 17, 1876 — now the wife of Will Haislip,
180 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
of Horse Island — and Christopher Columbus, born
July 25, 1879. Mr. Cook has been a farmer up to
February, 1895, when he went in business with his
brother-in-law in the above mentioned firm. He
owns about two hundred acres of good land near
Senath, about ninety of which are in a good state of
improvement, with good farm buildings, orchard, etc.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he,
wife, and son are members of the Missionary Baptist
Church; his daughter having joined the M. E. C. S.
with her husband.
D. R. Cox, attorney at law. Maiden, Mo., was
born in Marshall County, Tennessee, August 7, 1852.
His father, Moses Cox, was a native of North Caro-
lina, but emigrated to Tennessee, where he married
Miss Sarah McWherter, a native of that State. During
the civil war Mr. Cox, Sr., was an officer in the Con-
federate army under Col. Lon Freeman for the entire
period of four years.
D. R. Cox, the subject of this sketch, came to
Dunklin County, January 3, 1868. He was just six-
teen years of age at that time, and the meager
educational facilities of the county was a great dis-
advantage, but he managed to obtain a fair common
school education. In 1870 he was appointed Deputy
Sheriff of this county by J. H. Barrett. Before he
reached his majority his friends advised him to make
the race for Constable of Cotton Hill Township, dis-
regarding his age. He became a candidate and was
successful. In 1874 he engaged in the mercantile
HtSTORV OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 181
business, but in 1876 moved to Johnson County,
Texas. While there he worked in the oflSce
of the Sheriff of that county, remaining until
1880, when he returned to Dunklin County,
and again engaged in the mercantile business, this
time as a salesman for Levi & Plant and J. S. Levi
& Co. of Maiden. While sellinof oroods he commenced
the study of law, and in 1887 was admitted to the
D. R. Cox.
bar by Hon. John G. Wear, judge of this, the 23d
Judicial Circuit of Missouri. Since that time he has
enjoyed a splendid law practice and been quite suc-
cessful. In April, 1891, Mr. Cox was elected Mayor,
of the city of Maiden, and re-elected to the same
office in 1893. Has been Notary Public since 1884.
In 1874 he married Miss Fannie L. Sarver, of Clay
County, Arkansas. To this union have been born
Robt. A., now a young man just graduated from the
Searcy Military College of Arkansas; Mattie M., in
the graduating class for 1896, of the Galloway Female
182 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
College; George Leslie, Jessie G., Ollie and Inez.
Mrs. Cox is one of the leading members of the M. E.
C. S. of Maiden, and the family are all of that faith.
Mr. Cox is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and was
Worshipful Master of the Maiden Lodge in 1884. He
is a real Dunklin County Democrat, always support-
ing the ticket, and is wont to say ** there is not
a black sheep in the family '' of a large number of
relatives on both his mother's and father's side.
This of course means there is not a Republican in his
family. He is, however, liberal-minded, and counts
many Republicans among his host of friends.
IsHAM F. DoNALSON was bom August 31, 1847, in
Gibson County, Tennessee. He is the son of Judge
and Judith Davis-Donalson, natives of Wilson County,
Tennessee, but pioneers of Dunklin County, coming
here in 1855. The father was a well-known and
highly respected citizen and died in this county in
1882, the mother died in 1888. I. F. Donalson grew
to manhood in Dunklin County and received the
principal part of his education at home and since
coming to the years of maturity.
Mr. Donalson has a long and praiseworthy record
in public and official affairs in the county, and few
men are known better or have more friends than I. F.
Donalson of Kennett. From the beginning of Maiden
until 1882, he was a clerk in a general store in that
town. In November, 1882, he was elected to the
office of Sheriff and Collector of Dunklin County ; he
was re-elected to the same office in 1884, and perhaps
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
183
no man ever served in such a capacity with more gen-
eral satisfaction than did he. In April, 1885, he
married Miss Penola Eayburn, daughter of Maj. W.
C. Rayburn, and a native of this county, where she
was reared and educated. From 1887 until a very
recent date Mr. Donalson did a general mercantile
I. F. Donalson.
business in Kennett ; he was quite successful but owing
to his health was obliged to retire from public affairs.
Mrs. Donalson is a member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church and Mr. Donalson is a Democrat
in politics and a member of the I. O. O. F.
To this union were born the following children :
Thomas. H., Mable (deceased), Davis, Isham (a little
girl, deceased), and Madge.
Asa B. Douglass, surveyor of Dunklin County, was
born July 26, 1834, in Wilson County, Tennessee, and
i84 HtSTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
is the son of Asa B. and Fannie M. (Barksdale) Doug-
lass, natives of South Carolina and Tennessee. The
parents removed to Missouri in 1856, and in 1863 the
father went to Texas, where he died in 1864. The
mother died in Dunklin County, Missouri, in 1861.
The son, Asa B. Douglass, grew to manhood in his
native State and received an excellent education in the
higher English branches, mathematics and surveying,
and has taught in the schools of Dunklin County. He
was for some years a clerk in a dry goods store in
Clarkton. About 1861 he purchased his present home
near that town. June 15, 1859, he was married to
Mary H. Marshall, daughter of Bennett and Mary
Marshall, pioneers of this county. Mr. and Mrs.
Douglass are the parents of the following children:
Fannie (Westfall), Ella (Gwin;, Benjamin H., John
A., Walter E., Rosa Lee., Kittie Pearl, Asa B., Earl
H., Norwell A. and Harry M., also Mary D., wife of
W. Y. Taylor, who is deceased. In 1884, Mr. Douglass
was elected to the office of county surveyor, which
position he is still holding. He is Democratic in pol-
itics, is well posted in the affairs of the county and
is by all who know him considered a most estimable
gentleman.
He and Mrs. Douglass are members of the M. E. C.
S. and their home near Clarkton is an exceptionally
nice one, with a good residence, fine orchard, etc.
Elizabeth Mott-Douglass was born June 12th,
1821, in Jessamine County, Kentucky. In early
childhood her parents, James and Hetty Mott, removed
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
185
to Moscow, Ky., and here the subject of this sketch
was married to Alex. T. Douglass in 1837. They
removed to Montgomery County, Tenn., but in 1839
returned to Kentucky. In 1850 they emigrated to
Dunklin County, where Mr. DougUiss died May 8th,
1876. His life in this county was one of usefulness.
Mrs. Elizabeth (Mott) Douglass and Grandson
R. S. Douglass.
he was always interested in public affairs, fearless in
advocating what he believed to be right and con-
demning wrong. He united with the Missionary Bap-
tist Church at Shady Grove in 1869, and was baptized by
Elder Jas. H. Floyd. Just after the Civil War, when
Democrats could not vote, he was appointed judge of the
County Court of this county, but would not take the
oath then required, and returned his commission to
the Governor. A. T. Douo-lass was born in 1811 in
186 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Bedford County, Va., and at the age of 19 years came
with his parents to Tennessee.
Mrs. Elizabeth Douglass is about seventy-four years
of age and has spent forty-five years of her life in this
county. She is hale and hearty and retains all
her faculties. She came to this county at a time
when log cabins, with puncheon floors and cypress
bark ceilings were in common use, but be it said that
the hardships of pioneer life never detracted from her
refined and progressive nature. In the early fifties
she was baptized by one of the pioneer preachers,
Elder Sander Walker, uniting with the Missionary
Baptist Church, and has since been a faithful member
of same. The honest, industrious and progressive
lives of herself and deceased husband should be a
precious heritage to their descendants. "Grandma
Douglass," as she is affectionately called, is the oldest
living member of one of the oldest, most intelligent and
progressive families of Dunklin County, consisting of
herself, seven children, twenty-four grandchildren and
three great grandchildren. Her children are, respect-
ively. Rev. Robt. H., Hettie F. (Mrs. Satterfield),
Judge James M., All W., Jennie (Mrs. Lawson),
Huldah and Lucy (Mrs. J. M. Baird).
Miss Hulda has never married and resides with her
mother at Sennath, Mo. She is notary public, assist-
ant postmistress and an acknowledged leader in
Sunday-school, church and social functions in her
neighborhood. She was educated in the schools of
this county and the normal school at Cape Girardeau,
Mo. Perhaps she has done as much as any other
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 187
woman in this county to make her own little corner
of the great world wiser, better and happier.
R. S. Douglass was born in Dunklin County, Mo.,
November 12, 1871, and is the son of Rev. R. H. and
Mary E. Douglass, natives of Tennessee and Indiana re-
spectively. R. S. Douglass' education was begun in the
public schools of the county. In 1893 he graduated from
the State Normal School at Cape Girardeau, Mo. He
led his class, thereby proving that Dunklin County's
young people are not to be left behind. Since his
graduation Mr. Douglass has been almost constantly
employed in some capacity as teacher. Two years he
has been assistant in the *' Teachers' Institute" of this
county and is now vice-president of the Teachers'
Association. He is one of the many young teachers
who have been born and reared in Dunklin County, of
whom it is especially proud. In 1895 he was united
in marriage with Ottilie Josephine Gase, a native of
New Haven, Franklin County, Missouri. Mr. and
Mrs. R. S. Douglass are members of the Missionary
Baptist Church, and he is a Democrat in politics.
Rev. RoBT. H. Douglass was born in Montgomery
County, Tenn., February 7, 1839. He is the son of
A. T. and Elizabeth Mott-Douglass, and was but ten
years of age when became with his parents to Dunklin
County, Mo., since which time he Jias spent most of
his life in this county. He received only a common
school education and is mainly self-educated. He is
a deep thinker and a close student even yet. In
188 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
1858 he married Miss Rebecca J. Wagster, a native of
Tennessee. To this marriage was born three children,
Thomas J., of Caruth, this county, and two others who
died in infancy. In 1861 he enlisted in the Second Mis-
souri Cavalry (Confederate States army), under Col.
Robt. McCullough, until the close of the war.
After his term expired he, however, re-enlisted in the
Second Missouri Cavalry in Col. Kitchen's regiment
and participated in a number of engagements, the
most important being Corinth and Price's Raid
through Missouri and Arkansas.
In August, 1866, he married his present wife, Mrs.
Mary E. Richerson, who was the daughter of
Rudolphus Lamb, one of the early settlers of New
Madrid County.
The children of this marriage were Robert S. and
Mary E. The latter, known as Miss Mamie, died Sep-
tember 7, 1894, at the home of her parents at Caruth.
She was very lovable, an earnest scholar and one of
this county's most promising young teachers.
Rev. Douglass has been principally engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits, until since his ordination as a minis-
ter of the Missionary Baptist Church, in September,
1881, since which time he has devoted much time to
the ministry. He is the most constant and powerful
advocate of Baptist doctrines in the county and is
looked upon by all, even those who differ with him in
opinions, as a forcible and eloquent speaker and a
gentleman worthy of high regard.
He is a Royal Arch Mason and has passed through
the chairs of the various oflSces of that fraternity and
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 189
is well known all over Dunklin County, having resided
near his present place of residence nearly all the time
since his parents located there in 1850.
Mrs. Douglass is a member of the Baptist Church
and has been for two years postmistress at Caruth.
She is a lady of much culture and refinement.
Judge James M. Douglass, of the firm of Baird,
Satterfield & Co., Senath, Missouri, was born October
27, 1847, in Fulton County, Kentucky. He is the son
of A. T. and Elizabeth Douglass and was but three
years of age when he came to Dunklin County. In
spite of the fact that his early educational advantages
were limited to the common schools, he was for a time
a successful teacher and has an extensive record in
public life. In 1877 he was elected to fill an unex-
pired term as assessor of this county and re-elected
by a large majority to the same office. In 1884 he
was elected judge of his district and unanimously re-
elected, not having any opposing candidate. December
25, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Belle, a
daughter of lawyer W. G. Phelan of Stoddard County,
Missouri. The children of this marriage are Thos G.
R. Moses, deceased, Minnie Francis, Allie Manning,
and Margaret Elizabeth.
James Mott-Douglass has resided at Senath on Horse
Island for fourteen years, put up the first mill and
cotton gin at that place, and was the prime mover in
getting the mail route to Senath, and has always took
great interest in the schools and other public affairs of
his neighborhood.
190 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mr. Douglass owns quite an extensive estate of 600
or 800 acres and has devoted much of his life to farm-
ing and stock-raising, but has for several years been in
the mercantile business at Senath. He is Democratic
in politics and he and wife are members of the Baptist
Church.
George T. Dunmire was born April 12, 1837, in
Mercer County, Pennsylvania, removed to Kentucky
in 1866, and there married Miss Viana M. Phillips,
daughter of John H. Phillips, on September 22, 1868.
Their son, John H., was born June 27, 1869, in Clinton
County, Kentucky. They also lost one son, David H. ,
in infancy. Their daughter. Miss Hattie, was born in
Dunklin County, Missouri, in 1879. (See photo, p.
195.)
Mr. and Mrs. Dunmire came to Dunklin County in
1878, and located at Kennett, where they now reside.
John H. Dunmire, now traveling for Schuh Drug
Company, Cairo, Illinois, was married to Miss Fannie
Sturges of Kennett, January 11, 1892. They have
two children, Clara B., and Marian Irene. Mr. and
Mrs. John H. Dunmire are members of the Christian
Church, and Mr. and Mrs. George T. Dunmire of the
M. E. C. S. Both gentlemen are Republican in
politics and highly-respected citizens.
W. B. Finney, M. D., of Kennett, Mo., was born
January 1, 1858. His parents, James M. and Mary A.
Smith-Finney, were natives of Illinois, and Mr. Finney
was for several years Sheriff of Johnson County, Illinois,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 191
Dr. Finney, the subject of this sketch, received his
literary education in the common school and Ewing
College, of Franklin County, Illinois. March 10,
1890, he graduated from the Physicians and Sur-
geons College, St. Louis, Mo. August 2, 1885, he
married Miss Martha E. Clippard, of Cape County,
Mo., but resided and practiced medicine at Laflin, Mo.,
Dr. ^y. B. Finney.
until December, 1892, when he came to this county
and located at Kennett, where he has sained a lar^e
and lucrative practice.
Mrs. Finney is a member of the M. E. C. S. Dr.
Finney is a Democrat in politics and a member of the
I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities. Their children
are: Willie Ozro, Ernest Green, Hubert Clippard,
Earl G. and Mary Eula.
David Finley was born September 1, 1820, in
Orange Co., Ind. He came to this county in 1834,
192 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
when there were but ten white families in the south
end of Dunklin County. He married Miss Margarett
McDaniel, who bore him four children. Mrs. Finley
and three of the children died with small-pox about
the close of the Civil War. The other child had died
prior to this time. In 1866 Mr. Finley married Miss
Julian Hite, a native of Tennessee. David Edwin and
i^AVID i^lNLEY.
Ellen J. are the children of this marriatre. Miss
Ellen is a pretty girl about sixteen years of age.
