RECAPITULATION --- SOME GENERAL AND SPECIAL ACCOUNTS OF THE PEOPLE --- EARLY WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS --- PRESENT COUNTY WEALTH --- WAYNE FORMED FROM EDWARDS, AND THEN THE SOUTH LINE CHANGED --- THEN A PORTION SET OFF TO CLAY COUNTY --- FULL LIST OF OFFICERS --- SOME OF THE LITERATURE OF THE EARLY AND PRESENT DAY --- AN IMMORTAL SPEECH --- ISRAEL DEWEY, ETC., ETC., ETC.
TO conclude the story of the people of Wayne County is the scope and purpose of this last chapter, and to do this it is not improper to give a rapid and short review of the people who came in the slow accretion of population that marked this section down to the year 1860, and an account of the early and modern officials of the town to the present time. To this we propose to add a brief account of the legislative department, insofar as the State Legislature was appealed to and did act in behalf of the people of Wayne County, and finally, but not least, the reader need not be amazed or scandalized if there are some general deductions that may tend to indicate the class of men who in early and modern times have had their say in the general control and the shaping of the State legislation, insofar as the same affected the county.
In visiting through the county and in the presence of old settlers, the writer had the pleasure of meeting Susan Jane Cook, who came to the county in 1821, a well preserved, high spirited and outspoken woman, with such nerve, independence and a natural commanding nature that she is sometimes described as the "Queen of Barefoot." By way of explanation, it may be necessary to explain that "Barefoot Nation" is in the east and northern portion of the county, and derives its name from the early habit of the pioneers, who never saw a pair of tooth-pick shoes, or a live dude in their lives. She distinctly remembers all the first settlers of the county, particularly Harris, Richard and Sam Locke and the Carters, and says the first preacher she ever heard was a man named Finley, who came from somewhere South. Then she describes the first Campbellite she ever heard of as a "little, old, sour, cross man," but "he had a voice like a bell." When very young, she says she heard a negro (called colored men nowadays) preach and he "was powerful for to hear" is her recollection. She remembers it was common those days at meetings for several to have the "jerks," and in this business she credits the "nigger with as much power as the best of 'em;" she remembers hearing Merritt preach once, and he announced that "Christ was in the camp," and then the shouting raged like mad. The first school she attended, "in a slip, and barefoot," was "over in the Statt's settlement," where old man Kennedy handled the long hazel, and then "old man Taylor taught there," who was considered "the smartest man in the world" at that time. The first wedding she remembers was when her elder "sister Nancy married Bill Carter."
Charles Carter is now an old man and is still living in Fairfield, verging on sixty-nine years of age. He was born in Kentucky and came to Wayne County in 1831 and settled in Turney's Prairie. He remembers Samuel Leech as the first merchant in the county, and he thinks Caleb Wilmans the second, and R. B. Slocumb the third. Carter says he worked for and lived with Wilmans' family for six years. Wilmans went to California in 1849, and soon after died there. Carter informs us that R. B. Slocumb was married twice, his second wife being Caleb Ridgeway's daughter, and that he left children, Mrs. Seth Crews, of Chicago, Mrs. James Stanley, Mrs. Woodward, of Mt. Vernon, and sons Eugene, Clarence and a married daughter, Ibey Groesbeck, now in New York.
