Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-08-25
MEXICO IN IT'S GHILDHOOD.
A Pioneer Tells Several Incidents OF
an Interesting Charaeter-JOhn
B. Henderson's Treachery
to JEFF Jones.

Capt. Silas L. Hickerson, one O
the pioneer citizens of Mexico, callet
on the LEDGER to-day and recountet
many "reminiscences of the early
days of this progressive city. Capt
Hickerson for several years past ha'
been conducting a hotel at Eureks
Springs, Ark, but recently sold ou
his business there and he and Mrs
Hickerson are now visiting with ole
friends in Galloway. During the
war the Captain was astrong South
ern sympathizer and shouldered arms
for the 'slost cause" !" and we believe
his admiration for the South is as
great now as it was then. Capt
Hickerson was in Col. Joseph G.
Porter's command, and when Col.
Porter was in this vicinity the Capt
interceded in behalf of Mexico and
persuaded Porter not to make an at.
tack upon the town. Porter and his
command came as near to Mexico
as the bridge over the stream near
the old Kirtiey place, just west of the
city. Hickerson had many friends
in town whom he knew would suffer
if the attack was made upon the
Federal soldiers garrisoned here
and after great deal of persuasion
upon the part of the Captain his SUI
perior officer acceded to his request.
In the early history of Mexico
Capt. Hickerson kept a hotel on the
north side of the Public Square.
The building was a two-story frame
and stood about where the Kennan
business house is located. When
the war came on and while Kicker.
son was in the army the Federal
soldiers under conGmand of Gen.
Schofeld took possession of the hotel
building and when they evacuated
it set it on fire and it was destroyed.
Byron s. Hite, who was burned
to death by gasoline explosion al
Kansas City few days ago, was a
brother-in-law to Capt. Hickerson,
and they were in the service together,
Hite being lieutenant in Nat.
Craig's company, of Galloway
Those who knew Hite will remembe,
the ugly scars he bore on his face
and forehead. These were received
by him in 1868 at Colley Hollow,
Pulaski county, Mo. In hot fight
there Hite was captured by the Fed
erals, who placed him on a stump
and fired a dozen or more volleys al
him. Hite's arm was broken in
two places by bullets and several
musket balls struck him in the
face, grazing his forehead and
nose. He fell apparently dead and
a soldier was about to run a bayo.
net through his prostrate body wher
the officer in command made the
private desist. After some hours
Hite was taken to house near by
where he was sheltered until his re-
covery, when he again joined his
command. Capt. Hickerson and Mr.
Hite married sisters, the Misses AL
len, of Galloway county.
Capt. Hickerson was an admirel
of the late lamented Col. jeff Jones
of Galloway, but thinks Col. Jones
did an unwise and unthoughtful aci
when he made the compromise with
Gen. Jno. B. Henderson, whereby
there were to be no hostilities be
tween the companies of the two
men. Capt. Hickerson thinks Col
Jones ought to have cleaned Hender
son out. Col. Jones was afterwart
taken a prisoner by Gen. Henderson
and incarcerated in the old Mcdowell
College prison at Eighth and Cratic
streets, st. Louis, but was finally re
leased under heavy bond, which cir
cumstance all the older citizens o
Audrain and Galloway well re
member.