DEERFIELD

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP

VERNON COUNTY, MISSOURI

 

     During the last half of this decade, between 1835 and 1840, numerous others came in, forming settlements in different quarters. There was the Deerfield settlement in 1836, comprising Capt. Alexander Woodruff, Abram Redfield and Ebenezer C. Howe, friends of the Douglases and formerly attaches of Union Mission...

1911 History of Vernon County, Missouri, page 179.

 

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP.

     Deerfield township comprises all of township 35, range 32. It lies between the two Drywoods and immediately south of the Marmaton, and is therefore bordered with timber on three sides. A central portion of the township is gently rolling prairie, abounding in fine fertile farms.

     The Big Drywood empties into the Marmaton in the north¬ western part of this township; along the banks of the former stream, a mile or so from the mouth, are considerable bluffs, where the sandstone is freely exposed. Hackberry creek is in the southwestern part and flows northwest into Drywood. The Little Drywood empties into the Marmaton half a mile from the northeast corner of the township. McCoy’s branch, so named from an early settler who located near its mouth, rises in the northern part of the township and empties into the Marmaton.

     In the southern part of the township, near Moundville, coal is mined very successfully; and so also in other parts of the town¬ ship this mineral is found. There is more or less “grease rock” in the southwest part, and in the southeast corner of section 20, between Tucker’s branch and the Hackberry is an “oil well.” Recent discoveries of oil or gas have been made on the property of Parson Henry Hogan, of this township, and also at other places noted below:

               W. W. Armstrong in Drywood.

               George Eaton, Moundville township.

               Williams Borders in Coal township, Rich. Old Shively place (Rybers), Deerfield township.

               Thomas place, three miles east of Nevada in Center township. Dr. Churchell and W. L. Dalton, Nevada.

               Parson Henry Hogan, Deerfield township.

     Oil or gas has been struck on above named persons’ farms in the townships as indicated. These as a matter of course are in addition to Dover, Richland and Henry townships. In the northern part and especially in the northwestern portion there is considerable elevation of the land with occasional mounds.

EARLY HISTORY.

     The first settlers in this township were Col. George Douglass, who came to the north side of the Marmaton (northeast quarter section 6), a mile northeast of Deerfield, in May, 1834; Abram Redfield and Capt. Alexander Woodruff, who settled near Deerfield in 1836; (?) John Chorn, who located near Big Drywood on section 19, two and a half miles south of Deerfield, and Gabriel M. Stratton, who bought out Chorn’s claim in about 1837 or 1838. Ebenezer C. Howe came in 1839 and settled at Deerfield, having previously come to the Union Mission in 1838.

     Woodruff’s house was three-fourths of a mile north and east of Deerfield, across the river from Colonel Douglass’; Redfield’s was a quarter of a mile south of the village; Howe’s was half a mile west of north, nearly in Coal township. Ebenezer C. Howe was a native of Livingston county, New York. He died December 5, 1850. He was the father of thirteen children.

     Old John Chorn (pronounced Corn) was a singular character. His cabin was a wretched affair, hardly as comfortable as an Indian wigwam, and he lived in it in a condition of squalor and filth. His companions were his dogs, and he hunted, ate and slept with them on terms of perfect freedom and familiarity. He was quite a successful hunter, and, aided by his dogs, caught many a deer. His claim was the land on which afterward, in September, 1861, the principal portion of the Drywood skirmish was fought. Where he came from and what became of him cannot now be learned.

     In 1856 Judge J. H. Requa came over from Bates county and settled on section 5 in the northwestern part of the township, nearly two miles northeast of Deerfield. The quarter section upon - which he settled he purchased from Abram Redfield, Esq., for $120. Although Esquire Redfield had entered the land, he had forgotten it and sent Requa on a wild goose chase to the land office at Clinton to enter it for himself. He was astonished when Requa returned in a little ill-humor and said: “Why, squire, you already own that land you sent me to enter. Colonel Marvin, the register, says you have owned it for five years.” The honest and well-meaning Esquire Redfield then agreed to sell the land to Requa for $80 less than even the entry price—a very cheap tract indeed.