When be first remembers Fairfield, William Patton, who died years ago, lived here. Andrew Mays was then in what is now Elm River Precinct. Presley Simpson lived five miles south of town. He was a Tennessean, and had a son, John D., now living in the county. In 1832, Wilmans & Weed, who were relatives, were merchandising here. They finally built a steam saw mill on the Little Wabash, near Beach Bluff. He remembers William Irvin as a good farmer and a quiet, peaceable man; also James Massey, a preacher. He left a son, also a preacher. Richard Massey. Elijah Harlan was one of the principal citizens on Skillet Fork, near Mill Shoals. He had a large family, but all are supposed to be dead. Samuel Close lived in Turney's Prairie; had a large family; was a Kentuckian. Removed to North somewhere. His father died here at an advanced age. Gambril Bartlett lived near Enterprise; moved away about 1838. James Houston lived near Fairfield; had an old tread mill and distillery; died in 1840, leaving a son, Rigdon, still living here. The patriarch of the celebrated Turney family was Michael. His sons were Moses, Dr. Daniel, Isaiah, Anthony B. and Dr. William F. The last lived in Fairfield; was in Black Hawk war, and died at Leech's Mills in 1838. Anthony B., father of Thomas Jefferson Turney, who now lives at Mill Shoals, and also father of Jackson and Washington Turney, removed to Wabash County, and then emigrated West. Isaiah Turney, in 1834, went to Jersey County, and Moses went to Texas in 1840, and Thomas moved North in 1846. Dr. Daniel Turney's son, Lafayette, went West twelve years ago. John Clark, Sr., was a Kentuckian; was here at a very early day. (See previous chapters.) He died in 1838. His brothers were Andrew and Alexander. David McLin was an early Cumberland preacher. His surviving son was William. Alfred Hall lived in Big Mound---a rollicking fellow. Wesley Staton was a Black Hawk war soldier. He was a hatter in Fairfield; finally went onto a farm in Arrington Township. He was stung to death by bees. Joseph Morris lived in Long Prairie; left a large family. William Gray lived in Four Mile Prairie. Miles Morris and Greenbury Walker lived in Long Prairie. When he first saw Fairfield he remembers there were then here Hugh Stewart and family, Dr. Parks, Sam Leech, Archy Roberts, Wesley Staton, John Brown, the Wilmans, Dan Turney, David McLin, John W. Snyder and W. F. Turney. These all had families except W. F. Turney and Staton. Mathew Franklin was the chief carpenter. He was a great crony of C. C. Young. Mr. Carter, in 1838, married Louisa M. Wilson, daughter of Joseph and Nancy Wilson, who died January, 1881, leaving three boys and two girls.
At June term, 1836, letters of administration were granted to Rhoda Ray and Jesse Lord, upon the estate of Asa Ray, deceased. October, 1836, was probated the last will of Enoch Beach. Witnesses: James Crews and Minzy James. Justice Beach was appointed administrator.
February, 1837, administration granted upon the estate of James Clark, Jr.; Joseph Campbell appointed administrator.
The bold and striking signature of Judge Leech appears to all the meetings of the Probate Court, from the time of the organization of the county until the 14th day of February, 1837, without break or interruption.
At the term of the Probate Court commencing on the 22d day of May, 1837, appears for the first time the name of R. B. Slocumb, Probate Judge. His first act as such officer was granting letters testamentary to Edward Puckett and Martha Fulton, upon the nuncupative will of James B. Fulton, deceased.
On the 10th day of August, 1837, Mathew Crews was appointed guardian for the following minor heirs of Enoch Beach, to wit: Jennett E., Judith A., Zenas, Minerva, George M. and Margaret Beach.
At the same time Jacob Gregory was appointed guardian for Crockett Holiday.
On the 26th of August, 1837, the nuncupative will of Reuben Atteberry was probated. It was attested by Nathan Atteberry and John G. Meeks. At the November, twenty-fifth term, of the court the estates of Robert R. Gaston and Jesse Reed were administered upon.
On the 6th day of September,1838, the will of Michael Turney was probated. At the same term, the will of Robert R. Smith. William Patterson was appointed executor.
January, 1839, letters granted on the estate of George Harlan. Same month, Daniel Turney and Moses Turney appointed executors of the will of William F. Turney. In February, same year, Alexander Clark, Public Administrator, granted letters upon the estate of James Gibson, deceased. In March, William Merritt and Sarah Huston granted letters upon the estate of James Huston. At same time, letters granted upon the estate of James Turner, Sr.
On the 16th day of November, 1840, Judge John Brown was holding a term of court.
