Vernon County – Civil War

Missouri History Encyclopedia, 1901:

Vernon County – During the border difficulties some of the residents of the county went into Kansas at various times to vote at elections and upon predatory expeditions. Again, free-soilers from Kansas came to work reprisal, and in 1858 John Brown and a party ran off a number of slaves from the farm of James Lawrence, while some of his followers robbed and killed David Cruise at his own home. Most of the slaves in Vernon County were removed to the interior of the State in order to keep them out of the hands of the abolitionists. These disturbed conditions worked as an almost complete stoppage of immigration. Just prior to the Civil War sentiment was unanimously favorable to the South. A few Republicans were known, but not a single Republican ballot was cast at the presidential election in 1860. When war began a regiment of 400 men was organized for the Confederate service, under Colonel Dewitt C. Hunter. The number of men who enlisted in the Federal Army has been estimated at fifty. Early in the summer of 1862 the population had in large measure disappeared, and in 1863 the northern portion of the county was entirely depopulated under the operations of General Ewing’s Order No. 11. The towns were laid in ruins by act of one army or the other, or of marauding bands, who ravaged the country continually. When peace was restored there was not a store in the county, and the few goods purchased were obtained at Fort Scott.
For several years after the war ended there was much disorder, growing out of old feuds. In the punishment of crime more cases were disposed of by vigilance committees than by process of law. Thomas Ingram was lynched for complicity in the murder of General Joseph Bailey, sheriff of the county, but a reward of $3,000 was unavailing to effect the apprehension of Lewis Pixley and Perry Pixley, who actually committed the crime. December 28, 1883, William Fox was hung for the murder of Thomas Howard, and January 15, 1886, Henry S. Stair was hung for the murder of Jacob Sewell and his son, Mack Sewell.