March 1982 Collage

 

SWAMP LAND

Mo. Conservationist Jan. 1982

To rid itself of the unwanted swamps, the federal government passed the Swamp Act in 1850, giving swamp-land to the states to sell.  Money from the sales was to be used to reclaim ad develop the swamps.  Mo. Received title to about 3.5 million acres of swampland, about 2.4 million acres of it in southeast Missouri.  In a typical passing the buck move, the Mo. Legislature passed a bill in 1852 that transferred nearly all of the swampland to the counties.  In 1868, 18 years after the Swamp Act, the Mo. Legislature enacted the Swamp bill to further assist in shedding its responsibility for swampland.

 

The public estimation of the value of swamps is exemplified by the sale of 80,000 acres of swampland in Stoddard County for $668.95 at public auction in 1868.  Such rock-bottom ____ the Mo. legislature to ___ legislation prohibit counties from selling swampland for less than $1.25 an acre.  Not much land sold for many years following the act.

 

1858 taxes ($1.00 per acre) paid in the SWAMP LAND FUND in Cape County Treasury.

James. W. Phillips – 160

Michael Burns – 105.88

David Waggoner – 80

John F. Bolin – 80

John snider

John Penny – 117

Jerima E. Waters – 40

Sanford Hunter – 160

Francis M. Snider – 40

Ebenezer Rynion – 160

Henry Ervin

Geo. L. Stovall – 40

Harband Ramsey – 128.11

Thos. McDaniel – 40

Wm. J. Bolin – 39.12

John Snider, Ser. - 138.57

Henry Devor – 36.06

Eugene Garathy – 80

Jackson r. Proffer – 40

Josiah Hunter – 120

Thos. N. Ramey – 40

James W. Hardin – 39.16

Wm C. Ranney – 36.51

James B. Williams – 40

James Caruthers – 160

James M. McQuire – 40

Harrison M. Williams – 203.66

James M. Hapwood – 160

Joseph B. Shoren – 80

William Welch – 132.77