A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas: Being an Account of the Early Settlements, the Civil War, the Ku-Klux, and Times of PeaceMonks, William
History
A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas: Being an Account of the Early Settlements, the Civil War, the Ku-Klux, and Times of Peace
Monks, William
Arkansas -- History -- 19th century; Arkansas -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865; Guerrillas -- Ozark Mountains -- Biography; Missouri -- History -- 19th century; Missouri -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865; Monks, William, 1830-1913; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narr
The author will refer to another incident that occurred in Howell
county, Missouri. In the year 1860 there was a man who resided in West
Plains by the name of Jack McDaniel, who was a blacksmith by trade.
This same Hogan came to town, soon became under the influence of
whiskey, went down to McDaniel's shop with a horse, and ordered him to
shoe him. McDaniel had two other horses in the shop at the time to be
shod, and said to Hogan that as soon as he had shod those two horses,
he would shoe his. Hogan said, "I am in a hurry, and I want you to shoe
mine now." McDaniel told him that he could not shoe his horse until he
had shod the other two horses. Hogan said, "If you don't shoe him at
once, I will whip you." McDaniel then pulled a barlow knife out of his
pocket, and, opening it, said: "Yes; and if you fool with me, I will
cut your throat from ear to ear." At this remark, Hogan moved right up
to him and said, "Just smell of my neck." McDaniel struck at him with
the knife, and the blade entered just under the ear, cutting to the
bone all the way around into the mouth. Hogan went to a physician in
West Plains and had the wound dressed. He then went to a glass, looked
in, and said that he had lived a long time, been in many tight places,
but he had never had such a mouth as he had now, and remarked, "My
mouth looks as if it was spread from ear to ear."
The people then generally gave their time to growing stock, especially
horses and cattle, as hogs and sheep had to be kept close around the
farms and penned of a night, especially the pigs, on account of wolves
and other wild animals. I have known the wolves to kill 2 and 3 year
old cattle. Farmers fed their corn chiefly to cattle, horses and mules.
They always commanded fair prices. Cattle, at the age of four years and
upwards were driven to Jacksonport, Arkansas and from there shipped to
New Orleans. Horses and mules were driven to Louisiana, Mississippi and
some to the Southern part of Arkansas and there put upon the market.
Prices generally ranging from $75 to $150. All of our groceries were
purchased in New Orleans, shipped to Jacksonport, from there they were
conveyed by wagons. Our dry goods were mostly purchased at Lynn Creek,
Missouri and brought through by wagon, but in the early settling of
the country they hauled dry goods all the way from St. Louis except
what were brought into the country by peddlers. The peddlers would go
to St. Louis on horse back with one and sometimes two led horses, buy
the goods, pack them, place them on their horses and peddle all the way
from St. Louis and still further west and take in exchange all kinds of
fur skins.
I have seen peddlers with one horse still loaded with goods and the
other covered with fur skins, and I have seen them again after they had
disposed of all their goods with all three horses completely covered
with fur skins and sometimes so heavily loaded that the peddler would
either be walking and leading or driving.
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