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Source: History of Northeast Missouri,
Edited by Walter Williams, Published by The Lewis Publishing Company,
Chicago Illinois 1913
Monroe County Article written by Thomas V. Bodine, Paris |
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The history of the county centers around its agricultural development and its military and political activities. As early as 1832, on the outbreak of the Black Hawk war. Major Thomas W. Conyers, a Monroe countian, commanded two companies, one under Captain Jamison from Callaway and the other under Captain David H. Hickman of Boone, which occupied Fort Pike for thirty days. The strain was built for war and when the war with Mexico came on sent a company under Captain Giddings to Santa Fe, the command marching every foot of the way. This company afterwards elected T. H. McKamey captain and saw valiant service, not, however being in the march to Mexico. It returned home following the war and the trenches for the big barbecue given across the river from Paris in its honor are still partly preserved. With the piping days of peace an adventurous spirit, which was a distinguishing mark of the race, led the younger men by scores in caravans across plains and deserts to the California gold fields. Some perished on the way in battle with Indians. others returned empty-handed, and yet others remained and became rich, the names of Glenn, Biggs and others becoming a part of the history of the golden state. Perhaps Monroe county is famous for nothing so much as the men of note it has furnished the states to the southwest and west and also to the northwest —governors, congressmen, judges and business men. Hugh Glenn, owner of the Willows wheat ranch in Tulare county, California, and at one time grain king of the world, was from Monroe county as was also his slayer, Hurem Miller, the story being one which mocks manufactured romance but not within the province of historical narrative. The Civil war followed in ten years and the inborn soldier bent of the people of this county showed itself. It sent twelve hundred men into the Confederate army to fight under Price, Cockrell and Bledsoe, and almost half as many into the Union army. It was known as ‘‘Little North Carolina,’’ and for thirty years after the war ‘‘the brigadiers," as the old Confederate organization was known, dominated the political and business activities of the county. It elected Frank L. Pitts, hero at Franklin state treasurer, and elevated Theodore Brace to the supreme bench. Only in the late nineties did it give way to the younger crowd and even after that was a. power. In politics besides these Monroe has furnished the state two speakers of the house, T. P. Bashaw in 1880 and James H. Whitecotton in 1902, and two congressmen from the Second district--- A. M. Alexander in 1886, and R. N. Bodine in 1896. Governor Shortridge of South Dakota—1896—was a Monroe countian as Supreme Judge Reavis of Washington, Attorney-General Ford of California, and Superior Judge Eugene Bridgford of the same state. Others of minor note by the score might be named, it being the pride of the strain to have itself elected to office wherever it goes. Polities has been its specialty since war has passed. Besides Hugh Glenn Monroe has furnished the country another of its big business figures—Dr. W. S. Woods, of Kansas City, who, while born in Boone, began his career in Monroe, marrying Miss Bina McBride of Paris, and claims it at his home. To the banking world, it has given also J. Fletcher Farrell, vice-president of the Fort Dearborn National Bank at Chicago, and vice-president of the American Bankers’ Association. The county is provincial only about its horses and its people. |