Mr. *' Edd " Finley lives on the old home place near
Cotton Plant, where his father first settled at a time
when he could kill elk, buffalo and other large game
within a mile of his house. Mr. Finley was a close
friend of Judge Edwin J. Langdon, in honor of whom
he called his son, who married Miss Mary E. Nelson on
December 20, 1885; their children are Cordelia eT.,
David M., and Martha J. *' Uncle " Dave Finley was
a member of the Masonic fraternity and lived just 50
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 193
years, 1 month and 16 days in this county, dying
October 17, 1884.
J. Q. A. Gardner, merchant at Campbell, Mo.,
was born in 1828, at Selma, Ala. His father, John
Gardner, was born in 1802, and was a native of Vir-
ginia, but emigrated to Alabama at an early day, where
he married Lucy Melton in 1827. J. Q. A., the sub-
ject of this sketch, removed with his family to Anna,
111., in 1863, and came to Dunklin County, Mo., in
1870. He resided on a farm near Four Mile, until
seven years ago, when he went into the mercantile
business at Campbell, where he keeps a complete and
nicely selected stock. In 1848 he married Mariah E.
Bobo, a native of South Carolina, and of French par-
entage. Their children are : Alice, Hiram A., America
and Willie L., deceased, and W. Scott.
Mr. Gardner has owned several nice tracts of land,
some of which he has given to his children. He is a
member of the I. O. O. F., and both he and his wife
are members of the M. E. C. S. A staunch Kepubli-
can in politics, he has voted for every Republican
President but Garfield, and was then away from home
on election day.
His son, Hiram A., is a prominent farmer and stock
dealer at Campbell. He is a member of the I. O. O.
F., has been deputy grand master of his district, and
is held in high regard by that order all over Dunklin
County.
Another son, Winfield Scott Gardner, is, despite
the fact that he is a Republican, holding the position of
13
194 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Deputy Collector under a Democrat in a county which
has a large Democratic majority. He resides in Mai-
den, Mo., and was for several years a member of the
firm of Gregory & Gardner. Is a member of the
Kepublican Central Committee, and of the I. O. O. F.
Comparatively few men are better known or held in
higher esteem by the people of Dunklin County than
are the gentlemen of the Gardner family.
Rev. M. Taylor Grigory was born September 18,
1849, near Kennett, Dunklin County, Missouri. His
father, Rev. Jas. K. Grigory, was born October 29,
1810, and was a native of Georgia, but emigrated to
Bond County, Illinois, where at the age of twenty-
three he married Sarah A. Ellegood, a native of that
State.
Rev. Grigory, Sr., did not enjoy good health in
Illinois and decided to move to Southeast Missouri.
His neighbors assisted him to pack his wagons and he
started with wife and four little girls, in the old-
fashioned way on a long overland journey.
He stopped on Castor River, near Bloomfield, Mis-
souri, for two years, but was not altogether satisfied
with that county and came on to Dunklin County in
1845.
He had not regained his health and his family
were nearly in destitute circumstances ; and on his
arrival in this county were taken in by Mr. Shipley,
where they remained through the winter following.
His new-found friends advised him to trade some of
bis horses and wagons for 220 acres of land; this he
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
195
Wm, M. Gates
■jii!lil(ir
G. T. DUXMIRE.
1^ ^ > —rf^
Mr. J. HiKSCH AND Wife.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 197
did, settling about four miles north of Kennett, where
he soon regained his health and tbere lived the remain-
der of his life.
James R. Grigory united with the Methodist Church
when a young man, and on coming to Dunklin County
was soon appointed class leader and afterward licensed
to preach. He was about the second local Methodist
preacher in this county and was also preacher in
charge for several years of the Grand Prairie Circuit,
which was then a very extensive field. He often rode
forty miles in a day and preached three times, in order
to fill all his appointments. He is also said to have
delivered the first sermon ever preached on Big Lake
Island, Arkansas. He served six months in the
Black Hawk War, and on the breaking out of the
Civil War his sympathies were with the South. At its
close he had some trouble about holding his preacher's
license but the division of the churches ended his dif-
ficulty and he continued to preach as a minister of the
M. E. C. S.
His son, Rev. M. Taylor Grigory, was reared on
the old Grigory farm and educated in the common
schools of Dunklin County, and at the age of
twenty-one began teaching, and at twenty-three was
married to Miss Jane Roach, a native of Tennessee.
At the age of thirty-five he united with the
M. E. C. S. and was licensed to preach one
year later. He was preacher in charge of Kennett
Circuit in 1888, and has done much other pas-
torate work. Shortly after his marriage he bought
land near Kennett, where be lived for years, when
198 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
he removed to Joiiesborough, Arkansas, in order to
give his two children, Loula and Eva, the benefit of a
town school. However, he did not have good health
in Arkansas, so he returned to Dunklin, where, in
forty days, he had gained in flesh about as many
pounds. He again engaged in farming in summer,
and teaching during the fall and winter months. He
continues to farm and devotes some time to the
ministry.
Rev. Grigory is Democratic in politics and the
family are all members of the Methodist Church. He
is well and favorably known all over the county.
J. H. Harkey, present judge of the Second Dis-
trict, is the son of Daniel D. and Mary A. Bankston-
Harkey, and was born October 27, 1843, in Pike
County, Georgia. Daniel D. was a native of North
Carolina and Mrs. Harkey of Georgia. They came to
this county in 1853 and located on Grand Prairie,
where they resided until their death. They were both
charter members of the old Harkey's chapel class of
the M. E. C. S., helped to build the first house by
that name, and were always among the church's most
consistent and powerful workers. Judge J. H. Harkey
holds the only office he has ever asked for at the hands
of the county. He is Democratic in politics and quite
influential in his neighborhood. He joined the Masonic
order at Hornersville in 1872, and is also a member of
the I. O. O. F. and has passed through nearly all of
the chairs of both lodges. He was joined in marriage
to Miss Francis Ham on April 2, 1863. Mrs. Harkey
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 199
was boru at Hickman Bend, Ark., in 1847, and is the
daughter of Thomas H. and Francis C. Branch-Ham.
Her maternal grandfather was of Iiish descent and
quite a noted man. He surveyed the Western Dis-
trict and was a Captain on the American side in the
Revolutionary War.
Judge and Mrs. Harkey have no children of their
own, but have raised a number of orphans; among
them are R. M. Reeves, Annie Dyerhouse, Frazier
Dickson, Ralph and Rosie Harkey, and they now have
little Bertie Secreese. Judge Harkey has been Sun-
day-school superintendent at Harkey Chapel for four
years and both he and Mrs. Harkey are members of
the M. E. C. S.
WiLBUKN D. Harkey, of Nesbit, was born March
20, 1837, in Pike County, Georgia. He is the son of
Daniel and Mary A. Bankston-Harkey, pioneers who
came to Dunklin County in 1851, at which time their
son, the subject of this sketch, was just fourteen years
of age.
He attained his growth in this county and in
1858 was married to Margaret McEacher. In 1862
Mr. Harkey enlisted in the Confederate Army, Second
Missouri Cavalry, under Col. McCuUough. At the
expiration of twelve months, for which time he had
enlisted he went into Col. Kitchen's regiment, with
whom he remained until the close of the war, surren-
dering at Wittsburg, Ark. He was in the battles of
luka and Corinth and in a great many skirmishes.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Harkey are : Wilburn
200 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
O., A. Jasper, William L., Edward L., Thomas F. and
Bascom S. Two of these are married, Wilburn O.
to Callie Grogan, and William L. to Anna Bowers.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Harkey are among the oldest
members of the Old Harkey's Chapel M. E. C. S. and
have always been consistent and powerful workers.
They settled on their present farm in 1867. It is
one of the best improved farms around Nesbit, with
nice orchard, good residence, barns, etc. Mr.
Harkey is a member of the Masonic order and a
Democrat in politics.
Ben. F. Hicks, stock and grain dealer, Halcomb,
Mo., was born Ai)ril 23, 1849, and is the son of
John and Nancy Langford-Hicks, natives of Middle
Tennessee. The parents, however, removed to Henry
County, West Tennessee, in 1851, where the father
was magistrate for eighteen continuous years, and also
held the office of County Trustee.
Benjamin F. Hicks grew to manhood in Henry
County, near Paris, Tennessee, and was educated in
the Sulphur Well Academy. In 1870 he went to the
Pacific Coast, and for four years was a resident of
California and Nevada. In 1874 he returned home,
and November 2d of the same year, was married
to Miss E. Tennie Williams, a native of Tennessee.
April, 1876, she died, leaving one child, George A.
October 30, 1877, Mr. Hicks took for a second
companion. Miss Ida E. Blakemorc, also a native of
Tennessee. She was reared near Paris, educated in
the common schools of her native State, and the
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
201
Murry Institute, in Miirry, Kentucky, and is a daughter
of William S. and Isabella Williams-BIakemore.
The father was for several years sheriff of Henry
County, Tenn. She has three brothers in this county,
all of whom own nice homes near Halcomb, and is
also a relative of J. B. Blakemore, circuit clerk of
Dunklin County. Mrs. Hicks is a member of the M.
B. F. Hicks and Wife.
E. C. S. and is one of the most ardent supporters of
that church at Halcomb.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hicks are Hattie B.,
Taylor P., Clinton C, and Blanch A. Mr. Hicks
came to Dunklin County in 1880, and located at Hal-
comb Island, which was then in a very primitive condi-
tion. He bought land, built a modest residence just
in front of the " Lone Pine Tree," and it is said that
his is the best improved and most conveniently fenced
202 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
farm in Dunklin County. He is a large dealer in grain
and stock and a man of good information, and is a
member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Chris-
tian Church. Both he and Mrs. Hicks are broad-
minded Christian workers and liberal givers to all
the church denominations.
J. HiRSCH, proprietor of the New York Store,
Kennett, Mo., is the youngest merchant in Kennett.
He is only about twenty-five years of age, was born in
Germany and has been in America but seven years.
Five years of this time he resided in New York City
and he has been two years in Kennett. In May,
1895, he married Miss Fannie Kaufman, sister to the
members of the firm of Kaufman Bros., Cairo, 111.
The New York Store is situated in the Tatum Block
and is conducted on the Eastern city style, being
confined strictly to dry goods, clothing, ladies' and
gents' furnishing goods, etc., and making a specialty
of fine millinery. In order to have the latest styles
and ideas in trimming Mr. and Mrs. Hirsch have an
Eastern trimmer fresh from the shop each season.
The New York Store has been exceptionally success-
ful and is introducing regularly the latest styles and
novelties in every line carried. (See photo, p. 195.)
E. G. Henderson, editor '* Dunklin County Regis
ter," was born in Catoosa County, Georgia, but when
very young moved to Arkansas and was reared at
Batesville, Independence County. In 1869-70 he
learned the printer's trade in Little Rock, Ark., and
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
203
in 1872 moved to Eveniof^ Shade, Sbarpe County,
where he worked at his trade alternately with other
employment for twenty-two years. During eleven
years of this time he was owner and editor of the
E. G. Henderson.
" Sharp County Eecord," making that paper one of
the most prominent and popular journals in North
Arkansas. In 1895, Mr. Henderson disposed of the
Record plant and in October of the same year estab
lished the " Dunklin County Eegister " at Maiden,
Mo.
204 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
This paper is fast gaining favor with the people of
this county, now having a circulation of over 650.
Mr. Henderson is a Democrat in politics and, of course,
advocates these principles in his paper.
Though he has not been long in this county. Mai-
den's people believe they have gained an able editor
in E. G. Henderson. He is a member of the M. E.
C. S. and of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities.
Charles O. Hoffman, Judge of the Probate Court,
Dunklin County, was born May 30, 1846; is a native
of Virginia; was reared in Richmond, Va., and
Atlanta, Ga. He came to Dunklin County, Mo., and
located near Clarkton in the early seventies. In Jan-
uary, 1874, he married Emma Ashcraft, daughter of
Casswell Ashcraft, formerly of Clarkton and a pioneer
of this county.
To this union were born four children, Delia (now
a young lady and a general favorite with the young
people of Kennett), Homer, Lillian and Tom.
The mother of these children died in 1884, and in
about four years Judge Hoffman married Mrs. Bird,
by whom he is the father of two children. Bee and
Virginia.
Judge Hoffman has held the office of Probate Judge
since 1886, being elected in that year, and re-elected
in 1890 and in 1894; his term will expire in 1898,
when he will have held this position twelve years. In
1894 he had no opposing candidate neither before the
Democratic primary nor general election, and there
was polled for him the largest number of votes of any
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 205
candidate in the county. He has filled the position of
Probate Judge with the greatest satisfaction and is
one of the most popular and highly esteemed gentle-
men in this county.
W. E. Hopper, manager of the Campbell KoUer
Mills, Campbell, Mo., was born September 17, 1857,
in Weakley County, Tennessee.
His parents, Andrew Darby Hopper and Mary
Elizabeth Emily Clary, were married July 2, 1851,
and came to Dunklin County in I860. Mr. Hopper
was a farmer, and on coming to Missouri purchased
land near Campbell, or what was then Four Mile.
He was a very large man, weighing 225 pounds, a
Democrat in politics and a member of the Missionary
Baptist Church; a native of Tennessee, born May
16, 1829, and died in Dunklin County, Mo., March
24, 1878. Mrs. Hopper is also a native of Tennessee,
born December 7, 1825, and resides near Campbell
with her children. She and Mr. Hopper were the
parents of four children, who all live near Campbell,
in fact, they all own homes in the same township.
They are, Martha Ann E., born January 16, 1856;
Minerva Caroline, born September 25, 1859; Benja-
min Forester, born May 2, 1865 ; and William Elbert,
who is the subject of this sketch. He was but three
years of age when his parents brought him to
Dunklin County, where he grew to manhood and
received his education in the common schools.
October 15, 1884, he was married to Miss Anna
Lorena Blakeney, a native of North Carolina. To
206 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
them have been born five children, Lessie Ann, Henry
Earl, Susaua, Darby Leander, and Ethen Elbert
(deceased).
Mr. Hopper owns the old Hopper home, four
miles north of Campbell, on which some of the Hopper
family have resided for nearly thirty years. The house
is surrounded by hickory trees, which shelter the
ground where Mr. Hopper played in his boyhood days
and also where his children have spent much of their
youth. While he now resides in Campbell in
a much more pretentious home the old country home
is doubtless the best loved residence.
In March, 1895, Mr. Hopper was elected General
Manager of the Campbell Roller Mills, and his able
mana2:ement and accommodatinir and orcnial manner
as well as the good quality of its flour have won for
the new enterprise many friends.
Mr. Hopper is a member of the School Board at
Campbell, is much interested in educational matters and
is ever ready to lend a helping hand to any enterprise
which will promote the general welfare of his best
loved county or State.
He is a Democrat in politics and both he and wife
are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
M. W. Hubbard, proprietor of the firm of that
name in Clarkton, Mo., was born April 7, 1840, in
Madison County, Kentucky. He is the son of Green-
vil and Mary Jarman-Hubbard, natives of the above
mentioned State. He came to Dunklin County in
1861, and is, save J. B. Penny, the oldest resident
citizen now in Clarkton.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
207
He married Bettie Hodges, a daughter of Judge
Hodges, pioneer of this county, Feburary 1, 1864.
