History of Greene County, Missouri

In presenting to the citizens of Greene County this History, it is with the full knowledge that there must necessarily be some errors found within its pages; otherwise, it would be different from any work yet compiled by human hands, absolute perfection never having been reached either in the historical or any other field of earthly labor.

In attempting to compile a complete History of Greene County, a great variety of sources of information had to be consulted by the writers hereof: old files of newspapers, early official records, previously written historical works and reviews, old settlers still living, letters of correspondence and private documents have all been consulted in embodying what is set forth in this volume. Considering all these things, absolute freedom from error would be a miracle of wonders. Much care, however, has been taken to avoid ex parte statements, and the writers and publishers claim that this History, while not exact in everything, treats all with fairness and candor. To gather the incidents of the long ago has been a work of infinite care and attention to detail. Intelligent readers may judge, therefore, how this labor has been performed, and do us the justice to accredit us with an honest endeavor to make this History worthy, in all respects, the careful perusal of the reader.

To name all persons to whom the publishers are indebted for the facts herein, would be an undertaking of too great a magnitude; for there is scarcely a citizen of any prominence in the county who has not, in some way, contributed to the compilation of this work. The editing historian, Mr. R.I. Holcombe, has labored long and faithfully in gathering, compiling, and adapting the matter of this work; necessitating on his part an extensive correspondence with parties in the distance, besides his exhaustive consultation of all sources of information within the county. Officers and privates who served on both sides during the Civil War, have cheerfully contributed their fund of information bearing on the war history. The editors and attaches of all the papers, the county officials, besides hosts of business men and private citizens, have done all in their power to advance the interests of this enterprise and contribute to the fulness and exactness of this History. As above stated, to name all these would be impossible, for their name is legion. To the entire citizenship) of the county the publishers and authors return thanks for the universal courtesy (with a very few exceptions) with which they and their assistants have been treated.

 

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I.
The Louisiana Purchase — Brief Historical Sketch 1-7

CHAPTER II.
Descriptive and Geographical 7-13

CHAPTER III.
Geology of Missouri l3-2l

CHAPTER IV.
Title and Early Settlers 21-27

CHAPTER V.
Territorial Organization 27-31

CHAPTER VI.
Admission into the Union 31-37

CHAPTER VII.
Missouri as a State 37-43

CHAPTER VIII.
Civil War in Missouri 43-53

CHAPTER IX.
Early Military Record of the State 53-59

CHAPTER X.
Agriculture and Mineral Wealth 59-65

CHAPTER XI.
Education — The Public School System 63-73

CHAPTER XII.
Religious Denominations 73-79

CHAPTER XIII.
Gov. Crittenden's Administration 79-85

HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS
From 1762 to 1882 — Leading Institutions, etc 86-106

LAWS OF MISSOURI.
Public and Personal Rights, Legal Forms, etc 107-120

STATISTICS.
Population, Vital, Industrial and Political Statistics 121-124

HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

CHAPTER I.
Pioneer History 125-156

CHAPTER II.
From the Organization of the County to 1840 156-191

CHAPTER III.
History of the County from 1840 to 1850 191-213

CHAPTER IV.
History of the County from 1850 to 1856 213-235

CHAPTER V.
History of the County from 1856 to 1860 235-267

CHAPTER VI.
From 1860 to the "Goose Pond" Meeting, June 11, 1861 267-284

CHAPTER VII.
From the Meeting of the Military in June, to the Battle of Wilson's Creek 284-301

CHAPTER VIII.
The Battle of Wilson's Creek — The Union or Federal Account 301-331

CHAPTER IX.
The Battle of Wilson's Creek — Concluded 331-363

CHAPTER X.
From the Battle of Wilson's Creek to the Close of 1861 863-401

CHAPTER XI.
History of the County During 1862 401-428

CHAPTER XII.
History of the County in 1863 — Battle of Springfield 428-463

CHAPTER XIII.
From 1864 to the Close of the Civil War 463-484

CHAPTER XIV.
History of the County from 1865 to 1870 484-520

CHAPTER XV.
History of the County from 1870 to 1875 520-547

CHAPTER XVI.
History of the County from 1875 547-573

CHAPTER XVII.
Geology of Greene County 573-575

CHAPTER XVIII.
Biographies of Some Prominent Citizens 576-608

TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.

CHAPTER XIX.
Walnut Grove Township 608-620

CHAPTER XX.
Boone Township 620-640

CHAPTER XXI.
CicNTER Township 640-664

CHAPTER XXII.
Pond Creek Township 664-672

CHAPTER XXIII.
Brookline Township 672-683

CHAPTER XXIV.
Wilson Township 683-690

CHAPTER XXV.
Clay Township 690-699

CHAPTER XXVI.
Washington Township 699-701

CHAPTER XXVII.
Taylor Township 701-709

CHAPTER XXVIII.
Cass Township 709-721

CHAPTER XXIX.
History of the City of Springfield 721-762

CHAPTER XXX.
Affairs in 1863 762-792

CHAPTER XXXI.
Resume of the City's History from 1876 to 1883 792-839

CHAPTER XXXII.
North Springfieild 839-874

CHAPTER XXXIII.
Camprell Township 874-895

CHAPTER XXXIV.
Franklin Township 895-903

CHAPTER XXXV.
Jackson Township 903-914

CHAPTER XXXVI.
Robberson Township 915-918

Addenda 919

 

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The purchase in 1803 of the vast territory west of the Mississippi River, by the United States, extending through Oregon to the Pacific coast and south to the Dominions of Mexico, constitutes the most important event that ever occurred in the history of the nation.

It gave to our Republic additional room for that expansion and stupendous growth, to which it has since attained, in all that makes it strong and enduring, and forms the seat of an empire, from which will radiate an influence for good unequaled in the annals of time. In 1763, the immense region of country, known at that time as Louisiana, was ceded to Spain by France. By a secret article, in the treaty of St. Ildefonso, concluded in 1800, Spain ceded it back to France. Napoleon, at that time, coveted the island of St. Domingo, not only because of the value of its products, but more especially because its location in the Gulf of Mexico would, in a military point of view, afford him a fine field whence he could the more effectively guard his newly-acquired possessions. Hence he desired this cession by Spain should be kept a profound secret until he succeeded in reducing St. Domingo to submission. In this undertaking, however, his hopes were blasted, and so great was his disappointment that he apparently became indifferent to the advantages to be secured to France from his purchase of Louisiana.