SHELBY COUNTY, MISSOURI
1884
Written by Shelby Countians and graciously
donated to this website by the Shelby County Historical Society,
Kathleen Wilham, President

Images Provided by MaryLynne Ellis

The information contained herein is for personal use only!

Contents:

Chapter 1.  PIONEER SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS AND EARLY HISTORY.  The first Cabins, Norton’s Hog Keeper’s, Maj. Dickerson’s, and Others – The Settlers of 1833 – Surveying – Cholera – First Death in the County – First Store and Post Office – First Election – Sketch of Maj. Dickerson – Miscellaneous Historic Incidents up to 1839 – The Indians – Game and Wild Animals – Early Marriages – Pioneer Preaching and Preachers – Pioneer Life Generally

Chapter 2.  EARLY OFFICIAL HISTORY.  When Shelby belonged to Marion County – First Division of the Territory into Townships by the Marion County Court – Organization of the County – The Organizing Act – First Sessions of the County Court – The First Roads – Miscellaneous Proceedings – First Circuit Courts – First Grand Jury and First Indictments – A Fight Between Lawyers – Miscellaneous Items – The First Elections.

Chapter 3.  HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1835 TO 1840.  The Settlers of 1835 – When the County was Organized – Naming the Streams – Fatal Accidents – Got Lost – “New York” – The “Pottawatomie War” – Building the Courthouse – Pioneer Mills – The “Bee Trails” – List of the Settlers in 1837 – The Mormon War – The “Iowa War” – The First Bridge – The First Homicide, Killing of John Bishop by John L. Faber.

Chapter 4.  HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1840 TO 1850.  Miscellaneous Matters – Killing of Daniel Thomas by Philip Upton – The Sixteenth Sections – Stock Raising and Shipping – Crops – Hard Times – The First Jail and Its Inmates – During the Mexican War – The Gold Fever and the Argonauts of 1849 – Elections.

Chapter 5.  HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1850 TO 1861.  Miscellaneous – The election of 1858 – Slavery Days – The Presidential Campaign of 1860 – After the Presidential Election – The War Cloud on the Horizon.

Chapter 6.  HISTORY OF THE COUNTY DURING 1861.  The Legislature of 1861 – Election of Delegates to the State Convention – The work of the Convention – The Winter of 1861 – After Fort Sumpter – Public Meetings – The First Federal Troops – First Union Military Company – Burning of the Salt River Bridge – The Campaign against Mart Green – The Fight at Shelbina – Fremont’s “Annihilation” of Green’s Rebels – Miscellaneous Military Matters – Capt. Foreman’s Company Visits Shelbyville – Arrest of Hon. John McAfee – Tom. Stacy’s Company – Gen. Grant’s First Military Services in the Civil War are Performed in Shelby County – Bushwhacking – Missouri Secession – The Gamble Government and Its Oath – Turning Out the “Disloyal” Officers.

Chapter 7.  MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY DURING 1862.  Organization of the Missouri State Militia – Co’s A and H, of the 11th M.S.M. – Bushwhacking in the Spring of 1862 – The Murderous Affair at Walkersville – Two Soldiers and One Citizen Killed – Pursuit of the Bushwhackers, and Killing of Two of Their Number – Execution of Frank Drake and Ed. Riggs – Capture of Capt. Tom Sidener – Burning “Rebel Houses” – The November Election.

Chapter 8.  COL. JOE PORTER’S RAID.  Who Joe Porter was – His First Appearance in Northeast Missouri in the Summer of 1862 – Passes through the Country in Schuyler and is defeated at Cherry Grove – Retreats South – Raids Newark and Monticello – Is Pursued by the Federals under John McNeil – The Fight at Pierce’s Mill – Death of Tom Stacy – Porter Retreats to the South, Crosses the Railroad and goes into Monroe County – The Fights at Bott’s Bluff and at Moore’s Mill – Back to Northeast Missouri – Effect of the Enrolling Order – Recruits 2,000 Men – The Fight at Newark and Capture of 75 Prisoners under Capt. Lair – McNeil and Benjamin pursue – Total Defeat of Porter at Kirksville – He Retreats and Fights his Way to the Log Cabin Bridge, in Shelby County, where he Disbands – McNeil shoots 16 Prisoners – Porter in Monroe with Another Force – Back into Marion County – Captures Palmyra – McNeil Pursues – The Rout of Whaley’s Mill – Porter Disbands Finally at Bragg’s School House – Two Shelby County Men executed, etc., etc.

