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very nearly to the present lines.  The subject was favorably considered, and the only matter to be decided upon was a name for the proposed county, for which a blank space had been left in the bill.  Several names were proposed and discussed.

     Major Clark arose to address the assembly, a duty he attempted but seldom in that body.  He was not a fluent speaker, and but little given to speaking in public.  He was a man of excellent sense and judgement, and possessed clear and vigorous ideas upon every subject that engaged his attention, which he could always express in his plain, homely, yet terse and forcible manner.  With the peculiarities of a rude frontier education, that read more of the beauty of grandeur of wild nature than of books, he united all those finer qualities of head and heart that under other circumstances develop into the cultured and polished gentleman.  His stern and inflexible principles of personal integrity and honesty which ever shaped his own rule of conduct, never warped his mind into any Puritanical bias; but charity and forbearance towards every human creature were as natural to him as his own unbounded generosity and hospitality,  These qualities made him a quiet, unobtrusive, industrious, and valuable member of the Legislature, and they were as fully recognized and appreciated by his fellow-members as by his fellow-citizens at home.  His stalwart and powerful form, his dignified and courteous bearing, and the courage that had upheld him on the battle-field and in the peril of the wilderness, and that shone unmistakably in the gleam of his bright eye, always secured him the attentive ear of the entire assembly.  On this occasion his manner was earnest, and yet without any exhibition of that egotism his words might suggest.  His purpose was evident; he gave a personal reason for the motion he was about to offer.  He said:  “Mr. Speaker,---I was the first man to drive a wagon across Big Creek, the boundary of the proposed new county, and the first permanent white settler within its limits.  I was born, sir, in Link-horn County, North Carolina.  I lived for many years in Link-horn County, in Old Kaintuck.  I wish to live the remainder of my days and die in Link-horn County, in Missouri; and I move, therefore, that the blank in the bill be filled with the name of Link horn.”  The motion was carried unanimously, and the Clerk, not adopting the frontier parlance of the Major, wrote “Lincoln” in the blank space of the bill.  This was the 14th day of December,1818.  Three days previously Franklin and Wayne had been established; on the 8th, Jefferson had been created.  In 1816 Howard County had been formed; and in 1813 the County of Washington.  Thus Lincoln County was the sixth one organized by the Territorial Legislature, not counting the County of Arkansas, set off during the session of 1813-14, and which has since been erected into an independent State; and in point of order the eleventh, since in the organization of the territory there were five original districts or counties, St. Louis,

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St. Charles, St. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, and New Madrid.  During the same session, 1818, Pike, Montgomery, Madison, and Cooper were created.  Several very important laws were enacted, and with the exception of that which adopted the common law of England as the ground-work of our statutes, instead of the civil law of France, which came to us in natural course of settlement, this was the most important session of the Legislature held during the territorial existence of Missouri.

 By virtue of the act creating the county, and of a supplemental act fixing the time and place for holding Superior and Circuit Courts and “for other purposes,” passed December 23,1818, the first Court convened at the house of ZadockWoods, in Troy, or as it was more commonly known (if the old records are any indication of the fact), Woods’ Fort, on Monday, April 5,1819.  It was a Circuit Court, but under the provisions of the law, it exercised the functions of a County Court, and kept separate and distinct records.

    David Todd appeared with a commission from Frederick Bates, Secretary of the Territory of Missouri, and “acting with the government thereof,” dated at St. Louis, the first day of the January previous, appointing him Judge of the Northwestern Circuit, comprising the Counties of Cooper, Howard, Montgomery, Lincoln, and Pike, which at that time included nearly half the State.  Judge Todd was probably a citizen of Howard County, as he was qualified at Franklin, in that county, before Augustus Storrs, a Justice of the Peace.  John Rauland produced a commission from William Clark, Governor of the Territory, appointing him Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts, for this county.  He qualified and entered into bond for three thousand dollars, with Samuel Wells and Nathan Heald as securities. David Bailey appeared with a commission from Frederick Bates, Secretary and Acting Governor, naming him Sheriff.  He entered into bond, with Ira Cottle and James White as securities.  The Commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the county seat, David Bailey, James White, Daniel Draper, Hugh Cummins, and Abraham Kennedy, appeared and filed their bond for fifteen thousand dollars, with Jonathan Riggs, Hugh Barnett, Zadock Woods, Ira Cottle, and Alembe Williams as securities.

