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Illustrated History
McDonald County,
From the Earliest Settlement
To the Present Time.
EDITED AND COMPILED BY
J, A. STURGES,
CccroAnev ai. JLccu/,
PINEVILLE, MO.
1897.
253108
PREFACE.
In presenting this little volume to the public,
I do so with the hope that it will impart much
interesting and valuable information that could
be collected and preserved alone by the histo-
rian. The work was begun more than three
years ago and the task, though arduous, has
been a pleasant one. One who has not experi-
enced it would not imagine the time and labor
required, and the difficulties one encounters in
preparing even a small book like this.
The archives of the county have been search-
ed and carefully compared, newspaper tiles for
many years back have been gone over, and per-
sons from all parts of the county have been in-
terviewed and their statements compared. The
traditionary matters are not fche statements of
one or two alone, but usually the corroboration
of many. In fact no pains have been spared to
make it reliable. Perhaps much of interest has
been omitted, but it would be impossible to pro-
cure or publish all.
There may be an occasional mistake, a few
grammatical and typographical errors such as
are liable to occur in all printed matter, but
any intelligent reader will readily understand
the meaning and overlook the defects.
The price of the book (82,00) may seem large
for such a small book, but the sale is necessarily
limited, and those now contracted will bring a
very small return for the time, labor and cash
expended. The somewhat irregular arrange-
ment is caused by delay in procuring the mat-
ter. This is especially true of the biographies.
I wish to tender my thanks to the newspa-
pers for their favorable notices, the many old
citizens for the information they have freely
given, and to those who have rendered substan-
tial aid by subscribing for the book and taking
^biographical space. Trusting the work may
. meet with general approval, and that those who
purchase or read it will ever remember me
kindly, it is submitted for your perusal.
J. A. Sturges.
oPineville, Mo., Nov. 1, 1897.
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C-J-CcucLlcl Ci. o;cuAo_£>s,
Compositor of This Book.
h 'cult 'A 3rvjJbu }
SKETCH OF MY LIFE.
I was born in McCoupin county, Illinois, August
26, 1850. My father, now of Moline-, Kansas, was
a native of Connecticut, but when he was an in-
fant his parents moved to Ohio. My mother,
Nancy Ann Sturges, was a daughter of Richard
and Celia Chapman, who emigrated from North
Carolina to 111. in 1818. When I was about seven
years old my father bought land in Montgomery
county and improved a farm, and that was my
home until 1875. We had about 400 acres in cul-
tivation, and I know what farm life is. After se-
curing a fair education, I read law with R. McWil-
liams, at Litchfield, 111., and was admitted by the
Supreme Court of that state in January, 1876. The
following spring I located at Litchfield where I re-
mained one year. I won my first case in the cir-
cuit court, also in the supreme court, for which I
received a fee of $100.
In 1877 I went to Kansas, where I lived four
years. While there I procured the incorporation
and drafted the first ordinances of the City of Pitts-
burg, and served as City Attorney one year. I
came to McDonald county Dec. 10, 1881, and have
tried to farm, taught school, practiced law and
published a newspaper ever since. Was a Repub-
lican until 1882, when I allied myself with the
Democratic party, which I supported until 1894,
except the county ticket in 1890. In 1894 I return-
ed to the Republican party. Was presiding judge
of this county from 1887 — 90.
February 17, 1876, I was married to Miss Inez E.
Cheney, of Litchfield, 111., who was born in Ver-
mont, but came with her parents, Zerra and Mary
Jane Cheney, to Illinois when a small child. We
have three boys — Harry, Isaac and Albert, dead,
and two girls — Claudia and Josephine, and one
boy — Daniel Richard (Dick), living.
Altitude of county,
5
Allotting Justices,
34
Anderson township,
36
Anderson, town of,
54
Attorney, circuit,
129
Attorney, county and prosecuting,
130
Assessor,
137
Administrator, public,
32 139
Buffalo creek,
8
Buffalo township,
36
Buffalo City,
55
Bannock,
56
Bank robbery, at Southwest City,
92
Bank robbery, at Pineville,
200
Bethpage,
97
Brown, Emma murder case,
122
Bird and others whipped,
161 165
Bear, killed in a cave,
198
Bear, Claib Stafford's first,
199
Center township,
38
Cyclone township,
40
Caverna,
56
Coy,
57
Crystal Springs,
58
Cyclone,
58
County Seat Contest,
69
11
INDEX.
Chenoweth murder,
Canada Bill lynched,
Clerk, circuit,
Clerk, county,
Coroner,
Collector & Sheriff,
Casbeer, George and wife suicide,
Court house burnt,
Christian, Lieutenant,
Donohue, (Goodman)
Devick, John killed,
Derbin, Frank drowned,
Drowned, three boys,
Dobbs, John killed,
Deer, adventure with,
Elk Horn creeks,
Elk horns found,
Elk Horn township,
Elk river,
Elk River township,
Early settlement,
Early settlers, customs and habits of,
Erie,
Erie township,
Elk Mills,
Enterprise,
Enterprise, battle at,
Fire at Pineville,
Fire at Southwest City,
Flood, July, 1883,
74
98
111
127
128
140
131
154
183
183
58
144
146
149
179
197
10
10
42
14
43
16
27
60
41
59
60
177
75
86
189
INDEX. iii
Gates post office, (May) 61
Grubb, Irwin hung, 119
Honey creek, 15
Hart post office, 62
Hearrell murder, 104
Harmon, Mark killed, 182
Harmon, John killed, 143
Harmon, escape of David, 172
Hopkins family removed, 177
Hamlin, William killed, 182
Hinson, Bill, 183
Hidden Treasures, 191
Indian creek, 9
Indian legend, H
Indian Springs, 63
Judge, circuit, 128
Judge, probate, 132
Judge, county, 134
Jail burnt, 163
Kelso, Colonel, 183
Kings creek, 12
Little Missouri, 13
Lanagan, 66
Lane, Wick murdered 120
LaMance, J. P., 184
LaMance, M. N., 186
McDonald county, boundary and dis., 5
McDonald county, origin of name, 6
Mike creek, 13
Mill creek, 14
iv INDEX.
McDonald county established,
23
McDonald county organized,
20
McMillin township,
44
Mountain township,
46
Mann, Garland killed,
100
Moore murder and trial,
114
Morgan, little Claude killed,
124
Meranda, James suicides,
153
Noel,
68
Noel, muder of Lula,
106
Nutting, John,
174
Nutting, M. L. wounded,
179
Nominees, list of,
334
Officers before the war,
26
Officers, first after the war,
31
Patterson creek,
9
Pineville township,
48
Pineville,
57
Pineville skirmish,
185
Pine war,
158
Prairie township,
49
Powell,
76
Proctor, Mrs. burnt,
151
Petty thieving,
160
Population of county,
341
Richwood township,
51
Rocky Comfort,
77
Rutledge,
77
Rail road,
81
Representative,
126
INDEX. v
Sugar creek, 13
Saratoga Springs, 78
Silver Springs, 79
Simcoe, 80
Splitlog, 81
Southwest City, 83
Sheriff and Collector, 131
Survey o 141
School commissioner, 141
Sterley, O. killed, 144
Stafford, John killed, 147
Sellers, death of Lee, 152
Slickers, 156
Smith, death of Major, 170
Shields, Col., 184
Schell's buried money, 193
Smith, George murdered, 206
Townships, 26 33
Twin Springs, 96
Treasurer, 138
Testerman, Willie killed, 145
Tillotson, Jack killed, 204
Tiff City, 209
Temperance Work, 210
Voting places, 33
Vote by townships, 313
Vendetta, 186
Wolf scalps, 34
Wolf story, 195
White Rock township, 52
VI
INDEX.
White Rock Sulphur Springs,
Wisdom murder case,
Wilson, John killed,
War Stories,
Wimpey, Timothy killed,
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
96
102
147
167
180
Adams, A. A.,
Anderson, A. D.,
Anderson, Robert,
Baker, Zach,
Barlow, A. H.,
Best, S. D.,
Bosserman, H. B.,
Cowan, J. H.,
Chase, Dr.,
Carnell, T. J.,
Christensen, J. B.,
Carlyle, L. W.,
CoSelt, T. A.,
Clay, George,
Davis, C. E.,
Doty, Dr.,
Doty, J. A.,
Dabbs, Hugh,
Duval, C. E.,
Elliff, D. S.
Eljue,, P. D.,
Elljff, J. L.,
Edelen, Dr.,
225
226
227
227
228
229
253
230
249
255
261
264
271
275
244
245
312
246
307
231
256
257
290
INDEX. vii
Falkenbury, M, C, 297
Freeze, F. A., 300
Foster, J. A., 304
Gilbraith, T. C, 232
Horner, J. T., 232
Horton, P. A., 233
Harmon, Dan, 265
Huckins, Dan, 276
Jackson, H. S., 234
Jackson, J. A., 263
Kelley, J. W., 295
Lane, S. T., 235
Lamson, J. C, 286
LaMance, M. N., 287
LaMance, Lora S., 288
Marrs, M. L., 236
Meador, M. E., 236
Madden, J. P., 237
Montgomery, John L., 238
McKinney, Dr., 277
Noel, W. H., 238
Noel, A. W., 247
Nutting, J. W., 239
Patterson, R. W., 240
Prater, H. C, 241
Pepper, H. C, 283
Price, W. C, 291
Preston, S. D. and wife, 309
viii INDEX.
Quails, J. H., 241
Seabourn, G. M. D., 242
Shambaugh, I. N., 267
Shields, J. W., 269
Smith, J. W., 273
Smith, W. E., 281
Sears, F. A. 274
Stewart, M. L., 298
Tabler, A., 293
Tandy, J. F., 305
Wilson, W. K., 243
Wimpey, J. H., 259
Wimpey, T. H., 244
Walters, A. C, 299
Vermillion, R. E. and wife, 250
Yocum, P. A. T., 302
history of Mcdonald county.
CHAPTER I.
LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY.
McDonald County is situated in the extreme
southwest corner of the state, having the Indi-
an Territory for its western boundary and Ar-
kansas for its southern. Newton county lies
north, and Barry, east. In addition to the mag-
netic variation, the west line of the state bears
west v hich makes the county three -fourths of a
mile wider at the south side than at the north.
The south line bears north of east, making the
county narrower at the east side than at the
west. The actual dimensions of the county
within a few rods from north to south is, at the
Avestend 181-2 miles; at. the east end 17 1-4 miles.
From east to west, on the north line it is 30 3-4
miles, and 30 miles on the south. It, therefore
contains about 550 square miles. The general
altitude above the sea level is about 1100 feet.
The surveys of the county show that from the
water level in the streams to the summit of the
6 HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY.
highest hills is 365 feet. This elevation is
reached either by gradual ascent from the mouth
to the source of the water courses, or by an ab-
rupt rise, in places being almost perpendicular.
It has been quite a difficult task to ascertain
the origin of the name, but all the old settlers
state that the county was named after an offi-
cer in the Revolutionary War. Dr. Duval and
W. C. Price think he was one of Marion's men.
The surface of the county is quite diversified.
In the northwest corner, or nearly so, a point of
Swors Prairie projects into this county, there be-
ing perhaps 300 acres of prairie land this side of
the Newton county line. There is, also, a small
body of prairie land near the northeast corner of
the county, called Mitchells prairie, from a fami-
ly of that name who settled there in the early
days. White Rock prairie is a small body of prai-
rie land in White Rock township. It derives its
name from the white, chalky appearance of the
stone which is found there in large quantities.
In the southwest part of the county, the Cow-
skin prairie extends some five miles square, and
contains some very fine farms.
Between the various valleys and streams are
uplands covered with all varieties of timber
grown in this part of the state. These uplands
are, usually, comparatively level, and are called
Flat Woods . This name was applied by the
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 7
southern people who settled here in the early-
days, and signifies ' 'barrens ". Until within the
last few years they were supposed to be worthless
but are now being rapidly put into cultivation,
and have proved to be quite productive. Many
of the best farms in the county are now on this
"barren" land. Along the valleys pertaining
to all the streams the bottom lands are generally
fertile, and produce all kinds of crops in abun-
dance. The soil in all parts of the county is
much more productive than it appears to be to
one who is not acquainted with it. Clover grows
rankly on the hill sides and uplands that appear
to be covered with nothing but gravel. Blue
grass does quite well when it is once set, but it
is difficult to get it started. Orchard and other
grasses where tried, have generally proven a
success, but up to the present writing the ex-
periments have not been very extensive. Fruit
trees grow rapidly and come early into bearing,
while small fruits of almost every variety scarce-
ly ever fail, and are of the finest quality and
flavor.
Between the valleys and water courses and the
uplands, are usually ranges of hills. They are
generally steep, high, and often rise in perpen-
dicular cliffs. These abrupt hills and hollows
are called brakes, and are generally worthless
except for the timber and for range, or pastures.
8 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
These brakes are not confined to any locality,
but are contiguous to all the streams. The
largest bluffs are found along the river where
in places they rise perpendicularly several
hundred feet, and form some of the grandest
scenery in the Great Southwest. Along the
southern border of the county the surface is
generally broken, and in the southeast part the
hills rise almost to the magnitude of mountains.
The valleys and coves in this broken part of the
county are, however, exceptionally rich, and
contain many fine farms and prosperous in-
habitants.
WATER COURSES.
Beginning in the northwest part of the county,
the first stream of note is Buffalo creek, which
enters the county on the north line about five
and one-half miles from the northwest corner
and bears south and west, passing into the Indi-
an Territory near Tiff City. It is a beautiful
stream of water fed by springs, and along its
bottoms are some of the richest farms in the
county. It was named many years before a
white man ever thought of settling on its banks.
I have not been able to learn his name nor the
date in which he made his journey, but have
been reliably informed that the name Buffalo,
was given this creek by the first Catholic Mis-
sionarythat ever visited the Indians of this part
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 9
of America. During his journey considerable
heavy rain fell and the creek, as well as the river
rose until it was past fording, and the party was
obliged to go into camp between the two streams
until the water ran down. While thus delayed
a buffalo cow was killed by one of the party and
the robe, or skin, was preserved. From this
event the missionary gave the name Buffalo to
the creek and Cow Skin to the river. A very
pretty origin for the names of two of the most
noted streams in our county.
Next south of this is Patterson creek, named
from John Patterson, an old bachelor who
settled on the creek about the year 1833. The
creek rises about two miles west of the town of
Anderson and runs principally west, passing
into the Territory about a mile south of Tiff City.
South Indian creek takes its source at a large
spring in the town of Rocky Comfort and runs
south of west for some ten or twelve miles where
it connects with the main creek which has its
source in Newton county, and enters McDonald
county about twelve miles from the northeast
corner. The main creek flows south and west
from where it enters this county, and empties
into Elk river just above the old town site of
Rutledge. This is one of the most beautiful of
streams; throughout its entire length the rich
bottom lands, line farms, herds of all kinds of
10 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
stock and comfortable, home-like houses and
barns, impress one with the belief that he is in
one of the favored spots of the earth. Many years
ago, in the earliest settlement of this part of
Missouri there was an Indian camp on this creek
just about where it now crosses the north line
of this county. The name was given it from
this Indian camp.
East of this, and still in the northern part of
the county are the North and South Elk Horn.
These two streams each rise from springs and
are fed by the same means. The Valleys are
narrow but very productive, and many nice
farms are found along these two streams.
Many of the older inhabitants do not remem-
ber the origin of the name, but I have been able
to glean the information that it was formerly
the grazing and stamping ground for heards of
elk, and the name was given on account of find-
ing horns of these animals along the two streams.
Mr. John Roseberry, now deceased, more than
sixty years ago found an immense set of elk
horns in that vicinity. He was a large, tall
man, but the horns were so large that when the
tips were placed on the ground he could stand
straight under the crown. This may seem some-
what incredible, but it is vouched for by so
many reputable citizens that it is given as an
absolute fact.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 11
In connection with this part of the county we
have gleaned the following little romance which
we give as a beautiful illustration of the dusky
heroes and lovers of long ago. Perhaps it will
be of sufficient interest to pardon the digression.
THE STORY
Long before there were any white settlers in
any of the south western counties of Missouri a
band of Indians used to make their annual hunt-
ing expeditions through this country. One of
their regular camps was on Indian creek near
the north line of this county. From this camp
they would scour the country for miles around
in search of game. Among this tribe was a young
warrior who had long, in vain, sought to gain
the love of a dusky maid who proved adverse to
all his entreaties. One evening after his prof-
fered love had again been rejected, in his lonli-
ness and despair, he went out in the stillness of
the night and, gazing on the stars that twinkled
so brightly, as if in mcckery of his anguish, he
breathed a prayer to the Great Spirit to make
him worthy of the maiden and to enable him ■= to
gain her love. At length, worn out by his mel-
ancholy vigils, he wrapped himself in his robes
an 1 laid down to pursue in his troubled dreams
the thoughts that would not leave his mind eith-
er awake or asleep.
The next morning he started out on his usual
12 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
hunting trip, and during the day visited the lo-
cality where a herd of elk were known to use.
Being unsuccessful in his search for game, he
wandered around until late in the afternoon, tired
and thirsty, he concluded to go to the big spring
at the head of North Elk Horn, and spend the
night there alone. As he came near the place
he heard the scream of a woman and the. angry
snort of an elk. Rushing down the hill at light-
ning speed, he saw a large male elk just as it
struck the maid, and heard a stifled groan as she
rolled on the ground and was trampled beneath
the feet of the enraged animal. One twang of his
bow sent an arrow on its death-dealing mission;
an instant his hunting knife gleamed in the sun,
then sank deep in the side of the animal, which
rolled -over and died. The warrior -gathered the
insensible form of the girl in his arms, and as
he looked in her face beheld the object of his
affections. He carried her to the spring, bathed
her in the cool water and in a few moments she
revived. Her injuries were not serious, and for
many long and happy years that elk's horns
stood over the door of their wigwam, the grandest
of all his trophies. Ever after that spring was
called the Elk's Horn, and the name was event-
ually extended to the two beautiful streams.
Kings creek rises south of the center of Rich-
wood township and runs principally south and
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 13
empties into Big Sugar creek in center town-
ship 2 miles below Powell. It was named from
John B. King the first settler. He was a law-
yer, saw mill man and figured quite prominently
in the Pine War which occurred in the early set-
tlement of the county.
Mike creek rises in Richwood township near
the Barry county line, and runs south and west,
emptying into Big Sugar creek about one mile
above the mouth of Kings creek. The name was
given from the first settler on that stream, Phil-
ip Michael, who located on the farm now owned
by Henry Green Fox, in the year 1857.
Big Sugar creek has its source in Benton Co.,
Ark. , and , enters this county in Mountain town-
ship near the southeast corner, runs north and
principally west to the town of Pineville
where it unites with Little Sugar and forms Elk,
or Cowskin river. Little Sugar rises in Benton
county, Ark., enters this county at Caverna in
White Rock township, and runs west and north
until it makes the connection above mentioned.
The two streams derive their names from the
quantities of sugar maples that f orinely grew in
great numbers along their bottoms. There us-
ed to be a number of sugar tree orchards on these
two creeks, and the early settlers were abundant-
ly supplied with maple syrup and sugar.
Little Missouri is the name of a stream that
14 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
has its source in White Rock township, runs
nearly west and empties into Little Sugar creek.
Mill creek lies in the southern part of Pine-
ville township and connects with the river just
above the town of Noel. It derives its name
from a saw mill erected near its mouth by Moses
Martin about 1835. It was operated by horse
power, and afterward a pair of corn burrs were
added. South and southwest of this is Butler
creek which empties into the river just below
the town of Noel. The upper part of this stream
is called Deer creek; so called from the numer-
ous herds of deer found there in early days.
Butler creek was named from Chas. Butler who
settled at the place now owned by Chas. Heath
about the year 1840.
Elk River, also called Cowskin, is formed, as
stated, by the junction of the two Sugar creeks
at the town of Pineville, and flows principally
west, meandering north and south at various
parts. From Rutledge it flows nearly south
about three miles, then bears north until it
crosses the state line and enters the Territory
about two miles north of the parallel on which it
starts; thence westwardly until it empties into
Grand river in the Indian Territory. This stream
was declared navigable by act of Congress many
years ago, but it has never been practical for
that purpose, there being too many narrow and
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 15
shallow places. The valley or bottom is from
one-half to two miles wide and the soil is very
rich. Many large and productive farms are
along its banks and the owners are counted way
up in the thousands in wealth.
Honey creek rises in Arkansas, runs across
the corner of the county, passing through
Southwest City and into the Territory.
There are various other small streams and
valleys along which are found many productive
farms, but the above are the principal water
courses worthy of note.
These streams are all fed by springs, and the
water is usually cold. One peculiarity of the
smaller water courses is that they become ' 'lost ' '
or run under ground much of the way. At one
point the water will be running like a mill race,
perhaps fifty yards below the bed will be per-
fectly dry, then again the water comes to the
surface going with a rush until it again rises
and so on until it reaches a larger body.
16 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER II.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The early settlers of McDonald county, like
those of all other localities, located along the
creeks and river bottoms. Here were abundant
springs of pure, cold water, the streams were
alive with fish and an abundance of game ranged
near these water courses. The soil was ex-
tremely fertile, producing almost miraculous
crops of all grains and vegetables, while the
uplands called "barrens" or "flat woods", were
considered almost worthless for agricultural
purposes.
Filled with a restless desire for pioneer life,
the inhabitants of other states began to settle in
these lonely valleys soon after the state was ad-
mitted into the Union. Here, in the solitude of
the forests, with only the breezes whistling in
the trees, the rippling of the water or the cries
of wild animals and birds to wake the stillness,
these men made their homes. Here many,
many miles from any town or post office they
reared their families, and here some of them
have long ago found their narrow homes. The
first settler within the present boundary of this
county of which we have been able to learn was
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 17
Valentine, commonly called Telty, Miller, and
wife Katy (Workman) and only son, Levi, who
settled in Elk river bottom on what is now
Known as the Peck farm, in Elk River township,
in 1827. He brought a copper still with him
from North Carolina and for a while manfactured
whisky. He also ran a set of burrs -for grind-
ing corn. His machinery was operated by water
power. In a few years his temporary cabin
was replaced by a more comfortable log * house
which, though sadly dilapidated, is still stand-
ing. Some fifteen years afterward they buried
their only son on the bank of the river, and in a
few days departed for California where the old
people died.
About 1830 a family by the name of Friend is
said to have settled on what is now the Langly
farm on Elk river.
Abram, Elisha and Jacob Testerman, came
in 1833, and settled on Elk River. Four years
later (1837) Abram Testerman and Margery
Buzzard were married and settled on Indian
creek about one fourth of a mile below where^the
town of Lanagan is now located. This is said
to be the first marriage in this county.
During the early thirties R. Lauderdale, P.
Williams, Blevins, Mathews and a few other
families, in all about forty persons, settled in
this county. Lauderdale afterwards settled on
18 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Indian creek on the place now occupied by Bob
Lauderdale. Some of the others settled on
Indian creek and the rest in the vicinity of the
present site of Pineville.
Among the other early settlers in this part of
the county were Hugh L. Testerman, who came
here in September, 1839 and is still living a
quarter of a mile east of Pineville on the farm
he has owned for more than half a century. A
family by the name of Nicely settled on the
river below Pineville about 1840, two Noel fam-
ilies and George Mosier, near the same time.
About this time it appears that Augustus Friend
owned the Marshall farm, which he sold to Jacob
Wallace in 1842. Mrs. Wallace afterward sold
to Marshall.
Hamilton Moffett and family, also his two
married sons, Elam and William, with their
f aruiliesjsettled on Indian Creek and near the
mouth- of -Elk : Horn in 1840. Elam Moffett,
father of J. H. Moffett who now resides in Pine-
ville, settled the place known as the old Moffett
farm at the mouth of South Elk Horn. It is now
owned, by Elihu Hendry. Prior to their advent
into this. county, Jonathan Blair a Presbyterian
minister hadjsettled a short distance below the
Elam Moffett place, and also owned the present
site of McNatt's mills. He operated a small mill
at that point in the latter part of the 30 s and
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 19
early 40 's. John and Jim Mayfield and Bill
Cleveland lived on Indian creek near Erie prior
to 1839. Sometime in the 30 's John Hearrell
lived on Big Sugar creek six miles northeast of
Pineville. Dr. Clark Wallace is also among the
settlers prior to 1840, and Joel Meador, who still
lives on Indian creek.
Among the others who located in this county
prior to 1840 are found the names of James W.
Tatum, Eligah Witten, and Pleasant Smith. Mr.
Tatum still lives on Beaver valley one half mile
above the town of Anderson.
The above comprises the principal part of
those who came to this county prior to 1840-2,
and settled within the present limits of Anderson
Erie, Elk River and Pineville townships. I have
had to rely wholly on the memory of the older
settlers for this information, which is substan-
tially correct, although the names of a few may
have been overlooked or forgotten.
The early settlements in the other parts of the
county will be given by the municipal townships.
20 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER III.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
Prior to 1833 Crawford county embraced all
of Southwest Missouri. In that year Green
county was organized and for two years Spring-
field was the county seat of the present area of
McDonald county.
In 1835 Barry county was establishedwhich in-
cluded all of the territory which is now Barry,
McDonald, Newton, Jasper, Lawrence, Barton,
Dade, and part of Cedar counties. After consid-
erable strife over the location of the county seat,
the town of Mount Pleasant was established and
the county seat located there. It was about one
and one-half miles west of the present site of
Pierce City. In connection with this place we
give the following interesting reminiscence
which was published in the Newton County News
in July 1896:
"Away back in the thirties Newton, as well as
a number of other counties, was a part of Barry
county and the county seat of Barry was Mt.
Pleasant and was located about one and one-half
miles west of Pierce City. The court house was
built of logs. A fine spring was one of the at-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 21
tractions of this county seat. Barry county then
embraced the large territory of what is now Barry
Lawrence, Newton and McDonald counties, and a
part or all of Jasper county. Capt. Ritchey, of
Ritchey was born in thafc county seat and his fath-
er, the late Judge Ritchey, was elected constable
the same day on the Democratic ticket. Newton
county was cut off from Barry in 1837 and since
that time McDonald county has been formed from
part of Newton. The farm on which Mt. Pleasant
was located was settled by an old gentleman
known as Uncle Sampson Lanna. After Barry
county had been divided up into other counties
Mt. Pleasant was no more a county seat, and a
man by the name of Wilds purchased the farm
in 1870 and intended to build a castle above the
spring, but through some misfortune he commit-
ted suicide and the castle was never built. Noth-
ing remains now of the once county seat except
the spring, which continues to furnish its pure
beverage as when in days of yore the county
officers quenched their thirst at its fountain.
The train passes just by the old county seat spot
now, but nothing can be seen but a big field of
waving corn and shocks of wheat. ' '
The first session of the county court was held
at Mount pleasant, February 16, 1835, and Barry
county was divided into townships. Nearly all
of the present limits of this county, also the
22 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
southwest part of Newton county was designated
as Elk River township. It was bounded as
follows: Commencing at the southwest corner
of the State thence north on the line between
Missouri and the Indian Territory to the divide
between Lost creek and Elk River, thence east
on said divide to the line between Ranges 30 and
31, thence south to the State line, thence west on
Arkansas line to the corner stone between Mis-
souri and Arkansas. The remainder of this
county, a strip eight and one-half miles wide off
the east end, was included in Indian creek town-
ship, which also, embraced a considerable part
of the present limits of Barry county. Thus we
see that Elk River township has the distinction,
by several years, of being the oldest township
im the county. This section of country, however
remained but a short time subject to the jurisdic-
tion of Barry county. By an act of the State
Legislature, December 31, 1838, Newton county
was established, and McDonald became a part of
that county. The boundary of Newton county
extended two and one-half miles further east
than our present line between this county and
Barry, that is to the southwest corner of section
26. T.21. R. 29 thence north, instead of the center
of section 33 as it now is. The north line was fixed
on the section lines running due west to the
Nation line from the intersection of the four corn-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 23
ers of sections 13, 14, 23, 24 T. 28, R 29, making
the new county about 46 miles from north to
south and about 33 miles from east to west.
Pursuant to the report of the commissioners
and. the order of the county court, the town of
Neosho was laid out in November, 1839 and the
county seat established at that place. For the
next decade this was a part of Newton county.
An act was passed March 3, 1849 providing
for the establishment of McDonald county, and
the organization was completed under that act,
but was attached to Newton county for the
purpose of electing a representative until 1857.
Considerable trouble was experienced in
establishing the county seat, a more extended
account of which will be given in the history of
the towns. The commissioners to select a county
seat were James Mayfield, Oliver Hickox and
Joseph Pearson, of Newton county. They met
at the house of J. C. McKay, which stood near
the confluence of the two Sugar creeks, and his
residence was designated as temporary court
house. An election was called which resulted
in the selection of Rutledge as the county seat
where it remained until premanently located at
Pineville in 1857. During this contention be-
tween the two rival towns two sets of officers
were claiming title and rival courts were car-
ried on, one at Pineville, the other at Rutledge.
24 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
The first election resulted in the selection of
Murphy Brown of Rocky Comfort, John Oliver
and Abram Testerman as county judges, Burton
McGhee, clerk, A. A. Hensley, sheriff and Til-
lotson Pearson treasurer. These officers organ-
ized court at Rutledge in 1849, but Brown re-
fused to take part in the transactions being of
the opinion that the court should be held at
Pineville. J. K. Mosier, William Duval, Jr.,
and Benjamin Cooper organized court at Pine-
ville, which was then called Maryville. John
B. King served as clerk, A. D. Flinn, sheriff
and collector, and J. J. Hackney, treasurer.
Court was held at J. C. McKay's residence,
above mentioned. Little but trouble and confus-
ion resulted from these rival courts and officers
and many of the people refused to pay taxes until
the dispute was finally settled a few years later.
The transactions of the Pineville court were
generally ignored, but according to the state-
ment of some of the old residents, a few of the
warrants were paid several years later. The
circuit courts were held regularly at Rutledge.
The first set of county judges were succeeded
by A. Z. Holcomb and William Moffett, Tester-
man succeeding himself. Moffett served two
terms. Joshua Wimpey, also, served as judge
about this time, but I have not been able to get
the names of any others.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 25
McDonald county was attached to Newton
county for legislative purposes until 1856. In
that year an election was held and Thomas Jones
was elected as the first member of the House of
Eepresentatives from McDonald county. Bur-
ton McGhee was his opponent in the race.
Jones died at Jefferson City the next year and
Smith Elkins was elected to fill the vacancy.
In 1858 Smith Elkins was a candidate for
reelection, his competitors for legislative honors
being Dr. Wm. C. Duval, Claudius B. Walker
and Moses Pollard. The first three were Dem-
ocrats and Pollard a Know Nothing. Dr. Du-
val was elected by forty-five plurality. In 1860
he was again elected by a majority of 145, his
opponent being James A. Scott. The doctor
threw all of his influence while in the legislature
against secession until May 10, 1861, when he
followed the majority of his party in casting their
lot with the Southern Confederacy. He attend-
ed the legislature in their assembly at Neosho
and took part in the proceedings, but was never
connected with the Southern army except as a
surgeon.
Burton McGhee served as clerk until 1854
when he was succeeded by A. A. Hensley, who
was reelected in 1858 and held the office until
the county government was suspended by the
Civil War. Hensley was sheriff and collector
26 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
between 1849 and 1854. W. C. Price served one
or two terms, about this time, and Demps Lau-
derdale occupied the office when the war broke
out. He became a Captain in the Confederate
army -and died during the war of consumption.
Joseph Hackney, Sr., was treasurer at Pineville,
and Tillotson Pearson, at Rutledge. J. P. La-
Mance held the office one or two terms before
the war.
From the entries made immediately after the
war, and from the statements of the older in-
habitants, it appears that the county was divid-
ed into seven municipal townships, as follows:
Buffalo, Cooper, Elk River, Pinevile, Richwood,
Rutledge, White Rock. It is not possible to
get the metes and bouuds of the old divisions,
but from the best information Buffalo was loca-
ted somewhat as at present occupying the north-
west corner of the county, Cooper embraced the
^southwest corner. Elk River and Rutledge
covered substantialy the present limits of Elk
River, Mc Millin and Prairie; Pineville, the cent-
ral part, Richwood the northwest, and White
Rock was practically as at present.
This closes the history of our county up to
the beginning of the Civil War, and contains as
complete a list of the county officers and the
leading events as it is possible to obtain. In 1863
the court house was burnt and nearly all therec-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 27
ords destroyed, so that the chief source of infor-
mation is that derived from the old settlers who
located here years before the war, and on whose
memory those old days and scenes of long ago
are indelibly impressed. In a few years more
those old residents will have passed away and
their descendants will turn with pride to the
works of history that have collated and preserv-
ed for all future time these interesting reminis-
cences of men and times long past.
The people who had located here were gen-
erally from the south, more being from Tennes-
see than any other one state, and had brought
with them the manners and customs peculiar to
those localities. They lived in primitive style,
compared to the present, and were nearly self-
sustaining. A cook stove was a rare exception,
nearly every one cooking by the fire place and
oven. This, by the way, was not so inconveni-
ent as might be imagined. Many a delicious
"pone", rare venison saddle and luscious gob-
bler has been cooked in this way, and the smell
that ascended to heaven was enough to tempt
the appetites of the gods.
A sewing machine had never been heard of,
while the clank of the loom and humming of the
wheel furnished music almost as sweet, and
more homelike, than our present organs and pi-
anos. The oldfashioned linchpin wagons, with
28 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
the box shaped like a canoe, many with wooden
spindles, could be heard for miles as they groan-
ed and screaked over the rocky roads. They
raised their own cotton and wool, spun and wove
it into cloth and made their own garments. The
latter was the women's work. Of course every
family cultivated enough tobacco for home con-
sumption. Wheat and corn were produced and,
as we have seen, there were a number of mills
to do the grinding. Distilleries were quite nu-
merous and manufactured the pure and unadul-
terated corn juice at twenty-five cents a gallon.
The good people, both saints and sinners, could
take their corn to the still and lay in a good sup-
ply of the great household panacea without a
cent of cash. One didn't have to get ' 'sick" and
tell a lie and sign his name to it, then get a doc-
tor to tell one and sign his name to it in order
to get a drink of a decoction miscalled whisky.
No, he just followed the injunction of St. Paul,
and took a little for his stomach's sake, and his
oft infirmities, and of a quality that would have
met the approval of that learned apostle. In
this new country subject to chills and malaria,
and the scarcity of doctors and drugs, no doubt
this pure liquor drove disease and death from
many a home.
Hogs and cattle could be raised with very lit-
tle feed, the former being frequently butchered
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 29
directly from the mast, while deer, turkey and
other game were found in abundance. As to
shoes, every neighborhood had a tannery and
every man was a shoemaker. One man told me
that his father said his store bill before the war
did not average more than five dollars a year.
His family was quite large, and they lived com-
fortably. Instead of doing without, they simply
produced what was required. It is by no means
intended to convey the idea that all the people
were poor or lived so plainly. Many families
were quite aristocratic, had well furnished
houses, and gold watches and jewelry were
worn quite extensively. Several parties owned
slaves and carried on quite extensive plantations.
Almost any McDonald county farmer, along in
the fifties could raise a hundred dollars any day,
and real estate mortgages were unknown. Peo-
ple were honest in their dealings and paid their
debts, and the latch string to every cabin hung
on the outside. People were hospitable, ex-
tremely so. Partly because it was born and
bred in them, partly because, being isolated,
and the settlements scarce and far between, it
was regarded as a treat to have a neighbor or
stranger stop to dinner or over night. The
familiar "Halloa, stranger, git down an' hitch
yer hoss, and come in 'nstay all night. The ole
woman T have supper drecly. Boys, take the
30 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
critter and feed it, ' ' has greeted the ears of
many a weary traveler, and he would rest as se-
cure as tho' guarded by a regiment of soldiers.
Those are days to be remembered with pleasure;
A bright period in the history of our county.
But the question is asked, how did they make
any money? As before stated, there were but
few families in the county, and their farms
were very productive. The range was exceed-
ingly fine, and all kinds of stock could be raised
with little or no outlay. A farmer could gather
up his hogs and cattle in the spring after the
grass was good, and drive them to St. Louis.
There was range all the way and it mattered
little that it took a long time to make the jour-
ney. What his produce brought was clear prof-
it. He frequently returned with several hun-
dred dollars. Horses were raised and taken
directly to the southern market where they
would bring from $75 to $100. Thus an indus-
trious man could soon acquire quite a snug sum
of money.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 31
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIZATION AFTER THE WAR.
From 1861 to 1865 no elections were held in
McDonald county. In 1864 the vote for this
county was cast at Newtonia. Burton McGhee
was elected member of the legislature and 26
votes were cast for Fletcher for governor. Soon
after the war the county government was again
resumed, the officers being appointed by the
governor. Benjamin F. Hopkins, Enoch G.
Williams and Isaac A. Harmon were appointed
judges, John V. Hargrove, sheriff; J. P. La-
Mance, treasurer. The first meeting of this court
was November 6, 1866. On the next day, No-
vember 7, Henry H. Fox was appointed asses-
sor of the county, and Hugh "L. Testerman, cor-
oner. On Nov. 8, Daniel Harmon was appoint-
ed public administrator; A. W. Chenoweth,
county treasurer; Abner M. Tatum school com-
missioner; John M. Boyd, road commissioner.
At this term of court, the following:: Justices
of the peace were appointed: E. G. Williams,
Pineville township; D. C. Hopkins, Elk River
township; T. R. Hopkins and Thomas Davenport
White Rock township. In December following
D. C. Fox was appointed Justice of the peace for
32 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Buffalo township, David Davenport, for White
Rock, Jehu Jones for Rutledge township. In
February 1866 Ransom Plumlee was appointed
justice for Richwood township, and John F.
Lewis for Elk Horn. I. N. Williams was appoint-
ed treasurer. At this time the county court had
jurisdiction of probate matters and the principal
part of the records of the court pertain to affairs
of administration, appointment of officers and
locating roads.
At this time the office of public administrator
was certainly a lucrative one as the records show
that in 1866 he had charge of the following es-
tates: Samuel R. Cotter, John Stearns, James
Williams, Benjamin Gooden, George W. Martin,
Anderson Carter, Tierney J. Cook, G. C. Culp,
Solomon Lankford, David Brock, William Bur-
gess, Basil Lewis, Nathaniel Meador, Samuel
B. Keeler, John D. Hendry, William G. Morris,
Martin Stafford , Harrison Ray, Robert Walker,
Hugh Carroll, Alfred Martin, Mrs. Delilah
McGhee, D. Y. Lauderdale, Joseph Morrow,
Jacob Carter, James T. Davenport, G. W. Nut-
ting, W. Hamblin, John M. Harmon, Wilson
Gonce, S. H. Carroll, J. B. King, Smith Elkins,
Thomas Woolsey , H. Carroll, Moses Pendergraf t
J. T. Haskins, R. F. Walker, Samuel B. Keele,
Si\, James, N. Appleby, John H. Hastings, John
D. Henry, Francis A. Carter, J. W. Cole, J.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 33
"Wimpey, William Skinner, Matilda Mitchell,
John Hevalison, Carroll Kirk, U. S. Young,
Sr. , and Samuel Brown. It appears from the
records that Benjamin Ross was public adminis-
trator previous to the appointment of Daniel
Harmon, but how or when he became posessed
of that office there is no record to show.
