Webster is a good workman and a competent newspaper man. contemplates starting a paper of his own in the near future.

WILLIAM H. WELCH.

He

David B. Welch, father of the subject of this sketch, was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia. He came to Monroe county, Missouri, where he was married, afterwards removing to Boone county about the year 1835. He settled at Old Petersburg, where he was employed for several years as a teacher. Was also a shoemaker. He lived at Petersburg about seven years. The subject of this sketch was born in Boone county, October 1, 1840. His mother's maiden name was Kituria Brink. Mr. Welch has been a citizen of Boone all his life, except while absent in the Confederate army and in California. He has been engaged in the mercantile business for about eighteen years. He spent four years in California. Was married, August 19, 1869, to Laura, daughter of H. H. Jamison, of Pettis county, Missouri. They have four children living and four dead. The living are Scott, Annie, Daniel W., and Serepta Evellen. Mr. Welch enlisted in the Confederate army under Capt. Ab. Hicks, of Clark's Division. He was in the battles of Boonville, Lone Jack, Carthage, Wilson's Creek, Drywood, Lexington and Pea Ridge. He also participated in the fatal assault upon Helena, Arkansas, and was in Price's raid in 1864. Mr. Welch is a member of the city council, also of the Sturgeon Masonic lodge. He is of Irish and German origin. Was left an orphan at the age of seven, and from early boyhood supported and educated himself. He has also built up a good business by his own individual, unaided exertions.

JAMES T. WHITE.

James T. White, farmer, is the son of William C. White, who was born in 1812, and came to Missouri about the year 1822 and settled in Howard county, where he remained one year, finally removing to Boone county and settling on a farm near where James T. White now lives The subject of this sketch was born in Boone county, March 29th, 1838. His mother, Luvicy Lawrence, was a native of Kentucky. Mr. White was reared on the farm, and has always followed the occupation of a farmer. Was a soldier in the Confederate army, being first a member of Capt. John Bole's company, afterwards with Wat Stone. Was at Prairie Grove, Milliken's Bend, Gaines' Landing, and a number of smaller engagements. He served three years. He

and his brother-in-law have in partnership three hundred and seventysix acres of land and devote their attention to farming and stockraising. When Mr. White returned home from the war fifty dollars comprised all that he possessed in the world. He now owns, in addition to his Boone county property, a stock farm in Vernon county, Missouri, which he manages in connection with his lands in Boone county.

SAMUEL NEWTON WOODS.

Samuel Newton Woods was born in Boone county, February 26th, 1844. He is the son of Barnabas S. and Martha C. (Copher) Woods. Was raised on the farm upon which he now resides, and which has always been his home except while absent in the army, or while crossing the plains. Was absent in the army eighteen months, and in crossing the plains fifteen months. Was sworn into the Confederate service by Col. Poindexter, and served under Col. Dorsey. Was in several engagements in Northern Arkansas. Was only seventeen years old when he joined the army. Mr. Woods was married, February 8th, 1870, to Caroline Boyd, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Seymour) Boyd. They have five children, Patrick Seymour, Wilford Watson, Lafayette Gomer, Ober Kyle and Samuel Boyd. Mr. and Mrs. Woods are members of the Baptist church.

CHAPTER XVI.

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

Position and Description - Organization - Remarkable Natural Features - Caves, Mounds, etc. Rockbridge Mills - Minerals, "Gold! Gold!"- Early Settlers and SettlementsIncidents, Peter Ellis and the Indians, Joker Jones-Tragedies of the Civil War - Killing of James Harrington and others — Skirmish at Stonesport- Miscellaneous Matters of Interest-Country Churches - The Town of Ashland — Its General History - Stock Sales-The "Bugle" - Riot - Secret Orders - Churches - The Town of ProvidenceNashville-Stonesport - Biographies of Old Settlers and Prominent Citizens of Cedar

Township.

POSITION AND DESCRIPTION

ORGANIZATION.

