The Telephone Newspaper Article
October 4, 1901


Old Settler's of Crawford County, Missouri

Extracted from THE TELEPHONE

Cuba, Crawford County, MO

Friday, October 4, 1901

*No corrections to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization have been made to the original text.

OLD SETTLERS OF THE COUNTY.

The Crawford County Old Settlers Association Meets Near Leasburg.

The third annual meeting of the Crawford County Old Settlers Association was held at the Taylor spring, near Leasburg, Saturday. The meeting was a success. On request of the president, W. A. Gibbs, Rev. J. R. Hamlin, presided.

Some songs were sung with the old time fervor and the meeting was opened with prayer by William Barton. The address of welcome was given by Rev. Hamlin who called attention to the debt the young people owed the old settlers of this county. He contrasted the old time customs with the new and praised the early citizens for their brave and wise settlement of this county. In his usual humorous vein he told stories on some of those present. He told of Uncle Jerry King dragging deer from the hill under which he spoke to Leasburg. Uncle Jerry was the owner of an old mare named Jane. From the end of her nose to the tip of her tail she was the longest brute that ever lived. The neighbors said her extreme length was caused by Uncle Jerry dragging so many deer to town by her tail. Uncle Billy Gibbs used to do the threshing for the county. He threshed the speaker's first wheat crop of 55 bushels and did the work in the extremely short time of three days. The machine with which he did the threshing was separated from his horse power by a long belt and when anything got out of gear with the machine this belt was thrown off to save wear and tear. When Uncle Billy was ready to begin work he would yell, "Hillery, put on the belt." For many years this was the call for work to begin at log rollings and all neighborhood workings.

After dinner business was taken up and J. R. Hamlin was elected president. W. J. Land vice-president, and T. N. Reeves secretary. William Barton, W. S. Blair, T. N. Reeves, W. T. Woods and Harley Moutray were appointed a committee on arrangements. After a song by the Nixon school A. L. Reeves was introduced as the speaker of the day. He spoke at length and was followed by William Barton. W. H. Maxwell gave an interesting recitation.

It was announced that next year the old settlers' reunion will beheld the first Saturday in September instead of the last.

There were 35 persons present over 60 years of age. Their names follow:

Samuel Nixon, aged 88, was born in Kentucky, the State of old people, and came to Missouri 47 years ago. He settled in this county 42 years ago.

B. F. Triplett, is 87 years old, has lived in Missouri 70 years and in Crawford county 11. He is a native of Kentucky.

W. A. Gibbs was born in Virginia 84 years ago and came to Crawford county 60 years ago the 11th of August.

Nancy White came to Crawford county from Kentucky 45 years ago. She was born in 1818 and is 83 years old. Mrs. White has never used spectacles, can see to thread a needle readily, and hasn't a gray hair in her head.

J. B. Jones, aged 79, came to this state from Kentucky 50 years ago and has lived in Crawford county 37 years.

R. B. Reeves is a native born Missourian, 78 years old, and has lived in Crawford county 77 years, longer than any person at the reunion.

W. H. Maxwell, aged 75, was born in Indiana and came to this county and state six years ago.

Charles Lewis, a German, is a newcomer, but is 73 years old.

R. M. Brown was born in Tenn. 72 years ago. He was brought to this county when one year old and lived here since.

R. P. Cook, a native of North Carolina, is 72 years old and has been a resident of Crawford county for 35 years.

Nancy Christopher also came from North Carolina. She has lived here 44 years and is 72 years old.

J. R. Hamlin is one of a number of a colony of North Carolina people who located here 32 years ago. He is now 72 years old.

G. W. Forbes and his wife came to this county 41 years ago from East Virginia. They had lived in the state six years before relocating in this county. They are each 71 years old.

William Barton is 70 years old, and has been in this county 32 years, and came here from North Carolina with his brother-in-law, J. R. Hamlin.

William Walls, aged 70, came to this county from Tenn. 50 years ago.

Mrs. J. M. Pickens is 68 years old and came here from South Carolina 31 years ago.

E. M. Land has been in this county 19 years, in the state 23 years, and in the world 68. He was born in Kentucky.

Elizabeth Luck was born in Tenn. 66 years ago and has lived in Crawford county 44 years.

B. F. Johnson is a native born Missourian, 66 years old. He has been a resident of this county 45 years.

Jane Alexander came here from North Carolina 20 years ago. She is 66 years old.

Matilda Woods is 65 years old and has lived in this county 46 years. She is a native of Tenn.

Constant Hudson came to Crawford county from Arkansas 40 years ago. He is now 63 years old.

W. T. Woods is 63 years old and came here from Tenn. 46 years ago.

D. J. Puckett is a native of the state, is 63 years old, and has lived in the county 37 years.

W. J. Land came here from Indiana 32 years ago and is now 63 years of age.

H. M. Walls came here from Tenn. 50 years ago. He is 62.

Elizabeth Earles came here from Illinois 30 years ago. She is 63 years old.