     The first Grand Jury was composed of Joseph Cottle, John Null, Prospect K. Robbins, Samuel H. Lewis, Thacker Vivion, Job Williams, Alembe Williams, Jr., Jeremiah Groshong, John Bell,Jacob Null, Sr., John Hunter, Elijah Collard, William Harrell, Jacob Null, Jr., Isaac Cannon, Hiram Millsaps, Alembe Williams, Sr., and Zachariah Callaway, “who after being duly sworn and charged, retired to their room, and were discharged.”

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    On the second day the Clerk was ordered to apply to the Clerk of St. Charles County for all orders relating to public roads heretofore established in this county.  the Court then proceeded to divide the county into four townships.  The county lines, the fifth principal meridian running through the centre of the county north and south, and the line between townships forty-nine and fifty, running through the centre east and west, constituted the boundaries of these townships:  Monroe in the southeast, Bedford in the southwest, Union in the northwest, and Hurricane in the northeast.

     Prospect K. Robbins, James Woods, and Joseph Oldham were appointed Judges of election for Monroe, and it was ordered that the same be held at the house of Prospect K. Robbins.  For Bedford, Elijah Collard, Benjamin Blanton, and Alembe Williams, Jr., were appointed, the election to be held at the house of ZadockWoods. Robert Jameson, Philip Sitton, and Samuel Gibson were appointed for Union, and the election was to be held at the house of the last mentioned.  For Hurricane, Benjamin Allen, John Ewing, andJesse Sitton were appointed, and Allen’s house was named as the place for holding the election.  James Woods was appointed Constable of Monroe Township, Lee F. T. Cottle of Bedford, Thacker Vivion of Union, and Allen Turnbaugh of Hurricane.  Their bonds were fixed at one thousand dollars each, which was comparatively a large amount for that day.  Vivion was in court at the time, and filed his bond with Samuel A. Lewis as his security.  The court then adjourned.

     The first Justices of the Peace in the county, appointed by the Governor, were Benjamin Cottle and James Duncan for Bedford, Daniel Draper for Union, Benjamin Allen for Hurricane, and Prospect K. Robbins for Monroe.  The election provided for, as mentioned above, was held on the 2nd of August, and was for a delegate to Congress, being the first in the county.  In the abstract filed with the returns, it is stated that no election took place in Hurricane township, that in Monroe nine votes were cast for Samuel Hammond, in Bedford five for John Scott and forty-eight for Hammond, and in Union twelve for Hammond, making a total of seventy-four votes cast in the county, of which sixty-nine were for Hammond. Scott was elected on this occasion.  He was the incumbent in the office, having held it from 1816; he continued in the office until Missouri was admitted as a State, and then served three terms as member of Congress, retiring in 1827.

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    The second term of the court was held on Monday, August 2,1819, at same place as before. Peyton Hayden produced a license from Hon. Alexander Stuart, one of the Judges of the Superior Court, authorizing him to practice law in the several courts in this territory; he was therefore admitted to practice law in this court.  He also presented a deputation from John S. Brickey, Circuit Attorney for the northwestern circuit, authorizing him to officiate as Deputy, whereupon he took the required oath. John Payne, William Smith, and Robert McGavock were also admitted to practice before the court.  Twenty-three Grand Jurors were sworn in, and duly charged by the Judge and Deputy District Attorney.  A road was ordered from Big Creek to the “south end of Mill Street in Moscow;” one from Monroe to Wood’s Fort, and to the western limits of the county on a line with the county seat of Howard County;  one through the county by way of Woods’s Fort, in a line from the county seat of St. Charles to that of Pike, and one from Woods’s Fort to the northern limits of the county, in a line with the mills on Salt River, and to “pass by the present habitations of Alembe Williams, Sr., Thomas Hammond, and Col. Cox's Ford.”

     Alembe Williams, a revolutionary soldier, lived on the Troy and Millwood Road, on the farm now belonging to William Fasse--the old James Trail Place.  His cabin stood across the road northeast from the old Trail House, almost under the hill and near the spring.  Capt. Thomas Hammond lived on the place where his son’s widow, Mrs. Ann Hammond, now lives.  His cabin was not far from where the present road crosses Null’s Creek, a mile and a half southeast of Millwood. Col. Cox’s Ford was on North Cuivre.

     The first civil action ever entered in this county was entitled “William Howdershell vs. James White, in a plea of debt, damage $200.00.”  The defendant filed his plea of payment, and the cause was continued.  (At the following term the cause was tried by the court, neither party asking a jury, and judgement entered for $100.50 debt and $6.43 3/4 for damages).

