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From: "Charlotte M. Maness" <>
Subject: [ROOTS-L] MISSOURI, Jefferson Co., BIRTHS & etc.
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 17:32:45 -0700


Hello everyone, some more "Pearls" for you. Enjoy.

Charlotte

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Jefferson Democrat
Hillsboro, Jefferson county, Missouri

FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 1870

ON BIG RIVER THIRTY YEARS AGO - By A. CRULL, M.D - (Dr CRULL has
furnished us with a continuation of his reminiscences of Big River in
days long past. We are sure that to those who, like Dr. CRULL, remember
the ---- pleasurable --- to have the old associations reproduced by the
printers type and ink, and those --- whose life ---- ---- ---- will
find entertaining in learning how things formerly existed in Jefferson
---- ----.)
One of the peculiarities, I might say eccentricities, of the time was
the manner in which disputes and difficulties were almost invariably
settled, which was, by a rough and tumble fist fight; after the fight
occured, do grudge or ill-felling was harbored by either of the former
belligerents, and the victory of one over the other was a vindication of
the justice of his cause and correctness of his position.
People in those days were neighborly and obliging to one
another--perhaps to a greater extent than in the present more
enlightened age. Well I remember when the first wagon was introduced.
A neighbor had been carrying in his oats when the owner of the wagon
came along and assisted, doing the work of a day in one hour.
Corn-shuckings, log-rollings, harvesting &c., were leading features of
the day. No one thought of hiring or of paying wages.
The scarcity of money in those days may be forcibly illustrated by the
statement that when George DUGGE received a letter from Europe, he had
much difficulty in procuring sufficient funds with which to pay the
postage. The amount was twenty five cents. It was found, after
thorough search, that the amount could not be raised in Big River; so
DUGGE was compelled to take a trip down to the Meramec in order to
borrow the sum and pay the postage on his letter. I am uninformed as to
whether a trust deed was given for the amount; but am inclined to think
that it was not; as Mr. DUGGE was responsible and the debt could easily
have been proven.
Among the names of old settlers that of Samuel HERRINGTON deserves a
place and honorable mention. A more upright, and self sacrificing man
is seldom found. He has been known to work for hours upon an old gun or
plow and would take nothing for payment. He had also certain
peculiarities and oddities, all his own. For instance: His family lived
for thirty years in an open cabin on the river bank. No door was
visible. The aperture through which the inmates passed in and out was
left open entirely. At last his wife prevailed upon him to make a door
of boards. It was found so inconvenient and its use so impractical,
that Uncle Sam threw it into the river, lamenting that he had wasted so
much time and labor upon it. There was no public gathering for work
where Mr. HERRINGTON could not be found. He always walked, carrying a
trusty rifle and wearing moccasins. He would always go home at night,
however, no matter how bad the weather, nor how gay the company. Unless
the river was high he would not wait to be crossed in a canoe, but would
wade, no matter how cold the water.

FRIDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 1870

MARRIED - At De Soto Mo., Nov. 16th, 1870, by Rev. W.N. DARNELL, Mr. Wm.
A. BRIDEL to Miss Sallie REPPY

MARRIED--At De Soto, Mo., on Sunday Nov. 13th, 1870, by B.S. REPPY,
J.P., Mr. William ARMSTRONG to Miss Minerva HOLMES.

DIED - At home in Central township, on Monday, November 7th, 1870, Katy
Anne, daughter of Louis and Teresa PARTNEY, aged five years, eight
months and three days.
The deceased was a most charming little girl, and possessed rare mental
endowments. At school she found favor with both teacher and associates,
and by amiability and exemplar deportment, won a place in the hearts of
many that time will not destroy. She leaves a father, mother and many
sisters and brothers to mourn her untimely death.

FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 1870

OBITUARY - DIED - In Victoria, Mo., on Monday, November 11, 1870 Edwin
THORNTON, only son of Rev. H.K. and Mary(?) J. HEDGEK, aged one year two
months and eleven days.

