Webster County MO Archives News.....The Cardwell Family September 7, 1905 ************************************************ 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: jarrod hiner geneposter@yahoo.com March 31, 2005, 2:16 pm The Marshfield Mail, Old Settlers Column September 7, 1905 The Cardwell Family The history of no Webster County family should be more interesting to citizens of Marshfield than that of the Cardwell family, as the founders of that family were the first permanent settlers of Webster County who lived in Marshfield or on the site of what is now Marshfield. While it is true that one man (we failed to learn his name) lived here before John Cardwell, the founder of the Webster County Cardwell family, came, this man moved away and has disappeared from the knowledge of anyone now here, leaving John Cardwell as the first permanent settler of what is now Marshfield. This settlement was made near the Humphrey Spring, the house standing southeast of there about where Alfred D. Smith's house now stands. John Cardwell purchased this claim from the former owner who had just opened it up out of the vast unsettled country. At the same time, Joseph Ewing, a son-in-law of Mr. Cardwell, purchased a claim on what is now known as the I.C. Jones farm southwest of town. The house on this claim stood on the hill just south of the Jones spring and the field around this has been in cultivation since 1835, or for a period of 70 years. The owner of the claim purchased by Joseph Ewing was Turnbo and the creek of that name was named after him. That was a very common practice in the early days. Turnbo, like the man who sold to Cardwell, moved away and all trace of him has been lost. His name, however, has been indelibly fixed in the history of Marshfield by being given to our nearest and most picturesque stream. John Cardwell's father was Thomas Cardwell who with his brother came to Virginia from Ireland many years before the Revolution. He settled in Stokes County, Virginia on the Dan river, where he lived until his death several years after the colonies had become states. Both Thomas and his brother were soldiers in the war for freedom. John Cardwell was born in 1772. He had one brother who remained in Virginia when John and his young wife moved to Roane County, Tennessee. Here his children were born and here he lived until 1833, when he moved to Missouri settling in Laclede County near Cave Spring. In 1835 he moved to the present site of Marshfield. Here John Cardwell remained only one year, having sold his claim to James Flannigan who afterwards sold it to William Burford. Ewing sold the Jones place to a Mr. Bowers. John Cardwell moved from Marshfield to what is now the Welch farm, which he opened up. He lived here until his death in 1864, at the age of 92, having lived all his life as a pioneer of some state. As stated above, John Cardwell's children were all born in Tennessee, and all except one, Kryzira (Cardwell) Wester, came to Missouri with their father, and their descendants now form a large family, many of whose members live in this county. The children's names were Thomas, Polly, Kryzira, Elizabeth, Edmond P., and Susan. All are dead now except Edmond P. Thomas Cardwell married Kryzira Stuart, and on his arrival in Missouri in 1835 purchased a claim now known as the Henslee farm on the James. His children were Kryzira Denny, now dead, wife of John Denny, an old settler who now lives south of Seymour; Polly Brixey who died several years ago; John Cardwell who lives on White river near Forsythe; Aleck who lives on Finley and has a son in business in Seymour; William, now dead; Taylor who lives on Finley; and Nancy Hammond who lives with her husband, William Hammond, in Douglas County. Thomas Cardwell was married a second time and had one son, Robert, by this marriage. Polly Cardwell married Joseph Ewing in Tennessee. She came to Missouri with her father and husband in 1835, first living on Turnbo and later on the John Welch farm on the James. Her children were Fannie Ellison, James Ewing who married a Miss Barnett, Sarah Jilette, and Mrs. Oliver Ewing. They and their descendants live in the southwestern part of the county. Kryzira (Cardwell) Wester died in Tennessee. She had one daughter who married a Mr. McConnon and lives in Texas. As stated in the "History of the Turner Family", Elizabeth Cardwell married Denny Turner. She was the mother of Columbus H., John N., Nathan J., William A., F.M., T.B., Elizabeth, Mary, James D., and Robert B. Columbus H. married Almira Nichols of the pioneer Nichols family, and was the father of A.F. Turner and Effie (Turner) Hughes, now dead. John N., now dead, married Harriett Nichols. His children are John and Charlie of Colorado; M.L. of Oklahoma; Jessee Corbett; and