     Christopher Clark, David Lord, and Almond Cottle were each granted a license to keep tavern, upon payment of the territorial tax, which was ten dollars.

 On the second day of this session the county tax was ordered to be levied and collected by the Sheriff, as follows:  on each horse over three years old, fifty cents; neat cattle same age, six and a quarter cents;  on each negro or mulatto slave between the ages of sixteen and forty-five years, fifty cents;  on each billiardtable, twenty-five dollars;  on each able-bodied man, twenty-one years old and upwards, not possessed of property to

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the value of two hundred dollars, fifty cents;  on mills, tanyards, and distilleries, in actual operation, forty cents on every hundred dollars of their valuation.

     The first petition for partition was that of Benjamin O’Fallon, B.G. Farrar, Samuel D. Holmes, Thomas Hempstead, and Charles S. Hempstead, all non-residents, for the division of 3,056 arpents, being an undivided part of a certain tract of land of 7,056 arpents granted to Auguste A. Chouteau by Don Carlos Debault Delassus, late Governor of the late Province of Upper Louisiana.  The Court appointed as Commissioners, Prospect K. Robbins, Joseph McCoy, Joseph Cottle, Elijah Collard, and David Bailey.

     The Grand Jury found bills of indictment against William Petty, Isham Petty, James Petty, John Petty, Alexander McNair, Robert McNair, and Moses Oldham for "hog stealing;" Washington Jameson for stealing a bridle, and two against Zadock Woods for assault and battery.  These were the first indictments ever made in the county.  (At the next term no conviction was had, except in one of the cases against Woods, in which he was fined one dollar and costs; a few of the other criminal cases were tried, and the result being adverse to the prosecution, the remainder were dismissed;  in the “hog stealing” cases the prosecutors were adjudged to pay the costs).  The Grand Jury “also made a presentment expressive of their disapprobation of the attempt made by the late Congress of the United States to impose restrictions in the formation of the State Constitution for this territory,”  showing that our people had then, as ever since, a full appreciation of the perils of liberty in every encroachment of the centralized power upon the rights and priviledges of home government.

     Joseph Cottle was appointed Surveyor, and presented his bond in the sum of two thousand dollars, with Elijah Collard as security. David Bailey gave bond of one thousand dollars, with Joseph Cottle and Benajah English as securities, as County Collector, and a bond of fifteen hundred dollars as State Collector for this county.

     At the third term of the court, December,1819, the first Petit Jury was empaneled, consisting of Ira Cottle, foreman, John Lindsey, Guian Gibson, Jacob Williamson, George Jameson, Samuel Gibson, Robert Jameson, Sr., Thacker Vivion, Isaac Cannon, Abijah Smith, Hugh Barnett, and Andrew Cottle.  The case was that of the "United States vs. Robert McNair, for hog stealing," and the result was as stated above. McNair was a brother to Alexander McNair, the first Governor of the State of Missouri.

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    Benjamin Cottle was granted a license to keep a tavern in the town of Troy, which is the first mention made of the name as applied to that place.

     The Commissioners to fix upon a county seat make a report showing that they have selected Monroe, and that a sufficient jail had been erected there, the Court thereupon ordered that hereafter the courts be held at that town.

     The first accounts ever presented against the county were allowed at this term.  As affording a curious comparison, a few are given:  The Commissioners for County seat were allowed--David Bailey, $51.25; James White, $35.00;  and Daniel Draper, Hugh Cummins, and Abraham Kennedy, each $37.50;  John Ruland, Clerk, $51.68; David Bailey, Sheriff, $100.19; Peyton R. Hayden, Deputy Circuit Attorney, $20.00;  William Christy, Jr., for copy of record, $6.12 1/2;  for seal, screw-press, etc., $33.50; Benjamin Cottle, for use of house for court, $16.00.  This last item was the only intimation that Cottle’s house was used for the sitting of court.  The whole amount of allowances was $459.24 1/2.  The county revenue for 1819 was $175.66.

