Clay-Howard-Clinton County MO Archives News.....An Early Setler of Missouri August 2, 1878
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ronald J. Reid rreid21@cox.net November 25, 2007, 9:31 am

The Liberty Tribune August 2, 1878
AN EARLY SETTLER OF MISSOURI
Liberty Tribune, Aug 2, 1878:

ELIZABETH WHITE

I was born in North Carolina, and taken by my parents to Kentucky, where I 
remained until I was seventeen years old.  In my eleventh year, death visited 
our family, and claimed my mother for its victim; leaving six children, I being 
the third child; notwithstanding, I summed up courage sufficient to take charge 
of the children which were younger than myself.  I had to fill the place of 
both a mother and sister.  I spun and made clothes for them; and tried, in my 
childish way, to teach then the ways of truth and life.  In the year, A.D. 
1816, I, with the rest of my father’s family came from Kentucky to Missouri.  
We lived without bread from October until corn would grit.  We came first to 
Luter Island and from there to Boon’slick.  My father’s wagon was the first 
that ever marked the road.  We had to cut our road and make our own bridges – I 
was the first white woman that ever traveled the road.  We lived in peace one 
year; then we had to fort for protection.  We were forted four years, then 
peace was made.  I was married under a large oak tree, on the fourth of July, 
at the first picnic ever held in Missouri, to William White, at the same time 
and place, my father, Joseph Coola.  I cooked my own wedding dinner; my bread 
was beat in a mortar, and my meats were wilds meats of all kinds; my wedding 
suit was not as some might thin, it was not home-spun, neither was it a pin-
back, but it was cut to suit the times.  We lived twelve years in Howard 
county, then moved to Clay co., where I now am; then to the new Platte 
Purchase, then to Clinton county, then to Andrew county, then back to Clinton 
co., which is now my home.  When Platte county was settled, my oldest daughter 
and I were the first white females that settled in that county.  In settling of 
the new counties all that were large enough to hold a line had to help build 
houses and clear.  I have spun thread out of nettles all day; then piled and 
burnt brush until midnight.  If any one thinks I have’nt done enough for my 
country, will tell what they have done.  I am now in my eighty-eighth year; my 
husband and I lived together sixty-four years.  He was then taken from me.  We 
raised eleven children all to be grown; they are all alive but three.  Is there 
any one of this day that can say they have seen two of their fourth 
generation.  I have of mine.  Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, 
and great-grandchildren’s children, are in number one hundred and forty-six.  
Daniel Boone was the head commander of our fort; he and his two sons were the 
first white males that were ever in the State of Missouri.  He was here two 
years before I came to the State.  I never saw a bit of ground meal for two 
years.  Elizabeth White.



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/clay/newspapers/anearlys154gnw.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/

File size: 3.4 Kb