In the records of the county court, May 8, 1866
■ is the following order : Ordered by the court that
municipal townships of this county be and are
bounded as follows: All territory included in
ranges 29 and 30 shall constitute a municipal
township and be known as Fox township. Also,
all territory included in ranges 31 and 32 shall
constitute a municipal township known as Pine-
ville township. Also, all territory included in
•ranges 33 and 34 which shall be known as Elk
township.
The next order following establishes the vot-
ing places in each of the three townships respect-
ively at the residence of H. H. Fox, in Fox town-
ship at Pineville, in Pineville township and at
the residence of B. F. Hopkins in Elk township.
It was also ordered that each justice of the peace
be furnished with a copy of the order giving
metes and bounds of their respective townships.
Why this arrangement was effec ted and what
disposition was made of the various Justices of
the Peace does not appear. It evidently did hot
34 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
give satisfaction as in the following August
and November various changes were made and
several precincts established, a more full ac-
count of which will be given in the chapter on
townships.
Among the interesting orders made about this
time were those to cancel notes given for loans
of the various public funds. One signed by A.
S. McGhee, dated September, 1854, for $185.98;
One signed by T. A. B. Pearson and Joseph
Pearson May 17, 1854 for $100; one by M. A.
Laughlin, Aug. 11, 1857 for $50. These notes
were canceled by reason of their being void by
•limitation.
Warrants were drawn on the county treasurer
in' t 1866-7 to pay for wolf scalps, at the rate of
one dollar each scalp, to Gilbert Bolen, E. F.
Burns, Eleven Caulk, William Mooney, Isaac
Martin and Wyatt Edmonds. The party produc-
ing the scalp was required to prove that the
wolf had been killed within the borders of the
county, to entitle him to the bounty.
ALLOTTING JUSTICES.
There are numerous orders on record during
this time making the appointment for allotting
justices for the various townships. As this prac-
tice has long since become obsolete, it will likely
be an item of interest as well as curiosity to know
what an allotting justice was. Under the road
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 35
laws in those days an overseer was appointed
by the county court for a certain road or, in
more thickly settled counties, for a road dis-
trict. This county being very sparsely settled,
the overseers were appointed for a certain road
designated in the order of appointment. In
each township one of the justices of the peace
was appointed by the county court to allot, or
parcel out, the road hands in his township and
designate under what road overseer they should
work. This was called the allotting justice. He
also had jurisdiction over cases where parties
failed or refused to work their time.
36 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER V.
♦ TOWNSHIPS.
ANDERSON township was established by order
of the county court at the March term 1896. The
voting place was established at the town of An-
derson, from which the township derived its
name. The K. C. P. & G. R. R. enters this town-
ship near the northeast corner, runs entirely
through and passes out on the south line a little
west of the center. Beaver valley also enters
near the northeast corner and empties into In-
dian creek just below the town of Anderson.
The above-named stream meanders through the
southern part of the township. The first set-
tlement was mentioned in the chapter on Early
Settlement. The principal place is Anderson,
a nice little town, and one of the best trading
points in the county. On Indian creek and -the
adjacent valleys are many fine farms and pros-
perous families. The township was taljen from
Buffalo, McMillin, Pineville and Erie townships
and contains about 35 sections of land.
Buffalo township lies in the .northwest -cor-
ner of the county. It derives its name from 'Buf-
falo creek which runs through it, entering some
four miles from the northeast corner and bear-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 37
ing southwesterly passes the south line some
two miles from the southwest corner. This
township seems to have been organized before
the war, but the boundary was not as at present.
The county court records also show that the
township was organized May 3, 1871. This was
evidently but a re- arrangement of the township
with regard to the voting precinct, which for a
short time included all the western portion of
the county embraced in ranges 33 & 34. There
was a voting place on Beeman valley before the
war. The present voting place is at May.
The early settlements in this township were
confined to Buffalo creek including Sugar Pork,
and Beeman hollow. Campbell Price, father to
our "Uncle Billy", came to this county about
the year, 1836. He left Tennessee in 1829. Stop-
ped in Arkansas one year, then moved to Spring
river where he remained a few years, then set-
tled on Buffalo creek. Daniel McRae came
about the same time. James Woldon settled on
Sugar Fork about 1837. James Beeman settled
on the old Owens farm, at the mouth of Beeman
hollow between 1837 and 1840. The Dobbses,
Benagee Brown, James Crabtree, Richard and
Simeon Price, George Nutting, M. Burns, Hen-
ry Barlow and a few other famlies were located
here prior to or just after 1840.
Hart and May are the two post offices and
38 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
trading points, each having a small country
store. Formerly all the settlements were along
the bottoms and valleys. On Buffalo are some
very fine farms, those of W. C. Price, R. Har-
rington, H. D. Roark, Martha Owens and Sam-
uel Ledford being among the best. W. C. Roark,
deceased, settled in Roark valley along in the
fifties and made a good farm, where he reared
a highly respected family. In late years the
Flat Woods are being put into cultivation, and
are proving quite productive.
Center township was named from the cen-
tral location it occupies on the east side of the
county. It was organized pursuant to an order
of the county court, May 9, 1872. Big Sugar
creek, Mikes creek, Trent creek and Little Mis-
souri are the principal streams. The voting
place is at Powell, which is, also, the principal
trading point.
This township was established, with several
others, May 9, 1872. There had been a voting
place in that part of the county for many years
before that time. Once it was at the residence
of Henry H. Fox, and at another time at a log
school house near Powell; also at Yonce's store.
This part of the county was known as Cooper
township for a while, then was designated Fox
township.
The early settlers began to locate here about
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 39
the time settlements were made in other parts
of the county. M. A. Laughlin, J. S. Laughlin,
Jubal Duwees, Billy Offield and Whittenburg
settled on Big Sugar about 1834. Phillip Michael
from whom that stream is named, settled on
Mike creek in the early thirties. John Stafford,
father of Claib Stafford, came from Tennessee in
1836, and settled on Mike creek. He afterward
improved the place where J. H. Cowan now lives,
where he died about 1856. Of four children but
one, Claib, now lives in this county; he still oc-
cupies part of the old homestead. Thomas
Ethridge lived on Mike creek when Stafford
came here in 1836. Snyder lived where Powell
now is. John Trent settled on Trent creek
about this time, and the families of J. Dotson Bil-
ly Carnott and Barney Bixbey located about this
time or soon after. John Puckett and son Jim
came soon afterward. The Coopers came in the
early forties and put up a mill at Powell on the
place now owned by Mac Harper. L. Sherlock
ran a distillery near there about 1838 and later.
This township is five miles north and south by
seven and one-half miles east and west, and con-
tains 37 1-2 sections of land. The valleys are
extremely fertile and contain many productive
farms. The uplands are considerably broken
but of late years are being put into cultivation
and produce small grains, grass and fruits abund-
40 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
antly.
Cyclone Township was established by order
of the county court at the June term 1896. It
was named from Cyclone post office, at which
the voting place was established. Big Sugar
creek is the only stream of any importance in
this township. J. A. Poster has a small stock
of goods at this place and a grist and saw mill
is in operation. There were but few settlements
made in the present limits of this township in
the early days, most of them being above or be
low. A man by the name of Tyner is said to
have located on the farm now owned by John
Millison, in the early thirties. John Heraldson
settled just north of the Billy Warren farm about
1838, and Levi Click, on the Barney Turner place
in 1840. John Ferguson is said to have settled
on Big Sugar prior to 1840, John Stafford, who
formerly lived in Center, and a few other families
lived here when the war broke out. They, how-
ever, left the county during that troublesome
period and, a number of the old settlers say,
that John C. Hampton was the only man living
within the present limits of this township when
the war closed.
The surface of this township is similar to
Center, many productive farms being found in
the valleys and creek bottom. It is six miles
east and west, and five miles north and south,
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 41
*
contaning thirty sections of lp^nd.
Samuel Claiborn, who formerly lived on the Ab
Johnson farm, was a prominent character of this
vicinity for several years before the war. His
true name was Sams, but many years before,
he had killed a man in Tennessee, and changed
his name in order to conceal his identity. He
moved from here to Hickory county where he
died at the advanced age of 98 years.
Erie Township was established June 9, 1872.
The name is derived from the village of Erie,
for many years the principal trading place and
only post office in the township. The voting
place is at this village. Indian Springs is in the
northeast, and Donohue (now called Goodman)
is in the northwest part. Indian creek runs al-
most diagonally through the township from
no rtheast to southwest. Some of the best farms
.in the county are in this locality, and the Mc-
Natt Mills, now operated by F. A. Sears, is
noted throughout this part of the state as one of
the oldest and best milling properties in the
southwest.
In addition to the names of early settlers men-
tioned in chapter II, the following have been
secured: Ira Yates settled on the place now
owned by Mr. Dalton sometime in the thirties.
John May field informs me that his father located
in this county in 1840, instead of prior to that
42 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
time as elswhere stated. He came from Monroe
county, Kentucky, and settled on the place which
Mr. Mayfield now owns. A man named Kell
had settled on the place now owned by George
Airman before the Maylields came. About the
same time Harris lived on the John Harmon
place at Erie and a family named Antney, on the
Ebbinghaus farm. The Lees came about the
same time and settled where John Boyd lives.
Dan Harmon says that William Cleveland, a half
blood Indian was the first settler on Indian creek.
He owned a place where Erie now is which he
sold to Mark Harmon, who came to this county
from Green county Tennessee several years be*
fore the war. He, also, informs me that the first
school ever taught in Erie township was in a
little log house at the mouth of Elk Horn.
Moses Pollard was the teacher, having been em-
ployed by Mark Harmon, Jonathan Blair and
W. C. Duval. A man named William Broad
lived on the Ebbinghaus place prior to the war
and owned a few slaves; Jonathan Blair also,
was the owner of a negro woman.
Elk Horn township lies in congressional town-
ship 23, and includes part of ranges 30 and 31.
It was established practically as at present, by
order of the county court, May 9, L872. The
name was derived from the two creeks in its
western part. Bethpage is the principal trad-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 43
v
ing point, post office and voting place. Besides
the two Elk Horn valleys, there are extensive
Flat Woods in this township and a large per
cent, of its territory is in improved farms. The
land is generally productive and it has appear-
e of being one of the prosperous sections of
the county. According to the order of the court,
it is six miles from east to west and seven from
north to south, containing forty two sections.
This part of the county was mostly overlooked
by the first settlers, there being no large streams
as in most of the other townships. There were
a few however, who came here in an early day.
In 1847 there is said to have been but one house
between where McNatt's mill now is and Mitch-
ell's prairie. This was Bullard's, a family of that
name having settled on the fiat woods prior to
that time. Mitchell lived on Mitchell's prairie
some time in the early forties, and it may be
earlier. The Brocks caine in an early day, and
there was a small German settlement near the
Barringer place along in the forties.
Elk River township lies south of the river in
range 33, extending to the Arkansas line. In
15, when this was a part of Barry county Elk
River township comprised the southwest corner.
Though changed several times, and given other
names, this township dates back to the organi
tion of the county. In its present form it w;:s
44 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
/
established in the reorganization in 1872. It
has the distinction of being the place where the
first settlement was made in the county, (1828.)
This is the first that can be designated, but down
near the river near where the John Marshall
farm now is, there is an old grave yard, grown
up with brush and briers until it is almost im-
possible to get to it, and in such a secluded place
that hundreds of our people do not know it is
there. In this abandoned burial place are a
number of tomb stones, all made out of native
limestone, large, broad stones, nicely dressed.
The lettering is almost defaced by time, but one,
at least, indicates a death in 1807. Whether a
settlement was made there prior to that time I
have not been able to ascertain.
Noel is the principal town and is one of the
most important railroad points in the county.
Elk River, Butler and Mill creeks, are the
streams, and some of the finest farms in the
county are on the river bottom. The voting
place for many years was at the Marshall school
house, but in 1896 it was moved to Noel.
McMillin township was named from John
McMillin, who lived just above the present site
of Coy. It was created by order of the county
court, May 9, 1«72. Patterson and Buffalo creeks
are the principal streams which flow through it
while the river forms the southern boundary.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 45
The voting place is at McMillin school house.
Tiff City is the principal town.
The settlement of this township dates back to
between 1835 and 1840. Abner Sherman, a na-
tive of Ohio, located in 1842. David Cummings
came out as Missionary for the Indians when
they were removed to the Territory, and settled
the farm just above where Tiff City now stands.
Uncle Andy Smith was a local preacher in 1842,
and lived on the place where C. L. Moore and
his wife were killed in 1894, Eleven Caulk was
among the first settlers on Patterson creek and
owned slaves. Finley Lane settled here in 1845.
The Ollivers, James Bly, Allen Williams, and
several other families settled along the creek in
the early forties. W. B. Mitchell came from
Tennessee in 1852; Bradford Seabourn in 1858.
One of the first establishments of this township
was a distillery. Alfred Oliver erected one near
where Mathew Kincannon now lives, way back
in the early days. The building was of logs and
was three and a half stories high. It had an im-
mense brick chimney some sixteen feet square.
William Houghton, who affcarwaris owned the
Langley farm on the river, ran a distillery at
Enterprise. He also raised horses for the south-
ern market. He would trade twenty gallons of
whisky for a pony mare which he would keep
for breeding. It is said he raised fine horses
46 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and made quite a fortune. James Bly operated
the distillery afterwards. He owned several
slaves. Of course it was against the law to sell
liquor to Indians then, as it is now, but a prof-
itable business was carried on with them. When
a pony or other article, or money was to be ex-
changed, the property was left at a convenient
place where it was taken care of by the distiller.
The Indian would then make a search in the
woods and "find" a lot of whisky. It was a
remarkable coincidence that the value of the
property and that of the liquor found was about
the same.
Hugh Dunagee ran a tan yard near where the
Morrison school house now is. M. Sliger, also,
ran a tan yard at the McMillin place. He sold
to John McMillin who continued the business
until after the war. David Harlin, a part Cher-
okee, settled the Keenan farm along in the thir-
ties. Mathew Kincannon came out from Ten-
nessee when the Indians were removed, and set-
tled on what is now the Hafford farm. John
Walker, in those early days, settled where Hen-
ry Manning now lives. A free negro called Free
Lewis settled the Morrison farm, where Charlev
Keenan now lives.
Mountain Township derives its name from
the broken and hilly surface of the country, the
hills in places a uost the proportion
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 47
of mountains. Big Sugar creek is the princi-
pal stream.
It was established as a separate township by
order of the county court, May 9, 1872. The
voting X3lace is at Schell's mill, and the post of-
fice there is called Mountain. This is the prin-
cipal trading point in the township, and consid-
erable business is done here.
The first settlers of which an account could
be obtained came in about 1840 or 1841. John
Rose, James Boles and a man by the name of
Clemons came at that time. Along in the early
forties Charley Boles and a family named Moore
came. Clemons had a corn cracker at the mouth
of Otter creek. In 1846 Henry Schell bought
the mill and located there. His son Henry now
owns the land. Mrs. Elizabeth Schell, widow
of the elder Henry, is now 78 years old, and has
a pretty vivid memory of the early days. Her
father, Jacob Yocum, settled in Stone county in
.5. For a number of years he paid the Indians
an annual rental of thirty bushels of corn for the
privilege of living among them. He kept a
small farm, and hunted and trapped during the
fur season. Ruben Burnett now owns the plac 3
settled by James Boles. John Carter owned a
negro couple who had three or four children.
Henry Schell brought a negro boy to this county
with him. Ho afterwards sold him for $400,
48 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and deeded his land with the money. On the
Berry Moore place is an old orchard that was
bearing fruit before the war. Many of the trees
were still bearing good fruit a couple of years
ago. Phillip Schell states that the people of
that township held an election to express their
opinion in regard to secession. He states that
all except a man named James Guess voted
against going with the Comfederacy. Guess
voted for secession, and went south soon after
the war broke out. He soon repudiated his
action and went North at the first favorable
opportunity. The balance of the citizens of this
township, after the war came up, allied them-
selves with the Confederacy. This township
is nearly five and one-half miles square. It con-
tains twenty-five full sections, five half sections
on the east side, and five fractional half sections
on the Arkansas line.
Pineville township is one of the original
divisions having been established when the
county was first organized. Pineville, the county
seat, is the principal town, while Lanagan,
the railroad station, is not far behind in business
importance. The two Sugar creeks and Elk
river are the principal streams, but there are
numerous valleys that contain many productive
farms. The history of its first settlement is
more fully treated in the early settlemenl of the
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 49
county and in the sketch of the town, and in the
chapter on County Organization. Until 1896 it
contained much more than at present, but in
that year considerable was taken off to form
Anderson township, and several sections off the
east end to form Cyclone township. This leaves
Pineville near the north line instead of practic-
ally in the center as before.
This being the county seat and most of the
roads in the county leading to it, the people of
this township experienced more of the ravages
of war than any other portion of the county,
detachments from both the Northern and South-
ern army alternately passing through.
Prairie township occupies the southwest cor-
ner of the county. It is named from Cowskin
prairie which extends over the greater portion
of its surface. Southwest City is the principal
town, not only of this township, but of the en-
tire county. Saratoga Springs is a small vil-
lage near the east side. Honey creek, which
runs through the southwest corner is the only
stream of any consequence. This township con
tains quite a body of prairie land and is the
most productive of any portion of the county
of the same size. The large fields of w^heat,
;rn and other crops that can be seen at a sin-
Le stretch over the prairie forms a striking
contrast to the usual monotony of the timbered
50 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
regions.
Until a few years ago the voting place was at
a school house on the prairie not far from J. P.
Barnwell's, but Southwest City being the trad-
ing point for nearly all the people of the town-
ship, they petitioned the county court to change
it to that place, which was accordingly done.
This part of the county was quite thinly set-
tled until some time in 'the fifties, w T hen consid-
erable land was entered. A few families settled
on Honey creek prior to that time. In June,
1842, Burton McGhee located w-here Soutlrwest
City now is and established a trading point there.
About the time the Indians were removed to the
Territory, settlements were started at various
points along the state line some two or three of
which were within the present limits of this
township. After McGhee put up his store peo-
ple settled near there, and Soutlrwest soon
became a point of considerable importance. W.
Gonce, Jessee Ware, J. P. Maddox, S. J. Hess
and Mark Howard located there a few years la-
ter. The two Fields families, R. Caldwell, H.
Remington, H. D. Budd and John McGhee are
mentioned among the early settlers. Robert
Shields, a native of Pennsylvania, but later
from East Tennessee, came to this county in
1846 and settled on the farm on which his son
George R. still lives. S. Briedlove, R. F. Cleve-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 51
land, B. S. Ervin and John Hays all had entered
land in the fifties. There were a few settled on the
river between 1837 and 1840, but their names
have not been ascertained.
Richwood Township is situated in the north-
east corner of the county, and is five and one-
half miles from east to west, and seven miles
from north to south. It was established as a
separate township by order of the county court
May 9, 1872. The principal town is Rocky Com-
fort, a nice little village near the northeast cor-
ner. One fork of Indian creek takes its rise at
a spring in this town and meanders through
the north and west part of the township. Mike
creek and Kings creek, also rise in this town-
ship. The southern part is somewhat broken
and hilly, but most of its surface is compara-
tively level. Although it was not settled to any
great extent as early as some other parts of the
county, it is now thickly populated and much of
it is in a high state of cultivation. The soil is
generally productive, especially for small grains,
fruit and meadows. There are more orchards
here than in any other part of the county ex-
cept where the Ozark Orchard Company have
invested in the last two years.
There appears to have been a few people in
this part of the county along in the thirties.
A. J. Duncan settled in 1836. There were a few
52 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Indians in the neighborhood as late as 1840.
The Lambersons, Christians, T. P. Tomlinson,
and a few other families whose names could not
be ascertained, were here about the latter for-
ties and early fifties. John Davidson settled in
this county in 1858. Mrs. Ford, mother of John
A. Ford, located near Rocky Comfort in 1843.
Isaac Plumlee settled in this township in 1853.
White Rock Township was in existence soon
after the organization of the county, and the
voting place about where it is now. There was
a church where Jane now is and one of the first
free schools in the county was established there.
Milo Martin taught a subscription school there
in 1856, having the whole township in which to
work, and secured thirty scholars. He organi-
zed the school district that fall.
William A. Davenport settled in this town-
ship in 1836, on the farm now occupied by Joab
Brown. His father, Martin Davenport, came
the next year. William DeHaven lived on the
Bookout place about that time. There were a
few other families whose names have not been
learned which came about the same time. Wil-
liam K. Young came to this county in 1848, and
he says there were a number of families here
then and sev< ore came soon after. W!
he came a man ] 1 Bramlet lived on the
Bookoul farm, andJacobJloe tr •
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 53
creek from Elijah Evan's place. Dr. Daven-
port came in 1853; he practiced medicine here
for twenty years. Along in the fifties, J. H.
Slinkard, J. W. Brown, Gilbert White, John
Coffee, Morgan and several others settled in this
locality. Little Sugar creek and Little Missouri
are the principal streams; Jane and Caverna are
the two villages. The township is six miles
square, except the fractional sections on the state
line. The surface is generally broken, but the
soil is extremly rich and the farms all product-
ive.
54 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER VI.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
Anderson — Beaver Springs.
This thriving town is located on the Kansas
City, Pittsburg & Gulf railroad six miles north-
west of Pineville, and is one of the leading busi-
ness points in the county. For many years
Beaver Springs, just above the present town site,
has been a noted resort of the county for meet-
ings and picnics. The water of the spring flows
out from beneath a high stone bluff in a clear,
cold stream of the finest quality and in great
abundance, A nice grove in the valley near the
spring added to the attraction and made it one
of the loveliest places for many miles around.
Many years before the war the Beaver Springs
Missionary Baptist Association built a log church
at this place. During the war it was bu rnt down.
Another log church was built apout 1867. This
served as a place of worship until about the year
1 884 when the present frame structure was erect-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 55
ed. Robert Anderson located there in 1887 and
started a little country store and the post office
was established that year, named Anderson.
S. T. Bennett ran a saw mill here about the same
time. When the railroad was built and a station
established the place at once sprang into import-
ance. The town of Anderson was surveyed and
platted by M. E. Meador, April 8, 1891. In the
following August, S. T. Bennett had Bennett's
Addition to the town of Anderson laid off . Sev-
eral good business houses and neat residences
have been built and a vast amount of trade has
been attracted to the town by the enterprise of
its people.
Buffalo City.
John and William Pogue dug a well on their
fathers farm on Buffalo creek, the place now own-
ed by Royal Harrington, and had a town survey-
ed and platted in August, 1881. There never
was any foundation for the pretention of medical
properties for this water and no one ever put
any faith in the town or its founders. A little
stock of goods was kept there a short time, but
the land was again fenced into the farm after a
couple of years and Buffalo City put back into
cultivation.
56 history of mcdonald county.
Bannock.
/
This was formerly a small village on Buffalo
creek some mile or two above the state line.
Jim and Lee Skinner built a mill here some years
before the war which was burnt during that un-
pleasant period. Hiram Young rebuilt it and
for some time had an upright saw for the pur-
pose of making lumber. In late years W. G.
Smith kept a stock of general merchandise and
George Hurley had a drug store. The old mill
was replaced several years ago by one with
good sets of corn and wheat burrs and did quite
an extensive business until the roller process
came into general use. The mill is still operat-
ed, but all other, business has long since been
abandoned or moved away. Bill Roberts, who
once kept a store there gave it the name, but I
have not been able to find any one who knows
from what it is derived.
Caverna.
Caverna is located near the Arkansas line on
Little Sugar creek, and has a water mill and
store. This has been a mill site for the last
fifty years or more. The water power is fine
and capable of running more than ten times the
machinery it now operates. Should a rail road
ever be built through that part of the county it
is liable to become a flourishing little town. The
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 57
post office was established here about 1867.
There are numerous caves m this vicinity, some
quite extensive, and the name was derived from
them.
Coy.
Coy is now a post office and small trading point
on Patterson creek just below the widow Mc-
Millin farm. Along about 1883 Sterling Mitchell,
son of W. B. Mitchell went to Texas and there
married a young lady of considerable fortune.
Young Mitchell, with his new bride, came back
to McDonald county when he conceived the idea
of building a mill and laying out a town at the
upper end of his father's farm. He soon had the
enterprise under headway and the mill was soon
running. Mitchell, however, soon sold out and
went back to Texas. The mill changed hands
a few times, when it was purchased by T. H.
Wimpey and George McCoy, who operated it
successfully for several years, doing a general
merchant and custom business and running a
saw mill in connection. T. H. Wimpey, Frank
Beeman, Howard Langley and W. G. Smith were
among those who kept stores there. In 1896 the
mill was moved to Tiff City, but a saw mill was
soon located on the old site. The store for the
past year or two has been run by John and Dallas
Seabourn and Wm. Cunningham. McCoy sold
58 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
his interest in the mill a few years ago and has
been farming since.
Crystal Springs.
About the time of the excitement over Med-
ical Water, an effort was made to build up a
health resort at Crystal spring about two miles
north of Pineville. J. P. LaMance was one of
the leading men in the enterprise. A company
was formed and an assessment was made in
August 1881 for the purpose of building a hotel.
Nothing was done beyond the erection of one or
two small buildings, and the project was soon
abandoned.
Cyclone.
Cyclone is the name given to a small trad-
ing point on Big Sugar creek about eight miles
above Pineville. It has a water mill and a gen-
eral store. J. A. Poster keeps the store and
has charge of the post office which was estab-
lished in 1883.
Donohue — Goodman .
When the rail road was built through this
county in 1890, a small station has established
in the northwest part of Erie township. This
went under the name of Erie Station, and New
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 59
Erie, but was finally named Wade, in honor of
W. H. Wade, then member of Congress from
this district. It was not a very desirable location
and, beyond a few small dwellings and two or
three little business houses, never made much
growth. When the railroad passed into the
Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf Company, the
town of Donohue was laid out and a good de-
pot built there. It is quite a point for shipping
timber for the lead and coal mines.
Elk Mills.
In ante bellum days Elk Mills promised to be
the leading town of the county. Situated on the
Elk River near the Nation line, surrounded by
the broad river bottom farms and in close prox-
imity to the fertile valleys of Patterson and
Buffalo creeks with the rich prairies within a
couple of miles, its inhabitants might well look
forward to a bright future. Besides, the water
facilities here are most excellent and easily util-
ized. As long ago as the early 50 's there was a
good big grist mill here, and in 1856 there was
a hotel, kept by L. Richtus. Aron Scritchfield
was black smith. W. H. Sorrels kept a drug store.
E. S. Lindsey, W. N. Manter and Jameson and
Manter each kept stocks of general merchandise.
Several other families, among whom was Dr.
Trader, lived there, The mill was burnt during
60 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
the war, and the town gradually fell into decay,
until now there are but a few old ruins left to
mark the spot where it once stood.
Enterprise.
This town was located on the farm now occu-
pied by the widow Keenan on Patterson creek.
It sprung up when the Indians were first removed
to the Indian Territory and up to the war was
a trading point of considerable importance. Jim
Bly kept a store and the post office. William
Bly, who married a Cherokee in Georgia had a
steam distillery. John Patterson built the mill
there which afterwards belonged to Caulk. A
part Cherokee named David Harlin, at one time
owned the distillery. He sat out twenty-five
acres in peach trees for the purpose of raising
fruit to make peach brandy. Samuel Lane, of
Roan county Tennessee, was the blacksmith until
1846, when he died. There were thirty or forty
houses in the village, and about two hundred
inhabitants.
Erie.
The first post office was established at Erie in
1851, at the residence of JohnM. Harmon. It re-
mained there until Mr. Harmon's death in 1861!.
The office was discontinued until 1868 when it
was re-established. This same year the town
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 61
of Erie was laid off at the instance of Dan Har-
mon, he being" the owner of the land Since that
time it has been a small trading point, there be-
ing usually one or two stores. The best busi-
ness house ever built there was a one story brick
put up by Dan Harmon about 1890 or 1891. It
was burnt with the entire contents, a stock of
general merchandise owned by Charlie Harmon,
on the night of March 12, 1895. This proved a
severe loss to the worthy young man, who was
at the time dangerously ill with pneumonia, and
the place has never regained its former business
prosperity. This village is situated in a fertile
part of the county, which is inhabited by an in-
telligent, thrifty and agreable set of people.
Gates — May.
This was a post office at the forks of Buffalo
creek and Sugar Fork, established a few years
after the first settlement in that vicinity. It was
on the route from Neosho to Maysville. Richard
Price was post master for several years before
the war. Along in the eighties, while W. T.
Child held the position, he resigned, and the
office was discontinued for a while. Dr. Maynard
located there, put up a small store and the office
was revived under the name of May. Gates was
so called from General Gates, and May from the
first syllable of the doctor's name, or that of his
62 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
daughter May.
Hart
Prior to 1840, the northwest part of Buffalo
township was very sparsely settled. The road
from Seneca to Southwest City left the state line
near the Newton county line and swung out into
the Nation for some three or four miles. The
Plat Woods between Buffalo creek and the state
line was almost an unbroken forest. In 1883
Phillip Rinehart interested the neighbors in cut-
ting a road straight through thus enabling trav-
elers to cut off the bend into the Nation. The
post offices for the community were Seneca or
Tiff City, each about seven miles distant.
The writer presented a petition to the county
court to establish the public road as made by
Mr. Rinehart and the same year made applica-
tion to establish a post office on the route. This
application was endorsed by W. T. Child, P. M.
at Gates, and in a short time an order was re-
cieved to select as short and convenient a name
as possible. Mr. or Mrs Child suggested Hart,
the last syllable of Mr. Rinehart 's name, and in
in a few weeks we were getting our mail daily
almost at our doors. Mr. Rinehart served for
some time, then the office was moved from his
house to Chandler's mill. Tom Cummings built
the house now occupied by William Spraggins
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 63
and for a while the office was kept at his house.
About 1885, C. Tucker bought out Cummings,
and put up a neat store building and a nice stock
of goods. He soon built up a good trade and
for a few years did well. Since that time Hart
has been a considerable trading point as well as
post office.
Indian Springs.
Among the traditions of the Indians who
formerly inhabited this section of country, was
one of the healing qualities of the springs near
Indian creek. The first white men to visit the
country were told of them, but the Indians
could never be induced to reveal their location.
The older settlers who claim to be posted in the
lore of the community, say that a man named
Friend, one of the first settlers on Indian creek,
made a search for the springs and found the fa-
mous Four Great Medical Springs. One of his
family being severely afflicted with rheumatism
the water was used and a cure speedily effected.
Mrs. Carroll used the water about 1840, and a
most remarkable cure was the result. There
being but few people in the country, and the
means of spreading news meager, the medicinal
properties seem to have been forgotten and the
use of the water discontinued until 1880. About
this time J. J. McNatt and a few others took an
64 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
interest in the springs and arrangements were
made to more thoroughly test the medical prop-
erties of the water. The result proving satis-
factory, a village was laid out July 7, 1881. R.
W. Williams, Robert Anderson and John Bar-
low were the trustees, and T. J. Golden, treas-
urer. In seven days two hundred lots were sold
and twenty buildings erected. The town enjoy-
ed a lively boom, people flocking in from all di-
rections. The growth was so rapid that in Au-
gust of the same year, McNatt laid out an addi-
tion to the town, Williams & Tennison another;
Williams & McNatt a third, and in March, 1882,
Boyden a fourth. When at its best the popula-
tion was estimated at near 2000. The four
springs were nicely improved with walls fencing,
pipes, etc., bath houses built, substantial busi-
ness houses erected, and the little city had every
appearance of permanence. A handsome City
Park was reserved, a rostrum and band stand
erected, and here for several years were held
picnics, public meetings celebrations, etc., where
large crowds always assembled to enjoy the
hospitality of the people of the famous Indian
Medical Springs.
Aniongthe prominenl men whose names ap-
peal- in connection with the place at that time
are: W. E. Smith, Scott Ferris, W. J. Adkins,
J. B. Barlow P. M. Fink, L. C. Brown, Edward
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 65
Bogard and James C. Cole, city attorney.
One part of the city was named College Hill
and on this was built a handsome two-story
school house 36x56 feet being for many years the
best school building in the county. A handsome
hotel called the Planter's was built there, and
for some time did a good business. It is the
largest and best arranged hotel building ever
erected in McDonald county.
But the fates were against Indian Springs and
the boom soon bursted. The town gradually fell
into decay. Many buildings were moved away;
some were destroyed by fire, while others were
left vacant until destroyed by the ravages of time.
In 1887 Dr. J. C. PeTit, of Joplin rented the
hotel and undertook to establish a printing office
and infirmary. He advertised quite extensively,
and for a while there was hopes of reviving the
fortunes of the town. But this enterprise failed,
and, now but little is left of the once famous town.
P. M. Pink has a neat stock of general merchan-
dise and also runs the hotel. Robert Duffield
has a small general stock.
The following taken from the history of Mc-
Donald county published in 1888, is a beautiful
description of the lake and its surroundings.
The steam boat has since been sold and the grand
excursions numbered with the pleasures that
went with the passing of the city :
G6 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
"At the foot of the hill some 100 yards from
the town is lake Mc Natt, a beautiful body of
water, formed by the dam across Indian creek,
and is about three miles in length by half a mile
wide, its waters as clear as crystal and vary-
ing in depth from five to fifteen feet, its banks
diversified with beautiful valleys, wooded hills
and rocky cliffs, whose tops, in places, project
for many feet over the water and are reflected
in its clear depths. On this lake has been built
a beautiful little side-w T heel steam boat capable
of seating about seventy-five persons, and noth-
ing is more enjoyable than a ride around the lake
on this boat, giving one a fine view of the wooded
hills and rocky cliffs on one side, and the fertile
valleys and cultivated fields on the other, and at
the foot of the lake the mill, with its whirr and
bustle and busy scenes of active life, reminding
us that we are not wholly seggregated from the
great work-day world about us. Now T here in all
the great Southwest can there be found within
the same radius a more beautiful or picturesque
region than that immediately surrounding this
place."
Lanagan.
In 1886 Dr. Fausett in the employment of a
Pennsylvania Oil company bored down to a depth
of b44 feet where he struck a strong vein of white
HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY. 67
sulphur water which flows with great force. It
is located on a high bank of Indian creek and is
surounded by various other springs. The oil
project, was abandoned, but M. R. DeGroff, I. D.
Galbraith T. C. Lanagan and others purchased
the land and, when the railroad was built, con-
ceived the idea of building a town. It was called
Sulphur Well City. But little was done with it
until the railroad, or Ozark Orchard Company
secured the most of the land when a depot was
built and the place named Lanagan. The well
has been sealed up, all but a small stream and
the water conducted to a tank and fountain near
the depot. This fountain is quite a novel sight
and is admired by the many hundreds of people
who stop at this station on their way up and
down the road. This artesian well flows with
sufficient force and volume to supply a good big
town, while its medical qualities are nowhere
surpassed in the Great Southwest. A beautiful
park with numerous sprays and fountains and
lakes could easily be made here supplied by this
1 'natural water works ' ' and Lanagan be made
one of the most attractive of health resorts.
At present it is a prosperous little village with
three stores, two hotels a new church and school
house, and is doing a large timber business. C.
Lewis & Son for several years have kept a large
stock of goods here, run a saw mill and done per-
68 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
haps the largest business of any one firm in the
county.
Noel..
For many years T. A. Marshall kept a store
on his farm in Elk River township, but when
the railroad was built the town of Noel was plat-
ted and he moved his business to that place.
There has never been any effort to boom this
town, but it has had a steady and permanent
growth. One of the best business houses in the
county is at Noel. It is a substantial one story
stone containing four large rooms, Two are oc-
cupied by Marshall, Tatum & Co., one by Dr.
Beeson'sdrug store, the other by Charles Gratz,
hardware. There are several other small stores
in town. C. E. Davis has just completed a hand-
some hotel building. The O'Jo Club House,
which stands on the promontory between Butler
creek and the river is a handsome place. The
grain elevator, draws much important business
and, in connection with the stock yards, makes
Noel the most important shipping point in the
county for grain and live stock.
This town is noted for the beauty of its
location, the style and neatness of its dwellings
and its water facilities for fishing, bathing and
boating.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 69
PlNEVILLE.
On the 11th day of June, 1847, the present site
of Pineville was surveyed for Samuel Burke,
who then owned the land. Nine blocks were
laid out, the center one being reserved for a pub-
lic square. On this the first court house was
built a few years later. The new town was nam-
ed Maryville, in honor of Mrs. Mary Mosier,
wife of J\ K. Mosier.
At this time Newton county embraced all of
the territory now included in McDonald county
and the records of the location of Maryville are
on file in that county. Incident to the contest
over the county seat that came up soon afterward;
also partly owing to the fact that the pine forests
reached almost to the borders of the town, and
considerable pine lumber was sawed there, the
name was changed to Pineville, a few years
after its first survey. Another reason given
for the change of name is that there was anoth-
er Maryville in this state.
When the act of March 3, 1849, passed the
legislature providing for the organization of
McDonald county, the commissioners were ap-
pointed and ordered to meet at Pineville. But
the little town of Rutledge became a contest-
ant for the county seat, and a county seat war
was at once precipitated. After a three days
70 HISTORY OF MCDONALD CO TXT Y.
election Rutledge won by a small majority, and
that place became the seat of justice until it
was finally relocated at Pinevilleinl857. J. K.
Mosier and John B. King were among the lead-
ing spirits in favor of Pineville, and Joseph
Pearson and Burton McGhee, in favor of Rut-
ledge.
The contest spread from the rival towns until
it became a struggle between the two ends
of the county. During this time considerable
ill feelings were engendered, and several fist
and skull fights occured between members of
the two factions. Propositions were bandied
back and forth to meet at the ford of the river
and "fight the battle of Beuna Vista'" over
again, and let the result settle the matter.
But this was done rather in a spirit of humor or
bravado.
In the History of this county published in 1888
is the following account: "The row over the
county seat in 1849 resulted in the murder of
Colpin Goss by Simon Cockerill, David Finch,
by Hamp Walters, and in old man Finch stabbing
Walters at the same time, from the effects of
which he died some time later. '
Dr W. C Duval, then a practicing physician
at Rutledge and an eye witness of the killing of
Copeland, not Coplin, Goss says it was done in
a drunken row. and that both parties were west
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 71
end men. Several parties were drunk and were
urging Goss onto Cockerill. The Dr. got be-
tween them and for some time kept them apart,
but his efforts to make peace between the two
parties was thwarted by some one catching him
from behind and pulling him out of the way.
At the same instant Goss was pushed onto Cock-
erill, who at once fired his pistol, the ball pass-
ing through Goss' heart. The Dr. also states
that the Finch and Walters murders arose from
a similiar spree.
The west end of the county contained the
largest population, consequently were able to
out vote the east end, but in 1857, an act of the
legislature was procured providing for the loca-
tion of the county seat within a certain distance
of the center of the county.
This left Rutledge out of .consideration, and
Pineville, being the only point available, was
selected as the permanent county seat. At this
time the name Mary vill was changed to Pineville.
The town was located in the northwest quarter
of section 34, township 22, range 32, J. K. Mosier
donated seventeen and one -half acres, Henry
Miller twenty acres, John B. King fifteen acres,
and A. A. Hensleyten acres. The commission-
ers who relocated the county seat where, Lyman
Beeman, Moses Shelton and William. McClure.
They performedthis important piece of business,
Hie first Monday in January, 1858.
72 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
The records of their transaction, and all sub-
sequent conveyances, were destroyed during the
Civil War, and a suit to establish the title to
those lands was afterwards instituted in the cir-
cuit court, and a decree rendered to that effect.
That the people of the new county seat had
confidence in its future is evidenced by the price
of the lots which were sold March 22, 1857.
William Southward purchased Lot 1, Block 42,
for $100.25. Thomas H. Howeth purchased
Lot 1, Block 49 for $101. Willis R. Cox purch-
ased Lot 3, Block 40 for $100,10. John Carroll
purchased Lot 3, Block 32 for $100. D. T. Lau-
derdale and 1. 1. Hackney purchased Lot 4 Block
42 for $100. Richard Kelley purchased Lot 4,
Block 32 for $100. Thomas P. Bradley purchased
Lot 2, Block 23 for $50. Various other lots were
purchased at the same sale, the lowest price
being two lots for $45. One-fourth of the money
was paid in cash.
About the month of August, 1858, Thomas H.
Howeth assigned his interest in Lot 1, Block 49
to W. C. Duval, and in January 1859 J. P. La-
Mance bought the interest of William South-
ward to Lot 1, Block 42. Smith Elkins was the
first County Seat Commissioner for the sale of
lots. He was succeeded by G. C. Culp. It ap-
pears that all the lots were sold except the court
house square and half the jail lot.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. i3
The first buildings erected at this place were
of logs, John Starns having built the first house
in what is now the southwest part of town. A
log house was soon after put up just back of
where Walter's store now is. It was used for a
saloon. The old Pineville hotel, which was torn
down in 1894, was built a few years before the
war. Among the few Ante-Bellum houses that
are still standing are: The brick hotel now oc-
cupied by John Ware. It was then known as
the Russell House and was operated by Colonel
Russell; the dwelling now owned by Joseph W.
Kelley, which was then occupied by Dr. A. W.
Ohenoweth; the residence now owned by J. H.
Moffett, and the house now owned by Mrs. Brad-
ley. In 1858 Claudius B. Walker built a two-
story frame hotel near where the south end of
Farmer & Son's store now is. This was burnt
by bushwhackers during the war.
Among the business men in Pineville prior to
1861 were J. C. Baber, who located here in 1858.
From that time to 1891 he was one of the leading
men of the town and county, J. P. LaMance
was then a merchant doing business at the north-
west corner of the square where Noel & Chen-
•oweth's hardware now is. Samuel Carroll had
•a grocery store on the lots now occupied by J.
K. Maxfield's building. Samuel K. Cotter was
doin°r business where Farmer's store now is.
74 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
David Payne and John Goodrich were the law-
yers. W. C. Duval and A. W Chenoweth were
the doctors.
The first court house was a one- story frame,
built on the lots now occupied by Bradley's liv-
ery stable. This was used until the brick court
house was completed on the site of the present
one, about the beginning of the war. The old
court house was on the same plan as the present
one, but was three stories, the upper one having
been built by the Free Masons. It is said, how-
ever, that it was never occupied by them. In
August or September, 1863 a raid was made on
the town b}^ a band of bushwhackers and the
court house, with all the records there, was set
fire to and burnt.
A few of the papers and records had been
carried away by A. A. Hensley, the clerk, but
the larger portion had been stored away in the
attic. M. N. LaMance, who witnessed the burn-
ing, states that he saw the records fall from the
attic into the fire below.
During the war the town suffered to some ex-
tent from the ravages incident to the conflict,
but since that time it has built up slowly, but
gradually and at the present time has a number
of good residences and substantial brick business
houses.
In November, 1872, two-thirds of the taxpay-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 75
ers petitioned the county court to incorporate
the town, which was accordingly done, and R.
L. Hargrove, J. C, Baber, Z. Smith, J. P. La-
Mance and Isam Williams were appointed a
board of trustees. The organization proved in-
effective and too expensive for so small a place
and was soon abandoned. It was again incorpo-
rated in 1895, A. C. Walters, J. H. Moffett, A.
K. Maxfield, Dr. J. C. Farmer, M. N. LaMance,
being appointed trustees; A. V. Manning City
Attorney. The organization is still in force.
Pineville has not suffered much loss by fire,
except during the war. However, March 19,
1879, a fire broke out in Farmer & Chenoweth's
drug store that destroyed all the business houses
on the west side of the square north of where
LaMance's brick now stands. Besides Farmer
& Chenoweth's store, Malin's drug store,
Brown's dry goods store, J. W. Warmack's
grocery store and the News printing office were
burnt. The origin of the fire is not definitely
known, but it was supposed to have been the
work of an incendiary, instigated by a spirit of
revenge against Dr. Chenoweth on account of
his persistent fight against the liquor traffic.
There was no church building at Pineville in
the earlier days, but the Methodist held services
in a store building on Main street somewhere in
the vicinity of the site of the Pineville, or Wilson,
76 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
hotel. This old building has long since been
torn down or otherwise destroyed. In 1868, the
old Methodist church was erected which served
until 1896, when the present handsome structure
was erected, and the old one torn down and the
lumber used in building a neat Parsonage.
The present Babtist church, which is a neat
and commodious building, was erected in 1888.
The first public school at this place was es-
tablished a few years before the war. A frame
school house was built in the northeast part of
town near where Julian Lamb or Mrs. Morrison
now lives. School was held for a while in the
old frame court house, but whether before or
after the war I have not been able to ascertain.
The old brick school house was built sometime
in the seventies. The present two-story brick
was erected in 1894, at a cost of $2,500.
Powell.
Powell has been a central point for that part
of the county since the first settlement. A small
grist mill and a distillery were the first enter-
prises started, which were operated until about
1861. Since the war there has been a store
most of the time. The post office was established
a few years after the war. G. W. Howard now
keeps the store, and there are one or two black-
smith shops.
history of mcdonald county. 77
Rocky Comfort.
Rocky Comfort is a nice little town in the
northeast corner of the county, and has a popu-
lation of between 200 and 300 people. It can
boast of as fine a set of citizens as can be found
in the great Southwest. They have a handsome
school house, good churches, and almost all
branches of business are represented. It is lo-
cated in the heart of a rich agricultural country
which is settled by a thrifty class of people.
The first part of the name was given from the
ground being originally covered with rocks on
the hill sides, while the beautiful valley with
the spring of cold water suggested the name of
Comfort. The euphony of the name can not be
fully realized until one has seen the place and
been an eye witness to its appropriateness.
There were a few families at this place as early
as 1850, and a few houses are still standing that
were built before the war. The post office was
established in 1865 or 1866. Before that time
the people got their mail at Hazle Bottom in
Barry county, where a post office was established
about 1845.
RtTTEEDGE.
The first county seat of McDonald county was
at Rutledge on Elk River just below the mouth
78 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
of Indian creek. It bears the distinction of
having beaten Pineville for the county seat in
three seperate election. The town dates back
to 1849. Dr. Duval located at this place when
he first came to the county. Pearson kept a
hotel. Wear & Farmer were merchants in the
early day, afterwards selling to J. P. LaMance.
Richard Kelley kept a saloon. There were,
perhaps, many good people in the vicinity, but,
"The evil that men do live after them,' so it
seems to be with this little town. It was here
that a drunken mob pushed Copeland Goss onto
Simon Cocke rill, causing him to be shot through
the heart. Here Hamp Walters killed Daniel
Pinch by stabbing him from the rear with a
long, murderous bowie knife. It is related
that one night A A. Hensley, Adam Mos-
ier and others, while on a spree, threw down
the old log court house. The removal of the
county seat left nothing of the town but the
name. Since the building of the railroad a
switch has been placed there and one or two
small stores have been in operation most of the
time. The place is now called Madge.
Saratoga Springs.
In one of the abrupt hollows, or brakes, that
make down from the level lands near the edge
of Cow Skin Prairie, in Prairie township, is one
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 79
of the finest springs of water in this famous
country of springs. It flows boldly from the
side of the bluff some thirty or forty feet above
the bottom of the hill in a stream some three or
four inches in diameter. At the top of the hill,
some two hundred yards away, on a nice, level
tract of land, part timber and part prairie, was
laid out the town of Saratoga Springs. The
original town was surveyed in October, 1880, for
Bullock, Wisdom & Cox. Bullock & Wisdom's
first addition, Bullock & Whitney's second ad-
dition, and Colvin & Baker's addition were all
laid out in November, 1881.
This was one of the Medical Springs towns
and for a year or two promised to be a place of
some importance. It had the prettiest location
and most abundant water supply of all the med-
ical towns. Several good business houses and
many neat dwellings were erected. A good
school was maintained, and a newspaper flour-
ished in its xoalmiest days. But the pride of her
glory has long since departed; the bloom of her
beauty faded slowly away, and there is now only
a few families, a post office and a couple of small
stores remaining of the once promising little city.
Silver Springs.
William and Arzelia C. Harness conceived
an idea that an immense fortune was flowing
80 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
away through the waters of a spring on section 6,
township 22, range 29, and, in anticipation of
the vast treasures of the white metal they ex-
pected to gather from the adventure, in August
1881, had the town of Silver Springs surveyed.
But the seasons came and went. William 's beard
grew grizzled, and the cheeks of the fair Arzela
lost the pink tint of youth, but adversity napped
her wings over the enterprise, and their bright
dreams of stocking legs filled with the shining
metal vanished for aye — and the water still
trickles through the gravel as of yore.
Simcoe.
This is a post office and country store on the
line between Elk Horn and Rich wood townships
about half way between Bethpage and Rocky
Comfort. A co-operative store was run here
for a while but eventually passed into the
hands of private persons. The neighboring
farmers who had banked their savings in the
enterprise, for a while basked in the sunlight of
their day-visions when they were to be bloated
bondholders and sport gold-headed canes. But
the weird soughing of the wind through the bare
shelves and the rattle of mice in the empty su-
gar barrels awoke them from their bright dreams,
and a melancholy search was made in the recess-
es of their jeans for about #2000 to settle the lia-
bilities.
history of mcdonald county. 81
Splitlog and The Rail Road.
McDonald county is not wholly devoid of fi-
nancial enterprises and the town of Splitlog
was the product of a scheme that at the time
produced great excitement in our usually quiet
community.
About 1880 Dr. Benna, an old California pros-
pector, entered forty acres of land and began
prospecting for gold and silver. He was with-
out means, consequently his work progressed
slowly. The Dr. in some respects, was a pecu-
liar individual and there is little doubt that he
honestly believed there were bodies of the pre-
cious metals, could he only find them. He con-
tinued his work as best he could for upwards of
five years. In the summer of 1886 he succeeded
in getting M. W. Clay of Newton county and
Smith Nichols of Seneca, interested in the proj-
ect and they took leases and at once began pros-
pecting. They were apparently more successful
than the doctor had been, for they soon took
out dirt that on being sent to Chicago made a
very encouraging assay. Nichols soon disposed
of his interest and Mathias Splitlog a very
wealthy Indian was induced to take hold of the
enterprise. He put down a number of shafts,
built a fine hotel and two or three business houses.
The assavs continued to be favorable and the
82 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
excitement spread, The Neosho Silver Mining
Company, The Philadelphia Company, and the
St Louis Company took leases or purchased
lands. It is claimed that the Philadelphia com-
pany paid $15,000 for the south half section 9,
township 23, range 33, a particularly barren and
worthless tract of land.
Confident of ultimate success, and that the city
which bore his name would soon be the center
of a rich mining district, Splitlog conceived the
idea of building a railroad to his mines. A com-
pany was formed, a charter procured and the road
built and equipped from Joplin to Splitlog, the
old Indian furnishing most of the money. In the
mean time he had sold a tract of land near Wy-
andott, Kansas, for $170,000, and most of this he
had invested in his u great project."
By this time it had been fully demonstrated
that the mines were worthless; the rich quartz
was just common McDonald county rock, and a
poor quality at that. Splitlog 's bank account
was about non est and the great balloon instead
of busting all at once had received a puncture
and was dying with a gradual "squizzle.'
But there was too much money invested in the
rail road to let it be abandoned. Eastern men
were induced to take hold of it, and work was
begun to extend it both north and south. For
a while it was under the management of H W.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 83
Bush, afterwards of John B. Stevenson. The
route was changed and Splitlog left a couple of
miles off the road. Finally the K. C. P. & G.
Co. bought it, and for some years it has been in
operation from Kansas City to Siloam Springs,
Arkansas. Last year it was pushed on through
a portion of the Indian Territory, and is now
completed to Pout Arthur, on the Gulf of Mex-
ico. The little road begun by Mathias Splitlog
has grown to be one of the most important north
and south roads in the United States. He died
at his home in the Indian Territory, about two
miles below Tiff City, in January, 1897. A post
office and small store, with a few families is all
there is left of this once promising town.
Mention of this place was overlooked in writ-
ing up Buffalo township.
Southwest City.
This is the largest and most important town
in McDonald county, and contains many substan-
tial business houses, neat and handsome dwell-
ings, and has a population of some 1,200 people.
It is located near the southwest corner of the
state, the name being derived from the location.
After talking with a number of the old citizens
of that place and looking over the situation I
have concluded that the following account tak-
en from the history of this county published in
84 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
1888 is as correct as it is possible to get:
"The town now known as Southwest City is
admirably located on the border of the Indian
Territory, and within 6600 feet of the corner
stone of Arkansas, Missouri and the Indian
country. Within the town, and about it on the
north, west and east, crystal springs pour from
the hill- sides, while Honey Creek, which runs
through the center, is itself a spring stream.
North is the celebrated Cow Skin Prairie and
the great fields of the Cherokees. Westward is
the Indian paradise, and south and southwest
is the great pine and hard wood region of the
Grand Neosho. Within the last few years social
conditions have entirely changed so that now the
cattlemen enter town in peace and leave in peace.
Even the Indians have realized the change, and
conform to it with ease and dignity, giving to
the new city some of the old sweetness of the
former settlement of Honey Creek.
"J. P. LaMance and Burton McGhee were the
first settlers of Southwest City in 1842. In the
spring of 1843, Mr. Lamance and his wife moved
one-half mile out to Case's Spring, and took
posession of one of Case's log huts; thence in
March, 1843, to the site of what is now Saratoga
Springs, where he resided until 1845, when he
was appointed government school teacher in the
Nation. Burton McGhee opened a tavern there
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 89
1842. Adani Cole settled three-fourths of a nr rs
south of McGhee's three or four years latdyf
Case was a horse- trader, who came here to traa--
with the Indians and found the cabins abovt
named. In one of these cabins Jennie LaMance,
who died in her sixteenth year, was born. In
1846 Burton McGhee established his trading
house or general store here, and for ten years
after that date carried on a large business. In
1856 he sold his stock of goods to J. P. LaMance
and returned to his farm on Cow T Skin Prairie,
where he died.
A part of the McGhee property was sold by
the administrator of the estate to J. C. Lamson
after the close of the w r ar. In 1870 Mr. Lamson
had a town site surveyed here under the name
of South w r est City. The LaMance store was con -
tinued here until the close of 1861. In 1866 a
house was built by Alex Struthers north of what
is now the Corum House, and in this building
LaMance and Struthers continued business until
1869, when J. Struthers purchased their respect-
ive interests. The Barton store was established
in 1871. In 1870, when Col. Shields built his
hotel, now the Corum House, John and Alex
Struthers' store stood where the Struther's
dwelling stood before the lire of 1877. South
was Pollard's blacksmith shop, the same which
Barton fitted for a store-room. About this time
8
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
ie tobacco warehouse of Col. Bondurst on Wet
'rairie was confiscated, and much of the lumber
wrought to the new city and partly used in build-
ing the houses just south of the Smith & Sea-
bourn brick block. Hugh Blair lived in a cab-
in 100 yards west of the same block. A black-
smith shop, stood fifty yards north of Honey
creek, on the west side of the road. ' '
The first school taught here was by Lee Smith,
about 1869 or 1870. It was in a small frame
building, lined with brick, which stood a few
yards southeast of where Mrs. Fannie Preston's
residence now is. The old two-story frame school
house was built about 1885. The present, a
handsome two-story brick with six rooms was
built in 1896, at a cost of $5,000.
The Methodist, Baptist, Christians and Pres-
byterians all have neat churches.
During its nearly thirty years existence this
little city has had many exciting scenes, the two
most noted of which are the fire which occured
Sunday, January 10, 1892, and the bank robbery,
which took place May 10, 1894. They are graph-
ically described in the Enterprise of January
16, 1892, and May 11, 1894 respectively as follows:
' 'On Sunday morning last at about 4:30 o'clock
a loud explosion, which shook the very earth
and made the windows and shutters rattle in ev-
ery home in Southwest City and which awakened
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 89
cur citizens, was but the prelude to the cryrs
fire, fire, which resounded through our streebf
accompanied by the furious ringing of bells an-
the cries of people as they frantically rushet
from their homes to the scene.
When first discovered smoke was seen issuing
from the Masonic Temple over Smith & Sea-
bourn's hardware store, and the light from the
flames could be plainly seen playing against
the curtained windows.
Mr. Turner, a photographer, who sleeps in
his tent-gallery opposite the hardware store on
the other side of the street, was awakened by
the violent concussion of the shock and a shower
of plate glass and other broken matter, against
his tent. In less than a half minute he was in
the hardware building with a bucket of water
he had snatched up. The whole front was blown
out which accounted for the previous shower of
glass, which awakened him. A place was burn-
ing in the back part of the building, apparently
half-way across the room between two joists,
and the lamp which was suspended had fallen
to the floor and broken and the oil was burning,
which he promptly put out. But fire was drop-
ing from the ceiling all around and he hurried
back to replenish his bucket with water. By
the time he got back with the water quite a num-
ber had congregated, and the fire by this time
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
as bursting from the windows up stairs and
he fire in the interior of the hardware was
dropping down steadily, but hesitated when the
other explosion occurred — one, two, three times.
' 'In the mean time Mr. Mastin, who works in
the back part of the room in the harnes-making
department, arrived at the back door which was
open. He was engaged in trying to get down
4
some harness to carry out when another explo-
sion occurred and he quit precipitately. The
fire was then nearly all in front of the hardware
and was spreading through the archway which
connects the general merchandise room and is
at the back of the entrance of Smith Bros, drug
store which was located between the two stores.
In ten minutes the whole building was in flames
up and down stairs and it was with difficulty
that parties having offices in the second story
of the adjoining building north reached them
and saved a few effects, for the smoke was stif-
ling. In about half an hour three adjoining
bricks were in flames and the flames were still
spreading. Froni this block of bricks the fire,
which was intensely hot, spread to Dumont's
grocery and Dr. Frank Smith's office. The fire
on the north jumped the side street across to
the Gorton building, a frame, which contained
Murph Harmon, s saloon, and all heroic meas-
ures failed to keep it from going; awnings were
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 89
torn away from before the saloon and Sanders
<fe Morrison's store on the north and a line of
bucket men stood on the roof of Sanders & Mor-
rison's fire wall, which is a hollow one, and to-
gether w T ith a free use of salt the building was
saved, although badly damaged.
' 'Dr. Frank Smith's office was the last building
on the southern limits of the burned district to
go with the rest. It was a small one-story frame
and was partly torn down by the force of men
on this side. A line of men with buckets and
wet blankets, re-inforced by plenty of water,
kept watch and fought valirntly from the firewall
of Mrs. Dustin's drug store, which is also a blind
wall, and the fire was finally got under full con-
trol. But forces of workers were busy on the
front of the Corum House, oppsite the scene of
the fire and wet blankets and water did their
work well. The front of John Struthers' store
on the same side of the street as the Corum House,
was subjected to like treatment.
"In the mean time the large frame implement
ware-house of Smith & Seabourn's at the back
of the block could not be saved, and out-buildings
galore were wiped up in the immediate vicinity,
among which was Mrs. Dustin's barn and con-
tents, D. E. Havens' ware house, and only by
the best of work was Mrs. Dustin's residence
saved.
90 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
AMONG THE LOSERS.
Dr. Frank Smith lost $60, probably in books,
instruments, etc.
Doty & Lee, proprietors of the The Enterprise,
lost everything except. books. They hold their
loss at $600.
Mrs. Dustin had her stable and contents de-
stroyed and barely saved her residence. Per-
sonal loss $100.
The Dr. B. F. Smith, Sr., estate lost in two
frame and one brick buildings burned, probably
over $3,500.
Combs Bros, paint shop, brushes, oils, paints,
&c, were entirely consumed by the fire. Loss
about $25.
The Masonic fraternity lost everything, which
they valued at $200, having recently re-fitted
and re-furnished their rooms. No insurance.
C. U. DuMont's grocery lost about $200, prin-
cipally contents of his ware room. However he
retreated in very good shape considering. No
insurance on stock.
In the G. A. R. Hall over D E. Haven's store,
the belongings of that order, also of the S. of V.
and W. R. C. were almost a complete loss. The
first lost goods valued at $125; S. of V., at $10;
W. R. C, $25.
D. E. Havens who occupied the Dr. Smith
brick saved everything butthe contents of a ware-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 91
house on back, which contained oil and bulk
goods. He places his loss at about $200, a
great share of which he attributes to persons of
pilfering habits.
Drs. Quarles & Christian's offices and con-
tents were almost a complete loss. Dr. Quarles,
however, saved a couple armloads of books from
his fine library. The loss to him and his office
associate is nearly $1,200. Books, instruments
and all went, except what they had at
their homes on the night in question.
Smith Bros., druggists, lost their entire stock,
but they were insured to the amount of si, 000
on stock. Books, papers and cash taken from
safe after the fire were uninjured. W. F. Smith,
the junior member, lost the Gorton building
valued at $400, in which Murph Harmon con-
ducted his saloon. Mr. Harmon is out about
$250, principally in bar fixtures, a great part of
his liquor stock being saved. What was saved
of his bar fixtures were so badly damaged as to
render them almost worthless.
Smith & Seabourn are the heaviest losers by
the fire, their loss being estimated at $20,000.
Their brick block comprised four large, hand-
some business rooms; overhead were the Enter-
prise office, Drs. Quarles & Christian's office,
Opera house and Masonic hall. Their hardware
stock was a total loss, except implements and
92 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
wagons, etc., which were stored in their ware-
house, a part of which were saved. About $3-
000 worth of general merchandise and $1,000
worth of implements were got beyond the reach
of the flames. Papers and safe contents taken
out. No insurance.
Bank Robbery.
"About 3,30 o'clock yesterday afternoon seven
well armed men rode into town from the south
and dismounted in the street, just back of the
post office, and tied their horses. Three of them
made their way immediately to the bank while
the other four took positions, two in the pool
hall just north and across the street from the
post office, while the other two stood in Dr.
Nichol's yard. The first words heard from them
was an order for every body to hunt holes,
accompanied by an oath. To give their language
more force, they began firing their Winchesters,
and kept up a f uscilade. The men proceeded to
the bank and covered Mr. Ault, the owner of the
bank, and Mr. Snyder, an assistant with revol-
vers. Two of the men immediately crawled
through the cashier's window, while the third
held revolvers on Mr. Ault and Mr. Snyder.
After relieving the vault and the cashier's
drawer of the money, they deposited it in a sack,
and made for their horses, keeping up a con-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 93
slant firing at every one who dared to show his
head. While the three men were in the bank,
the four men on the outside were doing deadly
execution with their Winchesters,
Ex-State Senator Seabourn and brother Oscar
were in front of Mrs. Dustin's hardware store
when the shooting began, and as they started
for the store door two shots fired simultaneously
struck them, and singularly, in very nearly the
same place, just above the right hip joint in close
proximity to the lower abdomen. The ball that
hit J. C. passed through, while the ball that hit
Oscar had lodged, and at this wilting has not
been located. M. V. Hembree, who was in
W. L. Barker's saloon, received a ball in the
ankle almost severing his leg, and will probably
have to be amputated. By this time men had
secured guns aud returned the fire, and the rob-
bers made retreat as fast as possible. As they
passed the street to Broadway and turned south,
they encountered Simpson Melton, Deputy U.
S. Marshal and fired three shots at him, one
taking effect in the right leg, making a flesh
wound. Melton returned the fire, hitting one
of their horses which had to be abonded in the
south part of town.
About 100 shots were fired on Main street,
and sounded like war times, and many citizens
had very close calls from the robber's guns.
94 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
They rode good horses and the men were under
middle age, and it is reported that one of the
men was recognized as one of the parties who
was arrested on suspicion as being connected
with the Bentonville robbery a few months ago.
Mr. Ault, of the bank, informs us that the rob-
bers secured in the neighborhood of $3,700. For-
tunately for Mr. Ault, his insurance covers
nearly, if not all the loss. After securing the
money Mr. Ault and Mr. Snyder were marched
with the robbers to their horses, and then or-
dered to find holes and be quick about it.
The robbers met a warm reception as they
turned south on Broadway, as several parties,
including City Marshal, Carlyle, D. E. Havens,
G. W. Smith, E. W, Eslinger and S. Melton
were there with their guns, and were not afraid
to use them. It is supposed that one of their
horses was shot at that time by S. Melton, and
another one was shot by J. D. Powell, who put
in some good work as they passed his house.
Charles Pranks and Dick Prater also gave them
a dose as they passed the Baptist church.
It is pretty well known that two of the rob-
bers were wounded as they stopped several teams
going into town and secured horses, and their
wounds were plainly seen. One is shot near
the eye and the other in the back or hip, as in
changing horses he was not able to handle him-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 95
self. They took a horse from Shade Johnson,
and one from a man by the name of Vaughn
and another from Dave Smith, but afterward
turned it loose as it could not travel fast enough.
J. C. Seabourn died of his wound a few days
later, but his brother Oscar eventually recov-
ered. Hembry's foot was taken off above the
ankle.
The robbers went in a southwesterly direction
and track of them was finally lost some distance
below Grand river. That night they stopped
for supper some twelve or fourteen miles below
Southwest, where they dressed their wounds.
The lady who got their supper stated that six
of the seven were wounded. Various parties
were suspected and three arrests were made.
Dr. Wynn and a man named Sparks were the
first two. After investigating the matter,
Sparks was discharged, but Wynn was placed
in jail until the next term of court. The grand
jury failed to find a bill and he was released.
James Condry was indicted, but the case was
nollied, there being no evidence against him.
In the course of time it was demonstrated to
the satisfaction of most of the people of the
town that the raid had been made by Bill Doolin
and his gang. One of them died of a wound
received in this robbery, five were afterwards
killed, and the other one is now serving a term
HISTORY OT N'ALD COUNTY.
in penil ry for some crime of a similar
Twin Spkes -
In the year 18£ lere - quite a mania
for Medical Springs towns over the Southwe -
id McDonald county came in for its share. In
Septa mbexl881 J. P. Madden had a town platted
on Lot '2 of the northwest quarter of section 1
- wnshii 22, range 32 a number of peo-
pL- settled there ida promising little village
wis si rted. The water is very ±ne and the
prineit Is Bows in a large stream from
the side of the hill in quantit;-- sufficient to sup-
ply a lar^ ; wn. But water, alone, will not
- pport a town and after an unsuc — : . strug-
gle : several years the last business uterpris
was abandonded.
At the June term of the county court. 1595. the
owner of the landbv J. A. St _ s his :ornev.
—
appeared and proeurea an order vacating the
p . - iare. pari: sti te and alleys of the
I —nana - Twin S] rings _lo
mc:
White 8 lpeue Spri: -
This litl village derives its name from a
_ 5 llphur spring which furnishes an
abundt jf fine water which contains heali: .
prop
was : - - 1 and at present contains
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
three or four business houses all of which enjoy a
fair trade. It is rather a pretty place and is
surrounded by the most picturesque scenery to
be found in the countv.
Bethpage.
This is the name of a country store and post
office in Elk Horn township that was established
some time after the war. For the past several
years W. W. Chase and Woolard Brothers have
kept stores here.
A few years ago a small mill was in operation
but it was afterwards converted into a distillery,
which is in operation at the present time.
98 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER VII.
Criminal sketches.
The Chenoweth Murder.
On the night of September 12, 1883, Dr. A.
W. Chenoweth was shot from ambush just at
the brow of the hill on the Neosho road at the
north edge of Pineville. The doctor lived about
a quarter of a mile from town, and some time
after dark got in his buggy and started home.
, When he reached the point above stated two
reports from a shot gun in quick succession rang
out on the night air and the doctor fell from his
buggy, riddled with buckshot. The team went
on home and stopped at the barn.
This, with the reports of the gun, alarmed
the family, and his son, Curtie, ran down the
road to see what had occured. Coming upon
the dead body of his father in the road he uttered
a scream of terror and grief that was heard
throughout the little town, and soon the entire
population had gathered at the scene of the
tragedy. 'Intense excitement prevailed. One
of the most useful, prominent and beloved mem-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 99
bers of the community had fallen a victim to the
cowardly assassin, and the threats and impre-
cations of a justly indignant people were ming-
led with the cries of grief from the terrified and
almost heart broken wife and children.
The doctor, for years, had been a leading ad-
vocate of temperance and a bitter opponent to
the illicit traffic in liquor. His antagonism to
blind tigers and saloons had incurred the ill will
of some of its advocates. This feeling was,
also, very likely indulged in by a few of his
political and personal enemies. Garland A. Mann
for several years had been his open and avowed
enemy, and had time and again threatened his
life. Mann had kept a saloon in Pineville at
different times and had probably sold liquor
without license. It was through transactions
connected with the saloon and liquor business
that the enmity between the two men was first
engendered. Besides, Chenoweth was a member
of the Pension Board of Examiners and Mann
was an applicant for a pension. He claimed
that the doctor used his influence to defeat bis
claim. As time passed on the animosity grew
stronger. Mann brooded over his ills, whether
real or supposed, until he imagined every trans-
action of his life that turned out adverse was
caused by the connivance of his enemy. This
state of mind had so wrought upon Mann, and
100 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
his threats had became so frequent and bitter
that the doctor's friends often warned him of
his danger, and when the crime was perpetrated
suspicion at once rested on Mann and he was
arrested the next day.
The trial which ensued was the most noted
that has ever originated in this county. A change
of venue was granted to Newton county. The
defendant owned a farm on the river, besides
some other property which he gave to his law-
yers for his defense. Eminent legal talent was
employed on both sides. Each side had friends
of influence and the fight was long and bitter.
One party was fighting for the life of the defend-
ant, the other contending that the vengeance of
the law might be invoked on the murder of their
friend. He was first tried in April, 1884, the
trial lasting until May 5, when the jury, unable
to agree, was discharged. He was again tried
in August, convicted of murder in the first de-
gree and sentenced to be hung. The case was
reversed in the supreme'court and remanded for
re-trial. The trial was again begun in May,
1885. This resulted in a mistrial the jury being
unable to agree. The fourth trial was begun
August 3, 1885 but on Aug. 6, Mann was killed
in jail by a mob, and thus the noted and expen-
sive trial was terminated. About 1. o'clock that
night a mob, variously estimated at from 100 to
□'HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 101
150 men surrounded the jail at Neosho where
Mann was confined. A deputation of ten or
twelve went in and demanded the keys of Sam
Cotter, one of the guards, and then of Johnson.
They denied having the keys. The door of the
jail was then burst in and the door of the cell
battered down. Mann was of course unarmed,
but it is said that he fought like a savage beast
at bay. But the avengers of his victim's blood
were at hand and a few pistol shots were fired,
then two discharges from a shot gun and the
last act in the great tragedy was over. On ex-
amination, the doctors found six wounds any one
of which would have been fatal.
As to the guilt of Mann, we have never heard
even his friends express a doubt. One of the
attorneys in the case told the writer that one
time Mann prepared a confession of the crime,
but it was destroyed by one of his attorneys,
who insisted that an acquittal would eventually
be secured. No one was ever arrested for the
killing of Mann, although an effort was made to
discover the parties who constituted the possee.
This protracted trial cost over $10,000, and bad
blood was engendered which lasted for several
years, though no serious trouble ever grew out
of it.
In October, 1884. A. M. Dillon, of Pineville
was arrested as an accessory to the killing of
102 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Chenoweth, but was tried and acquitted by a jury
of his own county, there being no substantial
evidence against him.
The Jim Wisdom Case.
One night in December, 1883 there was a dance
at a house on the river a few miles above Sara-
toga. Among others in attendance were James
M. Wisdom, then post master at Saratoga, and
William Judy, a young man less than twenty
years of age. Wisdom was also deputy Sheriff,
and claimed he went to the dance for the pur-
pose of arresting a couple of parties for whom
he had a warrant. The evidence adduced at the
trial of Wisdom proved that when the dance
broke up Wisdom nourished his pistol, abused
Judy and swore he would kill him. He wanted
to ride on Judy's horse, and the boy insisted on
Wisdom taking the horse while he would walk.
Wisdom, however, compelled the boy to get on
and ride up to a stump and let him get on be-
hind all the time nourishing his pistol and swear-
ing he would kill him. The two rode off in front
of the rest of the party Wisdom hold of the bri-
dle reins and still cursing and using his threats.
When they reached the forks of the road where
the Saratoga road turns up the hill a short
distance below where A. J. Avery now lives,
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 103
tl
~he other following on down the river bottom,
Wisdom rode a few yards down the river bottom
road, shot Judy through the body, threw him off
the horse, then turned across to the Saratoga
road and went home on the poor boy's horse.
Parties who were behind on foot came up a few
moments later and found the body lying dead by
the road side. Wisdom who was undoubtedly
drunk claimed the next morning that he knew
nothing about it.
These were squally times in McDonald county.
Austin had killed Hearrell in January 1882. At
the February term of court Madison Evans was
acqitted of the murder of Sherill Brooks, whom
many of the neighbors say he had called out
one morning and shot down in cold blood. The
following September Dr. A. W. Chenoweth was
shot from ambush while returning to his home
near Pineville. These crimes and the acquittal
of so many defendants exasperated the people
and they determined to take the law in their own
hands. Wisdom. Garland A. Mann, and other
prisoners, who were kept in the Carthage jail,
when brought to Pineville for trial had to be
heavily guarded, and on different nights were
secretely taken out in the woods and concealed
until morning. The prisoners and their guards
endured mush iuc3av r eiiienc3 and suffering fro m
the cold and exposure, but at that time avoided
104 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
mob violence.
Wisdom was tried at the April term 1884 of
our circuit court, and found guilty of murder in
the first degree. The judgment was affirmed
on appeal to the supreme court, but the gov-
ernor of the state commuted his sentence to a
life term in the state pennitentiary. During
his confinement he was sick nearly all of the
time, and after a few years he was pardoned
and sent home to die with his family and friends,
the prison physicians giving an opinion' that he
was in the last stages of consumption and could
live but a few w T eeks. He, however, soon regained
his health and at last reports was still alive and
prosperous.
The Hearrell Murder.
About sundown, January 20, 1882, B. F. Aus-
tin shot and killed E. J. Hearrell, at the resi-
dence of W. C. Price on Buffalo creek. There
had been some dealings, also some trouble be-
tween the parties previous to the killing, but
nothing of so serious a nature was apprehended.
The Price residence consisted of a double log
house with a porch between the two rooms.
Price with his family at that time occupied the
east room while Austin, his son-in-law, lived
in the west room, the house however, stands
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 105
diagonally fronting southeast. Austin kept a
blacksmith shop some sixty yards north of the
house.
On the afternoon of the killing, the writer was
at the shop and Austin stated to him that he ex-
pected Hearrell to sue him on an account and in
case he did so wanted his services as attorney
to defend the case. About one hour after this
conversation took place the killing occurred.
Herrall came to the shop and a dispute arose
concerning the account. W. C. Price. Jr., then a
little boy, was the only one present. He states
that Hearrell threatened Austin's life, unless
the balance he claimed was paid. The three got
over the fence together, a high, staked and rid-
ered rail fence, between the lot and house yard,
and started towards the house. Old Mr. Price
was sitting in his room with his back towards
the porch door when his son, little Billie bolted
in and in a very excited manner exclaimed "Pa,
come quick, Mr. Hearrell is going to kill Ben,
The old gentleman replied, ' ' Why, I reckon not
and started to rise from his chair. Just then a
shot was fired, and when Mr. Price reached the
door Hearrell was in the act of falling. Austin
being yonng and active, had run from where
they crossed the fence to the house, sixty yards.
some distance in advance of Hearrell who was
siting old. On reaching the house Austin ran
100 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
into his room, caught down his rifle and, taking*
rest on the side of the door, fired the fatal shot.
The bullet entered the neck just above the collar
bone and severed the main artery. The distance
between the two at the time the shot was fired
was about thirty feet. Deceased was a large,
powerful man and would no doubt have severely
beaten Austin, had he overtaken him, but he
was wholly unarmed.
The case created great excitement in that
vicinity and Austin was severely condemned by
the public. But at the following August term
of court he was acquitted on the grounds of self
defence.
Several years later, 1894, Austin was shot and
killed in the Indian Territory, by an Indian
named Tom Crawford. Crawford was convicted
of manslaughter in the United States court at
Fort Scott, Kansas, and served a short term in
the penitentiary.
The Murder Of Lula Noel.
One of the most appaling crimes ever com-
mitted in McDonald county was the murder of
Mary LulaNoel daughter of W. H. and S. E. Noel
on the 10 day of December, 1892. She was young,
extremely handsome and her lady like manners
made her a favorite with all who knew her. On
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 107
tie Wednesday preceding. William Simmons,
young man who lived at Joplin, came down to
visit her. She was staying with her sister, Mrs.
Sydney Holly, who then lived on the old Mann
farm. He remained there until Saturday. On
Friday evening arrangements were made to the
effect that next morning Holly's folks were to
go over to W. H. Noel's and the two families
were to go together to the town of Noel. Holly
and his wife were to visit over night at the home
of a relative on Mill creek. Simmons was asked
to go with them but declined, saying he would
walk over to Lanagan and take the freight train
to Joplin. Miss Noel said she would remain
with Will (Simmons) until he went away and
then go across the river to her father's if the
ater was not too high, otherwise she would
remain on that side with some of the relatives
who were quite numerous. The river was then
past fording for vehicles, but was being crossed
on horse back. About 8 o'clock in the morning
Holly and his wife started away leaving Sim-
mons and Miss Noel together at their house.
This was the last ever seen of her alive. In-
stead of returning home on Sunday, Holly and
his wife remained at her father's the next few
days. Lula had not come home, but no great
uneasiness was felt as she was supposed to be
at some of the relatives across the river. On
108 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Monday and Tuesday inquiry was made when
it was ascertained she was not in the neighbor-
hood. A letter was at once dispatched to an
uncle at Webb City, with whom she made her
home part of the time, and it was thought prob-
able she had gone there. When the answer
came back that she was not there, the anxiety
of her parents and family that had been growing
deeper all of the time suddenly increased to a
frenzy of excitement. Their beautif al daughter
and sister was gone, lost; no one knew where,
and only those who have experienced the feeling
can realize the agony which clung to them day
and night.
Her father and Mr. Holly went to Joplin on
Friday to see what tidings they could gain. At
the trial Holly swore that he saw Simmons
and said to him "Will, your girl's gone. " Sim-
mons trembled violently a few seconds and re-
plied. "Is that soy** He asked no questions
concerning her and appeared to be desirous of
avoiding the conversation. When asked if she
came away with him, he replied that she did
not. They stood in silence a few moments when
Simmons remarked, "You don't suppose the fool
girl j umped in the river and drowed herself, do
you'.-'" They returned home that night and the
next day, Saturday December 17, just one week
from the day she was last seen, a systematic
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 109
s-earch was begun. The whole country was
arroused and hundreds of people joined to aid in
finding the body, for it was now the universal
opinion that she had been killed. The hills from
the Holly house towards Lanagan were gone
through for a while in the early morning then
the crowd repaired to the river. The deep
holes were dragged, giant powder exploded and
every spot examined for some distance up and
down the stream, finally about 2 o'clock in
the afternoon, in a narrow, swift place in the
river at the lower end of a large, deep hole of
water, the body- was found where some of the
clothing had caught in a willow that projected
into the water. It was but little more than a
quarter of a mile below her father's house and
within a few feet of the road along which her
parents had passed that fatal Saturday after-
noon uu conscious of the great tragedy that had
been enacted. On examination afterwards con
elusive evidences of a violent death were found.