     In compliance with an order passed at last term, the Court convened at the new county seat, Monroe, on Monday, April 3,1820.  The first change in the boundaries of the municipal townships was made.  That part of Monroe lying between Cuivre, Big Creek, and the fifth principal meridian was cut off and added to Bedford.  Little else was done besides appointing Judges of Election, which was to be held on the first three days of May,1820, for a member of the convention to frame a constitution for the admission of the State into the Union.  This election was the second held in the county, and the first in which all four townships participated.  Two hundred and forty-eight votes were cast, which constituted nearly the full voting strength of the county.  It is thought that very few eligible voters abstained from voting on that occasion.  The opportunity was ample-- three days devoted for the purpose-- and in those days scarcely a man neglected to celebrate any public event.  Elections, musters, horse races, house raisings, and log rollings were the events of that day.  Added to these, the country was wild with the agitation of slavery.  On account of some threatened opposition to its recognition in the proposed new State, this question was made a prominent issue, and not a man supposed to be tinctured with anti-slavery sentiments was elected to the convention.  In this county four candidates were voted for, Malcolm Henry, Sr., received one hundred and nineteen votes, Meredith Cox eighty-one, Joseph Cottle forty-two, and James Duncan six.  These were all pro-slavery men, and all but Deacon Cottle came from slave-holding States. Col. Cox lived where Louisville now stands, and the other three

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were residents of Bedford Township as it existed at that time, Henry living on Big Creek, in what is now Clark Township.

     At the January term, 1821, Bennet Palmer appears on the records as County and Circuit Clerk.  The first County Court, as a separate body, was then in session, Jonathan Riggs and Ira Cottle produced commissions from Gov. Alexander McNair, and took their seats as County Judges.  In the April term, John Geiger produced a like commission and took his seat. McNair was elected as Governor of the State, and was acting in that capacity while in fact Missouri was yet a territory.  The records of the courts of this period all begin with the form, “State of Missouri, County of Lincoln.”  Old settlers will say that Missouri was admitted as a State in 1820, and occasionally authorities are cited to show the same.  A short statement of the circumstances will not be amiss here.

     Congress passed an act, which was approved March 6,1820, “to authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to form a Constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and to prohibit slavery in certain territories.”  In pursuance of the provisions of this act the Convention at St. Louis, June 12,1820, and on the 19th of July adopted an ordinance, “declaring the assent of the people of the conditions and provisions in the act of Congress.” On the same day the Constitution was formally agreed to and signed, and a copy transmitted to Congress.  This provided for an election for State officers, members of the Legislature, and other officers, to be held on the fourth Monday in August of that year.  In this election McNair was elected over William Clark, who was at that time, and had been for seven years, the territorial Governor; Samuel K.Caldwell, of Pike, was elected State Senator from this and Pike Counties, and Morgan Wright was elected Representative from this county.  By the terms of the Constitution, which went into effect on being signed by the members of the Convention, and without reference to the people, the Legislature was required to meet at St. Louis on the third Monday of September, 1820, and the Government to assume from that date all the functions of a State Government.  One of the acts of the Legislature when it met at the appointed time was to provide for an election for Presidential electors.  This was duly held, and William Shannon, John S. Brickey, the Circuit Attorney for this circuit, and William Christy were elected.  These met and cast their votes for James Monroe.  It was supposed that Congress would readily admit Missouri as a State, and a resolution was promptly introduced in both houses for its unconditional admission, as had been the uniform custom in relation to other new States. Thomas H. Benton,

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David Barton, and John Scott were present, anticipating an early induction into the seats of their respective office. Benton and Barton as Senators, and Scott as a Representative.  But the resolution of admission was lost; the Representatives of the new State were denied seats, and its electoral vote rejected.  The Legislatures of Vermont and New York had remonstrated against the admission of Missouri without the restriciton of slavery, and the “restrictionists” in Congress were able to defeat the measure.

     In the meantime, and notwithstanding the unsatisfactory attitude of Congress, so far as its internal government was concerned, the State had superseded the territory, and the administration of public matters was conducted with great harmony and success.  The people were united and enthusiastic in its support.  Finally, and after much heated discussion, Henry Clay succeeded in carrying a resolution for a joint committee to devise measures for agreement.  On the 26th of February, 1821, he reported to the House the following, as agreed upon by the committee, and it was subsequently adopted:  “On condition that the Legislature of Missouri, by a solemn act, shall declare that the twenty-sixth mention of the third article of the Constitution shall never be construed to authorize the passage of any law by which any citizen, of any one of the States of the Union, shall be excluded from the enjoyment of any of the privileges to which such citizen is entitled under the Constitution of the United States, and will transmit to the President of the United States, on or before the fourth Monday, November, 1821, an authentic copy of such act;  that upon the receipt thereof the President by proclamation shall announce the fact;  whereupon, without any further proceeding on the part of Congress, the admission of that State into the Union shall be complete.”  The Governor called a special session of the Legislature, which met at St. Charles on the 4th of June.  On the 27th of the same month the act required by Congress was passed, accompanied, however, the vigorous protest against the right and power of Congress to annex such a condition.  This act reached President Monroe on the 10th of August, 1821, and accordingly on that day he issued his proclamation declaring Missouri admission into the Union, it being the twenty-fourth of the Confederation.