OBITUARY - DIED - In Victoria, Mo., on Sunday, November 13th, at 10
o'clock p.m., William, only son of Dr. Louis and Mary JAMES(?), aged 8
years, 2 months and 18 days.(The data in this Obit. was extremely hard
to read. C.M.)

FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 1870

Death of Clement B. FLETCHER - On Saturday evening, the 26th inst., the
residents of DeSoto were surprised at the sudden death of Mr. Clement B.
FLETCHER, at the residence of Col. J.W. FLETCHER, his son.
Mr. FLETCHER was nearly eighty years of age, and like all men who lead
active lives, died quite suddenly. No particular disease, we believe,
is considered the immediate cause of his death, but simply a general
decay or wearing away of the physical powers.
Mr. FLETCHER has been a resident of this county over half a century, we
believe. All his sons, J.W., T.C. and C.C. FLETCHER, were born and
raised in this county. Mr. C.B. FLETCHER, called "Judge" FLETCHER, was
when in his working days, considered the foremost man of Jefferson
county, and there are many old citizens, his former companions in public
life, who will be pained to hear of his death.
And in concluding this brief notice, we may refer with credit to the
memory of Mr. FLETCHER, to his unflinching firmness in maintaining, up
to the last, the political principles which he upheld of yore. Through
all the turmoil, and even danger, attendant upon such course, he was
form in the advocacy of Democratic principles, having lived and died in
that political faith.
He was buried by the Masonic fraternity on Tuesday evening, last at
DeSoto.

FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 1870

THE POTOSI HORROR - Additional and Full Details - Our paper last week
detailed at some length the horrible massacre of five persons ----
Journal of that place, of the 24th inst., comes laden with editorial
details, as follows:
On Monday morning our community was shocked beyond description upon
learning that a family of French Creoles -- David LAPHINE, his wife
Louisa, and their child, together with Mrs. LAPINE's sister, Mary
CHRISTOPHER, and her child, five in all -- had been most brutally
murdered, in their cabin, a mile and a half north of Potosi, and their
bodies burned to shapeless masses of cinders and ashes in a
conflagration of the building, Mr. LAPINE was a very old and innocent
citizen, who had been for many years engaged in mining in the various
lead fields of this vicinity. Some three years since he married a woman
of like origin as himself, but who had not a good reputation among those
of their class of society. Their marriage has resulted in the birth of
one child, one of the victims of the cruel massacre. Mary CHRISTOPHER,
the sister, has also been an inmate of their cabin during the union.
Sheriff John T. CLARKE, Dr. J.H. BELL and Justice MOLONEY, accompanied
by a party of citizens, repaired to the spot as soon as the alarm was
given, where a most revolting and horrifying sight awaited them -- that
of a mass of undistinguishable ruins where the cabin of the victims had
stood, and unmistakable evidence of the perpetration of one of the most
brutal and bloody tragedies known to the history of any civilized
country. Investigations among the ruins of the building disclosed
remnants of the bodies of the five victims of the fiendish massacre, so
completely consumed by the flames as to render them unrecognizable,
until after a critical examination by Dr. BELL. Sheriff CLARK assisted
by several of our most valued citizens, immediately commenced making
arrests in the neighborhood, in quest of some clue to the perpetrator of
the horrid crime, and which were soon crowned with entire success. The
most fruitful witness was Leon JOLLY, a boy of about fourteen years of
age. On being arrested he informed the Sheriff that he had witnessed
the murder of LAPINE and the four other members of his family, on last
Saturday night, the 10th inst., at a late hour by his brother, Charles
JOLLY and John ARMSTRONG. That they had come to town that night,
procured a jug of whisky, and on their return had stopped at LAPINE's
cabin, burst the door in with an axe stolen for the occasion, and had
killed the entire family. He stated that during the commission of the
crime he was not permitted to enter the cabin, but had witnessed it all
through a crack in the wall. Having done their bloody work, the two
fiends set fire to the walls of the cabin, and fed the flames until the
building was consumed. This occured about twelve o'clock on Saturday
night, as nearly as can be ascertained, and the murderers remained in
the neighborhood until an early hour on Monday morning, when they
undertook to make their escape.

democr4


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