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South Fork Township

This township was organized in 1834 and occupies about 72 square miles in the south-eastern portion of the county. It is watered by the South fork of Salt river, Long Branch and their tributaries. Much of the land is favorably located for farming purposes and, in fact, portions of the township are very productive, growing large crops of wheat and corn. There is an abundance of timber of the best quality, and the very best of building stone. Among the large farmers of this township are William Hanna, Jr., J. R. Smiley, James W. Trimble, James B. Davis, John Davis, Charles Davis, John W. Hizer, W. C. Bates, Benjamin Coward, E. W. Smith, John Dashner and C. P. McCarty. The early settlers of the township were generally from Kentucky and Virginia and were an intelligent and thrifty class of people. The various religious denominations are well represented, each having neat and substantial houses of worship. Religious services and Sunday schools are regularly held in all the churches and are largely attended. The public schools of the township are numerous and are liberally patronized and generally well furnished with all the appliances necessary to successful teaching. Besides the public schools, additional facilities for instruction are furnished by the Prairie High School which is located at Strother, and of which we shall say more hereafter.

Pleasant Hill cemetery, in this county, is the largest burying ground in Monroe county except the one at Paris. It takes its name-Pleasant Hill--from the church of that name, which was located there by the Old School Presbyterians at an early day, and which is now a large and influential religious body. The cemetery is well preserved and the great number of tombstones and monuments, though neither very costly nor magnificent, testify to the respect entertained by the living for their loved ones, some of whom have been resting here for nearly half a century.

"The breezy call of incense-breathing morn,

The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed,

The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,

No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed. "

PIONEERS.

Among the pioneers who settled in South Fork township we record the names of the following: Lewis Crigler, Lovick Crigler, Capt. Frank Davis, Theodore Price, Dr. John Bybee, Lary Boggs, William Blankenbaker, Powell Snyder, Henry Tanner, William Hanna, John Hanna, James Hanna, David Hanna, Joseph Hizer and Esom Hanna.

SANTA FE.

The original proprietor of the old town of Santa Fe was Dr. John S. Bybee, a Kentuckian, who entered and purchased several hundred acres of land in that vicinity. The town was laid out in 1837 and was named after Santa Fe, New Mexico. The first business house in the town, was opened by Henry Canote in 1837. This was what was at that time called a grocery, but would be classed to-day as a saloon, as whisky was the chief article of trade. Clemens and Hall started the first general store. Thomas Mosely, who is still living, was the first blacksmith in the town, beginning work soon after the place was laid out. Dr. D. L. Davis was the first physician. Alvin Cauthorn was the first tailor. The first church (now M. E. Church South) was built by the Methodists prior to 1840.

The first mill in this vicinity was erected about the year 1838 by Bybee and Canote, on the South fork of Salt river, about three miles north of Santa Fe. The town having been started 47 years ago, now looks old and weatherbeaten. It is, however, a good business point, and is surrounded by a good farming country. The inhabitants are genial and hospitable, the majority of them being descendants of Virginians and Kentuckians. The town contains 2 churches, Methodist and Christian, and a school-house; 2 secret orders; 2 general stores; 2 drug stores; 1 hardware store; I shoemaker shop; 2 blacksmith shops; 1 saw and grist mill; 2 physicians and a justice of the peace.

SECRET ORDERS.

Santa Fe Lodge, No. 315, I. 0. O. F. -Was instituted March 25, 1874, by A. M. Alexander, Grand Master, officiating. The charter members .were P. A. Cook. Philip Quisenbury, W. C. Bates, Dr. John S. Drake, T. J. Armstrong, D. Sheckles, H. P. Miller and J. R. Smiley. The present officers are Philip Quisenbury, N. G.; C. W. Tanner, V. G.; Lewis Fleming, R. S.; George W. Kerr, treasurer; Philip Quisenbury, L. D. Santa Fe Lodge, No. 462, A. F. and A. M. -Was set to work under a dispensation from Samuel Owens, Grand Master, in April 1873, by Col. Theo. Brace, Past Master. On the 16th day of October, 1873, the Grand Lodge issued a charter with Dr. J. S. Drake, W. M., Dr. W. R. Rodes, S. W. and Jas. B. Davis, J. W. The Hall was dedicated and the officers publicly installed by Deputy District Master L. R. Downing, in November, 1873. The charter members were J. W. Bates, Jas. Bledsoe, Jas. Bridgeford, J. S. Drake, Geo. W. Edmonston, W. S. Forsyth, Jas. Mc-Cutchan, A. H. Moore, Isaac Hanna, Irvin Powell, W. R. Rodes, Urid Rouse, J. M. Travis and G. A. Wilson. The present officers are Dr. John S. Drake, W. M .; C. C. Davis, S. W.; Geo. D. Massy, J. W.; J. P. Brownlie, secretary; Jas. B. Davis, treasurer; G. W. Stuart, S. D.; D. Mcllhany, J. D; L. A. Creigh, tyler. The membership is 24 and the night of meeting is the Saturday before the full moon. The lodge is out of debt and own the hall and is in good working condition.