     The selection of Monroe as the county seat was never satisfactory to the people of the county.  By reference to the session acts of the Legislature for 1822, will be found an act, chapter thirty-eight, providing for its removal from that point.  In the preamble it is set forth that the inhabitants of this county suffer great hardships and inconvenience, occasioned by their seat of justice having been located at Monroe, which is situated in the southeast corner of the county, and that a good majority of the citizens had presented a petition to the General Assembly for the removal of said seat of

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justice to the centre, or some eligible spot not exceeding three miles from the centre.  The Legislature therefore appointed Robert Gay, of Pike, Francis Howell, Sr., of St. Charles, and William Lamme, of Montgomery, Commissioners, and empowered them with full authority to select a suitable site in accordance with the petition.  The courts were to be continued at Monroe until the erection of a court-house and jail at the new county seat.  The Legislature also appointed Andrew Miller, Samuel Gibson, and Thompson Blanton, all of this county, Commissioners of the court-house and jail to be erected, and empowered them or a majority of them to purchase, or receive as a donation, such lot or parcel of land, not less than fifty nor more than two hundred acres, as the said first named Commissioners shall have so fixed upon for the site of the aforesaid public buildings, and to pay and receive to them and their successors in office, for the use of the county, from the person or persons of whom they may receive a donation or make a purchase of land as aforesaid, a warrantee deed, in fee simple, which shall be made in trust for the county.  And the said last above-named Commissioners shall as respects the public buildings to be erected on the site so fixed upon, purchased the land wherever the same shall be so fixed, laying off the same into squares of lots, and disposing off or selling the same, perform and fulfil the same duties to set forth in the provisions of the act establishing the county.  The Commissioners were required to take the usual oath and to give the bond.  It was further specified that any lots or lands remaining unsold by the Commissioners should be by them released to the Governor of the State in trust for the county.  This act was approved January 2,1822.  At the February term of the County Court, Philip Sitton was appointed Commissioner in place of Samuel Gibson, resigned, also William H. Robinson, of Bedford Township, in lieu of Thompson Blanton, also resigned.  The Court at the August term allowed the accounts of the first named Commissioners, as follows:  William Lamme, twelve dollars; Francis Howell and Robert Gay, each ten dollars; James Duncan, a magistrate, for administrating the oath to them, thirty-one and a quarter cents.

     The last term held in Monroe was in November, 1822.  No mention is made on the records of any compliance with the terms of the legislative act before the removal of the county seat; but on the first Monday in February, 1823, the County Court convened at Alexandria, the point selected by the Commissioners as the new county seat.  The books and papers had been sent up the previous Saturday, and deposited in the only dwelling-house of the place.  This was a hewed log-building, one and a half story, with one window containing twelve lights of eight by ten glass, clap-board roof, floor and door of rough planks and by a whip-saw, and a wood and mud chimney with a stone back, capable of holding a six-foot log.  A small room adjoining was used as a kitchen.

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This was quite a stylish and comfortable residence for the frontiers of Missouri in that day and it was with no little pride that the good lady of the house surrendered the “best room” for the use of the Court, and retired to the kitchen.  The room thus placed at the disposal of the county officials was large enough to accommodate them and some twenty spectators.

