Moniteau County Log Structures

These two old hand hewn log structures can be found just off Brush Creek Road about 3 miles north of California, Missouri. There's a decent chance they were built by one or more of my ancestors, considering they sit on or near farm land originally purchased in the mid 1800's by my great-great-great grandparents as well as by their siblings, cousins and offspring. If so, I guess Grandpap Fred would have spent many an hour swinging the snot out of his old adze in order to get all those oak timbers flattened out. He would have employed an axe or hatchet to notch the corners and touch up any imperfections he was less than fond of. 

I'm also guessing he would have had some help from his boys and maybe other family members and friends who were also homesteading the area. Back in those days it was pretty standard for folks to chip in and help their neighbors build their home, barns, assorted outbuildings and so on. I doubt if anyone had invented general contracting in 1850 middle America and even if they had, most folks wouldn't have had the money to pay them. I'm also guessing that when it came to constructing a foundation, it didn't necessarily take a highly skilled stone mason to stack rocks up straight. But it would have taken several strong backs to pick up and haul all the rocks, not to mention chopping down the trees and getting all the building materials to the work site. Grand-Pap would most certainly have owned at least a mule or two or maybe a big Ol' plow horse named Ruth or Annabelle to assist with all the hauling and toting involved with building a home or barn in the 1800's. 

In any event and regardless of the level of log and stone skill on the part of my ancestors, it's pretty safe to assume they (or whomever built these buildings) did a pretty decent job considering they're still standing after getting pummeled all these years by the wind and rain; not to mention the hail, sleet and snow. 

I wonder if Fred and Margaret had any idea that someday their great-great nephews (Abe and his brothers and assorted offspring) would be maintaining the cemetery that they and most members of their family would eventually be laid to rest in, or that they'd be the subject of a brief story written by one of their many great-great-great grandchildren? I'm guessing no on the latter and maybe on the former. 

I'll have to do a little more research on this entire subject and will of course report back at some point.  I find myself somewhat fascinated that 160 plus years ago, a group of people I'm directly related to decided to just up and move from a well established area, to essentially the middle of nowhere and "put down roots" as they say. Even more amazing is that their parents loaded up their kids and whatever they owned at the time in Switzerland, onto a boat and set sail for the relatively unknowns of a land called America: fascinating! 

I'll keep you posted as information develops....