Barnesville Kansas.

Bourbon County Map, 1878.
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223977/page/5

Barnesville can be found in Township 23 South and Range 25 East, section 28.

Osage Township Map. 1878.
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223977/page/27

On the township map Barnesville can be found in section 28.

Barnesville Post Office.

Barnesville post office open on July 23, 1856 and ran to July 14, 1906.

Barnesville History as given in 1887.

Barnesville is in Osage Township, it is an old place, surrounded by as good and as well improved farms as there are in the county, and well it is very small place and off the line of the Railroad, yet considerable business is done there.

 

Bunisess Men of Barnesville City, 1878.

 

John Messinger, County Commissioner, Stock Merchant and farmer.

 

Frank Messinger, General Dealer in Dry Goods, Groceries, Teas, Hardware, Crockery, Hats, Caps, Boots and Shoes.

 

William Baird M. D., Physician, Surgeon and farmer. 

 

D. K. Nickerson, Proprietor Steam Saw Mill, General Mechanic and Farmer.

 

Jacob Morehead, Proprietor "Barnesville Hotel", Farmer and Stock Raiser.

 

J. W. McQuaid, Mechant, Carpentering a specialty and Farmer and Stock Raiser.

 

Colonel M. Finnicum, Farmer and Stock Raiser.  Formerly Colonel U. S. Army.

 

Business men who used Barnesville as their P. O. Address as of 1878.

 

 

A. G. Carter, farmer and Stock Raiser and Trader, from Vermillion County Indiana, came to county 1866.

 

L. A. Gunnsaullus, farmer and Stock Raiser, from Steuben County Indiana, came to county 1859..

 

E. H. Hooker, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Vigo County Indiana, came to county 1868.

 

John A. Tiffany, Farmer and Stock Raiser and Ninister, from Wayne County New York, came to county 1866.

 

B. H. McAdams, Farmer ans Stock Raiser and Teader, from Harrison County Indianaa, came to county 1857.

 

John McNeil, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Miami County, Ohio, came to county 1859.

 

George McNeil, Farmer ans Stock Raiser and Trader, from Miami County, came to county 1859.

 

E. Bomgardner, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Perry County, Ohio, came to county 1865.

 

L. D. Higbie< Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Columbus Ohio, came to county 1967.

 

W. H. Johnson, Farmer and Stock Raiser and Trader, from Erie County, Pennsylvania, came to county 1877.

 

Col. M. Finnicum, Farmer and Stock Raiser and formealy Colonel U. S. Army, from Spotsylvania County Virginia, came to county 1874.

 

J. R. Eastwood, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Jersey County, Illinois, came to county 1862.

 

A. G. Cortner, Farmer and Stock Raiser and Trader, from Clark County Indiana, came to county 1876.

 

J. W. McQuaid, Carpenter, from Frederick County Virginia, came to county 1863.

 

Margaret Beckford, Farmer and Land Owner, from Hocking County, Ohio, came to county 1858.

 

J. L. Williams, Farmer and Stock Raiser and Trader, from Fulton County, Illinois, came to county 1857.

 

M. Williams, Farmer and Stock Raiser and Trader, from Louisville Kentucky, came to county 1857.

 

Elias Morrell, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Pike County, Illinois, came to county 1867.

 

Frank Messinger, Merchant, from Perry County, Pennsylvania, came to county 1860.

 

John Messinger, Merchant and County Commissioner, from Perry County Pennsylvania, came to county 1860.

 

Jacob Morehead, Propor. Barnesville Hotel, from Fairfield County, Ohio, came to county 1864.

 

D. K. Nickerson, Propor. Steam Saw Mill, from Kennebeck County Maine, came to county 1859.

 

William Baird, Physician and Surgeon and Farmer, from Hocking County, Ohio, came to county 1865.

 

History of Barnesville Kansas as given in 1883.

 

Barnesville is situated in the north part of Bourbon county, about three miles east of Fulton. The town was laid out, in 1858, by J. and F. Barnes, who also built a hotel upon the site during the same year. Dr. Neal started a general store in 1860. At first, the town enjoyed a "boom" on a small scale, and at the zenith of its greatness contained fifteen houses and three stores. It now contains one large business establishment, operated by the firm of Messinger & Son. This firm carries a large stock of goods, and does a flourishing and extensive business. Besides this, there are five or six dwellings and a blacksmith shop.

