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An 1818 partnership between John Taggart, owner of a mill on Castor River (a mill which needed to be "put in some better fix") and the millwright William McMurtrey. From the counties of "St. Ginnevee" and "Cape Gerido," they joined forces the year Madison County, named for the recently retired U.S. President James Madison, was formed.
The contract was not filed with the County until 1840, probably at the demise of the first of the partners to die. This typified the private nature of such business, considered to be no concern of government.
Their new mill was a notable and long-lasting place, known to County history as "Hahn's Mill." One U.S. Skaggs, (born 1866 and probably named for the victorious general U.S. Grant), bought Hahn's Mill and moved on to the farm next to the Schultes. His son John and their daughter Ruth married, to join two notable German families.
Madison County society has joined in it the great culture streams of the Ozarks: French Creole (St. Gemme, Pratte, DeGuire), German (Hahn, Schulte, Skaggs), and English and Scotch Irish (Taggart, McMurtrey, Robinson, Tong, Miller). The Afro-American culture stream was joined in a different way, and is known to us by given name only (Sambo, Delily [Delilah], Acan, Lowease [Louisa], Valentine).
Articles of an agreement entered in to an concluded on between John Taggart of St. Ginnevee County. Missourie Territory. of the one part and William MCMurtrey of Jackson in Cape Gerido County and territory a fore said of the other part. Witnesset. That the said Taggart & McMurtrey has a greed to build a set of mills on Castor at the shoal where said Taggarts mill now stands (to wit) a Grist Mill & Saw Mill. On the following terms (to wit) said Mills are to consist of two pair of stones, and one saw. The said Taggart binds him self to let said McMurtrey have an equal division of the quarter section where said mills are built agreeable to quantity and quallity. To make a lawful deed or deeds to said McMurtrey his heirs or assigns so as to secure to said McMurtrey his equal share of land and one half of all the profits arising from said mills. Said McMurtrey binds him self to refund to said Tigart one hundred and twenty five dollars being one half of the purchase money of the preem[p]tion purchased by said Taggart. The said Taggart and McMurtrey is to each do an equal share of all the labour and be at an equal share of all the expence the grist mill is to be an over shot and the whole of the work to be done under the direction of said McMurtrey agreeable to his best skill & judgement and said McMurtrey is to repair and put in some better fix the Old Mill now in said shoal and from the time he repairs hir he is to have one half of all the profits arising from hir it is to be further understood that the said Taggart & McMurtrey is to be at an equal share of Trouble and expence in all further purchase of said land -- in testimoney where of we have hereunto set our hands and affixt our seals this tenth day of December 1818 attest
[signed] John Taggart seal
[signed] WM McMurtrey seal
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RNT Family History