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There is no end to what might be put into a history of a county.
In writing this book the writer has
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| John M. Salmon, now living in Versailles, was born in South Carolina,
May 21, 1836. His father
was Ezekiel J. Salmon and his mother was Narsisus Merritt, both born in Greenville county, South Carolina. John Salmon came with his parents to organ county January 1, 1840. The children of Ezekiel Salmon were as follows: W.W. Salmon, dead; Dr. G.Y. Salmon, now 81 years old and living in Henry county, Missouri; James B. Salmon, killed in Texas in 1865; H.W. Salmon, now 66 years old and living in Henry county, Missouri; O.D. Salmon died at the age of eight years; Martha S. Died when she was 35 years old; Sarah E. died when she was about 35; Mollie J. is still living. Ezekiel Salmon was a farmer, or planter, while he lived in South Carolina and was a farmer after moving to Morgan county. He was county judge several terms in this county and was probate judge here in since he was 17 years old and joined that church here at the same time Syd Thruston joined it. He has been a Mason since 1873. He was married in 1860 to Miss Mary K. Chism. To this union were born the following children: Minnie Bell, wife of Joseph Moore; Grace, wife of W.W. Moore; Robert F.; Susie, wife of R.J. Cowden; John J.; Eugenia, wife of Paul Spurlock; Elizabeth Young, single and at home. Mr. Salmon in early life was a blacksmith and afterwards engaged in farming and stock raising. He served as county judge of Morgan county. A coincidence worth mentioning here is the fact that John Salmon’s father was county judge and John was afterward county judge and Mrs. Salmon’s father, Mr. Chism, was county judge. It is not often that the parents of the husband and wife have served in similar official positions. John Salmon lived in Morgan county from 1840 to 1883 then went to Henry county where he lived till 1905 when he returned to Versailles where he now lies in June 1907. The publisher of this book is a near neighbor to Mr. Salmon and the other evening Mr. Salmon was informed that the publisher wanted a statement concerning the early history of the county and he gladly furnished the following statement:-- “My father came to Versailles in 1840 and lived here two years. He entered land just north of town where Mr. Schaper lives, a little over 400 hundred acres. At that time there was but one house between here and California, Missouri. Versailles was simply a hamlet at that time. I could have gone to every house in town in an hour. Judge Scott was the circuit judge at that time and Major Thomas J. Davis was circuit clerk, recorder and county clerk, all combined. Hugh Miller, a drygoods and grocery merchant, was located on what is now the west side of the public square, where Thorpe Bros. now are. Hugh Balbraith was a merchant, located where Biersach now is, northeast corner of public square. Major W.W. Cook and W.P. Tooley composed a firm that did business on the corner where Mason & Hardy’s new building is now, on the corner northwest public square. Dr. J.B. Thruston, Dr. John J. McClelland and Dr. John C. McCoy were the physicians. Capt. John McClanahan, grandfather of the John McClannahan now living here, was tavern keeper on the grounds now occupied by the D.A. Fairley residence, in the next block east from where the City hotel now stands. He also kept stage stand and farmed a little. This was the stopping point on the stage line from Jefferson City to Springfield. Uncle Dan Williams, father of the late Dr. O.A. Williams was the town blacksmith and a Mr. Lindley was also a blacksmith. A grist mill owned by F.L. Ross, father of A.L. Ross, was doing business on the Gravois, on the grounds now known as the old James Mill. Josiah Walton was proprietor of a mill at Gravois Mill. Both were water mills. Among the early prominent settlers were Beverly Thruston, Street Thruston, Jacob Chism, grandfather of Mrs. John Salmon, John P. Martin. Those in the county ‘round were John Fischer who lived in then what is Moniteau county. Moniteau county was made some time in the 40’s from territory taken from Cooper, Morgan, Cole and Miller counties. The lawyers in Versailles then were Judge James P. Ross, Garret Minor and F.A. Counsellor. Going out west from town were John Scoggins, a Cumberand Presbyterian preacher, Enoch Taylor and several Dalton families who lived out on Haw Creek. Henry C. Dunn, John P. Ingram and grandfather Buckingham. Later on out east were the Kelsay families, Browns, Beanlands, French, Townley, Wade Parks, who was one of the best men in the county, and who was Dr. P.G. Woods’ father-in-law; Elisha Taylor, Jarred Gill, Uncle Billy Callison, and a Mr. Wilson. A little further west were McCaslin, Madole and Burkhart. South were the Ross families, the Housers, Waltons, Howards, Lamms, Landrums, Purl and Morris. Then up nearer town, south were the Merriotts and Silveys by the legions, Earnests and Ivy. The Willsons came from Tennessee and settled in the south part of the county where they wore themselves out making farms. On the Gravois there lived a family by the name of Farris and one by the name of Allen, father of John D. Allen, who now lives east of Versailles. The goods and wares were furnished to Versailles merchants from Bonnville and Jefferson City by ox teams, and all of the produce that went away from here was hauled to Boonville. I can remember when Linn Creek was a wholesale town, furnishing goods to Springfield and other southern towns. Linn Creek got the goods from boats on the Osage river. Much boating was done in those days. Versailles was on the stage and wagon line between Boonville and Springfield. I have seen a string of wagons a quarter of a mile long loaded with lead coming from Granby and Joplin and bound for Jefferson City. At a very early date the country here in Morgan was prospected evidently by the Spaniards. Even at this early date shafts and holes in the ground could be found all over the south and southwest parts of the county, especially around old Buffalo diggings. Even then the utensils, ladders and the like that had been used in mining were crumbling back to dust. It was asserted by the old inhabitants at that time that these mines were opened by the Indians and Spaniards. There were no church buildings here at that time, but there were Methodists and Baptist organizations. The Methodists were the first to build a house of worship. the first building was erected on the grounds where the present Methodist church now stands. There were no secret societies here then. What few Masons there were went to Boonville to attend lodge meetings. The present Baptist church was the first built here. A little old log school house stood in the east part of town where the Tillett property now is. The first school I went to was in the little old log court house which stood about the southeast corner of the present court house square. Preaching was held in this same court house. Among the first preachers I remember hearing wee Rev. Jacob Chism, a Baptist minister. Schroder and Leeper were Methodist ministers. They were circuit riders, as they were called in those days. The prices for general commodities were remarkably low then. A horse would bring thirty dollars, a cow and calf would bring ten dollars. Dressed pork from two to three dollars a barrel, a pair of venison hams would bring from ten to fifteen cents. Dressed wild turkeys would bring ten cents. There were no tame turkeys, there were too many wild ones to think about raising tame ones. There was no market for eggs. All kinds of meat animals were butchered and packed, nothing was sold on foot. I helped drive cattle to St. Louis when I was a boy. The corn was gathered in the fall and piled up in a heap and the neighbors called in to help shuck it out. Then followed a feast and a frolic.” |
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