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Fugitt's Mill on Shoal Creek, Caldwell County, Missouri

Edward Partridge wrote, "After my arrival at home [from my journey from Ohio] I spent a few days in attending to my own affairs; then in company with Bro. W. W. Phelps, I took a tour in looking at the country north. We found a mill site on Shoal Creek about 35 miles N.E. of Liberty that suited us very well. We went out again in company with Brother Morley and Corrill, looked out some corners and Brother Corrill went and entered seven 80-acre lots. Brothers Phelps and Corrill soon after looked out and entered thirteen more. In the meantime I visited the church, and brethren, that were coming in, or had just arrived." [The Journal of Edward Partridge, LDS Church Historical Department Archives, 30].
The city was situated on a high rolling prairie. Timber, nearly surrounding the city, was readily available on Shoal and Goose creeks within from 2 to 4 miles. [Dean C. Jessee and David J. Whittaker, eds., "The Last Months of Mormonism in Missouri: The Albert Perry Rockwood Journal," 6 October 1838, BYU Studies, 28 (Winter 1988):21-22].
Close to streams with good mill sites, this location proved attractive to church members streaming in from southern counties. In the winter of 1836-1837 a saw and gristmill was built on Shoal creek, about one mile north of the town. In after years it was known as Fugitt's Mill. [Daily Morning Herald, St. Joseph, Missouri].
Henry Bigler arrived in Far West in June 1838 and "went to work helping to stock a sawmill." [Erwin G. Gudde, Bigler's Chronicle of the West (Berkley, CA: University of California Press, 1962), 11].

At this time there were but three water mills in the county, all on Shoal Creek--two in the eastern part of the county (Haun's and Whites') and one north of Far West (Fugitt's). There was a good horse mill southeast of Far West. It was owned by a Mormon named Gardner [Snodgrass], who stayed there after the Mormons left. ["A Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets Past and Present of Caldwell County, Missouri," compiled by Arthur Paul Moser, http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/moser/caldwellco.html]. The Snodgrass Mill is sometimes associated with Gardner [also a Mormon who did not leave the state in 1839]. Bertha Booth [A Short History of Caldwell County, Missouri] says this mill was also later known as the Sackman Mill. -Webmaster

In the fall of 1840, Isaac Julian Harvey (non-Mormon) sold some land [in Grundy County, Missouri]. Isaac took over a Dry Goods store as his pay. During the winter of 1840 Isaac was appointed county judge of new county at Trenton, Missouri - served two years. In the spring he moved to Far West, Missouri. Invested in flat boat business on the Grand River with William Peery [Perry?] for St. Louis trade. In 1843 Harvey traded store for Old Mormon Sawmill at Far West. His moved his family there to sell lumber and mill. His wife Sarah contracted typhoid fever. All the children also became ill. Harvey sold the mill and the family moved back to Grundy County. [http://cotati.sjsu.edu/cockrill/d0007/jb40.html].

In later years, J. M. Terry wrote, Bro. G. W. Carter has located here on Shoal Creek with his saw and corn mill. Encouraged with the prospects. Yours engaged, J.M. Terry. [Zion's Ensign, 8 (14 Oct. 1897): 3].

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