First Settlers, Texas County, Missouri >From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1889. ********************************************************************** When Dabney Lynch settled on Big Piney, in 1826, he found Josiah H. Burkhart's mill on Big Piney; Richard Sullens, who had a mill four miles above the old mill; Thomas Cork's mill, which was located four miles above Sullen's mill, purchased by John Ormsby in 1828; Trues- dale's mill, seven miles north of Houston, was purchased in 1828 by Washington Walton. A few members of the Sullens family were here, Reuben having a farm above the Burkhart mill. Baldridge's mill was six miles below Truesdale's mill, in Township 30, Range 9, about sixteen miles north of Houston, just west of Licking. This Baldridge was the first settler there, and early in the 30's sold his farm to Ware. In 1832-33 a gin-mill was erected by Nesbitt on Big Piney, six miles below Houston. He sold to Richardson in 1834, who, in 1835, sold to David Lynch and John T. Fourt. This was sold to Oziah Upton, and it was ultimately washed away. A mill was built in more recent years by Albert Bates, which is now in existence. The Shawnees and Delawares were here in 1826, hunting. The Paola and Piankashaw Indians had their two towns on Jack Fork, about six miles above Clear Springs postoffice. They attended simply to hunting and fishing, and in their dealings with the few settlers on Big Piney they were strictly honor- able. Pioneer Woods, who, like the other pioneers, was two-thirds hunter and one-third trader and lumberman, had at one time a terrible encounter with wolves. Returning after dark to his shanty, with a trophy in the shape of a deer, he heard the call of a wolf echo through the forest. Answer followed answer, but being near home he hurried forward; the wolves, however, were too fleet, and their proximity urged him to cast aside the carcass of the deer and fly. Still the wolves pressed after the human prey, and as he was about climbing into a tree they snapped at his heels and pulled him down. Clubbing his rifle he kept them at bay while he retreated toward the rocks. After a terrible battle he gained the rocks and fought until help arrived. The pioneer, Duke, selected a home on Big Creek, ten miles away from the river settlements. He was a hunter and trader, and drove a team of six elks which he domesticated. At times he would ride into the mill settle- ments mounted on a great elk and clad in bear skin; but about 1848, when the tide of immigration set toward the county, he and his six elks set out for California, where he arrived. In 1845, when he drove up to David Lynch's house to attend court, his outfit, as S. M. Williams states, scared the horses of the settlers and scattered them. ==================================================================== 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. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================