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History of Ray County, Missouri.

TOPOGRAPHY.

Boundary, Geographical Position, and Physical Features.-Ray county, Missouri, is situated in the northwestern part of the state, and is bounded as follows:

North by Caldwell county; east by Carroll county; south by the Missouri river, separating it from Lafayette and Jackson counties, and west by Clay and Clinton counties.

Richmond, the county seat of Ray county, is in longitude seventeen degrees west from Washington, ninety-four degrees west from Greenwich, and the northern part of the county is crossed by parallel thirty-nine degrees, thirty minutes of north latitude. It embraces all that portion of Missouri lying between the range line separating ranges twenty-five and twenty-six, and the range line separating ranges twenty-nine and thirty, west of the fifth principal meridian, and extending from the township line between townships fifty-four and fifty-five, north, southward to the middle of the main channel of the Missouri river.

The townships bordering on the Missouri river are numbered fifty and fifty-one, and are fractional.

The above limits, greatly less than the original, are the result of repeated formations of new counties from the territory allotted to Ray by the act establishing it as a county, and include a superficial area of 561.64 square miles, or 359,449.6 acres.

The twelve congressional townships north of the line between townships fifty-one and fifty-two are integral, and therefore, aggregate four hundred and thirty-two square miles; those south of that line extending to the Missouri river, are fractional, as above stated, and contain, in all, 129.64 square miles.

Ray county is twenty-four miles in width. The issouri river, as it passes the southern border of the county, is quite sinuous, thereby making the distance from its northern to its southern line irregular. The greatest length of the county, north and south, is twenty-six and one-half miles from the point where the section line between sections seventeen and eighteen, township fifty, of range twenty-eight, touches the issouri river-due northward.

The longest straight line that may be drawn within the limits of Ray county, would extend from the northwest corner of section six, township

fifty-four, range twenty-nine, to the southeast corner of fractional section twenty-four, township fifty-one, range twenty-six.

Ray county is most happily situated in the heart of the most beautiful and productive agricultural and mineral region of northwest Missouri. Kansas City is distant but forty-four miles from its county seat; St. Joseph sixty-seven miles, and St. Louis, the metropolis of the Mississippi valley, is only two hundred and thirty-seven miles to the southeastward.

Natural and artificial lines of transportation are ample and convenient, and the great western and southern markets are easily and cheaply accessible at all seasons of the year. The citizens of Ray have reason, therefore, to rejoice at the fortunate position of their county; and her inexhaustible natural resources, coupled with the thrift, industry and enterprise of her people, justify the hope that she will ever retain the rank she now deservedly holds, as one of the very first counties of Missouri.

The southern border of the county is laved by the waters of the great Missouri-reckoning from its source to the gulf, as is proper, the longest river in the world-and while one might reasonably suppose that the low lands bordering on so turbid and sluggish a stream are marshy, subject to frequent inundation, and therefore well-nigh valueless, such is-in Ray county at least-far from the case. These bottoms are highly cultivable, and the soil is deep, fertile and enduring.

Stretching across the southern part of the county-save at one or two places where bluffs intervene at ar average width of about five miles, and at from fifteen to thirty feet above the average water mark, they have good, natural drainage, and are, at almost all times, most admirably adapted to the purposes of husbandry.

These low lands were overflowed in June, 1827; again in June, 1844, and again in April, of the present year, 1881; but they are now -Maybeing prepared for the ensuing crop. It will be observed that the intervals between overflows are so exceedingly long as to scarcely interfere with the cultivation of the bottoms; and their generous soil seldom fails to yield the industrious husbandman a bountiful harvest.

In the rear, and on the east and west sides of Camden, an old riparian hamlet, in sections twenty-six and twenty-seven, township fifty-one, range twenty-eight, the "bluffs" rise to a considerable hight, and present a scene picturesque and beautiful -especially in the spring-time, when the trees that crown their summits, are freighted with exuberant foliage.

The face of the county is beautifully, as well as conveniently diversified with prairie land, woodland, groves, valleys and arable hills or knolls. The last mentioned, however, in many places are covered with timber. The irregular surface configuration is an advantage to husbandry, making

the land self-draining, while, from its peculiar nature, it is capable of reaining moisture during a protracted drought.

Looking from the summit of a towering hill in the suburbs of Richmond, the extensive and variegated landscape, stretching away to the north and northeastward, dotted here and there with attractive farm-houses, is an exceedingly agreeable sight. Far in the distance, “timber ridge" appears looming above the intervening hills, and presenting an even, unbroken range that charms the beholder.

In many localities, more particularly on the water courses, the forests are dense, and the timber, in abundant variety, is very fine. Oak, elm, ash, hickory, pecan, blackwalnut, sugar maple, white maple, linden, cottonwood and other kinds are found.

Abundant and excellent building material occurs throughout the county, though, as yet, it has not been extensively utilized. In various parts of the county there are beds of limestone from which rock of almost any desired size, both durable and agreeable in appearance, might be obtained. Ash-blue hydraulic limestone is found two miles northeast of Richmond, and similar rock exists at most of the coal banks near Richmond and Camden. A strip of limestone country some five miles in width, and about eight miles in length, extends through Grape Grove township, in the vicinity of Tinney's Grove. On David Teagarden's land in the northwest part of township fifty-three, range twenty-eight, is a limestone quarry. The rock is excellent for building purposes, and when first taken from the quarry is easily worked, but becomes hard on exposure to the air. *

Free-stone is also found in the bluffs along the streams.

The coal mines of the county are extensive, and worked with great profit; but we dismiss them here, with cursory notice, for a fuller description further on.

