The First Village in Caldwell County

    Settlement in what is today known as Kingston Township began in 1833. "The voting precinct southeast of present day Kingston counted 20 votes cast at the fall election of 1834." [History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, 215]. County histories indicate that "in 1833, three Lyons brothers, exiles from Jackson County, settled near the mouth of Log Creek, two miles southeast of present day Kingston."
    Though the Lyons brothers were possibly among the early settlers, land records indicate they did not actually acquired land until around 1836. When Mormon immigration began in earnest, they concentrated in the area around the mouth of Log Creek, where it joins Shoal Creek. Mormons built a horse mill (possibly the first mill in the county), a blacksmith shop and cabins for their families.
    "The life of the early settlers of Caldwell County was much the same experienced by the pioneers of other parts of the West. They dwelt in log cabins, were plainly clothed and partook of humble fare, lived simply and doutless enjoyed a freedom in manner of life that is not to be found today. They dresed and lived according to their circumstances, and being for the most part in about the same condition, they mingled together as equals and were dependent on each other for help in various undertakings. The newcomer was usually warmly welcomed. When he selected his claim; cut his house logs and hauled them to the place chosen for his future home, his neighbors for miles around would come to his assistance, and in a short time his cabin would be ready to occupy. Then he would clear off a patch of ground, make rails to fence it, plant a crop and become a part of the life of the community. The first farms were carved out of the timber lands The timber was cut down, the logs rolled together, the brush piled on and all was burned to make way for cultivation." [History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, 215-216].
    The Mormon mill made good money. "In pioneer days mills held a very important position. The first settlers... were forced to make a trip by ox team to take their grist to the mills of Ray County. There were three types of mills used in early Caldwell County history... water, sweep, and tread mills. The favorite location for a poineer mill was by a creek which provided waterpower, but many early mills were run by horse or ox power. In the sweep (or pull-around) type of mill, a horse or ox was hitched to the end of the sweep. It was customary for the farmer who brought grist to be ground to use his own horses to provide power for the mill, and many old people still recall how they as children rode the horses, or even the sweep, while grist was being ground."

The settlement in this area has been known by various names: Lyon, Guyman, Richey, Salem

    Old people in the southern part of Cladwell County still talk about "Mother Richey's" Mill. The Richey millstones may be seen in the old McClelland burial ground in Kingston Township. Salem later boasted a tavern and the Richmond stage coach stoped there, but the little village did not grow. When the county seat was moved from Far West to the new town of Kingston, after the Mormon exodus from the county, Salem was abandoned and now nothing is left to mark its site. [Bertha Booth, A Short History of Caldwell County Missouri (MMFF, 1998), 5, 6, 7, 14].

Moving to Guyman Horse Mill

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