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CHARITON TOWNSHIP.
CHARITON TOWNSHIP LIES IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF RANDOLPH AND
BORDERS ON MACON AND CHANITON COUNTIES. IT WAS ORGANIZED IN 1882, AND
OF TERRITORY ORIGINALLY BELONGING TO SALT SPRING TOWNSHIP, AND EXTENDE
12 MILES INTO THE PRESENT LIMITS OF MACON COUNTY, BY THE SUBSEQUENT
ORGANIZATION OF THAT COUNTY CHARITON TOWNSHIP LOST TWO-THIRDS OF ITS TERRI
TORY, AND WAS REDUCED TO ITS PRESENT DIMENSIONS OF 54 SQUARE MILES IN A
RECTANGULAR SHAPE, BEING NINE MILES LONG FROM EAST TO WEST, BY A WIDTH OF
SIX MILES FROM NORTH TO SOUTH.
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT WAS MADE IN ABOUT THE YEAR 1829, BY A FEW
FAMILIES ON EACH SIDE OF DARK'S PRAIRIE, NEAR THE PRESENT SITE OF DARKSVILLE.
THESE WERE FOLLOWED IN THE SPRING AND FALL OF 1830 BY OTHERS, AND FROM
THAT TIME THE COUNTRY WAS RAPIDLY FILLED UP BY IMMIGRANTS FROM VIRGINIA,
NORTH CAROLINA, KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. IN ABOUT THREE YEARS FROM THE
TIME OF ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT IT HAD ACQUIRED SUFFICIENT POPULATION TO JUSTIFY
ITS ORGANIZATION INTO A SEPARATE TOWNSHIP, WITH JOSEPH TURNER ITS FIRST
MAGISTRATE AND HENRY SMITH ITS FIRST CONSTABLE.
THE SOIL OF THIS TOWNSHIP, WHILE RANKING ALONG WITH THE BEST IN THE
COUNTY, IS REMARKABLE FOR THE UNIFORNTITY OF ITS ADAPTABILITY TO AGRICULTURAL
AND GRAZING PURPOSES, THERE IS VERY LITTLE WASTE LAND IN THE WHOLE TOWN-
SHIP, AND SCARCELY AN ACRE CAN HE FOUND THAT IS NOT VALUABLE FOR GROWING
GRASS OR GRAIN. THE SOIL IS PRINCIPALLY A BLACK LOAM OF GREAT FERTILITY
AND SUFFICIENTLY UNDULATING TO AVERT DISASTER FROM THE CROPS IN EXTREMELY
WET SEASONS, AND YET SUFFICIENTLY RETENTIVE OF MOISURE TO PRESERVE THEM
FROM TOTAL FAILURE IN EXTREME DROUTHS, THE TOWNSHIP IS ABOUT EQUALLY
DIVIDED BETWEEN TIMBER AND PRAIRIE LAND, THE TIMBER EMBRACING WIDE MAR-
GINS ALONG THE STREAMS, AND THE PRAIRIE OCCUPYING THE INTERVENING SPACE.
THIS NATURAL ARRANGEMENT AFFORDED THE EARLY SETTLERS AMPLE SCOPE FOR SELECT-
ING THEIR LANDS WITH A PROPER DIVISION OF TIMBER AND PRAIRIE, AND HAS RE-
SULTED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SOME OF THE BEST ORGANIZED FARMS FOR MIXED
FARMING M THE COUNTY. THE TOWNSHIP IS WELL WATERED BY FOUR PRINCIPAL
STREAMS AND THEIR TRIBUTARIES, ALL FLOWING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, AND SO
WELL DISTRIBUTED AS TO FURNISH ABUNDANT STOCK WATER CONVENIENT TO ALL THE
FARMS THE YEAR ROUND. ALONG THE EASTERN MARGIN OF THE TOWNSHIP FLOWS
THE EAST FORK OF THE CHARITON, AND THROUGH THE CENTRAL PORTION, AT AN
AVERAGE DISTANCE OF TWO MILES, ARE DARK CREEK, MUNCAS CREEK, AND THE
MIDDLE FORK OF THE CHARITON, WHILE THE WESTERN PORTION IS WATERED BY A
TRIBUTARY OF THE CHARITON RIVER, THE LATTER OF WHICH FLOWS FROM NORTH TO
SOUTH JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WESTERN BOUNDARY. SURFACE SPRINGS ARE NOT
ABUNDANT, BUT UNFAILING LIVING WATER IS OF EASY ACCESS IN WELL DISTRIBUTED
LOCALITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP, BY SINKING WELLS TO A DEPTH OF
10 TO 30 FEET. ITS INHABITANTS ARE ENGAGED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN AGRI-
CULTURAL PURSUITS, AND THE WELL-IMPROVED CONDITION OF THEIR FARMS INDICATE
THEIR GENERAL PROSPERITY.