The following is a complete list of the county officers, from the organization of the county to date (1884):
Sheriffs---Andrew Kuykendall, 1819 to 1820; Enoch Wilcox, 1810 to 1824; Andrew Kuykendall, 1824 to 1827; Joseph Campbell, 1827 to 1832; Ben A. Clark, 1832 to 1834; Charles Wood, 1834 to 1838; George W. Wilson, 1838 to 1842; Allen M. Downen, 1842 to 1844; George W. Wilson, 1844 to 1846; William L. Gash, 1846 to 1848; Alexander Campbell, 1848 to 1852; James Clark, 1852 to 1856; C. L. Carter, 1856 to 1858; H. A. Organ, 1858 to 1860; Alexander Campbell, 1860 to 1862; Richard Childers, 1862 to 1864; Alexander Campbell (died 1865), 1864 to 1865; William C. Murphy (to fill term). 1865 to 1866; N. J. Odell, 1866 to 1868; L. D. Bennett, 1868 to 1870; J. B. Tidball, 1870 to 1872; Lowry Hay, 1872 to 1874 ; Martin E. Bozarth, 1874 to 1876; Adam Rinard, 1876 to 1880; L. D. Bennett, 1880 to 1882; Isaac B. Carson, 1882 to 1886.
County Judges (prior to 1821 was County Commissioners)---Samuel Leech, 1821 to 1837; Rigdon B. Slocumb, 1837 to 1840; John H. Brown, 1840 to 1849; R. B. Slocumb, 1849 to 1854; Daniel Turney, 1854 to 1857; S. J. R. Wilson, 1857 to 1861; William W. George, 1861 to 1865; William L. Beeson,1865 to 1873; Copelin McKelvy, 1873 to 1877; C. C. Boggs, 1877 to 1882; John Keen, Jr., 1882 to ---------.
County Clerks---Samuel Leech, 1819 to 1840; Joseph G. Barkley, 1840 to 1847; Caleb Wilmans, 1847 to 1849; Francis McCown, 1849 to 1854; John Trousdale, 1854 to 1858; Jeff W. Barnhill, 1858 to 1865; Oliver Holmes, 1865 to 1873; John Morris, 1873 to 1877; Joe D. Shaeffer, 1877 to 1882; Joseph E. Wilson, 1882 to ---------.
County Treasurers---Samuel Leech, 1819 to 1824; James Bird, 1824 to 1826; Andrew Kuykendall, 1826 to 1827; James Butler, 1827 to 1828; Charles Wood, 1828 to 1844; Andrew Wilson, 1844 to 1847; John C. Gash, 1847 to 1853; C. L. Carter, 1853 to 1857: William L. Gash, 1857 to 1863; John Keen, Jr., 1863 to 1865; John C. Alexander, 1865 to 1869; John A. Moffitt, 1869 to 1873; Alonzo M. Cable, 1873 to 1877; John Morris, 1877 to 1879; Benjamin S. Organ, 1879 to 1882; O. P. Patterson, 1882 to -------.
School Commissioners---Jacob Hall, 1842 to 1844; Jacob H. Love, 1844 to 1845; Robert Wilson, 1845 to 1849; David Wright, 1849 to 1852; John A. Campbell, 1852 to 1854; E. A. Johnson, 1854 to 1864; Calvin Cooper, 1864 to 1871; William A. Vernon, 1871 to 1873; Francis M. Woolard, 1873 to 1877; Benjamin F. Meeks, 1877 to 1881; Z. B. West, 1881 to ------------.
Circuit Clerks---Samuel Leech, 1832 to 1836; R. B. Slocumb, 1836 to 1840; J. G. Barkley, 1840 to 1856; R. B. Slocumb, 1856 to 1864; William L. Gash, 1864 to 1868; John L. Handley, 1868 to 1876; R. E. Mabry, 1876 to 1884.
State's Attorneys---O. B. Ficklin, for district ; Aaron Shaw, for district; Alfred Kitchell, for district; James S. Robinson, for district; L. J. S. Turney, acting for district; E. B. Green, acting for district; T. S. Casey, for district; W. H. Robinson, acting for district; C. S. Conger, acting for district; R. W. Townshend, 1868 to 1872; C. C. Boggs, 1872 to 1876; A. M. Funkhouser, 1876 to 1880; J. R. Creighton, 1880 to 1884.
