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Chapter 14: Some Early Ferries in Butler County |
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The ferry was a great boon and convenience to the settler and traveler in crossing the larger streams. Without a ferry the larger streams had to be crossed at a ford where the water was shallow enough for horses and oxen to wade across. In dry weather this could be done readily enough; but if the streams were swollen by heavy rains, the crossing was hazardous and sometimes impossible, entailing a delay perhaps of several days, until the flood waters receded.
Under the tediousness of waiting in camp there always was a temptation to attempt a crossing while the water was too deep and too swift for safety. The attempt could end in disaster, the wagon being swept downstream with the loss of precious food, supplies and equipment destined for the new home in the wilderness.
In the new communities enterprising men were quick to establish ferries where the immigrants were moving westward. Sometimes the location of a suitable place for a ferry determined the course of the trail or road. The tolls charged for crossing on the ferry were a source of "cash" money to the ferry owner in a time when money was very scarce.
In Missouri the establishment and operation of ferries was regulated by law. The County Court had power to issue a license to a ferry operator and fix the tolls he could charge. Thus the County Court could and did protect the settlers and travelers against unreasonably high charges by an avaricious ferry owner. It is probably now impossible to determine the location of the first ferry in the present Butler County and name of the first ferryman. Prior to 1849 the ferries in our County would have been licensed by the County Court of Wayne County. Unfortunately Wayne County lost all of its early records when the Court House burned many years ago. Since there had been settlements in Butler county thirty years before the county was organized, we believe it very probable that the Wayne County Court had licensed ferries in the area.
The first record of a ferry in Butler County is in a County Court order on June 19, 1849, the second day of the first session of the County Court, at the house of Thomas Scott. The Court licensed Gabriel Davis to operate a ferry across Black River. The Court order tells the story better than we can retell it so we quote it in full as follows, "On the application of Gabriel Davis to keep a ferry at the crossing of the Big Black River leading from Brannums old mill to the Indian Ford on the St. Francois River and the Court being satisfied he is a competent person to keep such a ferry and that it is not probable that much profit will arise from such a ferry, the Court therefore order that a license be granted him to keep such a ferry for one year and that no tax be levied upon him as such ferryman and that he be allowed to charge at the following rate to wit:
For a 6 horse mule or ox team and wagon .75
For a 4 horse mule or ox team and wagon .65
For a 2 horse mule or ox team and wagon .50
For a man and horse .10
For a single man or horse or cow beast .05
Whereupon the said Gabriel Davis presents his bond as such ferry man with securities which bond the Court approves of and order to be filed."
Brannum's Mill was on Little Black River, now a place name, Ball's Mill. The Indian Ford was near the present crossing of the St. Francis River by the Frisco Railroad. Gabriel Davis owned a tract of land on Black River about one mile northeast of the present crossing of Palmer Slough by Highway 60. We believe this land was the site of his ferry.
The tract is in an almost direct line between Brannum's Mill and the Indian Ford. The road between these points is referred to in the County Court records as the "Road from Brannums old mill to the Indian Ford on the St. Francois River." The last renewal of a ferry license to Gabriel Davis was March 5, 1856.
On November 13, 1849, the Court licensed Joseph Lawhorn "to keep a ferry at the crossing of the State road on Black River leading from Jackson, Mo., to Batesville Arkansas." We do not know where this road crossed Black River but it must have been in north Butler County, perhaps near Keener or Hendrickson. In August, 1851, Lawhorn's license was renewed to keep a ferry about one mile below the State road. This is the last mention of Lawhorn as a ferry keeper.
Two ferries crossed Black River at or near Poplar Bluff. Carrol B. Arnold lived on the river near the head of Palmer Slough. May 15, 1851, he was licensed to operate a ferry near his house. The license was renewed in 1852 and is the last mention of his ferry. On November 11, 1852, William Henley was approved to operate a ferry, but the definite location is unknown to us. Such information as we have indicates it was south of the Original Town, about one mile downriver from Arnold's Ferry. The last renewal of Henley's license was January 28, 1854.
A succession of owners operated a ferry at the crossing of Black River by the Military Road, near Keener. The first license of record was July 24, 1854, to Albert Hayms. Following him were John A. Hayms, William R. Hodge and Ephraim B. Keener. Mr. Keener had the ferry long enough that it was called Keener's Ferry.
We have only a little information on ferried across the St. Francis River. Some of this information would be in the court records of Stoddard and Dunklin counties. In 1855 Henry Miller was licensed to keep a ferry across the St. Francis River near the Indian Ford. In late years this ferry was kept by Darius Hodge of Stoddard County and became a well known place name, Hodge's Ferry. There was a ferry across the St. Francis River above the Highway 53 crossing called Deken's Ferry. Also in was known as Davis's Ferry and as Harper's Ferry.
The ferries in Butler County have been gone for many years. Their passing marked the end of a romantic and picturesque part of pioneer life. It was a great thrill and an adventure to approach a ferry, signal the ferryman, board the ferry boat and then slowly and cumbrously cross to the other side of the river. By the year 1855 a bridge had been built over Black River at Poplar Bluff. This bridge took Gabriel Davis out of the ferry business, for people who wised to travel the "Road from Brannums old mill to the Indian Ford on the St. Francis River" now crossed Black River by the bridge in Poplar Bluff. Likewise no one had any further use for the ferried of Carrol B. Arnold and William Henley so they too quietly passed out of existence. Only memories of the ferries remain and they are so faded that the exact location of most of the ferries cannot be determined.
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