DARKSVILLE WAS SETTLED IN 1856, AND TAKES ITS NAME FROM A CREEK CALLED
DARK WILLIAIN ELLIOTT WAS HUNTING IN THE TOWNSHIP IN 1821, AND
NIGHT OVERTAKING HIM ON THE BANKS OF A CREEK, HE CAMPED ALL NIGHT, AND
SAID THAT IT WAS THE DARKEST NIGHT HE EVER SAW; HENCE THE NAME, DARK
CREEK.
EARLY SETTLERS OF CHARITON TOWNSHIP BEFORE 1848 WERE: JOHN SUM-
MERS, AARON SUMMERS, JOHNSON WRIGHT, ALLEN WRIGHT, HEZEKIAH WRIGHT,
NATHAN BARROW DANIEL BARROW, JOSHUA PHIPPS, AND JAMES PHIPPS FROM
KENTUCKY; ROBERT CRIMES, FROM VIRGINIA; ROBERT ELLIOTT ROBERT ELLIOTT,
JR., WILLIAM CRISTAL, THOMAS RICE, A. R. RICE, WILLIAM H. RICE, GEORGE
SHIPP AND OWEN SINGLETON FROM KENTUCKY; JOHN W. W. SEARS, FROM VIR-
GINIA; PHILIP BAXTER, WILLIAM TERRY, JONATHAN COZAC AND E. H. TRIMBLE,
FROM KENTUCKY; JOHN H. HALL, FROM MAINE; WILLIAM RUTHERFORD AND JOHN
MCCUUY, FROM KENTUCKY; MATHIAS TURNER, JOSEPH TURNER AND JOHN M.
TURNER, FROM TENNESSEE; MRS. WRIGHT, MRS, MARY DAWKINS AND HENRY
GRIFFITH, FROM KENTUCKY; JOHN M. GATES, GILES F. COOK AND JAMES CARTER,
FROM VIRGINIA; JAMES LINGO, SAMUEL LINGO, G. W. HARLAND, ISAAC HARLAND
AND JAMES HARLAND, FROM TENNESSEE; HANCOCK JACKSON AND WILLIAM SUMP-
TER, FROM KENTUCKY; BURCHARD MCCORMICK, JOHN GAINES AND JOHN HEAD,
FROM VIRGINIA; THOMAS ROBERT AND OHITWOOD, FROM KENTUCKY;
JAMES HOLEMAN, THOMAS GILLSTRAP AND THOMAS WHITE; WILLIAM BROGAN AND
HENRY BROGAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA; BLACK; NATHANIEL TULEY,
FROM VIRGINIA; JAMES HINTON, FROM NORTH CAROLINA; GREEN SHELTON AND N
TUTTLE, FROM TENNESSEE; WILLIAM A. HALL AND JOHN H. HALL, FROM MAINE; DR
R. L GRIZARD, FROM TENNESSEE; DR. STEPHEN RICHMOND, FROM NORTH CARO-
LINA JOHN HARLAND, JOSIAH HARLAND, LEE HARLAND, JOSIAH SMITH, HENRY
SMITH, JOHN SMITH, JAMES SMITH, WILLIAM BEARD, JOSIAH TAYLOR, FROM
TENNEASEE; WILLIAM REDD. FROM VIRGINIA; JOHN RICHMOND, SAMUEL RICH-
MOND, JAMES M. RICHMOND, JOHN DAMERON AND JAMES DAMERON, FROM
NORTH CAROLINA; PIPES AND WILLIAM PIPES, FROM KENTUCKY; JOHN
HIX, ELLIOTT R. THOMAS, HENRY THOMAS, LOWDEN THOMAS, � HAINES,
FROM VIRGINIA; BRUCE STEWART, FRANCES TERRELL, NED STINSON, JOHN WILKS,
TYRA BAKER, ANDREW BAKER, DOUGLAS BAKER, ALFRED MCDANIEL, THOMAS
KIRKPATRICK, EPHRIAM SNELL, JORDAN ELLIOTT, PERRY ELLIOTT, WIILLAM ELLIOTT,
JR., H. M. RICE, JOSHUA RICE, BENNETT RICE, YANCEY GRAY, MIKE MCCULLY,
JOHN MCCULLEY, JR., ROBERT TURNER, ELIJAH TURNER, JOHN TURNER, CARROLL
HOLMAN JOHN GODARD, SAMUEL TURNER, BARTLETT ANDERSON, JOHN R. ANDER-
SON, CRAFFORD POWERS, CAMPBELL, JOHN CAMPBELL, THOMAS CAMP-
BELL, WILLIAM EDWARDS, JAMES LAMB, ASHBURY SUMMERS, THOMAS EGAN,
BENJAMIN COZAD, JOHN TERRILL, CASWELL SMITH, GRANT ALLAN, HENRY JOHNSON,
GEORGE H. HALL, GEORGE W. BARNHART, AND SILAS PHIPPA.