Charles Clay and J. S. Benton are the same age, 62 and are both native citizens of Crawford county. They are well preserved and good for passing the hundred mark.

W. R. McGlothlin is 62. He was born in this state and has lived in the county 38 years.

J. L. Jones is a native of Indiana, has been here 32 years, and is 51 years old.

Mrs. D. J. Puckett is a native of this county is 61 years old.

B. P. Barton came here from North Carolina 31 years old. He is 61.

G. W. Carson is a new comer to this county having been here but a year. He is from Indiana and is 61 years old.

Other Old Settlers of the County Who Did Not Attend.

The following are a few among the many old settlers of the county who did not attend the old settlers reunion this year:


Joseph N. Taylor is a native of Crawford county and was born in 1839 in the family of John and Cyrena (Pinnell) Taylor. He is the eldest son and was reared in agricultural pursuits. In 1861 he joined the Missouri State Guards and enlisted in Company C, 3rd Missouri Cavalry. He served six months and was wounded by the explosion of a magazine at Wet Glaize, receiving an honorable discharge. In 1858 Mr. Taylor entered 40 acres in addition to 60 acres given him by his father. He turned his attention to farming and how owns 900 acres, which is well stocked. Politically he has always been a staunch Democrat and cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity. In 1868 he married Sallie, widow of James R. Rinehart. They are the parents of seven children, all living. Mrs. Taylor is 54 years old and has been a worthy member of the M. E. Church, south, 31 years. J. P. Jones was born in Wayne county, Ky., Mary 15, 1822 and came with his father to the Missouri Territory in the fall of 1829. He settled near the present town of Springfield, where he remained till the fall of 1831, when he married Sophronia Province, a girl of 18. With his young bride he moved to Webster county, where he lived two years, moving with his family in the spring of 1833 to Izard county, Ark., and living there till 1864 when he returned to Missouri and purchased the farm near Delhi, where he has lived since. Mr. Jones united with the Church of Christ early in life and has ever since been a faithful Christian. His wife died September 23, 1888. He is the father of 14 children, only two of whom are living, a son and a daughter, the latter, Mrs. McDonald, lives with her family on Mr. Jones' farm.

Charles Rutz is one among the oldest men of Oak Hill township. He is a German by birth, aged 81 years. He came to America in 1851 and has lived on Brush creek 49 years.
(editor note: 1851 is not correct. Charles (Carl) Rutz sailed from Bremen Germany in 1854 and arrived in the U.S. in 1855)
His wife, with their two children died of cholera on the voyage.
(editor note: Charles Rutz's wife Caroline died on the voyage. Their two children did not die on the voyage)
"Uncle Charley" as he is familiarly known first located at Hermann and for a short time worked at his trade, cabinet making, and then moved to Brush creek and bought a farm. By hard labor he made farming and stock raising a success. He is now living with his son, William, the proprietor of the Oak Hill Roller Mill. He spends most of his time reading, is a great talker, well posted and says that he is proud that he is an American citizen.

