SOME HARRISON COUNTY "FIRSTS"

SOURCE:  HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
EDITED BY: WALTER WILLIAMS
ASSISTED BY:  ADVISORY AND CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
COPYRIGHT: 1915

The first house erected in the county seat was built by William R. Allen in the fall of 1845.  It was a hewed-log house sixteen feet square, built on the block northeast of the public square.

John and Clem Oatman were the first merchants in the county.

The first preachers in the county were A.B. Hardin, Baptist, and John S. Allen, of the Christian Church

The first regular attorney was William G. Lewis, who came to the county in 1874.  He was the chief promoter of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Bethany and one of the ruling elders.  He died February 18, 1869

The first hotel in the county was kept by Robert Bullington on the north side of the public square in Bethany.  It was a one-story hewed log house.

The first dramshop kept in the county was by Dennis Clacy, who, in 1845, obtained license from the County Court to keep a "grocery" at Harris' Mill for six months, paying $10 state tax and $10 county tax.

Joseph Hunt had the first blacksmith shop in the county on Big Creek about the year 1840.  He did horseshoeing and mended plows, wagons and implements for many years.

John S. Allen built the first brick business house in Bethany.  He engaged in business in 1848 and in 1851 erected a frame building and subsequently put up the brick house.

The first postoffice in the county was established at Bethany in 1845.  For several years it went by the name of Bethpage and David Buck was the first postmaster.

submitted by:  Melody Beery
mbeery@grm.net



ELECTIONS

SOURCE:  HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
EDITED BY: WALTER WILLIAMS
ASSISTED BY:  ADVISORY AND CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
COPYRIGHT: 1915

The first presidential contest in which the citizens of Harrison County participated was the election of 1848.  The vote of the county was as follows:  Zachary Taylor (whig), 63; Lewis Cass (democrat), 144.  In 1864 the vote of the county was as follows;  Lincoln 992 McClellan, 208.
Harrison County has always been a republican county.  At the election of 1912 two democratic county officers were elected.  The vote for President was: Taft, 2081; Wilson, 1,985; Roosevelt, 965.

submitted by:  Melody Beery
mbeery@grm.net




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