     Ira Cottle, Benjamin Cottle, and John Geiger were the County Justices; Geiger, Jonathan Riggs the sheriff, and Francis Parker, Clerk.  The business of the Court proceeded leisurely enough until an hour or two before noon, when it began to be whispered about that the kind lady of the house, who, it was plain to be seen, was in a delicate condition, had reached such a crisis as might compel the Court and all attendants to leave at any moment and without ceremony.  The wheels of the car of justice moved faster from that hour.  The cases that could not be despatched in a few minutes each were continued over, and the crowd rapidly melted away.  There was one case, however, that could neither be continued, on account of the persistent demands of the plaintiff, nor hurried through because of the obstinate resistance of the defendant.  The President of the Court, Col. Ira Cottle, was the administrator of the estate of John Ewing, deceased, and William R. Gilbert, of Pike County, was guardian of Ewing’s children. Gilbert desired to have Cottle ruled to give additional security in the sum of two thousand dollars.  This was the issue in controversy. Gilbert’s lawyer was the late Ezekiel Hunt, afterwards Circuit Attorney, and still later Circuit Judge of this circuit, whom had ridden some forty miles from home, and did not intend to return without having the case settled.  It was reached about night, when all save the officers of the Court and the lawyer had gone.  The Court had been engaged incessantly and endeavoring with the greatest diligence and exertion in furthering its word since the first note of warning was sounded, and it is to be presumed that if members were in anything but an equable state of mind.  The evidence in this particular case was all of record.  During its examination the respective parties became unusually excited.  The Judge, forgetful of the dignity of his station poured out the vials of his wrath upon the devoted head of the lawyer.  The latter was not slow to retort in kind, and for several hours the trial was nothing else than a war of words, and these of the sharpest and most abusive characters.  Finally about eleven o’clock the disputant quieted down, and the case was submitted to the other Judges, who in a few minutes decided in favor of the demand of the guardian’s attorney.  The Court was now ready for adjournment, and the question was, to when should it adjourn?  A motion was made to adjourn to the next court in course, when one of the members suggested that it would be above proper to adjourn till after midnight, then call the court and adjourn over to next term.  This

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would show another day’s session, and allow the Judges to draw each two dollars more, and the Sheriff one dollar and a half.  This latter course was agreed on, the officers of the court being satisfied that they had performed two days’ service in one.  In the interim the Clerk was making up the record the Justices were lounging about, and Judge Hunt was trying to sleep, stretched on his back on the floor, with his head resting on the hearth.  A pack of hungry wolves in the woods near by were making the night hideous with their howling and the inmates of the court-room, having fasted from early breakfast, and feeling acutely the gnawings of empty stomachs, would involuntarily compare the condition of the hungry pack inside with that of the hungry pack outside.  Presently the cause just tried came up in the mind of Col. Cottle, and he again began venting his spleen upon his adversary.  He was a large man, of fine appearance, rather inclined to be boisterous in a manner, and very profuse in the use of oaths.Judge Hunt was a much smaller man, but fully as irascible as his opponent.  He replied in language thickly sprinkled with epithets more vigorous than polite or pious, and was about to rise from his position as if to engage in something stronger than words.  Luckily for the peace of the household on that interesting occasion, he happened to cast his eye up the chimney to where, about six feet above the hearth, hung a fine venison ham.  All controversy was forgotten as he sprang like a famished tiger up the capacious jaws of the chimney and brought down the prize in triumph.  The anger of Col. Cottle was instantly changed into smiles, and in the place of oaths and epithets all was friendliness and joviality.  The meat was well cured and really delicious.  The hungry crowd thought that never before had venison tasted so sweetly.  The repast was scarcely finished when the sounds from the kitchen indicated the near advent of a new comer into the world.  Court was hastily called and adjourned over to that in course, and all present left at once, accompanying General Riggs to his hospitable home on Cuivre.  Less than two hours afterwards the family of the patriotic lady was increased by the addition of a daughter.

     At a special term held November 19,1825, John Lindsey, Thompson Blanton, Jonathan Cottle, and Benjamin Cottle, Justices on the Bench, the County Commissioners for the court-house and jail, Sutton, Miller, and Robinson, appeared and made a final settlement.  They produced a deed of relinquishment to the county for all such lands and lots as remained in their hands as Commissioners in trust for the county.  An examination of their account showed that at the two sales of town lots on April 11th and May 24th, 1822, for the purpose of raising money to be appropriated to building a court-house and jail, the sum of $887.25 was realized; and at the sale of October 1,1824, $33.50; making a total of $920.75.  To their credit were placed $380.00, paid by them for building a jail, and $448.50 for building a courthouse;

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for recording papers, five dollars; for chain carriers, four dollars;  for clerk of sale, four dollars;  for three gallons of whisky used at said sale, three dollars;  making a total of $846.50, and leaving on hand $74.25.  This amount was divided equally, and turned over to the Commissioners as part of their salary of forty-eight dollars each, and for the remainder they received warrants.