     When Judge Requa came Esquire Redfield lived at Deerfield; William Modrel lived half a mile west; Capt. H. C. Cogswell lived on the old Douglass farm; ex-Sheriff G. M. Stratton was on the old Chorn claim, at Hogan’s crossing of Drywood, and Thomas Puckett was on the west side of section 4, a mile east of the iron bridge. There were absolutely no settlements on the prairies in the central and southern portions of the township. Puckett’s farm was the only one between Requa’s and Nevada, or the two or three buildings at “Haletown.” Mr. Puckett died on his farm after the war. Chouteau’s store on the Marmaton, two miles northwest from Deerfield, was just breaking up.

     In the year 1857 W. W. Prewitt and his father-in-law, Smiley H. Sample, came from the Missouri river to the north central part of the township, a mile northwest of the village of Prewitt (or Ellis). Major Prewitt had entered several hundred acres of land and sold a farm to Sample. The main portion of the Prewitt farm was the northeast quarter of section 9. These were the first settlements in that quarter.

     But soon after 1857 nearly all the land in the township was entered and some tracts settled. The tracts along the Nevada and Fort Scott road were in favor, but the land along Hackberry and the Drywoods was eagerly sought after. Not, however, until after the war were the fine prairie lands of the township settled generally in all parts.

1911 History of Vernon County, Missouri, page 558-560.

 

1903 Map of Deerfield Township

 

DEERFIELD.

     The village of Deerfield stands on lot 2, of the northwest quarter of section 7, in Deerfield township, running up the township line on the west, and to within a mile of the line on the north, making its location in the northwest corner of the township. It is a station on the M., K. & T. railroad, and is a thrifty little burg of something over two hundred inhabitants, with churches and good schools, and well-stocked stores and shops of various kinds.

     The town was regularly laid out December 19, 1871, by David Redfield; J. E. Harding, surveyor. A school house was built here before the war and was known far and near as one of the first in the county.

     The Deerfield pottery was established by David Redfield in 1871. Ten years later it was burned, and in 1882 was rebuilt.

    1911 History of Vernon County, Missouri, page 564.

 

1903 Map of Deerfield Town

 

A Visit to the Deerfield Pottery.

     Dear Monitor:  Perhaps everybody does not know that eleven miles north of Fort Scott is a large pottery, where a large number of men are kept constantly employed digging, grinding and tempering clay, which is finally turned, dried, glazed and burned, and at last comes from their hands beautifully polished and highly finished ware.

     It seems wonderful to see the turner stand on one foot, propelling the treddle [treadle] with the other, while with skillful hand he fashions churns, jars, pans and even beautiful bases, in a manner unaccountably quick and perfect.

     Judge D. Redfield and Mr. Ziegler are the proprietors of this establishment, and they manufacture draining tile and sewer pipe, in fact everything that can be made out of clay.

     Wholesale prices of this beautiful ware are only eleven cents per gallon, and the country north, south, east and west is supplied from these works.

     There are about 6,000 gallons manufactured per month here, and every one who desires to see something wonderful should visit the Deerfield pottery.

                         A Woman's Opinion.

Fort Scott Daily Monitor, Fort Scott, Kansas; Friday 2 June 1871 page 6.

 

     --Dave Redfield, of the Deerfield pottery, was in the city yesterday. He informs us that he has applied to the Governor of Missouri for a requisition for Jas. Wagoner, who is confined in our jail for breaking into his store and stealing goods.

Fort Scott Daily Monitor, Fort Scott, Kansas; Friday 24 December 1875 page 4.

 

Deerfield Pottery.

     The quality of stone ware and drain tile made at the Deerfield Pottery by Redfield & Wanee is fully equal to the best made in Illinois and Ohio. It is sold in every part of the West and South, and gives universal satisfaction. Fifteen men are now employed, and when the value of drain tile begins to be appreciated as it ought to be, ten times as many will be employed.

Fort Scott Daily Monitor, Fort Scott, Kansas; Tuesday 28 Sep 1875 page 4.

 

Gone.

