Kearney Township

Kearney Township was organized June 4, 1872, with the following boundaries: Beginning on the line between Clinton and Clay Counties, at the northeast corner of section 36, township 54, range 31, thence along the county line to the half section line running north and south through section 35, township 54, range 32, thence due south to the township line dividing townships 52 and 53, thence east one mile and a half to the southeast comer of section 36, township 53, range 32, thence south one mile, thence east one mile, thence south one mile, thence east to the range line between ranges 30 and 31, thence north along the range line to the beginning.

Anthony Harsell was appointed by the county court the first justice of the peace pro tern. The township was named for the town of Kearney. The general surface of the township partakes of the character of that of the county and is rolling and broken, but some of the most valuable farms of the county are situated herein. The northern portion of the township, at least the northeastern, was heavily timbered. This is true of much of the eastern portion, along Clear creek. Clearings were made and land reclaimed from the wilderness.

Settlements were made in this township at a very early day. In the northwestern part of the township, two miles south of Camp branch (east half section 23, township 53, range 32), Anthony Harsell settled in the fall of 1827. A mile and a half northeast of Harsell, William Livingston had come in 1825; James McCown settled one mile north of Harsell in 1826; Hezekiah Riley and James Marsh settled east of Harsell in 1827, the latter in the spring and the former in the fall. In the spring of the same year Edward Clark located one mile south.

For some years after the township was first settled bears and panthers were unpleasantly numerous. As late as the winter of 1836 a large bear was killed on Camp branch, two miles north of Harsell's spring.

Over on Camp creek, on one occasion, John McCown, Jr., killed a large panther which his dog had attacked and was being worsted in the encounter.

Among the tragedies of the Civil War, not especially mentioned elsewhere, may be mentioned the murder of two citizens of this township, David L. Ferrill and Dr. John Norris. They were Confederate sympathizers and their murder was accomplished by some of Colonel Catherwood's regiment the Sixth Missouri State Militia. Ferrill was an old and well respected citizen of the township. His sons were in the Confederate army and his grandson, Red. Munkers, was a bushwhacker, but Ferrill himself was an old man about seventy years of age, and had never been guilty of overt acts against the Federal authority. One day in September, 1864, a squad of militia, led by Lieut. James N. Stoffel, of Company A, Catherwood's regiment, took out the old man and hung him to a tree near his residence.

John Norris had served six months onder Price, but for some time he had been living peaceably at home. One night, a short time after Ferrill was hung, a squad of Catherwood's men took him from his home and shot him.

Richard Sloan was a member of the party that hung Ferrill. He was a citizen of this township and in September, 1866, he was waylaid and shot and his body left lying in the road.

Mount Gilead Christian Church. This church is an outgrowth of what was originally a Calvinistic Baptist Church, as it was first organized. In March, 1844, there was a division in the congregation, some of the members still adhering to the Baptist denomination, while others, among whom were some of the old and most prominent Baptists, constituted themselves into a body of Christians. The church building first put up was erected in 1844, but becoming defective and unsafe from the ravages of time, it was torn down and in its place a handsome brick edifice was built in 1873, costing $2,569.95. It stands on section 29, northwest quarter, township 53, range 31. The first members were Elders Mason Summers, Timothy R. Dale and wife, Alfred M. Riley and wife, Hezekiah Riley, Robert Officer and wife. Weekly Dale and wife, James Riley and wife, George Dallis, Alexander Mooney and wife, A. H. F. Payne and wife, and John Dykes and wife. The deacons were Hezekiah Riley, Robert Officer and Weekly Dale. Following Augustus H. F. Payne, who was the organizer, the pastors have been Revs. Williamson, A. B. Jones, J. T. Tate, J. W. Perkins and others. The first Sunday school connected with this church was organized on the last Lord's day of May, 1868. The superintendent was O. G. Harris, assisted by E C. Gill; the secretary was P. T. Soper.

Clear Creek Old School Baptist Church, located in section 14, Kearney Township, was organized August 6, 1840. Its original members were Benjamin and Nancy Soper, Joel and Rachel Estes, Annie Palmer, Charles Waller, Margaret Waller, Henry and Lucinda Estes, Robert and Sarah Thompson, Alvira Arnold, Arabella Arnold, Harriet Arnold, William and Nancy Yates, and Elizabeth Groomer. The names of the pastors who have served this church are Revs. John Edwards and Wolverton Warren. The present frame church building was built in 1853 at a cost of about $1,000. The constitution was formed by the following body, of whom John Edwards was moderator: William Clark, Henry Hill, John Atkins and E. Fillery, none of whom survive.