Their chikh'en are Robert G., who married Flora
Timberman ; Albert, Walter, who married Maggie
Youns: of Portao-eville, Mo., and Charhe and Mollie.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard are members of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church. He is Democratic in poli-
If '
M. W. Hubbard and Wife.
tics and was deputy sheriff in this county under Press
Nicols. Mr. Hubbard has been in the merchandising
business in Clarkton about fourteen years and keeps
a full and com[)lete line of everything usually found
in a general store. He is a pioneer whose charac-
ter has ever been unspotted and who is well and
favorably known in the county.
J. E. Jones, son of Isaiah and Media Ann (Miller)
Jones, natives of Tennessee and New York respect-
ively, was born April 11, 1848, in this county, his
father having come here in 1839, and, with Judge E. J.
208 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Langdon as a partner, started a carriage, cooper and
blacksmith shop near Cotton Plant. J. E. Jones
married Miss Hettie W. Chapman, daughter of Turner
and Hulda Mott-Chapman, on April 6, 1870. They
resided near Hornersville for several years, but settled
on his present home near Nesbit twenty years ago.
Mr. Jones is one of the foremost farmers in his vicin-
J. E. Jones,
ity, owns over 200 acres of land, and always has good
horses, cattle, etc., around his place. He has been
road overseer for four years and is well known and
well liked among the people. He is Democratic in
politics, has considerable influence and always wields
it for his political favorites.
Mrs. Jones is a member of the M. E. C. S. Their
children are, respectively, Willie Edd (married to
Miss Lula Bowers), Anna Lou (now Mrs. L. Riggs,
of Kennett), Lizzie B., Hubert, Curtis Isaiah, and
Glenn, and have lost four by death.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 209
James T. Karns, of the firm of R. M. Bone & Co.,
Senath, Mo., was born June 2, 1859. His parents,
John and Cynthia C. Sanford-Karnes, were natives of
Gibson County, Tennessee, and came to Pemiscot
County, Missouri, in 1861, and on to Dunklin County
in 1870. They located on Horse Island near where
** Lulu " is now situated, opened up a farm and con-
tinued to reside there until the death of Mr. Karns,
June 27, 1886.
J. T. Karns, the subject of this sketch, first went in
business at Lulu and was the first postmaster at that
place. He removed to his present place of business in
1886. He acquired his education in this county and
is a Dunklin County business man out and out. His
firm, R. M. Bone &, Co., keep a complete line of
general merchandise. J. T. Karns and Mary I. Barr
were united in marriage December 25, 1885. Their
little daughter Estella was born November 10, 1891.
They have three children dead.
Mrs. Karns is a member of the Christian Church
and Mr. Karns is Democratic in politics.
A. J. Kerfoot, vice-president of the St. Louis,
Kennett & Southern Railroad, was born in Jefferson
County, Ya., August 17, 1857. Emigrated to
Cooper County, Mo., in March, 1867. Attended
public school at Boonville until 1874, when he entered
the railroad service as water boy on construction work.
Continued in the service of the M., K. & T., Houston
& Texas Central and Chicago & Alton, as conductor
and brakeman, until January, 1890. Organized the
14
210 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
St. L., K. & S. R. R. Co., in March, 1890, and super
intended the construction of same, completing it in
December of the same year. Was appointed super-
intendent of transportation in January, 1891, which
position he held until December, 1895, at which time
he resigned as superintendent and was elected vice-
president, which position he now holds. Too much
A, J. Kerfoot.
cannot be said for Mr. Kerfoot as a business man or
for his energy and perseverence in bringing this road
up to a fair standard for a new railroad.
In addition to his railroad business he is interested
in the firm of E. S. McCarty & Co., being business
manager of the firm. This firm owns stores at Ken-
nett, White Oak, and Pascola, Pemiscot County,
doing a general merchandise and timber business ;
and also owns the celebrated Armstrong Springs,
located in White County, Ark., at which place they
also have a store, and are erecting a large hotel and
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 211
otherwise improving the property to the extent of
$12,000.
Mr. Kerfoot's father, G. W. Kerfoot, is still
living, being seventy-eight years of age; his mother
died of pneumonia, March, 1891, at the age of sixty
years.
Judge Edwin J. Langdon was born August 7,
1819, at Middleberry, Vermont. His parents, Hiram
and Polly Dowd-Langdon, were of Scotch descent
and emigrated to Granville, Licking County, Ohio.
When their son Edwin J. was just seventeen years of
age, here he taught school and improved his educa-
tion and came on to Dunklin County, Mo., in 1839.
In 1847 he married Sarah A. Glasscock, who was born
near Pocahontas, Arkansas, and is the daughter of
Robt. L. and Elizabeth Sullinofer Glasscock, early
l)ioneers of this county. The mother was of Scotch
and Cherokee, while the father was of Irish descent;
they emigrated from Old Jackson, Missouri, to Dun-
klin County, about 1845. Judge Langdon started his
career in this county without money and when the
country was in a very primitive condition. He was a
carriage maker by trade and he and Isaiah Jones
opened a carriage, coopers' and blacksmith shop
near Cotton Plant in the early forties, and they
turned out some of the first pails, carriages and
wagons made in this county. In 184G he assisted
his fjithcr, Hiram Langdon, to build the first
courthouse erected in this county. In 1847-1848
he built the Buffalo Creek levee between Kennett and
212 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Vincit. The money which he received for the com-
pletion of this contract, he often said was the first
from which he ever appeared to receive much benefit.
With it he bought goods and opened a small store at
Cotton Plant. It is safe to say that this money was
the foundation of his future estate, which estate at his
death, in November, 1892, was worth some $200,000
Judge E. J. Langdon and Wife.
or $300,000. Judge Langdon was President of the
County Court of Dunklin County from 1878 to 1884
inclusive. He was a very public-spirited man and did
much for the improvement of public roads, public
schools, churches and other enterprises to advance the
general good of the county. He Inunched one of the
first flat-boats on Little River at Hornersville, owned
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 213
and operated one of the first cotton gins and general
stores, and did as much as any other man to bring
up the morals of the county, and he was, all things
being considered, perhaps the greatest man Dunklin
County has ever had. A man whose public and
private life will bear the closest scrutiny ; and
while he condemned wrong, he was infinitely patient
and forbearins: ; his heart was never made cold
by silver and gold, but was always open to unfortunate
humanity. He had not the wealth of many men, but
his life was certainly a success. He died in his Arcadia
home in Iron County, Mo., but was brought back to
his old home for funeral services and his remains rest
in the family cemetery at Cotton Plant. Mrs. Lang-
don is living and enjoys fairly good health. She
resides with her daugher, Hettie D, wife of R. H. Jones,
of Kennett, Mo.
Mrs. Jones is the youngest child and only daughter
Judge and Mrs. Langdon raised, and has been since
her early youth, considered one of the handsomest
women of Dunklin County. Three sons are the other
children of Judge and Mrs. Langdon living; they are:
William H. (of Jonesboro, Texas), C. V. and A. J. of
Cotton Plant, this county. Those deceased are Truman
C, who died after reaching manhood, leaving a family,
and Ruth E., Eddie B., Nellie B., and Jimmie J., who
died in infancy.
Judge Langdon was a Democrat in politics, a mem-
ber of the Masonic fraternity and of the M. E. C. S.,
Mrs. Lano;don is a member of the M. E. C. S. and of
the Rebekah Degree of I. O. O. F.
214
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Charles V. Langdon was born October lOlh,
1855, in Dunklin County, Mo. He is the son of
Edwin J. and Sarah A. Glasscock Langdon (see
sketch elsewhere). The subject of this sketch grew
to manhood in this county, received a good education,
assisted his father on the farm and in the store at
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 215
Cotton Plant until August 7, 1884, when he was
married to Lou Abernathy, also a native of Dunklin
County and the daughter of Robert Abernathy, an
early settler of this county. After his marriage Mr.
Langdon built a fine residence on one of the large
mounds on his farm just south of Cotton Plant, and
has since resided there, occasionally taking his family
to their pleasant summer home in Arcadia, Mo. Mr.
Langdon was in the mercantile business with T. R.
Neel, under the firm mime, at his father's old stand in
Cotton Plant. He subsequently sold his interest and
retired to his farm. He is a prominent farmer and
stock-raiser, cattle being his favorite kind. He always
keeps fine cows and plenty of other stock about his
place. His farm is one of the most extensive and best
improved in the county. The children of Mr. and
Mrs. Langdon are: Edwin Neel (deceased), Sallie
May, Lela Blanch, Luella (deceased), and Walton V.
Mr. Lano'don is a member of the I. O. O. F. and
Masonic fraternities and he and wife are members of
the M. E. C. S.
A. J. Langdon was born February 25, 1865, is a
native of this county and the son of Edwin J. and
Sarah A. Giasscock-Langdon, pioneers of Dunklin
County. He was educated in his native county and
at the high school of Ironton, Mo., and also at the
State Normal, Cape Girardeau, Mo. He worked with
his father in the store at Cotton Plant for about three
years and was afterward a member of the firm of E.
J. Langdon & Company. At that place, January 14,
216 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
1893, he married Mary Tennie Moore, a native of
Dunklin County, who was reared and educated at
Mount Calm, Texas; she is the daughter of E. H.
Moore, formerly an old citizen of this county. To
this marriage have been born Maude E., Nellie A.
(deceased), Hettie P., E. Senter and Wesley M.
Since the death of his father, Mr. Langdon has
devoted much of his time to the matters of the estate,
he being the administrator. He is also a dealer in live
stock and, of course, devotes considerable time to
looking after his own estate, as he owns a number of
well improved and valuable tracts of land in this
county, Mrs. Langdon is a member of the M. E. C. S.
Charles Lanpher is the son of G. W. and E. V.
Parkins-Lanpher ; born August 12, 1871, and is a
native of Fredericktown. His father is a well-known
citizen of that place, and Charles Lanpher was reared
and educated in Fredericktown, and came to Dunklin
County in August, 1893, to take a partnership in the
firm of L. Riggs & Co., at Kennett. This firm keeps
a full and up-to-date line of stoves, tinware, sash and
doors, sporting goods, and, in fact, everything usually
kept in a hardware store. They enjoy a thriving
business and will further enlarge the same by estab-
lishing a branch store at Caruthersville, Mo.
Jake S. Levi came to Dunklin at about the begin-
ning of Maiden and his business career may be traced
in this county through the firm of J. S. Levi & Co.,
and other names to the Levi Mercantile Co., of Maiden
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 217
and Kennett. Every enterprise of which Mr. Levi has
taken hold of in this county has seemed to prosper and
has outgrown firm names and business houses in a
remarkable manner. The first brick business house
erected in Dunklin County was that of J. S. Levi,
erected in 1889, in Maiden. This is one of the best
business houses in that town, and it is certain that the
firm who own it do a very extensive business, in fact
J. S. Levi.
the Levi Mercantile Company of Maiden and Kennett
is one of the most popular firms in Dunklin County.
J. S. Levi is president of the Levi Mercantile Com-
pany, Joe N. Arends, vice-president, and A. Lebermuth,
secretary and treasurer.
Mr. Levi is also president of the Goldman & Levi
Land Company, and ,J. D. Goldman, of St. Louis, Mo.,
is vice-president.
Mr. Levi resides most of the time in Cincinnati,
Ohio,buthasbeenknown and identified with the business
interests of Dunklin County for about fifteen years
218 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
and has resided a considerable portion of that time in
this county. Mr. Levi is unmarried, but Mr. Leber-
muth and Mr. Arends have both married since coming
to this county.
George W. Marshall, farmer and stock-raiser, of
Chirkton, was born in Olive County, Tennessee, June
23, 1849, and is the pon of Bennett and Mary Mar-
shall, natives of Middle Tennessee. The parents came
to Dunklin County in 1857 and located on the farm
where the son, George W., now resides. They lived
here for several years and then removed to Arkansas,
where the father died in 1872. He was a member of
the Masonic fraternity and a well-known pioneer of
this county.
Geoige W. Marshall attained his growth on a
farm in this county, working with his father until his
majority. January 30, 1869, he was united in mar-
riage to Mary L. Lasley, daughter of the pioneer, Mr.
Lasley, who located near Clarkton in 1863.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall commenced their married life
on a very small scale with a small farm, one milk cow
and a plow horse. Mr. Marshall, however, soon began
to raise corn, cattle and hogs, not having grown any
cotton since it fell below ten cents per pound in the
markets. He is now the largest stock-raiser and ship-
per in the county and the owner of about nine hundred
acres of land, part of which lies in New Madrid
County.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are the parents of a large
family, and have perhaps the nicest home in the
inSTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 219
county, a very handsome residence among a magnificent
grove of forest trees, and a fine orchard. They reside
about two miles south of Clarliton.
Collin Morgan, ex-sheriff of Dunklin County, was
born January 15, 1844. He is a native of Tennessee,
and the son of Miles and Martha Page-Morgan, early
settlers of Bolliosrer County, Mo. They, however.
^^^^^^^
Collin Morgan.
removed to Stoddard County, and located near Bloom-
field, Mo., and there principally reared iheir family.
Mr. Morgan died several years ago, but Mrs. Morgan
is living in Stoddard County. The son, Collin Mor-
gan, was married December 2S, 1871, to Miss Eflae
Harper, of Stoddard County. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan
have a largo family of children, the eldest daughter
being Miss Ida, and the eldest son Mr. Fred, both
favorites among the young people of Kennett. Mr.
Morgan came to this county in 1888, and two years
later was elected Sheriff of Dunklin County, and
220 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
re-elected to the same office in 1892. He filled this
office to the general satisfaction of all, and has won
for himself many friends among the people of this
county. His residence (which was one of the finest in
Kennett) and nearly all its contents was destroyed by
fire in 1895, this being the second time such a mis-
fortune has befallen him. He is, however, a man of
indomitable energy and push, and burned several kilns
of brick from which he expects to build a handsome
brick residence on the site of the one destroyed by
tire. Kennett has not a man with more go-a-head
business energy than Collin Morgan ; he never waits for
*'soft jobs or good luck,'* but has pluck enough to
keep his head above the waves of any misfortune.
Mr. Morgan was twice elected Sheriff of Stoddard
County before coming to Dunklin, and is well-known
in both counties. He is a Democrat in politics. Master
of the Masonic lodge at Kennett, and a member of
the I. O. O. F.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are members of the
Christian Church.
