Beginning about the center of the north line of section 6, township 41, range 33; thence east five and a half miles; thence south six miles: thence west three miles; thence south about two miles; thence northwest two and a half miles to the State Line Ford, thence six and a half miles north to the place of beginning.

This township is well watered, the east fork of Mulberry Creek with its numerous tributaries flow in a southeasterly direction, nearly through the central part of the township. Hawk Branch, Spy Branch and Stone's Slough are in the western and northwestern part of the township. The Marais des Cygnes forms, with its affluents, almost the entire southern boundary line.

There is still standing much of the native forests, especially upon the banks of the Marais des Cygnes. Timber, of which there is every variety known to this latitude, is as abundant in Homer as in any other township in the county. The bottom lands are not only prolific of the large and shell bark hickory nuts, but are also covered with large groves of pecan trees, which bear bountifully about once in three years. These nuts are gathered by the people living in the vicinity of the Marais des Cygnes, and are shipped to St. Louis, Kansas City and elsewhere. The pecans average about $2.50 per bushel and the hickory nuts about fifty cents per bushel. The soil is of an excellent quality.

There is an abundance of limestone in different parts of the township, the highest points of the prairie land being covered with it, saying, nothing of the banks and beds of many of the streams.

There are in the township many rich deposits of coal, which is now being used by the inhabitants.

Among the pioneers in ante bellum days who selected homes from the rich lands of Homer Township were Jeremiah Jackson, Thomas Jackson, Thomas Jackson (called Yankee Jackson), H. B. Francis, Thomas Francis, William Braden, Pierce Hackett, J. M. Rodgers, Bluford Merchant, Chesley Hart, and D. R. Braden. The Francis brothers were from Illinois, the Bradens were from Ohio, and Hackett was from England. About the close of the civil war a number of intelligent and enterprising men purchased lands and located in this township. Among these were Robert Leech, Judge Lyman Hall, James W. Whinery, J. T. Whinery, R. M. Brown, Dr. J. M. Gailey, Hugh Gailey, Jeremiah Rankin, William Brown, Judge D. V. Brown, James Pilgrim, William Rodgers, David Braden, and John A. Lefker.

About the year 1870 a sawmill was erected by John A. Lefker on the Marais des Cygnes, at what is now known as Hawkins' Ford, lot 2, section 5, township 39, range 33. In 1875 a grist mill was added by the same person.

This congregation belongs to the Presbytery of West Missouri; this to the Synod of Kansas, and that to the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church of North America. It is difficult to ascertain definitely who preached the first United Presbyterian sermon in Bates County, but it appears that the first two U. P. ministers who ever preached here were Rev. R. G. Thompson, who resides at Kingsville, Missouri, and the late Rev. Randall Ross, who died at his residence in Greenwood, Missouri, about six years ago. It appears that they both preached here about the year 1866, but which was first seems to be difficult to ascertain beyond doubt or question.

The congregation was organized March 28, 1868, in the house of Mr. Robert Leech, who yet resides in the village. A short discourse suitable to the occasion was delivered by the Rev. Walter P. Currie. After this the following named persons presented certificates, and gave other satisfactory evidence of their former connection with United Presbyterian congregations:

R. M. Brown, Mary A. Brown, James H. Brown, Mary J. Brown, Robert Leech, Catherine Leech, John Gaily, James M. Gaily, E. A. Gaily, William Stobie, Christina Stobie, Samuel Thompson, William Braden, Ann Braden, Lydia J. Currie, William G. Ritchie, Mary E. Brown, Maria Thompson, Thomas A. Stewart M. A. Stewart.

Robert Leech and Robert M. Brown were elected to the office of ruling elder. James M. Gaily, William Braden and Dr. Thomas A. Stewart were elected trustees, and the organization named Bethel. This name was retained till March 27, 1878, when, by an act of Presbytery, as requested by the congregation, the same name by which the post office and village were designated, was applied to the congregation.

The congregation has most of the time since its organization had a settled pastor, though at times dependent on stated or occasional supplies of preaching. Rev. W. P. Currie was the pastor till July 1870. Rev. James P.Wright, a stated supply from March 1871, till March 1872, then pastor till September 1874. Rev. John Taylor was pastor from June 1876, till July 1878. Rev. S. W. Lorimer has been the pastor ever since July 1, 1879.

In the spring of 1876, a house of worship was erected, having an area of 36x50 feet, and a seating capacity for about 350 persons. When the work of building the house was just beginning, the southwestern portion of the congregation withdrew and formed another congregation, which is named Richland. They have also erected a house of worship,

The membership of Mulberry congregation is gradually increasing. The number on the roll at present is 134. This is about double the number on the roll when the present pastor came to the congregation in 1879. The congregation is now self sustaining in a financial point of view, and bestows quite liberally to home and foreign missions. In 1879, the congregation built a parsonage, in which the pastor is residing.