     Mr. David Redfield proprietor of the pottery at Deerfield, Mo., engaged a load of ware to a merchant at Mulberry Grove, Kan. He started a man out with a team to deliver it four days ago. The man not returning, and receiving no word from him, Mr. Redfield, with another gentleman, started to hunt up the goods, man and team. They went to Mulberry Grove and found the goods delivered all right, and the money, to the amount of fifty-one dollars, paid over to the teamster, but no team or teamster was to be found. Mr. Redfield came to Scott, but found no clue to his whereabouts here. He then dispatched a man to Memphis to see if some clue could not be discovered. He finally got track of the team on Moore's Branch, and found the team at the farm of Mr. Williams, but the whereabouts of the teamster yet remains a mystery.

The Weekly Herald, Fort Scott, Kansas; Thursday 25 May 1876 page 3.

 

DEERFIELD DOTS,

What a "Noticer" Correspondent Learned While There.

     Deerfield is a beautiful town of 250 inhabitants, situated on the M. K. & T. railroad, about ten miles from Nevada and the same distance from Fort Scott, Kan. It is situated far enough from both cities to make a good town. Eighty acres was laid out in two tracts in the year 1872, and was incorporated January 20th, 1885, as a town. The first few years after Deerfield became a town it built very little, but the last few months the place has taken quite a growth. Several large two story residences are now being built, and a large brick store house, and several frame business houses are contemplated to be erected this season.

     J. W. Trundle has commenced preparations to burn a kiln of 200,000 brick for the home trade, and will burn more if necessary.

     Deerfield has the only pottery in the county. It is run by E. W. Sanbert who manufactures from 3,500 to 4,000 gallons of crockery every month, which is mostly purchased by the local trade. He finds it very hard to supply the country trade with his pottery which is of a superior quality. The clay for its manufacture is obtained a few miles west of the town.

     S. W. Cope runs a saw mill in the town. He does a good business.

     Deerfield has two general merchandise stores. One run by Danley Waddell and the other by J. W. Trundle.

     Owens & Co. run a first class drug store there, and carry a large stock. They enjoy a first class trade.

     B. F. Browning runs the only butcher shop in the place, and he sells about 1,000 pounds of meat on an average a week.

     Vautries & Houk runs a blacksmith shop which does a good business in the repairing line.

     Deerfield has two hotels, and each merits their portion of the trade.

     There is one livery stable in the place which does a fair business.

     Deerfield has a very nice Baptist church house which has recently been erected by its members. They have built a very neat parsonage, which speaks in praise for the place.

     The members of the town board are as follows: J. M. Waddell, John T. Harris, C. C. Furth, L. P. Harris and John T. Harris.

     J. T. Browning is marshal of Deerfield, and there has been but one arrest made in two years, which speaks well for the morals of the place.

     J. M. Waddell is justice of the peace. He has served in that capacity for twelve years.

     Deerfield has two doctors--C. C. Furth and R. H. Finley. Both enjoy a large practice in that vicinity.

     J. W. Gillidan, the gentlemanly railroad agent at Deerfield, gave a report of the shipments to the representative of the NOTICER, which is as follows: From April 1st, 1888, to April 1st, 1889, 131 cars of stock, 69 cars of hay, 45 cars of merchandise, 32 cars of corn, 10 cars of oats, 3 cars of grain and one car of coal, making a total of 291 car loads shipped from that place during the year.

Nevada Noticer, Nevada, Missouri; Thursday 9 May 1889 page 3.

 

     ---D. W. Lambert, proprietor of the Deerfield Pottery, made us a pleasant call while in Nevada Monday. Mr. Lambert says business is brisk in his village. He will soon have a kiln of ware ready to take out. Higbee Bros., the general merchants, are doing a first-class business. Haynes and Furth have formed a partnership in the drug business, and have put in a new line of goods. They have also built an addition to their business house.

Nevada Noticer, Nevada, Missouri; Thursday 21 November 1889 page 3.

 

	The R. L. Welch General Merchandise Store in Deerfield on 'Old 54 highway.' Photo contributed by Steve Burrows
	This picture of same building was taken September 2004.
	Deerfield sign picture taken September 2004.

 

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