Louis McCutchen, druggist and postmaster at
Campbell, Mo., was born June 27, 1848, in Jackson
County, Alabama. His parents were William W. and
Margaret Harrison-McCutchen, natives of Alabama
and Tennessee, respectively. The father was surveyor
and justice of the peace for a number of years in both
Jackson and Marshall counties and resided in Alabama
until his death. He was drowned in Tennessee River,
in Marshall County, in 1878.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 221
Louis McCutcheii grew to manhood Id Marshall
County, Alabama, and received a fair education in the
villa<re school. On reaching his majority he left the
parental roof and emigrated to Missouri and located
at Four Mile, Dunklin County, in 1870. He accepted
a position as clerk, which he retained until 1876. He
then engaged in the drug and grocery business on his
own account and continued at Four Mile until the fall
of 1882. He then removed to Campbell, a new town
on what is the St. Louis Southwestern R. R., Cotton
Belt Route. He has since continued in business at
that place. In 1875 he was appointed postmaster at
Four Mile and has been postmaster there and at
Campbell since that time.
Mr. McCutchen is a director of the Bank of
Kennett, a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic
lodges at Campbell, is a Democrat in politics and is
well known and highly esteemed in this county.
December 20, 1877, he married Miss Martha E.
Owen, a native of Dunklin County and the daughter of
Judge Given Owen (see sketch). Mrs. McCutchen
was reared and educated in this county and is certainly
one of the most accomplished housekeepers of which
it can boast; her home is always surrounded by
beautiful flowers and she is an adept in the culinary
art. The children of Mr. and Mrs. McCutchen are:
Fannie, William W., Beulab, Owen, Louis and Mary
Ellen. Mr. McCutchen has quite an extensive estate
of about 1200 acres near Campbell. His drug store is
fitted up nicely and he keeps a full and complete line
of drugs in connection vvith the post-office.
222 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Virgil McKay, County Clerk of Dunklin County,
was born in New Madrid County, Mo., July 24, 1858.
He is the son of John and Mary Adams-McKay,
natives of the above-mentioned county and State.
Virgil McKay, the subject of this sketch, came to
Dunklin County, July 28, 1878. He farmed for a few
years, then for several years taught school part of
the year and attended school the remainder, being
principally educated in the Southeast Normal at Cape
Girardeau, Mo. December 25, 1888, he married Miss
Annie Marlow of Clarkton, a daughter of James Mar-
low, who was a pioneer of this county. To this
marriage have been born two little boys, Clyde and
Landreth. (See photo, p. 236.)
He was elected Assessor of Dunklin Co. in 1886,
and re-elected to the same office in 1888. He is
holding his second term as County Clerk, being
elected to that office in 1890 and 1894.
He is Democratic in politics, a member of the Masonic
order and of I. O. O. F. Both he and Mrs. McKay
are members of the M. E. C. S. Mr. McKay is
exceedingly popular among the masses of the people.
HuLDAH A. MoTT was born April 10, 1831, in
Hickman County, Ky., was married to Turner G.
Chapman, Sept. 28, 1848. To them were born four
children, James, Mary, Hettie andKittie. Mr. Chap-
man died June 25, 1859, and Mrs. Chapman was again
married March 23, 1865, to Wm. H. Helm. To this
couple were born three children, Lizzie, Willie and
Fannie. Mrs. Helm is a sister of Mrs. A. T. Doug-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 223
lass of Seiialh, and one of the pioneer women of this
county. Mr. Hehn represented this county in the
Stale Lcgishiture in 1879, is a Democrat in politics,
and he and Mrs. Helm and daughters are members
of the Christian Church. James and Mary Chapman
died in infanc3^ Hettie was married to J. E. Jones
of Nesbit, Mo., April G, 1870. Kitty was married
May 3, 1877, to W. G. Bragg, of Kennett, Mo. Willie
Helm died in infancy, and Lizzie was married August
3, 1892, to T. J. Baird of Clarkton, Mo. Fannie was
married September 28, 1892, to Charles B. Ruff of
Kennett, Mo. (see sketches elsewhere).
David H. Moore, born July 10, 1832, was the
second white child born in Dunklin County. His
parents were Howard and Mary Welch Moore, natives
of Virginia. They emigrated to Dunklin County in
1829 and were the first white settlers to locate within
the limits of this county. They also built and lived
in the first white man's cabin, stopping at first about
four miles south of Maiden, Missouri. Mr. Moore
afterward bought the log cabin and improvements of
Chilleticaux near Kennett, and it was he who estab-
lished the first grist mill at that place in pioneer days.
He lived to a good old age and at his death left each
of his eight children forty acres of good Dunklin
County land. David H. Moore was partly reared in
Chilleticaux Cabin, has eaten many of the big Indian
peaches grown on the trees planted by that chief.
He also, when a lad, helped to grind corn on one of
the first gi'ist mills in the county, and prior to that
224 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
time pounded corn and coffee in the mortar made by
Chilleticaux in the latter's kitchen, which the chief said
was <* all built of cypress but one log, which log was
of wood."
*' Uncle Dave," as he is familiarly called, was first
married to Claircy Spurlock ; she died leaving two
children, Wesley and Mary. Mr. Moore has lost four
David Moore.
wives by death, his fifth wife being his present com-
panion. She has had three husbands, her first being
a Mr. Bird, her second a Mr. Jordan; her maiden
name was Ouva Haggard. She and Mr. Moore have
two children, Samantha and
There are but three other persons who have resided
in Dunklin County longer than David H. Moore. He
lives in Kennett, Missouri, and is the oldest citizen of
that place. He is a Democrat in politics.
History of dunklin county, mo.
225
A. A. Moore, undertaker, Maiden, Mo., was born
June 23, 1827, in Union County, Indiana. His father,
Morgan Moore, was a native of Virginia, but emigrated
to Ohio when a small boy and later in life went to Indi-
ana, where he married a Miss Mead. She became the
mother of A. A. Moore and soon afterward died.
The father was an old soldier in the war of 1812, and
A. A. Moore and Wife.
afterward located in Vermillion County, Illinois, where
he died in 1860.
A. A. Moore came to Dunklin County in 1876,
and located in Maiden, which was then just being
commenced. He farmed for some time then became
a contractor and builder and assisted in erecting some
of the first houses in Maiden. Later he was a success-
ful grocery merchant and has been for many years a
well-known and prominent undertaker. He has also
15
226 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
been prominent in local politics, having been a mem-
ber of the Council for several years and Mayor of
Maiden. February 14, 1850, he was united in mar-
riage to Miss Elizabeth E. Hite, a native of Virginia,
and to them have been born S. S., on Aug. 21st, 1851,
C. F., March 10, 1853, M. C. and M. A., October 30,
1855 ; M. C, one these twins, and S. W., born April
29, 1858, are both deceased. H. A., the youngest son,
was born October 13, 1863.
S. S. Moore married Lucy Shullz; their children
are Nellie, Minnie, Ethel, and Fred.
M. A. Moore married Susie Jenkins and became
the father of Wilbert and Onie.
H. A. Moore married Emma Herman, and resides
in Maiden.
C. F. Moore married Mrs. Lou A. Stephens, a
daughter of T. B. Reeves. He is a member of the
L O. O. F. and a carpenter by trade. On coming to
Dunklin County he located in Maiden, where he now
resides.
Thomas Neel is the son of the pioneer, Thomas
Neel, who came to this county with the Homers in
February, 1832.
Thomas Neel, Jr., was born in May of the same
year and was the first white child born in Dunklin
County. Mr. Neel has pounded corn in the old-
fashioned mortar *' Indian style'' when it was too
bad to go to mill away up on West Prairie or to the
Masterson mill near Bernie, in Stoddard County. He
has slept on Chilleticaux buffalo robes and is even yet
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 227
a great hunter. For many years he lived on his farm
where the post-office of Lulu now stands, but for
several years has resided just across the Missouri line
in Arkansas, but he is yet looked upon as a citizen of
this county, as he does about all of his buying, selling
of produce, etc., in his old home. His present wife
was Miss Lizzie Donalson, who is a sister of I. F.
Donalson, of Kennett. They have a nice home, which
in summer and fall is almost hidden by pretty shrubs
and flowers.
Rev. OwENBY, of the Clarkton Circuit of the M. E.
C. S., was born March 17, 1854, in Sumner County,
Tennessee. He is the son of J. P. and C. A. Ovvenby,
natives of the above mentioned State. Rev. Owenby
has been in the ministry and under the control
of the St. Louis Conference Methodist Episcopal
Church South about thirteen years. His preaching
is of the Evangelistic order and he recognizes this as
his particular sphere and personally likes it best.
He says about 10,000 conversions have been the result
of his preaching, including about 66S conversions and
accessions to the church in the bounds of the Clarkton
Circuit in Dunklin County. Rev. Owenby has been
sent to this circuit two years successively. It is
claimed by the people of Halcomb, where he resides,
that it is largely through his influence and that of a
few of the Baptist members that the churches of the
various denominations at Halcomb have become so
united in their Sunday-school and other Christian
work. He undoubtedly has the tact to draw the
22g
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
crowds and then gain their attention, to a greater
extent than any other preacher in the county. In
1873, he was married to Nannie J. Goad, of Obine
County, Tennessee. They have four living children.
Judge Given Owen was born May 9, 1818, and
was the son of Reuben and Martha Wells Owens,
f
^.f -^ 't.
Dr. Given Owen.
natives of Georgia and Kentucky, respectively.
Reuben Owen emigrated to Kentucky when a young
man and lived there until 1836, when he removed
to Bloomfield, Mo., and there resided until his death.
Judge, or Dr. Given Owen, for he was one of the
pioneer physicians of Dunklin County, grew to man-
hood in Hickman County, Ky., receiving a good
education in the common and higher English branches.
In 1835, when he was just seventeen years of age, he
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 229
commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Carroll
at Hickman, K3^ In 1838, he also removed to Bloom-
field, Mo., remaining there and continuing the study
of medicine for two years. In 1841, he settled on a
farm in what was then Stoddard, but what is now
Dunklin County. He was shortly elected County
Judge. He was Presiding Judge of Stoddard County
when this was cut off into Dunklin, and was elected
County Judge of this county in 1854. He was elected
Judge of the Clarkton Common Pleas and Probate
Court in April, 1876, to fill out the unexpired term of
Judge Stokes (deceased); also elected Judge of Pro-
bate Court and President of County Court in Novem-
ber, 1878. In April, 1877, he was commissioned
Notary Public by Gov. Phelps, also by Gov. Critten-
den in 1882, and by Gov. Marmaduke in 1886.
Judge Owen was first married in 1840 to Amanda
SuUenger, a native of Cape Girardeau County. She
died in May, 1852, leaving four children : Dr. Reuben
P., A. B., Nancy M., Mrs.E.M. Bray, and Francis E.I.
In August, 1852, he married a second time, taking Mrs.
Louisiana Bozarth, a daughter of Jordan and Nancy
Lacy. Two daughters were born to them, Martha E.
(now Mrs. L. McCutchen of Campbell) and Mary E.
Judge Owen's death occurred December 5th, 1889,
after a residence of about thirty-one years, at Four
Mile, near Campbell, Dunklin County.
He was seventy-two years of age and was a success-
ful practicing physician until a few years before his
death — having been so long a judge of different courts
and also being well known as a physician, both the
230 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
title of Doctor and Judge clung to him until his
death. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity
and Missionary Bnptist Church. Mrs. Owen is a
member of the Baptist Church and resides with her
daughter and son-in-law, Louis McCutchen of Campbell,
whose picture may be seen among the family of those
to be found in this volume. She has resided in this
county for more than fifty years, and is one of the many
living pioneers who enjoys good health considering
their old age. She worshiped with the first congre-
gation who ever worshiped in a church house in
Dunklin County, in 1846; and her first husband,
Jonathan Bozart, assisted in building this same house.
She, like many other pioneer women, came here before
either the horse-power or steam-power mill, and has
often ground corn for bread on the little steel hand-
mill, of which her father's was one of the first
brought to the county. West Prairie post-office,
the first in the county, was established after she came
here, and many are the interesting events she can
relate about the manner of bringing general supplies
from Cape Girardeau, Mo. She is a lady whose con-
versation is always entertaining, and who knows much
of the past history of Dunklin County.
William J. Oxley, merchant at Valley Ridge, Mo.,
was born November 11, 1837, and is the son of James
and Annaretta (Faulkner) Oxley, natives of North
Carolina. The parents came to Dunklin County in
1858, where the father died in 1864. William J.
Oxley, the subject of this sketch, began working for
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 231
himself at the age of eighteen years, and did not come
to Dunklin County until 1860. In 1861 he was mar-
ried to Winnie M. Bray, a native of West Tennessee
and the daughter of Allen Bray (deceased). At the
breaking out of the Civil War, Mr. Oxley enlisted in
Jeff. Thompson's regiment for six months, at the
expiration of which time he removed his family to
Scott County, Mo., and engaged in the boot and shoe
business for a time. In 1865 he returned to Dunklin
County and located near Four Mile. In 1868 he
removed to his present place of residence, and a few
years later established and named the post-office of
Valley Ridge. He first engaged in the grain and
huckster business, but commenced merchandising
about 1879. He also bought and improved land,
making himself a comfortable home.
His dwelling-house and store and all their con-
tents were burned on January 28, 1880. This, of
course, was a severe loss, but he soon resumed busi-
ness and now has a good local trade and carries a com-
plete line of general merchandise. The children of
Mr. and Mrs. Oxley are: A. R., James M. and Addie
V. The family are members of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Oxley is a self-made man, as when he was mar-
ried he could not write his name and did not know one
figure from another, never having attended school but
three months in his life. By self-application he was
soon able to do all his own business, and was post-
master at Valley Ridge for about ten years. He is
Republican in politics and one of the best known
farmers aad merchants on the Ridge.
232 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Col. David Young Pankey was born August 22cl,
1832, at Richmond, Va. His parents were Young and
Rebekah B. Branch-Pankey, natives of Virginia. His
father was an old soldier in the war of 1812, and his
maternal grandfather was a colonel in the Revolution-
ary war. Col. Pankey grew to manhood and was edu-
cated in Virginia. In 1858 he emigrated to Madrid
^«^
Col. D. Y. Pankey.
Bend, Tenn., just across the Mississippi River from
New Madrid, Mo., and in 1859 came on to Dunklin
County, locating near Clarkton.
Prior to leaving his native State, Col. Pankey was
married in 1854 to Miss Sallie B., eldest daughter of
Paul and Mary E. Jones of Lynchburg, Va. Their
oldest child was Mary E , wife of Judge T. E. Bald-
win of Kennett, the second daughter was Sallie B.,
deceased, Mrs. Schruggs of Maiden. They also lost
by death two other children, Henry Young and Lilian.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 233
The only living son is David Ballard, cashier of the
Bank of Kennett. The mother of these children died
in 1866.
In 1870, Col. Pankey married Tennessee Miller,
who also died after having borne him four children,
all of whom died in infancy. In 1876, Col. Pankey
took for a third companion Adaline Grigory, daughter
of Rev. James Grigory of this county. She
became the mother of Charles, born January 12,
1877, and Stella, and one infant (deceased). The
mother of these children also died, leaving Col.
Pankey a widower for the third time. In 1890, he
married Mrs. Smith, who is his present wife.