 

The first school was taught in the district, in 1864, by D. B. Jackman.

 

The United Brethren in Christ have a flourishing society. It was organized, in 1866, by Rev. S. B. McGrew, with twelve members, to which only two additions have been made. Meetings have been held in the schoolhouse. Rev. G. H. Hinton is pastor.

 

The post office was established at Barnesville in 1859 and Dr. Neal was the first Postmaster. The office of Postmaster is now held by J. Messinger.

 

Business Men who used Barnesville as their P. O., Address as of 1883.

 

 

E. J. CHAPIN, farmer, Section 14, P. O. Barnesville, is a native of New York, born September 6, 1841. When going to school, he had for a schoolmate H. L. King, and their fortunes through life seemed cast together. Mr. Chapin came West to Illinois, where he taught school in Whitehall from 1865 to 1868. His friend was with him here, but went to Pennsylvania. He was engaged in the commercial line, but in 1868 came West, met Mr. King, and made their plans to come to Kansas together, or rather for Jasper County, Mo., but changed their plans and went to Kansas, coming into Bourbon County, via Pleasant Hill, and Butler, footing it, having their money concealed on their persons, and stopping at Mr. Ely's house the first night spent in the State. Passing on, Mr. Chapin located on Section 29, but moved to his present home in 1873, where he has 160 acres, and reports good crops this year (1882). In 1873, he married Miss Davenport, a sister of Mr. McIntosh. They have three children--two boys and a girl. From 1877, up to the present time, he has been Assistant County Examiner of teachers, and has held other offices of minor importance.

 

L. H. HODGES, farmer, Section 10, P. O. Barnesville, is a native of Sumner County, Tenn., born May 10, 1819. In his youth he was in his father's smithy, and as he grew older he gradually picked up the trade and worked at it. In 1847, they all moved to Kentucky, where they lived until 1850, when he went to Macon County, Mo. From there he came to Kansas in 1859, bringing two teams. Accompanying him was his brother Ephraim and Mr. Tom Clark and family. He camped on the banks of the Osage River until he got possession of his claim, which he bought of a man named Gunter, giving a team of horses and wagon for 160 acres, which has since increased to 320 acres. This is farmed in stock and grain. He keeps fifty head of cattle and some horses. His crops for 1882 were very fine, corn and oats turning out forty bushels to the acre. He has already entered into the new industry of raising Castor beans. During the war, he served in 1862 in the Home Guards, Sixth Kansas, and then was mustered out and joined the State Militia, and served until they were disbanded. He married Miss Lucinda Dixon, of Tennessee, who was born May 26, 1824, and they had the following children: Catherine; John, born in Tennessee; Mary E.; Benjamin, deceased; Robert R., deceased, born in Kentucky; Edmund P., James W., Thomas M. and Alex N., all deceased, born in Missouri; Louisa J., Sarah M., Alice A., deceased, and Frances J., Franklin J. and Asa, alive, were born in Kansas.

 

WILLIAM JORDAN, farmer, Section 12, P. O. Barnesville, is a native of Breckinridge County, Ky., born in 1820. His father had moved to this State in 1800, remaining until 1827, when he moved to Indiana. They lived in this State until 1866, and Mr. Jourdan (sic) grew to manhood, getting the rudiments of an education from the common schools of the neighborhood, and giving his attention to farming afterward. He was a member of the Home Guards during the rebellion, and when twenty-four years of age he married a Miss Mack, who lived to come to Kansas with him in 1866, and after the privations and labor of establishing her husband and family, quietly passed away in 1877. Mr. Jordan bought his farm of John McNeil, it being one of the first farms opened in this township, on which many scenes of border ruffianism was (sic) enacted. He built a good residence on the place in 1873, and otherwise improved it. He has five married daughters--Mrs. Johnson is keeping house for him, besides there are Mrs. Coffman, Mrs. Renshaw, Mrs. Cox and Mrs. Kessinger. Mr. Jordan has held offices of trust for the township.