The present county assessment will show something of what the people have been
doing since the first settlers here in the way of building up the country:
| PROPERTY. | ASSESSED VALUATION. |
EQUALIZED BY COUNTY BOARD. |
EQUALIZED BY STATE BOARD. |
| Land | $1,303,729 | $1,307,033 | $1,620,118 |
| Lots | 141,717 | 143,000 | 177,032 |
| Personal Property | 542,525 | 542,545 | 672,451 |
| Total | $1,987,971 | $1,992,578 | $2,469,601 |
| Railroad and Telegraph | 278,822 | ||
| Total | $2,748,423 |
| State Tax | $8,799 13 |
| County Tax | 8,181 01 |
| Town Tax | 3,150 89 |
| Road and Bridge Tax | 4,784 87 |
| County Bond Tax | 14,017 45 |
| Town Bond Tax | 2,682 72 |
| Incorporation Tax | 1,773 27 |
| School Tax | 25,511 00 |
| District Road Tax | 2,304 81 |
| Dog Tax | 2,142 00 |
| Back Tax | 35 57 |
| ________ | |
| TOTAL | $83,332 22 |
Wayne County was formed out of Edwards, and it seems there grew up some misunderstanding between the two counties as to the exact southern line of the former county, and therefore, in 1829, the Legislature passed an act to exactly define this line. See laws, 1829, page 32. And another law was passed in 1831, giving the county its full pro rata share in the Gallatin salines. In 1837, the county applied to the Legislature, and procured an act changing the original application of this saline donation. In 1855, the county was in the throes of the greatest financial troubles, largely by the death of stock and failure of crops, and it procured the authority and did borrow $5,000 to "purchase breadstuffs for the unfortunates." A small portion of the territory of Wayne was taken and added to Clay County in 1863. On the 28th of February, 1867, the act virtually abolishing the Board of Supervisors (which consisted of fifteen members), and had what was known as the "Five Horse Act," passed. This law cannot readily be found in the laws of 1867, simply because by its strange title it never would be recognized. The curious reader, however, will find the document on page 102. When the matter got into the courts, the great joke on the lawyers was that they could not find the act, although they were well aware one had been passed. Another remarkable fact was that every lawyer as soon as he examined it, knew it was unconstitutional, and yet it was secured to literally gouge the people out of large sums of money for railroad purposes, and this part of the scheme was really more shrewdly carried out than the first, for the simple reason that before the question was taken into the courts, the bonds had been issued and parties had purchased in good faith, and the Supreme Court was compelled finally to decide that although the act was unconstitutional, yet the "Five Horse Court," upon a suit upon the bonds was a de facto court, and therefore bonds were good. We consider this whole transaction one of the sharpest that is to be found in the legislation or the law reports of our State.
Burnt Prairie Manual Labor Seminary (this was partly in Wayne only) was chartered as early as 1836. The next year, the Fairfield Library Company was made a charter institution. In 1839, the Fairfield Institute was chartered and the Library Company was merged into the same, and the Ewing Seminary was chartered in 1845.
We have noticed, at considerable length in another and preceding chapter, that at the very earliest day, when usually other counties of the same age had hardly reached the day of house-raisings yet, that Fairfield was discussing, among other questions, with hammer and tongs, those and all great literary problems, "Which is the most beautiful, art or nature?"
This question, as well as others we have noticed elsewhere, was the theme of hot debates for many years. From week to week and from season to season the debate would go on, gather in interest, intensity and magnitude like the rolling snow-ball, and they were brought down to comparatively modern times; so recent in fact that we are enabled to give almost the complete effort of one of these budding Demosthenes. We were told the gentleman is still living, but we did not learn his name. But the mighty effort ran as follows:
"Mr. President: What are (I want to know!!) more beautifuller, that was ever seed in this great nateral world!! than a nateral steamboat running up a nateral river!!!"
And the man sat down exhausted and immortal. It is supposed that the great controversy that had run so high and for so many years ended exactly here. What more could be said on the great theme?