Col. Pankey is one of the oldest and best known
pioneers in the county, having taken quite a prominent
part in the late War of the Rebellion. He was on the
Southern side, and first went into Capt. Picard's com-
pany and was elected First Lieutenant. A regiment
was soon formed of which he was elected Lieutenant
colonel. At the expiration of his term he re-enlisted
in the Confederate service. He was in the bombard-
ments of Fort Pillow, and after the evacuation of that
place, went to Memphis, Tennessee, and with other
Missourians was put under Col. Price, and participated
in many hard skirmishes and conflicts with the enemy.
Col. Pankey has filled the offices of Magistrate and
Collector of the Revenue of Dunklin County. He is at
present a grain dealer, and is a member of a grain
company at Kennett, which ships hundreds of car loads
every year. He is a member of the Presbyterian
Church, and a Democrat in politics.
234 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
D. B. Pankey, cashier of Bank of Kennett, was
born January 17, 1861, and is a native of Dunklin
County, Missouri. His parents, Col. D. Y. and Sallie
B. eJones Pankey were natives of Virginia (see sketch).
David Ballard Pankey grew to manhood in this
county, was educated in the common schools of Dun-
klin County and at Cape Girardeau, Mo. ; he also
completed the commercial course at the Mound City
Commercial College, St. Louis, Mo. ; married Miss
Josie Rayburn, daughter of Maj. W. C. Rayburn, late
of Clarkton. As Miss Josie Rayburn, Mrs. Pankey
was one of the leading belles of Clarkton, and is no
less a leader in the society of Kennett. The children
of Mr. and Mrs. Pankey are respectively Hugh, Blair
(deceased), and a baby boy. Mr. Pankey has held a
number of public and official positions in this county ;
was appointed to fill the vacancy in the county clerk's
office caused by the death of C. R. Mills in 1885, and
elected to the same office in 1886. When the Bank of
Kennett was organized in January, 1891, he was chosen
cashier of same and has since held that position; under
his management the bank had a deposit on Januarj^
15, 1896, of $96,956.64. Any eulogy of Mr. Pankey is
altogether unnecessary, but it is safe to say that
Kennett is as proud of D. B. Pankey as any man it
has. He is a member of the 1. O. O. F. and Masonic
fraternities and both he and Mrs. Pankey are mem-
bers of the Presbyterian Church.
William G. Petty, sheriff of Dunklin County,
was born January 25, 1853, in Hickman County,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 235
Mr, and Mrs. D. B. Pan key.
9-
9
Residence of D. B. Pankey, Kennett.
236 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
John McKay.
John McKay is the oldest teacher in the county, and
is a Democrat and a member of the M. E. C. S. He
has taught school in nearly every district of the
county, and as a most successful teacher is well and
favorably known all over the county.
Virgil McKay and Wife.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 237
Tennessee. His parents, Milford M. and Nancy
Petty, were natives of the above mentioned State.
The father was a farmer and resided in Hickman
County for over thirty-five years, removing to Dunklin
County, Mo., in 1882, where he and wife have since
died.
/^^^^
■^^ #^~
W. G. Petty, Sheriff.
W. G. Petty, the subject of this sketch, grew to
manhood in his native county and State and immigrated
to this county in 1874. In 1879 he was married to
Miss Amanda B. Herrmann, daughter of William
Herrmann, an early settler of this county, vvho resides
at Hornersville, but who was for long years a promi
nent farmer and operator of a cotton gin and grist
mill near Nesbit, this county. He was also the inventor
and patentee of one of the first '« cotton cleaners," an
attachment to the cotton gin. A few years after his
marriage, Mr. Petty purchased timbered land in Salem
Township and opened up a farm. In 1887 he pur-
238 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
chased 200 acres of land near Nesbit, about 160 acres
of which was in cultivation. This is one of the best
farms in the country. Mr. Petty has farmed the
greater portion of the time before and since his
marriage. In 1894 he made the race for sheriff and
was elected at the November election. In the early
part of 1895 he removed to Kennett and took charge
of the jail and sheriff's office, which position he is
filling to the satisfaction of the general public. Mr.
and Mrs. Petty are the parents of six children, Harry,
Curtis, Neel, Bertie, Cohnie and Genie.
Mr. Petty is a member of the Masonic fraternity
and Mrs. Petty of the M. E. C. S.
C. A. Petty, son of M. M. and Nancy Jones-
Petty, natives of South Carolina, was born Feb. 15,
1851, in Hickman County, Tenn., where he resided
until 1874, when he came to Dunklin County.
In 1876 he joined the I. O. O. F. at Cotton Plant
and the Masonic order in 1882, and has passed
through all the chairs of both orders and the Re-
bekah Degree of I. O. (). F. and is a member of
the Dunklin Encampment. A Democrat in politics,
a member of the M. E. C. S., always taking an active
part in the duties of the societies to which he belongs,
he has become well and favorably known, being
recognized as a man of noble principles and unques-
tionable integrity.
Mr. Petty first married a Miss Miller in 1873. She
died in January 1890, having borne him eight children,
seven of whom are now living. Willie, a young man
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 239
of about 21 years of age, is the eldest. In 1891 Mr.
Petty took for a wife a Miss Baugus, who died in 1894,
leaving one child. His present wife was a Miss Latty
and they were married in January, 1895.
These ladies were all natives of Tennessee two of
them from the same county. The present Mrs. Petty
is a member of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Mr. Petty is a farmer, owns about 350 acres of good
land, and resides one mile west of Kennett.
J. R. Pool.
John Richard Pool, proprietor of Hotel Card well,
at Cardwell, Mo., was born May 5, 1845, in Hardin
County, Tennessee. He is the son of John C. and
Susan Haggard-Pool, natives of the above county and
State. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood and
was educated in the common schools of his native
county, later taking a course in Bryant & Stratton's
Commercial College, St. Louis, Mo. August 12, 1866,
he was married to Barber E. Pearson and they became
540 UISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTt, MO.
the parents of nine boys and two girls, all yet living.
Mrs. Pool died July 11, 1889, and Mr. Pool took for
a second companion, Rebekah J. Thomas on February
1, 1891. Both ladies were natives of Tennessee, of
the same county as Mr. Pool. He came to Dunklin
County in 1880, located on Grand Prairie and was
subsequently in the merchandising business at Caruth.
He removed to Buffalo Island in 1891, where he had
bought a hundred acres of land near the present site
of Card well. Mr. Pool has helped to start several
post-offices in this county, *' Hasty," among others;
this office was lately discontinued in favor of Card well.
The post-office is now kept in Hotel Cardwell and Mrs.
Pool, who is of a Democratic turn of mind, has been the
postmistress under the Cleveland administration. She
is quite an enterprising and progressive woman. Mr.
Pool is in politics a Republican, and was the nominee
of that party for sheriff of this county in 1888. He
helped to organize the first Republican convention of
this county and is at present chairman of Buffalo
Township Committee. He is notary public and
agent at Cardwell for the Paragould and Southeastern
Railroad.
Much of the rapid progress of Cardwell is due to
Mr. Pool's energy ; he has himself built several houses
in that town and helped to get up an interest in the
schools of his neighborhood.
George W. Peck, Mayor of the city of Maiden,
Mo., was born November 22, 1848, at Madrid, St.
Lawrence County, New York, and is the son of Burley
IIISTORT OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 241
and Sophroniii Fish-Peck. His parents were of
English descent, their grandparents having crossed the
ocean •in the year 1735, and settled at Norwich, Con-
necticut. The subject of this sketch was educated in
the public schools of his native county and at the St.
Lawrence Academy at Potsdam, N. Y. He taught in
the public schools of his county for several years, but
Geo. W. Peck.
in 1872 went to Chicago, 111., and was employed in the
office of the City Railway Co., for some time, return-
ing to New York in 1875. Still he desired to locate
in the West, his inclinations being toward the railroad
business. He learned that a railroad was being con-
structed from New Madrid, Missouri, in a westerly
direction and went there in the fall of 1876. He soon
secured a position on the engineering corps who
were surveying the new road under Chief Engineer
Hon. Oscar Kochtitzky, who was also Labor Commis-
sioner of Missouri during Gov. Marmaduke's adminis-
IG
242 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
tration. George W. Peck assisted in laying out the
town of Maiden and was afterward railroad and
land agent of the railroad company until it was
merged into the Cotton Belt System, when he re-
signed at once engaging in the grain business, and
to him belongs the honor of having bought and shipped
the first car load of grain that ever left Maiden. His
business has since grown until it is one of the leading
enterprises of his town and county. It may be said
that Mr. Peck handles nearly all of the surplus corn,
etc., raised in the north half of Dunklin County. He
is also engaged in the real estate business, owns sev-
eral fine farms, bodies of timbered land, considerable
town property, building lots, etc. In 1878 he was
married to Julia A. Hopper, a native of Tennessee.
They have four children, Wilbur, now a young man
and a student of Searcy College, Arkansas, Elmer,
Irene and Chester. Mr. Peck is in politics a Republi-
can and was the nominee of that party for Repre-
sentative of this county in 1892. He is at present
Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge of Maiden,
President of the Board of Trustees of the Maiden
Public School, has been a member of the City Council
for twelve years and is Mayor of his city. He is one
of those men whom Democrats say have but one fault,
that of voting the Republican ticket. Nevertheless
Maiden is as proud of George W. Peck as any man
it has.
Hon. D. C. Pollock was born in Obine County,
Tenn., June 18, 1839. Was reared from four years of
HISTORY OF DUNiCLlN COUNTY, MO. 243
age in Lake County, Tenn.,antl when the war came on,
went in the army with the Madrid Bend Guards, and
was attached to the 15th Tennessee Regiment under
Col. Counol. In 1872 he came to the State of
Missouri and resided in New Madrid County for about
ten years, then came to Dunklin County. He was
educated in the common schools of Lake County
Hon. D. C. Pollock.
Tenn., and studied medicine under Dr. Theodore
Case. Attended lectures at Memphis, Tenn., and has
practiced in the medical profession twenty-three
years. Dr. Pollock was elected to the State Legisla-
ture from Dunklin County in 1894, which office he
is now filling. He with his family reside at the new
town of Cardwell. He is Democratic in politics and
popular among the masses of the people.
Moore M. Eayburn was born September 8, 1843,
in Mississippi, and is the son of Maj. W. C. and
Melissa J. Malone Ray burn, natives of Alabama and
244 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mississippi respectively. The parents came to Missouri
in 1865, and located near Clarkton, Dunklin County.
Maj. Rayburn was always much interested in the
schools, churches and public affairs of the county and
was surveyor for a number of years. He resided in
Clay County, Arkansas, from 1857 until the time of
Moore M. Rayburx.
his corainp; to this county just after the close of the
war.
His son, Moore M. Ray burn, grew to manhood in
Arkansas, and in 1862 enlisted in the Confederate
Army, in Col. Hart's regiment of Arkansas Infantry,
and served until the close of the war. He was in the
battles of Pleasant Grove, Mansfield, and Pleasant Hill.
At the close of the war he returned home and came to
this county with his parents.
He has held the office of Sheriff and Collector of
Dunklin County four years, since which time he has
devoted himself to farming and stock-raising. In
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 245
1866 he married Fannie Ake, who died in 1882, having
become the mother of six children.
In 1882 he married Miss L. E. Giles, by whom he
also has several children.
Mr. Kayburn is a member of the Masonic fraternity
and of the I. O. O. F. and is a well-known and much
respected citizen.
F. Joe Rice.
F. Joe Kice, Collector of Dunklin County, is a
native of this county, born December 3, 1859. He is
the son of Hon. David Rice of this county and was
educated in the common schools of Dunklin County
and at the Southeast Normal of Cape Girardeau.
Married Miss Minnie L. Fleer, of Franklin County,
Missouri, on Nov. 5, 1882. She died June 23, 1884,
having become the mother of one.child, who died in
infancy. August, 1895, he married Miss Katie Fleer.
To this marriage two children have been born, Vessie,
August 2, 1891, and Hubert M., born June 4, 1884.
246 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mr. Rice taught school for a few years, but was elected
to the office of Treasurer of Dunklin County in 1884.
In 1886 he was elected to the Legislature and in 1894
to the office of Collector. His political career has at-
tracted more attention than any other man's in the
history of the county, and he makes staunch friends
and bitter enemies. He is a Democrat in politics, and
both he and Mrs. Rice are members of the M. E. C. S.
Hon. David Rice was born in Henry County, Ten-
nessee, March 20, 1837. His parents, James P. and
Casenclaney Hearn-Rice, were of French and English
descent. The subject of this sketch is a pioneer of
Dunklin County, having arrived here February 14th,
1853. He located northwest of Campbell, Missouri,
where he married Jane Himmel, a native of Tennessee,
May 6th, 1856. They have never lost a child by
death but all of their children, live in number, are liv-
ing and residing in this county. Their only daughter,
Luretta, is the wife of John B. Cook, a merchant of
Kennett; their sons are F.Joe, who has represented this
county in the Legislature and is now Collector of same,
NedN., a merchant of Kennett, and Van B. and
Jimmer E., who are both prominent farmers. Mr.
Rice has resided near Vincit for many years and has
devoted most of his life to farming and stock raising.
He owns 165 acres of good land, with large orchard,
good house and outbuildings. Mr. Rice has also
quite an extensive record in public life. In 1860 he
was elected to the office of Assessor and served until
the breaking out of the Civil War. From 1872 to
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
247
1876 he was Public Administrator, and in 1876 was
elected to represent this county in the State Legisla-
ture. He is a Democrat in politics.
N. N. Rice was born September 1, 1867, in Inde-
pendence Township, on the Old Rice farm, seven miles
south of Kennett, Dunklin County, Mo. Here he
Hon. David Rice.
N. N. Rice.
grew to manhood, laboring on the farm and enjoying
the privilege of the country school only, until 1885,
when he attended the Southeast Normal School at
Cape Girardeau, Mo. He returned to this school in
1887, but soon decided to take a business course
instead of the course at the Normal. He entered the
Central Business College at Sedalia, Mo., and on
completing the course returned home and began work
as salesman for T. E. Baldwin & Co. of Kennett.
In 1889 he commenced business for himself at Vincit,
248 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mo., and in 1891 moved his mercantile business to
Kennett. The firm of N. N. Kice & Co. deal in
fancy and staple groceries, farm machinery, hard-
ware, stoves, tinware and sporting goods. They are
also large shippers of fish, game, poultry, egg^, etc.
N. N. Rice was married August, 1890, to Dora
Beidlee, of Rector, Arkansas. Their son Bland is two
years of age. Mr. Rice is Democratic in politics.
Pascal Rice is, excepting Mrs. V. Horner, the oldest
citizen in the county. Mr. Rice is in years older than
Mrs. Horner. But his father, Abija Rice, did not
bring his son when he first came into the county with
Mr. Braunm, but later in the same year, 1830, so they
have been in the county about sixty-five years. Mr.
Rice thinks he was born in 1818, and is therefore
about seventy-seven years of age. He has been to
Indian war dances and was well acquainted with Chil-
letacaux, Cornmeal, Moonshine, Chickolee and many
other Indians who used to live in this county. He
also resides near Hornersville.
