A. Bolls, daughter of Nathaniel Bolls, a blacksmith and machinist, April 23, 1844. Mr. Bolls was born Aug. 19, 1794, and served as a soldier in the War of 1812. The following children constitute the family of John S. Woods: Porter B., Hanford D., Harriet E., Sarah A., Caroline A., Maria, Martha E., John M. and Fred W. Five are married, viz.: Porter B., to Miss Lizzie McKeller; Sarah, to Geo. H. Gaskill; Harriet, to William Griggs; Maria, to C. Duncan; Ella, to N. Norton. Porter B. was a Union soldier during the late war, and is now engaged in a dairy, which he has conducted successfully for seven years past. Mrs. Woods was born Aug. 12, 1826; her maiden name was Rachel M. Forster, a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Woods may be counted among the enterprising farmers and fine wool-growers of Pettis County. He is taking some interest in horticulture, having at the present a good vineyard and upward of 175 choice apple trees. He keeps constantly on hand pure blooded Merino sheep for sale. So great has been the demand for his stock in the past that he has sold upward of 3,000 sheep in the past three years. He settled in Mansfield, Ohio, in May, 1828. The subject of this sketch was the oldest of five children, two boys and three girls: Joseph P., Mary A., Eliza H. and Sarah J. In Ohio he owned an excellent house and handsome place. April 22, 1865, Mr. Woods landed at Dubuque, Iowa, where he invested $16,000 in farming lands with A. H. Gale, of Sandusky City, Ohio, and subsequently moved to Missouri, near Sedalia, Nov. 28, 1867, bringing 800 fine-wooled sheep with him. He has been engaged in buying and breeding fine sheep for more than thirty years, and is now regarded as one of the best judges of fine sheep in the west. He now keeps some very fine bucks for sale. Mr. Woods is a very social, enterprising farmer.

CHAPTER XIX-BOWLING GREEN TOWNSHIP.

Name Location-Organization-Configuration-Early Settlers-Churches-First Ministers-Early Teachers-Educational-Incidents and Reminiscences--Biographical. NAME.-Bowling Greens are quite numerous and popular names in the country, and perhaps the most prominent is the one in Warren County, Kentucky. Bowling Green is the county seat, and the county of Warren is situated in the southwestern part of the State. There is also a Bowling Green in Pike County, Mo., a station of some importance on the Chicago & Alton Railroad. There are numerous other townships and counties of the same name in the country. This township is supposed to have been named by Mr. George W. Smiley, who came to the township in 1825 from Kentucky, and it is supposed that his love for his native State and the beautiful town of Bowling Green in particular caused him to

give or suggest the name. However this may be, it is a beautiful name and a beautiful township that owns the name.

ORGANIZATION.-The township was laid out when Pettis County was organized, in the winter of 1832 or 1833. At that time Mr. Charles Cravens was the member of the Legislature from Saline County, and to his efforts is due the fact of the separation of the counties of Saline and Pettis, and the giving of voting places, convenient for the voters. It formerly embraced the townships of Smithton, Heaths' Creek, and part of Longwood, but was separated near the time the Missouri Pacific Railroad came through, and each township was given separate voting places. In the organization of the county into municipal townships, this has retained the name of Bowling Green, while the others took their present names. The township contains thirty-six square miles, or is exactly a congressional township. Its northern boundary is Heath's Creek Township, east Cooper and Morgan Counties, south Smithton Township and west Sedalia and Cedar Townships. Its position is nearly in the center of the county from north to south, and lies on the eastern edge of the county.

CONFIGURATION.-The physical features that characterize this township are much the same as those of the other townships. The land is mostly gently rolling prairie, although in some places it is flat and along the creeks timber abounds. The township is well watered by the Muddy Creek, and its tributaries, the Elk Horn and Shavetail Creeks. Along these branches is found an excellent growth of timber, and many fine rock quarries produce limestone and a kind of stone called cottonwood rock, which on exposure to the air wears away, but for foundations, and where it is well covered from the action of the air and rains, it will last as long as any other stone.

