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Bucklin was laid out originally on the east half of Lot 2; northwest quarter of Section 2, Township 57, Range 18, in October, 1854. William S. McClanahan, county surveyor, began the survey of the town on the eighth of the month and completed it on the eleventh. James H. Watson and Dr. John F. Powers were the owners of the land and were the chief promoters of the town.
At the time of Bucklin's creation a Major Bucklin was chief engineer of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, which was then in process of construction across the state. The town was named as a complement to the Major, and it was thought by the sagacious promoter, would result in the establishment of the division at Bucklin. It might be here remarked that many years later Bucklin also had similar aspirations concerning the Santa Fe Railroad, but was disappointed.
It matters not; the town has grown with the county and is enjoying the facilities of two great trunk lines of railroad and the trade of a splendid farming community. All it hoped for in the way of commercial prosperity has been well realized. The original town was laid out something over half a mile north of the Hannibal & St. Joe track. Some of the railroad people used to speak of the place as Bucklinville, and it must have gone by that name on the records of the company, for Josiah Hunt, the land commissioner of the railroad, on August 1, 1859, laid out the first addition to the place, and caused it to be recorded as "the first addition to the town of Bucklinville." Towner & Stuenkel laid out an addition in February, 1877, and designated it as "an addition to Bucklinville," just as Hunt had done.
The word Bucklinville, however, is never heard of now. The town
is located on a ridge between the Chariton and Grand rivers. It is high, well-drained and healthful.
The first structures in Bucklin were the railroad shanties. Noah
Carter operated the first store. F. A. Davenport, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Davenport, was the first male child born in Bucklin, his birth occurring in December, 1855. Sarah, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Austin, was the first girl baby born in the town.
The first marriage was that of William Poole and Rachel Minnick.
The ceremony occurred at the residence of Samuel Minnick in
February, 1858, and was conducted by Squire Charles C. Clifton.
The first school house was built in 1858. It was entirely of frame
and cost the modest sum of $350. Squire Shannon was the first teacher.
The Reverend Mitchell, a primitive Baptist minister, held the first
religious services in Bucklin, in the residence of John L. Watson.
Dr. Rider is credited with being the first physician.
In 1858 a cemetery was laid out about half a mile north of the
town. A United States post office was established in 1859, the year the Hannibal & St. Joe road began operating across the state. John Walker was the first postmaster.
Following the depression caused by the Civil War, Bucklin thrived
rapidly. New stores were put up and various industries established.
The Bucklin mills were built and put in operation by Messrs. Pounds & Stevenson in 1867. The plant cost between $5,000 and $6,000, and was the most complete of its kind in this section of the state. It diverted an immense amount of traffic to Bucklin. Bucklin was incorporated in 1866. The following board of trustees was appointed by the county court: J. I-. Wyett, Robert Wheeler, E. L. Carlton, Thomas Burke and George Sweeney.
The failure of Bucklin to secure the Santa Fe division had a depressing effect temporarily; business was quiet and enterprise lagged. Marceline, the place selected by the road for the division, was only six miles south, and it naturally developed fast. People from Linn and other counties were hastening there to get into business while the floodtide of prosperity was on. But the stagnation of Bucklin did not last long. The people realized that the loss of the division did not by any means threaten the standing of their town, and that its splendid location could not be taken away. About twelve years ago some new blood and energy were infused into the town, which began to arouse itself and take its place in the ranks of progress, its destiny from the first. The vitalizing influence was felt in every avenue of the town's life. The old wooden awnings in front of the store-buildings have been torn down and used for kindling wood. The frame store buildings have given place to modern brick structures, with large plate glass windows and attractive fronts. Miles of smooth granitoid sidewalk have superceded the rickety board affairs that gave service to the residents a decade or so ago. Four new and picturesque additions to the town have been laid out, and the lots have found ready purchasers at good figures. More than 100 new houses have been built. Along with its commercial boom Bucklin has seen to it that its educational needs have not been neglected. A handsome new $10,000 high school has been constructed and paid for. The Christian congregation has built a new $15,000 church edifice, and paid for it.
Some three years ago a stock company was organized by G. L.
Joyce to prospect for coal. The sum of $2,500 was raised, a charter secured and an operating shaft sunk. At a depth of 227 feet a bed of coal running from 32 to 36 inches was found. It proved to be of excellent quality, and is most satisfactory to consumers. The mine is now successfully operated by Cantwell & Woodruff, who bought out the entire interests of the original stockholders. This mine is located near the junction of the two railroads. The Hannibal & St. Joseph road has constructed a spur to the shaft, and cars of coal are daily sent out along the line. About twenty-five men are now working steadily, and receiving good wages. Bucklin has an electric light plant, with capacity sufficient to light a city of the size it expects to be in the next ten years. The plant has only been in operation one year, and it has well passed the experimental stage and is listed among the many successful enterprises of the town.
The raising of poultry for the market is a live industry all around
Bucklin. In one year the firm of Lindley & Buster handled $100,000 of poultry produced by farmers adjacent to Bucklin.
According to the school record, Bucklin stands third in the list among the towns of Linn county in the number of pupils in its schools. Brookfield and Marceline are the only towns rivaling Bucklin in this respect. |