Louis Riggs, of the firm of L. Riggs & Co. , hardware,
Kennett, Missouri, was born May 18, 1862, in Fred-
ericktown. Mo. He is the son of A. and Fannie E.
Gabriel-Riggs, natives of Indiana and North Carolina,
respectively. They were, however, early settlers of
Fredericktown, Mo., and Mr. Riggs was, until his
death on August 26, 1882, proprietor of the A. Riggs
hardware store of that place. On the death of his
father L. Ris^gs took charge of the business. He ran
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 249
the same in Fredericktown until March, 1892, when
the blight prospects of Kennett, Mo., tempted him to
remove to that phice and establish the present firm of L.
Riggs & Co., hardware dealers. Mr. Riggs has identi-
fied himself with the people of this county by bringing
his mother and sister, Miss Hattie, to Kennett to reside,
and by marrying a Dunklin County girl. Miss Anna
L. Jones, of Nesbit, on September 19, 1895.
Both Mr. Riggs and his partner in business, Mr.
Charles Lanpher, have proved themselves to be enter-
prising business men, and are always ready to do
anything or assist any enterprise that will stimulate
the growth of their adopted town, and are the kind of
young men that Dunklin County likes to Avelcome.
Thomas B. Reeves, born February 26, 1819, is the
son of William T. and Michal (Hoskins) Reeves,
natives of Virginia. T. B. Reeves, the subject of this
sketch, was married to Miss Louisa E. Ford, a native
of Tennessee, in 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves came
to Dunklin County in 1859, and located at Clarkton,
but in 1880 they settled in Maiden, where they now
reside.
Their oldest child, Michal E., born June 28, 1849,
married James M. Corder, and died February 8,
1876, leaving three children, Mattie B. (Mrs. Utley),
Nannie C. (Mrs. Hampton), and Luther E.
The first son, William Wilson, born January 18,
1851, married Rachel E. Nunley, and William Timothy
and Walter G. are the children of this marriage, now
living.. His first wife having died, Mr. W. W. Reevea
250 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
married Belle Marshall, who has become the mother
of Decatur F., Michal E., Leonard L., Jennie C,
Fred, and one infant.
Lou A., second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. B.
Reeves, was born September 18, 1853, and married
John W. Stephens. By this marriage she has one son,
T. B. Reeves and Wife.
Herbert N., who married Belle Kedy, and now resides
in Maiden.
Mrs. Stephens lost by death Elizabeth E., born
June 3, 1872, Lara M., born December 26, 1873,
and William T., born February 1, 1875. But the
fifth child is a bright young miss in Minnie L
Stephens.
After the death of her first husband, Mrs. Stephens
married Charles F. Moore (see sketch elsewhere) and
their two sons, Edgar A., born December 18, 1883,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 251
and Arlhur B., born October 20, 1887, are both
deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Reeves have two sons dead.
Thomas P., born February 2, 1856, and Luther E.,
born February 6, 1858; John H., born November 8,
1860, and James L., born September 13, 1863.
With William W. are now living in Texas John H.,
married Mary E. Twittie and became the father of
Wilbur B. Raymond, Ola E. Hurburt, and one infant,
James L. married Alice E. Wood and their children
are Lola P. and Joe Amous.
The pictures accompanying this sketch represent the
faces of a couple who have lived in Dunklin County
for nearly forty years and who have thirty-one grand-
children and thirteen great-grandchildren.
They are both consistent members of the Baptist
Church.
Uncle Tommie,ashe is affectionately called, owned
and occupied one of the first business houses in Maiden
but has been principally a farmer. He and his son
W. W. are both charter members of Cotton Hill
Lodge, I. O. O. F.
Mr. Reeves and all of his sons are Democrats in
politics.
Major Willie Ray and wife, Dunklin County's
little people, are known all over the county. Major
Ray as the Missouri Midget. He was born in Perry
County, Tennessee, April 22, 1860, and is the son of
J. M. Ray and Mary (Wade) Ray, both natives of
Tennessee. The parents, who were ordinary-sized
252 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
people, removed to Dunklin County, Missouri, January
1, 1870. The Major was educated in the common
schools of this county, and was first exhibited as a
midget in 1881.
In 1886 he made his first enojagement with Sells
Brothers' show, and has traveled with them every
-•5s.-:e-&,5«S ■%»;- r ■i^i.^'- :Si^.J^.-.f ~t i.- > „* vv.
Major and Mrs. Ray.
season since. Married in Yates Center, Kansas, to
Miss Jennie Meadows, February 6, 1891.
Their home is near Caldwell, Dunklin County,
Missouri, where they own 160 acres of fine land which
is being rapidly converted into a beautiful home.
Major Ray is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Bap-
tist Church.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 253
Mrs. Jennie Meadows-Ray is a native of Franklin
County, Illinois. Born March 16, 1871, and is the
eldest child of L. F. Meadows and J. C. (Kaar)
Meadows, both natives of Tennessee, but married and
reared in Franklin County, Illinois. They removed
to Woodson County, Kansas, in 1885. Since her
marriage Mrs. Ray has traveled regularly with Sells
Brothers' show ; is a member of the Rebekah degree
of I. O. O. F. and M. E. C. S. The little lady is 37 1-2
inches high, weighs 38 pounds, and is 28 inches bust,
and 16 inches waist measurement. She wears a shoe
the size of a child's No. 7 and a number four glove.
The Major is purely honorary, but is never omitted
from the little man's name. He is 36 inches high,
weighs 38 pounds and his shoe is one size larger
than his wife's. Major Ray and wife are the smallest
married people in the world, and are the shortest, best
formed, and intelligent midgets exhibited in either
America or the Eastern Continent.
William R. Satterfield, of the firm of Baird,
Satterfield &> Co., Senath, is a native of this county
and the son of Wm. M. and Hattie F. Douglas
Satterfield. William R. Satterfield is an out-and-out
Dunklin County man, having attained his growth
and most of his education in this county. In
1894, he took a partnership in the above mentioned
firm and is at present a promising young busi-
ness man. The father, William M. Satterfield, was
the founder of Caruth post-village in this county and
was born January 19, 1833, in Kent County, Del.
254 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mr. Satterfield was principally reared in Mercer
County, Penn., but completed his education in the
common schools and Arcadia College of his native
county and State. He came to this county and en-
gaged in the mercantile business at Hornersville as
early as 1857. In 1860, he was married to Melinda
Horner, a native of Dunklin County. This wife died
October 14, 1862. At the beginnino: of the Civil
War, Mr. Satterfield enlisted in the Confederate
Army, First Missouri State Guards, under Col.
Walker, and in the Second Missouri Cavalry Regi-
ment, serving until the close of the war. He was
paroled at Memphis and returned to this county
in the fall of 1865. His marriage to Hattie F.
Douglass, daughter of A. T. and Elizabeth Mott-
Douglass, took place on January 7, 1866. Wm. R.,
and Jennie and Maggie (twins) are the children of this
marriage living. In 1870 Mr. Satterfield engaged in
the ginning business and was also in the mercantile
business at Cotton Plant for several years. In 1881
he removed to Caruth and continued in the mercantile
business as has been stated in the sketch on that post-
village. He operated a cotton seed huller, gin, general
store and was postmaster at that place.
He was a man who took great interest in the public
schools and in the general advancement of the county.
He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and Mrs.
Satterfield, who resides in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is a
consistent member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
Wm. R. Satterfield is like his father was during his
life, a Democrat in politics.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 255
T. C. Stokes, merchant, of Maiden, Mo., was born
in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., August 9, 1847, and
is the son of John H. and Lucretia (Childs) Stokes,
who were born in Ireland and Massachusetts respec-
tively ; they came to Missouri in an early day and
located in Cape Girardeau County.
The father was one of the early merchants of Cape
Girardeau and removed to Dunklin County in 1861
and followed farming and merchandising until his
death in 1876. He was judge of the Clarkton Com-
mon Pleas and Probate Court for several years.
T. C. Stokes, the subject of this sketch, grew to
manhood in Cape Girardeau County, and was educated
in the schools of Cape Girardeau City.
He was one of the early merchants of Clarkton and
has followed the mercantile business almost con-
tinuously since 1872.
Mr. Stokes removed his mercantile business to
Maiden, Mo., several years ago, and is now one of the
most successful merchants of that town.
The firm name is T. C. Stokes & Co., and includes
some of the younger members of the Stokes family.
This firm carries a splendid line of the best general
merchandise, and occupies one of the finest buildings
in Maiden.
The gentlemen of the Stokes family are among
the best known and most successful business men in
this county.
Mr. Stokes was united in marriage to Miss Melissa
Rayburn in September, 1868. She was a daughter of
Maj. W. C. Rayburn (deceased).
256
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
SFie bore him two children, Roxie Rayburn and
Alma (see sketch) and died March, 1872.
In 1878, Mr. Stokes married his present wife, a
Miss Virginia Coggashall, a native of Louisiana, who
has also become the mother of several children.
Mr. and Mrs. Stokes are members of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church. Mr. Stokes is in politics a
Democrat and is a member of the I. O. O. F. and
Masonic fraternities.
W. F. Shelton, senior member of the firm of W.
F. Shelton, Jr. & Co., Kennett, Mo., was born June
4, 1838, in Perry County, Mo. He is the son of
Enoch and Tabitha Brown-Shelton, natives of North
Carolina.
The parents were early settlers of Tennessee, but
removed from that State to Cape Girardeau, Mo., in
1843, and came on to Dunklin County in 1846, where
he died two years later. William F. Shelton, the sub-
ject of this sketch, was reared in Dunklin County, re-
ceived only a common school education and worked
on the farm until he attained to the years of maturity.
In 1861, when Gov. Jackson called for State troops,
he enlisted in the militia and served six months in
the State Guards.
He then farmed for a short time and run a small
business at Hornersville, and about 1865 begun
merchandising at Kennett, Mo., where he has since
remained, his business growing with the town and
county.
He is the oldest merchant in Kennett and in Dunklin
History op dunklin county, mo. 257
County and is consideied the wealthiest man ; he is,
however, a man of small pretensions and makes no
display of wealth about his home or person. But his
business house in Kennett is one of the best in South-
east Missouri and his stock of general merchandise is
large and complete.
The Shelton firm has always done an extensive bus-
iness in Kennett, but the fall of 1895 has been the
busiest season for many years. W. F. Shelton, Jr.
& Co., buy all kinds of produce and usually ship from
800 to 3,000 bales of cotton each season ; this is,
however, only a liberal portion of Dunklin County
crop, which runs from 6,000 to 20,000 bales per season.
Mr. Shelton has since reaching manhood been prom-
inently connected with the financial, political and pub-
lic affairs of the county. He held the office of
Treasurer of Dunklin County for a period of eight
years.
He is a self-made man, started in business with a
small capital and a limited education and with no
better opportunities to make a fortune than other early
settlers of this county, but being an energetic business
man and a shrewd financier he has been exceptionally
successful. His orphan nephews, W. Frank and Lee
Shelton, whom he has reared and educated, are pre-
sumably tlie other members of the firm. They are
young men of promise and business ability.
Mr. Shelton has never married and he has for years
had Mr. and Mrs. Witham and amiable daughters,
Miss Mary and Laura, as managers of his home. He
is a Democrat and leader in political affairs and is the
17
258 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
chairman of the Democratic Central Committee of
Dunklin County.
James F. Smyth, Treasurer of Dunklin County, was
born March 22, 1864, in Dunklin County, Mo. The
parents, James A. Smyth and L. Minerva Jones, were
married in Dunklin County in 1856, but were both
James F. Smyth.
born and reared in Tennessee. The father came to
Dunklin County when quite a young man entered land
and farmed in summer and hunted during the winter
months.
He hunted about twenty-seven winters and often
made as high as $700 or $800 in one season. In 1876,
Mr. Smyth moved to Piedmont, Wayne County, Mo.,
to educate his children, and there died May 6, 1877.
The family remained there until January 12, 1878,
when they returned to Dunklin County where the
mother died August 10, 1887. James F. Smyth
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 259
grew to manhood in this county and received u good
education in the common schools and in the Piedmont
High School. He remained with his mother on the
farm near Cotton Plant until he reached his majority,
when he took a position in the store of Judge Langdon
at Cotton Plant. In 1886, he and his brother-in-law,
W. J. Davis, formed a partnership under the firm
name of Davis & Smyth and did a general mercantile
business at Hornersville for a few years. He subse-
quently sold out his interest to his partner and later
opened a general store at Nesbit, this county, and in
1895 removed this to Caruthersville, Mo., where W. J.
Davis is now manager of same.
At the general election in 1894 Mr. Smyth was
elected to the office of Treasurer of Dunklin County;
he soon afterwards removed to Kennett, where he now
resides.
In September, 1887, he was married to Miss Kate
Argo, a native of Tennessee, but a resident of Texas
from 1880 until 1886, when she removed to Dunklin
County.
To this union have been born four children: Eddie
Argo, Maud, Roger Q. and Ruth. Mrs. Smyth is a
member of the Baptist Church and Mr. Smyth is a
Democrat in politics and a member of the I. O. O. F.
C. B. ScHULTZ, an early merchant of Hornersville,
was born in 1827, in Weekly County, Tennessee,
and was the son of David Weekly and Mary McClane-
Schullz, natives of the above-mentioned State. C. B.
Schullz, the subject of this sketch, came to Dunklin
2^0- HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
County about 1835, and located with his father's
family near Hornersville.
In 1852 he married Miss Mary Duneway, of French
descent, and a native of New Madrid County, Missouri.
She bore him four children, Margaret, John Linamood,
Mary, and one infant, all deceased, and Mrs. Schultz
ako died in 1861. In 1862, Mr. Schultz took for a
C. B. Schultz.
second companion, Mrs. Amanda E. Diineway-Horner,
a sister of the first wife, and a native of same county
and State. The children of C. B. and Amanda
Schultz are, Joe Shelby (deceased), Sidney A. (Mrs.
Clem Edmonston), Bedford E. (deceased), Hettie
(deceased), Mary E. (deceased), Emma Ida (Mrs.
James Wilford), and Ella (Mrs. Jordan of Kennett).
Mrs. Schultz reared one child by her first marriage,
Elniira Horner (Mrs. Benn Vardell), who, by the
expressed wish of Mr. Schultz, shares equally in his
estate with his owu children.
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 261
Mr. Schultz was in some things a very remarkable
man, being reared in this county when schools and
educational advantages were very meager indeed,
and when he reached young manhood he could neither
read nor write and did not know one letter from an-
other. Nothing daunted, however, he formed a part-
nership with W. M. Harkey under the firm name of
Harkey & Schultz, which was in a few years one of the
leading and wealthiest firms in the county.
By close application he soon learned to write his
name and to look after the financial affairs of the firm,
and while Mr. Harkey was the salesman Mr. Schultz
was the financial manager. After the dissolution of this
firm Mr. Schultz ran a business in his own name and
alone, which continued to gain in finance and popu-
larity until his death in 1883. His estate was at that
time worth something over $100,000. He was a man
who always stood by a friend and openly opposed an
enemy and while he was not a member of any church
he was a good man in his own w^ay and a staunch Dem-
ocrat in politics.
