Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-03-13
INTERESTING COMPILATION OF
EVENTS THAT MARK THE
STATES SETTLEMENT.
EARLYEPOCES IN MISSOURI HISTORY
Do You Know Where and Under
What Circumstances sas saTss
Fort Was Erected; the
First Man to Ascend
the Missouri


Do you know that at one time Ms
souri, suffered from as great a disturb
ance by earthquake as eyer did any Of
the oriental Countries Do you know Of
the man for whom Pike county and
Pixies Peak were named? Do you know
where and under what circumstances
the first fort in the State was erected
Do you know whether the first mar to.
ascend the Missouri was a Frenchman,
Boer, Malay, Hottentot.or just a plain
Spanish private? If you can answer all
the above off-hand you don't need to
read this, but If you don't it may save
you serious embarrassment some time
to freShen up a bit on the facts here
outlined:
The first permanent settlement in
Central Missouri was made in Howard
county, opposite BoOnyille on the Mis-
souri, river, in the spring of 1905, by a
colony Of Kentuckiansfrom the famous
blue grass region, SO in number, and
headed by Capt, Benz. Cooper. They
came up the divide between the
Missouri and Mississippi rivers on
what was afterwards known as the
"BoonSlick road"-the section Of the
country in which they settled being
known as the "Boonsliek country"
The question is often asked why the
north side Of the river was settled
first? Our Missouri school history
throws 20 light whatever on this
point; does not even refer to this most
important and interesting fact and
incident in the early history of the
State. But Col. W. +. Switzler, in his
elaborate and reliable history Of Mis-
souri,. says: "The reason the north
side was settled many years before
there were any occupants Of the ter
ritory on the south side is readily I'M
derstood by those familiar with the
topography Of the State, there are sew
eral large streams, such as the Usage
and the GascOnade, flowing into the
Missouri river from the south side
there are none Of any considerable
size on the north side. The early
pioneers Travelled with their wagons.
horses, cattle, sheep and hogs along
the public highways, and having nc
means Of crossing these tributary
streams, which we're too vide and too
deep 10 be foTded, they were com.
PEELED to follow up the divide on the
north side. There is no better section
OF the State, however, than that In
which these early pioneers settled"
THE FIRsT FORT.
Where the town Of sibley, in Jack.
son county is situated. at the ~csossing
o. the santa Fe railway over the Mis-
souri, river, was located the earlies
fort ia the west. This fort, hrs
called Fort Clark, after the eelebrat
ed explorer, was established in 1905.
but the name was afterward changed
70 Fort Usage. 1t was the trading
post Of the Kansas Indians and othel
tribes west Of the Kaw river, as vel
as for those in Missouri, and was thu
Quitting post for the western hunter
and trappers bound for the Rock
Mountains and Mexico. At one tim
a government factory was establishes
under the supervision Of Gen. Georg
.lC. Slbley, from whom the present
beautiful and hourishing village tool
its name.
4 TERRIBLE CONFUSION.
The most terrible CONFUSION 0
nature that ever occurred In tn
Western Hemisphere, OF which hist0r
gives any account, took place in South
east Missouri on the night Of Dec. Il
1871, and is known as the "NeV
Madrid earthquake" II not onl
affected New Madrid county, althougI
that was the center Of the disturb
aDce, but all Of Southeast Missouri
The earth opened in great fssure
from which were thrown streams G
muddy water with some foreign sui
stance. Trees sank out Of sight an
lakes appeared where before wer
fertile fields. Near what is now Unto
lefty, Tenn, is Reelfoot Lake, large
and deeper than Gsllilee, that wa
formed by the earthquake. II
about 10 miles from Union Cit
which is located at the crossing OF th
railroad from Nashville to HickamI
KY, and the railroad from Mobile
Cairo. Southeast Missouri yet beal
most striking evidences Of ~thatappal
ing calamity, and much Of It's surfac
is now covered with large swamps.
COUNT DE FoETKNAc.
The first white man to ascend th
Missouri river, Of which there
either record OF legend, was Count q
Fontenac, a Spanish explorer. Il
came up the river In a canoe as far :
the mouth Of the Kaw, but left I
written account Of his expedition.
!. In 1882 NJ. Burgomont, a FTenc
oficer, came up the Missouri river an
. established a fort near the mouth
the Usage, called Fort Orleans. II
exact location Of this old fort is no
unknown, but It is supposed 10 has
been about five miles above Miami,
Saline county, where the ruins Of a
old fort are yet to be seen. In IS
5 LEWIS and Clark assembled the Nilsson
. river on their memorable expedite
10 the Pacific ocean, crossing q
Rocky Mountains, and %wintering du
ing the years Of 1866 at the mouS
lof the Columbia river. They returne
TO ST. Louis in September, 1906
that year Gen. Zebulon Pike, a di
tinguished army ofieer and explore
left st. Louis and made the ascent
the "Big Muddy 10 the mouth Of Il
! Usage by canoe, and then went up q
Usage 10 about where TappinFille,
Bates cuunty, is now situated. Fro
that point be marched over U
prairies OF Kansas and COloradI
Originally laid down on the maps
{ the tsGreat American Desert, unit
[ be came b the foot Of the Rockies
Pixies Peak, which vas named f
lhim. He returned to st. Louis q
following year. In 1919 he publishe
an account OF his expeditions; beeam
a Major General In 1918 and commanl
ed an expedition against York tno
lTOr0ntol Canada, and In the aSSan.
was killed April q, 1915. The coul
ties q Pike In Missouri and lllin0
are named for HIM. Bancroft, In h
HISTORY Of the United States, an
Thos. H. Benton, Ia bis celebrate
Oregon speech IN the United stat.