Macon
County
Pioneer
Settlers, 1833-1844
The first settlement,
as now remembered, is believed to be that of "Morrow Settlement",
made by John Morrow, Jesse Morrow, Major William I. Morrow, Archibald Chambers
and Jacob Low - in the southwest part of the county. Soon after this settlement,
about the year 1832, the "Owenby Settlement" was formed by Joseph Owenby
and Clemens Hutchison, near the center of the county, where the town of
Bloomington now stands. Next in importance was the "Blackwell Settlement"
on the Grand Prairie, five miles north of the city of Macon. this settlement
was formed by William Blackwell, Nathan Richardson, and John Walker, an
old Revolutionary soldier. In the year 1833, quite a number of settlements
were made. and additions to those already formed.
Lewis Gilstrap and William Garrett settled the tracts of land on which the town of Bevier now stands, running west to the Middle Fork. Samuel Goodson and James Stow settled on Bear Creek, about this time. Abraham Dale, William Shain, Isaac Gross, and a few other men, settled on the Chariton Divide in the northern part of the county. In the southeast, about this time, a settlement was formed by Frederick Rowland, thomas Winn, and Henry Mathews; and on the Chariton Divide, west of Bloomington, by the Rev. William Sears, Rev. James Radcliff, Andrew Millsaps, and some others. From the year 1833 to the end of the year 1844, the number pioneer settlers increased to about 900, among whom may now be remembered. . . Source: History by Abner Lee Gilstrap published in the Atlas of 1875. |
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Note: While not a complete list of the pioneers who settled Macon County, it is merely an attempt to preserve some of their names for future generations. At the session of the General Assembly held in Jefferson City in the winter of the years 1836 & 1837 an act was passed organizing a new county called "Macon", named after Nathaniel Macon.