This sounds very far fetched to me but it was printed
in the Newspaper in 1906.
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History of Rollins Ferry, Osage County, Missouri written
by Hallie Mantle
The following article appeared in the Osage County
Observer
"A history of the Rollins Ferry, written in 1906,
has been found. Because of the interesting content of the article, it is being copied in it's entirely for the readers of
this column. (And copied again for you)."
This ferry was located near the oresent "Rollins Ferry
Bridge", which crosses the Gasconade River in Osage County, on highway 89. In this article, in the words of Mr. Riley, follows:
In writing of Rollins Ferry, I must necessarily tell
of many different events in order to weave together the numerous facts pertaining to that well known place,
There is no point on the Gasconade River known longer
or better than Rollins Ferry. It is, by the U.S. survey, 56 1/4 miles from the mouth of the river, and was settled by Robert
Rollins about the year 1835, as as I can learn.
Mr. Rollins came from what is now St. Francios County,
Missouri, where he was married to Miss Sally Wilson. To this union one child was born, Miss Massy, who married a man by the
name Watson. She lived only a few years after her marriage. After her death her husband went to Texas.
When Mr. Rollins settled at this place there were
but a few people in what is now Osage County. On the east, his neighbor, James Owens, lived three miles away. He and his wife
were hardy and brave pioneers of their time.
When they built their home on the bank of the Gasconade
River, that stream was dotted with Indian wigwams. Just across the river at the mouth of Swan Creek stood an Indian village
and up to this day there maybe found mussel shells, arrow heads, etc., on this spot.
Mr. Rollins was a man who delighted in hunting and
spent much of his time in the forests. Tradition says he was never known to buy lead for his use, but he knew of the existence
of a rich lead mine on one of the small branches of Indian Creek, not more than two miles from his home. He kept the secret
of it's location well guarded, and went to his grave without revealing the location of the mine even to his most intimate
friends.
Mrs. Rollins was a brave woman who possessed a violent
temper. Indians ofter came to her house to bef and steal. She would fly into a rage and use a heavy poker upon the head of
the biggest warrior with such effect that the premises would soon be vacated by the redskins. She and her husband possessed
a large amount of money in gold and silver. In her happiest and cheerful moments. she would often bring forth this money,
place it on a table, and amuse herself and two little children who she had taken to raise. With this money she would build
upon the table pyramids, walls, etc., as her fancy dictated.
In the height of her temper, she would at times declare
that she was going to conceal this money where it would never do any person any good after she was dead. She, too, went to
her grave and none of her relatives ever knew what became of the money.
Mr. Rollins and his wife are buried on the farm where
they had lived on a high bluff overlooking the crystal waters of the Gasconade River. their graves was surrounded by a rough
stone wall which has mostly been hauled away by persons who seem to have little esteem for the home of the silent dead.
I will now leave the Rollins family until later on
in my story and write of the next owner of the Rollins farm.
After the death of Mr. and Mrs. Rollins, the farm
was
purchased by REUBEN WILSON, a brother-in-law of Mr.
Rollins. He also came from St. Francios County. His wife was Miss Jemima Herod, who owned the farm at Big River Mills upon
which the notorious Sam Hildebrand lived when the Civil War began.
Mr. Wilson first settled on Loose Creek near where
the Linn flour mills now stand. This was about the year 1840. At this time a man by the name of Tharp operated a stage line
between Linn and Jefferson City, crossing the Osage River at Lisletown landing. The ferry at that point was in charge of Abraham
Gibson who was a brother-in-law of Col. Joseph L. Stephens, of Boonville, Missouri, father of Ex-Governor Stephans. He was
also a brother-in-law of Reuben Wilson. Mr. Gibson was a justice of the peace and solemnized the first marriage ceremony in
Osage County. the contractiong parties were Ed Hoops and Miss Nancy Phillips.
About the year 1843, Mr. Wilson moved from his Loose
Creek home to Rollins Ferry. He lived ther during the California gold excitment, and thousands on immigrants crossed the river
at that point on their way to California. thus the name of Rollins Ferry was carried west to the land of gold, and no doubt
the name is often spoken on the Pacific coast up this day.
Mr. Wilson had eight sons and four daughters, and
as this article may meet the eye of many descendants, I will briefly devote a sketch to each. The oldest child, Samuel, went
to California and was killed, and his body hid away in the woods by the Indians. The second child, James died at home a young
man. Washington, the third son, enlisted in the U.S. Army, he returned home on sick furlough during the Civil War and died
on the second day after reaching home. Jonathan, the fourth child, served under the "Stars and Stripes" and died in Arkansas.
Joseph, the fifth son, went West in early days and
engaged as a teamster, hauling freight across the plains to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Returning home, he enlisted in the U.S.