A bruise on one temple, one spot on one cheek
and three or four on the other, as though a
hand had been placed over her mouth to stiffle
her screams, finger prints on the throat, were
all plainly visible. Besides a bruise the size of
the palm of one's hand on the back of the head
and her neck broken. The lungs were perfectly
dry and all evidences of drowning were absent.
110 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
The evidence was wholly circumstantial put poin-
ted very strongly to the guilt of the defendant.
There were tracks of a man and woman cor-
responding in size and shape with Simmons and
Miss Noel's found leading from the Holly house
across the field to near the river bank at the
upper end of the big hole of water above men-
tioned. At the lower end was a ford, and it is
the supposition that the two walked down to the
river, she intending to wait at the ford and call
to her parents as they passed on their way home
to take out a horse from the wagon and assist
her across.
The finding of her body naturally increased
the excitement. A warrant was at once issued
for Simmons and he was apprehended in Joplin
just as he was preparing to leave. Had he been
brought to Pineville at that time it is likely he
would have been summarily dealt with, but he
waived examination and remained in the jail at
Neosho. At the February term of our court
1893 an indictment was returned against him for
murder in the first degree. A change of venue
was granted to Newton county and the case tried
at the following May term. Some seventy wit-
nesses were examined and the case was hotly
contested by both sides. The jury were unable
to agree and were finally discharged. The trial
again came on at the following November term.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. Ill
At this trial the attorneys for the state took the
position that there was a probability or, at least,
a possibility that the killing was done on a sud-
den impulse and without deliberation and asked
for and was granted an instruction for murder
in the second degree as well as in the first degree.
The jury returned a verdict for murder in the
second degree and assessed the punishment at
ten years in the penitentiary. Thus ended an-
other of the most noted criminal cases ever on
the docket in our county.
Canada Bill.
During the summer and fall of 1886, a half-
breed Indian from Canada, called ' 'Canada Bill, '
had been employed by various parties in the
Roark neighborhood. He appeared to be a man
of vicious habits and of rather inferior mental
faculties.
One afternoon in December, 1886, Mrs. Robert
Roark, who lived in the Roark valley near the
Newton county line, was left alone with her
little children. Bill happened to pass by and
finding her alone made indecent proposals which
was followed by an assault. A desperate strug-
gle ensued. The fight begun in the house and
terminated in the road outside the yard some
twenty or thirty yards away. During the fight
112 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
her little boy some three or four years old, threw
an ear of corn and hit his mother's assailant.
Perhaps, frightened by her screams for help,
or believing assistance was at hand, he suddenly
abandoned the assault and fled. Mrs. Roark
was bruised in several places where he had
struck her and her clothing was badly torn, but
she was not seriously injured. She immediately
fled to the nearest neighbors and gave the alarm.
A possee was soon in pursuit and in a few hours
her assailant was captured in the Indian Territo-
ry The Indian policeman arrested hiui and de-
livered him to the possee to be brought back to
this county for trial. He was taken to the house
of P. P. Rinehart to be guarded through the
night. Not long after dark a mob surrounded
the house and demanded the prisoner. Mr. Rine-
hart went out and requested them to go away,
which they apparently consented to do. Short-
ly afterwards the prisoner, with several guards,
was started off to Pineville. They went on foot
across the fields and through the woods. When
they reached the foot of the big hill on the
Seneca road near Buflalo creek, they halted and
built up a fire to keep warm while one of the
Lager boys went home to get a team and wagon.
After waiting here for some time they started
on, and had gone but a short distance when the
were suddenly surrounded by a mob which at
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 113
once took charge of the prisoner. In the mean
time, Canada Bill seemed to be aware of the fate
that probably awaited him. He had talked over
his crime freely and acknowledged his guilt,
He signified a desire to plead guilty and said he
thought he ought to be sent to the penitentiary,
but he did not think he deserved to be lynched.
He was taken on down the road to where a clump
of eight or ten large trees stood near Sam Owen's
field, and hung to the limb of a black oak. In
his last moments Canada Bill proved himself
worthy of the stoical race to which he belonged.
Seeing that his captors were devoid of mercy
and protests were in vain, he resigned himself
to his doom and met death in a spirit worthy of
any hero. The guards who were permitted to
witness his execution said that when the rope
was placed around his neck and thrown over
the limb that he never uttered a groan or moved
a muscle, but was drawn up like a log of wood
and died as quietly as though he had lain down
to a peaceful sleep. He had been guilty of a
grevous offense, but grevously did he answer
for it. After the inquest the next day the body
was placed in a rude coffin and buried near the
top of the hilL
A year from the following summer a small cy-
clone dipped down and tore up the entire grove
including the tree to which he was hung.
114 history of mcdonald county.
The Moore Murder.
On Wednesday night, July 19, 1894, C. L.
Moore and his wife, Mary A. Moore, were mur-
dered in cold blood at their residence near Tiff
City. The following account taken from the
McDonald County Republican of July 27, 1894,
is substantially correct:
' 'The greatest crime that was ever perpetrated
in time of peace in McDonald county was com-
mitted last Wednesday night by the murder of
C. L. Moore and his wife.
The Moore residence is situated in a narrow
valley that makes up from Buffalo creek about
a mile and one-half above Tiff City. The val-
ley runs nearly north and south, and the house,
a good-sized two story frame, is situated on the
west side, fronting about east. The road lead-
ing from Buffalo creek to the State Line road
on the uplands runs in front of the house about
a hundred yards distant. The house sets back
a few steps from the front fence. A double
porch extends the entire length of the house in
front, at the north end of which is a stairway.
There are two doors and two windows opening
out on the porch. It is abo at a quarter of a mile
from the main road along Buffalo creek bottom.
Here these two old people were living alone,
their children all being grown and married.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 115
Their youngest daughter and husband, George
Williams, live about two hundred yards above
the Moore residence.
Last Wednesday evening about dark nine
pistol shots were heard in that vicinity, but as
shooting is frequent, no particular attention
was paid to it. The next morning a boy who
had borrowed the Esquire's buggy the day be-
fore returned it about ten o'clock and put it up
in the barn. Not seeing any one, he hollowed.
Hearing no response he went in at the gate
when he saw Mrs. Moore lying on the porch.
He at first supposed she was asleep but ongoing
nearer he discovered a pool of blood. Almost
wild with fright he ran and gave the alarm.
The news spread like wild-fire and the people
for miles around gathered in under the most in-
tense excitement. Prosecuting Attorney, Hugh
Dabbs, and his assistant A. V. Mannnig had
gone to Tiff city that morning and arrived just as
the word came. With Dr. A. J. McKinney
they went to the scene of the murder, where an
examination of the two bodies and of the prem-
ises was made. Mr. Moore was found lying in
the northwest corner of the north room, his right
arm under his head, the left raised as if trying
to ward off the blow. There were four bullet
holes in his body, as follows: One in right arm
near the shoulder, one on the front side of the
116 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
right shoulder, one on the right side of the head
through the temporal bone, the other in the
cheek on the right side of the nose. The last
two wounds were both fatal. The blood had
run in a stream and was clotted all along the
floor all the way to the fire place. Mrs. Moore
was lying on the porch, across the front door
her feet near the foot of the stairs. She was
on her face, her head resting on both arms.
She had been shot in the upper part of the arm,
on the left side of the neck, and in the back part
of the head. Dr. McKinney says she was evi-
dently running when the fatal shots were flred.
Toward the south end of the porch were the
chairs where they had been sitting and their
pipes from which they had taken their last
peaceful smoke, were lying in the window. They
had removed their shoes, one pair being found
on the porch and the other pair in the house,
like they had been removed and put away for
the night. Both were in their stocking feet,
she with a light summer dress, he having re-
moved his coat and vest, and the top button of
his pants unfastened as though preparing to
retire. The lamp was still burning. The ex-
amination showed that they had been dead
about fifteen hours, both bodies being cold and
stiff. Two other chairs were sitting on the
porch near the two just mentioned indicating
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 117
there had been two visitors. Five shells of
empty cartridges, number 38, were found near
the door, and four of the same kind have been
found on the premises since. In addition to the
seven wounds found in the bodies two bullets
had lodged in the floor. It is evident the shots
were all fired from the same pistol, as the shells
found were all punctured a little to one side of
the center and all exactly in the same manner.
The only conceivable motive to the crime was
robbery. Mr. Moore was a man of considerable
means, and it was known that he was saving up
money to pay off a mortgage on some property
he owned in Kansas. The amount, if any, se-
cured is not known, but is probably from two to
five hundred dollars was obtained. It was evi-
dently the act of some one who knew the family
well and their financial condition. It is also evi-
dent Mr. and Mrs. Moore both knew their as-
sailants, for strangers would not take such ex-
treme precaution of shooting so many times to
insure instant death.
Suspicion rests on parties not far away and
some clues, which we are not at liberty disclose
tend to confirm the suspicion.
A liberal reward has been offered, and it is
more than likely the guilty parties will soon be
in the meshes of the law.
Esq. Moore has long been one of the prominent
118 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
men of our county and was highly respected by
all who knew him. His wife who was part
Indian, was an estimable lady. They were
about sixty years old and after giving a home
to each of their children, were living out their
old age in a comfortable home with plenty and
to spare.
In the following September Lafe Hamilton
and his brother Tom were arrested charged with
the crime. The preliminary examination was
held before Esq. S W. KingatPineville, lasted
three days and resulted in the defendants being
held to await the action of the grand j ury . They
gave bond in a few days and were released.
At the February term of court following these
two defendants, with their brother William
Hamilton and Andrew Taylor were indicted for
the crime. Being unable to furnish bail, they
were committed to the Newton county Jail where
they remained until the August term of court,
1896, at which time the case against Taylor was
nollied and the Hamiltons were tried. This is
one of the most interesting cases ever tried in
McDonald county. Hundreds of people came
to hear it, and from Tuesday evening until Sat-
urday evening the court house was literally
packed full of people eager to catch every word
of the evidence. The State was represented by
J. D. Edge, prosecuting attorney, Hugh Dabbs
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 119
and J. W. Brunk, of Neosho, and H. C. Pepper
and Tom Steel, of Cassville. The defendants
were represented by George R. Clay and J. A.
Sturges, of Pineville, A. J. Harbison, of Neosho,
and Cloud & Davies, of Pierce City. The intro-
duction of evidence was begun Wednesday
evening and the arguments closed late Saturday
afternoon. Sunday forenoon the jury returned
a verdict of not guilty.
Up to the present writing, July 13, 1897, no
other parties have been apprehended and it ap-
pears that this great crime will ever remain a
mystery, and its perpetrators go unpunished.
The Hanging Of Grubb.
In June 1885, Dorson B. Anderson a deaf and
dumb man, left some point in Lawrence county
with a team and wagon and came down into
McDonald county, camping out while on his
journey. Irwin Grubb accompanied him. They
camped one night a few miles above Pineville
and several days after the dead, and partially
decomposed body of Anderson was found in one
of the lonely hollows making out from Dog Hol-
low.
Traces were found where the body had been
dragged for some distance to the place where
it was hidden, being covered with leaves and
1 20 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
brush. The wagon had been taked to pieces
and hidden in the brakes of Sugar creek. Grubb
was soon after apprehended in Lawrence county
and brought back to the Pineville jail where he
remained until the night of his death. He tried
to claim that the killing was an accident, but
all the circumstances pointed strongly to his
guilt.
One night in November, 1885, a mob made a
very sudden and wholly unexpected raid on the
jail, and took Grubb out and hung him to the
limb of a tree near the spot where Dr. Chenoweth
had been murdered, just at the bend of the road
east of the school house.
The Killing Of Wick Lane.
There has never been a legal execution in
McDonald county, but John Abels was convicted
of the murder of Wick Lane in 1874, and hung
at Carthage, to which place his case had been
taken on a change of venne.
Abels was getting along in years and was
living with a young woman, supposed to be his
wife, though some of the older settlers say there
had never been a formality of the marriage rite.
He was not only jealous of her, but treated her
with extreme cruelty considerable of the time
keeping her chained. They were living on
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 121
Patterson Creek.
In the spring of 1874, she eloped with one
Neil Dodson, who had a wife and several children.
They went to the Indian Territory. • Abels
accused Lane of being implicated in the affair.
He protested that he knew nothing of it and
went with Abels in search of the woman. They
went east through some two or three counties,
but failed to find any trace of the missing one.
On their return, Abels became more suspicious
of Lane, and accused him of leading him out of
the way in order to give the fleeing parties a
better opportunity to escape. They appeared
to have stopped near a spring on Granny's
Branch not far from where Cyclone now is where
the killing was done.
Just how the murder was committed will never
be known in all its details, but the evidence
showed it to have been cool, deliberate and cruel.
One who examined the bodj T and the ground
surrounding says that it is evident that Lane
was sitting down against a white oak tree when
the first shot was fired, as the ballet had lodged
in the tree and the first traces of blood were
found at its roots. From there to a spring a
few yards distant was a track of blood and in-
dications that the wounded man had crawled
from the tree to the water. Here he was found
with his face down in the pool as though in the
122 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
act of quenching his thirst, when the second shot
was fired. Either wound would have been fatal.
Abels took his victim's horse and revolver
andjled. The dead body was discovered that
day or the next and Abel was followed and cap-
tured in the Nation. His case was sent on a
change venue to Jasper county where he was
convicted and hung. He acknowledged the
crime on the day of execution, and said all he
regretted was that Sam Lane was present to
see him die.
The Emma Brown Case.
The records of our county would hardly be
complete without the sensation of trying a wom-
an for murder. This was furnished by the trial
of Emma Brown (Carroll) for poisoning her in-
fant child. This trial was accompanied by two
of the most remarkable incidents the writer ever
saw or heard of when a woman was on trial for
her life. The first was that every woman who
attended the trial sympathized with the prose-
cution and was eager for a verdict of guilty.
The other, that Emma's own mother, without
reserve, or hesitancy, and apparently without
emotion gave at length and in detail the most
damaging evidence against her daughter.
In September, 1886, the little baby diedu nder
such suspicious circumstances that an inquest
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 123
was held and the coroner's jury brought in a
verdict of death by poisoning. The parents,
Charles and Emma Brown, were indicted for
murder in the first degree.
The evidence showed that Emma had been
wayward. She had met Brown for the first time
but a few months before the child was born,
and they were married soon after they became
acquainted. The birth of the child under these
circumstances caused trouble, although Brown
it is said had been apprised of the facts before
the marriage. The mother sent her little brother
to Pineville after laudanum with a precaution to
say nothing about it. The bottle was seen under
her pillow, and afterwards found empty in the
garden. On the other hand, it was shown that
she was very fond of the baby and treated it
with the affection common to young mothers.
Of course the above is but a few of the points
brought out in the evidence, and the fact that
the child died from the effects of laudanum was
not disputed. The defendant displayed remark-
able nerve during the trial until her attorneys
began addressing the jury when she broke down
and wept violently for an hour or more. It was
after dark when the jury reported and Deputy
Sheriff, James Kenney started with her from
the jail to the court house. Just outside of the
east gate, they met John A. Ford, the Sheriff,
124 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and Kenney remarked that Ford could take her
up, while he looked after other business. She
caught Ford's arm in both of hers and remarked
quite cheerfully, "Iv'e got me another beau."
They went on up to the court room where she
heard the verdict of "not guilty," and the
thoughtless, wayward girl went out again into
the sunlight of freedom.
She had been tried separately from her hus-
band and the jury thought there was a doubt as
to whether she or her husband had given the
fatal dose. The case against her husband was
nollied.
Death of Little Claude Morgan.
One of the most distressing affairs ever wit-
nessed in our county dccurred at Southwest City
the last day of March, 1895. An attempt was
made to arrest Jack Carey, a half breed Indian,
for disturbing the peace. When ordered to sur-
render, instead of complying, he presented his
Winchester and opened fire on the officers. L.
W. Carlyle, city marshal, Cap Franks, const-
able, and deputy marshal, George Ratcliff, and
Simps Melton constituted the possee trying to
make the arrest. They returned the fire, and
other parties began shooting at the same time,
ostensibly at the officers.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 125
When the shooting began Chas. Morgan, ■ a
white man who lived in the Nation, was coming
into town from the north, his little girl and his
little boy, Claude 5 years old, sitting with him
in the wagon seat. One of the pistol balls struck
the little boy, entering just above the right eye
and passing out at the back of his head and pass-
through the father's arm which was around the
child. The little fellow died in about an hour
and a half.
An inquest was ,held the following Monday,
but it could not be ascertained who fired the fa-
tal shot. Carey was shot in the groin and cap-
tured. He was held in the sum of §1,000 for
felonious assault, to which he entered a plea of
guilty at the following term of court and was
fined $125.
[There are two cases now pending in court an
account of which will be given among the mis-
cellaneous matters ]
126 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER VIII.
County Officers.
As has been stated elsewhere, the first county
officers after the close of the war were appointed
by the governor of the state. Following is a list
of the principal county officers from that date
down to the present with the date of the appoint-
ment or election of each.
Representative.
In 1864 an election was held, McDonald county
voting at Newtonia. At this election Claudius
B. Walker was elected to the legislature. He
was again elected in 1866.
John B. Price held the office from 1866 to 1870.
John C. Lamson was elected in 1870 and served
one term.
William C. Price was elected in 1872 and again
in 1874, serving two terms.
J. J. Brown was elected in 1876 and served
one term.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 127
A. W. Chenoweth was elected in 1878 and
served one term.
A. J. Phillips was elected in 1880 and served
one term.
T. F. Ford was elected in 1882 and served
one term.
Thomas Collins was elected in 1884 and served
one term.
J. J. McNatt was elected in 1886 and served
one term.
M. C> Christian was elected in 1888 and served
one term.
James F. Kenney was elected in 1890 and serv-
ed one term.
Richard J. Balch was elected in 1892 and serv-
ed one term.
Fred M. Best was elected in 1894 and served
one term.
James F. Tandy was elected in 1896, and still
holds that position.
Circuit Clerk And Recorder.
Rufus L. Hargrove was the first to hold
this office when the courts were reorganized at
the close of the war. He served during 1865
and 1866.
A. W. Chenoweth filled the office the next
four years, 1876 to 1870 inclusive.
128 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
R. L. Hargrove was elected in 1870 and served
four years.
A. M. Dillin was elected in 1874 and again in
1878, serving eight years.
H. A. F. Cloud was elected in 1882, and re-
elected in 1886, serving two terms.
J. W. Shields was elected in 1890 and served
four years.
S. G. Sutter was elected in 1894, and is the
present incumbent.
County Clerk.
The County and Circuit clerk's offices were
filled by the same person until 1882 when they
were separated.
M. R. DeGroff was elected in 1882 and served
four years.
J. P. Caldwell was elected in 1886 and again
in 1890, serving eight years.
Zach Baker, the present incumbent was elect-
ed in 1894.
Judge And Circuit Attorney.
The record shows that Circuit court was op-
ened at this place November 18, 1865. John C.
Price of Neosho was Judge. He served in that
capacity until 1869 when he was succeeded by
B. L. Hendricks, who opened his first court Au-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 129
gust 30, of that year. Judge Hendricks was on
the bench until January 1, 1875, when he was
succeeded by Joseph Cravens of Neosho.
Judge Cravens filled the office six years when
he was succeeded by M. G. McGregor, of Carth-
age.
Judge McGregor was re-elected in 1886, but
the circuit being changed in 1889 caused a va-
cancy, which was supplied, by the appointment
of Judge Cravens.
Judge Cravens was elected in 1890 to fill the
short term and served two years.
In 1892 J. C. Lamson, of Pineville, was elect-
ed, and is the present incumbent.
Circuit Attorneys.
At the oeginning of this period a Circuit At-
torney had jurisdiction co-extensive with the
circuit court whose duty it was to prosecute
all offenders, and, in fact, whose powers and du-
ties were the same as the prosecuting attorney
is at present.
George W. Randolph of this county was the
first after the war to hold that office for this
circuit. He was succeeded in August 1869, by
J. L. Page of Jasper county.
Page served until September, 1871, at which
time he was succeeded by A. L. Thomas of
Carthage.
130 history of mcdonald county.
County And Prosecuting Attorney.
By order of the county court, May 9th, 1866,
J. C. Lamson was appointed attorney for Mc-
Donald county. He served until August 10, 1867
when h e tendered his resignation whic h
was accepted by the county court. He re-
cieved $100 for his services.
By an order of court, November 9th, 1867, A.
H. Kenney was appointed county attorney for
a period of six months from November 4, 1867.
His compensation for the term being fixed at the
sum of $100 He served until removed by order
of the countv court, November 6, 1868.
He was succeeded by Oney Carstarphen in 1869.
Prosecuting Attorney.
J. L. Smythe was appointed county attorney
by the county court May 1st, 1871. He was
elected prosecuting attorney November 8, 187- .
John L. Barr was elected at the November
election, 1874. He filled the office until removed
February 9, 1876.
Z. T. Murphy was appointed February 9, 1876
and filled the unexpired term of J. L. Barr. He
served two years.
John C. Lamson, the present Circuit Judge
was elected at the general election, November
1878 and served two years.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 131
J. W. Brunk was elected November 1880 and
held the office one term.
James C. Cole was elected November, 1882,
and re-elected in 1884, serving four years.
H. C. Pepper was elected to the office at the
November election in 1886, and again in 1888,
serving two terms.
Hugh Dabbs was elected in 1890 and 1892
holding the office four years.
J. D. Edge was elected in 1894 and held the
office one term.
George R. Clay, the present incumbent, was
chosen at the general election in November 1896.
Sheriff And Collector.
John V. Hargrove was the first sheriff after
the war, having been appointed to that office
by the governor in -1866. He served until De-
cember, 1867.
Samuel Baker assumed the duties of sheriff
and collector, January, 1867.
James H. Wimpey took charge of the office
in March 1869 and held the office for the year
1871-2
C. L. Fields held the office from 1873 to 1876
inclusive.
J. C. Montgomery was elected in 1876 and
served one term.
132 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
E. M. Jarrett was elected November 5, 1876
and re-elected in November 1880, serving two
full terms.
J. C. Seabourn was elected November 7, 1882
and held the office two terms.
At the election in 1886, John A. Ford was
elected to the office of sheriff and collector,
which he held two terms.
W.W. Bacon was elected in 1890 and held the
office one term. After the close of this term
the two offices were held separately.
J. T. Williams, succeeded Bacon in 1892 and
held the office one term.
H. C. Prater was elected in 1884 and held the
office one term.
Sheriff: George T. Woolard elected in 1892.
John C. Kelley in 1894. R. Jarrett in 1896.
Probate Judge.
. This court was in connection with the county
court until the beginning of 1869. On the 24th
day of March, 1868 an act of the legislature was
passed establishing the Probate courts in the
various counties of the state. Pursuant to this
law the records show that on the 11th day of
January, 1869, the probate court of this county
was opened and adjourned until the 4th Monday
in January, the same year. This record is signed
HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY. 133
by A. H. Kennedy, Probate Judge.
March 23rd, 1869, the record shows a descrip-
tion of the seal of the Probate court for this
county. This record is signed, Hiram Baker,
Probate Judge. Hiram Baker opened court
April 12th, of that year and held the office until
February, 1873. C. P, Bullock succeeded Baker
and held the office about one year.
Z. Smith held the office a short time in 1874,
when he was succeeded by W. S. Street who w;as
elected at the general election that year.
Judge Street filled the office three years.
Jessee Parish was Judge from January 1st, to
June 1st, 1878, and W. C. Duval from that time
to the end of the year.
These last four, Z. Smith, W. S. Street, Jessee
Parish and W. C. Duval, were at the same time
Judges of the county court.
At the November election in 1878, I. N. Sham-
baugh was elected to the office. He was re-elect-
ed in 1882 out served only part of his term. He
resigned in 1883 and J. W. Brunk was appointed
to fill the office until the next election.
W. E. Smith was first elected in November,
1884, to rill the unexpired two years of Judge
Shambaugh's term. He was re-elected in 1886
and again in 189Q, serving in all ten years.
, James M. Elliot, the present incumbent, was
elected at the general election in 1894.
134 history of mcdonald county.
County Judges.
The first county court after the war consisted
of Benjamin F. Hopkins, Enoch G. Williams and
Isaac A. Harmon. The court assembled Monday,
November 6th, 1865, Harmon not being present.
The first order made was that appointing Ben-
jamin F. Hopkins, Presiding Judge. Thirty
days later, December 6th, an order was made
appointing Enoch G. Williams Presiding Justice.
There appears to have been an election No-
vember 6th, 1866, at which Hugh L. Testerman,
I. A. Harmon and John Jones were elected county
Judges. On the 17th of December following,
Hugh L. Testerman was appointed Presiding
Justice.
At the November election in 1868. Joel Meador
was elected to succeed H. L. Testerman, I. A.
Harmon and Jehu Jones being elected for a sec-
ond term. I. A. Harmon served as Presiding
Justice pro tern from Jan. 1, 1869 until May 3,
1869, at which time he was appointed to that
position by- order of the court.
At the election in 1870 Joel Meador was re-
elected, James H. Wimpey and Thomas McDon-
ald succeeding the other two, Wimpey being
appointed by the Governor in 1871.
February 15, 1871 James H. Wimpey was ap-
pointed Presiding Justice by order of the court .
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 135
The three served until January 17, 1872, at which
time Zach Smith took charge of the office, he
having been elected at a special election Nov-
ember 7th, 1871. He served until January 23,
1873, Thomas McDonald and John Evans were
associates during Smith's term.
At the regular November election, in 1872,
Geo. Manning and John Wilson were elected
county judges, and the new court organized
January 23, 1873, by electing Thomas McDonald
Presiding Judge.
W. S. Street was elected judge at the No-
vember election in 1874. During the next four
years there was but one judge instead of three
as there was before and has been since.
Street filled the office three years. Jessee Par-
ish was judge from January 1, to June 1, 1878.
W. C. Duval from June 1, 1878 to the end of the
vear.
I. N. Shambaugh was elected Presiding Judge
in 1878 and served four years. He was again
elected in 1882 and served until 1883, at which
time he resigned
George R. McMahon was elected Judge of the
Eastern District, and J. D. Heron, Judge of the
Western District, in 1878. Both were re-elected
in 1880 and served a second term.
A. B. Shields was elected Judge of the West-
ern District and Holly Hinton Judge of the
136 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Eastern District in 1882. In part of 1883 and in
1884 J. W. Brunk filled the office of Presiding
Judge by appointment.
Holly Hintonwas elected for a second term in
1884, and J. D. Heron was again elected at the
same time. Both served two years more.
H. B. Landers was elected the same year to
fill the vacancy in the office of Presiding Judge
and served two years.
J. A. Sturges was elected Presiding Judge in
1886, H. J. Laughlin, Judge of the Eastern, and
J. W. Nutting, Judge of the Western District.
The two Associates were re-elected in '88, and
these three composed the court for four years,
1887-91.
John M. Boyd was elected Presiding Judge in
1890 and served four years. John R. Patterson
was elected Judge of the Eastern District and
John W. Cunningham Judge of the Western Dis-
trict the same year. In 1892 Cunningham was
re-elected and C. J. Marrs, Judge of the East-
ern District. Marrs resigned in the later part
of 1893, and John R. Patterson was appointed
to fill the vacancy
J. Turner Horner was elected Presiding
Judge in November, 1894 which position he still
occupies. J. W. Adkins was elected Judge of
the Eastern Dictrict and Patrus Testerm ;rn
Judge of the Western District in 181) 4.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 137
George W. Mitchell was elected Judge of the
Western District and William Newman Judge
of the Eastern District in 1896.
Assessor.
November 7, 1865, Henry H. Fox was appoint-
ed assessor of McDonald county, by order of the
county court. The next record I have been
able to find is where the bond of Jame$ H. Wim-
pey, assessor elect, is approved by the court,
May 8, 1867. Mr. Wimpey served two years.
William H. Prater held the office for a short
time, when he resigned and D. M. May hew was
appointed to fill his place.
E. P. Burns was elected November 7, 1871
and served two years.
James H. Chapman was elected November 5,
1872, served 6 years.
J. J. Clanton was elected in 1878 and served
two years.
H. A. P. Cloud was elected in 1880 and again
in 1882.
John H. Chapman was elected in 1884 and
served two years.
Zach Baker was elected in 1886 and served
two years.
John P. Madden was elected in 1888 and
again in 1890, serving four years.
138 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
W. H. Noel was elected in 1892 and served
two years. At the election in November 1894
the result was a tie between him and Walter
Hankins. A special election was called at which
Noel was successful, thus serving two terms.
Martin L. Marrs was elected in 1896. and is
the present incumbent.
Treasurer.
A. W.iChenoweth was appointed county treas-
urer November 8, 1865. I. N. Williams was ap-
pointed February 7, 1866.
John M. Boyd was appointed treasurer De-
cember 18, May 11 1866 and December 18, 1867.
J. C. Farmer was appointed to the office Feb-
ruary 8, 1868.
Hugh L. Testerman was appointed December
1, 1870.
J. P. LaMance was elected November 5, 1872
and served two years.
At the general election November 3, 1874,
J. C. Baber was elected county treasurer and
held the office for ten years without intermission.
At the general election in 1884 A. C. Walters
was elected county treasurer and held the office
two years.
J. C. Baber was again elected in 1886 and
held two terms, his last term expiring December
31st, 1891.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 139
M. N. Lamance was elected to the office in
1890 and held the office two terms.
J. C. Farmer was elected in 1894 and held the
office one term.
M. N. Lamance was again elected in 1896 and
consequently is our present treasurer.
Public Administrator.
This office was filled for a time by C. B. Walker,
but at w T hat time could not be ascertained.
Probably about the breaking out of the war.
Daniel Harmon was the first to hold this office
after the war, having been appointed by the
county court November 7, 1866. He served four
years.
J. C. Lamson held the office from 1870-1872.
John Wilson served in 1872.
H. H. Fox was elected in November, 1872, but
the election was contested by J. W. Bedell, and
Fox consented that the contest be decided in
favor of Bedell, consequently the office was filled
by him.
W. W. Chase was elected in 1874. He has
been re-elected two or three times, and has also
held several terms by his successor failing to
qualify,* so that the office was filled by him un-
til January 1, 1897.
140 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
P. M. Pink of Indian Springs was elected in
November, 1896, and is the present incumbent.
Coroner.
November 7, 1866, Hugh L. Testerman was
appointed coroner by order of the county court.
December 18, 1866, E.G. Williams was appoint-
ed coroner of the county. He resigned, Febru-
ary 1869.
J. C. Baber was appointed May 7, 1869. At
the November election, 1870, Jacob McClendin
was elected, but refused to qualify, and J. C.
Baber was appointed, February 6, 1871, to fill
the vacancy. He was elected at the November
election in 1872.
Z. Smith was elected in 1874.
J. W. Brown in 1876.
Jarrett Watkins in 1878.
Harris Brown in 1880.
C. Plumlee in 1884 and 1888.
J. E. Edelen in 1890 and 1892.
William Maness in 1894. Maness moved oat
of the county and Dr. Cravens was appointed
to till the vacancy.
L. Maynard was elected in November 1896
but failed to qualify, and the office became va-
cant.
history of mcdonald county. 141
Surveyor.
Jacob Caudil was elected to this office in
November 1872 and asrain in 1876.
Thomas Ford in 1880.
H. P. Lamberson in 1884 and again in 1888.
J. M. Long was elected in 1892, but failed to
qualify, and J. S. Long was appointed to fill the
vacancy. He served to the close of 1894.
W. P. Fox was elected in 1894 and served two
years, being the remainder of the term to which
J. M. Long was elected.
Daniel Thrasher was elected in 1896 and is
now the incumbent of the office.
School Commissioner.
Abner W. Tatum was appointed to this office
by the county court, May 9, 1866. He served
but a short time when J. C. Lamson was appoint-
ed. Mr Lamson served about three years.
About the close of his term John Wilson was
appointed and filled the office for some time.
At the election in '• >. S. Sterrett was de-
clared to be elected, but the records show that
his election was contested by F. M. Seamster
and the case determined February 11, 1873.
Sterrett in his answer admits the election of
142 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Seamster and consents that the commission be
issued accordingly.
J. F. Kenney held the office from 1881-3.
A. C. Eliff held the office from 1883-5.
J. H. Wood succeeded Mr. Eliff and held two
years.
W. O. Moore was the next incumbent, and
served two years.
L. A. Henderson was elected in 1889 and held
two years.
J. W. Morrow was elected in 1891 and again
in 1893 and served four years.
J. W. Smith was elected to the office in 1895,
and again in 1897.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 143
CHAPTER IX.
ACCIDENTS.
To chronicle all the fatal accidents that have
happened in this county would require more
than the entire contents of this volume. Fol-
lowing are a few of the more striking ones which
serve to illustrate how easily the thread of life
may be broken by accident or carelessness.
John H. Harmon Killed.
John H. Harmon, son of Isaac Harmon, left
town to-day (January 26, 1881) about noon, in a
state of intoxication. He was driving his team,
which was usually gentle, and was alone in his
wagon. It is supposed that the horses became
frightened and ran away; at any rate John Mos-
ier found the wagon and team and the dead body
of Mr. Harmon in Price's lane near Pineville,
about 2 o'clock p. m. Harmon was quite dead
and was lying under the wheel of the wagon,
the lines were wrapped several times about the
1-4-4 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
dead man's legs, and the head was considerably
bruised.
Jonn H. Harmon was about 40 years old. He
married the daughter of Thomas Gordon, of
Benton county, Arkansas, and leaves a wife
and several children.
This sad occurrence is another incidence in the
long chapter of wrongs caused by whisky, and
is all the more frightful from its happening
near a town where no w T hisky is sold as a bev-
erage except in defiance of the laws of the land.
— Pineville News.
Killed by a Falling Tree
Otis Sterley, a young man about 20 years
of age, was killed at Thomas Looney's, on
Little Sugar creek, in the Southeastern part of
the county, November 10, 1883, by a falling tree.
Young Sterley and Looney were hauling rails,
and while Sterley was replacing a rail that had
partially fallen from the wagon, a dead tree that
was standing near fell on him and crushed him
against the hind wheel of the wagon and bruised
him so that he died in about half an hour.
— Pineville News.
Dead In A Shaft.
On Friday morning last (May 31, 1" :bout
8 o'clock John Devick, who was working in a
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 145
shaft at Dr. Benna, s mines two miles southwest
of Twin Springs, died from the effects of foul
air. It appears that deceased and Dr. Benna
went to the shaft the day previous for the pur-
pose of putting off a blast that had been prepared,
and that deceased proposed to go down then,
but as they both supposed there was damp in
the shaft, concluded to wait until the next morn-
ing when it would be cooler and, as they thought,
safe. On the morning above stated Mr. Benna
let him down in the shaft, which was about 40
feet deep, on a rope attached to a windless, and
after reaching: the bottom he said the air was
bad and he could uot stand it, and requested
Mr. Benna to pull him out. He then placed one
foot in a loop in the rope and took hold with
both hands, but when about 6 feet from the
bottom, he fell back, and was dead before aid
could reach him. — Pineville News.
Fatal Accident.
Willie Testerman, aged 17 years, son of
Marshal Testerman, was killed on the Neosho
road about a mile above Pineville, October 18,
1888. He had brought a load of lumber to town
for the Baptist church, which was then building
and was returning home, riding on the front bol-
ster of the wagon. When near the place above
mentioned, the team became frightened and
146 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
ran away, throwing him off, and the wheels
probably passed over him. Beside being badly
bruised a blood vessel at the base of the brain
was ruptured from the effects of which he died
in about an hour.— Pineville News.
Drowned While Fishing.
Frank Derbin was drowned in Big Sugar
creek, some 12 or 15 miles above Pineville, last
Saturday, while fishing. He, with others, was
fishing with a net or sein They had set their
net at the end of a deep pool of water, and Der-
bin went out on a log that lay in the creek and
j umped off into the water and swam under it for
some distance as if diving, and when nearing
the lower end of the pool, where the water was
shallow attempted to raise himself out of the
water, but fell back. Some of his associates,
seeing there was something wrong with him,
caught him and dragged him out on the bank
where he died in two or three minntes. The
general inpression is that he died from conges-
tion caused by being in the water two long,
having been in the greater part of the time for
three or four hours. He was ondinarily a pro-
ficient swimmer. — Pineville News, May 27, 1887.
history of mcdonald county. 147
Killed By Lightning.
In the latter part of March, 1890, one of the
most distressing cases caused by lightning ever
recorded, occured on the Widow Ray farm on
Buffalo creek. The house occupied by John
Wilson and family was struck by lightning
between 12 and 1 o'clock. The family were all
in bed at the time. The bolt came through the
roof down the gable end of the house and struck
Mrs. Wilson in the breast, killing her instantly.
Their little son, William, was terribly shocked
and died the next morning. The baby, which
laid next to its mother was unharmed. Mr.
Wilson was shocked so he could not move, and
the bed having been set on fire he was compelled
to lay there for a considerable time, the smudging
fire gradually eating into his flesh. The only
other occupant of the house was Mrs. Wilson's
father, a feeble old man who could not get Mr.
Wilson off the bed. He finally extinguished
the fire, thus saving the life of the helpless man.
Mr. Wilson was terribly burnt about the hips
and thighs, and for months had to be lifted like
a child, but he finally recovered.
Death Of John Stafford.
One of the saddest accidents of late years was
148 HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY.
the accidental killing of John Stafford, son of
Claib and Elizabeth Stafford of Cyclone, October
13, 1891. Young Stafford, with his brother
Charley and several others, was working on the
right of way of the railroad south of the river
along Jim William s field.
He and John LaGore were chopping down a
tree that stood at the foot of a ledge of rock
about four feet high. LaGore was on the lower
side while Stafford was on the upper, between
the tree and the rock wall. Suddenly, and be-
fore it was expected to fall, the tree split up
some three feet, the butt flew back and caught
him against the solid mass of stone, cutting off
the right leg near the upper part of the thigh,
and crushing the left leg from the knee to the
ankle. As if satisfied with its terrible work the
tree then lurched forward and pitched several
feet down the hill.
The injured man was taken to the camp near
the river where his leg was amputated, but the
shock from the injury and the ordeal of having
his limb severed was more than human strength
could bear, and he died about 2 o'clock the next
morning the injury having occurred the previous
afternoon. He was a model young man, of steady
habits, industrious and quiet and well liked by
every one who knew him.
history of mcdonald county. 149
Drowning Of Little Charley Clark.
Another sad case of drowning occurred at
the lower end of what is called Big Rock, at the
southeast part of Pineville. On the afternoon
of April 22, 1890, he dug a can of bait, took his
pole and line and went fishing. He was quite
a little boy to go out all alone, being only seven
the fall before. But, as he and many other boys
were in the habit of going no uneasiness was
felt until he failed to come home to supper.
Dark came on and still he did not appear. The
alarm was given and a search for the lost boy
was begun. In a short time his can of bait was
found on a large slanting rock that reached
down to the water, and his pole lying across it.
It was evident he had set down on the rock
where he lost his balance and slipped into the
water. The search for his body continued all
through the night, but the water being muddy
it was not found until nearly noon the next day.
It had floated down a mile or more below town.
Jim Brown, the same one who afterwards found
the body of Lula Noel, was the first to discover
it.
A Tripple Drowning.
One of the saddest tragedies that is mingled
with the warp and woof of the history of our
15 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
county, is the death of three boys by drowning.
