Camden County

Camden County, in the south-central part of the State, is bounded north by Morgan, north-east by Miller, east by Pulaski, south by Laclede and Dallas, and west by Hickory and Benton Counties, and contains 435,209 acres.

Population
In 1850, 2,338; in 1860, 4,975; in 1870, 6,108, of whom 5,959 were white and 149 colored; 3,105 male and 3,003 female; 6,032 native (3,862 born in Missouri) and 76 foreign.

History
This county was settled by hardy frontiersmen in 1834 or 1835. The relations of the settlers with the Indians, who were then in possession of the county, were friendly. For an account of the "Slicker War," which raged for a time in the county see Benton County, page 59.

Kinderhook County was organized January 29th, 1842, and Oregon was made the county seat. February 23d 1843, the name was changed to Camden, and the county seat to Erie. Linn Creek afterwards became the county seat.

During the Civil War, Camden suffered less than some of her sister counties of the same section, although many homes were pillaged and burned, many men murdere, and much property destroyed and carried off by the contending factions.

Physical Features
Camden is made up chiefly of a succession of hills, valleys and beautiful woodlands, there being but little prairie. The Osage River traverses the entire northern section, forming part of the boundary; its tributaries from the south-west are Maries, Fork of Rainey, Pearson's Creek, and some smaller streams. The Little Niangua, from the west, empties into Big Niangua, which unites with the Osage in the north-central part of the county. The principal branch of the Little Niangua is Mack's Creek, from the south-west. Big Niangua is swollen by Ausburis Branch and numerous smaller streams from the west, and by Woolsey's, Bank Branch and Spencer Creeks from the east. Dry Auglaize, Miller's Creek, Wet Auglaize and its tributaries debouch into the Osage River from the south-east. The bluffs of the Big and Little Niangua are picturesque, while the water power of these streams, together with their fine forests of oak, walnut and cherry, and a variety of other timber, are objects of interest to the manufacturer. The Wet Auglaize, in the south-eastern part of the county, meanders through it for fifteen miles, and the two Niangua Rivers, conjointly, forty miles. These streams afford good water power, which has been partially improved. There are numerous fine springs throughout the county. Lower Big Spring, and the Big Cave, in township 37, range 17, are points of considerable interest. Some of these springs furnish good water power. The "range" of this county is excellent, and well suited to sheep-raising. The timber is principally, red, burr and black oak, American and red elm, white and black walnut, sugar and soft maple, ash, sycamore, hickory, honey locust, hackberry, basswood, wild cherry and buckeye. In the more elevated districts, post, black-jack and laurel oak, crab-apple and persimmon are found. The soil of the bottom lands and prairies is rich and productive, well suited to agriculture, while the broken lands and hill sides are well adapted to stock-raising and grape-culture.

Agricultural Productions
Corn, wheat, oats and tobacco are the leading productions. Tobacco is fast becoming a staple. Stock-raising is largely carried on. Barley, buckwheat, broom-corn, potatoes and rye are cultivated. The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Co. have about 3,300 acres of land in this county for sale, at from $2.50 to $8.00 per acre.*

Mineral Resources
Mining is carried on to a limited extent, but the results of operations thus far indicate extensive deposits of iron and lead. In 1846, Captain W. D. Murphy discovered lead ore, erected a furnace, and during the year 100,000 pounds of mineral were taken out, but in 1847 the mine was abandoned.

The Manufacturing Interests consist of a lead smelting furnace, an iron furnace, 5 or 6 flouring-mills, a few wool-carding machines, some saw and grist-mills, and a wagon factory.

Wealth
Valuation of the county per census of 1870, $1,500,000.†

Railroads
The Atlantic & Pacific Rail Road has about 11 miles of track on the south-east boundary of the county.

The Exports are wheat, tobacco, oats, cattle, hogs, bacon, fruit, wool, lumber and lead.

Educational Interests
The public schools are receiving increased attention, but the buildings are still poor and there is a great need of improvement.


Camden County Places
Barnumtown, a post-office 20 miles west north west of Linn Creek.

Cave Pump, a post-office 7 miles south west of Linn Creek.

Decaturville, on Benton Prairie, 15 miles south south east of Linn Creek, was settled in 1838, and has a population of about 50, 2 stores, 1 wagon shop, and a school-house, used also for church purposes.

Glaize City, 20 miles east south east of Linn Creek, was founded in 1860. It is in a fine farming district, and contains 1 general store, a school-house and about 25 inhabitants.

Gunter's Big Spring, a post-office 9 miles south of Linn Creek.

LINN CREEK, the county seat, is on the creek of the same name, about 1 mile from the Osage River, and 27 miles north west of Richland. It is divided into Upper and Lower Town, the business houses occupying the former. The Osage being navigable part of the year, gives the town fair advantages as a shipping point. There is 1 wagon-maker's shop, 3 stores, 1 saw-mill, 1 grist-mill, 1 lead-smelting furnace, 2 school-houses and 1 newspaper-The Stet, L. Samuel Wright, editor and publisher.

Mack's Creek, a post-office 19 miles south west of Linn Creek.

Olive City, beautifully situated on the Osage River, 1 mile north of the Osage Iron Works, contains 2 stores and 1 saw and grist-mill. Population about 50.

Osage Iron Works, on Bollinger Creek, 13 miles west north west of Linn Creek, and about 1 mile south of the Osage River, has about 150 inhabitants, principally miners and laborers.

Rainey Creek, a post-office 17 miles west north west of Linn Creek.

Stoutland, on the Atlantic & Pacific Rail Road, 171 miles from St. Louis, is the shipping point for a large portion of Camden and Laclede Counties. It was settled in 1869, and contains 4 stores, 1 wagon manufactory, 1 church (used jointly by the M. E. Church South, and Baptists), 1 public school, and newspaper-The Stoutland Rustic, Dr. John W. Armstrong, publisher. Population about 80.

Wet Glaize, a post-office 7 miles north west from Stoutland.


*. The Railroad Company requires 10 per cent of purchase money at time of sale, the balance to be paid with interest on deferred payments, in seven years; and offer free transportation from St. Louis to the lands. Special inducements to colonists. For full particulars see Appendix-Page.
†. Assessed valuation in 1873, $989,386. Taxation, $1.05 per $100. Floating debt, $4,000.



Source: Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, Revised Edition, by R. A. Campbell, Published by R. A. Campbell,
St. Louis, Missouri, 1875