The system of drainage is very complete, and in no place is it necessary to use artificial piping to carry off the surface water, but everywhere the ground is rolling enough to give good drainage. The soil is as the balance of Pettis County, deep, dark and rich, and its productiveness is unsurpassed. The quality of its staple productions, its fine fields of wheat, its elegant blue grass pastures, and its large area of corn, producing from fifty to seventy-five bushels per acre, all speak volumes for the quality of the land on which those who are residents of the township reside.

EARLY SETTLERS.-The early history of this township is so interwoven with that of Smithton, which, at this early day, was a part of Bowling Green, that the early settlers of the one are the early settlers of the other. Honored and respected as they were, it is just that, without becoming tiresome, we should give these brave men all the credit due them in open

ing up this new country, even if it is necessary to mention them three or four times. They are worthy of all the praise the humble historian of the present day can bestow upon them. Among the earliest, and perhaps the earliest settler of the township was Joseph Scott, who came in 1815, from Kentucky. Thus with him the opening wedge entered the virgin territory, and from the States of Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee came the heroes of the rough and sturdy material which was to rise into the beautiful and substantial structures of the western empire. Joseph Roberts and wife came in 1820, also from Kentucky; N. Steele came the same year from the same State. John Potter came in 1825 from the same State, and Robert Ross came two years later from the “blue grass" regions. George Small came to the township in 1825, from Kentucky, and also the same year and from the same State came George W. Smiley, whom we have previously given the honor of naming the township. All these have years ago passed away. Mr. Smiley was a man of great energy, a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his house was always open to the preaching of the gospel, no matter of what denomination the minister might be. On his land the first school house built in the township was erected, and the ancient chimney still stands as a mark of his enterprise in the days when the country was little more than a wilderness. Daniel Wright came to the township in 1831, from Alabama, and is now numbered with those who have passed to a better world. Andrew M. Wright came from the same State, and in the same year, and still resides in the township. A complete biographical sketch is given of him elsewhere, and to say he has had much to do with bringing the township up to its present standpoint would be but a slight tribute to one who has resided fifty-one years in the same section of country, watched it grow from infancy to youth, and from youth to manhood, and now enjoying the fullness of the blessings the Creator has so bountifully showered upon it. Clinton Young came to the township in 1830, from Tennessee, and Clayborne Young four years later from the same State. Both are now dead. Judge J. W. Beeman is another of the pioneers of the township, who is now living. He came from Alabama here in 1832, and has lived on the same homestead for fifty years; is one of the few men who came in those early times determined to carve their way to a competency, who yet remain to tell the story of their struggles and triumphs.

CHURCHES.

I love to steal awhile away

From every cumbering care,

And spend the hour of setting day

In humble, grateful prayer.

There are four churches in the township, viz: Salem M. E., Providence Baptist, Beeman Chapel and the Church of the Disciples.

The M. E. Church, of Bowling Green Township, is known by the name of Salem, and is situated in the southern part of the township, seven miles east of Sedalia. The first class was organized at Smiley's school house in 1840, and the present organization of Salem Church was made. in 1860 by B. J. Porter, John Pollard, E. K. Porter, J. C. Porter and B. C. Porter. The building was erected in 1859, at a cost of $5,000, by B. J. Porter, W. B. Porter, E. M. Hausburger and J. N. Porter. It is a brick building 40x50 feet, and was dedicated in 1859 by Dr. Parsons, of Louisville, Ky. The pastors have been the Revs. Josiah Godby, W. C. Godby, Joseph McCasey, J. Woodspringer, Wassen Wharton, J. P. Smith, R. E. Allen and J. T. Anthony. The original members were B. C. Porter, B. J. Porter, J. W. Pollard, Mrs. F. R. Porter, S. W. Porter, P. Pollard, Mr. and Mrs. H. Z. Elbert, E. M. Housberger and wife and E. K. Porter and family. The present membership is forty-five, and the Sunday School has an average attendance of fifty. T. E. Porter is Superintendent, and the Secretary is A. M. Mitchene. Before the organization of Salem Church the different denominations met at Smiley's school house and old Providence Baptist Church, where they would have great revivals under the preaching of Revs. Springer, James Mitchell, Thomas Wallace and J. W. Jamesen.

