Miscellaneous Documents - WebRing

mouth of the Osage fork, where they found a few white settlers --some of the Starks, Ballous, Tygarts,
O'Neals, and one old `Jim Campbell,' who was sheriff of all of Southwest Missouri. This was in the
neighborhood of the present Oldland Post office. From there they came on to Cave Spring, where they
crossed the Osage fork, leaving it at the old Barnett place, from which they came to Pleasant prairie, now
Marshfield, and striking James fork 20 miles east, thence down to Jerry Peirson's, where he had built a
little water mill at a spring just below the Danforth place ; then on west they struck the Kickapoo prairie
one mile east of the present Joe Merritt place ; thence five miles more brought them to the natural well a
short distance north of the present public square of Springfield. Here they first camped on the
night of the 4th of March, 1830....
23]
In the meantime, Uncle Billy Fulbright had got about three weeks ahead of them, and stopped at the
Fulbright Spring. His brother, John Fulbright, had settled at the spring where Capt. Geo. M. Jones now
lives, and had a cabin up ;and his brother-in-law, A. J. Burnett, had succeeded in putting up a small
oak-pole cabin l2x15, just on the spot of the old `Squire Burden residence. a little west of Mr. McElhany's.
Mr. Campbell having had rather the oldest claim, by his name being cut en an ash tree at the well, Mr.
Burnett gave way and went and commenced an improvement five miles east, at the Merritt place. Both
Miller's and Campbell's families then moved into the pole cabin, the negroes having a good cloth tent to
live in. This cabin had a splendid dirt floor....
[29]
Joseph Miller settled at the spring, a short distance southwest of the city, where Mr. Beiderlinden
has since lived, after which he sold out to Maj. Joseph Weaver, and removed to Sac river, thirty miles
northwest of this city. Mr. Weaver came in March, 1830, from Marshall county, Tennessee, and first
settled at the Delaware town, where he purchased and improved the farm now known as the Porter place,
upon which he lived until his removal to the above named point. On this farm he remained three or four
years before removing to the place known as the Weaver grove, two-and-a half miles west of town. After
one or two other removals, he died in September, 1852, on the farm three miles northwest of the city....
Of his family of thirteen children, eleven were by his first wife, to whom he was married in Georgia. His
second wife, and the mother of his two younger daughters, was the widow of Dr. Wm. Shackelford, who
will hereafter be mentioned. Of the first family eight are still living, and one of the second. Of these J. J,
and E. L. Weaver, and the wives of J. L. Carson and J. M. Griffith, all living in this city, are well and
favorably known to most of our readers ; also another son, Thomas J. Weaver, who lives at the Weaver
Grove. One brother, R. B., and two sisters, are living in Boone county, Arkansas, Mr. Weaver being at the
present time the Representative of that county in the State Legislature. Joseph J. Weaver has taken a
prominent part in the affairs of this city, having served two or three terms as Councilman from the Third
Ward, and one year as Mayor. ...
In 1831, Daniel B. Miller, a brother of Joseph, settled at what is still known as the Miller spring. in
the northwest part of the city. and which furnishes power in the form of steam for the Springfield woolen
mills. Here he made a field, which was afterward used as the Federal burying ground. He also cleared a
small field in the 'bottom," where the depot of the S. & .W.M. R. R. now stands. Mr. Miller remained in
Springfield until his death, which occurred in January, 1839.
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Past and Present of Greene County, Missouri
By Jonathan Fairbanks and Clyde Edwin Tuck
Early and Recent History and Genealogical Recordsof Many of the Representative Citizens
Chapter 5
Early Settlement