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Chapter 9: The Founding of Poplar Bluff, Part Two |
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After the county seat site had been selected the next step was to secure title to it. Since it was government land, there was one problem—money, or rather, the lack of it. The United States owned many millions of acres of land and was willing to sell it to settlers very reasonably, one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, but it had one firm idea: it wanted its money before title was given.
Judge Hough had decreed that the County must have the title before the site was officially the county seat. The County Court did not have enough money to pay for the land; however, as was characteristic of these pioneers, they resolutely went ahead with the resources they had, including large measures of faith and courage.
Today Butler County is part of a "money" civilization. True, money often will not buy much, but a person who considers himself poor will handle more dollars a year than many pioneers would have in a life-time. Trade was carried on mostly by barter. A man would give so many days of work for a fat pig, a horse or a cow or exchange one article for another article. If he had a few furs, he would trade them to a merchant for sugar, salt, coffee, cloth, or other items he could not grow or make. It is almost impossible for us today to realize the full implication of the expression, "There was very little money" or "Money was scarce." A debt of one hundred dollars incurred in the purchase of a parcel of land could be a burden on a man's back for many years.
Since the United States Government would not accept fat pigs, horses, cows, or furs, in payment for its land the Court had to enter into a series of maneuvers to get the $180.65 needed. The first step was an action of desperation. We quote the order of the Court, Nov. 13, 1849, "On motion the court ordered that, Obadiah Epps be appointed to receive the sum of ten dollars or more from any person who will advance that sum for the purpose of raising funds to pay for the land selected for the permanent seat of Justice of the County of Butler—and that he obtain what shall be convenient by the fourth Monday of December next." (Dec. 24, 1849). The court hoped Mr. Epps could obtain up to $150.00. The loans were to bear ten per cent interest and were to be repaid out of the proceeds of the first lots sold in the town site.
Mr. Epps had a difficult time in his task and was unable to borrow as much money as was needed. For the Court orders authorizing the payment of county monies, we identify seven loans totaling $100.00 as follows: T.C. Cattron, $10.00; Simmons R. Harviell, $20.00; John Casinger, $18.00; Allen McElmurry, $10.00; Jonathan Sandlin, $10.00; Kittrell & Ferguson, $22.00 and Dan Griffith, $10.00.
On February 11, 1850, James S. Ferguson, County Treasurer, made his financial report to the Court as follows: Amount received, $145.35; Warrants issued, $104.72; Balance, Cash in his hands, $40.63. The Court then ordered that forty dollars of this balance by used to help pay for the county seat site. This left a balance of sixty-three cents in the County Fund "in the hands" of James S. Ferguson.
In the third and last action, the Court entered into a little sleight-of-hand. The State of Missouri had a "Road and Canal Fund," which was annually distributed to the counties as aid in the development of roads and canals. Butler County had received its share for 1849. On May 14, 1850, the Court borrowed $45.00 from this fund, "For the purpose of entering the Court Seat and for laying out the County Seat." After five frustrating months the Court had $185.00, enough to pay for the site.
The County Court records do not show the date the purchase money was given to the Commissioners, but we suppose it was soon after May 14, 1850, the date the fund was completed. On October 24, 1850, John Stevens and John F. Martin, two of the Commissioners, executed a deed to Butler County to the site which we have already described, 144.52 acres for $180.65, which was one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. The deed was recorded December 7, 1850, by Jacob C. Blount, Recorder of Butler County.
The United States District Land Office was in Jackson, Missouri. We assume the Commissioners filed an entry in this office on the land selected as soon as the decision was made by them. Otherwise the site would still have been in the public domain and subject to entry by anyone wanting it. The transfer of the tract from the Untied States of America to John Stevens and John F. Martin was completed December 1, 1850, the patent being signed by Millard Fillmore, President. Finally Butler County had a legal home for its government.
As time goes on we lose the memory of people who made history, by doing their bit when needed. Obadiah Epps found only eight men who could or would advance money to buy the county seat site. We wish to kindle anew some memories of these men so that we may better appreciate their public spirit. Three of them were very young, three were in the prime of life, one well past the prime of life and one was not a resident of Butler County so we have no information on his age or place of birth. The seven men who were residents of Butler County all lived in the Cane Creek and Ten Mile Creek areas from ten to fifteen or more miles distant from the proposed county seat site. Only one of the County residents, James S. Ferguson, was born in Missouri.