Nothing could more appropriately close the history of the county than the following sketch of Dewey:
One of the active, earnest, tremendous preachers, of the Hard Shell persuasion in the good old honest times in Wayne County, was the Rev. Israel Dewey. He was an industrious man, and there was a power and fascination about his wonderful sermons that makes us greatly regret that we cannot make a pen picture of some one of his many efforts that would carry to the remotest posterity, to edify them and impart also some of the great pleasure tasted by the good people of Wayne during his active and pious life. There were no short-hand writers in Dewey's day. Perhaps it is quite as well there were not, for while the stenographer might have taken down the words, and a Hogarth might have painted the man in all his ragged eloquence of posture, as he stood with his hand to the side of his face looking at a crack, and warming to his work, and the froth from his earnest lips flying all over his nearest auditors, but who, except Allec Moffit or Capt. Bill Stewart, could have given his heavenly tone --- those nasal blasts that went direct to frightened sinners' souls like the crack of doom. It was once said of the great poetic songster, Byron, that---
"He touched his harpBut, Dewey in the country puncheon-floored meeting house, was the sublime preacher, who was like the great and rapid river that runs on forever. Like any true child of genius, he had his times of special inspiration, and his most intimate admirers had learned him so well that they could generally tell when he was in one of these great moods the moment he commenced his sermon. The only pulpit in Dewey's time --- at least the only kind of pulpit be ever used --- was a split-bottom chair, and if he pranced up to this with his head up and that triumphant smile that sometimes was seen on his face, and a slight swagger in his shoulders, his best judges knew that Dewey was himself again, and they braced themselves to withstand the torrent---nay, the plunging Niagara of his eloquence.
Bretherens and sisterenes-ah. I am going to preach-ah, Dewey's sentiments today-ah, and I don't care a rotten possum skin-ah whose toes it hurts-ah. My text can be found in the leds of the Bible-ah, and in the two-eyed chapter of the one eyed John-ah. Now there's brother one-eyed Bob Gray-ah, and he can see as far into the kingdom of heaven-ah as any other one-eyed man-ah, who don't wear no specks-ah. Aint that so, brother Toliver Simpson ? "
And then the good man would begin to warm up with his theme, and he would unbutton his shirt collar, then his vest, and as the cyclone increased he would fling aside his coat, and then roll up his shirt sleeves, and by this time the great preacher, in the eloquent language of Andy Hunter in his great Democratic speech, would sweep all before him "like a cyclone of the desert, like a cyclops of the sea!" By the way, when Ham Sutton asked Andy what he meant by "cyclops of the sea" "Damfino," said Andy, in innocent simplicity.
Dewey in his day had few equals, and no superiors among the numerous powerful preachers of his persuasion. Like his kind, he preached not for pelf or fame; his carriage horses were a yoke of breechy stags, that were scanty in their make-up except the horns. He attended his appointments to preach on foot, with his rifle on his shoulder. A gentleman now living in Fairfield tells us the first dime he was the happy possesser of he got from this good preacher for "minding" a deer he had killed on his way to church, and hung up, and then secreted his gun in a hollow tree and washed his hands and went on and preached his sermon, and then returned and had the venison taken home.
Bob Gray and Toliver Simpson were solid, thrifty farmers, and were foremost among the best people of the county. They were pious, good men, and they never failed to be in their places when Dewey preached, and when he made a point in his sermon and would say, "Aint that so, brother Toliver Simpson?" or "Brother Bob Gray?" they would nod their affirmative approval, and in this way they were as much of the essential of the sermon as the text itself. Had they staid away from church any time, it is supposed Dewey would have signally failed in at least that sermon. They were the loving Davids to Dewey's eloquent Jonathan.
Dewey's life and works were purely those of a good and holy man. He feared naught but the lake of fire and brimstone, and he poured hot shot and chained balls of doctrinal theology into the ranks of all deluded Bible readers who failed to understand the good Book as he did.
He has gone to his fathers, and sleeps the sleep of the just. His day and times have passed away forever. Let his memory be cherished, and his good works be not forgotten.
| Visit Our Neighbors | |||
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| Marion | Clay | Richland | |
| Jefferson |
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Edwards | |
| Franklin | Hamilton | White | |