Army and served to the close of the war. He, with two other brothers, was on the Str. B.M. Bunion, loaded with soldiers, which
went down in the waters of the Mississippi River above Vicksburg one dark night during the war. Two of the brothers saved
themselves by swimming to shore; the other was taken aboard a gunboat. Joseph is now living in Illinois. The sixth son, Reuben,
died at home quite young. The seventh son, Herod, served in the Union Army, and now lives at Belle, Missouri. The eighth son,
William, while young fell in with a company of Confederate soldiers, and in the excitement of the time cast his lot with the
Southern cause. He was taked prisoner and died at Alton, Illinois.
Of the girls, Nancy married Prof. Pinkston. She died
in Wright County. America married J. C. Riley, who came from Virginia in 1857. Ally married G. A. Boyse, of Byron. Both sisters
now sleep side by side in the St. Aubert graveyard. Polly died while a young woman. She rests beside her parents on the head
on Indian Creek. This is a brief biography of the Wilson family that once figured in the history of Rollins Ferry.
At the time of which I write there were no railroads
west of St. Louis. Pig iron as then hauled with ox teams from the Massey iron works, six miles south of the present town of
St. James on the Frisco railroad, to Shipley landing on the Missouri River, one mile east of what is now Isbell Station; from
there it was taked by boat to St. Louis. Shipley was an important boat landing in the early days. Merchandise was taken up
the Gasconade River then in keep boats upon which were kept a yoke of oxen trained to get out at swift shoals and assist in
pulling the boats.
The first steamboat to plow the waters of the Gasconade
River and land at Rollins Ferry was the "Alleghaney Mail" in charge of Robert Moreland, and experienced flatboat man. This
was about the year of 1847. Two years later the Steamer Laurel made a trip as far as the Little Piney, 109 miles from the
mouth of the Gasconade River, but the river was then full of fallen timber and obstructions and no attempt was made to build up
a river traffic until many years later.
Pine lumber was then rafted down the river from the
Piney saw mills. Plank yards were kept at various points from which lumber was sold to people. Rafts were run even to St.
Louis and sold to lumber dealers.
After the death of Reuben Wilson, the Rollins Ferry
farm was sold to James Thornton, whom it was, I think, that moved the Rollins house from it's unhealthy location
to a place on the bluff. The farm passed into the hands of Mr. Weiger, father of the late Judge Weiger.
Possibly it is now owned by members of the Weiger family.
A few years back the county erected a magnificent
wagon bridge over the river at this point which did away with the need of a ferry boat. It was propheised by some that the
building of the bridge would end the name, Rollins Ferry Bridge. The name will probably stand for centuries to come,
or until the language is dead.
We will again turn to the Rollins' family. If I mistake
not, the road running by the place in rollins' time was called Potosi Road, and about eight miles east on Third Creek was
another settler, whose name I failed to learn. I once knew an old ex-slave by the name of Godfrey who claimed to be 100 years
old. He said he had seen St. Louis when it contained only three stores. He told me that when he was a young man he was
traveling over the road alone, and camped one night by the roadside near this house on Third Creek. Early the next morning
he started on his way, expecting to get something to eat at this house. Arriving there at day-break, he found three men busily
engaged scrubbing the floor. His suspicions were aroused and he told the men that his master had camped a mile or so back,
and requested them to prepare breakfast for his master, who would be along within an hour, which they agreed to do.
Godfrey said as soon as he was out of sight he ran
for quite a distance and kept a lively gait for several miles. He was of the opinion that these men had murdered some traveler
for his money during the night and were washing up the blood stains. The story he told them about his master was false and
was done for his own safety.
In writing this little bit of history we will tell
some things concealed and kept the vest. In that tradition has handed down to us from the dim vista of the past. We will
not be like a merchant who once sold a suit of clothes and fact, (sic) our writeup would be more imcomplete than it is, if
we kept back the traditional stories of things that were said to have occured at the Rollins home. We sincerely trust that
the stories of those pioneers were mere fabrications, without foundation in fact, and that they went to their graves innocent
of crime.
The Rollins home was a noted stopping point for travelers,
who would put up for the night, and it was the opinion of even some of the nearest relatives that many a weary traveler
has taken lodging there and was never seen afterward. When the writer was a little boy he used to listen to the conversation
of two old ladies, sisters of Mrs. Rollins who made their home at his father's. Once he heard one remark to the other that
she believed some of those stories were true and that Bob and Sally (meaning Mr. and Mrs. Rollins) had gone to face their
Creator stained with innocent blood.
One story they related was as follows: A little boy
who made his home with Mr. Rollins had said that late one evening a well dressed man on horseback rode up to the house
and asked for lodging, which was granted. At daybreak the next morning he saw Mr. Rollins bring the traveler's horse from
the stable, take it to the river, and force it to cross to the west shore. The boy never saw the stranger after
he retired for the night.
The river at this point runs due north for a half
mile past the old home site, then it "elbows" suddenly to the east'. In the "elbow" is some as deep water as can be found
in the Gasconade River. When the river is low this is still, blue, forbidding pool, known as the "big eddy". Rumors in the
dim past say that the bones of more that one unfortunate traveler, who met his doom, rest at the bottom of this pool. In the
dead hours of night the murdered body would be taken and sunk in the deep water. It was general belief of all the members
of the Wilson family from the day they moved there until they left that some terrible crimes had, at one or more times, been
committed there in earlier days.