Mrs. Schultz was a member of the M. E. C. S. and
her death occurred in Kennett, in the year 1894.
. James F. Tatum, of the firm of Tatum Bros.,
.Kennett, Mo., was born January 5, 1850, in Howard
County, Missouri, and is the son of A. C. and Susan
Franklin-Tatum, natives of Virginia and Kentucky,
but early settlers of Howard County, Mo. James F.
Tatum was reared on a farm and educated in the
common schools of Howard County, where he lived
262 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COLNTY, MO.
until after he had attained his majority. He soon after-
wards came to Dunklin County and the present firm of
which he is the senior member was established in
1883.
The way this firm has grown in its business and its
immense sales this past fall and winter of 1895-96,
is sufficient evidence of the ability and integrity of
James F. Tatum.
its members, having sold mure goods in the past
six months than ever before in a like period of time.
This firm keeps on hand a fresh well-selected line of
general merchandise, including the newest styles of
fancy and staple dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes,
hats, caps, groceries, farm implements and in fact
almost everything wanted by either the farmer or
townsman. Their store is as nice as any to be
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 263
found outside of a city, in fact the Tatum Block would .
be an honor to any town of 10,000 inhabitants.
James F. Tatum was united in marriage to Miss
Lillie Braggs, June 27, 1877. She is a daughter of
Capt. William G. Braggs (deceased), who was an
early settler of this county. Mrs. Tatum is one of the
early leaders in the society of Kennett and a worker in
the Ladies Christian Aid and other societies. Mr.
and Mrs. Tatum have six children : Richard, Frank,
Ira, John, Susie and Burnie, and one of the nicest
homes in Kennett. Mr. Tatum is a member of the
I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities and Mrs. Tatum
is a member of the Christian Church. In politics Mr.
Tatum is a Democrat and wields considerable influence
for his political favorites. He is undoubtedly one of
the shrewdest business men in Dunklin County.
L. P. Tatum, of the firm of Tatum Bros., Kennett,
Mo., was born January 3, 1863, in Howard Countjs
Mo. He is the son of A. C. and Susan Franklin-
Tatum, natives of Virginia and Kentucky respectively.
The father grew to manhood in his native State, but
emigrated to Missouri when a young man, where he
found and wedded the lady of his choice, who had
preceded him several years, her parents being early
settlers of Howard County. Mr. and Mrs. Tatum
purchased land and located near Fayette, where they
reared their family.
L. P. Tatum came to Dunklin County when scarcely
more than a lad and for a short time did business on
his own account, but in 1883 the present firm of
264
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO;
Tatuin Bros., general merchants, was established,
since which time their business has steadily grown
with the town and county until they now own one of
the best business houses and run one of the largest
and finest general stores in Dunklin County.
L. P. Tatum and Wife.
L. P. Tatum was married in September, 1893, to
Miss Sallie M. Baldwin, daughter of Judge T. E. and
Mary E. Pankey-Baldwin, of Kennett, Mo. Mrs.
Tatum was born, reared and educated in Dunklin
County, with the exception of the finishing course
from the Synod ical Female College, Fulton, Mo. As
Miss Sallie Baldwin she was a leading belle of
Kennett, and she has lost none of her attractions as
Mrs. Tatum.
J. P. Tribble, attorney at law, Kennett, Mo., was
born in Oregon County, Missouri, on February 1,
1^63. Educated in common schools and Alton
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 265
Academy. Was admitted to the bar February 28,
1884, in his native county and removed to Dunklin
County in 1887, where he has since been engaged in
the practice of hiw. He has never held nor asked for
any office but has for several years been Clerk of the
Probate Court. Real estate law is his specialty. He
is a member of Pioneer Lodge No. 165, I. O. O. F.,
and a charter member of the Dunklin Encampment at
Kennett. Married February 16, 1888, to Miss Annie
Blackvvell of Mill Springs, Mo. They now have two
children. Mrs. Tribble is a member of Helena Lodge
No. 37, Daughters of Rebekah, I. O. O.F.,and of the
Missionary Baptist Church.
John Turner, pioneer blacksmith of this county,
was born September 1, 1835, in Perry County, Ten-
nessee. He is the son of Samuel and Jeriicia Champ-
Turner. He came to this county in 1850, and was
married June 28, 1855,to Adaline S. Jones, daughter of
Joseph and Phoebe Sanders-Jones, natives of Virginia
and Tennessee, but pioneers of Dunklin County,
coming here and locating on Grand Prairie, in 1854.
Adaline S. Jones-Turner is a native of Tennessee, born
July 14, 1836.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Turner lived on
Horse Island for a few years, when they purchased and
settled on their present home near Nesbit post-office.
'* Uncle John Turner," as he is familiarly called, is the
oldest blacksmith of pioneer days living in the county.
During a residence of forty-five years in Dunklin
County he has been almost constantly in his smithy
266 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
near his residence, and although he is sixty years of
age he may be seen almost every day, still hard at
work. While ho is past the necessity of such labor he
yet continues it, and Aunt Adaline is equally vigilant
in her labors. They have presented each of their
children with eighty acres of good land and re-
JonN Turner and Wife.
tained a home for themselves. Seven children have
been born to them, Mary E., deceased, William T.,
Martha A., Mrs. Burns, Louisa S., Mrs. Kidge, Fran-
ces L., Mrs. Barham, Sarah D., Mrs. Joe Hutchins,
and Minnie B., deceased. They have eighteen grand-
children living and have lost eight by death.
Besides his work in the shop Mr. Turner has done
much work on the farm in the regular sowing and
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 267
harvesting of crops and also in clearing his farms of
heavy timber. Their home is one of the finest around
Nesbit, Mrs. Turner's yard and orchard are noted for
lovely flowers and luscious fruits, of which she is espe-
cially fond. She is an old-fashioned house and home-
keeper and can weave anything, from a pair of sus-
penders to a bed blanket or '* Rising Sun " coverlet,
but has not made any cloth for a number of years.
Mr. Turner is a Democrat in politics and Mrs. Tur-
ner is of the Baptist faith.
Hon. James Peter Walker was born in Lauder-
dale County, Tennessee, on March 14th, 1851. His
death occurred at 2 o'clock, Saturday, July 19, 1890,
at his home in Dexter, Missouri. May 12th, 1875, he
married Miss Eva M. Bragg, daughter of Captain W.
G. Bragg of Kennett, Missouri. She is a native of
Missouri and practically a Dunklin County lady, for-she
came here when a small child and was reared prin-
cipally, educated and married, in this county. She
survives her late husband, has returned to her old
childhood home in Kennett, Mo., and is certainly a
most estimable lady. She is, as was also her husband,
a member of the M. E. C. S. Mr, Walker was a
Democrat in politics. It will be noticed that Hon.
James P. Walker was neither a native of this county
nor a resident of it at the time of his death, and yet
it is highly fitting that a mention of him should be
made in this attempt of a history of Dunklin County.
He came to this county when but sixteen years of
age and worked manfully and laboriously for the
268
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
support of his mother and young sister. Before he
was eighteen years of age he had established himself
in the general mercantile business at Kennett.
He resided here several years, married a Dunklin
County girl and at the time of his death was a mem*
ber of the House of Kepresentatives from this, the
Fourteenth Conofressional District of Missouri. Dun-
HoN. James P, Walker and Wife.
klin County claimed him as her own. This is not a
wonder, for any county might be and would he proud
to claim a man like James P. Walker.
His almost tragic death was a sad blow to the people
of Dunklin County, for on the very day and almost at
the very hour on which the Democratic convention of
this county met and instructed its delegates to go to
the Congressional Convention at Poplar Bluff, Missouri,
and vote for James P. Walker as Dunklin County's
choice for the nomination preceding the election, and
to do all in their power to re-elect Mr. Walker to the
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 269
position which he then held ; at a time when the masses
of the people of this coanty were ready to go into roar-
ing applause at the slightest mention of their favorite,
a dispatch benumbed them like a current of electri-
city, by announcing the death of the man who was the
best loved by Dunklin County of any man who ever
represented it in the House of Representatives.
The many sincere and beautiful eulogies passed
upon Mr. Walker by Hon. J. J. Russell at the Poplar
Bluff convention just after his death, and by his for-
mer colleagues in the second session of the Fifty-tirst
Congress in Washington, D. C, simply voice the
sentiments of the people of this county, and in fact
all who knew him.
I give here a few extracts from the memorial
address on Mr. Walker's life and character delivered
in the House of Representatives, January 10, 1891.
Mr. Whitelaw, of Missouri, said : —
<*It may properly be said of him that, by his own
indomitable pluck and energy he transformed him-
self from a poor plowboy in the cornfield, from a
hewer of wood and a drawer of water, to the highest
political position within the gift of his people.
*' At the age of fourteen he secured a position in a
country store in Tennessee, where by hard labor and
rigid economy he earned a living for himself and
assisted in supporting a widowed mother and young
sisters. In 1867 he moved to Missouri, taking his
mother and family with him and settled near Kennett,
in Dunklin County. He cleared land and worked in
the fields the first year after moving to Missouri ; but
seeing a good opening for a general store at Kennett,
and having the assistance of his former employer in
270 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Tennessee he established himself in business at that
place.
*< From this small beginning, Mr. Walker in the
course of a few years gradually advanced in his
business until he became a large dealer in grain, in
which he was interested at the time of his death.
*• In 1880 he was elected a delegate to the Cincinnati
convention. In 1888 he was elected a member of the
State Democratic Committee. In 1884 Mr. Walker
became a candidate for Congress, and was defeated
for the nomination by Hon. William Dawson after two
conventions had been held and hundreds of ballots
taken.
** In 1886 he again became a candidate, received
the nomination, and was elected at the polls by an
overwhelming majority.
*'In 1888 he was honored by the people of his district
by being renominated without opposition and re-
elected by an increased majority.
*' No better eulogy could be passed upon him than
the resolutions of respect adopted by the citizens of
his own city. Dexter, Mo., in which it was said :
'* * The life of James P. Walker is a fit commentary
on our Government and its possibilities in developing
men ; and in the purity of his character, in determi-
nation of purpose, in his fidelity to every duty, every
trust, every friend, his example is commended to the
youths of our land. Without the allurements of
wealth, or the training of college, without friends in
high places to lift him up, he rose by the strength in
his own manhood, the energy of his own purpose, in
the moral rectitude of his own life to the highest
political honors.
** ' Twice called to represent his people in the Halls
of Congress, he was still one of the people, loved and
honored by them, and ever faithful to the trust reposed
in him/ '*
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 271
Mr. Vest, of Missouri, said: —
** In public life he followed great principles, and
was not an importunate mendicant for popular
applause. He fell like a stricken soldier on the field,
his banner full hisfh advanced and his face to the foe."
o
Judge James M. Waltrip was born December 28,
1837, in Daviess County, Kentucky, and is the son of
James and Martha (Biven) Waltrip, natives of the
above mentioned State. The father was a farmer and
also held the office of justice of the peace in Daviess
County, Ky., for sixteen consecutive years; his death
occurred in 1871. When a lad of nineteen years
James M. Waltrip came to Dunklin County with his
Uncle, Stephen P. Waltrip, landing where the town
of Clarkton now stands, November 13, 1856. For
three years he worked with his uncle, and helped
make some of the first brick ever made in this county.
In 1859 he accepted a position as clerk in the general
store of John H. Stokes. The store stood on the
present site of Clarkton, but it appears that the little
post-office was first known as Bach, then Beech Grove,
and after the pole road was built was given the name
of Clarkton. (See photo, p. 282.)
On the breaking out of the Civil War all the stores
were necessarily closed, thus ending his clerkship.
Judge Waltrip has been three times married. First
on August 5, 1860, to Miss Lucy K. White, daughter
of the late E. C. White, of this county ; Mrs. Waltrip
was a native of Obine County, Tenn. ; she died in 1865,
leaving three daughters : Mollie (Mrs. Penny), Augusta
271 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
(Mrs. C. p. Hawkins). March 26, 1866, Judge Wal-
trip took for a second companion Pjiscilla. A. Kirk-
patrick, daugiiter of John D. Kirkpatrick (deceased).
She was also a native of Tennessee, and became the
mother of the following children : John, William, Vara,
Henrietta, Adelia, Ray and Mamie (see pictures of
Vara arid Henrietta on another page). Miss Vara is
one of Dunklin County's promising young teachers
and this year holds a position in the Maiden School.
After the death of his second wife Judge Waltrip
was married to Mrs. Amelia Whitson, daughter of the
late Sylvester Young, December 11, 1892. Mrs.
Waltrip is one of the leaders in the society of Clarkton
and a most estimable lady. Judge Waltrip has quite
an extensive official career in this county. Shortly
after the Civil War he was appointed Constable
of Freebourn Township, and Deputy Sheriff of Dun-
klin County. These positions he held until 1871 , when
he was elected to the office of Assessor, serving in this
capacity two years. He also about this time engaged
in the mercantile business at Clarkton, but sold out in
1880 and moved to Arkansas, and in October of the
same year returned to Dunklin County.
In April, 1885, he again decided to leave.the county
and this time took his family to Northwest Texas.
He soon became dissatisfied, however, and in July of
the same year returned to his old home in this county
and again engaojed in the mercantile business, in
which business he is now engaged at Clarkton. He
keeps a full and complete line of general merchandise
and has a substantial and thriving business. Judge
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 273
Waltrip has been twice elected District Judge, and
once Presiding Judge of the County Court. He is well
posted on the official matters of the county and is well
and favorably known. both as an official and a business
man. He is a Democrat in politics, a member of
the Masonic fraternity, and the family are of the
Missionary Baptist faith.
Judge Thomas Waltrip.
Thomas Waltrip, present Judge of the First District
of Dunklin County, was born March 8, 1844, in Davis
County, Kentucky. He is the son of John and Eliza-
beth Downs-Waltrip, natives of the above mentioned
State. Judge Waltrip came to this county August,
1873, he having previously married Jane E. Harrison
of Kentucky, on October 25, 1866. The children of
this marriage now living are Dollie, Mrs. Engelhardt,
John T., Callie, Nannie B., and Nellie V., and they
lost four children by death.
18
274 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mrs. Waltrip died March 24, 1891. April 11, 1893,
Jadge Waltrip took for a second companion Mrs.
Luella Jones. Their only child, little Artie, recently
died, age 11 months.
He owns 160 acres of good land and has given most
of his time to farming interests. He was elected to his
present official position in November, 1894, and is
fillino^ same with general satisfaction. He is Demo-
cratic in politics, and his present wife, as was also
his first wife, is a consistent member of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church.
W. J. Ward, of the Ward, Shelton & Co. Steam
Corn Shelling Company, Kennett, Mo., was born
May 30, 1860 ; is a native of Tennessee, and the son
of Daniel and Dilla A. Catcs-Ward, of Valley Ridge,
Dunklin County. The parents came to Dunklin
County in 1874, and located near Cotton Plant, but
removed to the ** Eidge " about 1880, where they
now reside.