R. B. Browning of Scotia is a native of Crawford county. He is over 50. W. T. Pinnell is 60 years old and was born and raised in Crawford county. He has been in the county all his life except three years he spent in the army. Sarah Treece was born in Hamilton county, Tenn., in 1837 and has been in this county 56 years. Thos. Sillyman was born in New York November 24, 1829, and came to Missouri October 1855. John Spurgeon was born in Washington county, Tenn., February 13, 1839, and came to this county in April 1852. Christopher Fredrickson was born in Denmark, October 26, 1829, while his wife was born in the same country, September 31, 1835. They came to Missouri in 1860. John Woodruff was born in Madison county, Alabama, October, 1833, and at the age of ten moved to Missouri. He served in the Confederate army in Company G till the end of the war. John Steen was born in Rome county, Tenn. in February 1833, and is now 68. At the age of 1 year he was brought by his parents to Douglas prairie, where he lived till the war. He joined the army under Capt. Neal. Charles Bacon was born in St. Louis county in 1829 and moved from there to this county in 1839 and settled on what is known as the old Bacon farm. His stories of life in Crawford county are i nteresting and highly instructive. "Grandpa" Lee, who lives with L. D. Lantz, near Hinch post office, is over 80 years old. Mrs. Nancy Anthony is 87 years old, having been born in 1814. She now lives with her son, Stephen D. Anthony, and is highly respected. Isaac Harmon, John S. Mudd, Alfred Wright, and Elizabeth Coffman of Liberty township were all born in the year 1827, while Solomon Coffman is 71 years old. He with his respected wife, "Aunt Betsy," have long ago celebrated their golden wedding. Among the oldest settlers in vicinity of Hinch are Martin Bouse and Austin Summers. The latter lives a mile over the line in Washington County. He was born in the year 1812 and is 89 years old. He has lived on his farm nearly 50 years and was born in Missouri. Mr. Bouse was born in Virginia in 1813 and is 88 years old and has lived in the same place almost 50 years. Thomas Carlton and wife have lived on Brush creek over 40 years. They came here from St. Louis and bought a small farm on which they have since lived. They are both over 70 years old. Zion Evans is 56 years old, was born in Brush creek in this county, and has lived all his life on the farm he now owns. His father, William Evans, was one of the first persons to live at Maramec Iron Works. George Treece has lived on a farm on rush creek since 1850. He is 65 years of age and politically is a strong republican. He served in the civil war as first lieutenant. Before and since the war his occupation has been farming. He married Sarah Hamilton in '61 and they have raised a large family and are among the oldest and most highly respected families of Crawford county. O. M. Wright and wife moved from Tennessee to Brush creek in 1855, bought 80 acres of land, and have lived in the Blue Spring district ever since. Both are 73 years of age. Mrs. Wright's birthday being in June and her husband's in September. On both days their eight children gather with the grandchildren and neighbors to celebrate the passing of another mile post in their journey through life. Mrs. Chris Mounts moved to her present home 46 years ago. Mrs. Sam Nicholson was born on the Meramec river 75 years ago and has lived near here ever since. Phillip Weller came to this county from Pennsylvania about 35 years ago. Smith Green is an Englishman, 60 years old, and has been 29 years in this county. William Taylor, 75 years of age, came to Crawford county 45 years ago from Kentucky. Mrs. Patrick Carrigan has lived near the old Knobview station 47 years. She is 65 years old. Thomas Glosser moved on his farm in Knobview township 35 years ago, is about 65 years old and came from Ohio. Charles Pancost is 60 years old and came here from Pennsylvania 37 years ago and settled on Spring Farm, where he now resides. Richard Burrows is also a native of Pennsylvania, is 75 years old, and has lived on one of the finest farms in Southern Missouri for 35 years. W. M. Munday is 80 years old and can't tell how long he has lived in the county, but was here when Missouri was "discovered" or admitted to statehood. John McCan is 75 years old and came here from Pennsylvania with the construction of the Frisco. He has lived on his farm near Fanning for 43 years. W. B. Jolley is 70 years old. He came from Ohio and settled at the old Maramec Iron Works before the railroad was thought of and had his goods hauled by oxen from St. Louis. He has lived on his present fine farm 26 years. Henry Gunn was born in Chester county, Penn., in 1831 and has been a resident of the county since 1856. He was the first man who worked on this railroad from Franklin to "Traveler's Repose." He says he is the oldest and largest Gun in the county. He served in the Confederate army four years. John Fanning is 79 years old. He came to Cuba in 1860 from Wisconsin and moved out on the farm where he now lives the following year. There were six houses in Cuba at that time and he rented one of them and furnished it before his wife came. He thought the old wooden fireplace in one end of the house was a place for the cook stove, and used it as such, hanging a quilt up for a door. John H. Garner has lived in the county 24 of his 53 years. John Carr is 68 years old and has lived in the county 58 years. William Palmer is 62 years old and has resided in the county 22 years. Mrs. James McCan was born August 12, 1840, and has lived in the county 36 years. Mrs. J. M. Pickens was born October 13, 1833, and has lived in Crawford county 30 years. W. R. Parsons has been a resident of Crawford county 63 years. He was born February 8, 1828. Henry Naugle came to this county when he was 21 years of age and has lived here 47 years. David Hartman has been a resident of Crawford county almost half a century, and is 56 years old. James C. Miller was born in Crawford county and has lived here since. He is 52 years of age. H. M. McConkey is a native of Edgar county, Ill. He is 72 years old and has lived in the county 30 years. J. G. McCan was born June 29, 1832, in Franklin county and has resided in Crawford county 35 years. Franklin Gorsage was born in Ohio. He came to Crawford 18 years ago and is now 62 years old. Margaret McGraath is 76 years of age and has lived in this county 34 years. She is originally from Ireland. Mrs. Mary Ogletree is a native of East Tennessee and came to Crawford county in 1864. She is 73 years old. Joseph C. Steele is just as old as Mrs. Naugle, 68, but has been a resident of the county a shorter time, 37 years. Robert W. Cunningham was born in Davis county, Ind., 58 years ago. He has resided in Crawford county 16 years. John Wikey was born in Shripshire, England. He is 65 years old and has been a resident of Crawford county 43 years. Daniel Keffer was born in St. Louis county in 1836. He has been a resident of Crawford county 59 years and is 65 years of age. John M. Woodruff is the same as the two whose names have just been given and he has lived within the confines of Crawford county 34 years. David Copeland is a native of North Carolina, being born there 73 years ago. He came to this county in 1861 and has been a resident of Oak Hill township 38 years. END!
====================================================================

The Telephone Newspaper Article, October 4, 1901


USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor.

This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by: Leslie J. Hamby hamby@usmo.com


====================================================================