Early Settlements, Madison Township, Johnson County, Missouri >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** The early settlers came from the east and penetrated the new and un- settled country, generally, from the Missouri river on the north, and few, if any, located south of the Blackwater prior to 1830. The Fer- guson family were about the first to cross Blackwater and settle in what is now Madison township. Most of the early settlers lived north of the present site of Holden and a few located west of that point. They lived near the two branches of Pin Oak. Among the early settlers were: Samuel and Aaron Ferguson, James Bradley, William Davidson, Squire A. B. Hamilton, P. H. Ray, Archy Ray and their father, High Ray, Moses Tapscott, August Demasters, Squire J. G. Doyle, Matthew Cummings, William Cummings, Sanford Cummings, Joseph Mason, John Windsor, Reuben Fox, John Utt, Thomas Tapscott, G. Hays, Joseph Christian, Jacob Sams, Jacob Beck, Charles S. Ferguson, Martin Ferguson, Pleasant R. Ferguson, Joseph Matthews, William Burden, Sr. & Jr., Eldridge Burden, George Conley, John Miller, William Miller, James Thompson, George Medlock, G. Cunningham, Barrett Duff, Squire Thompson, Williamson, G. K. Roberts and Dr. Roberts. Up to 1868 Madison township retained all its original territory, which contained practically all of the present township of Kingsville and Rose Hill and a portion of Chilhowee. Early elections were held at the oldest settlement in the southwest part of the county in 1858. The following names appear on the poll books for the election held that year. Many are misspelled, but many will be recognized and their descendants are still living where their fathers did: James L. Chinn, Elijah Chinn, J. W. Smith, J.J. Armstrong, S.J. Reed, Peyton D. Huff, C.C. Wheeler, H.S. Barksdale, James H. McCarty, E. Hocketts, J.N. Mills, William M. Bruce, Ambrose England, H.H. Hale, Samuel Reed, James L. Wilson, D.W. Skaggs, B.F. Fisher, William Townsend, John V. McCarty, Squire Asburg, W.T. Roberts, William J. Townsend, William F. Long, William M. Harris, William C. Sharp, R.L. Jackson, Michael Baker, L. Jones, H. Isley, Philip Isley, Christy Gates, W.E. Templeton, John W. Ham, J.G. Hutson, Andrew Hinkle, Cary Elliott, Peter Campbell, Martin Burly, L.P. Lisk, James M. Moore, W.W. Ham, G. W. Stranger, John Hinkle G.H. Barnett, B. Wooldridge, W.A. Campbell, Thomas Moore, S.A. Duncan, G.W.L. Bradley, J.S. Gilkey, William M. Tutt, R.S. Wooldridge, Edward Welch, I.L. Dye, James E. Summons, A.A. Doak, John M. Lurby, Joel P. Lowing, William Owsley, John A. Townsend, William Smith, D.B. Reavis, E. Doman, B.F. Lewis, R.L. England, R.L. Elder, Davis Owsley, E. Welch, Thomas Hinkle, John Howard, Andrew Worth, A.C. Umstadt, A.H. Boggs, Noah Crual, James Bones, P.H. Duncan, R.M. Anderson, W.F. Carpenter, Sidney Scott, B.F. Cross, James Hinkle, Wm. Hutson, Wm. Harlow, David Bradshaw, G.W. Vowill, James Fox, Wm. H. Fruners, A.G. Fulton, J.F.R. Turner, R.H. Atkins, Samuel P. Rimsy, John H. Bailey, John B. Bailey, W.P. Day, B.S. Durrett, J.B. Pemberton, W.A. Givens, J.W. West, L.C. Camden, Wm. Welch, Henry Stumpff, Matthew Cummins, E.T. Peyton, William Wiseman, John F. West, James D. Smith, George M. Strange, Wm. G. King, Miles Bradshaw, W.L. Suart, Morris Hodges, R.L. Skillman, T.N. Carpen- ter, G.H. Duncan, B.F. Umstadt, Wm. Allen, John Umstadt, James G. Atkins, Adam Thomas, Wm. Cummins, C.P. Smith, Josiah Holden, Martin Orr, S.W. Pemberton, J.A. Turner, John Hughes, D.M. Holden, Sanford Vineen, James Alexander, Brinkley Hornsby, John H. Priestly, G.A. Flowon, John A. Doak, George S. Hammon, Dennis Dunham, N.T. Doak, Jessie Coats, John Taggart, Alfred White, J. Cocke, J.C. Parsons, G.J. Farrensworth, W.D. Turner, Sanford Cummins, Porter Magor, J.B. Anderson; James Savage, Martin P. Foster, Wm. P. Foster, Wm. Hill, M.W. Fulton, John S. Graves, Benjamin Cross, D.S.W. Boston, J.G. Cocke, R.S. Gilliland, F.R. Jackson, John Enirson, G.B. Summons, C.H. Harris, A.G. Beard, M.P. Fisher, James Ferguson, W.J. Climont, Wm. Hodges, John Orr, H.H. Dobyns, W.S. Wood, John C. Gilbert, F.M. Scott, J.S.B. Strange, W.P. Carrington, A. M. Potts, Samuel Smith, A.O. Faumhill, S.V. Turner, Wm. H. Reese, James Corkran, J.C. Rogers, W.H. Anderson, Samuel Craig, Thomas Durrall, Thos. J. Jones, Isaac Jacobs, John W. Barsdale, George W. Gloyd, John Baker, John W. Tackitt, Daniel Gloyd, S.L. Smith, James A. Wilson, Cyrus Plou- man, B.E. McVey, Wm. Adams, Thos. A. Jennings, Wm. P. Hulse, A.H. Stout, Wm. T. Kennedy, Wm. Burden, S.A. Scott, W.C. Duncan, Wm. H. Camden, Selborn Naylor, David Davenport, Nathaniel Baker, A.J. Fulton, S. N. Copsland, Wm. Payne, R.Z.R. Wall, Wm. S. Hughes. At this election John Baker and John Hl. Bailey were clerks. The judges were Dennis Dunham, Alfred White, N. T. Doak, and the justice of the peace was Watson W. Ham. Few of the early pioneers of Madison township are left to tell the story of the trials and hardships of the settlement and development of this section of the county. Squire John A. Doak, now residing in Holden, is one of the survivors of the early pioneers, and though he is eighty-three years old, he is still vigorous in mind and body and re- members well the early conditions seventy-five years ago. He came here with his parents from Lafayette county when he was eight years old, in 1842, and settled six miles south of where Holden now stands, on Bear Creek. They were one of the first families to settle in that locality. The city of Holden was then not even dreamed of. Lexington, forty-five miles distant, was the nearest trading point. There were no roads and travelers followed the trails which ran straight across the country, following the most accessible routes regardless of section lines. The trip to Lexington, which the settlers were required to make about twice each year, required about four days to complete. The settlements were all located along the streams. The timber which grew along the creeks afforded both fuel and building materials, as well as natural shelter. There were no luxuries, but much comfort and the standards of democracy and hospitality were high. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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