Arley M. E. Church in this township has a membership of 150 persons. As originally constituted, in 1845, by the efforts of Heinrich Nuelson, the constituent members were Fred Hartel, Peter Hartel, John Suter, Conrad Hessel, Jacob Hessel, Louis Feigat, Charles Fowler, Nicholas Frick, and perhaps others. After Heinrich Neulson, the first pastor, the pulpit was filled by Heinrich Hogrefe, Reverend Neidermeier, John Raus, Joseph Zimmerman, William Shreck, Andreas Holz Beierlein, Henry Muehlenbrock, H. Dryer, Peter Hebner, Carl Steinmeier, P. Mayer, Reverend Priegal, Henry Bruene, H. Brinkmeier, J. J. Jung, H. Deiner, C. Bauer, H. M. Menger, H. Eorphage, J. J. Eichenberger, J. W. Buchholtz, George Koenig, F. Kaltenbach, Henry Hoffman, J. J. Hammel, H. H. Peters, C. H. Schmackenberg, H. A. Hohemwald, E. Clepin, John Klein, E. T. Asling, W. B. Woestemeyer, R. D. Winker, L. H. Irminger, C. L. Koerner. Until the building of the present frame church in 1875 (costing $1,000), services were held at private houses. It is now in good condition both spiritually and financially, and is having steady growth. An important adjunct to the church is the Sunday school, Epworth League, W. F. M. S. King's Herald and Cradle Roll.

The Town of Kearney

What is now the southeastern portion of the town of Kearney was originally called Centerville, and was laid out by David T. Duncan and W. R. Cave in the spring of 1856. Duncan lived on and owned the north half of the site of Centerville. Cave purchased the south half from his father, Uriel Cave, the original owner. The first houses were built by Adam Pence and W. R. Cave and theirs were the first families in the village.

Barney Spencer, a Kentuckian, owned the first store in Centerville, which was conducted for some time in the beginning by his brother-in-law, Sam Trabue. The second store was owned and run by John Wade, of Ohio. These stores were established in the spring of 1857. John Gilboe had the third store. A school house was built in about 1858 by W. R. Cave.

Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Centerville contained about 20 families, but when it closed there were only two or three. During the war only two houses were destroyed, however, and these were burned by the Federals, Ford's and Jennison's men. They were owned by John Corum and John Gilboe, but at the time they were burned Doctor Cravens lived in Corum's house, and W. R. Cave had a small grocery in Gilboe's building. The Federals claim that they did the burning in retaliation for the killing of Mr. Bond by the bushwhackers.

The murder of John Julius, an old man and a reputable citizen, by Lysander Talbott, shortly after the war, was the only tragedy of note that ever occurred in Centerville. The killing was wholly unprovoked. Talbott was on the "war path" and "wanted to kill somebody". He was arrested, indicted, took a change of venue to Clinton County, escaped from jail, went to Texas, and was himself killed in a row.

April 12, 1869, Alfred Pyle shot and killed Charles Smith, in a difficulty in Kearney, but Esquire Corbin acquitted Pyle on the ground that he had acted in self-defense, and he was never afterwards indicted. The town of Kearney was laid out upon the building of the Hannibal and St. Joe Railroad in the spring of 1867, by John Lawrence. The first house was built by George H. Plitt, on the southwest corner of Washington Avenue and Railroad Street, fronting the depot on the east. Plitt occupied it as a store room but afterwards conducted a hotel. The building was erected before the railroad depot. Plitt was proprietor of a lumber yard and the leading spirit of the place for some time. Perhaps James Hightower had the second store.

The town was named by John Lawrence for Fort Kearney, Nebraska, and not for a certain worthy citizen of the community. It is understood that Lawrence was at one time a resident of Fort Kearney before he came to Clay County. Soon after its establishment the village began to be peopled very rapidly. Stores and shops of all kinds were built, and in a little time Kearney and Centerville were practically united.

Kearney was incorporated "as a town or village" by the county court, April 5, 1869. The first board of trustees was composed of George H. Plitt, Peter Rhinehart, R. B. Elliott, D. T. Dunkin and George Harris. As the location of the town is very attractive, the town itself presents a handsome appearance. Washington Avenue, the principal street, is well lined with stores and shops, and the business done is considerable.

The Clipper newspaper, a five-column sheet, was established by Thomas H. Frame, in July, 1883. The first church was the Missionary Baptist, which was at first called Mount Olive. It is worthy of note that John S. Majors, Esq., took an active and prominent part in the building of this church, contributing to it from first to last $1,000. It is a fine brick structure and still standing.