For the amusement of the reader, we will now tell
a ghost story. Do not infer by this that our opinion is that there are ghosts, nor that we dispute it; we simply do not know,
nor does anyone else. Christ's apostles believed, and were even scared when they saw one approaching. The reader is left to
draw their own conclusions.
For years it has been the belief of many that the
old house site is haunted, as strange sights and noises have been seen and heard there. I will relate one or two in particular.
When my mother was a small girl she started late one evening to go from one house to the other. There were two log houses
with an entry between them. Overhead in this entry was a loose plank floor. just as she came out the door she heard a rattling
of the loose planks, and looking up, she saw a pale, haggard man in his night clothes, who appeared to be trembling, as were
the planks upon which he stood. Surprised, but not frightened, the thought occurred to her that one of her brothers is trying
to give her a scare. She passed on into the next room and was surprised to find all the men folk seated at the supper table.
She related what she had seen and the houses were thoroughly searched, but no one was found. I never heard her trying to give
any explanation of the mystery.
Often, from some unaccountable cause, the doors of
the upstairs would suddenly open in the dead hours of the night, no matter how securely they were fastened. Often a light
would be seen to start from the house, as though it were a torch carried by someone. It would make it's way to the "big eddy"
and then disappeared. Something like twenty years ago two men from a neighboring county pitched camp on the bank of the "big
eddy" and engaged in making railroad ties. One calm night they were startled by seeing a light come from the direction of
the old-house place. It moved leisurely until it came to the edge of the water, and then disappeared. The next minute the
water seem to become agitated and an uncanny noise was heard; then all was still again. This was enough for then, and the
next day they broke camp and sought employment elsewhere.
In conclusion, let us hope that Mr. Rollins was as
innocent of dark crimes as the wild flowers that surround his grave. These things will be forever robed in mystery. If the
stones and the river could speak they might tell of many strange occerrences. the old pioneers have gone to their graves,
the old improvements have crumbled and decayed, but the beautiful Gasconade River flows on as it did when Mr. Rollins lived
upon the banks.
Generations will come to earth, live and die, but
the name Rollins Ferry will stand like the eternal hills that surround it.
Like a twin sister is Lisletown Ferry on the Osage
River. It was also operated in pioneer days. George Wilson, nephew of Reuben Wilson, kept a ferry there for many years.
He married Miss Clara Philbert, sister of the late Judge Philbert who was County Surveyor of Osage County for many years.
To this union two children were born, William and Charlotte. The former died suddenly in Colorado; Charlotte married Mr. John
Thompson of Gasconade County, and resides near Bonnots Mill.
The Lisletown Ferry was near the present Osage River
Bridge, in Osage County.
The writer has found a few items of interest about
the Rollins and Wilson families which are fragmentary, but maybe of interest. The writer could not find just when Robert Rollins
became a resident of the County, but he was listed as a resident on the Gasconade County (and Osage County) tax list of 1828.
Robert Rollins kept a ferry on the Gasconade River for many years, and his wife Sarah Rollins, was given a permit to run the
ferry by the Osage County Court on Feb. 15, 1842 (cost for the permit was $4.00); she was given permits for a ferry in 1843
and 1844, also county courts of 1843 reveal that Sarah Rollins was adminstrator of the estate of Robert Rollins, deceased,
he had died sometime prior to July 11, 1843. Sarah Rollins was dead by 1851, and Reuben Wilson was administrator of her estate.
On Feb. 11, 1845, Reuben Wilson was granted a permit to keep a ferry on the Gasconade River at Rollins old ferry for one year;
he paid $2.50 state fee and $2.00 county fee. His permit was renewed each year, and a notation found in county records shows
that his last permit was granted to him on May 12, 1852. (In 1849, the ferry license cost Mr. Wilson $12.00).
Mr. Wilson had died by 1853 and guardians were appointed
for his minor children by the county court as follows: William Wilson was chosen guardian by Nancy and William Wilson (over
14 years of age), minor heirs of Reuben Wilson; Thomas C. Matthews was appointed guardian of Jonathan Wilson, over 14 years
of age; Washington Wilson was appointed guardian of Joseph, Ally and Herod Wilson.
When Mrs. Sarah Rollins paid her fee for ferry license
on Feb. 14, 1842, she paid $2.00 state tax and $3.00 county tax. The county court set the rates of ferrage which she could
charge as follows: wagons and team of horses $1.00; 2 horses or cart .50 cents; man and horse .25 cents; single horse .12
cents; single footman .12 cents; .12 cents for each head of cattle; each head of sheep .06 cents; each head of hogs .06 cents;
100 feet lumber or baggage .12 cents; Mrs. Rollins had to give a $500.00 bond.
