Cole County History: Jefferson City Land Company was a utopian dream that fizzled

Five of the seven prominent Jefferson City citizens that created the Jefferson City Land Company, from left to right: Thomas L. Price, James B. Gardenshire, Judge Robert Wells, Eli Bass and Bernard Bruns. Other investors were Dr. William Curry and Dr. William Davidson.
Five of the seven prominent Jefferson City citizens that created the Jefferson City Land Company, from left to right: Thomas L. Price, James B. Gardenshire, Judge Robert Wells, Eli Bass and Bernard Bruns. Other investors were Dr. William Curry and Dr. William Davidson.

What was it like living in Jefferson City in the late 1850's?

Even by standards in those days, it was not a sizable city - only about 3,000 people. However, some of the prominent citizens of the day were proposing to change that.

These citizens created the Jefferson City Land Company in 1857 to make money on land speculation but also to promote a utopian city on the Missouri River that would capture the might of the United States expansion in the west. Inspired by Sen. Thomas Benton and the Free-Soil movement they envisioned the demise of slavery and the growth of industry and prosperity.

Sen. Benton had supporters in Jefferson City including Thomas L. Price, the richest man in the city, and James Gardenhire, former attorney general. These two along with Dr. Bernard Bruns, Eli Bass, Judge Robert W. Wells, Dr. William Curry and Dr. William Davison organized the Land Company.

One of the goals of the company was to charter a new city on the outskirts of Jefferson City. This new city was to extend from the city limits (Catholic Cemetery) to Gray's Creek along the Missouri River. Think West Main, Hayselton and Boonville roads. They envisioned the Pacific Railroad, which had reached Jefferson City in late 1855 would eventually go all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The new development would have mills, industries and other commercial ventures; and a university established by the Methodist Episcopal Church.

James Gardenhire said, "The position of the city, and the elements of wealth around it, we felt satisfied, fully justified the enterprise midway between St. Louis and our western border, on the two great central lines of trade and travel, the Missouri River and Pacific railroad, just below their junction, without a rival on these long lines, nearly 500 miles by water and 300 by railroad, it is better situated we think, in reference to our railroad system, and great agricultural and mineral resources, than any other point west of St. Louis."

The Land Company spent $83,200, today's equivalent of $2.8 million in acquiring property inside and outside of city limits. They were in negotiations with the Methodist church for the university. A bill had been introduced in the Missouri General Assembly to establish the city charter for Upper Jefferson. James Gardenhire was elected mayor of Jefferson City in 1858 along with the whole Free-Soil ticket for City Council.

With the support of the General Assembly, the city, the railroad and the Methodist church and with westward expansion and investments from the wealthy eastern states, prospects looked good. However, we know that no such place now exists. What went wrong?

Many things went wrong. The General Assembly did not approve the charter, the investments from the east did not materialize, the Methodist church was villainized, transcontinental railroad went through Iowa and the slavery issue became contentious. Although six of the seven members of the Land Company were slave owners, the charter was viewed as an effort of the Free-Soil party which was largely focused on the single issue of opposing the expansion of slavery into the western territories of the United States.

It didn't help that it was the Methodist Episcopal Church of the north that was building the university. The church had split over the issue of slavery. From a church history written in 1868: "The attempt to establish a university at Jefferson City, Mo., by the Methodist Episcopal Church, became the occasion of developing the pro-slavery spirit and opposition to the Methodist Episcopal Church which Bishop Pierce and the slavery propagandists endeavored to promote. The Land Company, of Jefferson City, in order to improve their property and secure the best educational advantages, made handsome appropriations to the trustees of the university."

According to Mosby Parsons, state senator from Jefferson City who would later be a general in the Confederate Army: "They put in Mr. Frank Blair, and some others the most notorious abolitionists in the State, as Trustees for their proposed concern, making it a Black Republican, abolition thing."

An article in the Glasgow Weekly Times said: "Free Soilism In the Capitol! The Halls of the Border Ruffians have been partially obliterated. They were desecrated by Gen. James B. Gardenhire, who declared in a public speech that foreign labor ("wooden headed Dutch and drunken Irish") backed by Yankee enterprise, would more rapidly develop the vast resources of Missouri, than the 'institution,' under the present management and state of affairs." That would be the "peculiar institution" slavery.

The organizers of the Jefferson City Land Company were not abolitionists but they did believe that slavery was an impediment to progress. They wanted Jefferson City and Missouri to be viewed by the wider world as progressive and worthy of future investment. But the country was moving toward division. From A History of Jefferson City by James Ford, "The promoters of the project failed to secure a charter, the idea arousing the enmity of the more radical faction of the Democratic party. The death of Benton was a blow to their plans, and with the outbreak of the Civil War, the idea was abandoned."

Deborah Goldammer is retired from state government and now pursues her interest in Cole County history research. She is a former officer and board member of Historic City of Jefferson.