Annals of Platte County, Missouri - Paxton
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1842, DEC. 49 IMPROVEMENTS. acre. Under the law of 1841, the new settlers got a preemption right. With no market, money became scarce. IMPROVEMENTS. Farms were rapidly opened, and substantial and comfortable houses erected. Martin & Sons have added an upright saw to their mill; Hall Medlin has constructed a grist and saw-mill, on S1niths Fork; and Judge M. M. Hughes and Capt. Andrew John son have each built a good mill on Bee Creek. Huston McFarland has a saw-mill near eston. and the Perrys are building a large tlouring-mill at Weston. The nest oak and walnut timber ever seen is offered for notliing: and $1.25 the price of the best squared timber. Goods are selling at from 50 per cent to 150 per cent on cost. NEW-COMERS l() PL.-XTTE CITY. Howell Jenkins (see), a native of Wales, settled at Platte City in 1842. A stonemason by trade. he built with his own hands the rock mansion on Lots 4 and 5, Block 28. and did all the best stone-work in town for years. From our native rock. he cut out and lettered all the tombstones for our graveyard. for twelve years. The rst marble monument erected in the cemetery was at the grave of Dr. N. M. Shrock in 1855. Robert Davis Johnston (see). a native of Kentucky. came to us. by way of Indiana. and formed a partnership with John Lewis. in a general store, on Lot 6. Block 29. He subsequently formed a partnership with Jas. H. Johnston. in the same line. The adversities of trade and the calamities of war drove him from the mercantile business. His military career is familiar to all. DRS. SHROCK, MCFALL, AND CALLAHAN. The two rst named were brothers-in-law. Dr. McFa11 died soon after his arrival from Kentucky. and Dr. Shrock formed a partnership with Dr. H. B. Callahan. and they were favorite phys- icians for years. Dr. Shrock was an enthusiastic Mason. and to him we owe the organization of Platte Lodge. No. 56. He was well informed iii the mysteries of Masonry, and with diligence instructed his brethren. Dr. Callahan left us in 1857. and in the war found no rest for his feet. He resided at Leavenworth many years. honored as a phvsieian and revered as a, citizen. He died in 1896 and was buried at Platte City. John Zeek established a tan-yard on Block 17, but found it not profitable, and left us for some better location. Benj. R. Morton (see) worked on the courthouse. and erected a carding machine on Block 28. William C. Remington (see). a handsome and genial youth. wrote an excellent hand. and found ready emplovment as deputy clerk, until he arose to the office of circuit clerk. 4...