T.C. Cattron we believe to have been Thomas C. Cattron, Clerk of the Wayne County Court, and a resident of that County.
Simmons R. Harviell was young farmer, 23 years old, born in Illinois, with a young wife, Nancy, 20 years old, born in Missouri and a daughter, Elizabeth, eleven months of age. In his household was Merit Harviell, 75 years old, born in North Carolina, and by trade, a cooper. Sim Harviell was to have a very substantial career in Butler County. He was probate judge and a member of the county court. He entered business in Poplar Bluff and was very successful. He helped promote the building of the Iron Mountain Railroad (now the Missouri Pacific) by agreeing to ship timber over the railroad. Also he entered into a contract agreeing to ship timber over the railroad. Also he entered into a contract to keep a supply of wood ready at the railroad stations for DeSoto to the Arkansas line for use of the wood-burning locomotives used by the railroad. For his unstinted support of the railroad the Company named a station, "Harviell," in his honor. He moved to Poplar Bluff and lived on Main Street at the present location of the Bank of Poplar Bluff.
John Casinger was a young farmer who could not read or write. He was 22 years old, born in Kentucky and his young wife, Massa, 20 years old, was born in Missouri. They had a son, William, one year of age. In 1849 he was one of three Commissioners appointed to mark out a road from Solomon Kittrell's to Joseph Wilson's on the County line (Butler-Ripley line). This is all we know about John Casinger.
Allen McElmurry was a farmer, 36 years old, born in Kentucky. In his household were Mary McElmurry, 54 years old, born in South Carolina and Charlotte and John McElmurry, ages 22 and 20 years respectively, born in Kentucky. This completes our information on Allen McElmurry.
Jonathan Sandlin was a widower, 38 years of age, born in South Caroline, a farmer with real estate valued at $400.00. At home were Magness, age 16; Martin, age 14, and James, age 12. Mr. Sandlin was a member of the first County Court in Butler County and for a time was President of the Court.
Dan Griffith was a farmer, 58 years of age with a wife Margaret, 55 years old, both born in South Carolina. At home were Wells, age 24; Dan, age 19 and Corroson, age 16, all born in Tennessee. This is all we know about Dan Griffith.
The mercantile firm of Kittrell and Ferguson was Solomon Kittrell and his son-in-law, James S. Ferguson. Mr. Kittrell was 43 years old born in Kentucky, a man of great drive and energy who would have been a leader and successful man in any age. He was a landowner, farmer, merchant, distillery and tanyard operator, member of the first County Court in Butler County, and a leader in many public affairs. The Census of 1850 credits him real estate valued at $2,000.00. He was a widower, his wife, Lucy, having died in childbirth. This child was now six months of age and named Lucy. Other children at home were Isaac, Mary, Ellen, and Lemuel, from twelve to four years of age. Also in his household was a physician, William Booten, 40 years old and a native of Virginia.
James S. Ferguson, partner and son-in-law of Solomon Kittrell, was 22 years old, his wife, Elizabeth, was 18 years old, and they had a son, Thomas, one year of age. In addition to his mercantile business he also operated a farm as at that time in Butler County it was almost impossible to make a living in a trade, business or profession without mixing in some farming. Mr. Ferguson had an outstanding career in business and public life. He was county treasurer, probate judge, clerk of the county, and circuit courts, and performed many other public services in his comparatively short life of about forty-five years. In 1858 he moved to Poplar Bluff and the following year built the first frame house in Poplar Bluff. This house stood on the lot just south of the present Dunn Hotel. It was destroyed by the tornado of 1927.
Finally we come to Obadiah Epps who, by horseback and by foot, sought out people who might be coaxed into advancing money to buy the county seat site. Mr. Epps was 38 years old, a native of Tennessee and a son of pioneer settler, Daniel Epps. His wife Delila, was 34 year old and born in Tennessee. Six children were at home, Tabitha, Matilda, Newton, Absalom, Mary and Nancy, aged twelve to one year. Mr. Epps was the first Commissioner of the Town of Poplar Bluff but resigned March 18, 1850. He had heard the call of the plains of Texas where there were no rocks or stumps. Near McKinney, Texas, he purchased 2,500 acres of land.
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