From the Sedalia Democrat we clip the following in regard to the churches :

What is known as Salem Church, of the Southern Methodist denomination, four and a half miles east of town, two miles south of Beaman, and in the Porter neighborhood, has been rebuilt. The old church was 40x50 feet, and the new one is 28x40 feet, and is really a handsome little church, yet plenty large enough for all purposes. The old materials-such as the brick, shingles, planking and furniture, were used in the new building. The amount expended in the work was $800, which was raised by subscription, a good deal of which was subscribed in Sedalia. The Rev. J. M. Anthony is the pastor. The new church was dedicated last New Year's day, by the Rev. E. R. Hendricks, President of the Central College at Fayette. The membership is sixty, and altogether the church is in a flourishing condition.

The following account of the Church of the Disciples is written by Mr. Bird P. Smith:

In 1859 when I removed to Missouri, there were two churches of Disciples in Pettis County. One in the northern part of the county called Union; this was a very strong and flourishing organization at that time; made up of the most influential, intelligent citizens of that part of the county. Among the members of that time were, Amos Fristoe, Abner Clopton, Dr. Rothwell, John S. Jones, Dr. Cartwright, Col. Thos. F. Houston, George Anderson, Ben. Major, Charles Jones, and many others of influence. Amos Fristoe and Ben Major were the leading workers of the church, always zealous and energetic in the cause of Christ. Amos Fristoe was Elder, and I think Bro. Harrison. Elder Allen Wright

preached for them, and he and Bro. L. B. Wilks held a very successful protracted meeting for the church at Union, in 1858, and had over one hundred additions; among them Col. T. F. Houston and wife. The church at Union, so strong twenty years ago, is now the weakest in the county. Georgetown was the county seat in 1860. There was a good congregation of Disciples there, organized by Elder Allen Wright and Elder John Dejarnett. The leading workers in this church were John Dejarnett, P. Woolridge and Mr. Hunt. After the county seat was removed to Sedalia, the congregation removed there also. I cannot close this sketch without alluding to the work and life of Elder John Dejarnett. He had a good English education, was an excellent business man, made no great pretentions as a preacher, but at the same time was what I consider a good preacher. His reasoning was strictly logical. Few men could analyze a passage of scripture more clearly than he; alway understood his subject well, and no one could fail to understand him, and the reason he was not a popular speaker, his voice was sharp and bad. Never too busy to work for the church (and he had a large business), always ready to work for Christ. To his energy and zeal, the church in Sedalia is indebted for the house the congregation now worship in. He raised the money and superintended the building under many adverse circumstances during the war. The brick had to be brought from Jefferson City. Elder Dejarnett has been dead for a number of years, and I am not aware that his brethren have ever paid a proper tribute of love and respect to the memory of so good and faithful a worker in the cause of Christ.

Speaking of early times, Rev. Wm. Ferguson says: "It was thinly settled, but plenty of wild deer and prairie chickens, and wolves were on the prairie where Sedalia now stands. No railroads, no telegraph wires thought of then, no fine churches, no fine school houses; had to send our children to school in little houses, sixteen by eighteen feet, made of logs and seats without backs to them. Had to preach in those little houses, or in private family homes, or in the groves in warm weather. But now we have fine school houses, and fine churches, well seated, all over the county; and where the wolves and wild deer, and the prairie chickens were, Sedalia now stands in her splendor, with many railroads and telegraph wires. Many large, fine farms well improved, and in the place of the old fashioned scythes and cradle to cut our grass and other small grain, we have plenty of good machinery that goes by horse-power to cut our grasses, wheat and oats, and the thresher to thresh the same."

The first justice of the peace was Larkin Erwin, and the first school was taught by James Chalmers. V. T. Chilton, Edward Clark, Wm. Joplin, F. M. Butler and Mrs. Bryan, cousin of Maj. Wm. Gentry, were also early teachers. The township officers of 1873 were B. F. Taylor and W. C. Steelman, justices, and G. S. Erwin, assessor; T. P. Potter, collector; and Willis Franklin, clerk. The county schools are in a flourishing condition.