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pg 209.
"The first settlement was a nucleus around which others were rapidly formed. In March, 1818, John, Richard, Samuel, Zachariah, William and Jesse Cleavenger, Isaac Allen, John Hutchings, Lewis, Samuel, and Jacob Tarwater, James Wells, and William R Blythe (a trapper), settled in Fishing river bottom, in the southwestern part of the county. They, too, were all from middle and east Tennessee. ...
"John Cleavenger was the first settler between his house and the Iowa line. He afterwards became a justic o fthe [sic] peace; served two years as sheriff, and from 1856-1858, represented the county in the state general assembly. He was a worthy and useful citizen, and many of his descendants are yet living in this county.
"Jesse Cleavenger lost his life by falling from a second story window of a farm house, in which religious services were being held when the accident occurred."
pg 210.
"James Wells was appointed, by the first state legislature, one of the commisioners to locate the permanent seat of justice of Ray county."
pg 217.
"Isaac Martin, James Wells, John Harris, John Turner, and Jonathan Liggett were appointed by the legislature commissioners, "with full power and authority to point out and fix upon the most suitable place in the county of Ray, whereon to erect a court house and jail;" and the place they, or a majority of them, selected was to be the permanent seat of justice for said county of Ray. The act provided that the first courts of the county should be holden at the town of Bluffton, unless the commissioners should previously point out another place for holding said courts."
pg 231.
"Pursuant to this proclamation, the circuit court convened in Richmond, for the first time, Thursday, March 19, A. D., 1829. David Todd was still judge; George Woodward, clerk; Larkin Stanley, sheriff.
"The following persons were on the grand jury: —
"William Black, foreman; Thomas Edwards, Noble Goe, Alex. Bogart, Fouche Garner, John Cleavenger, John Turner, John McCrosky, William Mann, Benjamin Nichols, Robert Gragg, James R. Walker, Jesse Tivault, Branick Wilkinson, John Scott, and James Ball."
pg 233.
"Know all men by these presents, That we, James Wills, Jonathan Liggett, John Harris, Isaac Martin, as principals, and John Shields, Martin Parmer, Thomas Officer, John Hutchings, of the county of Ray and state of Missouri, are held and firmly bound unto Alexander McNair, Esquire, governor of the said state of Missouri, and his successors in office, for the use of the county of Ray, in the just and full sum of ten thousand dollars of lawful money of the United States, to the payment whereof we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals, and dated this nineteenth day of February, eighteen hundred and twenty-one.
"The condition of the above obligation is such, that whereas the above bound James Wills, Jonathan Liggett, John Harris and Isaac Martin, have been by law appointed commissioners with full power and authority to point out and fix on the most suitable plan in said county of Ray, whereon to erect a court house and jail. Now should they, the said Wills, Liggett, Harris and Martin, commissioners as aforesaid, faithfully and impartially discharge their duties as commissioners of said county of Ray, and appropriate and dispose of all moneys or property that may come into their hands as commissioners aforesaid, to the sole use and benefit of said county of Ray; and that if there should be a surplus of said money or property remaining in their hands after having complied with the objects of their appointment, that they and each of them will, under the direction of the circuit court, pay the same into the county treasury, or to any person or persons the said court shall direct, and render at each term of the said circuit court a just and true account of how far they have performed the duties incident to the said appointment, as commissioners of the said county of Ray, then the above obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue. James Wills, [seal.]"
pg 242.
"Fishing River township was settled in 1818, by the Cleavengers, Blythes, McCoskries, Hutchings, Allens and others, from Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana. A full account of this settlement having been given in another place, the writer omits it here. Vibbard, New Garden P. O., and Elkhorn are in this township. Its population, June 1, 1880, was 1,961."
pg 324.
"CHURCHES IN RAY COUNTY.
NEW GARDEN, REGULAR BAPTIST.
"This church constitutes the oldest existing religious organization in Ray county. It was organized April 23, 1824, by Elders James Williams and William Turnage.
"The following list includes the names of all the original members, most of whom have been dead many years, to-wit:
"J. Fletcher, C. Odell, S. Hutchins, N. Odell, John Hutchins, John Turner, John Cleavenger, Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher, Rachel Odell, Elizabeth Hutchins, Jane Turner, Mary Odell, Patsy Turnage, Nancy Chapman and Lucy Woods.
"A very rude log building was erected in 1824, as a place of worship. To accomplish its erection the out-lay in money was, of course, very trifling; probably the only real cost was the time and labor of the members who built it."
pg 692-693.
"JOHN CLEAVENGER.
"John Cleavenger was born in the state of Virginia, July 2, 1798. He is the son of Richard and Sarah (Wood) Cleavenger. His father was a native of New Jersey, and his mother of Shenandoah county, Virginia. His parents removed to Cocke county, Tennessee, when he was a small boy, and there he grew up, working on his father's farm until 1819, when he left Tennessee and came to Missouri. Mr. Cleavenger was one of a party who made the trip by river, in a keel-boat which they constructed themselves in Tennessee before leaving. When they reached the mouth of Fishing river, while ascending the Missouri, they steered their boat into the smaller river, and after ascending it about six miles landed, and settling there, made their homes thenceforth in this county. All kinds of game was abundant, and their chief occupation at first was hunting, but in a few years they cleared land, improved farms, and settled down to a quiet life of farming. Mr. Cleavenger was first married in 1817, to Elizabeth Hensley, of Virginia. The issue of this marriage was one child: Mary, born September 8, 1819. Mrs. Cleavenger soon after died, and he was again married in 1823, to Miss Margaret Wills, daughter of James Wills, an early settler of Ray county. She was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, January 1, 1801. They became the parents of eleven children, four of whom are now living: Lily A., born February — , 1828; Sarah, born March 5, 1831; Margaret, born June 21, 1833; Richard, born October 28, 1836. From 1830 to 1832, Mr. Cleavenger was sheriff of Ray county, and in 1856, was elected to represent the county in the general assembly. The duties of his office he discharged with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the people. He has been a member of the Old School Baptist Church for more than sixty years. His wife is a Presbyterian. He is one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Ray county.
"JOHN R. STARKEY.
"John R. Starkey was born in Mason county, Kentucky, August 26, 1832. At the age of six years he came with his parents to Ray county, and has lived here ever since, engaged, after he grew up, in farming. He was married in this county, to Miss Margaret Cleavenger, daughter of Mr. John Cleavenger. They have one child, Jeremiah R., born April 26, 1871. Levi Starkey, father of our subject, was born in the state of Pennsylvania, in 1804, died in 1863. Mary D., the mother of John R. Starkey, was born in Virginia in 1805, and is yet living in Carroll county, Missouri. Both Mr. Starkey and his estimable lady are members of the Baptist Church, and he is also a member of the Masonic lodge at Richmond. He is an industrious, enterprising farmer, a highly respected man and valuable citizen." |
