Annals of Platte County, Missouri - Paxton
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1839. NOV. 33 COURT AT ROUBIDOUX. I have been unable to find the bond of Zadock Martin, returned with the report. He was desirous of securing the water- power at the Falls of Ilatte River, and set up a pretended Spanish float, which he said had been located on all the lands contiguous to the falls. Ihe falls are on the W. } of Sec. 25, T. 53, R. 35. The county was to take so much of this quarter as lay east of Platte River. hit this fraction was less than 160 acres, which the Federal law allowed counties to preempt. The bond of Martin was an agreement to convey to the county 24 acres from the N. IV. } of Sec. 36, T. . 3.3, upon which he held a pre- eruption. On this 24 acres, which Martin conveyed, the rst addi- tion to Platte City was located. The question of the propriety of this contract with Martin was by the county court referred to Judge King. In a letter from Judge King now on le. and dated December 3, 1839. the county collrt is advised to approve the contract. On the 4th of December the court approved the location. and named the county seat Platte City. COURT AT I:OUBIDoIfX. Nor. 2-5The third term of circuit court was held by Judge King at Faylors hotel. His next term was for Buchanan. and this I attended. I went up to Roubidoux the evening before court. His house was perched on the hillside. It was of logs on a stone basement. I was shown to my bed on a plank frame in the base- ment. and was given two blankets. I spread one blanket on the boards, and covered with the other. It was a cold, blustery night. and I nearly froze. In the morning. before day, I heard Roubi- doux stirring in the room overhead. and I went up the rude lad- der. He asked me in his broken English. French, and Indian how I had passed the night. I told him I had suffered from the cold. What said he, cold with two blankets? I explained how I had used the blankets. He replied with contempt: You havent got even Indian sense. or you would have wrapped up in them. The old man had built a roaring re, and two prairie-chickens and a half-dozen ears of old corn on the cob were boiling in the pot. I made a hearty breakfast on these viands. Before court met, I took a survey of the future site of St. Joseph. I saw but two houses: that Where I had spent the night and the store. above the mouth of the creek. The Blaclcsnakr Hills were romantic. They seemed to be composed of red crumbling earth. with here and there a tuft of grass. From the sides of the hills. at intervals. broke out oozing springs of pure water. which gathered into a bold stream that coursed the prairie bottom to the river. In the rear of the house. on the hill-side. stood four or five scaffolds. supported by poles. On these scaffolds lay the bones of Roubi- douxs children. His wives were Indians. and he buried his dead in Indian fashion. 3