Chapter 9.  DURING 1863 AND 1864.  The Military Occupation of 1863 – 1864 – Miscellaneous – Bill Anderson’s Raid – Capture and Plunder of Shelbina – Burning of the Salt River Bridge – The Centralia Massacre – A Shelby County Company Almost Annihilated – Names of the Slaughtered – The Presidential Election

Chapter 10.  LEADING INCIDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1865 TO 1884.  The War Over – Adoption of the Drake Constitution – The “Ousting Ordinance” – Indicting the “Rebel” Preachers – Registration of Voters – Miscellaneous – Robbery of the County Treasury – The Political Campaign of 1870 – Universal Amnesty and Impartial Suffrage – The Floods of 1876 – The Benjamin Will Case – The Robber Johnson – Murders and Homicides

Chapter 11.  LEADING INSTITUTIONS OF SHELBY COUNTY.  Sketch of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad – Fair Associations – “The Agricultural Society of Shelby County” – The Shelby County Agricultural and Mechanical Association – The Shelbina Fair Association – Newspapers – The “Shelbyville Spectator” – The “Shelby County Weekly” – The “Shelbina Gazette” – The “Shelby County Herald” – The “Shelbina Democrat” – The “Clarence Tribune” – The “Clarence Courier” = The “Shelbina Index” – The “Shelby County Times.”

Chapter 12.  THE CHURCHES OF SHELBY COUNTY.  Baptist Churches: Mount Zion Church – Shiloh Church – North River Church – Prairie Church – Oak Ridge Church – Looney’s Creek Old School Baptist Church.  M.E. Church South: Shelbyville Church – Shelbina Church – Bacon Chapel – Clarence Church – Bethany Church.  Methodist Episcopal Church:  Berea Church, Shelbyville – Clarence Church – Evans Chapel.  Presbyterians:  Presbyterian Church of Shelbyville – Pleasant Prairie Church – Clarence Presbyterian Church – Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  Christian Churches:  Shelbyville Church – Antioch Church – Concord Church.  Catholic Churches:  St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church at Clarence.

Chapter 13.  CIVIC ORDERS AND TEMPERANCE ORGANIZATIONS.  Masonic Lodges: St. Andrew’s Lodge, Shelbyville – Shelbina Lodge – Hunnewell Lodge – Shelbina Royal Arch Chapter.  Odd Fellows: Shelby Lodge – Hunnewell Lodge.  United Workmen: Shelbina Lodge – Select Knights – Charity Lodge – Clarence Lodge – Hunnewell Lodge.  Grand Army of the Republic: Shelbyville Post – “Paddy” Sheilds’ Post.  Order of Chosen Friends:  Progress Council – Echo Council.  Temperance Organizations:  The Old Shelbyville Temperance Society – Sons of Temperance – Brief Mention of Temperance Work in the County – The Good Templars.

Chapter 14.  CITIES AND TOWNS OF SHELBY COUNTY.  Shelbyville: Early History – The Commissioner’s Report – “The Firsts” – Digging for Water – General History – Burglar Shot – Schools – Incorporations.  Shelbina:  Early History – The War – War Prices – Peace – Official History.  Clarence:  Early History – “The Firsts” – War Times – Murder of Mr. Switzer – Fires – Homicides – Incorporations.  Hunnewell:  Early History – During the War – Tragedies – Since the War – School Interests – Incorporations.  Bethel:  General History.

Chapter 15.  THE MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS OF SHELBY COUNTY.  Township Boundaries – Jackson Township – Salt River – Jefferson – Clay – Taylor – Bethel – Black Creek – Tiger Fork – Historical Sketches, Description, Etc.

Biographical - Black Creek Township
 
Biographical - Salt River Township
 
Biographical - Clay Township
 
Biographical - Bethel Township
 
Biographical - Tiger Fork Township
 
Biographical - Jackson Township
 
Biographical - Taylor Township
 
Biographical - Jefferson Township
 
ADDENDUM

 

 

 

 

 Chapter 1. Pg.625

 

 Chapter 2. Pg. 641

 

 

 Chapter 3. Pg. 651

 

 Chapter 4. Pg. 666

 

 Chapter 5.  Pg. 680

 

 

 

 Chapter 6.  Pg. 695

 

 

 Chapter 7.  Pg. 725

 

 

 

 

 Chapter 8.  Pg. 741

 

 Chapter 9.  Pg. 767

 

 

 Chapter 10.  Pg. 778

 

 

 Chapter 11.  Pg. 799

 

 

 

 Chapter 12.  Pg. 816

 

 

 

 Chapter 13.  Pg. 826

 

 

 Chapter 14.  Pg. 835

 

 Chapter 15.  Pg. 870

 Black Creek Township


 Salt River Township

Clay Township
 

Bethel Township

Tiger Fork Township

Jackson Township
 

Taylor Township

Jefferson Township

Addendum

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