Montserrat Township, Johnson County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Johnson County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Source: "History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918
Transcribed by Karen Hammer -2009

MONTSERRAT TOWNSHIP

Montserrat township, the last political subdivision of Johnson county to be organized, was created by county court order of August 6, 1890. The territory comprising this township was taken chiefly from the township of Washington and a small portion from the townships of Simpson and Grover.

Geography.-Area, about 41 square miles, or 26,240 acres. Geographically, Montserrat township is composed of the body of upland, lying between the two streams of Clear Fork and Bear creek, as both flow north toward Blackwater. According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Soil Survey of 1914, the north third of this upland is smooth "black limestone" soil (Summit silt loam), extending from Montserrat town north to Blackwater bottom. The south two-thirds are chiefly broken ridges of "sandy" soil (Boone silt loam), with strips and patches of Summit silt loam, Crawford silt loam ("red limestone" soil) and Oswego silt loam (gray soil).

Early Settlements.-One of the first settlers in what is now Montserrat township was John Mayes. He was a Pennsylvanian, born in that state December 19, 1791, and in early life removed with his parents, to Virginia and later to Kentucky. He settled at what is now Montserrat town in 1835. No improvements had been made in this section of the country up to that time and even the county had not been organized. He remained here about three years, during which time this county was organized and the county seat located at Warrensburg. In 1838 he went to Warrensburg, where he operated a wool-carding machine for a time, and also conducted a hotel. In 1840 he returned to Montserrat township, where he spent the remainder of his life and died March 4, 1881. County Judge J. B. Mayes and A. S. Mayes, both deceased, were his sons, and Mayor William J. Mayes and President F. A. Mayes, of the Commercial Bank, are grandsons. He was one of the substantial citizens of that section of the county which now comprises Montserrat township and had much to do with the development of this part of the county.

William Gaut was also an early settler in the vicinity of Montserrat. He became a large landowner and took a prominent part in early-day politics.

Early Churches.-Lea's chapel and Mary's chapel were the two earliest churches of this township. Lea's chapel, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was organized in 1840 at the residence of Dr. J. L. Lea and in 1861 this organization erected a building about a mile south" of Montserrat near where Dr. J. A. Lea resided. The following were some of the pioneer preachers who served this congregation : Reverends W. M. Protsman, James Porter, William Brown, Siceloff, T. Tolbert, W. H. Kelly, L. Pulliam, W. S. Woodard, W. M. Bewley, and M. Duren. The first members of this congregation were: May Hargraves, Robert H. and James E. Lea, W. H. DeArman, Margaret Robinson, Dr. J. L. Lea and Mrs. Harriet Lea.

Mary's Chapel. Cumberland Presbyterian church of Montserrat was organized November 5, 1859, by Reverend J. B. Morrow. The first church building which was erected shortly after the organization stood a few miles southwest of the village of Montserrat. The following ministers preached here in the pioneer days of this congregation: Reverends J. B. Morrow, J. H. Houx, R. S. Reed, W. Compton, D. M. K. Barnett, S. H. McElvaine, G. D. Gibbons, Levi Henshaw, David Hogan, J. R. Whitsett. and J. Cal. Littrell. The original members of this congregation were John Mayes, G. Hugh Robinson, J. T. Gillum and J. B. Mayes.

Early Cemeteries.-Lea's cemetery is located about a mile south of the village of Montserrat and Thomas J. Lea was buried here January 2, 1859, which was the first burial in this cemetery. This cemetery originally consisted of one acre which was set apart by order of court for burial purposes. It was donated for that purpose by Rev. H. R. Lea. Another burying ground is located on the southeast corner of section 10, Montserrat township and perhaps the first burying ground in the present borders of Montserrat township is located near the northwest corner of section 25 and was known as the Adams burying ground. This ground was used for burial purposes as early as 1844. Mayes' cemetery, located on section 23, was a private burial ground.