On section nine, township fifty-four, range twenty-six, there is every indication of lead; indeed a considerable quantity of very rich ore has been taken out. The hill in which the ore is found is about three hundred feet high. There have also been found in this section, some fair specimens of silver and copper ore; likewise in section twenty-seven, township fiftythree, range twenty-eight.

*The following is MAHON's definition of limes: "Common or air-lime will air-slake, or slake by having water poured over it, and will only harden in the air. Hydraulic lime slakes thoroughly like common lime, when deprived of its carbonic acid, and does not harden promptly under water. Hydraulic cement does not slake, and usually quickly hardens under water. Fat limes give a paste which is unctuous to the sight and touch'; meagre limes yield a thin paste. Common limes are fat; hydraulic limes are meagre; but all meagre limes are not hydraulic.

"The limestones which yield hydraulic limes and cements, are either argillaceous or magnesian, or argillo-magnesian. The hydraulic energy differs according to the proportion of lime and clay in their composition. It is necessary that a certain proportion of clay should enter into the composition of the limestone. These rocks are generally some shade of drab, or gray, or of dark grayish-blue; compact-texture, fracture, even or conchoidal, with a clayey or earthy smell and taste."

In township fifty-two, range twenty-nine, are indications of oil; the first, second and third sand formations existing the same as in the famous oil regions of Pennsylvania. This locality has been prospected, and the indications examined by experts, who are confident that, at a depth of from seven hundred and forty to eight hundred feet oil will be found. About fifteen years ago, a Mrs. Overman, residing on section thirty-four, township fifty-two, range twenty-nine, sunk a shaft to the depth of eight hundred feet; but owing to some defect in the boring, water could not be kept out, and the undertaking was not rewarded with success. Samples of the drillings, however, were examined by experts' and declared to be the same as found in all the oil districts of the country.

Near the mouth of Rocky fork of Crooked river, there are similar genuine indications of oil. A petroleum company was organized some years ago for prospecting in that locality, and made several borings, but for want of sufficient capital the enterprise proved a failure. At different places, where the stream flows over the land of White, Long and Adkins, oil is actually seen on the surface of the water.

Ray county is well watered, being traversed by numerous small streams, affording sufficient perennial supply of good fresh water for stock and other purposes agriculture and industry.

The following are the principal streams: Crooked river and its tributaries, East, Middle and West Fork, flowing across the county from northwest to southeast, drain the entire central portion; Wakanda, South Wakanda and Cottonwood creek,the northeastern portion; Fishing river, Keeny and Rollins creeks, the southwestern, and Willow creek the southcentral portion. The course of all these streams, except Cottonwood creek, is southeasterly.

The Mirsouri bottoms and prairies constitute probably one half of the county. The rest consists of small, fertile valleys, low hills, woodland and bluffs the last named being confined to the Missouri river, except at a few points along the banks of streams in the interior [of the county. We have thus given a brief topographical outline of the county whose history these pages are intended to recite.

No effort will be made at rhetorical adornment, but we shall endeavor to write plainly, and correctly and truthfully, in language to be appreciated by the people.

THE PIONEER.

When the first settlements within what are now the limits of Ray county were made, the country was almost wild. Nature was unsubdued. The prairies were covered with rank grass. The Indian's bark canoe. floated on the streams, and the jackal's wail on the midnight air. Wild

honey was in the hollows of trees, and a man's life in the hollow of his hand. In spring-time, when nature donned her emerald robe, the air was freighted with the breath of flowers; feathered warblers thronged the wildwood, and the shadowy dale was resonant with the voice of song. Birds of plumage were there, but so were birds and beasts of prey the latter sleeping in the day, but prowling in the night. It is ever thus: the enemies of innocence and beauty lurk secluded till opportunity offers to steal a blow. The primeval forests, as yet scarcely scathed by the hand of husbandry, were inhabited by ferocious, as well as by a great variety of harmless wild animals, including almost every species of American game. The panther, bear, jackal, lynx, wildcat, catamount, wolf and fox were among the destructive denizens of the tangled wildwood. Myriads of wild turkeys flocked in the groves and ravaged the little corn-fields. The streams were full of fishes. Bison browsed on the prairie, and elk and deer were abroad in the forest. Hunting, trapping, and the gathering of wild honey were the most profitable employments. The skins of wild animals afforded raiment for the body-their flesh, food. Indeed, the pioneer lived largely on the fruits of the chase. Hunting was at once a pleasant and profitable pastime. People living from fifteen to forty miles apart were considered near neighbors, and numbers of them would often assemble, especially in the autumn, to

"Drive the fleet deer the forest through,

And homeward wend with evening dew."

On these occasions everybody was gleeful; the very dogs were blithesome, and leaped for joy; the prancing horse, with beaming eye and distended nostril, seemed eager for the fun. Peace prevailed and good fellowship reigned supreme. As the cold, gray dawn of a November morning flooded the frost-crowned trees, with a sea of silver the merry hunter would

"Sound! Sound the horn! To the hunter good
What's the gully deep, or the roaring flood?
Right over he bounds, as the wild deer bounds,
At the heels of his swift, sure, silent hounds.

Oh, what delights can a mortal lack,

When he once is firm on his horse's back,

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But the sound of the hunter's horn is no longer heard in the land. Where it once reverberated the iron horse rends the air from his lungs of fire; and the zephyr's wing wafts the din of industry over the felled forest, where the jackal screamed and the night-bird piped his plaintive strain.

For several years after the first settlement within the present bounda

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