W. J. W^ard remained with his father until he
reached his majority, when he began working for
William Herrmann, of Nesbit, this county. December
2, 1883, he married Mollie L., a daughter of Mr.
Herrmann, and a native of Dunklin County, Mo.
He then located on Horse Island, near where the
Ward School is now situated. He purchased land
and opened up and improved one of the best and
largest farms in that part of the county, residing here
until January, 1892, when he removed to Kennett,
Mo. On removing to Kennett he engaged in the
HISTORY OF DUNKI-IN COUNTY, MO. 275
lumber business. He is a wholesale and retail dealer
in all kinds of rough and dressed lumber, lime, hair,
cement and building material. He is also manaojer
of the Ward, Shelton & Co.'s Corn Sheller. Their
machinery has a capacity of 30,000 bushels per day.
Mr. Moore is the silent partner in the company.
W. J. Ward.
The amount of corn bought, shelled and shipped
from Kennett by this company is something immense,
and yet there are several other busy corn companies
in Kennett.
Mr. Ward is a very busy man, for in addition to the
above mentioned enterprises he deals largely in live
stock, pasturing and feeding on his farm east of
Kennett. Mr. and Mrs. Ward are the parents of five
little girls : Myrtle, Terah, Willie, Hattie, Nona, and
Kuth. Myrtle, the eldest, is quite a little pianist for
her age and a child of whom any parent might be
276 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
proud. In politics Mr. Ward is a Democrat and he
has held the position of Mayor since coming to
Kennett, but owing to other business he resigned.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and both
he and wife are members of the M. E. C. S.
0^:
Mrs. Ward and her Husband, Isaac Henry.
I. H. Ward, assistant postmaster of Kennett,
Mo., is a native of Mississippi, but removed with his
parents, three sisters and one brother, to Tennessee in
1879. In 1880 he was married to Miss Laura Webb,
who is a native of Kentucky, but who came to
Tennessee with her parents when quite young, where
she grew to womanhood and received her education,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 277
taking music as a special study. Mr. and Mrs. Ward
came to Dunklin County, Missouri, about 1887, first
locating in the north end of the county, but a little
later they removed to Kennett, where they have since
resided. Mr. Ward has been assistant postmaster at
Kennett under both the late Harrison and Cleveland
administrations, and has presumably discharged his
duties to the satisfaction of all, though he is a Democrat
in politics, and he and wife are members of the Chris-
tian Church. Mrs. Ward has been teaching music
most of the time since she was eighteen years of age,
and has taught almost constantly for the past eight
years in Dunklin County. She has been quite suc-
cessful in both a financial and intellectual way, for
although there have been many other music teachers
who have come and gone, Mrs. Ward is recognized as
the <*old reliable" pianoforte music teacher of Ken-
nett, and is nearly always called upon to take the
leading parts in musical entertainments, etc., in her
town. This fact and the fact that she keeps and adds
to her class of pupils is a sufficient guarantee of her
ability as a pianist. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have two
children, Willie, aged 15, and Lottie, aged 13 years.
W. C. Whiteaker, Presiding Judge of the County
Court of Dunklin County, was born April 19, 1844,
in Bollinger County, Mo. March, 1847, he came to
Dunklin County, where he received only a common
school education, and the educational facilities of the
county were in his youth somewhat limited. Septem-
ber 6, 1862, he enlisted in the Confederate Army,
278 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
where he remained until the close of the war. He
then returned to Dunklin County, where he has since
resided.
He is by occupation a farmer, but was elected to
bis present official position in 1894. He resides in the
northwest part of this county, his post-office is, how-
ever, St. Francois, Arkansas. Judge Whiteaker has
Judge W. C. Whiteaker.
been three times married, first to Emma Edwards, on
December 13, 1866; she died February 24, 1874,
leaving one son, A. D. Whiteaker, born September
18, 1873. February 13, 1876, Judge Whiteaker took
for a second companion Carolina Geer, and to this
union was born January 25, 1878, a daughter. Flora.
The death of this wife occurred September 15, 1888.
March 16, 1892, he was again married to Louisa
Walker. A little daughter, Rosebud, born March 10,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 279
1893, is the child of this marriage. Judge Whiteaker
is well known and is looked upon as a good, true man,
and he is filling his present official position in a satis-
factory manner.
H. T. West, of the firm of West & Bailey, Kennett,
Missouri, was born November 30, 1852, in Williamson
H. T. West.
County, Illinois, and is the son of N. and M. M.
Mulkey-West. He came to Dunklin County, Decem-
ber 15, 1878, and located near Kennett, having been
married in his native State to Polina J. lialls, on Sep-
tember 26, 1872. Three children were born to this
union. William H., a promising young man of Ken-
nett; Daisy (deceased), and Luella M.
The mother of these children died March 29, 1881.
Mr. West took for a second companion Miss R. T.
Greer, a native of Scott County, Missouri, and by her
is the father of several children, the eldest being Eosie.
The firm of West & Bailey was established in 1891,
280 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
since which time it has done a thriving business.
They keep a fresh and nicely selected line of staple
and fancy groceries, confectionery, etc.
Both Mr. West and Mr. Bailey are accommodating
business men and Democrats in politics. Mr. and
Mrs. West are members of the Christian Church.
Fabius M. WiLKiNS, M. D., late of Maiden, Mo.,
was born December 22, 1834, in Wake County, North
Carolina. He was the son of John and Helen Grissona-
Wilkins, who were also natives of North Carolina. The
parents moved to Weakley County, Tennessee, in 1844.
Dr. F. M. Wilkins, the subject of this sketch, grew
to manhood in the last named county and State and
commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Valney
Hawkins in 1853. He took his first course of lectures
in the medical department of the University of Nash-
ville, during the winter of 1856-57, and commenced
the practice of medicine at Union City, Tennessee, in
the latter part of 1857. (See photo, p. 282.)
He was a graduate of the University of Nashville,
taking this final course in 1859. In June of the same
year he removed to Dunklin County, Mo., and be-
came one of the most successful pioneer physicians of
this county. He was one of the early druggists of
Clarkton and later a leading druggist of Maiden.
Dr. Wilkins was a member of the Southeast Mis-
souri Medical Association and of the Masonic order.
He was a Democrat in politics and one of the first
members of the Christian Church of Maiden.
He was married three times, first to Martha Baird,
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 281
who died in 1873. His second wife was Tennie
Moore, who only lived a few years. His third wife
who survives him was Mary E. Scruggs.
Dr. Wilkius had poor health several years
before his death, which occurred in 1895. He left a
wife, several children and an exceedingly large
number of friends to mourn the loss of one of Dun-
klin's best and most distinguished men.
W. F. Young, M. D., Nesbit, Mo., was born May
8, 1861. His parents, Joseph H. and Lugenia Todd-
Young, were natives of Kentucky. Here their son
W. F. grew to manhood, receiving a good education
in the common schools of Kentucky and Vandalia
High School in Illinois. He came to Missouri in 1881
and married Miss Nannie Pickens of Crawford Co.
He early united with the M. E. C. S. and was ordained
a Deacon at Charlston, Mo. He was later ordained an
Elder and joined the St. Louis Conference, to which
he belonged eight years, four years of which time
he spent in Dunklin County, being pastor in charge
two years at Maiden and two years at Kennett. He
then located at Kennett but soon removed to Nesbit
and commenced the steady practice of medicine, having
commenced the study of same during his ministerial
career. Here he has continued to study under a
well-known physician and in three years time has
built up a surprisingly good practice. Dr. and Mrs.
Young have five children: Lucelius, Lugenia, James,
Paul and Ruth. Mrs. Young is also a devout member
of the M. E. C. S.
2S2 nisTOuy or dunklin county, mo.
Dk. F. M. Wilkins.
Judge J. M. Waltrip and Wife.
1. Mrs. R. II. Jones, nee Laxgdon.
2. Miss Alma F. Stokes.
3. Miss Anna Seeman.
4. Mrs. Charles Ruff, nee Helm.
5. Miss Ida Morgan.
6. Miss Mattie Smyth.
284 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
A GROUP OF DUNKLIN COUNTY WOMEN.
Mrs. Dora (Keene) Arends, daughter of Mrs.
Annie M. Kecne, of Maiden, Mo., was born in Missis
sippi County, Missouri, but came to Dunklin County
when but three years of age. She was reared in
Maiden, Missouri, and was one of the prettiest and
most popular belles of that town. She was married
to Mr. Joe Arends, vice-president of the Levi Mercan-
tile Co., on September 3, 1895. Mrs. Arends is a
pleasing pianist, a graduate of the St. Vincent
Academy at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and a member of
the Catholic Church.
Mrs. ViCTORiNE (Braunm) Horner, who resides
one mile north of Hornersville, is the oldest citizen of
which this county boasts, not in point of years but
citizenship. She came to the county with her father
and mother, Michael and Angeline (Terror) Braunm in
1830. Mr. Braunm was an Irishman and Mrs. B. a
French woman ; they were married on Brushy Prairie
on the Mississippi River, where they were residing at
the time of the earthquakes of 1811-12.
Their daughter **yictorine" was about five years
old when they came to this county. She knows where
the buffalo wallows used to be and has heard them
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 285
bellow not so very far from the place where she now
resides ; she has also seen elk and wild cattle, and the
howl of the wolf she was perfectly accustomed to in
her younger days. Since she first came to the county
she has never resided even for a short period any-
where else, and has seen the population of the county
increase from three or four families to 20,000 inhabi-
tants.
Mrs. Horner is a sister to Tecumsy Braunm and
Miss Lizzie Braunm, who are both living and are well
known in this county. On growing to womanhood
Miss Victorine Braunm was married to John Z. Horner,
a cousin of the Mr. Horner who founded Hornersville.
Mrs. Horner is strong and healthy for her age and is
intelligent and entertaining.
She is the kind of old lady one always dreams of
with pipe and knitting, and has a nice suit of soft
grey hair and a kindly countenance. Her third son,
Tecumsy or «<Cumps" Horner, has never married
and lives at home with his mother.
Mrs. Hettie Langdon- Jones, daughter of E. J.
Langdon, of this county, was born at Cotton Plant,
Mo. She was principally reared in Dunklin County,
and educated in Iron County, Mo. February 16,
1886, she became the wife of R. H. Jones, formerly
editor of the *< Clipper," ** Enterprise Messenger,"
and other papers.
Mrs. Jones is generally conceded to be the most
beautiful of Dunklin County ladies, and is one of the
leading society ladies of Kennett.
286 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Miss Ida Morgan, daughter of Collin Morgan,
Kennett, Mo., was born in Stoddard County, Mo.,
but came to Dunklin County when a child. She has
been principally reared and educated in this county
and in the State Normal at Cape Girardeau, Mo. She
is quite pretty, one of Dunklin's brightest young lady
teachers, holds a first-grade State certificate and is one
of the teachers in the Kennett High School.
Susan Barnett-Ray was married to William Ray-
in Perry County, Tenn., and both were natives of
Tennessee. *' Aunt Susan," as she is familiarly
called, is one of the pioneers of this county, having
located near Kennett in 1850. She is one of the
women who picked the seeds from some of the first
cotton ever raised in Dunklin County, and has woven
much cloth in the old-fashioned way. Mr. and Mrs.
Ray came to the " prairie " in 1853 and later bought
land near Nesbit, where Mr. Ray now resides. They
were the parents of two girls and ten boys, nine of
whom they reared in this county to be twenty-one
years of age. In their descendants they have forty
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, with one
son yet single.
Mr. Ray, who died several years ago, was a member
of I. O. O. F. and both he and Mrs. Ray were among
the first members of the Old Harkey's Chapel class of
the M. E. C. S.
Mrs. Fannie (Helm) Ruff is a native of Dunklin
County, and the daughter of W. M. Helm of this
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 287
county, »and the wife of Charles Ruff of Kennett.
She WHS educated at Kennett and Cape Girardeau,
Mo. Was quite a successful teacher before her mar-
riage and is one of Kennett's leading young matrons.
Miss Alma Stokes is a native of Clarkton, Dunklin
County, and the daughter of T. C. Stokes, of Maiden,
Mo. She was reared in this county and educated in
the E. A. Seminary, Lexington, Mo. She has been
one of Dunklin's successfid teachers for four years and
now holds a position in the Kennett High School.
Miss Stokes is a handsome young lady and when at
home is one of Maiden's belles and is also a leader
among Kennett's young people.
Miss Anna Seeman was born, reared and educated
near Cleveland, Ohio. Nearly nine years ago she came
West with her brothers and took up a homestead of
160 acres of land, just across the Missouri line in
Mississippi County, Arkansas, since which time she
has been known in Dunklin County, but has act-
ually been a resident of this county but two years.
During this time she has won for herself many friends
and become one of the leading belles of Kennett.
Miss Mattie Smyth is a native of Dunklin County,
and the daughter of James A. Smyth, a pioneer of this
county. She received her early education in this
county, and in June, 1890, graduated from the
** Adair Institute," Adair, Iowa. She also holds a
*« C." certificate from the State Normal, Cape Girar-
2S8 HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
cleau. Mo., and a first-grade State certificate. She
has taught considerably in the public schools of this
county, but at present assists her brother James F.
Smyth in the treasurer's office, in Kennett.
Misses Vara and Henrietta Waltrip.
Miss Smyth is a sister of the writer and is well
known in her native county.
TO THE HOME-SEEKER.
The people of Dunklin County are always ready to
welcome honest, honorable, industrious and enterpris-
ing citizens, whether wealthy or the reverse. If you
are such and desire to leave an overcrowded city or
county and go to a place where you can, for a reason-
able amount, purchase a home of your own, and in a
way grow up with the country — for this county is
yet in its youth — this is the place for you.
But if you are not honest and honorable or expect
to make your living without industry and enterprise,
you are not wanted here, as your room is more desira-
ble than your company. We need and want irood
American citizens, who will make permanent homes
with us. There are very few people who come here
who do not like our county and people — of course,
we have little peculiarities.
There is no Soulhern hospitality, however magnani-
mous, which can exceed that of the Dunklin County
citizen.
Our population is nearly all white. There are not
more than a dozen colored people in the entire county
outside of the towns of Kennett, Clarkton and Maiden.
The number in these three towns will perhaps not exceed
125. These are all polite and make good citizens, and
are treated well and fairly by our white population.
19 ( 289 )
290
IIISTOIIY OF DUNKLTN COUNTY, MO.
However, wo are not sorry that our county is very
noticeably scarce of colored people and tramps.
Our [)eople — least of all the writer of this
volume — have no desire to exaggerate the merits of
our county and deceive people into coming here to be
dissatisfied, leave and accuse us of having misrepre-
sented our county. The aim has been a true pen and
photogra[)hic picture of our county and people. Be-
lieving that you will be favorably impressed by both,
we ask you to at least pay us a visit.
flAY 13 iyu2
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