Kearney Christian Church. On the 25th of August, 1868, Lucy E. Coryell, Elizabeth Petterfield, Eliza Netherton, Hannah Pollock, Abraham Netherton, Shelton Brown and wife, William H. Hawkins, D. T. Duncan, John S. Groom, James Reed and wife, Alfred Arnold and wife, George S. Harris. William Hall, G. D. Hall, Mrs. A. Rodgers, R. H. Burden and wife, Emily Craven, Nancy E. Pile, J. S. Sirpan, Elizabeth Rodgers, Alida Harris and Robert Morris formed themselves into an organization now known as the above church. This original membership has been added to from time to time. Among those who filled the pulpit here were Pres ton Akers, J. D. Wilmot, Joseph Davis, T. J. Williamson, Reverend Martz, Preston Akers a second time, James W. Waller, J. W. Perkins, B. C. Stephens and William S. Trader.

Holt

The village of Holt, situated on the Clinton County line, on the northeastern half of section 35, township 54, range 31, has been in existence only since the completion of the Cameron branch of the Hamilton and St. Joe Railroad. It was formerly the site of a heavy body of timber in a little bottom on a branch of Clear creek. The land was owned by Jerry A. Holt, an old North Carolinian, whose residence was just across in Clinton County, and who came to Missouri in about 1835. There were many other families of North Carolinians in this region.

Holt was laid out in the fall of 1867, and named for Uncle Jerry Holt, the owner of the land. Timothy R. Dale was the surveyor. The first house was built on lot 5, in East Holt, by J. C. Dever, and the building was occupied by Mr. Dever first as a store. It was burned down in 1873. Soon after Mr. Dever built a hotel called the Dever House, on lot 10 in West Holt. The second store was built by Samuel Garrison on lot 11 in East Holt. In the spring of 1869 Capt. Joab Lamb built the third store on lot 8 in Holt East. The second house in Holt West was built by Richard Fitzgerald, in the spring of 1869.

The railroad depot was built in the spring of 1868, but previous to its construction the section house was used as a freight depot. The first station agent was Hiram Towne, and his brother, D. W. C. Towne succeeded him. The public school building was erected in the summer of 1873. A mill was completed in the spring of 1883, by A. P. Cutler, S. L. Cutler, J. K. Morgan and J. F. Lampson, who composed the firm of Cutler, Morgan & Co. The first church, the M. E. South, was completed in the spring of 1883.

In 1868 the post office was established. Capt. Joab Lamb secured the office and was the first postmaster, but in a short time he was superseded by D. W. C. Towne. Prior to its establishment Haynesville, Clinton County, was the nearest post office. The first practicing physician in the place was Dr. J. M. Brown, of whose abilities many of the old citizens speak disparagingly, but yet it is admitted that he had fair success.

Holt was incorporated February 4, 1878. The first board of trustees was composed of Boston L. McGee, A. P. Cutler, Adam Eby, J. C. Dever, William H. Mclntyre. Upon the organization of the board A. P. Cutler was made chairman; Boston L. McGee, clerk; D. W. C. Towne, treasurer, and William M. Troxler, collector and marshal.

The Baptist Church was completed in February, 1885.

M. E. Church, South, located at Holt, in Kearney Township, was organized in 1837 at Pleasant Grove, but was afterwards moved to Haynesville, and from there to the present place. Early pastors who served this church were Revs. B. C. Owens, T. H. Swearingen and J. T. Winstead.

Christian Union Church, located at Holt, in Kearney Township, was organized in November, 1879. Its constituent members were B. L. Mc-Gee, Adam Ebly and wife, W. O. Greason, Jerry Holt and wife, G. M. Isley and wife, William Holt and wife, William Albright and wife, M. M. Albright and wife, and many others. G. W. Mitchell was the organizer of the church.

Baptist Church at Holt, was organized in 1884. The same year a frame house of worship was erected which cost $1,700. Among the first members were W P. Garrett and daughter Bettie, John L. Clark and wife, Byron Allnut, L. P. Garrett, Joseph Downing, Mrs. Emsley, Whitsell, A. S. Garrett and wife. Prof. A. J. Emerson organized the church.

Holt Lodge No. 49, A. F. & A. M. was first organized at Haynesville, May 19, 1854, but was removed to Holt in 1877, where it still is. Some of the first officers were Henry B. Hamilton, worshipful master; John R. Ling, senior warden, David W. Reynolds, junior warden. The hall was erected the same year of the removal of the lodge to Holt and cost about $600. 

Clay County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Clay County, Missouri, by W. H. Woodson, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1920.