Weston Missouri - The Town That Refused to Die

Weston, Missouri

Though Ben Holladay had already moved to the west by 1856, his business ventures were far-flung and recognizing the potential profit of the natural limestone springs of the Weston area, he built the McCormick Distilling Company in 1956. The distillery, still in existence today, is the oldest continuously operated distillery in the United States.

During this time Platte County and the Weston area was quickly becoming embroiled in the Kansas-Missouri border wars, which preceded the Civil War.

McCormick Distillery, Weston, Missouri

McCormick Distillery courtesy Weston Website

Given the proximity to “Bleeding-Kansas” the town had sympathizers on both sides of the conflict, but given their dependency upon slave labor, most of the population was pro-slavery along with the rest of Missouri.

The “genteel” community formed a secret society and drew up a resolution, which provided for the “scrutinizing and reporting” of any “suspicious looking persons” who might be taking arms to Kansas or inciting abolition. There were about 500 members of the secret society who publicly announced their opposition to any pro-abolition members of the community, any businesses who profited from trading with those “Bleeding-Kansans,” and any who objected to the “regrettable excesses” of the vigilantes.

Quantrill Raiders Backing this secret society were the so-called Border Ruffians who were notorious pro-slavery thugs. In 1857, the Chicago Tribune reported these ruffians as, “a queer-looking set, slightly resembling human beings, but more closely allied … to wild beasts… They never shave or comb their hair, and their chief occupation is loafing around whiskey shops, squirting tobacco juice, and whittling with a dull jack-knife.”

Fervent abolitionists lived side by side with those whose way of life was built upon the institution of slavery. Bands of armed men ranged both sides of the border, making ordinary life impossible. The value of slaves and land dropped by half, and long before the war was officially declared in 1861, Weston experienced hand-to-hand fighting in the streets.

By 1858, Weston’s population was second only to St. Louis, Missouri. Then, in the midst of the pre Civil War chaos, another disaster occurred, when a major flood filled the Muddy Missouri and destroyed the port of Weston.

When the floodwaters receded, the river’s channel had moved several hundred yards to the west (to the other side of the railroad tracks today.) Though this did not deter the river traffic, it was a blow to the community. But, in 1859 the railroad was built extending north from Weston which gave the community new hope.

Civil War Union Postcard Though Missouri was filled with pro-slavery sympathizers, the state joined the Union in 1861, and many of Weston’s young men went to war. In November 1861, the Weston area saw its first and only organized battle at Bee Creek when Union Army Major Joseph left Saint Joseph for Platte City to capture Silas Gordon, a noted Southern partisan. Despite the 500 man Union force and two pieces of artillery, Gordon slipped away, and began gathering his friends to attack the Union force. Joseph let it be known he intended to stay in Platte City, but instead marched out and made for Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on the Weston turnpike. The Southern sympathizers gathered about 50 men and made a hasty stand at the Bee Creek Bridge to stop the federal force.

The small group of southerners was able to drive in the federal advanced guard, but when the US troops opened fire with their artillery, almost half of the Confederates fled. The fight lasted for about an hour, and only ended when the southerners ran out of ammunition. The next month the U. S. Army sent another force that captured two suspected partisans and executed them at the bridge. One of the soldiers marked the letters "U. S." on the bridge railing in the blood of the executed men. The entire battle was visible from the land of Red Barn Farm.

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