On the*?, day of May. 1897, John Reece. aged
22, Harvy Reece. aged 19, Frank Reece, aged
three brothers and James Moulton, a boy 17
years old. were in a boat fishing in Elk River
at the Bartley Bluff, a short distance below the
residence of James Lansrlev. They ran the
boat to the left bank of the river on the opposite
side from the bluff, where the water was compar-
atively still, and about six feet deep, intending
to land. The bow of the boat struck the bank
with some force causing it to suddenlv start
back. The shock threw John Reece. who
was standing, off his balance and he pitched head
first into the water. As he came up. his brother
Harw and the Moulton bov reached out and
caught him. This turned the boat over and
threw all four of the bovs into the water. The
little Reece bov causrht to the limb of a tree that
hung over the water and clung to it until rescued.
The older of the two Reece boys was a good
swimmer and the other could swim some, but
the Moulton boy could not swim at all. For
some reason the skill of the two was unavailing
and the three boys were soon lifeless on t".
pebbly bottom.
A couple of men were fishing some 150 yar
below and heard their cries for help. At first
they thought they were hollowing for fun
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 151
was usual, but soon 'distinguished the tone of
distress arid ran to their assistance. They found
the little boy still holding to the limb, and when
they asked where the other boys were he said
"There they are on the bottom of the river,
drowned." They looked down in the Clearwater
and there beheld the three dead bodies lying
where the cruel hand of fate had rung down the
curtain on the last tragic scene of their lives.
The parties lived some two miles south
of Coy. Jimmie was the son of X. B. Moulton
and wife, being her only child. The two Reece
boys were the sons of a widow whose husband
had met a tragic death a few months before.
A tree had blown down near his house, and part
of the roots were still clinging to the ground.
They were at work on the tree and had sawed
the trunk into, when the stump settled back
towards an upright position, catching Mr Reece,
who was standing at its base, under it and
crushing him almost beyond recognition.
Burned To Death.
The first of last week a sad and fatal accident
occured about eight miles northeast of Pineville
in which Mrs. Proctor was burnt to death. She
was standing with her back to the tire place when
her skirts caught fire Her two little srirls ran
152 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
to her assistance, but besides burning their hands
both of them caught fire. A young hired man
hearing their screams ran in and seeing the
children on fire, tore their clothing off before
they were injured. In the meantime Mrs. Proctor
ran out doors, around the house and all over the
yard until she dropped from exhaustion and died
in a short time. Her clothing was entirely
destroyed, and in many places her body burnt
to a crisp. Mr. Proctor was away at the time
visiting relatives in Ark. The corps was kept
until he could return and attend the funeral. —
McDonald County Republican, January 25, 1895.
Death Op Lee Sellers.
Wednesday afternoon between two and three
o'clock Lee Sellers, one of the most prosperous
and highly respected citizens of this county met
with a tragical death near his home on Indian
creek, about one mile east of Anderson. He and
one of his sons were out in the hills loading a
sawlog. They had placed the rope around it
and were rolling it up with the team, when the
rope gave way and the log rolled over Mr.
Sellers and mashed him so that he died in a
short time. The children, some of whom reside
in the Territory, have all been notified, and the
burial will take place at the Beaver Springs
HTSTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 153
cemetery today. The deceased owned a large
farm on Indian creek about a mile east of An-
derson and was well fixed for a comfortable
life. He leaves a wife and several children. —
McDonald County Republican February 22, 1895.
James Meranda Suicides.
Yesterday afternoon James Meranda, a farmer
who has been living near this place for the past
twenty years, and for the last two years on Mrs.
Chenowetlrs place, one mile north of Pineville,
committed suicide by shooting himself through
the heart with a rifle gun of 44 caliber. Mr.
Meranda 's wife died over two years ago, and
he has been very despondent since, sometimes
remarking that he thought of killing himself,
but no one had any idea of his doing so. He
had been in unusual low spirits for the last four
or five days, but went about his work on the
farm as usual, plowing until noon yesterday.
Shortly after noon he took his gun and started
toward his corn crib, looking back as he walked
off. His oldest daughter aged 17 years, thinking
from his actions there was something wrong,
asked him where he was going, when he replied
that he was going to the crib to shoot a rat.
He then went on and got in the crib and shot
himself as above stated. His daughter, as soon
154 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
as hearing the report of the gun and him halloo,
ran to the crib and found her father dying, with
a bullet hole in his left breast, and his gun lying
on one side of his body and the ramrod on the
other, which goes to show that he used the ram-
rod to push the trigger. Deceased leaves six
children — five girls and one boy their ages
ranging from 2 to 17 years. — Pineville News,
August 4, 1886.
A Double Suicide.
Among the ancient residents of Pineville were
George Casbeer and his wife. He was dissi-
pated and they lived very unhapily together.
At last, tired of their troubles, they decided to
end their lives. She agreed that if he would
get the whisky, she would mix the poison, and
they would drink their last draught together.
The liquor was procured, and on a Sunday even-
ing they filled their goblets to the brim and
drank them to the very dregs. They were soon
discovered in their agony, and told what they
had done and why, but refused to take any
antidote. She died the next day and he at night
a few hours later.
Thus, in intense agony, ended the short trage-
dy of their lives. To them, marriage had been
a failure, the blossom of love had withered, and
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 155
death came as a welcome messenger of peace.
They left seven children who were taken care
of by friends in Illinois. The above statement
was furnished by a man who was an eye witness
to the scene and heard them give their state-
ments.
156 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
SUMMARY JUSTICE.
The Slickers.
In connection with this subject it might be in
order to mention the Slickers. In the early
settlement of the county a custom was estab-
lished of laying claim to certain designated
tracts of land and holding it against all new
comers. A man would pick out his location on
some water course, build his cabin and mark
out a tract of land coresponding in size with the
extent of his enterprise. Some would be satis-
fied with forty acres, others with eighty or a
hundred, while a few ran into the thousands.
When the government survey was made this
land was reported vacant. But little of it was
in cultivation, and many of the claims were
marked only by the blazes on the trees or an
occasional stake driven dowm. New settlers
coming in would inquire at the land office and,
finding the land vacant, would enter portions of
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 157
it. These entries were opposed by the claim-
ants and intimidation or open resistance used
as occasion might require. As immigrants in-
creased in number and their encroachments grew
numerous, the claimants organized, and were
called the Slickers. It was their province to
see that all parties taking or attempting to take
land claimed by an older settler were promptly
waited on and induced to abandon the enterprise.
This sentiment was quite strong and extended
throughout the entire county and embraced all
classes of our people. It did not entirely die out
until some years after the war. There were a
few instances where the party was taken out
and whipped, a few were compelled to leave the
county, and some who had entered land were
forced to deed it to the claimant.
One of the most noted cases was the contest
between Mark Harmon and others. Harmon
came to this county with considerable money
and entered a fine body of land on Indian Creek
near the mouth of Elk Horn. Several years
previous, Jonathan Blair had located near the
present site of McNatt's Mill, and laid claim to
a tract extending some two miles up and down
the creek bottom. Harmon's entry cut a big
slice out of Blair's claim and he was notified of
that fact. However he had paid his money and
proposed to hold the land. He was remonstrated
158 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
with in a friendly manner and then threatened,
but without effect. At last one day some thirty
or forty men came to his house bringing with
them a justice of the peace and a deed to the
land properly filled out, also a rope, and he was
given his choice between executing the deed and
wearing the halter. They told him that as a
man they had no objection to him and did not
desire to do him harm, but the land must be
given up. Mr. Harmon and his wife signed and
acknowledged the deed under protest and a few
years later went into the U. S. court and had
the conveyance set aside and his title re-estab-
lished.
The Pine War.
This interesting reminiscence has almost
passed from the memory of our people and, were
it not recorded here, in a f ew T more years would
be numbered among the forgotten incidents of
long ago. I asked an old gray-haired gentleman
about it, and he replied that it happened w^hen
he was quite a small boy, and he did not know
much about it.
From the best information it has been possible
to obtain it occurred in the very early settlement
of the county and w r as practically over in 1845.
Nearly all the lands in this county were govern-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 159
ment lands, and there were extensive pine forests
in the hills bordering on the two Sugar creeks
and extending from Pineville to the east side of
the county. There was also, considerable pine
lands along the river west of Pineville and ex-
tending south to the Arkansas line. A number
of saw mills were in operation manufacturing
this pine timber. The United States marshals
undertook to protect the timber. John B. King
who operated a mill on Kings creek, and perhaps
others, was arrested. Several were subpoened
as witnesses. Mark Harmon was one of the
leading spirits in favor of the prosecution, and
had a few followers but people generally took
the side of the mill men.
They gathered together in groups and dis-
cussed the matter, held meetings, passed res-
olutions and organized for the purpose of in ev-
ery way obstructing and, if occasion should re-
quire, resisting the United States marshals. It
was carried to such an extent that at Cassville
a marshall was run clear out of the state, seeking
refuge at Bentonville, Arkansas. The leader
of this resistance, a Cassville lawyer, was sent
to jail at St. Louis under a charge of treason,
but was eventually released.
Of course the government eventually prevail-
ed, but not until after much of the pine forests
had been destroyed.
160 history of mcdonald county.
Annoyed By Petty Thieves.
For several years after the close of the war
the people in various parts of the county were
more or less annoyed by petty theiving. It got
so bad that it was never safe to turn hogs on
the range which to many was the chief source
of profit. The masts were generally good and
the range so extensive that hogs grew and fatten-
ed without other food. When the owners wanted
meat they would usually kill direct from the
mast, or feed a few weeks to harden the meat.
The farmers on the narrow valleys who thus
counted on supplying their own families and
selling enough to provide other necessaries,
when the time came to collect their hogs, were
often unable to find more than a few carcasses
where they had been shot in the timber and the
best parts taken by the thieves. An occasional
heifer or a fat cow would "come up missing" in
the same mysterious manner. Various prose-
cutions were instituted against suspected parties
but few, if any, convictions were ever had.
The people in the vicinities where these of-
fenses were most common, finding the law did
not afford them sufficient protection on account
of the failure of the evidence, concluded to take
the matter in their own hands. A few of the
suspected parties were warned to leave the
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 161
count 7. They were generally worthless char-
acters that had temporarily settled in some
remote ridge or hollow, and were without visible
means of support. Sometimes a bundle of
switches would be left with the note of warning.
From 1882 to 1884 some three or four parties
were whipped and a few others visited by a
committee, but the offenders happened to be ab-
sent and thus escaped.
In 1883 old man Bird, who had settled on some
land near James Tatum,s farm in Beaver val-
ley, was taken out one night and severely whip-
ped. Bird claimed the chastisement was ad-
ministered for settling on the land, but the com-
mittee said it was for appropriating his neigh-
bor's swine without authority or due process
of law. A man named Martin was subjected to
a similar treatment. Also one Joy in the vi-
cinity of Indian Springs was taken out one cold
night and thoroughly dressed down. When
turned loose he started off on a run and did not
stop until he got to Pools Prarie in Newton
county where he crawled into a straw stack and
finished the night. The next morning the owner
went out to the stack, and seeing a pair of boots
sticking out of the straw rousted him out and
asked if it wasnt a pretty cold birth. Joy replied
"If you'd been where I was last night, you
would have thought it pretty d — n hot ! " If he
161' HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
kept on at the rate at which he started, it is
likely that Mr. Joy fried his pork a few weeks
later at the camp fire which he kindled out of
the north pole. There was much difference of
opinion among the people as to these proceedings
and a persistent effort was made to punish the
parties who were engaged in these nightly ad-
ministrations of "justice.' Various persons
were arrested and in one trial before a justice
of the peace the evidence seemed conclusive
that two of the parties held loaded pistols on
the complainant while others did the whipping.
At the discovery of this evidence, J. C. Cole,
prosecuting attorney, asked the justice to dis-
charge the jury and hold the defendants to an-
swer for a felony. The justice sustained the
motion and put the defendants under bond to
await the action of the grand jury. Before that
time arrived the complainants had moved away
and the prosecutions were dismissed.
While these matters were serious, and it is to
be regretted that they, or the circumstances
which led to them ever occured, there were
many amusing incidents connected with them.
It was during the progress of one of these trials
that a witness swore that Mart Epperson was
one of the parties that whipped him, giving as
his reason for knowing who it was that he saw
and identified Epperson at the time. To the
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 163
surprise and consternation of his friends and
attorneys Epperson remarked in a crowd. ' 'That
feller swore to a d — n lie, for I had my coat
turned wrong side out and a handkerchief over
my face, and he couldn't see who it was. '
It was about this time that the Law and Order
Brotherhood sprang into existence. It is said
to have numbered over four hundred members
and included many of the best citizens of our
county. Its province was to aid in the enforce-
ment of the law and it no doubt did much to
put a cheek to the perpetration of crime in our
county.
These comparatively mild applications were
followed later by the killing of Garland Mann
in the Neosho jail and the hanging of Irwin Grubb
and Canada Bill. After these events murders
were much less frequent and the petty thieving
almost entirely ceased. Prosecution in our courts
have been much more effective, convictions
having been the rule rather than the exception,
as before, and our people almost universally
rejoice that there is no necessity for further
invoking mob violence.
Burning op The Old Jail.
In February, 1888, while old man Bird and a
couple of other prisoners were confined in the
164 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
old jail at Pineville, on a conviction for stealing
chickens and geese, it took lire and burnt down.
The jail was a log structure with a door on top
through which ingress and egress was made.
The floor was composed of three layers of hewn
logs, the second laid cross-wise of the first and
the third across the second, the three layers be-
ing about eighteen inches thick. When the fire
got started down into the cracks of the floor
there was no chance to get water to it and no
way to tear it up. The people of Pineville and
vicinity turned out almost to a man and worked
all day carrying and hauling water trying to
save the old building. While they were thus at
work the prisoners, who had been removed to
the court house, stood at the windows and jeer-
ed at the men at work trying to extinguish the
fire.
Their day of jubilee, however, did not last
through the night. Tired and wet and muddy,
the men were not in a mood to be ridiculed with
inpugnity, besides it was thought the prisoners
had fired the building with hopes of making
their escape.
The prisoners were placed in charge of J. F.
Pulkerson, constable of the township, to guard
through the night. Along in the early part of
the night some one called to him to come down
stairs, that Kenney, the jailer, wanted to come
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 165
up. He came down, and the moment he opened
the door he was seized by a couple of men.
Others went up and got the prisoners who were
just getting into bed. They were taken off up
the ridge northwest of town a short distance,
Fulkerson being taken by the guards along a
few yards back of the crowd. He fired his pistol
a few times to give the alarm, but the citizens
who saw the mob either thought the prisoners
were escaping, or did not feel disposed to in-
terfere. Kenney, the Jailer, followed in dead
earnest to recover the prisoners, but he missed
the way and went the wrong road, running until
he was entirely out of breath and exhausted.
The prisoners were very much frightened
and thought they were going to be hung. Old
man Bird said to them in a very solemn and im-
pressive voice. "Do you know there is a hell ?"
One of the mob replied, "yes by, — and we are
going to give you a taste of it. ? When they
reached a spot that was convenient and suffi-
ciently secluded, they halted and prepared to
administer the whipping. Old man Bird was
asked if he had not been whipped once before. He
replied that he had for preempting a piece of
land. He was then told he could take another
for preempting a goose. He was then given a
severe whipping, the shreds of his shirt being
left on the withes that were used. One of the
166 HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY.
boys was given a few licks, and the other one
excused with a reprimand. They were then
turned loose with an injunction to leave the
county. Fulkerson was also discharged and
sent back to town. The three prisoners found
their way to W. R. Barnes' house, where they
were supplied with shoes, and went on to A. J.
Watkins ' . He gave them a firebrand and directed
them to a vacant house, but they failed to find
it and built up a fire and staid in the woods all
night. They suffered intensely through the night
and the next morning they returned to Watkins '
nearly frozen, the weather being very cold.
They were given breakfast and then went to
their homes.
Bird and his family remained in the county
for some time swearing eternal vengeance, but
no attempt was made to execute their threats.
An effort was made by the next grand jury to
investigate the matter, but no one knew any-
thing until after the case was barred by limi-
tation.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 167
CHAPTER XI.
War Stories.
The history of this county during the Civil
War is one that is difficult to write, and about
which there is much difference of opinion and
many conflicting reports. The inhabitants of
the county up to that time were principally
from the southern states, and a majority con-
sidered that their interests were with the south-
ern people. At the same time there was a
strong Union element among them who resisted
secession until the war was begun, when they
cast their fortunes with the Confederacy. There
was still another element, largely in the minority
in this county, that remained loyal to the last.
Many of these were from the southern states,
and the animosities engendered between them
and their old neighbors were bitter to an ex-
treme known only in war times and between
citizens of those states. It was a time that
truly "tried men's souls.' It laid bare to the
public gaze the true character of men and re-
168 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
vealed them in all their moral corruption or noble
humanity as could be done under no other con-
ditions. The results of this ordeal were quite
the opposite to what in many cases were ex-
pected. Men who had been regarded as timid
became the bravest of soldiers. Some who
stood well in the community were the first to
avail themselves of the opportunity to rob and
plunder, while others who were regarded as
rather "tough,' became prominent in their
efforts to restrain violence. Those who entered
the regular service, as a rule, became honorable
soldiers and conducted themselves in a manner
becoming civilized warfare. The deeds of
cruelty were generally the work of bands or-
ganized either for plunder or revenge.
The acts of heroism, if all recounted, would
fill a volume much larger than this. There are
many instances where the ties of friendship and
love of humanity rose far above the passion and
hatred of war. Time and again, both Union
and Confederate men and women have taken
their lives in their hands, as it were, and gone
at the dead hour of night for miles over these
lonley hills and valleys, to warn men of the
opposite side who they knew were at home to
visit their families, of approaching danger.
Often the warning came in time and the intended
victim would vanish in the darkness and ad-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 169
jacent thicket as he heard the clatter of the ap-
proaching foe. Sometimes the sound of shots
and shrieks of women and children greeted the
ears of the messenger before he reached his
goal and inscribed on his or her heart the words,
"too late."
The military operations of this section of
country were so connected with the movements
of the opposing armies that it becomes more a
matter of general than local history and it is
not the province of this book to detail the same.
A few incidents of the war which are true be-
yond a peradventure will be more interesting
to our people than an account of the actions of
the troops.
As an example of the feelings which often ex-
isted between Union and Confederates the f ollow T -
ing is given which w r as told the writer several
years ago by the party himself. A raid was
made into this county by a detachment of Kan-
sas troops and among a number of prisoners
captured was E. Caulk, since deceased, who
lived on Patterson creek near the state line.
A good deal of bad work had been done by
bushwhackers and feeling ran high. The
prisoners w T ere taken to Baxter Springs and
kept under close guard waiting to be identified,
and their fate determined. When questioned,
Mr Caulk told the officer he was a Confederate,
170 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
but did not belong to the army and was opposed
to the action of the bushwhackers. He was
trying to stay at home and attend to his own
affairs. After a few days confinement, a couple
of Union men who were acquainted with him
came into camp. When recognized he knew
his fate was in their hands but as there had
never been any particular friendship between
them he was in doubt as to the result. In a short
time he was called up before the commander
and discharged with a pass home and jDrovisions
for the journey. The two men had stated that
he was an honest, inoffensive citizen and they
were willing to vouch for his good conduct.
Death Of Major Smith.
A pathetic, but pretty story, is related of the
death of Major Smith of the Confederate army.
Moses Woodman Smith, a native of Maine, was
teaching school at Pineville in 1861. He was
boarding at the home of C. B. Walker, a staunch
Union man. He and Mr. Walker's daughter,
Miss Jennie, now Mrs. Dan Harmon, were en-
gaged to be married. When the war broke out,
Mr. Smith raised a company and entered the
Confederate service. Soon afterward he was
promoted to the rank of Major. The attachment
between the two young people, and the ties of
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 171
friendship between him and her family were
not in the least severed by their different views
in regard to the war. On many occasions an
opportunity was afforded in which one could
shield or protect the other, and such chances
were never neglected. At one time while he was
visiting at the Walker home the Federals made
a raid on the town. A brother of the Major's,
suspecting he was there called and asked to see
him. He begged of Jennie to reveal his hiding
place, promising that he only wanted to visit
him as a brother, and would not betray her
secret. His appeal was denied, and after all
danger was over the Major come down from the
garrett, and in a short time was with his com-
mand.
The Walker family finding it unsafe to live
here moved to Newtonia where there was a
Federal post.
When General Price made his raid through
this part of the state, Major Smith had another
opportunity to visit his affianced wife, and made
the Walker home his headquarters. When the
Union forces sent to retake the place were
advancing, and the battle of Newtonia began,
which was some distance from the town, she
begged him not to go into the fight. He promised
her he would not, but when he rode out and
saw the battle raging, his zeal overcame him.
17- HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and he was soon in the midst of the contending
forces He was wounded, and when found on
the field, was taken to the house of Mr. Weems
an Uncle to Miss. Walker. Hearing of his con-
dition, she first obtained the consent of her
parents and went to take care of him. One
bullet had struck just above the knee injuring
the artery. The attending surgeon informed
him that a slight aggravation of the wound
w r ould sever the artery, and produce death, at
the same time stating that amputation of the
limb was the only way to save his life. He
stated that he would rather take his chances
than to loose his limb. Here he was nursed by
Jennie, she frequently singing to him his
favorite song, "A Soldier of the Legion lay
dying.' But there w T as no "Lack of woman's
nursing, " no "Dearth of woman's tears, "for
kind hands and tender hearts, all true and loyal
to their country, rendered every assistance in
their power. Some five or six days afterward
the wound sloughed into the artery and he bled
to death in a few moments.
Escaped on Shelby's Horse.
When that gallant Confederate cavalryman,
General Shelby, made his raid on Neosho and
captured it, a considerable number of prisoners
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 173
were taken. Among the rest were David and
John Harmon. These two men had incurred
the enmity of the Confederates by the active
part they had taken in the local military affairs.
When the town was taken David Harmon dropped
his two revolvers in the weeds near the court
house, and concealed them.
He was dressed in a loose homespun hunting
shirt and trousers, that very much resembled
the Confederate gray. While the Union prison-
ers were being marched to the court room on the
upper floor of the court house, he says one of
the guards set his gun down and went for a
drink of water. Harmon watched his opportu-
nity and picking up the gun began walking the
beat in the place of the guard. A moment later
General Shelby and the sheriff of the county
rode up, and leaving their horses, started to the
court house. The general's horse had been
trained to stand without being tied. As the two
men passed near Harmon, he had his hat pulled
down, and his head turned to avoid rocognition
by the sheriff who knew him, and kept leisurely
walking his beat. He heard the sheriff remark
as they passed by that he wanted to go up stairs
and see if any of those Harmons were there, if
so, they had lived long enough. They passed
into the court house and Dave walked to where
he had dropped his pistols, picked them up, and
174 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
mounted Shelby's horse. The other guards,
having seen the general just pass, supposed he
had been sent to take charge of the animal, and
made no protest. He rode unconcernedly down
the street, past the guards and into the woods,
before the ruse was discovered. The horse
was a splendid animal, and carried him safe
from all pursuit into the Federal lines.
His brother, John, was placed with a few
other prisoners in the back room of an old house,
the guards remaining in the front room. There
was a door to the room in which the prisoners
were kept, but it had been locked. In the night,
and while the guards engaged in a game of cards
in the front room by the light of the tire, Har-
mon silently unlocked the door with an old
key he happened to have in his pocket, and
escaped in the darkness of the night. He eluded
all the guards and pickets, and before daylight
came was several miles away.
How Judge Nutting Came to Join
The Confederate Army.
The following account will not only be of
interest as a personal reminiscence, but is a fair
example of the way in which many of our citizens
came to enter the service of either army.
When the war broke out George Nutting
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 175
lived on what is now the Royal Harrington
farm on Buffalo, which he had owned for several
years. Mr. Nutting died in February, 1862,
and his wife, step-mother to the Nutting child-
ren, in March following. Wash. , the oldest son,
had enlisted in the Union army, state troops,
and M. L. (Bud) was at Neosho suffering from
wounds received the previous summer, and J.
W., then a boy of fifteen years, was left to look
after the farm. His sister Martha (Mrs. D. H.
Mathews) had charge of the family of five little
children. Their father had been a Union man,
but tried to remain neutral.
John had raised a crop that year of twenty-
five acres of corn and about the same of oats.
The oats were cut and he was binding them while
damp early in the morning and late at night.
One evening after working until dark he went
home, and in a few moments a squad of some
fifteen or twenty men rode up and wanted oats
for their horses. They went to the field, got
what they wanted and the leader gave him a
gold dollar. They camped for the night but
left before daylight. The next morning while
he was out binding oats a company of Federal
troops under Lieutenant Brown came along.
The Lieut, called Nutting out to the road where
the following conversation took place:
"Who were those fellows vou fed last night?"
176 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
"I don't know who they were. "
"Yes you do: don't lie to me."
I don't know; they had on Federal clothes."
"I know you; what are you?"
"Nothing. "
"I'll make something out of you. I say, what
are you?"
"If we could have the Union like it was, I'd
be for the Union."
At this the Lieutenant drew his pistol, cock-
ed it, and placing the muzzle against the boy's
breast, hissed between his teeth, "I say, what
are you?"
"I'm Union. "
"Go back to your work, and if I catch you a
hundred yards off the place, your scalp's mine. '
The company rode on, and Nutting returned
to his work. It was not long before he heard
the rattle of small arms. The two forces had
met at the Ford of Buffalo a short distance
above where George Keenan now lives, and a
sharp engagement took place.
Nutting felt that he might be blamed for any
disaster to the Union troops so he ran home,
got a shot gun and pistol which he had kept
hidden, and secreted himself on the hill above
the house. In about two hours the troops came
back. After a short stop at the house, and not
finding him, they went on up the creek.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 17 7
John came down in a few moments and was
standing in the hallway when he heard a man
coming from the field. As he turned the corner
of the house Nutting covered him with his re-
volver. The fellow threw up his hand and said
"Don't shoot, I am a friend. ' He said he was
d — n hungry, and stated that his horse had been
killed in the fight and he was going to Jasper
county and steal the best horse they had. His
name was Yocum, a son of the commander of
the Confederate squad. Nutting saddled his
horse and left that evening. He was able to
slip in home a few times on a few moments visit
but in a short time enlisted at Beaver Springs
under Major Smith and served in the Confederate
army until the close of the 'war.
A Scrap At Enterrise.
In the late summer or early fall of 1863 a
Confederate regiment under Col. Coffee was
camped at Enterprise. They were attacked
by the First Ark. Cavalry and a pretty hot
fight ensued. The Ark. troops had two small
field pieces which they brought into play and
the Confederates retreated to Scott's mill where
the fight ended.
Removal Of The Hopkins Family.
Benjamin Hopkins and family, staunch Union
176 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
people, lived on what is now known as the
Polk farm which is a mile above Tiff City on
Buffalo Creek. Matters grew pretty warm for
them and they could neither safely remain at
home, nor take their effects awav.
Early in the spring- of 1862 a detachment under
Major Hubbard was sent from Neosho to escort
them to the Federal lines. They had a couple
of six-pounders with them which they brought
into use to disperse squads of men who had
assembled on the hills with a view to firing on
the escort should they collect a sufficient body.
Daniel Dobbs, Jim Dobbs Fayette Price, and
perhaps a few others were on the point of the
bluff near the old Camp Shed, when a few shot s
from the cannon were fired at them. Of course
they hustled out of range. As they went on up
the creek they saw about forty men under Is-
bell on the hill back of W. C. Price's house.
The cannon were turned loose on them and some
fifteen or twenty shots were fired. The Confed-
erates dispersed without firing a shot and the
escort returned to Neosho unharmed.
A Fatal Mistake.
In the summer of 1862 Major Doubleday with
a part of the 2nd Ohio was sent on a secTat down
Buffalo creek and the west part of this counl
They were making prisoners of every man they
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 179
came to. As they went down Buffalo they capt-
ured two AVetherspoon boys who were at work
in the field. The scout went on down to the
river and came back the next day. JohnDobbs
and M. L. Nutting had taken to the brush with
their horses the day before, not from any hostile
feelings tow T ards the Union troops but through
fear of being taken prisoners or loosing their
horses. After the troops had gone up the road
and, as they supposed were out of thew^ay, they
came down to dinner. Hearing the Weather-
spoon boys had been released, they started up
to their place to see how they had been treated.
A short distance above the upper end of the
Nutting farm, they were suddenly confronted by
a detachment of the troops. Here they made a
fatal mistake. Had they surrendered they would
have been examined and released in ashorttime.
But they attempted to escape. They ran down
the level road some tw T o hundred yards and were
leading the troops, but there they left the road
and started up the point of the hill. This checked
their speed and their pursuers ran up to the foot
of the hill and tired. Dobbs fell dead and Nutting-
received a minnie ball at the left of his back
bone and it was cut out in front of his stomach;
one ball entered the back part of his hip and
was taken out in front, a third gave him a flesh
wound in the wrist. In a moment or two the
180 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Captain came up and when he looked at him
exclaimed: "Why that boy lives back there
where I got dinner; They are as fine people as
I ever met!'* He expressed regret at the
wounding of Bud, and spoke in very high terms
of the family. Bud was afterwards taken to
Neosho where he eventually recovered and is
now living near Splitlog.
Death of Timothy Wimpey.
The Wimpey boys had quite a varied career
during the war. Mr Wimpey lived on Beaver
valley near the mouth of the long hollow that
runs up to Splitlog. One night the old gentle-
man and a small boy had gone up the fence a
short distance from the house to look after some
stock. A band of bushwhackers happened along
and took his hat, coat, shoes and pants, and left
the old man to return to the bosom of his family
with the cool April breeze chanting requiems
through the flapping tail of his nether and only
garment.
Two of his sons were conscripted into the
Southern Army. One made his escape in a short
time, but the other was afterwards killed in a
battle down near the Mississippi River.
Tim was but a boy and remained in this county.
He had been reported to be in the habit of giving
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 181
aid and information to the bushwhackers. The
following account of his death and the cause
given in the report was furnished by C. D. Wim-
pey, a brother to the deceased.
Tim had been at McRae 's helping the women
kill hogs. It was along in the evening and he
and the women were snowballing, when a party
of Indian scouts under Capt. Stevens came along
and took him prisoner. They went on down
the creek about two miles where they halted
and the Captain ordered two Indians to shoot
him. He was shot twice in the head and then
stabbed.
His brothers, Jim and William, both loyal
men, made complaint to General Blunt and the
matter was investigated. Capt. Stevens reported
that on coming down the creek they had captured
Nathaniel McRae, who convinced him that he,
McRae, was a good, loyal citizen, but told him
that Tim Wimpey w T as a bad bushwhacker. He
said they would find him on down the creek
helping some women kill hogs. He was but a
boy, but very dangerous.
The reason given for McRae, s animosity is
that he attempted to steal Wimpey ? s horse some
time before that and Tim would have killed him
had his gun not missed lire.
162 history of mcdonald county.
Miscellaneous Incidents.
The first Union man killed in the war is said
to have been William Hamlin, who was shot by
Rice Robinson, in April, 1861. Mark Harmon
and Russell Spencer were killed early in 1862
on account of their unswerving loyalty to the
government. These were followed later by many
murders and depredations committed by the
Confederates, generally bands of bushwhackers.
The Union people suffered the most severely
durinsr the raid of the Confederates in 1861 and
1862 but were never safe until after the close of
war. The number of Union men killed in this
county has never been fully ascertained.
Bands of Union scouts were constantly making
raids through this county and a spirit of retal-
iation was often manifested. A number of
men were shot down in retaliation for like of-
fenses perpetrated on their friends, and many
more killed with arms as bushwhackers. Up-
wards of forty men of this county were thus
killed during the four years of the war. This
does not include those killed in battle, or in
actual service.
Nearly every man and boy able to carry a gun
was in the service on one side or the other.
More than a hundred and fifty from this county
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 18
Q
served in the Confederate army, while a hundred,
or more, were enlisted in the United States or
State service for the Union.
Among the leading bushwhackers was Bill
Hinson, who burnt the court house at Pineville
in 1863. He or some of his gang also burnt
Hugh L. Testerman 's house and the residence
of C. B. Walker. He was afterwards shot at
Xeosho.
On the Union side, Lieut, Christian was a
terror to the evil doers. He was possessed of
great bravery and his expeditions into this
county were very much dreaded by his foes.
He was afterwards killed and scalped by the
Confederates. Col. Kelso was the most noted
Union scout in this section of the state. He
made many dangerous and daring expeditions,
and became an object of equal dread and hatred
to the bushwhackers. He however escaped
unharmed and after serving a term in Congress
after the close of the war, went to the Rocky
Mountains where he made quite a fortune.
A detatchmentof Prices army were camped
near Pineville in October 1861.
Hugh Testerman had quite a lot of apples in
his orchard to which the soldiers freely helped
themselves. Mrs. Testerman, his first wife, gath-
ered a lot of the apples and put them away
near the house. A few of the soldiers got after
184 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
these one clay, and she promptly ordered them
away. One of them refused to obey and was
proceeding to help himself when she shot him,
inflicting a dangerous wound. The fellow was
laid up for some time, but it is believed that he
finally got well.
This put a check on the apple stealing,
but came very near costing "Uncle Hugh" his
life. The comardes of the wounded man seized
Mr. Testerman and would have killed him, but
the Confederate commander ordered hisrelea:
and placed a guard to protect his property.
In the early part of the war Col. Shields of
Southwest City, recently deceased, was taken
prisoner by a company of Kansas troops and
was about to be shot w T hen John Martin of Pine-
ville, a Union man, secured his release.
On another occasion J. P. LaMance, who at
that time held a commission in the Confederate
service, was on the point of being executed by
some Union troops, when John V. Hargrove
interfered and saved his life. As an officer
Mr. LaMance had been very lenient towards
Union men, and did his utmost to save their liv«
and property. Afterwards, when the control
of this county had shifted to the other side,
his kindness was remembered by his old
neighbors.
Qn June 23, 1862, there was a skirmish at
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 185
Pineville between the Second Wisconsin Cav-
alry and the Confederates under Major Russell.
The latter were defeated, with the loss of several
prisoners and considerable property.
At another time the Federal army was advan-
cing down the valley towards Pineville and a
detatchment was sent in advance down the ridge.
They planted four cannon on the point of the
hill north of Testerman's house and threw a
number of shells over the town and in the bottom
across the river where the Price farm now is.
The Confederates had retreated a short time
before, and the Union army passed through and
went on up Little Sugar.
In August, 1863, there was a sharp engage-
ment in the bottom just across the river from
Pineville between Col. Coffee with about 500
Confederates and a portion of the Sixth Mo.
Cavalry. Coffee lost quite a number wounded
and prisoners and much of his munitions.
Jim Cowan reports a little fight on Granny's
Branch in which he was a participant. He was
with a company of Union soldiers who were out
on a scout. Some three or four were some dis-
tance in advance when they were suddenly fired
on by fifteen or twenty of the enemy. A running
fight ensued, the balance of the party coming up
in a short time. Pour or five of the Confederates
were wounded but no one was hurt on the other
side.
186 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
M. N. LaMance had a very narrow escape
from death at the hands of some Kansas troops.
They took him prisoner at his home in Pineville,
he being then a mere boy, and had the rope
around his neck to hang him. His mother ran
into the crowd and begged for his life. For
some time she was repelled and every effort but
force was used to induce her to leave. At last
some one set fire to their house and, pointing
to it told her to go and save it. She refused,
saying, ''No, the house may burn, but I must
save my boy. ' This touched the hard hearts
of his would be executioners and they went and
extinguished the fire and then released the boy.
This was the principal cause of his joining the
Southern army which he did soon afterwards.
A Vendetta.
The following story of vengeance being meet-
ed out to the perpetrators of a crime is related
as told by one who claims to know the facts
and vouches for the truth of the statements.
As has been before related, Mark Harmon
was killed by a band of men early in 1862 for
being a loyal man. He had been away and was
on his way home when he was met by a possee
of nineteen men. Knowing that his life had
been threatened, he took refuge behind a tree
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 187
and determined to sell his life as dearly as pos-
sible. His enemies without exposing themselves
gradually formed a circle around the tree and
soon brought him down with their rifles.
His son Dan was in California, but David and
John were here in the Southwest. Besides his
sons Mr. Harmon had many friends among whom
was Col. Kelso, who determined that his murder
should not go unavenged. They made enquiry
in the neighborhood and ascertained from dif-
ferent women that a band of nineteen men were
in the neighborhood that day, a few of whom
they knew. Not long afterwards one of these
men was taken prisoner some two or three
counties east of here. He would have been sum-
marily dealt with, but Harmon's friends request-
ed that he be delivered to them. They took him
off some distance from the camp and told him
they would give him one chance for his life.
If he would give the names of all the party
that killed Mark Harmon, they would turn him
loose and not pursue him until he had an hour's
start. If they caught him after that they would
kill him. He accepted their terms, gave the
names of the other eighteen and made his escape.
He went east and joined the Federal army and
some time afterwards was shot for insubordi-
nation.
A careful and systematic investigation was
188 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
then made and. the truth of his statement as to
the guilty parties fully verified. From that
day they were a doomed set of men. For three
years their pursuers hung on their trail, neither
giving nor asking mercy. Before the close of
the war seventeen of the band were killed. One
man by the name of Adams went to Texas soon
after Harmon's death and is said to be the only
one of them who escaped. On the other hand
it is claimed that there were two living in Texas
after the war.
The incidents of the cruel war might be ex-
tended indefinitely, but the foregoing are suf-
ficient to give to the rising generation an idea
of what our people on both sides did and suffered
during the four years of the Great Civil War.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 189
CHAPTER XII.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The July Flood.
Pineville News, July 19, 1883.—
Last Saturday was a day that will long be
remembered by the citizens of the Southwest as
the occasion of the heaviest rainfall ever wit-
nessed in this county. The rain here began
about daylight Saturday morning and continued
during the entire day, occasionally abating only
to come again with increased fury, until the whole
face of the earth seemed one solid sheet of water.
The damage done in McDonald county is almost
incalculable. The roads are washed out until
in many places it is impossible to pass with
wagons, while farmers who live along the
various water courses in the county, have suf-
fered, in many instances, irreperable loss, their
fences having been washed away and growing
crops overflowed and washed up until it is
impossible for them to mature into anything like
a medium yield.
The Cow Skin river at this place was three
190 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
feet higher than ever known by the oldest citi-
zens, and some estimates place it five feet higher
than in 1872.
Among those who have lost most heavily,
commencing at Jasper Brown's saw mill on Big
Sugar Creek, is the school district in which the
mill was located, lost the lumber that it had
bought to build a new school house, while many
individuals lost small amounts of lumber they
had had sawed and left stacked in the yard.
The farmers along down the creek lost all their
fences that were on the bottoms. I. H. Prater
who lives on what is known as the St. John
farm says there were 10,000 rails washed away
on that farm and fifty acres overflowed. The
water rose until it stood three inches deep in
Abraham Price's house, and the entire bottom
below was submerged. J. H. Hannah's saw
mill was washed away, also all his saw logs and
a lot of lumber. The Langley boys lost 1,000 bu.
of old corn they had penned up near the river.
Pleas Manning lost nearly all of his wheat, as
did Judge Shambaugh. It is estimated that
ten thousand dollars would not repay the dam-
ages done on the three farms belonging to
Messers Manning, Langley and Shambaugh.
The damages on Indian and Buffalo creeks
were equally as great as that on the other
streams mentioned. Taking all together si 50-
000 would not more than replace the damage
done in the county.
history of mcdonald county. 191
Hidden Treasures.