ONE OF THE OLDEST SETTLERS IN THE TOWNSHIP WAS JUDGE JOSEPH TURNER.
HE WAS BORN IN NORTH CAROLINA, IN 1802, MOVED WITH HIS PARENTS TO TENNES-
SEE IN 1815, WAS MARRIED IN 1822, AND MOVED TO MISSOURI AND ENTERED THE
LAND ON WHICH HE NOW RESIDES, NEAR ELDAD CHURCH, IN 1830. HE WAS AP-
POINTED JUSTICE OF THE PEACE BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP WAS ORGANIZED~ AND HAD
JURISDICTION TO THE IOWA LINE. HE HELD THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
UNTIL 1850. IN 1861 HE WAS APPOINTED COUNTY COURT JUSTICE, WAS PRESIDENT
OF THAT BODY, AND HELD THE POSITION NEARLY SIX YEARS. WHEN HE FIRST SET-
TLED HE HAD FOR NEIGHBORS JOSEPH HOLMAN, GEORGE EPPERLY, RICHARD BLUE
AND ASA KIRBY. THESE WERE, PERHAPS, THE FIRST SETTLERS ON THE WEST SIDE
OF DARK'S PRAIRIE. RICHARD BLUE AND ASA KIRBY WERE THE ONLY HEADS OF
FAMILIES THEN RESIDING WEST OF THE MIDDLE FORK, JOHN RICHMOND MOVED TO
RANDOLPH COUNTY FROM TENNESSEE IN 1830, AND LIVED IN SILVER CREEK TOWN-
SHIP UNTIL THE FALL OF 1832, WHEN HE ENTERED 120 ACRES OF LAND WHERE NE
LIVED AND BUILT HIS CABIN UPON IT IN PIONEER STYLE. HE RAISED A FAMILY
OF SIX CHILDREN, FOUR BOYS AND TWO GIRLS. WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO THE TOWN-
SHIP, THE FIRST SETTLERS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, ALREADY MENTIONED, HAD BEEN
INCREASED BY THE ADDITION OF YANCEY GRAY, MARK CRABTREE, SAMUEL RICH-
MOND, JOSIAH SMITH, HENRY SMITH, JAMES LINGO, SAMUEL LINGO, ISAAC HAR-
LAN. JOHN WITHES, ANDREW BAKER, TYREE BAKER, JESSE MILLER THOMAS KIRK-
PATRICK AND GREENBURY SHELTON. SOME OF THESE MADE THEIR SETTLEMENTS
ABOUT THE SAME TIME WITH MR. RICHMOND. AMONG THOSE WHO SETTLED IN
HIS NEIGHBORHOOD SOON AFTER HIM WERE DANIEL MILAM, JOHN GRAY, JONATHAN
HAYNES, THOMAS BROOKES, JOHN MCCULLY AND MADISON RICHMOND, ON THE
EAST SIDE OF DARK'S PRAIRIE, SOUTH AND EAST OF THE PRESENT SITE OF DARKS
VILLE, WERE LIVING AT THAT TIME (1832) JOHNSON WRIGHT, JOHN WAYMIRE,
JOSEPH SUMMERS, HODGE ENGLAND, AND PLEASANT AND NICHOLAS TUTTLE. WITH
THE LAST NAMED LIVED THEIR FATHER, A VERY AGED MAN AND A REVOLUTIONARY
SOLDIER.
AMONG THE STRONGEST MINDED AND MOAT INFLUENTIAL MEN OF HIS DAY IN
THAT TOWNSHIP WAS JOHN M. YATES. HE IMMIGRATED FROM KENTUCKY TO
RANDOLPH COUNTY ABOUT 1835 AND AFTER LIVING A YEAR OR TWO IN THE SOUTHERN
PART OF THE COUNTY, SETTLED ON DARK'S PRAIRIE ABOUT THE YEAR 1835, AND DIED
ON A FARM ADJOINING THE ONE HE FIRST SETTLED IN THE YEAR 1872. HE WAS
TWICE MARRIED AND RAISED 15 CHILDREN, 13 OF HIS OWN AND 2 STEPDAUGHTERS.
MR. YATES WAS AN UNCLE OF THE CELEBRATED RICHARD YATES, ONCE GOV-
ERNOR OF ILLINOIS AND U. S. SENATOR FROM THAT STATE, AND WAS HIMSELF A MAN
OF MUCH MORE THAN ORDINARY INTELLIGENCE AND SOUNDNESS OF JUDGMENT.
JUDGE WILLIAM A. HALL WAS BORN AND PARTLY RAISED IN THE STATE OF
MAINE. HIS FATHER HAVING BEEN APPOINTED TO A POSITION IN THE U. S. ARMORY
AT HARPER'S FERRY, VA., HE MOVED WITH HIS PARENTS TO THAT PLACE, AND WHEN
THEY MOVED TO CHARITON TOWNSHIP, ABOUT THE YEAR 1839, HE SOON FOLLOWED
THEM. BEING THEN A YOUNG MAN NEARLY 25 YEARS OF AGE. ABOUT THAT TIME
HIS FATHER DIED, AND HE MADE HIS HOME WITH HIS WIDOWED MOTHER, ALTHOUGH
HE KEPT HIS LAW OFFICE IN FAYETTE, MO., AND FOR A SHORT TIME EDITED A DEMO-
CRATIC PAPER IN THAT PLACE. HE MADE REGULAR VISITS TO HIS MOTHER'S HOME
IN CHARITON COUNTY WHENEVER HIS PROFESSIONAL DUTIES WOULD PERMIT, AND
VERY OFTEN WALKED THE ENTIRE DISTANCE OF OVER THIRTY MILES. HE RAPIDLY
ADVANCED TO THE FRONT RANK IN HIS PROFESSION, AND ON THE DEATH OF JUDGE
LELAND, WHICH OCCURRED ABOUT THE YEAR 1846, HE WAS APPOINTED BY THE
GOVERNOR JUDGE OF THIS JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, A POSITION TO WHICH HE WAS CON-
TINUOUSLY RE-ELECTED UNTIL 1861, WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE DIS-
TRICT OF WHICH RANDOLPH WAS A PART, IN THE U. S. CONGRESS. ABOUT THE
TIME HE WAS FIRST APPOINTED JUDGE, HE WAS MARRIED TO MISS OCTAVIA SEBREE,
A NIECE AND ADOPTED DAUGHTER OF URIEL SEBREE, A PROMINENT CITIZEN OF HOW-
ARD COUNTY. SOON AFTER HIS MARRIAGE HE SETTLED ON HIS FARM IN CHARITON
TOWNSHIP, WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL HE REMOVED TO HUNTSVILLE IN 1861, AND
THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO A FARM NEAR HUNTSVILLE.
IN THE WINTER OF 1860-61, JUDGE HALL WAS CHOSEN, WITH GEN. STERLING
PRICE, TO REPRESENT THIS SENATORIAL DISTRICT, THEN COMPOSED OF RANDOLPH AND
CHARITON COUNTIES, IN THE STATE CONVENTION CALLED BY THE LEGISLATURE TO CON-
SIDER THE RSLATIONS BETWEEN THE STATE OF MISSOURI AND THE GENERAL GOVERN-
MENT, IN VIEW OF THE THEN IMPENDING CRISIS WHICH THREATENED A DISRUPTION
OF THE UNION BY THE SECESSION OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. IN THAT CONVENTION
HE SIDED WITH THE MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF THE STATE CONTINUING HER ALLEGIANCE
AND LOYALTY TO THE UNION, AND DURING THE WAR THAT FOLLOWED REMAINED A
CONSISTENT UNION MAN. BY HIS CONSERVATIVE POSITION AND ABLE MANAGEMENT
HE DID MORE TO PROTECT THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY AND STATE FROM
MILITARY DESPOTISM AND THE LAWLESS SETS OF AN UNRESTRAINED SOLDIERY, THAN
ANY OTHER MAN, HE WAS TWICE ELECTED TO CONGRESS DURING THE WAR, AND
AT ITS CLOSE HE RESUMED THE PRACTICE OF HIS PROFESSION AT HUNTSVILLE, IN
WHICH HE CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 1874, WHEN HE IMPROVED ANOTHER FARM IN
THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF CHARITON TOWNSHIP, WHERE HE RESIDED IN COMPLETE
RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE, IN THE BOSOM OF HIS FAMILY AND SURROUNDED
BY HIS FLOCKS AND HERDS.
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