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"An old pioneer, in speaking of the settlement and early history of Libery townshp, says:"
The old Boone Lick road runs through the north part of the county, and at the time was the only thoroughfare from St. Louis to the Upper Missouri. The first settler in the neighborhood located on this road. This was in the year 1818. This was the only house on the road from Loutre to Cedar Creek. The name of this man was Watson, and he kept the first entertainment for travelers... a very profitable business at this period, and for a few year subsequuent- the prices were exorbinabt, and the far, none the best His mode of feeding traveller's horses indicates that corn was scarce; or the bump of acquisitiveness large, or perhaps, a combination of both; he was in the habit of keeping the corn he gave to traveller's horse well greased, anf however hungry they might be, would not touch it, and the traveller, not suspecting avarice of his host, would naturally conclude his animal was sick.
Thomas Harrison, Esq., from Montgomery cOunty, Virginia, bought the claim of this man Watson, and settled her in 1819. Watson again settled on the land now owned by James Lawrence.
In 1820, a man by the name of Kibby settled where Major James McKinney formerly lived, now owend by John Ferrell. Major McKinney settled her in 1821, and during this year the follwoing persons also came, making a considerable acession to the neighborhood: John Hamilton from Virginia, settled where Mrs. D. Harrison now lives; Charles Younger from Kentucky, where John S. Henderson lives; Colonel Wynkoop Warren, on the land now owned by Peter Brickley; John Dyer, where Colonel George Nicholson lieves; and Samuel Dryer, on the adjoining farm, now owned by the heirs of
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Samuel Dyer, deceased. in 1822, Major W. W. Small, from Kentucky serttled on the farm now owned by John Maddox; Captain Archibald Allen, on the farm where he now lives; Major James Tate on the farm now owned by Isacc Tate; David Kennedy on the farm now owned by Thos. Vandiver; Dudlet Simmons on the farm now owned by Jacob Hough. This was the necleus of the present thickly settled neighborhood. The original settlers were from Virginia and Kentucky, and the population that gathered around them was from the same States, and mostly from the same section of th ecountry. At this early period in the history of ourt county, there was no settlement north or weast of this point for a distance of fifteen to twenty miles.
There was a small settlment in Nine Mile Prairier. In 1828, Mt. James Leeper from Kentucky settled in the neighborhood of Concord...........,,
The first merchant was Mr. James Yates; he removed to this place from Elizabeth, where he formerly sold goods. Game being very plentiful, the first settlers found it but little trouble in procuring an ample supply of meat. Meal and flour were, hard to procure, as there were no mills west of St. Charles County, hence they raised but little of either. the hominy mill and corn grater were generally used in 1822. Henry May built a horse mill weast of Fulton, on the place formerly owned by Presley Thomas,, which supplied the demands of a large scope of country.
The Indians never committed any depredations on the early settlers, not withstanding they came into the county every fall for several years, for the purpose of hunting. Their favorite hunting grounds were on the head waters of the Auxvasse and Salt Rivers. They would frequently kill 2,000 deer, during their fall hunt, besides a number of bear and elk; the latter at that time were quite plenty [sic] on the waters of Salt River, now Audrain County. Pole cates were their favorite meat. I have seen a dozen or more in their camp, dressed ready for use. Central and North Missouri had always been a favorite hunting ground of the Sauk, not withstanding the country was, at an early day, claimed and occupied by the Missouri tribe of Indians. In the many sanguinary conflicts of the latter with-
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the Sauks and their confederates, the Reynasrds or Foxes, the Missouri tribe was nearly destroyed. The remment sought refge with the wesatern indians, and although they ceased to exist as a nation, their name, like the Illinois nation, will be perpetuated in the name of a great state and river.
"Of all the early settlers I have enumerated, Captain A. Allen is the only one living. These ancient landmarks are fast passing away, and soon the place that once knew them will know them no more."
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Concord:
was laid out in 1837 by John Henderson on the north half of section 18, township 49, range 7. It is located twelve miles north of Fulton and contains fifty inhabitants; has a Presbyterian Church and a public school and has mail daily. J. D. Plunkett is the postmaster. John Henderson built the first business house in the town. Wm. McPheeters opened the next business house.
Business Directory:
S. C. Harrison, carpenter; Henderson & McPheeters, grist and sawmill; A.D. Morris, harness maker; T. J. Pledge, justice of peace; Pledge & Moore. blacksmiths; J.D. Plunkett, general store; S. R. Satterfield, constable; Rev. W. W. Trimble, Presbyterian. ".