Many changes have taken place since the congregation had a beginning, and many more will yet take place, but it is to be hoped, or at least desired, that no retrograde movement will be inaugurated in our midst. In connection with the congregation there is a good and well regulated Sabbath School, which is conducted through the winter as well as at other seasons of the year. The Ladies' Missionary Society is another important factor in the church's working force.

About the year 1867 or 1868 the government established, at the house of Robert Leech, what has since been known as Mulberry Post Office, Robert Leech being the first postmaster. W. M. Robison succeeded Leech, and is the present officer. W. M. Robison opened the first business house. E. K. Rollins was the first blacksmith. The present business of the place is done by W. M. Robison, postmaster and general store; John Miller & Brother, blacksmiths; Moss & Son, cabinet makers; -- Major, shoemaker.

This elevation of land occupies nearly one hundred and sixty acres of section 17. Its summit reaches an altitude of about one hundred feet, from which can be seen the city of Butler, Pleasant Gap, and other points, ranging at a distance of twelve to twenty miles. The surface of the mound is covered with limestone rock, and from its side gushes a small, perennial stream of water.

Northwest of the mound, three-quarters of a mile, is a region of country which is noted in the history of Kansas, not only because John Brown, of Harper's Ferry notoriety, once lived there, but because it is in the immediate vicinity of what is known as the " Hamilton Massacre," which occurred a few years before the late civil war of 1861.

Spy Mound, during the residence of John Brown in the neighbor- hood, was a kind of watch-tower to which he and his friends often went, in the days of border ruffianism, to watch the coming of the foe. Below will be found a short, but interesting sketch of John Brown's old home,. Spy Mound, etc., from the pen of Rev. Samuel Alexander:

Hearing that the farm once owned by John Brown, the anti-slavery enthusiast, is situated in Kansas near the state line and but twenty miles from Butler, Bates County, Missouri, and that it is peculiar for location, etc., as well as for its historic association, a few friends and I visited it one bright October day in 1882. We found it a few miles west of Mulberry Creek and three-quarters of a mile northwest of Spy Mound, which is east of the state line and a peculiarity itself, being an elevation of about 100 feet and almost perpendicular on its south end, from which, it is said, you command a view of all the vicinity, and which was much used in the " border troubles " prior to and during the rebellion as a point of observation to determine the approach of friend or foe to the residents of that locality.

Judging from the location of Mr. Brown's farm and the house and improvements on it we might well think it was selected for no ordinary purpose.

The southeast corner of the farm comes to the state line between Kansas and Missouri, where there is a "jog " of about forty rods into the Missouri side; just how far the "jog" goes north and south we did not determine. We drove up the south line of the farm, going westward over a very narrow, rocky and steep hill or "spur" of one of the mounds; then partly down the other side, turning north into a rough, rocky, narrow and deep gulch, in which there is a large spring of good fresh water; following this, we came to a steep, rocky bluff or nearly perpendicular side of the elevated land or mound looking southward, in which there had been cut an excavation large enough to admit of a large house two stories high, part of the second story projecting higher than the bluff. This house was built of stone and wood, having so far as we could see the rocky bluff for the north wall and side of the house. It was probably five years old or more, but stood on the spot where John Brown's cabin did, excepting a few feet on the south, where there still lies one old oaken sill of the cabin, partly buried in the earth fallen on it from the bluff, a piece of which sill we carried away with us, being chopped off for us by the resident of the house and farm. This house is about one-quarter of a mile west from the state line. It faces south, and any one on the bluff above it could command a view of the gulch before it, and for quite a distance the land on either side and behind it. Passing in a northwest direction from the top and rear of the house for one-half of a mile, we came to a deep, rocky gulch or hollow running northeast and southwest. It seemed to be seventy-five feet across the top, fifteen feet at the bottom and twenty feet deep. This interesting place is called "Murderers' Hollow," or "Hamilton's Massacre," -- the place where Hamilton, a pro-slavery politician, with a posse in 1855 overtook twelve men who had voted for Kansas to be a "free state," compelling them to stand in a row two feet apart, then commanding his men from each side of the gulch above to fire on the men below. There are now two large perpendicular stones projecting about two feet out of the ground -- one at each end of the row -- to mark the spot and tell to future ages the story of crime. However, these stones are not alone to tell the tale of horror. One of the twelve was so badly wounded as to be left by the band for dead with the rest, but afterwards revived and recovered. Another one of them was but slightly hurt, but feigned death until the horde withdrew; then escaped to tell the scene to others, and today lives in a village five miles away from the dread spot, named Trading Post, in Kansas, where he is engaged in merchandising. The citizens of that section at some subsequent time took up the remains of the ten who were buried in the "Hollow" where they were massacred, and reinterred them at Trading Post, where they lie beneath the sod and where a suitable monument is intended to be placed. It is supposed it would have been better to place the monument on the exact spot where the sandstones stand.

It is said that John Brown lived here prior and up to this contest of Kansas becoming free soil, and that these men were his associates in politics.

Bates County Missouri MOGenWeb