     On the 5th of August, 1828, during the sitting of the Court, James Duncan and John Lindsey being the Justices, Joshua N. Robbins and Emanuel Block appeared with a petition signed by a lawful number of the taxable inhabitants of the county, namely, more than three-fifths, as ascertained by the tax list made and returned last preceeding this application, praying a removal of the county seat from the town of Alexandria to the town of Troy.  The Court thereupon appointed Felix Scott, of St. Charles County, Thomas Kerr, of Pike, Richard Wright, Phillip Glover, and George Clay of Montgomery, Commissioners for selecting a seat of justice.  They were authorized to meet on Monday, the 15th of September, at the house of Andrew Monroe (who then kept a hotel where John McDonald now lives, and who was known for many years throughout the country as “Father Monroe,” the famous Methodist preacher), in the town of Troy, to perform the duties assigned them.  Notice of this meeting was directed to be given by the Sheriff by putting up advertisements in ten of the most public places of the county.  The Commissioners chose Troy, and the selection having been approved by the Circuit Court, the County Court at its November term ordered an election to be held on Monday, the 8h of December, to take the sense of the people whether the location should be approved or not.  The election was held, and on the following Thursday, the Court-- James Duncan, Henry Watts, and Joseph H. Allen, Justices--held a special session to examine the poll books and count the votes.  It was found that two hundred and eleven votes were for the removal, and two votes against it; and “thereupon the Court do consider that the said seat of justice of said County of Lincoln is removed to the place selected as aforesaid in the town of Troy.”  The last session of the County Court held at Alexandria was on Saturday, January 3,1829, and the first held in Troy was on Monday, February 9,1829.

     The change in the boundaries of the municipal townships by which Cuivre became the line between Monroe and Bedford has already been noted.  New townships were erected with names, dates and boundaries as below:

     Waverly.--- November 7,1825, on petition of Gabriel P. Nash, Caleb McFarland, Marcus H. McFarland, Meredith Cox, James F. Moore, and

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twenty others;  commencing at the northwest corner of township fifty-one, range two west, and running to the southwest corner of section six, township fifty, range two west, thence east to the southeast corner of section one, township fifty, range two west, thence north to the northeast corner of section one, township fifty-one, range two west, thence west to the place of beginning.  At that time it included twenty-eight taxable inhabitants.  The house of Meredith Cox was appointed the place for holding elections, and Meredith Cox, Nicholas Wells and Hugh Barnett were appointed judges of election.  Henry Watts and Caleb McFarland were recommended to the governor for appointment as justices of the peace.

     Clark.---February 9,1826, on petition of Christopher Clark, Cary K. Duncan, Morgan Wright, Malcom Henry, Jr., and twenty-six others;  as follows, to wit:  All that part of Bedford township as is situated south of the line dividing townships forty-eight and forty-nine.  It contained eighty-eight taxable inhabitants.  The house of Christopher Clark was designated as the place of holding elections, and Thompson Blanton, David Clark, Sr., Cary K. Duncan and Semore Davis were recommended as suitable persons for appointment by the governor as justices of peace.

     Prairie.---August 17,1848;  petition not found;  commencing at the northwest corner of section four, township forty-nine, range three west, running thence south on the county line four miles to the southwest corner of section twenty-one, township forty-nine, range three west, thence east on the Warren county line four miles to the southwest corner of section nineteen, township forty-nine, range two west, thence south on said Warren county line four miles to the southwest corner of section seven, township forty-eight, range two west, thence north eleven miles to northeast corner of section twenty-one, township fifty, range two west to Waverly township line, thence west on the Waverly township line three miles, to the Montgomery county line at the northwest corner of section nineteen, township fifty, range two west, thence south on said Montgomery county line three miles to the southwest corner of section thirty-one township fifty, range two west, thence west on said Montgomery county line four miles to place of beginning.  The elections were to be held at the house of Thomas Gammon, and Robert B. Allen. Isaac Cannon and Malen Spyres were named the judges of election.

     Millwood.---May 31,1856, on petition of Henry T. Mudd, Richard Wommack, Hilary P. Mudd, George I. Dyer, James S. Wilson, William C.

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Sands, Horatio C. Clare and eighty-four others;  commencing at the northeast corner of township fifty, range two west, and running west to the northeast corner of section six, thence south to the southeast corner of section eighteen, township fifty, range two west, thence west to the county line, thence south to the southwest corner of section twenty-eight, township fifty, range three west, thence east to the southeast corner of section twenty-five, thence south to the township line dividing forty-nine and fifty, thence east with said township line until it reaches the north fork of Cuivre river and running up said Cuivre river and making it the boundary until it reaches the east line of section one, township fifty, range two west, thence north to the place of beginning.  The town of Millwood was named as the voting place.