Early Mill-Gallaher's Mill.-One of the earliest mills in the county was Gallaher's mill on Clear Fork, in section 6, in this township. This mill was built by William Cheek in 1830 or 1831 and belonged successively to James A. Gallaher, Montville Huff and Colonel Morton Thompson. There was a store, mill and gun shop here and it was a favorite resort of the pioneers. It was the voting place for Washington township before Knob Noster was built.

Early Schools.-After the days of the pioneer schools in the old log cabins, Montserrat school in the village of Montserrat was one of the early present schools. It was first erected in 1868. Among the pioneer teachers who taught here were John McKeehan Mrs. D. A. McCormick, J. P. Wallace, A. J. Sparks and John Bryne.

Justices.-The following are the justices of the peace of the township as far back as the county court records show, with dates of their election: 1890, W. H. Anderson, R. O. Hudson; 1892, F. B. Freeman; 1894, W. H. Anderson, L. J. Hosman; 1896, R. J. Walker; 1898, L. J. Hosman, E. B. Rogers; 1902, John O'Connor, John Murphy; 1904, Walter Hayes; 1906, Walter Hayes, John T. Dofflemyer; 1910, C. F. Scruggs, W. B. Skidmore; 1914, Robert Livergood, Robert Walker.

County Officers.-The following are the county officers who have been elected from the township since its organization in 1890, with dates of their election:
1890-92-Isaiah Hanna (Democrat), county judge.
1900-1902-P. D. Fitch (Democrat), county judge.
1900-1902-R. F. Gillum (Democrat), collector.
1906-Eura J. McCormack (Democrat), circuit clerk.
1914-Charles G. Goodnight (Democrat), recorder.
1916-Joseph F. McGuire (Democrat), surveyor.

County Road Improvements.-County road improvements made by Montserrat township since this system was established in 1911, were up to January 1, 1918, fourteen in number, and aggregated $779 furnished by the citizens of the township, and $777.50 furnished by the county.

Organizations.-The following is a complete list of all organizations of every kind in Montserrat township. Full details of each organization are in this book in separate chapters on the different organizations.

Churches-Baptist, Montserrat; Baptist, Pleasant Point; Baptist, New Bethel; Christian, Oak Hill; Cumberland Presbyterian, Methodist South, Montserrat.

1917 War Organizations-Red Cross, Montserrat Branch.

Fraternal Organizations-Modern Woodmen, Montserrat.

Miscellaneous-Homemakers Club, Oak Grove; Homemakers Club, Sunnyside.

Total number of organizations in township is ten.

MONTSERRAT.

"Montserrat" was an old world name given to the town by James A. Gallaher when he laid it out. The township received the same name. Montserrat is on the main line of the Missouri Pacific railroad about six miles east of Warrensburg. It is in section 13, township 46, range 25 and was laid out August 24, 1870, by John A. Gallaher. It is in the midst of a valuable coal field and coal has been mined in this vicinity for a number of years. Mines were first worked about 1863, the first mining being done in drifts along the Clear Fork creek. The first shafts were sunk in this vicinity in 1866 by the Missouri Pacific Railroad Coal Company and other companies and private individuals have operated here with varying degrees of success for the past fifty years. In the early history of the village of Montserrat, the following were among the first business men: W. H. Anderson, was a carpenter and justice of the peace; C. B. Baker kept a saloon, and was also postmaster; Thomas Boyd was a merchant and coal operator; John A. Gallaher was a coal operator; Dr. John W. Gallaher was a physician; Dr. J. L. Lea was also a physician; Lea & Gallaher kept a drug store; Lea & Mayes kept a grocery store; S. J. LaRue also kept a grocery store; H. B. McCracken was a drayman; and D. S. Williams kept a butcher shop. J. C. Cooper (colored, an ex-Union soldier and a good man) was one of the pioneer blacksmiths. There seems to have been a surplus of saloons in the town in the early days. In addition to the postmaster, John Gibson, George James and George Penn kept saloons here at the same time.

Montserrat now has three churches, one negro church, white and negro schools, physician, good stores and blacksmith shop.

Its population in 1910 was 157.