STROTHER.

This is the name of a recently established post-office in South Fork township, which takes its name from Prof. French Strother, who has resided there for seven years. There are three or four families and one general store in town, kept by Rev. Joseph Rowe. The country surrounding the place is a high and healthful prairie and is one of the most productive and beautiful farming regions in Monroe county. Strother is chiefly known as the seat of Strother Institute, which has for many years been a prominent institution of learning. It was formerly known as Prairie High school. At a very early day, Capt. John Forsyth, Jacob Cox, Joseph E. Sprow], Wm. Vaughan, Hiram Powell, Willis Bledsoe and Wm. T. Bridgeford determined to establish a school of higher grade than the ordinary district schools of the country. They accordingly employed John N. Lyle, a graduate of Marietta College, Ohio. After teaching acceptably for some time he returned to his Alma Mater to complete his education. He is now the distinguished Professor of Natural Science at Westminster College, which position he has held for years. The next teacher employed was Robert N. Baker, a graduate of Westminster College. He is a prominent physician and lives at Millersburg, Callaway county. William C. Foreman, a graduate of Princeton, N. J., was the next teacher. He is now a prominent lawyer of San Antonio, Texas. The next incumbent was James G. Bailey, a graduate of Westminster, now deceased. The next was an Indiana gentleman, by the name of Hastings, who was afterwards a Captain in the Confederate army. He is now dead, having lost his health in the army. Dr. Thomas Gallaher, a distinguished writer and minister of the " Old School Presbyterian Church," was the next teacher. These gentlemen all taught before the war. During the war the school was small and the term short. Among those who had the charge of it might be named Miss Bennett, Miss Annie Vaughan and some others whose names are forgotten.

After the war, among the most prominent teachers who have had charge of the school may be mentioned Prof. Henry Vaughan, now of St. Louis University; Prof. Jesse Lewis, of the Holliday public school, and the county school commissioner of Monroe county, and Prof. J. Iglehart, now of Columbia public schools. At a public gathering in the neighborhood in 1879, where many persons from a large section of the country had congregated, and at which some distinguished teachers and former pupils were present to enjoy a rich repast furnished by the friends of education, Prof. Lyle in complimenting some of the old citizens of the neighborhood, said he had known many strong supporters of education, but that Capt. John Forsyth was the best friend and supporter of education he had ever known. It is proper that a short sketch of the life of Capt. John Forsyth should be embodied in the history of this school. He was connected with it from its establishment in 1854 till 1861, the beginning of the war. He was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, March 10, 1798, came to Missouri about the year 1837, was married November 24, 1842, to Miss Isabella A. Berry, who was a hearty coworker and sympathizer with him in all his enterprises concerning schools and churches. The cause of education was one very dear to him. He devoted his time and means without stint in the employment of first-class teachers and in the erection of suitable buildings for the accommodation of pupils. His house was the home of the teachers and many of the boarding pupils. His interest and liberality were not confined to this school alone. He took a scholarship in Westminster College, and in this way assisted several young men to obtain an education. He was a constituent member of New Hope (Presbyterian) Church, and assisted with both his time and money in the erection of the church edifice. Of this church he was a ruling elder, and held that position until the time of his death, which occurred July 22, 1870. Capt. Forsyth was universally esteemed as an upright, kind-hearted neighbor, friend and Christian gentleman, and in his death the community, as well as his family, suffered an almost irreparable loss.

In his catalogue for 1885, Prof. Strother says: Our effort will be to conduct our school so that both mind and heart of pupils will be cultivated and developed for good; knowing, as we do, that knowledge is as great a power for evil as for good. The years are past when any ambition was felt to establish large and popular schools, and as our sun of life has reached its zenith amid prosperity and adversity, pleasure and pain, sunlight and shadow, bright anticipations and sad bereavements, our hearts' desire is to be more and more the means of doing the Master's work, and leading the youth intrusted to us in right paths. Therefore, only a limited number of pupils will be received. Special attention will be given to spelling, reading, writing and other elementary branches. Without a well-laid foundation, pupils will find it difficult to maintain a good standing in advanced classes. As many pupils never complete branches higher than those included in grammar schools, and as these enter very largely into the practical business of every-day life, a careful drill will be given in each study. Young teachers who are not satisfied with their attainments and are ambitious to teach schools of higher grade will do well to attend this department. Pupils well trained in these studies will not find those of the Collegiate Department difficult. The Collegiate Department embraces classes in physiology, botany, zoology, astronomy, geometry, algebra, conic sections, trigonometry, surveying, natural philosophy, moral philosophy, mental philosophy, chemistry, physical geography, book-keeping, Latin and Greek. The department of music is under the control of Mrs. Strother, an accomplished music teacher and composer, as are also the composition and elocution classes. Many of her pupils can testify to her success, both in theory and practice.

Teachers of Strother Institute: French Strother, principal; French Wood, assistant; Mrs. S. A. Strother, principal of musical department; Mrs. Bertha Baker, assistant.

LONG BRANCH POST OFFICE.

This is a small point containing the post-office and a store kept by Browning Bros.