     Nineveh.---August 12,1872, on petition of William W. Shaw, Owen C. Robinson, Joseph L. Duncan, JamesC. Ellmore, John C. Wells, John C. Williams and forty-four others;  beginning at the northwest corner of section thirty-three, township fifty, range three west, thence north on the county line to the northwest corner of section four, township fifty, range three west, thence east on the township line of fifty and fifty-one to the northeast corner of section six, township fifty, range two west, thence south to the middle of the channel of West Cuivre river in section seven, township forty-nine, range two west, thence up the main channel of said river to the north line of section thirty-three, township fifty, range three west, thence west to place of beginning.  The town of Nineveh (since Olney) was made the place of holding elections.

     Burr Oak.---May 11,1875, on petition of David Allen, Henry H. Morris, Charles L. Alloway, Henry L. Luck and one hundred and thirty-five others;  beginning on the range line of one and two east at the centre line of section seven, township fifty, range two east, thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section seven, township forty-nine, range two east, thence east to the west line of survey No. 736, thence north on said line to the south line of survey No. 1789, thence easterly on said line and section line to the range line of two and three east, thence east on the line of sections one and twelve and the line of Duey and Dalton to the east line of Lincoln county in the Mississippi river, thence up said river to the north line of survey No. 1678, thence west on said line to the east line of survey No. 1724, thence north on said line to the line between Reid and Withington, thence west on their lines to the west line of said survey, thence north on said west line to the centre line of section nine, township fifty, range two east, thence west to place of beginning.  The village of Burr Oak was designated as the place of holding elections.

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    Snow Hill---May 11,1875, on petition of Joel B. Cunningham, William J. Dryden and others; beginning on fifth principal meridian at the centre of section eighteen.  (This is a faulty description; the centre of section eighteen is distant half a mile from the fifth principal meridian.  Instead of “at the centre of section eighteen,” it should read “at the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section eighteen,) township fifty, range one east, thence east to the west line of survey No. 1680, thence on the west and south line of said survey to the centre line of section seventeen, township fifty, range one east, thence east to the range line of one and two east, thence south on said line to the centre line of section thirteen, township forty-nine, range one east, thence west to Cuivre river, at the centre line of section eighteen, township forty-nine, range one east, thence up Cuivre river to the fifth principal meridian, thence up said meridian to place of beginning.”  The village of Dryden was named as the place of voting.

     With a slight change made in the boundary line of the county as affecting Prairie township, the above-mentioned orders of the court give the dimensions of the eleven municipal townships as they now appear on the map.

     From the assessment list of 1821, the earliest one preserved among the records, it is found that the following were then resident tax-payers.  This is almost a complete list of the early pioneers.  As far as descriptions of land set opposite to their names indicated, they are classified according to location in each of the then four municipal townships.  In Bedford were:  John Armstrong, Thomas Armstrong, Seth Allen, Frederick Avery, Jeremiah Beck, John Bell, John Barker, Wilson Barker, William Brown, senior and junior, John Black, Emanuel Block, Gabriel Brown, Levi Brown, Benjamin Blanton, Thompson Blanton, David Boyd, John Brunk, John Cannon, Lambert Collier, James Collard, Elijah Collard, Christopher Clark, William Cannon, James Chambers, Joseph Cottle, Sherman Cottle, Stephen Cottle, Lee F.T. Cottle, Benjamin Cottle, Isaac Cottle, Andrew Cottle, Samuel Cannon, Benjamin Croce, James Duncan, Cary K. Duncan, Wm. S. Duncan, John S. Duncan, Samuel L. Davis, David Erwin, Terah B. Farnsworth, Rufus Fullerton, John Geiger, Jeremiah Groshong, Samuel Groshong, Jacob Groshong, Thomas Gammon, George Guinn, Thomas A. Guinn, William Guinn, Malcolm Henry, Senior and Junior, John Hunter, Joseph Hunter, Horace Harding,

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Alphabetical Index
 

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File submitted for USGenWeb/MOGenWeb Lincoln County Missouri History Page by Patty Archer, 13 December 2001.  Link change or update: 19 Jan 2002

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