Newspaper Articles, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 23 1824
St. Charles, Missouri, May 13
New Mexico

We have been politely favored with the perusal of a letter from a gentleman in Franklin to the Secretary of State in this place, representing that the Governor of the Providence of New Mexico had dispatched a special messenger to the Council Bluffs, to apprize the commandant of that post he should arrive there on or before the 10^th day of June, next, with 1800 men. “His object, as we understand from the express, is, to make an impression on the Indians between this place (Franklin) and Santa Fee, to secure the trade, and facilitate the intercourse between the two countries.”

A friendly intercourse between Missouri and Santa Fee is of much importance to our citizens, and we hope great care will be taken to secure and place it on a safe foundation. There is much wealth to be drawn from this source, and perhaps the way may be opened for that laudable enterprise, which has been prevented from ascending the Missouri, to draw from the bosom of the wilderness and immense wealth which must now be left to grow and perish where it grows, or be gathered by the citizens of some other government, to the great loss of Missouri.
[Contributed by: Nancy piper - 2008]

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 12 1824
Missouri Iron
[Contributed by: Nancy piper - 2008]

We have received a letter from our enterprising fellow citizen. Mr. Martin Ruggles, of Washington county, in answer to some enquiries about the iron works in which he is interested, and are authorized to state that the number of hands now employed is forty, who make weekly 2000 lbs first quality of bar iron, and 3500 lbs of castings and pig iron, which for cash can be had at the Tennessee, Alabama or Kentucky prices. The ore worked yields 60 per cent, and the celebrated Iron Mountain within 12 miles of the furnace, yields 75 per cent of a quality unknown elsewhere in America. The furnace is in the range of pine hills running from the Grand Tower on the Mississippi to the Gasconade, and which in many places yields 75 cords of wood to the acre – Mr. Ruggles writes that a number of workmen from Kentucky and Tennessee are now at their works, and they are much pleased with the general prospect and the healthy situation, that the company of which he is a partner, have it in contemplation to erect another factory form the manufacture of bar iron, with five fires and two hammers, and that they then will be able to make 2000 lbs. per day.

The Company have as yet made but one blast at their furnace but in April or May they will again have it in operation and will be able to furnish all kinds of machinery for steam boats, steam mills, horse boats, water mills, carding machines – also, salt and sugar kettles, cotton screws, staves, forge hammers, and all kinds of small ware. The water courses convenient are Cedar creek, Grand River, St. Francois, &c. – St. Louis Enquirer.

First Arrival of Furs from the Rocky Mountains

Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
November 20 1822 Page 2
Transcribed by: Nancy Piper- 2007

St. Louis, Oct. 12
First Arrival of Furs from the Rocky Mountains

Capt. Perkins, of the Missouri Fur Company, arrived in town this week, with a boat load of furs and peltries worth $14,000 from the Rocky Mountains.

Another parcel belonging to the same Company, worth $10,000, is on the river, and expected to arrive in the week coming.
The whole has descended the Yellow Stone river, and must have been transported 3000 miles to arrive at this place; such is the extent of country laid under contribution by the commercial position of St. Louis.

In this first adventure (since the revival of the fur trade) to the Rocky Mountains, it is gratifying to learn that no hostilities of any kind have occurred with the Indians, and that present appearances promise great success to the enterprising citizens who are now extending their trade to that remote region. Â– Enquirer.

Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
November 27 1822 Page 1 - Nancy Piper© 2007

A letter to the editors of the National Intelligencer, from a friend at Fort Atkinson, (up the Missouri) under date of Sept. 25, contains the following: Â“Gen. Gaines and his aids arrived here yesterday from Fort Smith, on the Arkansas. He will remain here until Monday next, when he will proceed across the country to For St. Anthony, at the mouth of the river St. Pierre. The General will descend the Mississippi to St. Louis.Â”

The late rise of the Missouri river has caused serious injury to the planters occupying tracts of country adjacent to the Chariton, Grand River and South Island, and other places below. In many places, the land, with its growth of lofty trees, was swept from one side of the river and lodges on the other, thereby making a great alteration in the channel of the river. The newspaper at Franklin, after giving the above facts, thus speaks of the Missouri:

“The Missouri reaches the ocean by five separate channels, either or which is sufficiently deep to admit ships of the largest size. Although we are 1400 miles from its mouth, the water formed at its source, by the solution of snow, does not reach us until about the first of July. It witnesses almost every variety of climate; and while one extremity is bound in fetters of ice, and sees, in every surrounding object, the desolation of winter, the other looks forth upon smiling verdure, and all the beauties of spring.”
[Contributed by: Nancy piper - 2008]

By the steam ship Robert Fulton the editors of the New York Gazette received papers to the first inst. The Eagle steamboat, just arrived there in 5 days from St. Louis, brought information that the waters in the upper country were rapidly on the rise. The Missouri, above its junction with the Mississippi, was five feet higher than ever before known. At St. Louis it was nine inches higher than last year, and still swelling. Rain had fallen continually for ten days, and a great part of the State of Illinois was reported to be inundated. The Ohio was also on the rise. There was serious alarm at Natchez and New Orleans, as the rising had commenced at the former place.
[Contributed by: Nancy piper - 2008]

Emigration – For the last 2 months, the various avenues to this State have been filled with emigrants, principally from Virginia and Kentucky. A traveler, while journeying from Louisville to St. Louis, counted not less than two hundred wagons, destined for Missouri. The accession to the population of the State is computed at several thousands.
[Contributed by: Nancy piper - 2008]