 

H. L. KING, farmer, Section 23, P. O. Barnesville, is a native of New York, born September 4, 1841, making a difference of two days in the ages of himself and his friend, Mr. Chapin. Mr. King, after finishing his schooling, went into the schoolroom as a teacher, but afterward went into the commercial line, and when he went to Illinois entered a mercantile establishment in Whitehall, going from there to Pennsylvania. But in 1868 he came back to Illinois and married Miss Doud, and then came West, intending to go to Jasper County, Mo., but coming to Kansas they tramped through the State from the north, coming into Bourbon County, and Mr. King located on his present farm, where he has his life's friend with him on the adjoining farm. He has a farm of ninety acres, and reports the best crops this year. His corn will go fifty bushels to an acre. He was Township Trustee in 1876-77, and has held other offices. His family consists of one son and one daughter.

 

MELVIN MANNING, farmer, Section 1, P. O. Barnesville, is a native of Edgar County, Ill., born November 17, 1836. He was raised on the farm, and in 1861 he enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company D, and served three years and three months. During that time he was wounded thrice, the first time at the battle of Pea Ridge; he had his leg broken; and at the battle of Mission Ridge he was wounded and confined to the hospital for sixteen weeks. Being mustered out he returned to the farm, and in 1866 came to Kansas and bought of Peter Orr a farm in Section 1, but not liking the society as it existed he went to Fort Scott and tried teaming, hauling goods for C. Morely from Pleasant Hill and Kansas City to Fort Scott. In the winter of 1866, he went back to Edgar County, Ill., and there he married Mrs. Price. He lived there until 1873, when he returned to his farm here, and has always been successful in raising good crops of corn, wheat and oats and some stock. They have but one daughter, Ida Belle, having lost a son, Mattison Brady. Watson, her son, is living with them.

 

FRANK MESSINGER, general merchant, Barnesville, is a native of Pennsylvania. His father, John, came from Illinois to Kansas in 1860. He was a native of Perry County, Penn., and was born in 1819. After coming to Bourbon County, he went to farming on Section 20. On the breaking out of the war his father entered the State militia, and was stationed at Barnesville, in Capt. Lousberry's (sic) company. In 1864, there were some twenty-seven bushwhackers attacked two men, William Nugent and William Beckford, in their cabin, but were put to flight by their determined resistance. This Mr. Nugent was afterward a partner in the store. In 1865, Mr. Messinger sold his farm and moved to Barnesville, and opened a store. The firm was then Nickerson & Messinger, having a stock of $800 or $900 worth, and the store room was only 20x16. In 1866, William Nugent bought into the firm, but in 1867 we find that the firm was simply John Messinger, and in 1871 he turned the business over to his son, the present proprietor, who is doing a business of some $30,000 per annum. In 1871, Frank married Miss Stevens. They have four children, three boys and a girl. The old family consists of Frank, J. J., Sarah, now Mrs. S. Morrill, and Emma, now Mrs. E. Morrill.

 

NATHANIEL OATES, farmer, Section 27, P. O. Barnesville, is a native of Virginia, born in the Shenandoah Valley in 1824. He spent twenty years of his boyhood on the farm, and two years later went to Hardy County, where he learned the trade of riflemaker, at which he worked until 1857. In the meantime he had married a Miss McQuade. On leaving Virginia he moved to Vernon County, Mo., where he went to farming. In this vocation, he changed his location to Bourbon County, Kan., taking the farm on Section 20, Osage Township, where he remained until after the war. During the years of the rebellion, he was First Lieutenant in Company I, Sixth Kansas State Militia and was called out at several times. In 1864, when Gen. Price raided into the State, his company and regiment were ordered out and marched to Hickman Mills, Mo. At this time the company was under his command. From there they went to Kansas City, and afterward participated in the battles of Westport. As the regiment marched down the State line the soldiers returned to their farms and citizen's life. In March, 1865, he moved to his farm on Section 27, taking 160 acres, which being on the New York Indian reservation, he bought the farm of the Government in 1875. The soil is rich and deep and well watered, returning bountiful crops this year of 1882. They have three children, a daughter, now Mrs. Roy, and two sons. Mr. Oates has held offices of trust in his township, and for four years was Justice of the Peace.

 

Barnesville Kansas History as gaven in 1912.

Barnesville, a hamlet of Bourbon county, is situated on the Little Osage river, about 13 miles north of Fort Scott, the county seat. It has rural free delivery from Fulton and in 1910 had a population of 52. Fulton is the nearest railroad station.