During the war, Asberry Carter, a single
man twenty five or thirty years of age, was one
of the residents of Pineville. He was possessed
of considerable means, in cash which he kept
buried at various places in the vicinity, frequent-
ly moving it. J. H. Moffett informs me that he
saw one place near where Mr. Foley now lives,
where Carter had dug up his money. At another
time Mr. Moffett saw where he had dug it up
from between two oaks or black jacks on the
south side of the river near where Abe Price
now lives. It is also reported that it was once
buried in what is now Neff's field. The amount
is s2,600, about si, 900 in gold, the remainder,
I believe, all in silver.
One day in 1862 or 1863, Carter went down the
river to Thomas Bradley's, who lived about
two and one-half miles below Pineville on what
is now known as the Bonebrake farm. While
there a couple of Indians came along and he and
Bradley traded, or talked of trading hats or
some other small article with them. One of the
Indians got hold of a handkerchief of Carter's
which he did not wish to part with. He snatch-
ed it from the Indian's hand whereupon the In-
dian shot him dead.
192 HISTOEY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
As Mr. Carter had never revealed to any one
the place where his money was buried, it re-
mains a secret to this day. Some think it is on
the bluff east of Mrs. Yonce's residence. Oth-
ers say it was down the river bottom not far
from the grave yard. Others think it is near
the school house. For many years after the
war hundreds of searches w T ere made, and every
spot that indicated that the soil had been bro-
ken was dug up and examined. As late as the
summer of 1895 an old gentleman from Kansas
thought he had the place located. He was seen
day after day near the school house a few yards
in front of the dwelling of the writer stepping
off the ground first one w T ay and then another,
as if carefully measuring the locality. After
several days surveying he located the place at
the root of a small tree, claiming the money had
been hidden in a hollow stump at that point.
Taking a few men into his confidence, he re-
paired there one night with pick and shovel and
made a search. They ascertained the fact that
the tree w T as growing from an old stump that
had practically rotted aw r ay, but no money was
found.
Thus ended the last, as all former searches
had ended, in disappointment, and the fortune
of Asberry Carter still lies hidden near our lit-
tle tow r n, perhaps within a stone's throw of the
home of some family w T ho are suffering for the
co in torts of life.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 193
Henry Shell's Money.
Henry Schell, father of the several men of
that name who now live in this county, was one
of the oldest settler of Mountain township. By
his thrift and industry he had not only acquired
a good farm, but had considerable money which
he kept about the place. When the war came
up he kept his money buried as a precaution
against robbers which infested the county. The
exact amount is not known, but is suspected to
be something over $300. On July 11, 1863, Mr.
Schell was killed by some Union scouts who
were on a raid in this section of the state. He
had never revealed to any one the place where the
money was secreted. After the war was over
the family felt that they would be safe in pos-
session of it, and began to search for it. Every
nook and corner of the premises and buildings
was hunted over time and again. The garden
was plowed several times and every particle of
dirt examined, but years passed by without any
return for their labor. Finally some of the
money was found in an old stump, the amount
not remembered. One day an arrangement had
been made for all the interested parties to meet
and continue the search. Xone came but Henry
and Jessee Schell, two of the sons. They went
194 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
to an old stable that was about rotted down and
concluded to search there. On digging down
by one of the logs they found two hundred and
fifty odd dollars. Of the amount found $1 12 w 7 as
in gold, the balance in silver. There is one
package of fifty dollars that has never been
found. Among the money found in the stable
was a 1-frank piece, a 37 1-2 cent piece and one
counterfeit 50 cent piece. Phillip Schell still
has these as keepsakes which he prizes very
highly.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 195
A Wolf story.
N. C. Stafford and J. H. Cowan, both re-
spectable citizens of Cyclone township, relate
quite an interesting adventure with black
wolves. When the war ended they, with a
few others returned to Sugar creek and all but
Stafford went down to Jack Hampton's, he be-
ing the only man then left in that vicinity. A
turkey hunt had been planned for the night and
the party were to meet about dark for that
purpose. Stafford, instead of going down to
Hampton's, went up to the Stafford premises.
He found the timber all on fire and the buildings
burning. On his way up he soon heard the
sniff of a wolf. Soon another and another,
and before he reached where the stables were on
fire they were howling within a few yards and be-
coming more numerous. He went on to where
the dwelling was on fire, but the pack grew
more numerous and daring, so he made his way
a short distance down the hill to an old los;
building, which had been used as a school house.
He took refuge in this from which he was rescued
in a short time by the party who were to meet
him at the Stafford place to hunt turkeys.
190 HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY.
There was an abundance of game before the
war bat during that four years it was practical-
ly unmolested and increased in great abundance.
The woods were full of turkeys and it was an
easy matter to find their roosting places and
slip up and shoot them in the night. This was
the principal way of killing them by some
hunters. Such was the plan for the evening
in question, and they proceeded in quest of the
game. The wolves, however w e re turkey
hungry too, and followed the party, keeping in
the dark so as to be out of danger of their rifles.
Plenty of roosts were found and many shots
were fired, but in every instance where the
turkey fell more than a few yards from the
hunters, it was grabbed by a wolf and carried
away before they could get to it. Only get-
ting three turkeys during the night out of per-
haps as many dozen, the wolves getting the
balance. There were a number of dogs along,
but after one or two ventures, they could not
be driven from the feet of their master.
history of mcdonald county. 197
Adventure With a Deer.
N. C. Stafford and J. H. Cowan recount
an adventure with a deer that for a time looked
quite serious for the parties engaged. They
were out hunting and came up with a buck
which one of them had wounded where the dogs
had caught it in a deep hole in the creek. Mr.
Cowan caught it by one horn and pulled it along
the drift to the shore where they threw it on
its back and prepared to cut its throat. Staf-
ford drew his long hunting knife, but as the
cold steel touched the deer's throat it struck
Stafford's hand with its hind foot peeling the
skin from his wrist to his knuckles, while the
knife whizzed away and stuck in the ground
several yards distant. This left them unarmed
and they could neither hold on nor let go with
safety, but they finally stunned it with rocks
so it could be finished with a knife. These two
men for some three or four years after the war
were engaged in hunting most of the time. A
favorite method of kiling deer was by "shining
their eyes", as it was called. The two would
hunt together afetr night, one carrying a torch
while the other carried the gun. The deer
would stand and look at the light as though in
wonder, while the hunter would take aim be-
tween its glistening orbs and bring it down.
Besides deer and turkey, they would occasion-
ally get a bear or panther.
198 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Capturing A Bear.
A few years before the war a large black bear
on several occasions was seen to take refuge
in a cave at the forks of Granny's branch,
where is now Joe Mustine's field near Cyclone.
Numerous attempts were made to get him out,
but without success. One or more parties started
to enter the cave and kill or drive him out.
. But the bear showed fight, and they beat a
hasty retreat. Fires were then built in the
mouth of the cave to smoke him out. After
being satisfied that the bear was overcome with
the smoke, they waited until it cleared away
when three men with torches started in to search
for him. In a few moments they heard a faint
cry and one of the three came staggering back
with the word that the other two were overcome
with "fire damp" and he had just strength to
return and give the alarm. Seizing larger
torches to drive off the foul air, others rushed
to the rescue of their two comrades and brought
them out perfectly limber and apparently life-
less. On being returned to the fresh air, how-
ever, they soon revived. The dead bear, which
weighed about 400 pounds was afterwards taken
out, but the meat had spoilt.
history of mcdonald county. 199
Claib Stafford's First Bear.
Mr. Stafford relates the following account
of killing his first bear. His father had a corn
field and bear were so numerous that they had
taken to it and were destroying the corn like a
gang of hogs. Claib was quite a small boy, but
his father sent him around the field one day to
see if all was right, allowing him to take the
gun. He heard a noise in the corn near where
a large log was lying, at the side of which grew
a sapling. He saw something black by this lit-
tle tree which he thought was a large coon. He
put his gun through the fence, took aim at the
center of its breast and fired. Being a little un-
certain as to his game he started back home,
but soon met his father who had heard the gun
fire and had started to see what was up. To-
gether they approached the log, and there lay
a large bear shot through the heart. The log
had concealed the lower part of its body, and
its head was hid by the corn and branches of the
sapling, exposing only a small part of its breast
which he took to be a coon on the side of the
little tree.
200 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Robbery of The McDonald County Bank.
Tuesday morning, August 17, 1897, about ten
o'clock our usually quiet town was thrown into
a fever of excitement by the robbery of the Mc-
Donald County Bank.
Mr. Shields was sitting under the awning
north of the door, Mr. LaMance just to his left
and Mr. Manning was sitting just inside of the
door. All three were quietly talking when two
men suddenly came around the corner of the
building from the north side and told Shields
and Manning they wanted the money and wanted
it d — n quick. Mr. Shields began to remonstrate
when he was promptly knocked over with a
Winchester, and sent on his all-fours after the
cash. They were followed into the vault by
one of the robbers a medium sized man who
kept his Winchester presented and with much
profanity and threatening urged them to hurry.
He produced a sack and compelled them to throw
in the money. The other, a large, tall man
stood in the door, guarded LaMance and kept
watch of the outside movements. He was
cautioned by the robber inside to keep his eye
on the hardware.
Kin McDonaldandMrs. Plumlee who had just
driven up to the hitch rack in a buggy wore
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 201
were greeted with the remark, "You just sit
s:ill and you sha'nt be hurt. ' Of course Kin
complied.
LaMance stood twirling a bunch of keys and
talking to the man in the door, and at one time
the fellow laughed at one of LaMance's droll
remarks. He would probably have been thrown
off his guard had his demeanor not been observed
by the leader inside, who cautioned him to watch
more carefully.
They had come into town from the Big Sugar
Creek road and hitched their horses at the back
of Wear's lot just west of the Baptist church.
A small young man, or boy, part Indian was
left in the street in front of Col. Hooper's
residence. Brit hooper and Mr. Case who
happened to be near were held up by him, and
he remarked to Brit that it was no use to get
excited in a time like that.
Of course it all came like a flash of lightning
from a clear sky. The first who saw it thought
it was some boys scuffling, but as soon as the
alarm was given men began to run for guns.
But few could be found and most of them were
not loaded.
Inside of three minutes they had secured the
cash and started for their horses, compelling
Shields and Manning to inarch at a lively trot
in front of them thus preventing any shots being
202 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
fired as they retreated. The robbers rode out
as they came in, and a fourth of a mile above Tes-
terman's house they met little Floyd Shields
and exchanged horses with him. But one shot
was fired, and that was a Winchester shot
from one of then fired in the air as they rode off.
They took to the hills about a mile east of
town crossed Little Sugar and made for the
Indian Territory. Late in the afternoon they
were intercepted by a possee as they rode down
a gulch into Butler creek bottom. A fight en-
sued in which two of the robbers were slightly
wounded and one horse killed. They abandoned
the other horses and took to the brush the tall
man, Whit Tennyson, having been separated
from the other two by the Shields horse
running away with him. Tennyson was captured
the next day in the Indian Territory by Joe and
Scott Yeargin of Southwest City. He exposed
the plot and in a few days the other two were
captured at Weir City, Kansas.
The one who stood guard at the horses proved
to be Cora Hubbard, a woman in men's attire.
She was taken at her father's house in Weir
City a few hours after her return. The other
one, John Scheets, came in a couple of days
later. They were all fully identified and freely
acknowledged their guilt. About $355 of the
money was recovered.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 203
Tennyson is a widower 30 years old, Scheets
is a young man about twenty-two, and Cora
Hubbard is a grass widow twenty-five. Their
case is now pending in our circuit court, and it
is probable that for this one rash act they will
spend a good portion of their lives in the pen-
itentiary.
204 history of mcdonald county.
Killing of Jack Tillotson.
On Sunday night, August 30, 1896, a desperate
fight took place at the Lumis school house in
White Rock township, between Jack Tillotson
and Tom Hopper, in which the former was in-
stantly killed and the latter stabbed in several
places. The occurrence was especially deplor-
able from the fact that both were young men, or
rather boys, about nineteen years old, and were
strangers. They had never spoken to each
other except on one occasion they chanced to
meet in the road and spoke as they passed.
Rev. James Hollow T ay was holding a series of
meetings at the place above named and the two
boys were at meeting on the fatal Sunday night.
It appears that young Tillotson had taken a girl
to church the night before, and on the way home
some of the boys hooted at and made fun of
them. Among them was one of the Hopper
boys, a brother to Tom. On Sunday night the
school house was full and perhaps as many out-
side. Young Hopper was sitting on a rick of
wood which was corded up a few yards from the
house with a couple of other men. Tillotson
approached and in a rude manner asked if he
was the fellow that halload at him the night be-
fore. Hopper replied that he was not. Tillot-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 205
son said he could whip (applying a very foul
name) that halload at him. Hopper said he
was in the crowd but did not halloa. Tillotson
twice more repeated the epithet, when Hopper
said "You can't whip me,'' and struck Tillotson
in the face, In the fight Hopper was stabbed in
the breast, on both wrists, and had a cut in the
the thigh some four inches deep. He threw
himself back on the wood and while getting up
was struck once or twice with a stick of wood.
As he was getting up he drew a 44-caliber revol-
ver and fired, the ball passed through Tillotson 's
body near the heart, killing him instantly.
Hopper was indicted for murder in the second
degree the following January, and tried at the
August term, 1897. He was convicted of man-
slaughter in the fourth degree and his punish-
ment fixed at two years in the penitentiary.
The case was appealed to the supreme court
where it is still pending (September 1897.)
200 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Murder of George Smith.
Pineville Democrat, March 19, 1897.
Last Sunday night, March 14, 1897, just as
divine services were closed and the congregation
dismissed at what is known as Old Bethpage
Baptist church, on North Elkhorn creek, and as
he was in the act of putting on his overcoat,
George W. Smith was coolly and deliberately
shot down without warning by one John Arnold,
a boy about 19 years old. The shot was fired from
the outside the ball passing through a pane of
glass in one of the middle windows on the
east side of the church striking its victim in the
right temple, passing slightly upward through
the right lobe and into the left lobe of the brain,
there deflecting and passing into the back of
the head where it was found lying in the brain
when the autopsy was made after death.
Prom the time the shot was fired at twenty
minutes to nine o'clock Sunday night he lay in
a comatose state until death came at twenty
minutes past twelve o'clock on Monday. In his
critical condition it was impossible to move him
to his home, only about one hundred and twenty-
five yards from the church, so that he died with-
in a few feet of where he was shot and was buried
from the church at two o'clock on Tuesday, the
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 207
whole population of the country turning out to
pay its last tribute of respect to one whom all
honored and loved.
Young Arnold had been seen at the window
and talked with by some of the young men out-
side and had refused to enter the church with
them. The excitement in the church at the time
was intense, and after a few minutes parties
started out to search for the assassin and Arn-
old having been seen at the window and then
suddenly disappearing suspicion pointed to him.
An hour or such a matter after the shooting
parties went to the home of 01 Mosier, about a
mile north of the church, after castor oil and
found that Arnold was there and in bed. The
Constable and Squire Mosier were notified, a
warrant issued, and he was taken into custody
by constable Hines about midnight.
Sheriff Jarrett and Prosecutor Clay were
notified as quickly as possible Monday morning,
and Mr. Clay being unable to go on account of
trying a criminal case here that morning, Sher-
iff Jarrett and Judge W. E. Smith went as
quickly as possible to the scene, arriving there
about noon. Arnold was arraigned before Squire
Mosier and waived examination and was commit-
ted to jail the Sheriff taking charge of and
bringing him to Pineville, himself, prisoner and
Judge Smith leaving there about four o'clock
208 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and arriving here a little after dark, and the
Sheriff landed him in the Neosho jail the next
day. Excitement ran quite high in the country
where the assassination occured, and had the
people been positive that the right party had
been caught it is believed by many that he
would have been lynched.
He seemed to take every thing very coolly,
and that night while being guarded here made
a confession, deliberately acknowledging that
he did it, telling all about how he did it, and
implicating other parties, saying that he was
to have, or had got $25.00 for it. He said he
had nothing in the world against Mr. Smith
personally. His confession was reduced to
writing and he swore to it. Arnold has lived
in that locallity most of the time for six or
seven years past, and is an orphan. In some
ways he may not be over bright, but at the
same time he is a cunning, shrewd fellow and
by no means unaccountable. He used a 38
caliber five chamber revolver, and the same day
had shown it to some of the boys, showing them
that he had five cartridges in the revolver and
six in his pocket. The shell of the eleventh
was picked up about seventy-five yards from
the church near a tree the next morning. This
shell and the bullet extracted from the brain
of Mr. Smith exactly fitted Arnold's revolver.
history of mcdonald county. 209
Tiff City.
This enterprising little town was platted by
S. L. Hopkins, August 6, 1881. Hopkins platted
an addition in 1883, and E. W. DePue laid out
another addition in 1886.
The town is situated on Buffalo creek where
it crosses the State line. It has a population
of about 200 people, and contains several enter-
prising and well conducted business establish-
ments. Is has a good portion of Buffalo and
Patterson creek valleys, besides some prarie
and extensive flat woods from which to draw
its custom in the State, and is adjacent to a
fertile tract of country in the Indian Territory.
The name was suggested by the mineral
substance of that name which abounds in the
vicinity of the spring. The town was incor-
porated several years ago, but after an experi-
ment of several months the city government
was abandoned. During this time a number of
men got on a spree and undertook to run the
town. They bluffed off two or three of the offi-
cers, sending some of them home for repairs.
Ed Hopkins, one of the deputies, commanded
the peace and was assaulted by the rioters. He
drew his pistol and shot John Caulk, one of them
dead. It was in Tiff City that Minnie DePue,
a girl in her teens, shot and instantly killed
John Lewis, a man of family, in defense of her
honor. They used to scrap a little down there,
but in recent years the place has become quite
peaceable and the moral element prevails.
210 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
The Temperance Work in
McDonald County.
by mrs. lora s. lamance.
The rise and growth of temperance sentiment
in McDonald county has been somewhat out of
the ordinary. To fully understand it, we must
go back to the early days of its settlement. At
the first, the county was largely settled by peo-
ple from the Southern and Western states. The
most genial, hospitable people on earth, their
very qualities of bon homie and good fellow-
ship inclined them to conviviality. There had
been no temperance agitation, and none were
troubled with scruples as to dram drinking or
social treating. Most of the stores sold whisky,
and sold it with as little concealment as they
did their calicoes; every farmer brought his
jug with him when he came to town to trade:
every horse swapping or sale of land was con-
firmed by treats all around; every house and
barn raising was dedicated by the passing of
the whisky jug from hand to hand; the guests
at every wedding grew hilarious with exhilara-
ting corn-juice, while all toooftenthe mourners
of the funeral, drowned their sorrows the same
day in the oblivion of drunkenness. Picnics,
elections, and holidays were days of "a general
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 211
good time,' which expression covered every-
thing from being gentlemanly foxy to lying dead-
drunk in the fence corner. Thus were sown the
seeds for a bitter harvest of dissipation.
Following this came the terrible period of
the civil war. McDonald County was on debata-
ble ground, and was over-ran again and again,
by the contending Federal and Confederate forc-
es. She was mercilessly pillaged and sacked, her
court house destroyed, and her records burned.
For years there was no restraint of either church
or court. Anarchy reigned, and the inevitable
demoralization that followed, could not be over
come in a day nor year. The days of reconstruc-
tion, of the setting in motion of the machinery
of law and order, was a time of turbulence.
The war had engendered countless feuds between
neighbors. The Governor had to appoint the
first officers, and rival ambitions and jealousies
fanned this animosity. As an instance of the
unsettled state of affairs, the records show that
no less than three different men were appointed
in three months time to the same county office.
Moral restraint, that would have alleviated much
of this angry feeling, unfortunately was in
abeyance. The war had been over two years
before the first church was organized in the
county, and it consisted of a class of but six
persons, five women and one man.
212 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
All this turbulent time two and three saloons
were doing a nourishing business at the county
seat, then a hamlet of less than two hundred in-
habitants, but from its position the center of all
this turmoil. Undoubtedly much of the incite-
ment to strife came from the same iniquitous sa-
loons, the breeders of mischief everywhere.
Then again, there came back from the war a
loose, wreckless class of persons, who drift as
naturally to places where the law is weak and
moral force at a low ebb, as the waters run down
hill. The period of 1865 — 70 was a shameful
one that all of McDonald's Citizens would be
glad to forget. It was a current saying that
Pineville was the worst drinking hole in the
state, and this fact furnishes the only reasonable
explanation of how such an appalling list of
crimes and misdemeanors could be committed
in the midst of what had been before, and is at
the present time, a most peaceful people. There
were days of general uproariousness, led by the
wreckless characters before spoken of who drank
and caroused, and held high carnival, bullying
quiet, respectable citizens, defying the law,
and over-riding the peace officers. On such
days bullets would fly upon the streets until
sober men would leap upon their horses and
flee for their lives.
It is not for us to record the murder and crimes
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 213
•
of those dark days, but one tragedy stands out
so black even on that dark page, that we can
not pass it by. One of the carpenters employed
in building the court-house, was a man originally
of fine impulse; he gave way however to the
dissipation all around him and became a perfect
sot. In a moment of remorse, realizing the
chains of drink were too strong for him to ever
be his own master again, he took his own life.
His wife, who left behind her this little message,
"Death is better than to live the wife of a drunk-
ard, ' ' took poison with him, and died also. This
terrible deed shocked a community fast growing
accustomed to crime, and sober men began to
ask, "How much longer shall these things
continue?" Then began one of the most effect-
ive temperance awakenings that our county has
ever known. No temperance advocate has ever
delivered such touching and effective pleas
for sobriety, as did the shootings, stabbing and
murders, that could be traced to the saloons.
What men have to know and see, they feel, and
the peaceful, law-abiding element began to do
some serious thinking on the liquor problem.
Men who had been moderate dram drinkers all
their lives, began to see the dangers of indulg-
ence, and more and more, the substantial men
who are the back bone and sinew of every
community, swore off from drinking themselves,
214 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and gave their influence against it. An improve-
ment of conditions followed at once upon this
change of public opinion. Drinking there was
yet, and to excess, but the shameless orgies of
the "60's" could not be repeated, for public
sentiment would no longer tolerate them.
In 1874 a lodge of I. O. G. T. was organized
at Pineville, but soon came to an end. The time
was not yet ripe for public revolution. The
leaven was w r orking, however, and in Feb-
ruary, 1878, when Mrs. S. A. Williams came to
Pineville in the interest of the Murphy and Blue
Ribbon movement, the hour was ripe. The
awakening was something phenomenal. The
interest that was taken baffles description. The
community became at a white heat of enthusi-
asm. Night after night for weeks the old Meth-
odist church was packed to the very walls;
farmers with their families drove over rough
roads on the darkest nights, and stood patient-
ly the jam and push of the crowd, a third of
whom could not be seated. Blue ribbon by the
bolt was cut into badges. Tipplers and teeto-
talers, drunkards and church members, fell into
line waiting their turn to have their names re-
corded, and the bit of blue ribbon pinned on.
Whenever some particularly hard case would
fall into line the enthusiastic audience would
burst into song. The ringing chorus of ' 'Throw
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 215
out the life-line," "Pull for the shore," or
"Hold the fort, would resound until the
very walls echoed back the refrain. When this
protracted temperance love-feast closed, there
was scarcely an adult for miles around but what
had taken the pledge, "With malice toward none,
and charity toward all." "The Murphies" of
Pineville had even gone with song and exhorta-
tion to White Rock and other townships, carrying
the gospel of total abstinence. The better to
hold the large number of reformed men who
joined them, the Murphies resolved to hold a
regular meeting every Thursday night, and
for five years they did so.
But it was not all smooth sailing. Far from
it, indeed. The power proved unresistable,
and one unfortunate after another broke his
pledge, until the number of defections was an
open scandal. Many societies would have given
up the ghost at once, but our McDonald County
Murphies were not of that kind of stuff. The
matter was taken up. It was decided for the
children and young men's sakes to continue the
meetings. Then came the question of purging
the rolls. Some of those who had violated their
pledge were most honored citizens, and their
wives and children were in the audience. Men
sat and looked at each other, each unwilling to
do this obvious but unpleasant duty. Then
216 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
uprose old Harmon Kenney, an officer in the
church, and his hair white with the snow of
three-score and ten winters. With tears falling
like rain down his cheeks, he said, "What no
one else will do, Harmon Kenney must do. I
move that so and so, be expelled from our rolls. '
This one man's brave Christian act saved the
Murphies. The remnant that was left, deter-
mined to not yield, and for those five years,
line upon line they, gave instruction i n
temperance doctrine until public sentiment in
Pineville township became, as it remains to-day,
overwhelmingly on the right side. The Murphies
as an organization, have died out everywhere,
but the work they did for Pineville township
and through it an influence extending through-
out the county, can scarcely be over-estimated.
For five years after the Murphies disbanded,
we find no record of any temperance society in
the county . Early in 1888, temperance again be-
came a burning question, for in February of
that year a special election was held upon the
Wood Local Opinion Law. The results showed
the folly of attempting to pass a reform measure
without an active organization working for it,
for the antis or "wets,' carried the measure
overwhelmingly, one township indeed, giving
but one dry vote. At the eleventh hour, Feb-
ruary, the month of the election, the W. C. T.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 217
U. sent an organizer, C. J. Holt, into the county
tc rally the temperance forces, and do the little
that could be done in that short time. He at
once established a W. C. T. U. at Pineville, the
most central point in the county, and the now
aroused workers succeeded in getting some
earnest work done in some other townships.
In Pineville township the ladies served hot
coffee and refreshments close to the voting
place, and pinned ribbon badges on the "dry''
adherents. Without exception, in every voting
precinct where the temperance people made a
stand, the "drys" won; where they let it go by
default, the "wets" carried the day as surely.
There is a lesson in this for future remembrance.
In Elk River Township, (where the town of
Noel now stands,) the sentiment against saloons
was supposed to be decisive, and the temperance
people made no attempt to rally their forces.
The liquor men, wiser in their day and generation
organized a still hunt along every by-path and
up every cross-hollow. At 3 o'clock, to their
astonishment, the "drys" found themselves out
numbered. Thomas Marshall, Elk River's lead-
ing citizen, roundly vowed that that record
should not stand. He brought out every horse
and vehickle that he had, pressed drivers into
service and sent them after the stay-at home
temperance vote. In one part of the Township
-18 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
was a little body of Adventists. They were
staunch temperance men, but as the election
came on Saturday, which was their Sabbath,
they stayed at home rather than desecrate the
Sabbath day. To them Mr. Marshall sent this
terse message, "This is a case of helping the
ox out of the pit," and every man responded.
They got there just before the poles closed, and
Elk River went "dry" by exactly five majority.
The W. C. T. U. that was organized by C. J.
Holt, at Pineville, consisted of 21 active and 2
honorary members. Mrs. America Chenoweth
was the first President, and much interest was
manifested. In March Mr. Holt organized a
W. C. T. U. at Southwest City with 83 members
the most prominent ladies of the town connecting
themselves with it. Somewhere about this time,
but whether organized by Mr. Holt we do not
know, a W. C. T. U. was also established at
Rocky Comfort. These are the three stragetic
points, center south, and north, that any or-
ganization that intends to hold the county must
first capture. These unions all contained much
excellent material, and gave at first much prom-
ise; but our ladies were unsued to public work
of any kind, the leaders one by one became sick
or moved away, and the move came to a stand-
still everywhere for lack of a head.
After this came a spasmodic revival of the I.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 219
O. G. T. at one or two points, but this also, soon
came to naught. In August 1893, Mrs. May L.
Woods, President of the 23rd District W. C. T.
U., and Mrs. Rebecca Hall, the saintly head of
the State Evangelical Department of the W. C.
T. U., organized a W. C. T. U. at Southwest
City. This was a smaller Union than the first,
and was organized under more discouraging
influences, for the liquor sentiment at that time
was unfortunately strong at Southwest City.
Mrs. Lucy A. Struthers, a most estimable
woman, was elected President, and Mrs. E. P.
Quarles was appointed the County President.
January 11 1894, Mrs. Woods, our beloved
District President, and Mrs. Clara C. Hoffman,
the State President of the Missouri W. C. T. U.,
organized a Union at Pineville. Mrs. Lora S.
LaMance was the first President, and served as
such until September 1895, when Mrs. C. S.
Manning, our present leader, took her place.
In May 1894, Mrs Quarles resigned as County
President, and Mrs. LaMance was appointed to
her position, and still holds it. In May 1894 a
Union was organized at Anderson, another good
central point. Of this Mrs. Octavia Ellin 2 was
President until 1896, when Mrs. P. A. T. Yocum
took her place. In December 1896, Mrs. Nellie
G. Burger organized a W. C. T. U. at Rocky
Comfort, Mrs. Fannie Kelly, President, and
220 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
this list completes the number of W. C. T. U. 's
at present in the county.
The W. C. T. U. have held it as their special
mission to form and crystalize public sentiment
in favor of prohibition. While we work among
the adults, and especially try to awaken the
churches as to their duty upon this question, we
pay special attention to the children. Adopting
the language of one of our leaders we hold that
"The star of hope for the temperance reform
hangs over the school house. ' We have held
in our three and a half year's existence three
special meetings with the teachers at the Normal,
and have pledged them to teach scientific tem-
perance instruction in the school room, that
our boys and girls may understand why alcohol
and tobacco hurt the human body. We have
had about twenty- live Demorest Oratorical
Contests, for young people between the ages
of fourteen and twenty-live. Two of these
Contests w r ere for the gold medal, all the com-
petitors for which had already won a silver
medal. Beside this there have been four or
five L. T. L. Contests held for children under
fourteen. Fully one third of these Contests,
that have awakened great interest everywhere,
and incidently taught our young people more
about elocution than they bad ever known before
have been held by our friends the teachers, in
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 221
District schools. By that means the prohibition
gospel has been carried where no temperance
lecturer has ever gone, and no temperance soci-
ety ever organized.
We have held four very successful county con-
ventions, at which many able addresses and pa-
pers were presented. We have enjoyed at stat-
ed periods hearing such well known lecturers
as Mrs. Hoffman, Mrs. Bosworth and Mrs. Bur-
ger. We have held many public meetings that
have done much to hold public sentiment to the
right. We have scattered thousands of pages
of temperance literature, and the most of the
time for the last two years, the Unions at An-
derson and Pineville have maintained a Tem-
perance column in the Pineville Democrat and
Anderson Messenger respectively. By all these
things we know we have not been idlers in the
Master's vineyard, and yet there is so much
more that ought to be done, and that we might
have accomplished, that we feel that we have
no room for self praise. God granting, the W.
C. T. U. of McDonald county in spite of special
discouragements at this and that point, will
still press on, and labor for the "good, the true
and the right, "until there is no need for a tem-
perance society in the county.
In the fall of 189-1, E. H. Benham organized
a chain of I. O. G. T. lodges in our county.
222 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
There is the best of feeling between fraternal
temperance societies, so he ad vanced to no point
where the W. C. T. U. was already established,
but at Erie, Bethpage, Tiff City, Noel, and three
or four other points he organized lodges. Some
of these proved short lived, but it is thought
that they at least prepared the way for some fu-
ture organization. Erie and Bethpage I. O. G.
T. lasted for two years each, but from lack of
leaders, the common cause of failure, went down.
The lodge at Donohue, however, remains in a
nourishing condition, and is exerting a wide-
spread influence. It is the George Washington
Lodge, and one of its officers says it is its good
name that keeps it alive and growing, but we
think there is more in the stick-to-it-iveness of
its officers.
Every one of these Lodges ought to take
heart and reconvene themselves. The field is
indeed white unto the harvest, but the laborers
are few. The change in public sentiment the
last few years has been gratifying to the tem-
perance people, but if we are to cement this in-
to strong, clear intent and purpose, we must do
more and better work. Let us up, and be at
our labor, while it is yet to-day!
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 225
CHAPTER XIII.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
A. A. Adams, familiarily known as Allen, is
a son of Jeff and Mary E. Adams, who for many
years were familiar citizens of Buffalo township.
He was born in Texas, January 17, 1884. In
1867 his parents came to this county and located
on the Sugar Fork of Buffalo creek. His mother
died in 1888, his father in 1894. He and Miss
Ada L. Hayes were united in marriage August
11, 1889. She bore him three children, all of
whom are now living. She died November 20,
1894. Mr. Adams was reared on his father's
farm, and attended the district schools what
time he could be spared from the farm duties.
He followed that occupation until October 1895,
when he bought a half interest in the Coy Mills,
since which time he has been interested in that
business, being now located at Tiff City. He
has given his attention to the various details of
the business imtil he has become almost as fa-
miliar with the millins: business as the farm
226 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
work. At present he is engaged in running the
engine and assistant manager of the business
of the firm.
Andrew D. Anderson, of McMillin town-
ship, son of Robert and Hester Anderson, was
born in Barry county, Missouri September 3,
1840. Five years later his parents moved to
this county and settled what is now the Schmidt
farm, since which time the object of this sketch
has principally been a resident of this county.
He enlisted August 2, 1862, in Co. H. Sixth
Kansas Cavalry, Volunteers and served until
June 22, 1865. The last ten months of the war
he was held a prisoner at Tyler, Texas. He
was first married December 7, 1865, to Rachel
L. Mizer of Tennessee. To them were born
seven children after which she died. Mr. An-
derson and Mrs. Malinda C. Hamilton, a widow
with three children, were married September
28, 1880, To them another seven children were
born. He at first joined the Baptist church
but afterwards withdrew and joined the North
Methodist of which denomination he was for
many years a local preacher. His present
widow, after her marriage with Mr. Anderson,
also withdrew from the Baptist and joined the
church to which he belonged. He was a pros-
perous farmer and at the time of his death,
November 1895, owned a farm of over 200 acres.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 227
He lived an exemplary life, highly respected
by all who knew him and greatly beloved by
his wife and children to whom he had ever been
a kind husband and father.
Robert Anderson, was born in Grayson
county, Virginia, February 1, 1831. Here he
lived until he was about 18 years old, when he
went to Tennessee, and from there to this
county in 1861. One of the first scenes he rem-
embered of seeing after reaching this county
was the holding of court on a big flat rock at
the forks of the two Sugar creeks. He was
first married to Nancy Testerman, of Ash
county, North Carolina in 1848. 4iter bearing
seven children four of whom are still living she
died and was buried at Beaver Springs ceme-
tery. He served in the quarter master's de-
partment one year under Gen. Price. Mr. An-
derson has been appointed post master four
different times and served in all about twenty
years, holding the position at Erie, Baladan,
and Anderson. He established the latter office
in 1887, and the town incidentally bears his
name. He was justice of the peace four years
at Erie and Indian Springs. By occupation he
is a merchant and mechanic, having sold goods
for upwards of twenty years, and has built 21
houses in this county.
Zach Baker, our present efficient county
228 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
clerk, is one of the most prominent men of
McDonald county. He is a son of Judge Hiram
Baker, and was born in Wayne county this
State in 1846. His parents came to this county
in 1853, where the object of this sketch was
principally reared. He received a fair education
in the common schools, mostly in Camden
county, where they went during a portion of
the war. He was especially efficient in figures
and penmanship. He was married in 1879, and
they have seven children, all living. Mr. Baker,
or Zach as every body calls him, has been nom-
inated by the Republicans and Independents
several times, and came within a few votes of
being elected when the opposition had some
300 majority. In 1886 he was elected county
assessor, which office he filled with credit, and
his work received the approval of the Democratic
county officials. In 1894 he was elected to the of-
fice which he now holds. By occupation he is a
farmer and knows what hard work is. He is a
minister in the Christian church, and seems to
be a great favorite with the young couples who
are matrimonially inclined.
A. H. Barlow, one of the oldest and most
respected citizens of this county, was born near
Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1818. Where he
was quite a small boy his parents moved to
Tennessee, where they died. He came to Neosho
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 229
in 1.841, and has lived in Newton and McDonald
counties ever since. He received his education
at home, studying at night by light of pine knots.
He married Elizabeth Gibson in Tennessee, they
had twelve children, four of whom are dead.
Of the living, two are in Colorado, two in the
Chocktaw Nation, one in Kansas, one at Neosho
one at Stella, and one near Miami, I. T. Some
years after the death ot his first wife he married
the widow Michael of Newton county. They
have three children all living. One at Anderson,
one in Ark. and one in Colorado. Mr. Barlow
was originally a Whig, and says he sticks to it
yet, but voted for Bryan last fall. He has been
a carpenter, cabinet maker and mill wright.
During the war he lived on a small farm near
Neosho most of the time, but finally went to
Neosho and followed the Union army. During
the war his house and fences were all burnt,
but they caught from the forest fires. He
says the Rebels treated him well and he
never had an enemy in his life.
Samuel D. Best was born January 3, 1829,
in Lincoln county, North Carolina. His par-
ents moved to Tennessee when he was but 18
months old, where he was brought up. He was
first married in Blunt county, Tenn., in 1851,
and has 15 children, 13 of whom are still living.
He is now living with his second wife to whom
230 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
he was married in the north part of this state a
few years ago. In early life he attended school
at Perry ville, Tenn., where he acquired his ed-
ucation. Mr. Best has quite an interesting war
record, having served three years under Stan-
ley and Sheridan. He was in many battles,
among which were Perryville, Nashville, Mur-
f eesborough and Knoxville. . He was First Lieu-
tenant, Co. D., Second Tenn. Cavalry; was
wounded near Murfeesborough in March, 1863,
and some time later resigned on account of dis-
ability. Mr. Best is a farmer by occupation,
and owns a comfortable home on the Pine ville
and Indian Springs road.
James H. Cowan, son of David and Matilda
Cowan, was born in Barton county, Alabama,
Dec. 24, 1840. His parents moved to Tenn.
and from there to Missouri in 1853, and settled
where the object of this sketch now lives, on
Big Sugar creek near Cyclone. He attended
school at the Love school house in Elk Horn
township. In 1872 he was united in marriage
with Miss Hannah Phillips, but she died two
weeks later. The next year he married her
sister Mary. She lived twelve years and bore
five children, three of whom are living — Nancy
(Cook), Marcus Andrew, and David C, all in
this county. Mr. Cowan is a farmer by occupa-
tion, a staunch Republican in politics, and for
fifteen years has been a member of the Missionary
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 231
Baptist Church. He enlisted in Co. M. Sixth
Mo. Cavalry September 1, 1861; again i n
Fifteenth Mo. Cav. Nov. 1, 1863. He served as
Corporal for some time, and was elected Lieu-
tenant, but the war closed before his com-
mission came.
D. S. Elliff, was born in McDonald county,
Missouri, March 11, 1867, and has lived here all
his life. He received a good education in the
district schools and when quite a young man,
taught three terms, but he prefered the life of a
farmer and has followed that occupation since.
July 19, 1888, he and Miss Nettie B. Elliott,
daughter of Judge Elliott of this county, were
united in marriage. They have had three
children— Inez, Monroe and Goldie. Inez died
February 21, 1897, at the age of seven years.
When but eighteen years of age Mr. Elliff
united with the Baptist church of which he has
ever since been a consistent member. He was
lecturer of the Farmer's Alliance of this county
for two years. He has been a leading member
of the Populist party for many years, and his
integrity and hard work were rewarded after
the campaign of 1897 by the appointment to a lu-
crative rx>sition in the House of Representatives,
39, General Assembly. At the present time he
is a member of the Populist Congressional and
State Executive Committees.
232 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
T. C. Gtebreath, son of John and Mary
Gilbreath, was born in LaPorte county, Indiana,
in 1846. In 1852 his parents moved to Iowa
and from there to Harrison county Missouri in
1855. When the war broke out they went to
Des Moines, Iowa where he attended school.
He was married in Newton county, Mo. May 8,
1870, to Miss R. M. Mickens, formerly of Story
county, Iowa. They have had six children,
five of whom are living. He came to McDonald
county in 1893 from Jasper county, where he
had lived for several years. He operated a
saw mill first on Big Sugar, then near Pine ville,
where he did a thriving business. He sold his
mill and tried farming awhile, but afterwards
resumed his former occupation, and is apparently
master of the art. In 1896 he was elected justice
of the peace of Anderson township which position
he fills with credit. He is a member of the I.
O. O. F. and Encampment of O. P. Politically
he is a Greenbacker.
J. Turner Horner, son of Dr. John T. and
Mary Horner, was born July 26, 1866, in Webster
county, Missouri. When he was but six weeks
old his parents moved to Barry county, where
Mr. Horner spent his boyhood and youth. He
received a good education at Cassville, and
began teaching at the age of twenty years. He
soon became one of the leading teachers of
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 233
Barry county, and was several times teacher
of some of the best schools in that county, and
was principal of the Purdy school in 1889. Jan-
uary 1, 1888 he was united in marriage with
Miss Mattie Jessee of Cassville, Missouri. They
have three children, two girls and one boy. In
1889 he moved to McDonald county to take
charge of the Pineville school of which he was
principal that year and the next. He was
again elected to the same position for the term
of 1896-7, all of which he tilled with credit. In
the campaign of 1894, he was a contestant be-
fore the Republican County Convention for
Representative, but on being defeated, was
unanimously tendered, the nomination for
Presiding Judge of the County court, to which
honorable and responsible position he was
elected the following November. As an officer
he has performed his duty ably and honestly.
He now resides at Rockv Comfort where he has
a comfortable home, and follows his chosen
professon, that of teacher. He is elected prin-
cipal of the Rocky Comfort High School for the
school year 1897-98.
P. A. Horton, was born in Benton county,
Arkansas, August 17, 1869. He is a son of
Daniel and Sarah (Graham) Horton. His
father died a short time before he was born and
his mother, who re-married, lived only about a
234 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
year afterwards. His mother and stepfather
moved from Arkansas to Joplin where they
remained a short time when they came to Mc-
Donald county. Press as he is usually called
was raised on Indian creek near Erie. In 1890
he and Miss Sarah Bogle were united in mar-
riage; they have three children, all of whom
are living. He has spent most of his life on a
farm and hopes to some day own a good one of
his own. For the past year or more he has
been interested in the saw mill business. He
belongs to the Democratic party with which he
has voted ever since he arrived at his majority,
and from which he sees no reason to change.
Harry S. Jackson, is a son of S. H. and
Mary Jackson, formerly of Tennessee, but now
citizens of this county. Harry was born in Neo-
sho, Missouri, June, 1873, consequently is still a
young man. He attended the public schools
at Neosho until the year 1887, when with his
parents he came to McDonald county and located
at Caverna. By improving his time in school
he secured a good business education, which
he has since improved by practical use and by
a general course of useful and instructive
reading, so that now he is counted as one of the
best posted young men of the county. He was
put to work in the mill at Caverna some years
ago and thoroughly learned the business. He
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 235
now has charge of the mill and is making a
success of the enterprise, which is due to his
good management and courteous treatment of
all with whom he deals. The probabilities are
that in the years to come he will rise to distinct-
ion among our people.
S. T. Lane: Another of the pioneers of this
county is the gentleman whose name stands at
the head of this sketch. He was born in Green
county, this state, October 28, 1843. His birth
place is now the historic Springfield battle
ground. His parents, Samuel and Frances
Marion (Robinson) Lane, came to McDonald
county in 1845. He married Miss Isabel C. Kin-
cannon, of Washington county, Arkansas. They
have no children. Mr. Lane enlisted for the
war in the 1st Missouri Confederate Artillery,
where he held the position of bugler. He was
in the battles at Carthage, Pea Ridge, Prairie
Grove, Helena, Jenkins Perry, and other smaller
engagements. He joined the M. E. Church,
South, in 1890, his wife having become a member
of that church several years before, and both
are living consistent Christian lives. He has
been a farmer and carpenter by occupation and
politically a life- long Democrat. For many
years he lived on his farm on Patterson creek,
but is now a resident of Tiff City, where he
h? s a comfortable home and, with his estimable
lady is enjoying the blessings of life.
l!o(5 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Martin L. Marks, son of Aaron and Emmaline
Marrs. was born in Washington county, Arkan-
sas. August 18, 1855. He remained in the land
of his birth until some years after he was grown
to manhood coming to this county in 1885. He
attended school at Vina Grove Seminary Ar-
kansas where h e gained an education that renders
him tit for the responsible county office which
he now tills. On the 7. day of September, 188
he and Miss Elizabeth Bunch, also of Washington
countv. Arkansas, were married. Their union
has been blessed with tive children, all of whom
are living. Mr. Marrs was nominated on the
Democratic ticket in 1896 for county assessor
and was elected by a large majority. With the
exception of a short time in the mercantile
business at Jane, he has been a life-long farmer,
and after his term of office he expects to return
to his chosen occupation.
M. E. Meador. of Anderson, is a son of
Martin and Sarah Meador who settled in this
countv in the earlv da vs. He was born in this
countv Februrarv 28. 1859 and has alwavs
lived here. He attended the district school at
Beaver Springs near where his father lived. Id
1880 he was married to Miss Marv Anderso
also of this county. After bearing six child"
five of whom are living, she died May 1. 1
When the rail road was built through
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. _o«
county it passed over a piece of his land, and
wiih an eve to business, he at once laid it out
in town lots. He has ever since been one of
the principal men in building up the town of
Anderson, and much of : - has been
due to his work and influence. Mr. Meador is
at present engaged in running a saw mill and
liverv stable. He is one of the stand-by's in
the Republican party, having never wavered
from that faith.
J. P. Madden, one of the best known citizens
of this county, was born in Warrick county
Indiana March 29, 1838. He remained in his
native state until in middle life where he held
several positions of honor and trust. He was
educated at a private school and followed the
avocation of teacher for several vears. He was
Township Trustee, and assessor, also constable
and deputy sheriff. In 1>?75 he moved from
Indiana to Kansas and from there came to this
county inl878. Since living here he has worked
at a saw mill for some time, then handled tim-
ber at Anderson and now keeps a hotel there.
He, at present devotes much of his time can-
vassing for cemetery marble work. He filled
the ofiice of county assessor on the Democratic-
ticket for two term-. 188! 3. and proved to be
an honest servant of the people. He first
married Miss Mary E. Hedges, of Warrick
238 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
county Indiana, November 17, 1859. She died
April 25, 1887. In 1889 he married Maggie S.
Nance, with whom he is now living.
John L. Montgomery, was born on Red
River, Texas, June 28, 1848. He is a son of
Jos. B. and Martha Montgomery, for many years
a prominent family of this county. In 1850 his
parents left Texas and located near Fayettville
Arkansas. In 1863 they came to Missouri, and
located in this county in 1867. John L. was
married to Miss Hassie Hyatt of Newton
county in 1868. They had two children, both boys
now in business in Rocky Comfort. His wife
died July 15, 1890. One of his brothers served
in the Union army, and his father commanded
a company at the battle of Pea Ridge under
Gen. Price. He is a member of the Christian
Church, and in politics has always been a
staunch Republican. For many years he was
in the mercantile business at Rocky Comfort,
but a couple of years ago withdrew from that
business and now devotes his time to his farm
where he has an elegant home.
W. H. Noel, was born August 27, 1846, in
Casey county Kentucky. His parents, B. S.
and Nancy Noel, moved to McDonald county,
Mo. the same year, consequently the object of
this sketch has lived here from infancy. Au-
gust 1, 1864 he joined the 2nd Cherokee regiment,
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 239
Confederate Volunteers and served to the close
of the war. Was in several skirmishes in
Missouri and Arkansas, and in one or two
pretty severe engagements. November 20,
1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Nannie
Huffman, of Collins county, Texas. To them
have been born ten children, seven of whom
are still living. Before their marriage both
had united with the Baptist church of which
they have been consistent members for some
thirty years. Mr.. Noel was deputy sheriff five
years; 1887-1892. In 1892 he was elected asses-
sor, and re-elected in 1894, being the only Dem-
ocrat elected on the county ticket that year.
He is now (1897) deputy assessor.
John W. Nutting, son of George and Margaret
Nutting, was born in this county, January 6,
1847. He lived at the home of his parents on
Buffalo creek until August, 1862, at which time
he enlisted in the Confederate army, Sixteenth
Missouri Cavalry, bat in a short time they were
dismounted and became Infantry. He was in
the battles at Helena, Pleasant Hill and Saline
River, besides numerous minor engagements.
His discretion of their advance on Helena, the
attack repusle and retreat sounds like a romance.
He surrendered at the close of the war at
Shrevesport, La. In 1869 he was married to
Miss Margaret Raba a native of Knox county,
240 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Term. They have seven children all living.
He is a member of the Baptist church, a farmer,
and a life-long Democrat. In 1888 he was elected
county judge for the western district, and re-
elected in 1888, serving four years. His ability
as an officer is tersely expressed in the appella-
tion given him as "The watch dog of the county
treasury.
R. W. Patterson was born in Buncomb
county, North Carolina, November 29, 1857. His
parents came to McDonald county in 1871. On
the 31, day of March, 1878 he and Miss Sarah
E. Click of this county were united in marriage.
They have four children, Clara A., Effie, Stella
and Alfred. In politics he has always been a
Democrat, and for the past twenty-three years
has been a member of the Baptist church. He
has been engaged in farming most of his life
and owns a good farm near Anderson, but the
last five or six years has been clerking in a
store at that place. He was deputy assessor
two years under Chapman and four years under
Madden. Was justice of the peace four years
1892-6 and for the last six years has been a
notary public. His business qualifications are
first class and his genial manners and fair
dealings contribute much to the success of the
firm with which he is connected.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 241
H. C. Prater was born in Kentucky February
2nd 1851 . In 1855 his parents settled in Johnson
county, this state, and in 1865 came to McDonald
county. In 1870 to 1874 the object of this sketch
spent in California, but with this exception has
lived in this county. On the 17th day of Feb-
ruary, 1876 he was married to Miss Sarah J.
Kenney. They have nine children living. He
served as Justice of the Peace in Pinevile
township six years, and in 1892 was a candidate
for the office of Collector, being defeated by 80
votes. In 1894 the Republicans again nominated
him and he was elected by a plurality of 126.
Mr. Prater has always borne a reputation as a
competent business man, and strictly honest in
his transactions. He is a member of the Meth-
odist church. One of the grandest things that
he will ever have to think of is that for many
years while poor himself, and burdened with a
large family, he took care of his old father and
mother without ever a thought or hope of reward.
He has a good farm on Indian creek near Lanagan
where he has been living the past four years.
J. H. Qualls. The object of this sketch was
born in Madison county, Askansas, March 11,
1860. His parents moved to Christian count} 7
Mo., during the war, then back to Arkansas.
Went to Colorado in 1876 and came to McDonald
county in 1879, since which time Mr. Quails has
§42 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
been a permanent resident. June 20, 1886 he
and Miss N. C. Lewis, of this county, were
united in marriage. They have three children;
Rosa E. eight years of age, Bertie M. five years,
Samuel B. one year old. He and his wife united
with the Missionary Baptist church about seven
years ago. He is now publishing the Tiff City
News, a nice, clean paper that is a credit to
both Mr. Quails and the community in which it
is located. His first venture in the newspaper
business was at Anderson, in 1893, when the
Messenger was established. Since that time
he has been connected with two other papers.
He is a member of the Populist party, and
during the campaign of 1894 was chairman of
the county central committee of that party.
G. M. D. Seabourn, son of Bradford and
Catherine (Campbell) Seabourn, was born in
Bradley county, East Tennessee, June 3, 1845.
He came with his parents to McDonald county
in 1858. He was first married in 1862 to Miss
Missouri Anderson, sister of A. D. Anderson,
late of this county. By her three children have
been born. Some years after her death he
married Miss Sarah Eden by whom he has
four children living. He was never in the
regular army, but served for a time in the
state malitia. He w r as in the fight at Neosho
with General Shelby by whose men he was
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 243
captured and released on parole. The entire
family were strongly Union and had to leave
this county in 1862, at which time they went to
Lawrence county returning in 1S66. His father
served over two years in the 6th Kansas Cavalry.
Mr. Seabourn does not belong to any church,
has never held a public office and is a farmer by
occupation. He owns a good farm, is in com-
fortable circumstances, comes of a good family
and is highly respected by all who know him.
William K. Wilson, son of Levi and Eliz-
abeth Wilson, was born in Jackson county,
Tennessee, November 4, 1841. His youth was
spent in the land of his birth, and on the 21st
day of March, 1861 he was united in marriage
with Miss Lena A. Clark. During the war they
were compelled to "refugee" to Kentucky be-
ing loyal people. Mr. Wilson joined the First
Tenn. mounted Infantry in 1864 and served
until the close of the war, being most of the
time in the mountains of his native state. In
1868 he and his wife both joined the Christian
church of which they are still consistent mem-
bers. In 1871 they moved to Illinois, and in
1877 to this county. He improved a nice place
near the Roark school house, and while there
served as district clerk several years. He is
now making another comfortable home near
Coy. They have been blessed with nine children,
244 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
six of whom are still living, and the entire
family are respectable, and industrous people.
T. H. Wimpey. Almost every body in the
west part of the county knows Tom Wimpey,
the genial miller of Tiff City. He w T as born in
McDonald county June 27, 1854, and has spent
most of his life in the land of his birth. His
father, Joshua Wimpey, died in 1867. His
mother, Rachel Wimpey, is still living. In
1869 the family moved to Arkansas, but returned
to this county after an absence of three years.
March 25, 1877, he and Miss Arizona Hutchison
were united in marriage. They have seven
children, all living, Sarah L. who is married to
Lafe Hamilton, A. C, Plaudy, Lula, Mattie,
Stella and Jessie. He was brought up on a
farm, but went into the goods business at Twin
Springs when that town first sprung up. He
went to Coy about 1882 where he dealt in goods
a while, then went into the Coy mill. While at
this place he was post master some nine or ten
years. Last year the mill was moved to Tiff
City where it is now in operation, Mr. Wimpey
being the miller and general manager. He is
a consistent member of the Baptist church.
C. E. Davis, son of W. R. and E. E. Davis,
was born in the City of Cincinnati in 1 870. When
he was about seven years of age his parents
moved to Joplin, this state, where they resided
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 245
some ten years. During their residence in
Jtolin they made several trips back to their
native place, and came to this county occasion-
ally. Mr. Davis being in poor health the changes
were made in hopes of effecting his recovery.
He died in 1882. Clarence attended the public
schools at Joplin where he obtained a good
business education, With his mother, he came
to McDonald county about ten years ago and
settled on a farm near Noel. This he cultivated
until the town of Noel began to be a place of
note, when he went there and took charge of
the City Hotel. He keeps an excellent house,
and has done a business that is surprising for
a town no larger than Noel. He, also, has
a good livery stable and runs the Noel & South-
west City mail and hack line. In 1890 he was
married to Miss Neta Farmer, daughter of Dr.
and Mrs. Farmer, of Pineville. They have two
children.
Edwin Tyler Doty, was born in Cayuga
county, New York, December 4, 1844. At the
age of 15 years he moved to the state of Michigan.
When the war broke out he enlisted in Fourth
Michigan Infantry and served until his time ex-
pired. After the war he entered the college at
Ann Arbor, Michigan and graduated in the
Medical department in March, 1870. In 1883 he
came to Southwest Missouri, residing in Mc-
246 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Donald county two years, and in Joplin over
seven years. He then located at Anderson,
December, 1892, and embarked in the drug
business in connection with the practice of
medicine. During Cleveland's second term Mrs.
Doty was postmaster at Anderson, and every
one speaks well of her management of that office.
The doctor enjoys a good practice, has a good
trade in the store and he and his lady stand
high in the estimation of the people.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
247
\
A. W. NOEL.
The gentleman whose name stands at the head
of this sketch was born in this county April 10,
1868. He is a son of C. W. and F. M. Noel of
Elk River township. Being reared on a farm
he followed that occupation, attending the
district schools until early manhood when he
went to Warrensburg school and, also, took a
term in the Business College at Kansas City.
Soon after returning from school he secured a
position as clerk and book keeper for M. N.
LaMance, where he remained some four years.
By this time, having saved his earnings, he
bought a small stock of hardware and went into
248 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
business on his own account. In May, 1893, he
took charge of the post office at Pineville, to
which position he had been appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland. He administered the affairs of
the office four years to the satisfaction of the
public and with credit to himself and the party
which he represented. April 18, 1897, he was
united in matrimony with Miss Grace Yonce,
one of the most w r orthy and highly esteemed
young ladies of our community.
By natural ability, attention to business and
good management, he has built up one of the
most lucrative mercantile establishments in
the county. Mr. Noel is entitled to much credit
for his success in life, having gained it by his
own efforts. He is a man of good morals, genteel
in his manners and a credit to the community.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 249
A. U. CHASE.
Dr. A. U. Chase of Tiff City is one of our
leading physicians who at the age of 30 years,
has established a practice that often taxes his
strength to the utmost. He has excellent suc-
cess with his patients, and his agreable manners,
and regard for the feelings of others make him
a general favorite with the people. He is a
son of John R. and Fannie Chase, of Newton
county. He was born in Ray county, this state,
August 10, 1867. When he was two years old
his parents came to Newton county. He obtained
a fair education in the common schools, availing
himself of every opportunity to gain knowledge.
In 18-17 he came to Tiff City and began the
study of medicine with Dr. A. J. McKinney,
finishing up his course at Marion Sims College
of Medicine, St. Louis. He and Miss Mary
Keenan, a daughter of the late Peter Keenan of
this county were married, in 1691. They have
three children. They have an ellegant home
at Tiff City on a portion of the old Cummings
farm, where he and his estimable wife are en-
joying the comforts of life and reaping the
rewards of a. well, merited and successful
career.
250
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Mr. and Mrs. Vermillion.
R. E. Vermillion was born in Lawrence ,
county, Mo., in 1855. Hisw T ife, Fannie Mills, was
born in the same county in 1859. They w r ere
acquainted w T hile children and, in July 1875,
when he was twenty and she sixteen years of
age, w r ere married. Mr. Vermillion soon after-
ward entered a drug store, and in the spring of
1878 located at Opolis, Kansas. He was in busi-
ness there until 1885 at which time he accepted
a position in the drug store of Caffee & Co., at
Carthage. A year later he was employed by H.
Dustin of Southwest City. The same year Mrs.
Vermillion opened up a Millinery store there,
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
251
UttF-Tj^l i
-
and for ten years this worthy couple were prom-
inent figures in the business and social circles
. of that enterprising place. He continued as
general manager of the Dustin drug store until
October, 1895, when he again went into business
of his own. He died January 15, 1896, after a
couple days illness from pneumonia complicated
with heart trouble to which he had been subject
for some years. Mrs. Vermillion is still carrying
on her millinery business at Southwest City.
They have but one child, Maud, aged thirteen.
252 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
HUGH DABBS.
With some individuals the Battle of Life
seems but a series of brilliant victories, and
such has been the career of our former citizen,
Hugh Dabbs. While he was born in Madison
county, Arkansas, he has lived from early child-
hood in this county. His father died when
Hugh was four years old, and left his wife, Susan
Dabbs, with a large family of small children.
They lived near Rocky Comfort, and Hugh spent
his boyhood days helping to clear out a farm
on the flat woods. He was always studious, and
as soon as he could procure a certificate, began
teaching school. He saved his money and took
a course of study in the academy at Corsicana,
Barry county. In 1890 he graduated from the*
Law department of the State University at
Columbia, and began the practice that year at
Pineville. He held the highest grade in his
class at the University, and wrote the Prize
Thesis. That fall he was elected prosecuting
attorney, which office he held four 3-ears. He
rapidly rose to distinction in his profession and
now, at the age of thirty- two, ranks among the
leading lawyers of Newton County. He located
at Neosho in 1895, where he has an elegantly
furnished office, a fine library, and is doin.a- a
large practice.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 253
H. B. BOSSERMAN.
H. B. Bosserman, son of Jacob and Eve
(Hanger) Bosserman, was born in Augusta
county, Virginia, January 5, 1841. His parents
lived and died in that state. When the war came
np, Mr. Bosserman lived where the active scenes
of the great conflict was going on. He enlisted
in 25th Virginia Infantry and served two months
when he was taken prisoner at the battle of
Rich Mountain. He was paroled by Gen. Mc-
Clelland, and exchanged that fall. Those were
times when much of the supplies for the people
were made at home, and the looms and spinning
wheels were brought into use. Mr. Bosserman
w T as a very fine mechanic, and the time of his ex-
change was sick for some time. As soon as his
health would permit, he started to join his reg-
iment. But he was well acquainted with the
leading men of his part of the state who knew
his skill as a workman, and they vouched for
his good conduct and loyalty to the Confederacy
and he was permitted to remain at home the
rest of the war, making spinning, wheels, looms,
254 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and other necessary articles. In 1869 he and
Miss Lucretia M. Ludwick were united in wed-
lock. They have one child dead, and two living;
Eugenia (Hargrove) and Emmett Guy. He left
Virginia in 1872, went to Texas, then to Illinois,
and came to McDonald county in 1889. He owns
a fine mill near Pineville with which he is doing
a good business.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 255
T. J. CARNELL.
J. L. Carnell, for several years an honored
citizen of this county was born in Virginia March
13, 1833. His wife, Mrs. E. J. Carnell, was
born in Kentucky November 23, 1835. They
were married in Cass county, Missouri from
which place they moved to Texas then went to
Benton county, Arkansas and from that place
to McDonald county. They had ten children,
nine of whom are still living. Among them is
the object of this sketch.
T. J. Carnell was born in Benton county,
Arkansas, June 4, 1872, and is consequently 25
years of age. He came with his parents to this
county in 1889. He attended the district schools
in Arkansas, and the public school at Pineville
after they came to this county where he acquired
a fair business education. On January 16, 1895
he and Miss Florence M. Clemons were united
in marriage. There union has been blessed
with one child, Hazle B. now aged two years.
Mr. Carnell was reared on a farm which occu-
pation he followed until a couple of years ago,
since which time he has been running a saw mill.
Being a man of energy and industry he is making
a success of his business, and is manufacturing
and selling a large amount of lumber. Politically
he is a Democrat, having been brought up in
that faith, but his adherence to the party would
never induce him to forget a personal favor or
one who had befriended him.
256 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
ETUE, Peter D.— Born in
Perth county, Ontario, June
29, 1846. Educated in the com-
mon schools until 14 years of
age, when he entered the office
of the Mitchell Advocate to
learn the art of printing. At the age of 16 ran
away from home and went to Buffalo, N. Y. where
he enlisted in the 14th N. Y. Cavalry, serving
until April 24, 1866. After a few months at
home in Canada, returned to the U. S. and be-
came a citizen at Flint, Michigan in 1868. Re-
moved to St. Louis in 1869, working on the old
St. Louis Republican, and various job printing
offices until 1871, when he became connected
with the Kansas City Times. Established the
Kansas City Live-Stock Indicator in 1878, and
sold out in 1893. The panic of that year resulted
disastrously for him and he lost the accumula-
tion of years. After a residence of over a quarter
of a century in K. C. he came to Anderson in
September 1896, purchasing, the Anderson
Messenger, which he renamed the Advocate
and he runs as an independent (not neutral)
local journal. In politics he has always affiliated
with the Democrats, and was elected member
of the Common Council in Kansas City 1*7^ 79
as such. He is an anti-protectionist and a free
silver man, also a believer in the Single Tax
doctrine
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
257
J. L. ELLIFP.
Mr, Elliff was born in Lawrence county
this state, May 26, 1855. His parents came to
McDonald county in 1866, and Jessee has made
this his home ever since. He improved every
opportunity to attend school and was granted
a certificate and taught his first term in 1874.
Mr. Elliff has twice been principal of the South-
west City public schools and is a prominent
teacher of the county. He is Sunday School
Superintendent and clerk of the Baptist church
258
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
at Anderson and is a member of the I. O. O. P.
In 1890 he was appointed clerk at Quapaw Agen-
cy and served 15 months after Cleveland's
inauguration. He tilled his position with honor
to himself and with credit to his county and
administration. He stands high with the de-
partment and is well versed in Indian affairs.
Is an untiring republican worker and in 1894
was a delegate to the county, congressional and
State conventions and a member of the Con-
gressional committee. Mr. Ellin 2 is the owner
of a good residence in Anderson and is a substan-
tial citizen of the county. He is now keeping
a hotel at Anderson and is doing a thriving
business as real estate agent.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 259
JAMES H. WIMPEY.
Among the men who -figured prominently in
the affairs of the county for several years is
James H, Wimpey of Anderson, son of Joshua
and Nancy (Ragsdale) Wimpey. He was born
June 3, 1837, in Hamilton county, Tenn. When
he was about three years old his parents moved
to Illinois, and in 184-4 settled in what is now
Ivlc Donald county, where the object of this sketch
was reared. He took advantage of the meager
facilities for schools, and by close application se-
cured a fair education which he has since great-
ly improved by an extensive course of reading.
He and Miss Mary Kinslow were united in
marriage in December, 1859. To them have been
born four children, two of whom died in infancy.
Their son, Joshua L. Wimpey is now a Justice
of the Peace, elected in 1894, and a respected
citizen of this county. The daughter Tennie B.
is the wife of Ed Rudisill, a merchant at Ander-
son, this county. Being an uncompromising
Union man, Mr. Wimpey was compelled to leave
this county in the early part of the war, conse-
quently he enlisted, August 2, 1862, in the 6th
Kansas Cavalry, and served to the close of the
war. He participated in several engagements
260 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
among which were those at New T tonia, Prairie
Grove and Honey Springs. At the election No-
vember, 1866, he was elected assessor of this
county, which office he tilled two years. In 1868
he w T as elected Sheriff and Collector, which he
also held two years. In 1871 he was appointed
by Gov. Brown to till a vacancy in the county
court. He has since been nominated for various
county offices on the Republican ticket but his
party having been greatly in the minority, he
has each time been defeated. He was a
staunch Republican until 1894, since which time
he has been a Populist with strong leanings to-
wards Socialism. In religion he is an Agnostic;
by occupation a farmer. Being a man of strong
convictions and out spoken in defending what
he believes to be right, he made some enemies
while in public life but his dealings, whether as
an official or in private life, have always been
honorable, and his whole life on the side of
morality, intelligence and progression.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
261
JOHN B. CHRISTENSEN.
John Benjamin Christensen, was born in
Malta Bend, Saline County, Missouri, April 2,
1876. In 1877 his parents moved near Odessa,
Missouri where they lived until 1887, when they
went to Kansas City which place was John's
home until he and his wife came to McDonald
County to take up their residence. He received
his education in the public schools. From the
Westport High School entering the Law De-
partment of the Missouri State University in
September, 1893, he graduated from that In-
stitution in June, 1895, at the age of nineteen and
262 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
as valedictorian of a class in which he was the
youngest student. Besides having attained the
highest standard of proficiency during the whole
course, he had the distinction of writing a prise
thesis on a legal subject submitted by the Law
Faculty, the Judge of merit being the Chief
Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court. He was
admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court,
June 7, 1895, since which time he has devoted
himself to the practice.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 263
J. A. JACKSON.
John Alonzo Jackson, oldest son of Samuel
H. and Mary J. Jackson, was born in Neosho,
Missouri, March 16, 1870. He received a good
education in the common schools of Neosho,
where he spent his childhood and youth. He
and Miss Esther Page of Neosho, were married
December 4, 1892. They have one child, Mar-
guiritte, born at Neosho, Nov. 21, 1893. From
July, 1889, to May 1892, he was deputy circuit
clerk of Newton county. Is a member of the
First Congregational church of Neosho. Has
never held an office.
Mr. Jackson has always taken an active part
in politics, having been secretary of the Newton
county executive committee, president of the
Republican club of Neosho and chairman of the
Republican executive committee of that city.
He stumped Newton county in behalf of the
Republican party in 1892, 1894 and 1896. He
was admitted to the bar in May 1892 and prac-
ticed at Neosho until February, 1897, when he
located at Pineville. Here he is building up a
good reputation and with it a good legal business,
having poven himself a lawyer of tine abilities.
264 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
L. W. CARLYLE.
The object of this sketch was born in Dela-
ware county, Indiana, October 16, 1850. He
remained in that state, attending the district
schools during his boyhood, until 1870, at which
time he came to McDonald county. December
28, 1876, he was united in marriage with Miss
Callie C. Stevenson of this county. They have
seven children, Flora E. , Franklin, John, Vern-
on, Howard, Lemuel and Lois.
He has been collector of Southwest City three
years, street commissioner five years and city
marshal five years, all of which speak of his
moral worth and standing among the people.
He is a member of the M. E. Church, south, an
Odd Fellow and Mason. In politics, he is a
Republican, and is counted as one of the leading
men of that party. He has never sought or
held an office outside of his city, though his
name has been mentioned on one or two occasions
as a candidate on the county ticket. Should
he ever come before the people they can rest
assured that an honest and competent man will
be asking their favors.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 265
DAN HARMON.
Dan Harmon, son of Mark and Elizabeth
Harmon, was born in Green county, Tenn. July
22, 1833. His parents came to McDonald county
in 1847, and from that time until the present
the Harmons have been among the leading
people of this county. Dan remained with his
parents five years after their arrival here, during
which time he went to school three months,
Moses Pollard being the teacher. In 1852 he
went to California to seek his fortune in the
gold diggings. He drove an ox team and was
six months and one day on the road. It is
useless to remark that Mr. Harmon did not die
on the road, but he passed through the desert
where for miles the trail was lined with the
carcasses of dead cattle and horses and the
bones of many human beings were bleaching in
the sun where they had perished from heat and
thirst, He remained west of the Rocky mount-
ains thirteen years, returning in 1865. On his
return he brought with him $5,500, and spent
$1,000 on his way home.
In December, 1866, be and Miss Nancy J.
Walker, daughter of Hon. Claudius B. Walker
i
266 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
of this county, were married. They have had
eight children, five of whom are living. Mr.
Harmon was public administrator a few years
after the war. He has served as Justice of the
Peace and post master. For some years he
was in the mercantile business at Erie, where
he enjoyed a good trade until burnt out. He
owns a fine farm on Indian creek where he lives
in good, comfortable style, and where he and
Mrs. Harmon dispense hospitality to their nu-
merous friends in a truly royal manner.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 267
JUDGE I. N. SHAMBAUGH.
For nearly twenty years the man whose name
stands at the head of this page was an honored
and prominent member of our community.
Judge Shambaugh was born in Warren county,
Virginia, September 29, 1823. In 1841 he moved
to DeKalb county Missouri, where he remained
until the war came up. He was a self educated
man, having studied during his leisure time at
home. He studied law in DeKalb county and
began his career there as a practitioner. In
1858 he was elected a member to the State
Legislature, and re-elected in 1860, being a
member when the question of Secession came
up. He met with the General Assembly at
Neosho and opposed that measure, but after-
wards espoused the cause.
During the Mexican war the Governor of this
state issued him a commission as Lieutenant
Colonel, but the war closed before he reached
the scene of conflict. About the close of the
war he went to Nebraska City, Neb., where he
practiced law seven years. While in active
practice he had remarkable success and won a
brilliant reputation. The close confinement
and hard study together with the severe climate
were more than he could bear, and his health
268 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
gave way. For this reason he came to McDonald
county in 1873, and purchased a large farm on
Elk River where it crosses the state line. Here
he was engaged in farming and dealing in stock
until his death. As in every other venture
which he ever undertook, he made a success of
this and was counted one of the wealthiest men
in the county. The management of our county
officers had been quite improvident and in some
instances there were strong indications of fraud.
The county was in debt some $30,000 and county
warrants worth but 25 cents on the dollar.
Judge Shambaugh promised the people that if
they would elect him presiding Judge he would
get the county out of debt. Accordingly in 1876
he was elected to that office, also Probate Judge,
and re-elected in 1880. He inaugurated a system
of rigid economy and before half of his second
term was out had paid the entire debt and raised
the warrants to par. Having accomplished the
object for which he was elected, he handed in
his resignation. His public life and sterling
worth as a private citizen gave him a high place
in the estimation of our people, and he could
have held any office within their gift, but he
preferred the peace and quite of his farm life.
He was married in 1850 and they had three chil-
dren all of whom are living in this county. He
died in November, 1892.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
269
J. W. SHIELDS.
Among the enterprising men of this county
is J. W. Shields, the genteel cashier of the
McDonald County bank. He was born in this
county, Nov. 14, 1856. He is the son of George
R. Shields formerly of Tenn. , who came to this
Co. in 1846. He secured a good education in
the schools at Southwest City, near which his
father resides. He taught school two years,
two terms being in Southwest City. He estab-
lished a mercantile business at Saratoga in 1880.
He was at that place seven years, four of which
270 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
he was post master. He then moved his business
to Southwest City, where he was also post
master until Benjamin Harrison appointed his
successor. He remained at that place until he
took charge of the Circuit Clerk and Recorders
office to which he was elected in 1890. He tilled
the office with great credit and was a candidate
for re-election, but went under with the Repub-
lican wave that swept this county in 1894. He
at once established the bank which he has made
a great success. His extensive improvements
have given employment to a number of men.
His residence is one of the finest and best
arranged in the county. He and Miss Lulie
Riggs of Saratoga were married Oct. 14, 1880.
They have four children living. Mr. and Mrs.
Shields are members of the Baptist church, and
he is a great Sunday school worker, and has
been clerk of the Shoal Creek Association for
the last five years. He owns a fine set of ab-
stract books and does an extensive Abstract
and Real Estate business.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 271
REV. T. A. COFFELT.
Rev. Theodore A. Coffelt, M. D., is the
fifth son of Rev. Wyatt Coffelt, who now
lives in Bentonville, Ark., aged 85 years. Dr.
Coffelt was born on Buffalo, McDonald, county
Missouri April 10, 1855. He was reared and
educated in Benton county Ark. where his father
moved to when he was quite young. He studied
medicine and attended the Medical Department
of the Vanderbilt University at Nashville Tenn.
in 1883-84. He began the practice of medicine
in Benton county Ark. in April 1884. In Oct.
1885 he was married to Miss Mary C. Clayton,
daughter of Rev. J. M. Clayton, a member of
the Arkansas Conference. Dr. Coffelt graduated
at the Missouri Medical College, St. Louis Mo.
March 2nd, 1886. He continued practice in
Arkansas until January 1892 when he moved to
St. Louis. Here he took a Post graduate
course in diseases of the eye and was apixnnted
as an assistant in the Eye Clinic under Dr. Chas.
E. Michel in the Polyclinic and Post Graduate
School of Medicine. In April 1893 he was
licensed to preach as a local minister in the
M. E. Church South, and in June 1893 moved
272 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
to Carthage Mo. where he practiced as a Spe-
cialist in eye and ear diseases until Sept. 1895
when he was admitted on trial into South West
Mo. Corf erence held at Webb City Mo. by Bishop
Duncan and was appointed to the Pineville
Circuit. While at Carthage he was appointed
by the Pension Dept. as special examiner for
southwest Missouri in eye and ear diseases.
He has served this Charge for two years and
has been successful in building up the church;
has secured 95 into the church, built three good
church houses and a beautiful and substantial
parsonage during these two years of labor for
the church. He has been very successful as a
physician and enjoys considerable reputation
as an Oculist. As a preacher he is able and
earnest, and a great honor to the calling. He
has three children two boys and one girl.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 273
J. W. SMITH.
Among the prominent and self made young
men of our county is John W. Smith, our county
school commissioner. He is the son of George
W. and Elizabeth Smith, and was born in this
county September 24, 1866. His parents moved
to Granby about 1874 and remained there three
years when they returned to this county. John
was educated in the district schools, attended
a few months at Pleasant Hope and finished
his last school days as a student at Warrensburg
Missouri. He has been teaching school for
several years and is one of our most accomplished
scholars. In the spring of 1895 he was elected
county school commissioner, and re-elected in
1897. He is filling the office with credit to
himself and satisfication to the people. He is
a member of the Christian church and of the
Masonic order.
Mr. Smith has had many disadvantages to
overcome, but has triumphed over all and is an
example of what perseverence, energy and
close application will do for a young man.
274 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
F. A. SEARS.
F. A. Sears was born in McHenry county,
Illinois, March 12, 1858. He is a son of Charley
and Jane Sears. His parents moved to Iowa
in 1861, and five years later came to Jasper
county Missouri. Mr. Sears has lived in Mis-
souri and Kansas ever since. He obtained a
fair education at the district schools, and when
quite a young man began work in a mill. He
learned the trade at Lowell, Kansas, aud for
nearly twenty years has followed that business.
In May, 1881, he and Miss Mary Ann Scholes
of Cherokee county, Kansas, were united in
marriage. They have four children, two boys
and two girls. Ten years ago he came to this
county and most of the time has had charge of
the McNatt Mills. He is now in the mercantile
business with Woolard & Co. at that place, but
has leased the Galbraith Mills at Lauagan where
he now lives. Mr. Sears stands well with the
people wherever he is known, and his reputation
for fair dealing is universal all over Southwest
Missouri. His business has been such for the
past few years that it was much more difficult
for him to fill all of his orders than to find sale
for his products.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 275
GEORGE R. CLAY.
Among the young men who have risen to dis-
tinction in this county is George R. Clay. He
was born at Aurora, Illinois, July 23, 1870, and
came with his parents, M. W. and Nancy L.
Clay, to Newton county Missouri in 1880. He
attended the country school near his home a
few years then went to school at Port Scott,
Kansas and Kansas City, Mo., until he received
a good education. He then entered the law
office of Col. Cloud at Pierce City where he read
law until admitted to the bar at Neosho in 1892.
During the Cherokee payment in 1894 he was
in the Indian Territory buying Cherokee war-
rants for the Grand Forks, South Dakota Na-
tional Bank. In January, 1895, he located at
Pineville to practice his profession, and from
the first made a phenomenal success. Though
young and inexperienced in the practice, he
won nearly all his cases and the first year
made more money than any other lawyer ever
made in this county in the same time. In 1896
he was nominated by the Democratic party for
276 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Prosecuting Attorney, and endorsed by the
Populist. In the election which followed he
received a majority over his opponent of 556
votes. Since taking charge of the office he has
proven a vigorous prosecutor and is administer-
ing his office with credit to the party which elect-
ed him Mr. Clay is a man of brilliant intel-
lect and will evidently rise to distinction in
his profession.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 277
ANDREW J. McKINNEY.
For many years, one of the most prominent
men in the west part of our county, is Dr. A.
J. McKinney, of Tiff City. He was born in
Bradley county, Tennessee, May 19, 1853. With
his parents, Adaniram and Sarah McKinney,
he moved to Madison county, Missouri, in 1860.
His father, who w T as a soldier in the Southern
army, died in 1862. His mother now lives at
Tiff City. He received a good education in the
public schools of his place, and afterwards
graduated from the Missouri Medical College
at St. Louis, in 1882. Having studied medicine
before entering college, .he located at Marquand,
in this state where he practiced two years.
After graduating, he returned to that place and
remained two years more. In 1884 he located
at Tiff City, where he soon acquired an extensive
and lucrative practice. Being studious and
very attentive to his patients, and having a
natural talent for his profession, he met with
uncommon success. He also established a
small drug store, which he has gradually in-
278 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
creased until now he has a large stock of
drugs and medicines and also a hardware.