Cedar, which is by far the largest municipal township in the county, embraces all that portion of the county lying south of Columbia township and east of the Roche Perche. Its northern boundary is

the same as the line north of congressional township 47, while it is bounded on the east by Cedar creek (the Callaway county line) as far down as the southeastern corner of section 12, of congressional township 45, range 12, from which point south to the Missouri river the boundary is the range line on the east of said congressional township. The Missouri river forms the southern and southwestern boundary, flowing in an almost regular outward curve from the mouth of the Roche Perche to the Callaway line. Cedar may be properly said to embrace almost a little kingdom within itself, with the capital at Ashland, so great is its area and so independent the character of its citizens. The township as now bounded is the same original township established by order of the county court at the May session of 1821. The record as quoted from Book A. of the first county court, gives the following: "The court then proceeded to lay off the county into townships, and to establish the following as the several and respective boundaries thereof, viz.: 1st Township, beginning at the mouth of the Perche creek, thence up to where it crosses township line between township 47 and 48, thence east with the township line to the eastern boundary of the county, thence southward with the said boundary line to the Missouri river, thence up said river to the place of beginning, which said township is denominated Cedar township." The court held its session at Smithton, and was presided over by Peter Wright, Lazarus Wilcox and Anderson Woods as justices. The same court at the same session established four other townships, and appointed constables for each, Thomas S. Tuttle being appointed the first constable of Cedar township.

Cedar contains two entire, and six fractional congressional townships, and has about 182 whole sections and 40 fractional sections of land. Estimating the 40 fractional sections at an average of 20 whole ones, gives 202 square miles of 640 acres each. entire area of about 129,280 acres.

TOPOGRAPHY, NATURAL FEATURES, ETC.

This gives an

Along the eastern side of Cedar township, the Two-mile Prairie extends for some distance, entering it from the north and running parallel with Cedar creek and extending down nearly opposite Ashland on the east. Most of the country around Ashland is rolling, with sufficient drainage to carry off all surplus water. Farther to the east along Cedar creek, the country is rough and broken, and in some places affords magnificent scenery. At Duly's mill, on Cedar creek,

where the stream makes a great bend of a mile or more, and returns within about 50 feet of itself, a tunnel was cut through the solid limestone to the same stream opposite, giving a fall of about fifteen feet and saving the building of a dam. Little Bonne Femme creek rises in the southern part of Columbia township and flows southwest and thence southeast in a kind of curve through the western part of Cedar into the Missouri river. The face of the country along this stream is rough in the vicinity of Rockbridge mills. West of this are Perche creek and Missouri river bottoms. Of course, the bluff districts along the Missouri are rough and broken as they are everywhere on that great stream. The finest farming country is in the central and northern portions, and the Two-mile Prairie.

REMARKABLE NATURAL FEATURES

THE CAVE AND NATURAL BRIDGE

AT ROCKBRIDGE MILLS.

This natural feature is located a quarter of a mile east of the natural bridge, on the farm of Mr. D. M. Emmitt. The entire country in that locality is honeycombed with "sink-holes," and the cave whose opening fronts east, is entered by going down into one of these sinkholes. The entrance is large enough for a man to ride in on horseback, though there is no evidence that anyone ever accomplished that feat. The opening is about ten feet high by fifteen feet wide, and though it has been explored to some distance, no terminus has ever been discovered. Inside is a stream called Cave creek, that flows wholly under ground from northeast to southwest. A distance of some 200 yards can be penetrated on terra firma, when it then becomes necessary to proceed in a boat, the stream in some places being ten or fifteen feet deep. It has its stalagmites and its stalactites, its compartments, rooms and passages, all that goes to constitute a cave of real interest. The largest apartment known is about 200 yards from the mouth, and is entered by a passage some fifteen feet high, which opens out into a room about twenty-five feet high by 150x75 feet in length and width. One gentleman, who explored it to the distance of nearly a mile, pronounces the passage irregular, but not difficult. Other parties claim to have gone in far enough to exhaust four miles of guide string without finding any terminus.

BASS'S CAVE.

This cave is also on Little Bonne Femme, four miles from Ashland, on the land of the old Bass estate. It opens about ten feet above the