Washatella, a distinguished pianist of Springfield. Nathan J. married Alice Mitchel and is a well known Marshfield citizen. F.M. married Nancy Sayers. He died in 1900. His children liven in Greene County. T.B. Turner married Parthena Turner, a distant relative, and lives on the James River. Elizabeth married Julien Foster, father of Mrs. S.A. Killian. Mr. Foster lives on the James. James D. married in Colorado and now lives there. Robert Turner married Miss Munsey and lives on the James River. John Cardwell married Faith Darnell. His children were: Peggy (Cardwell) Williams, Elizabeth (Cardwell) Plaster, and Sarah (Cardwell) Ellison. They and their descendants live in the southwest part of the county. Edmond P. Cardwell has been married twice. His first wife Eda Bruton, is covered in the "History of the Bruton Family". By this union there were two children: America, and Thomas G. America married William Kinser who lives on Panther Creek. Her children are: Emiline (Kinser) Lawson; Jeff, who married a daughter of George Clouse; Crit; Ada; Harry; and James. Thomas G. married Martha Phillips, a daughter of Robert Phillips, an early pioneer of the county. He lives on a farm near old Waldo. His children are A.L. Cardwell, circuit clerk of the county. His wife was Miss Della Wood. They have one son, R.C. Cardwell who married Ora Freshower. J.M. and Thomas G. are railroad men on the Frisco. W.F. married Thursa Bryant and lives near his father's farm. Minnie, L.B., Daisy, and Hayden live at home. Edmond Cardwell's second wife was also a Bruton, a distant relative of his first wife. The children of this union are Callie Eslinger and Jessee Thomas. Both live near their father's farm on the banks of the James River. Susan Cardwell, the youngest child of John Cardwell, was married twice. Her first husband was a Mr. Casey. She was the mother of Nathan Casey, of Colorado, and Emma, wife of Lige Turner, who lives on the James River. After Mr. Casey's death, Mrs. Casey married Nathaniel Turner, one of the pioneer Turners. They had no children. When the Cardwells located on the site of Marshfield, neighbors were few and far between: The Pattersons lived on the James Bridwell place, David Welch lived a few miles farther down the James River, the Marlins lived on Marlin Prairie, the Lattimers on the Niangua River, the Mackeys lived in the eastern part of the county, the Taggards and Steins lived on the Osage River, the Eastwoods lived southeast of here, and the Teagues lived on Teagues Creek. Nearly all of these families are still represented in the county. The Cardwells were thorough pioneers and took great pleasure in hunting. Uncle Edmund Cardwell, the only member of the original family now living who lives four miles east of Seymour, can tell some thrilling stories of those early days. Game of all kinds was plentiful. Deer, turkeys, panthers, bears, and wildcats were numerous. On High Prairie there were a number of elk. The family was supplied with meat from the chase. Several bears and panthers were killed. An extra large panther was killed near the Fyan crossing on the railroad. The Delaware tribe of Indians was located southwest of Springfield and frequently made hunting trips through the county. There were few roads. The principle road was the one which the settlers traveled when moving through the county to their new homes. This road followed the Osage River to near Marshfield, turned off and passed over the ridge, went down Turnbo Creek, and on to Springfield. There was no north and south road until the Cardwells arrived. Later they helped cut a road from the north toward Bolivar. This was the forerunner of what is now the Marshfield and Bolivar road. But little was need to make a road, except to blaze the way, as there was no underbrush to move. The Cardwells have been well known through all the changes of the county and have always kept abreast of the times. Uncle Ed, who is now 83 years old, will not fall behind. He has had a telephone put in his comfortable residence within the last few weeks. He has witnessed the change from a wilderness, with a dozen lonely settlements over the county, to all the modern conveniences of railroad, telegraph and telephone. Through it all he has kept up with the times. The Cardwells are a strong, hardy, energetic family and will always make themselves felt wherever they go. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/ File size: 9.5 Kb ==== MO-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ==== Recording the past for the future List Administrator - Katy Hestand MOFootSteps@sbcglobal.net ============================== Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. New content added every business day. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx