MO-CW-L Archives

Archiver > MO-CW > 2008-03 > 1204557435


From: Arleigh Birchler <>
Subject: [MO-CW] Lotspeich and McFerrin
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 07:17:15 -0800 (PST)


We have been having a discussion of events at the Lotspeich Farm on the Missouri Civil War Message Board. I thought it might also be of interest to folks in this group. Sorry if I am posting too much. Retirement gives me too much spare time.

My distant cousin who still lives in Cass County spells it "Lotspeich." He is the great-grandson of George Lotspeich who was murdered on his doorstep by some local men in the Fall of '61. The Captain on one company of the Cass County Home Guard was suspected to be the killer. Some of the Cass County Home Guard attacked Wadesburg, near the Lotspeich farm on Christmas Eve. William Lotspeich, one of George's brothers, joined Quantrill. The next July there was a skirmish between Quantrill and the 1st Iowa, supported by other Union units, at the Lotspeich Farm.

My great-grandfathers uncle, Jackson Benton McFerrin, was murdered in his front yard a few years later by local men wearing masks. It is believed that they owed Benton money, and were trying to get out of paying it by killing him. I understand that at least one book about the Missouri guerrillas says he was killed by "Kansas Redlegs". I doubt that. There was no law or social order in the area at that time. Only opposing armed groups.


Arleigh Birchler, BSN, MDiv
69 Gray Ghost St
Benson NC 27504

This thread: