Hide Article Text (OCR)
Early New Madrid HistoryWhat little wes left to me I had to Tennessee. We have now In the subsist on and divide with those course of construction two roadsBy Judge Goah Watsonwho remained and could not get away. We had a trying time, withchartered by the Legislature, one from New Madrid by 'the way of1!| Watson followed, covering the same mos^ population gone, no Pawpaw Landing to Dunklin coun-sThe following interesting bit of history, dealing especially with the early settlement and commercial life of New Madrid, was taken from a sketch written lt;by Judge Goah i Watson, grandfather of Mrs. Jen-’ nie Marshall, and great grandfather ' of Mrs. H. G. Sharp and Clay ; Mitchell of Sikeston, and C. L.Mitchell of Malden. .Judge Watson ; died December 11, 1855.Judge Watson, a Scotchman by birth, left his home in Auldearn, Scotland, in March 1802. In com-pany with his older brother he shipped at Greenoch, Scotland, and landed at Montreal, lower Canada, the latter part of May in the same year. Prom that place the brothers took passage on a batteau, near Montreal, crossed the small lake there and after many hazardous joumeyings on the batteau, by foottrail over which he had traveled £03^53 taking place and no cap:- ty, and the other from Point Pleas-to New Madrid. At that time al- ^ wm* which to do business.though only 16 years of age he jj^yy josses at different times, inworked and. steered his ownant. These are to cost $16,000 and $20,000 each, and hopes are entertained that each road built willeluding the earthquake period, ro.b-pirog-ues and continued in the trade me nearly $30,000 and left open a communication to the travel-untii the war between this country me practically destitute with a ing community with this section and Great Britain broke out in 1812. family to support. However,t3The war stopped all communication between this section of the country and Detroit and Mr. Watson was Madrid hoping for a comeback.1and Stoddard and Dunklin coun-together with a small number of ties in this state, also a large por-residents, we remained in New tion of Arkansas and other points j4in Missouri.compelled to seek another channel Eventually we were rewarded for. of trade for his peltries and fun,. our perserverance.His own story of this induction follows: “In 1812 I made a large shipment of peltries and furs in a keel boat, the largest shipment I to 1200 pounds of seed cotton.“We also have ferries and have established on the Mississippi river “The staple of this country from . connections with Tennessee and j 1805 to 1812 was cotton. The aver- southern Kentucky. Last fall and j age yield of an acre was from 1000 , winter there was immense immigration to West Prairie from Ten-ever made from this country, by the way of Chicago. The -boat left New Madrid in March with a freight valued at $14,000. They went up the (Mississippi, then into Illinois, then up a stream I think they call-“Since 1812 there has been a great change in our climate; the ■wintersnessee. A wagon road was cut outlast summer from a place called |have become colder and the other Weaverville on Little River, to jchangeable. The West Prairie. The swamp fromseasons moreraising of cotton has been entirelyand wagon Anally landed at Detroit,Mich., then a very small town. They j ject in sending the skins that routeed Fox River, and continued up to abandoned for the last 35 years; within 6 miles of Chicago. My ob-were met by an uncle, Robert Watson, a merchant there for a number of years, and with whom they remained a year. During that year the brothers attended school which, according to Judge Watson, was i about all the schooling they receiv-was to meet a government vessel,our staple now has been, practically corn,“Prejudice, to some extent, existsWeaverville to West Prairie beingwhich the government generally now in some of the states against sent out at the opening of naviga- this section of the country. At andry was traveled by immigrants going west, after the new road became known and made -public, and not a day passed but what a number of wagons passed over the roadgoing west Movers from Westtion in the spring, with provisions and stores for the troops stationed there; but unfortunately when myPrairie to Crowley's Ridge came early period there were grounds to j over road ty point Pleasantspeak lightly, of New (Madrid county, but now things have changed.ed. The next year Watson 'was . eminent boat had been there and sent by his uncle, who also had - some 5 or 6 days before for Defurs and peltries got there the gov- The country has become healthy.Our soil is the best in the United States; it cannot be.surpassed. Thelarge trading interests at several j troi-t. Getting the cargo to De- country is perfectly level and can-other posts, to a small trading es- troit that season was indeed hope- nct be exhausted by cultivation. Itablishment on the British side, opposite Detroit.Robert Watson also had an Indian trading establishment at Newknow lands that have 'been in cultivation 40 years, which now produce 40 bushels of corn per acre.less. No vessels were running the lake with the exception of one government vessel, spring and fall. Mycargo remained there all summer. We have the greatest corn growing Madrid, Mo., under the manage- [ When we examined them for ship- country in the United States andwe have commercial facilities that no other county in the Unitedment and control of a Frenchman \ pient in the fall we found they 'were by the name of Gabriel Hunot. tie I all* destroyed by moths or bugs. Isent his nephew, Goah Watson, to j did not realize one cent from theiItake charge of the post. His own 1 amount stored there, story of the journey to New Madrid I lt;lt;WhUe at N^w Madrid I traded and events following is given be-States possesses. Our farmers arerespectable and wealthy, are making more money on their capital m-Iow:with the Indians and shipped skins vested- raise ^eiything they needand live better than farmers else-! to Detroit until 1812. I purchased i“We left Detroit in July. 1806. with j produce from then until where. For the last 6 or 8 yearsI two pirogues loaded with Jndian lg25 and shipped lt to New Orleans ^_haveJrealized good prices inin flat boats. My first visit to New Orleans was in the year 1S09. I loaded two flat boats with assort-goods, myself and four French Canadians, for New Madrid. We found the river, Naumee, very low, making the trip long to Fort Wayne. No white inhabitants wereed articles and produce and steeredthe New Orleans market for their com. The sale last winter and this spring must have averaged 90 cents per bushel. I will state, withoutarid New' Madrid to get their supplies and groceries and other needed articles, bringing with them in exchange what surplus produce they had on hand for sale. This is opening a new avenue of commerce heretofore entirely shut out from us for the want of roads connecting us with the west.“I should like to see some of our western and southern farmers visit our country now (June 15, 1855) and see the immense fields of com throughout the country, the most promising the eye ever beheld. If no unforeseen accident takes place before maturity we must have the greatest yield of com by one-third more than this country ever produced. Our crops of wheat, rye and oats are also promising, the wheat and rye being ready to cut.I could cite a number of amus-44on the banks from the time we left j under control and managementthe foot of the rapids, svith the ex- j a pjerre Depron. I got toone of them myself. These were contradicted, that this conn- ing incidents that reurred in earlyYotry raises and ships more corn than the balance of the states. Ourception of one Frenchman, a bak- | New Cleans in a flat boat, but how lands *** advancing in value, rang-to get back to New Madrid waslife at New Madrid that would be of interest to the reader, but my in-er, who ‘was at the mouth of the river, Glase, called Fort Defiance, and who furnished the Indians and1 ability to sketch anything like aning from 10 to 35 dollars an acre,3 traders, who traveled up and downaHdethe next question. No steam boats and our count’ is proving fast were running at this time and only in lhe way of aiding and enlmge-a few .barges and keel boats were ment lt;* farms' Tf. we on!y *** thcthe river, with bread. After reach- on the river. I bought a borne and advantage of public roads runninging Fort Wayne we were obliged j tack by iand; crossed Lake through New Madrid county-thcnr-DYto haul our goods and pirogues a p0nchatrain in an open boat with distance of 10 miles to the head my. horse and took the road for waters of Little River which Madisonville, Tenn. From that empties into the Wabash. Thos: place I passed through the Chero-Indian traders at Fort Wayne were , kee choctalw Indian country to % prepared with oxen and wagons to Tennessee river. In getting ^nearest road to us is the Iron Bank Kentucky, and Memphis,interesting history of past events compels me to stop. I hope that those who read the above remarks, gathered from memory and written in my own plain style, will make allowances for age, memory and want of ability to pen anything more interesting.ftj-- J V4*t V4»MV»#»/vV ***V4, XUhaul our goods and boats a distance j 4ack to New Madrid I was out 6 of 60 miles to a place near an In-1 weeks suffering much for want of dian village on the Wabash, where provisions for myself and feed for a trader by -the name of Godfrey, my horse. During the journey I was located. The chief of this vil- ^-as compelled to pay $1.00 per meal lage was Thecomery, a brother to £or mygeif and $1.00 per gallon forthe prophet who held a power and j for myhorse. My men had tosway over the different tribes un- waj£ for 3lt;jnie time at New Orieans paralleled in the history of Indian ( before they could return to New#»Lower Lightu-nations/’During the journey from Vincen-I6*Is-rtrsGtved th aridso all i reit-Liyaste-: anedeis.ts.LOl►orithtie.forndUyredngDmri-rat.tli:.ce.)is-nes, Ind./ low rations, consisting only of a little salt pork, hard biscuits and some lye hominy, extreme hardships and illness made traveling difficult for Judge Watson and his group. The party finally landed at New Madrid in October and found the town settled principally by the French.“The village,” said Judge Watson. “was beautifully laid off in lots of 2 and 4 arpents, each well improved and streets wide and running parallel with the river. The banks i of the river then, as now were en-I *| croaching upon the town. The first town laid off by the Spanish had all fallen in and at the present writing we are living in the third town carefully laid off back of the second, which has also gone. When the encroachment of the river will stop is bard to conjecture. After a residence of 50 years in the place, I find Httle or no change in the caving of the river banks. I have moved my possessions back three times and my first residence is now in Kentucky/’Arriving at New Madrid Mudge Watson took possession of Mis uncle's trading establisment and began trading with the Indians, French and Americans. The town was an important trading point at that time, especially with the Indians. Mr. Watson .bought peltries and furs during the winter months and shipped them in two pirogues containing 24 packs each, to ha uncle in Detroit.Madrid. |“My long residence at New Madrid gave me an opportunity to become acquainted with a great many people and their acts, whether good or bad. There was not a day from 1809 to 1815 but what some in- % nocent man, owner of some flat-boat loaded with produce, was im- . p03ed up by a gang, who purchased supplies and in return gave the basest kind of counterfeit money.The whole country from Evansville, Ind., to Natchez, was full of these counterfeiters, and as the good, honest people were in the minority, our lives and property were placed in a great danger. After a longtime the counterfeiters, who defiedall laws, were forced out of New Madrid and a better class of people began settling there. We owe, in large measure, our complete success of clearing the country of this class of people to the energy, per-servance and determined action of a few honest and resolute men.“The earthquakes visited New Madrid county in December, 1811. Thc effect was felt all over lhe United States but more particularly in New Madrid and adjoining counties, producing alarm and distress, and depopulating generally the whole country. Plantations, stock of all kind, cnbs of corn and smoke houses full of wheat were destroyed. At that time I was car- * rying on the Indian trade extensively. The whole white po-pula-! tion, or all that could leave, as well | as thc Indians, left largely in debtPower Ratlt;Effective Fbruary 1, 1936, the Siki Light Plant will put in effect a reduction ly 12 per cent in rates. Your Board of Pfor several months felt that the users of tf entitled to this reduction in rate and madt dation but being called upon to furnish ft of other improvements in the City, it has to defer this reduction until the above datYour Board has always contended proper to penalize the users of their elec take care of the expenses in other the City and that some other form of tax of the City needs. All of our citizens mv not all of them are patrons of the SikestonPlant.It is the hope of the Board that the pwill feel that we have had their welfare that they are entitled to the lowest rate ping into consideration the necessity of i provisions for retiring honds against the necessary operating expenses/TreAfter the shipment, in charge of to me, and in turn left me indebted a Frenchman, had been started Mr. to persons here and in other places.1:The Municipal Light Plant belongs Sikeston, and every consumer of electric; a citizen of Sikeston should be a user of cu: our own plant.t♦T#V*If it were possible to obtain 100 per ness in Sikeston, which our home-owned
Newspaper Details
Sikeston Herald
Sikeston, Missouri, US
Thu, Feb 06, 1936
Page 30
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 16 Nov 2018
Other Publications Near Sikeston, Missouri
Sikeston Standard
Sikeston Daily Standard
Sikeston Standard Democrat
Sikeston Herald
