Daviess County

Firsts of Liberty Township

Daviess County

William M. Prewett and John Smith settled in Liberty township in 1834. Smith came from Clay county, where he was reared. Prewett came from Lafayette county, but was originally from Kentucky. H. W. Creekmore and Elisha B. Creekmore were also from Kentucky. Prewett and Smith came early in the spring and the Creekmores and Tobias Miller came in the summer and early fall of the same year. T. P. Gilreath, another Kentuckian, came about the same time, but had lived in Lafayette county before he removed to Daviess. The latter, with Prewett, settled on section five in the northwest corner […]

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Firsts of Benton Township Missouri

Daviess County

H. W. Enyart taught the first school in the township and possibly in the county. He taught at his house in the sunnier and winter of 1837, and had same ten pupils. The tuition fee was two dollars and a half a scholar for a term of three months, taken in the currency of the realm, which was of assorted stock and variegated in color. There was no discount on the assortment; a gold dollar wasn’t any better than a deer skin, and a bushel or so of corn was just as good, if not a little better, for home

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Firsts of Jackson Township Missouri

Daviess County

It was in 1833 that the first white settler made his home in Jackson township. Robert J. Peniston, who first settled Millport, built a cabin within its limits. Daniel Girdner, who, like Peniston, came from Kentucky, John Oxford and Robert McHaney, all from the same State, were the oldest of these settlers who staked out claims in the township. Theodore Peniston, son of Robert, is at present the oldest settler now living. There was but little difference in the settlement of this township from the others. They had their trials and hardships to contend with, and they had to find

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Early Settlers of Monroe Township Missouri

Daviess County

As has been before stated Monroe township can boast of being among the-earliest settled sections of the county. In fact, what is now Monroe, Union and Harrison, then, Honey Creek, was the first settled, unless the, Grindstone settlement was started about the same time, but the earliest record of the latter is 1833. Those who located in what is now Monroe township was Hardin Stone, now an honored resident of Gallatin, who came in 1831, and following closely in the same year, were- Samuel McDow, John Stokes, William Stone. The next year Andrew McHaney, M. Wilson, T. B. Blakely, George

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Early Settlers of Washington Township Missouri

Daviess County

Washington township was one of the last of those made in-the year 1870, when the County Court, on March 10th, divided the county into sixteen municipal districts, each being a congressional township of six miles square. Washington, as may be guessed, was named after the “Father of his -country.” The first white men who located in this township for a permanent home were John Williams and James Munn; both came from Kentucky to Daviess county, but Williams was a native of North Carolina and Munn, of Tennessee. They settled in the north part of the township, on section thirty-three. They

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Early History of Washington Township Missouri

Daviess County

The first wedding which was celebrated in Washington township was that of William Hardin and Miss Betsy Munn, in the spring of 1842. It was about the same time Joseph Gillespie was married, near the north line of the county, but who the bride was is not remembered. This marriage was performed by the Rev. Jonathan Smith. ‘Squire Lowe performed the interesting ceremony that united William Hardin and Miss Betsy Munn, at the residence of the bride’s father, Mr. James Munn. The first child born in Washington township was undoubtedly Miss. Rachel Foster in 1840. She was the daughter of

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Early History of Harrison Township Missouri

Daviess County

The first marriage which is remembered was that of William P. Dunnington to Miss Elizabeth Osborn, which took place in the fall of 1840. The young couple were provided with o a regular pioneer outfit, consisting of a bake pan, a pot, a big fireplace in a brand new log cabin, and a few other necessary luxuries for the fair young bride, while Mr. Dunnington boasted of a six pound ax, and a rifle which marked death at 300 yards. The future of this young couple, owing to their splendid start in life, was considered extremely promising. The first child

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Early History of Monroe Township Missouri

Daviess County

The first wedding that there is any account of in this township was that of Ephraim McCrary and Miss Rebecca Linville. This was in September, 1842, at the residence of the bride’s father, Lewis Linville. The first child born was Wiley W. Stone. The first death recorded is that of Thomas McDow, who died in the year 1844, and was buried in Whitt’s graveyard. The first physician was Dr. Venable, since dead, and Dr. John Cravens, now living north of Gallatin. The first preachers were Rev. J. Barker and. Rev. Thomas Ellington, both Methodists. The latter preached the first sermon

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Crystal Springs, Benton Township, Davies County, Missouri

Daviess County

One of the institutions of Benton township, and we might say of the county, are the famous Crystal Springs. They are situated on the farm of John Gagan, about five miles northwest of Pattonsburg, on Crystal Springs Branch, a small creek which empties into Sampson Creek, not far distant. There is a beautiful grove of forest trees near the springs, which are three in number, and chemical analysis has shown them to possess wonderful curative properties. The last few years they have become famous, and camping parties, numbering thousands, during the summer months, drink of their healing waters. There is

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The Death of Lockwood

Daviess County

One of the foulest crimes committed during those dark days of civil strife was the murder of David Lockwood. He was an old man, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, a Tennesseean by birth and a Missourian by adoption, having removed to this State in 1844. He located on section six, and had a neat, well improved farm. Being an old man he remained neutral in the strife around him, attending to his business and looking after his stock and farm. He lost considerable property at different times taken by roving parties calling themselves militia. On the morning of

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