Volume 2, Number 7 - Spring 1966
Bits & Pieces
DOES ANY BODY HAVE A FERRIAGE TOKEN?
Did you ‘know that a five cent Tolerton Ferriage fare token is listed under Forsyth, Missouri in the Atwood Catalouge of U. S. and Canadian Transportation Tokens.
In 1964 a long distance telephone call from San Francisco, California to Elmo Ingenthron seeking information about the Tolerton Ferry brought about the token listing. It was made by Harold Ford, Associate Editor of The Fare Box.
The token in question was a five cent fare on the Tolerton Ferry at Forsyth. On one side it had printed Good for 5 cents in Ferriage and on the other side was Tolerton Ferry Co., Forsyth, Missouri.
Ferry boats were licensed by the county court and fares were set by them. In 1891 they were as follows in Taney County:
4 horse team |
.75 |
2 horse team |
.50 |
horse and man |
.25 |
1 horse & buggy |
.35 |
footman |
.10 |
cattle head |
.10 |
hogs & sheep |
.05 |
Mr. Ford, in a thank you note to Elmo Ingenthron said: "I think it is safe to assume that tokens of other values must exist. My problem is to find them so that they may be listed in the catalogue.
It would prove interesting to know if anyone still has any of the old ferry tokens. Mr. Harold Ford, Associate Editor of The Fare Box at 1999 Gaspar Drive, Oakland, California, 94611 would like to know about them.
[4]
A STRANGER IN TOWN
Many years ago Clyde Davis and Jess Nance traded some rough land they had purchased for taxes to a fellow at Haddom, Kansas for a one cylinder automobile. It was shipped by railroad to Branson and by means of skids, ramps and manpower, it was loaded on a boat and floated to the Ozark Beach landing. It was then pulled by team to Forsyth. A barn of Jess Nance’s furnished the stranger shelter. Many came to look at the thing but none could ever start it. When the youth of the town became ambitious they sometimes pushed it out of the barn and up the school house hill to see it come down by power of gravity. When the novelty of the stranger wore off it was traded to a fellow in Arkansas for some more tax land. Today this old antique would be of considerable value. It would probably be worth more than the most expensive car in the county.
FLATBOAT WRECKS
It was always hazardous to navigate flat-boats and steamboats on upper White River.
According to S. C. Turnbo, one such flatboat wreck occurred in 1835. "This boat was loaded with iron vessels, such as wash kettles, pots, frying pans and other vessels of like nature. The owner was selling or trading to the few settlers who lived along the river. After the boat sank and before the proprietor could recover any of his wares, a big freshet came down the river and when the water subsided, the boat and contents were entirely covered with sand and gravel. The boat was built at the mouth of James River and the iron vessels had been brought there in a freight wagon from St. Louis."
In 1848 another flat boat, loaded with corn and fat cattle destined for the New Orleans market was sunk. The cattle were tied with ropes and were drowned. The boat belonged to Ben Majors.
[6]
A SEAT OF JUSTICE
The Missouri Legislature organized Taney County in 1837 and appointed a committee of three to select a seat of justice or county seat.
It was not until 1844 that the Circuit Court approved the site selected by the commissioners.
The State Legislature approved the county seat site February 12, 1845 some 8 years after the county was organized. During that time the court and affairs of the county were transacted in the home of Jesse Jennings who lived on the old river road just above present day Cedar Point.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
An act to change manner of voting in Taney and Stone county:
Hereafter all general elections held in the counties of Stone and Taney shall be by ballot and shall continue for one day and no longer. Approved February 22, 1851. (One cannot but wonder what kinds of elections they had before then).
[10]
TELEPHONE HISTORY
The March 10, 1904 issue of the Taney County Republican reported:
The Burdett-Baldwin Telephone Company completed their Forsyth-Kirbyvillle-Branson Telephone line. Lucia had just become Branson again and the Railroad was under construction.
[16]
1860
The Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1860
Forsyth 1860 — Contained 1 blacksmith shop, 1 drug store, 3 general stores, 1 hotel and two doctors.
County officers then were:
R. W. Robertson & Wm. Yandell, |
Judges of county court. |
H.B. Ellison |
Sheriff |
Wm. C. Berry |
County & Circuit Clerk & County School Commissioner. |
J. H. Gideon |
Representative. |
B. F. Ivy |
Justice of the Peace |
1876
The Missouri State Gazeteer & Directory
Forsyth: Settled in 1838:
Has flouring mill,
New Court House,
3 churches.
Several Stores.
Stage line to Springfield, Mo., and Carrollton, Arkansas.
Tri-weekly mail.
1851
The state legislature authorized the county of Taney to organize the common schools in said county by municipal townships. Act to take effect February 28, 1851. (Each township of the county then had school district number 1; 2; 3; 4, etc). There were several number 1 school districts in the county. In 1898 the county court renumbered all school districts consecutively beginning in the northeast corner of the county.
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