On the 5, day of October, 1881 he was united
in marriage with Miss Mary E. Griffin, of Fred-
ericktown, Missouri. She died January 20, 1884,
leaving two children, Ollie and William H. The
Dr. was again married June 2, 1886, to Miss
Nellie Chase, a daughter of John R. Chase, now
of Seneca. He has always been a Democrat, is
a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Baptist
church.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 279
DAN HUCKINS.
Mr. Huckins was born August 3, 1849, in
Iriquois county, Illinois. His youth was spent
near Kankakee and Chicago. He obtained a
common school education in the district schools
and at Eigin, Illinois. In 1867 he was married
to Miss Anna Porter. To them was born a boy,
James, who is still living. Mrs. Huckins died
several years ago. In 1869 he went to White
Cloud, Kansas, and for five years traveled over
that state as a photographer. He afterwards
located at Craig, Missouri, on the Kansas City,
Omaha & Council Bluffs rail road, where he car-
ried on a wagon shop. At this place he held
the office of city clerk, assessor and collector.
In 1879 his establishment was destroyed by the
flood. He made a boat in which he rowed out to
his shop, secured what tools he could find and
then floated down the river to Kansas City.
From there he came to Seneca, where he re-
mained two years. In 1881 he located at Tiff
City where for the last sixteen years he has
kept a wagon shop, been notary public, justice
280 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
of the peace, post master and local attorney.
Although the office is one of considerable im-
portance, he has held it under both Dem. and Rep.
administrations, which speaks well for him as a
public man. Some years after coming to this
county he was united in marriage with Mrs.
Nancy J. Foster, by whom he has three child-
ren. He united with the M. E. church, south,
in 1887. Is an Odd Fellow, Good Templar, and
belongs to the Sons of Temperance, of which
order he has been State Deputy He is also a
member of the A. O. U. W., Select Knights and
Woodmen of the World.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 281
JUDGE W. E. SMITH.
William E. Smith was born in Lincoln
county Kentucky in September 1844, and is a
son of John C. Smith of Neosho Missouri. Wm.
E. Smith received an education in the common
schools of Clay and Marion counties Ilk, his
family having settled in the former county in
1849, and in the latter in 1854. He came to
Missouri in 1867, and located in Newton county
where for one year he was engaged in farming,
thence in 1868 he removed to Jasper county
where he remained engaged in farming and
mining until 1872, when he returned bo Newton
county, and continued farming and stock raising
until 1879. He then engaged in the Mercantile
business at Thurman that county of which place
he was appointed post master on April 16, 1880,
continuing in office and business until January
1882, when he removed to Indian Springs Mc-
Donald county Mo. There he engaged in
merchandise and real estate business, and was
elected chairman of the town council. In the
fall of 1882 was elected justice of the peace
which office he resigned in Dec. 1884, to take
charge of the Probate judge's office to which
he had been elected the preceding Nov. to fill
the vacancy caused by the resignation of judge
I. N. Shambaugh. In Nov. 1886 he was re-elected
282 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
and in Nov. 1890 he again was re-elected his
own successor. In Nov. 1894 he was the Nom-
inee of his party for the same office, but was
defeated by the heroic efforts of his enemies
and combination of two parties, and on the
first day of Jan. 1895 he turned the Probate
office over after ten years service. In 1893 he
purchased the Pineville News and at once
changed the name of the paper to the Pineville
Democrat which he published until Jan. 1896,
when he sold his interest, since which time he
has been engaged in the Hotel and Real Estate
business and was commissioned Notary Public
by Gov. Stone on Dec. 17, 1894. He was married
to Harriett A. Smith a daughter of Wm. C.
Smith on May 11, 1865 and to them was born
seven children: those living are Jerusha E. A.,
Richard R , Lodosca L. and Edward C. Mrs.
Smith died on June 5, 1879, and on February
22, 1883, Mr. Smith married Mrs. Virginia
T. Tweedy. Mr. Smith still resides in Pineville
and takes a very active part in the politics of
the day. He is a member of the Congressional
and Senatorial Democratic committies, of which
party he is a loyal and able member. He has
been a member of our school board much of the
time since his residence here, and takes an
active part in all public improvements. He is
also an Odd Fellow in which order he is serving
his second term as Noble Grand. His ten years
experience in the Probate office has given him
a thorough knowledge of that business and he
is doing the most extensive Probate practice of
any lawyer in the county.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 283
H. C. PEPPER.
Henry C. Pepper was born in Hart county,
Kentucky, August 13, 1851. He grew up on a
farm in the state of his birth, where he learned the
habits of industry which he still follows closely.
He attended Normal school three years at
Canmer, Ky., also attended Classical and Mili-
tary College at Danville, Ky. , and Neophogen
College, Gallatin, Tennessee. He studied law
at Cumberland University, Lebanon Tennessee,
where he graduated in 1879, receiving the degree
of L. L. B.
Having thus made a thorough preparation for
entering the battle of life, he started out on
that all important struggle. Being without
means, he began by teaching school which he
followed for some time. After coming west he
was in Kansas a short time, then in the North
part of this state. He located at Pineville in
1882 or 1883, since which time he has confined
himself exclusively to the law practice. Being
a strong Democrat and good worker in the
ranks of the party, he soon came into prominence.
In 1886 he was nominated on that ticket and
elected prosecuting attorney. At the end of
his first term he was again elected. Prom the
284 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
time of taking charge of that office he rapidly
rose in the estimation of our people as a man
and as a lawyer, and at the close of his second
term ranked among the leading lawyers of this
judical circuit. In 1891 he went to Cassville
where he is now living. He was soon recognized
as the head of the bar in Barry county, and
his business extends to all the counties of this
judicial circuit, and considerable in other count-
ies, besides an extensive practice in the St.
Louis Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
He is always pronounced in upholding right
and denouncing wrong, and his influence in our
county was such that the entire moral standard
was raised. In other words, while public pros-
ecutor he sought the influence of and set to work
the better element in each community.
He was married to Miss Adrenna Wilson of
Pineville, October 5, 1890. They have two chil-
dren, Henry W. and LuraD.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 285
HON. JOHN C. LAMSON.
Judge Lamson was born in Jefferson county-
New York, Nov. 29, 1827. His father, Peter
Lamson, was a native of Vermont, but moved
to New York when a child. When the subject
of this sketch was a small child his parents re-
moved to Madison county, Ohio, where they re-
sided three years, then went to LaGrange county
Indiana. There John C. Lamson was reared on
a farm, securing his education at Oberlin Col-
lege, from which institution he graduated in 18-
57. He then entered the law department of the
University of New York, at Albany, graduating
in 1859. During the fall of 1860 he traveled
through Texas with a view to locating, but po-
litical excitement and animosities prevented.
He afterwards traveled through the Central and
Western states, and was at Sunrise, Minn.,
when Port Sumpterwas fired on. Immediately
returning to Indiana, he enlisted, April 19, 1861,
in the Pederal army, but was not received in
the three months' call. He, however, remain-
ed at Indianapolis, and as soon as the call was
made for 75,000 three-year men he enlisted as a
private in Company B, Seventeenth Indiana
Infantry. This regiment served on foot until
the early part of 1863, after which they served
286 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
as mounted infantry until the close of the war.
Mr. Lamson was promoted to the position of
first lieutenant in the winter of 1861-62, and
w T as discharged as captain. He participated in
the battles of Greenbriar, West Virginia, Shiloh,
Stone River, Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga,
McMinnville, Farmington, and w T as almost con-
tinuously in the field at the front. Mr. Lamson
came to Pineville in the winter of 1865, locating
permanently in the spring of 1866, since which
time he was actively engaged in practicing his
profession, until he took charge of his present
office, January 1, 1893. On November 13, 1872,
he was united in marriage with Lois A. Santley
a daughter of Joseph Santley, of Wellington,
Ohio. She was born on the Western Reserve,
Ohio, in Loraine County. In politics he is a
Republican, and in religion is a member of the
Congregational Church of Neosho, Mo. In 1870
Mr. Lamson was elected to represent McDonald
County in the State Legislature, and has served
as prosecuting attorney for one or two terms.
In November, 1892, he was elected Judge of this
Judicial Circuit, which position he still holds.
As a judge he has gained a reputation for honesty,
fairness and judicial ability, and has the friend-
ship of all the legal fraternity.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 28,
M. N. LaMANCE.
Marcus N. Lamance was born at Saratoga,
McDonald county, Missouri, October 16, 1844.
He has always lived in this county, and most of
his life has been a citizen of Pineville. His
father, J. P. LaMance, was a merchant at this
place for many years, and served as county
treasurer one or two terms, Marcus spent his
early days in farming and clerking in a
store. During the first years of the war he re-
mained at home, and was present when the
court house was burnt. At one time he came
near being lynched by some Kansas troops, but
was saved by the entreaties of his mother.
After this he enlisted in the Confederate army
and served two years.
In 1878 he began the mercantile business
here, which he has followed for nearly twenty
years. He has made a success, and now occu-
pies a handsome two story brick, which is filled
with a well selected stock of goods. He is now
county treasurer, which office he has held one
or two previous terms. He was appointed post
master in 1*79 and held the position until after
the installment of Harrison in 1889. He is a
Mason and a member of the Chapter.
288 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
MRS. LORA S. LaMANCE
Lora S. Nichols was born in Wolcottville,
Indiana, April 2, 1857. Her father, Nelson Nich-
ols was a native of New York, and her moth-
er, Keziah (Waltman), of Pennsylvania. Lora
received a liberal education in the States of
Minnesota and Ohio, but was compelled to quit
school before graduating on account of ill health.
She came to Southwest Missouri in 1878. April
14, 1880, she and M. N. LaMance of Pineville
were united in marriage. They have one child
Lora, who is now attending college at Neosho.
They have an elegant home, and for many years
the beautiful plants and flowers have been an
object of attraction to all our people.
Mrs. LaMance early developed talent as an
authoress, but did not begin writing for the press
until 1888. Her natural taste for flowers, and
the "beautiful in life" inspired her pen and her
literary productions soon gained notoriety.
Besides fugitive pieces she has written three
horticultural books "House Plants," "Beautiful
Home Surroundings," and "Insects." Twenty
thousand copies of one of these books Were sold
in a year 's time. She was offered the editorship
of two floral journals, one of which is the leading
journal of the world. As Mr. LaMance 's health
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 2
was too delicate to make a change to a severer
climate, she rejected the offer. She has a letter
from the literary editor of the Kansas City Star
commending in very high terms an article of
hers he chanced to read in an exchange.
She is a constant temperance worker, having
taken the lead in that work in this county for
several years past. Much of her work has been
done through the W. C. T. IL, of which she is
county president, and her efforts have produced
a decided change in public opinion on that
question. She is in favor of Woman's Suffrage,
and is a member of the Congregational church.
290 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Dr. J. E. EDELEN.
Johnson E. Edelen, son of Joseph B. and
Agnes O. Edelen, was born in Washington City,
D. C, November 15, 1848. He attended school
at Georgetown college and afterwards gradua-
ted at the Cecilian College, Hardin county, Ken-
tucky. He read medicine in his father's office
some four years after which he graduated in
the medical department of the University at
Louisville, Kentucky, at which place his father
had located after the war.
In 1871 the doctor went to Fort Smith, Ar-
kansas, where he remained about a year. He
then went back to Louisville and remained un-
til after his father's death, and then located a
few years at Bardstown, Ky. He then went to
Colorado on account of his health, and remain-
ed about four years. He came to Pineville in
1886, since which time he has been practicing
medicine and operating a drug store. He was
married July 20, 1871 to Miss Mattie B. Carroll,
of Arkansas, a grand niece of Charles Carroll
of Carrollton, who signed the Declaration of
Independence. His mother was a niece of the
distinguished Rev. Abercrombie of Philadelphia.
They have two children living Joseph and Katie.
He has twice been elected coroner of this county
by a large majority over a popular opponent
and tilled the office with great credit.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 291
HON. W. C. PRICK
William C. Price was born in Jackson county
Tennessee, March 11, 1821. His father, Camp-
bell Price, was a native of South Carolina, who
removed his family to Benton, then Washington
County, Ark., in 1829. Thence he removed to
Bowers Mill, in what is now Lawrence County
Mo., late in 1833. The next year he went to
Newton County, coming to McDonald County
in 1835. He entered government land and
settled on Boifalo creek where the subject of
this sketch now resides. It was here that he
reared his family and passed the remainder of
his days. Hon. William C. Price grew to man-
hood at the home of his parents, assisting in
the work of the farm. He can remember when
wild animals were very plentiful in the region
of his home, and Indians often hunted up and
down the valleys. On February 1, 1844, Mr.
Price was united in marriage with Clarinda, a
daughter of James P. Beeman, and to them
were born twelve children. Politically he is
a Democrat, and his party has favored him with
several important offices. For four years he
served as sheriff of the county, and represented
the same in the State Legislature from 1873 to
292 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
1877. For six years he served as superintendent
of the United States Flouring Mills in the
Seneca Nation, Indian Territory. During the
Civil War he sympathized with the South and
served in the Confederate army as a member of
Captain Parks' Company H, Second Cherokee
Regiment, with which he participated in the
battles of Fort Gibson and Armstrong Ford.
He was one of the leaders of his party for many
years and served as chairman of the county com-
mittee several terms. He is now living out his
old days in peace and plenty at the old home
where he grew to manhood.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 298
A. TABLEK.
Asa Tabler was born in McDonough county,
Illinois in 1849. He was a son of Thomas H.
and Louisa Tabler. He grew up to manhood
near the place of his birth but, like so many
other youn^ men concluded to "go west and
grow up with the country.' Asa doesn't say
whether he had been reading Horace Greely,
or just took his advice from his own personal
inclination and ideas. Be this as it may he came
west and the first point he struck was Fort
Smith, Arkansas. He remained there but a
short time, then went to Payettville, Arkansas,
where he remained about a year. He then went
to Linn county this state where he remained
some eight or nine years. After this his
thoughts wandered back to Arkansaw, and he
w r ent back to that state. This time he stopped
at Bentonville where he remained a short time,
but failed to find a suitable investment for his
means. After looking around for some time he
located at Southwest City, about 1886, where
for the last eleven years he has been one of the
leading business men of that place. His occu-
pation most of the time has been keeping Hotel
and Livery stable. His estimable wife is pro-
294 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
ncient in the former business and they are both
of such a friendly disposition that every one is
made to feel welcome and fed on the best that
can be found in the market.
His livery is one of the best in this county
and he has the name of taking the best of care
of horses put up at his stable. You need never
look to see that they are properly fed and
watered. He has lately completed a handsome
building on Main street which they expect to
occupy when their present lease expires. In
1879 he and Miss Mattie Sharp of Bentonville,
Ark., w T ere married: they have no children.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 295
JOSEPH W. KELLY.
The subject of this sketch was born in Kos-
ciasko county, Indiana, three mile^ , ■ .
city of Warsaw. Like nearly all country ... ;
he had to depend on the district school for
education, going to such school during the
winter months only. He lived and worked on
the farm until June, 1862, when he went into
the United States army, being a member of
Co., "K ? ' 74th. Regiment Indiana Volunteer
Infantry. He served with his compa ny to the
close of the war, participating in the battles of
Green River, Mumfordsville, Kentucky, Hoove
Gap, Tenn, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge
the battles and skirmishes of the Gre t At] ,nt
campaign, and marched with Sherman to the
sea. After the war lie went to Iowa, then to
the far northwest where he participated in
several skirmishes with others lighting hostile
Indians. After several years in the mountains
and on the plains he returned to Indiana, re-
maining there for a few years, then back Iowa.
I then to McDonald county, Missouri, in-
April, 1893. With J. H. Quails he establish
the Anderson M inger in June, 1898, and in
November, 1893, disposed of his interest to Mr.
Quails; on December 1st of the same year assu-
med charge of the Pineville Democrat for W.
296 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
E. Smith & Co. , who had just purchased the
office. He remained with Smith & Co., two
years and then with F. A. Freeze, who had be-
come interested in the office, until August, 1896,
when he assumed control of the paper by
purchase and lease and is still its editor and
publisher. Under his management the paper
has steadily increased in circulation and influence
and is regarded with favor and confidence by its
party and adherents as well as the people at
large. He is a free silver Democrat all the time
and under all circumstances.
July 2, 1893, he w T as married to Miss Kate L.
Nefif of Pineville. To this union has been born
one daughter Miss Viola M. Kelley, a bright
little Miss of three Summers. Mr. Kelly came
to McDonald county on account of poor health,
and the result is that our fine climate and pure
water made a comparatively well man of him, and
he now thinks this the county of all commu-
nities for the poor in health as well as poor in
purse.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 297
M. C. FALKENBURY.
Matthew Clark Falkenbury was born in
Mercer county, Illinois, on July 19, 1861, and
was raised in Washington county, that state,
up to the age of 18 years. He acquired an ed-
ucation mostly in the common schools and was
graduated in the Bachelor of Science degree
at the Central Normal College of Danville, Ind. ,
in 1884, and came west in the same year. In
1888 he founded the Southwest Leader at South-
west City. He was married to Miss Grace Me-
Clain, of Coffey ville, Kan. , in 1888. His father,
Don A. Falkenbury is a native of eastern New
York who emigrated to Illinois at an early day
and later to Florida. His mother, Miranda E.
Miller, was raised at Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Fal-
kenbury is a man of superior ability and pub-
lishes a paper of which Southwest City and
McDonald county should be proud.
298 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
REV. M. L. STEWART.
Marcus -L. Stewart, son of Thomas H. and
Julia M. Stewart, was born in Lawrence county
Kentucky, September 19, 1862. Two years af-
terwards his parents moved to Davis county,
Missouri, and live years later to Montgomery
county, Kansas. Mr. Stew T art attended the dis-
trict schools during boyhood, where he obtain-
ed a common school education, and then took a
short term at Scarrett College, Neosho. Sep-
tember 21, 1882, he and Miss Segornia Eppard,
of this county, Were united in marriage, which
union has been blessed with seven children, all
of whom are living. For several years he was
engaged in farming, teaching school through
the winters months.
Mr. Stew T art early identified himself w T ith the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and w r as ordained
a minister of that denomination some five years
ago. He has gained a host of friends w 7 herever
he has taught or preached, and many of our peo-
ple, and especially the children, will remember
him w T ith pleasure. In 1896 he went to Idaho,
where he had charge of a circuit for some
months, and then returned to this county to fin-
ish u}3 his business. He w r as quite favorably im-
pressed with the people and location there and
expects to make his home there. He establish-
ed and carried to a successful termination the
Chautauqua at Southwest City this fall, for
which commendable enterprise he will have the
lasting praise and esteem of her people.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 299
A. C. WALTERS.
Albert C. Walters, son of John U. and
Margaret (Tyler) Walters, was born in Switzer-
land, September 2, 1844. In 1847 his parents
came to this country, first settling at Camden,
N. J. The next year they went to the city of
Philadelphia where they remained about five
years, then went to Burks county, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Walters attended school first in Philadel-
phia and afterwards at the schools near his
father's home in Burks county. He enlisted at
Reading, Pa., in the fall of 1862, in the 151st
Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served eleven
months, and was in the battle of Gettysburg.
He first came to Polk county, this state, in
1868. The next year he went back east, but
soon returned and has been in Southwest Missou-
ri ever since. He and Miss Mary E. Brown, of
this county, were married in 1871; they have five
children living and two dead.
He came to this county in 1882, and bought
the old mill where Bosserman now is. After re-
fitting it he sold it, and in June, 1883, bought
out A. M. Dillin of Pineville. From that time
to September, 1897, he was one of the leading
merchants of that place. He then sold to Car-
nell &. Duval. , He has been engaged in farming,
milling and merchandise, and is a good carpen-
ter. He has not united with any church, but is
strictly moral and his influence is for Christian-
ity. He has always been a Democrat, but now
is a Prohibitionist. In 1884 he was elected
treasurer of this county which position he filled
with credit, and had the name of keeping a re-
markably neat set of books which balanced to
a cent on his final settlement.
300 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
P. A. FREEZE.
FURLON A.
Freeze, son o f
Elbert F. S. and
Eliza J. (Hankins)
Freeze, was born
in Barry county,
Mo., Jan. 29, 1870,
his parents hav-
ing come to this
state from Tenn.
He was brought
up on a farm and
attended the dis-
trict schools dur-
ing the winters.
|He went to the
Cassville High
School four years, Exeter two years and the
Baptist College at Pierce City one year.
In 1888 he began teaching and has followed
that work since, except while attending school,
which he alternated with teaching as he could
secure funds to pay expenses. In 1892 he took
a trip through Kansas, Colorado and Texas
looking for a more favorable location, but re-
turned to Southwest Missouri after an absence
of ten months. In 1896 he edited the Pineville
Democrat for eight months, but sold his interest
in the paper and took charge of a school. He
was elected constable of Pineville township on
the Democratic ticket in 1896. The 20th day of
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 301
February, 1896, he and Miss Effie Parmer, one
of Pineville's most intelligent and popular young
ladies, were married. Both are members of the
Baptist church. After remaining in this county
from 1894 to the spring of 1897, he returned to
Barry county where he owns a nice farm and is
also following his profession of teacher.
302
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
MRS. P. A. T. YOCUM.
Phoebe Ann Tremble Yocum, Daughter of
Hiram and Sarah Tremble, was born at Mat-
toon, Cole county, Illinois, December 5, 1846.
There she remained during her childhood and
youth, and was educated in the McParland Sem-
inary, Mattoon, which she attended three years.
She discovered considerable ability as a writer
during her school days, and began writing for
the papers when but twelve j^ears of age. Dur-
ing the war she corresponded for the local pa-
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 303
pers, and since coming west for many years was
reporter for the St. Louis Daily papers. She
was married in Cole county, Illinois, June 2, I8-
60, to William M. Yocum also of that county.
They have had six children, five of whom are
living".
After her marriage Mrs. Yocum discontinued
her literary work for a number of years, taking
it up again about 1880. She contributed arti-
cles to the Journal of Agriculture, St. Louis,
for seven years, at the same time writing for
several magazines. Most of her productions
have been short stories, but some three years
ago she was called on to write a continued sto-
ry, and her effort in that line met with such fa-
vor that she now has a number which have been
accepted by the publishers. She is preparing
to pat some of her writings on the market in
book form, and has assurances of success.
Mrs. Yocum has lived in McDonald county
about fifteen years. She is a leading temper-
ance worker, occupies a prominent place in the
W. C. T. U , and holds a life membership in the
Christian Endeavor, of which she is very proud.
She and her husband are both members of the
Cumberland Presbyterian church.
304 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
J. A. FOSTER.
The subject of this sketch was born on Pea
Ridge, Benton county, Arkansas, September 24,
1854. He grew to manhood in the county of his
birth, and received a liberal education at the
Pea Ridge Academy, then known as Mount Ver-
non Academy. In 1873 he came to this county
where he has resided most of the time since.
Mr. Poster began teaching in 1873, his first
school being at Poplar Hill on Big Sugar creek.
He followed teaching for fifteen years, and was
regarded as one of our best instructors. A few
years he was engaged in farming, then about
the year 1893 he went to Cyclone and put up a
small store where he remained about five years.
In the fall of '97 he removed to Jane where he
and T. J. Carnell have a good stock of general
merchandise.
In 1882 he and Miss Katie Potts of McDonald
county were married. They have four children
all of whom are living. Politically he has al-
ways been a staunch Republican. He is a mem-
ber of the Modern Woodmen, in which order he
carries a life insurance for the benefit of his
family. He takes much interest in the affairs
of his community, and it was through his exer-
tions and influence that Cyclone township was
established.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 305
HON. JOHN F. TANDY.
J. F. Tandy, son of J. P. and Elizabeth (Par -
nell) Tandy, was born in Carroll county, Ken-
tucky, March 21, 1838. That was also the birth
place of his parents. He came with his father
to Lewis county, Missouri, in 1850, and has liv-
ed in this state ever since. When he was a boy
school facilities, as well as lights, were meager,
and his education was acquired by three month's
attendance of the district school, and the bal-
ance at home by the light of hickory bark fires.
He was married to Miss M. H. Townsend of
Knox county, August 20, 1860. She bore him
six children, five of whom are living, then died,
306 HISTORY OF 4 MCDONALD COUNTY.
November 4, 1891. July 23, 1893, he and Mrs. Su-
san M. Moore of Osceola, St. Clair county, were
married which union was blessed with one little
girl.
Mr. Tandy began his official career in Febru-
ary, 1878, when he was appointed by Governor
Phelps, as Presiding Judge of the county court
of St. Clair county to fill a vacancy. That fall
he was elected to that office, thus serving three
years. In 1886 he was again elected to that of-
fice which he held the ensuing four years Those
were stormy times in St. Clair county on ac-
count of the attempt to enforce the collection of
rail road bonds that had been issued several
years before but no road ever built. Judge
Tandy believing the bonds were fraudulent, re-
fused to levy a tax for their collection, for which
he was incarcerated in the Federal jail at Jef-
ferson City for seven months, beginning No-
vember 1887. He endured the imprisonment
but never made the levy.
He came to McDonald county in Sept., 1893
and owns a good farm on Patterson creek. In
1894 he was nominated by the Populist for rep-
resentative, and ran 100 votes ahead of his tick-
et. In 1896 he was nominated by both Demo-
crats and Populists, and elected by a majority
of 621. He is a man of fine appearance, an elo-
quent speaker and his services in the state leg-
islature have been credible to himself, and for
what he considered the best interest of his con-
stituents. He is a minister in the Christian
church to which he devotes much of his time.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY,
307
% •***.
C. E. DUVAL.
Claib E. Duval, son of Dr. W. C. Duval of
Pineville, was born at Rutledge, the old county
seat, December 25, 1858, and has lived here the
greater part of his life. He secured a good ed-
ucation in the public schools at Pineville. In
1871* he went into a printing office and learned
the trade, and has been in the newspaper busi-
ness nearly all the time since. One of his first
ventures was the Saratoga Eagle, w T hich he
published while that town was in its prime. He
308 HISTORY OP MCDONALD COUNTY.
also set up the forms for the first paper that
was printed in Southwest City.
He was publisher of the Pineville News for
many years, and which he made one of the best
papers in the county. He sold that paper in
the fall of 1893, but after trying a couple of
other locations, returned in a few months and
started the Herald, which he still publishes.
In September, 1897, he entered into a copart-
nership with P. L. Carnell, and bought the mer-
cantile establishment and good will of A. C.
Walters, and they are now one of the leading
firms of the county seat.
He and Miss Mary J. Hamilton, who was born
and raised in Indiana, were married at Eldorado
Springs, Arkansas, February 23, 1882. They
have four children — two girls and two boys —
Clarice, Claude, Bessie and Vincil — aged re-
spectively 14, 11, 9 and 6 years.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 309
Mr. and Mrs. S. D. PRESTON.
Dr. Solomon D. Preston was born Octo-
ber 10, 1853, in Logan county, Kentucky, where
his childhood and youth were spent. He was
educated at the Vanderbilt University where he
studied medicine, but was taken down with ty-
phoid fever when he lacked just one term of
graduating. In 1880 he left his native state and
went to Kansas, and two years later came to
this county. He practiced medicine for a few
years, but much of his time he operated a drug
store afe which business he was very proficient.
Mr. Preston was raised a Republican, but for
many years affiliated with the Democratic party.
In 1892 he again identified himself with the Re-
publican party, and warmly supported its prin-
ciples to the time of his death. He has been
engaged in the newspaper work at various
times in this county, and his papers were al-
ways noted for the ability and parity of the read-
ing matter. In the spring of 1897 he was taken
down with typhoid fever, from which he died on
the 5th day of May. He had a host of friends
wherever known, and was the idol of his fami-
ly to whom he had ever been a kind husband
and father. He was a member of the Baptist
310 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
church, the I. O. O. F., the A. O. U. W. and
Woodmen of the World. In each of the last
two orders he carried a life insurance of $2,000,
also $2,000 in the Bay State Insurance Compa-
ny of Mass.
Mrs. Fannie Preston, widow of the late
S. D. Preston, was born on Pea Ridge, Arkan-
sas, March 26, 1866. She is a daughter of Dr.
W. C. Duval of Pineville, by his former wife,
Mary Jane (Boyer). She was brought up from
a little child in Pineville, where she attended the
public schools, and early in life united with the
M. E. Church, south. September 5, 1883, she
and Dr. Preston were united in marriage. They
have lived at Pineville, Indian Springs and
Southwest Citjr in this county, and some eight-
een months in the Cherokee Nation. To them
were born seven children, six of whom — Edith,
Susie, Joel Claiborn, Ruby, Lena, Cecil Rollo-
are living. Leo, the youngest child, died June
3, 1897, from the same malady that had taken
off his father but a few weeks before.
Mrs. Preston now lives in a com for table home
in Southwest City with ample means which the
foresight and benevolence of her kind compan-
ion provided. Their engraving appears on the
next page.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
311
312 HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
J. A. DOTY.
Joseph A. Doty was born in McDonough county,
Illinois, January 10, 1864. His parents moved to
Johnson county, Missouri, when he was two years
old, but owing to the unsettled condition and law-
lessness that existed there after the close of the
war, the Doty family moved to Clark county, Iowa.
Here young Doty worked on his father's farm and
attended school, having to walk a mile and a half
to reach the school house. In 1877 his parents re-
moved to Osborne county, Kansas, where Joseph
grew to manhood, and in the year of 1883 was wed-
ed to Miss Laura A. Beck.
In the fall of 1887 he landed in Southwest City,
Missouri, a stranger in a strange land. He soon
made acquaintences and friends and determined
to cast his lot with the people of McDonald county
and make Southwest City a permanent home.
Just after the election in the fall of 1888 Mr. Doty
conceived the idea of establishing a Republican
paper in the county and set about to secure a plant.
The latter part of December, 1888, a small printing
outfit was purchased, and on January 10, 1889, the
first issue of the Enterprise was printed. This was
the first Republican paper published in the county
and, as the party was unorganized, it was predict-
ed by many that the paper would soon suspend as
it would not be able to secure the proper support
to make it a success. It certainly did look like a
rash venture, right in Democry's stronghold, but
under the guiding hand of Mr. Doty the Enterprise
continued to grow, and to day is one of the leading
papers in Southwest Missouri. The success of the
paper is due to his able management. He has ev-
er been a faithful exponent of Republican princi-
ples, at the same time avoiding offensive matter,
so that persons of all parties took pleasure in read-
ing his paper.
Mr. Doty has twice been elected Mayor of South-
west City, and holds that position at the present
time. In 1894 he was prominently mentioned for
State Senator from the loth district of Missouri.
tn
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 313
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§ 25 *
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY. 333
EXPLANATION.
In the foregoing tables the vote is marked Dem-
ocratic and Republican, only, as those two were
the leading parties in this county. Those desig-
nated in the Republican column include all oppo-
nents of the regular Democratic nominees, and
were sometimes Green Back, Union Labor, Inde-
pendent Democrats or Populists. The Greenback
party, when at its hight, polled about 300 votes.
It was followed by the Union Labor party, which
in turn gave way to the Populist. Some years they
nominated a county ticket, while in other cam-
paigns they supported nominees on the other tick-
ets as they chose. Their strength reached about
330 votes. The Republicans some years put out
part of a ticket, and openly, or tacitly endorsed
other candidates who opposed the Democrats.
By comparing the following list of nominees with
the tables, the vote of each one by townships may
be ascertained. The successful candidate is first
mentioned, and the politics designated.
334
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
LIST OF NOMINEES.
REPRE SENT ATI VE .
1872
W. C. Price, D
R. W. Williams, R
1874
W. C. Price, D
John Harmon, R
1876
J. J. Brown, I
W. C. Price, D
1878
A. W. Chenoweth, D
W. E. Bookout, R
1880
A. J. Phillips, D
Dan Harmon, R
1882
T. F. Ford, D
G. R. McMahan, G.
1884
Thos. Collins, D
Dan Harmon, R
CIR. and CO. CLERK.
1874 1878
A. M. Dillin, D A. M. Dillin, D
J. S. Wilson, R. J. S. Wilson, R
CIR. CLERK.
1882 1890
H. A. F. Cloud, D J. W. Shields, D
J. J. Brown, I H. A. F. Cloud, I
1886 * 1894
H. A. F. Cloud, D S. G. Sutter, R
C. W. Gable, R J. W. Shields, D
1886
J. J. McNatt, U L
J. H. Wood, D
1888
M. C. Christian, D
S. G. Sutter R
1890
J. F. Kenney, D
L. W. Smith, R
1892
R. J. Balch, D
J. C. Seabourn, R
1894
F. M. Best, R
W. M. Phillips, D
1896
J. F. Tandy, D
F. M. Best, R.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
335
CO. CLERK.
1882
M. R. DeGrofi, D
R. L. Hargrove, R
1886
1890
J. P. Caldwell, I
J. S. Davis, D
1894
J. P. Caldwell, I Zach Baker, R
M. R. DeGroff, D W. W. Bacon, D
PROBATE JUDGE.
1872
J. H. Wimpey, R
C. P. Bullock, D
1874
W. S. Street, D
John Wilson, D
1878
I. N. Shambaugh, D
J. W. Legg, R
1882
I. N. Shambaugh, D
1884
W. E. Smith, D
J. L. Ellifi, R
1886
W. E. Smith, D
R. C. Farmer, I
1890
W. E. Smith, D
G. W. Coombes, R
1894
J. M. Elliott, P
W. E. Smith, D
PRESIDING JUDGE.
Same as Probate Judge to 1884.
1884
H. B. Landers, D
J. H. Wimpey, R
1886
J. A. Sturges, D.
J. H. Wimpey, R
JUDGE, E. D.
G. R. McMahan, G
H. J. Laughlin, D
1878
1890
J. M. Boyd, D
J. H. Wimpey, R
1894
J. T. Horner, R
J. R. Patterson, D.
JUDGE, W. D.
J. D. Heron, D
A. C. Mosier, R
336
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
G. R. McMahan, G
M. D. L. McCall, R
Holly Hinton, D
R. W. Williams, R
Holly Hinton, D
H. J. Laughlin, D
H. G. Fox, R
H. J. Laughlin, D
John Lawson, R
J. R. Patterson, D
H. G. Fox, R
C. J. Marrs, D
D. McDonald, D
W. J. Adkins, R
M. L. Marrs, D
W. Newman, D
J. W. Adkins, R
SHERIFF
1872
C. L. Fields, D
J. H. Moffett, R
1874
C. L. Fields, D
C. W. Noel, I
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
J. D. Heron, D
C. L. Moore, R
A. B. Shields, I
J. D. Heron, D
J. D. Heron, D
A. B. Shields, I
J. W. Nutting, D
A. D. Anderson, R
J. W. Nutting, D
J. H. Wimpey, R
J. W. Cunningham, D
Alf Oyler, R
J. W. Cunningham, D
R. Vermillion, R
Patrus Testerman, R
J.H. Young, D
Geo. Mitchell, D
Patrus Testerman, R
& COLLECTOR.
1882
J. C. Seabourn, R
J. F. Kenney, D
1884
J. C. Seabourn, R
J. A. Ford, D
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
337
1876
J. C. Montgomery, D
J. H. Moffett, R
1878
E. M. Jarrett, G
M. R. DeGroff, D
1880
E. M. Jarrett, G
J. F. Kenney, D
SHERIFF.
Geo. Woolard, D
Wm. Slinkard, R
J. C. Kelley, R
D. A. Johnson, D
R. Jarrett, D
A. Elston, R
1892
1894
1896
1886
J. A. Ford. D
E. M. Jarrett. G
1888
J. A. Ford, D
J. H. Moffett, R
1890
W. W. Bacon, D
J. Benedict, R
COLLECTOR.
J. T. Williams, D
H. C. Prater, R
H. C. Prater, R
J. T. Williams, D
J. W. Hubbard, D
H. C. Prater. R
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
1886
1872
Jas. L. Smythe, L R
J. B. Ruff, D
1874
J. L. Barr, D
J. C. Lamson, R
1876
Z. T. Murphy, D
G. W. Randolph, R
1878
J. C. Lamson, R
J. A. Wilson, D
H. C. Pepper, D
J. L. Barr, I
1888
H. C. Pepper, D
J. C. Lamson, R
1890
Hugh Dabbs, D
J. L. Barr, I
1892
Hugh Dabbs, D
338
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
1880
J. W. Brunk, D
J. C. Lamson, R
1882
J. C. Cole, D
J. C. Lamson, R
1884
J. C. Cole, D
J. C. Lamson, R
1872
J. P. LaMance, D
J. C. Lamson, R
1874
J. C. Baber, D
J. P. LaMance, D
1878
J. C. Baber, D
John Wilson, D
1884
A. C. Walters, D
E. W. Edwards, R
1894
J. D. Edge, R
A. V. Manning, D
1896
Geo. R. Clay, D
J. A. Sturges, R
TREASURER.
1890
M. N. LaMance, D
A. C. Walters, I
1892
M. N. LaMance, D
J. H. Moffett, R '
1694
J. C. Farmer, R
Geo. Woolard, D
1896
M. N. LaMance, D
W. A. Walters, R
1888
J. C. Baber, D
D. M. Harmon, R
In 1876, 1880, 1882 and 1886 J. C. Baber had no
opponent.
ASSESSOR.
1872 1874-6
J. H. Chapman, D J. H. Chapman, D
R. L. Ferguson, R
340
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
Residence of J. W. Shields, Pineville. Mo.
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
341
1878
J. J. Clanton, D
A. Adams, R
1880
H. A. F. Cloud, D
J. R. Brown, G
1882
J. H. Chapman, D
B. F. Northcut, R
1884
J. H. Chapman, D
1886
Zach Baker, I
R. W. Patterson, D
1888
J. P. Madden, D
C. B. Berry, R
1890
J. P. Madden, D
Zach Baker, I
1892
W. H. Noel, D
Zach Baker, R
1894
W. H. Noel, D
W. Hankins, R
1896
M. L. Marrs, D
C. H. McGuire, R
POPULATION OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
1860, 3,957; 1870, 5,189;
1880, 7,816; 1890, 11,283.
Estimated by the vote of Nov., 1896, it is now
between 13, 000 and 14,000.
""T^-^
342
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
M
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Bosserman's Mill, Near Pineville, Mo.
344
HISTORY OF MCDONALD COUNTY.
LaMance Store Building, Pineville, Mo.
J. C. GEYER, J. B. MURRAY.
GEYER & MURRAY,
Attorneys-at-Law,
Neosho, - - - - Missouri.
NEWTON COUNTY ABSTRACTS.
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Proprietor
GLOBE HOTEL.
Best $1.00 a Day House in City. Close to Public Square.
Spring Street, : NEOStJO, MO.
When you'^o to Neosho stop at the Globe Hotel. Every
thing lirst-class.
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1874. 1897.
Tlje Piijeville Democrat.
$1.00 Per Year. Oldest Paper in McDonald County.
By JOSEPH W. KELLEY.
The Democrat is Democratic at all times and under
all circumstances, and unflinchingly supports the
nominees of its party against all others. It
has the largest circulation of any paper in
the county, therefore it is the best
advertising medium. Use it.
It is a clean, readable, local paper and should be found in
every McDonald oowniy home. Address, Pineville, Mo.
The St. Charles tjotel,
Pineville, ----- Missouri.
Mrs. J. E. EDELEN, Proprietor.
First-class in its appointments. Table supplied with
the best in the market. Good clean beds. Head-
quarters for all Pineville hack and mail lines.
NOV 4 - 1938
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