Search

1891-1892 - Interesting Facts and Stories About Our Earlier Cousins

Thanks to the “now” online availability of historical newspapers, we can learn interesting facts and stories about some of our Haston relatives, especially the ones who lived in communities where there were newspapers that have been digitized and become accessible through the Internet.

    

I can focus only on the Hastons known or suspected to be members of the Daniel Haston FAMILY.  That includes the Hastains, who changed the spelling of the family name in Missouri.  Unfortunately, I am unable to include those who adopted the English Hasting and Hastings spellings, because only a tiny percentage of the people with those spellings are Daniel’s descendants.

Hastain, Missouri

In Benton County, MO – About 18 mostly crooked miles southeast of Warsaw, MO

Named in honor of Pleasant Dawson (P.D.) “Bud” Hastain

A post office was established in Hastain, MO in 1884 and remained in operation until 1951.
Louise Haston Rice in 2010. Louise was a descendant of Jesse Haston, Daniel's son who settled in Howard County, MO prior to 1820.

Contrary to some things that have been said and written about the community of Hastain, MO, our Hastain relatives never lived there. It was named in honor of Daniel Haston’s Great-Grandson, Pleasant Dawson Hastain, who descended through David Haston’s son, Daniel McComisky Haston/Hastain, and his wife, Martha Jane Wade Hastain.  Daniel McComisky Haston changed the family name to Hastain, probably because someone convinced him his European roots were in England. The name Hastain primarily functions as a surname, and its roots are mainly found in the British Isles.

On July 16, 1892, a murder occurred near the Hastain post office in Benton County, MO. The killer “at once wired Hon. P.D. Hastain to proceed to (nearby) Warsaw” to defend him.

1891, January 6

P.D. Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Weekly Bazoo: At age 36, P.D. (Pleasant Dawson) Hastain, the youngest son of Daniel McComisky Hastain) moved from Warsaw, Missouri (county seat of Benton County) to Sedalia, Missouri (county seat of Pettis County). 

1891, January 15

Albert V. Haston

Buffalo (MO) Reflex: “Albert Haston of Jackson Township [Dallas County, MO] died suddenly last Tuesday, it is supposed from Brain fever.  He married Clarra Temple on April 15, 1883. The deceased was 25 years of age.”  He was the son of A.V.F. Haston, who was Jeremiah Haston’s son. He was buried in the High Prairie Cemetery at Redtop in Dallas County, MO.

1891, January 22

Amy Haston’s Assailant

The Fayette (Howard County, MO) Advertiser: In the December 1888 edition of The Butler (MO) Weekly Times (and many other newspapers), the story of an attempted sexual assault of Miss Amy Haston (daughter of Jesse Haston, Sr.) by two African American men was reported.  See the December 1888 entry in the 1886-1890 Hastons in the News post.  Frank Jenkins, one of the black assailants was arrested and sent to prison.  About 18 months later, the other assailant (Ollie Thixton), was arrested for a similar assault on a Miss Crews, another young white lady, and was sent to the county jail at Fayette, MO.  A mob organized, took him out of jail at night, and hanged on an old elm tree about a half mile from the public square.  None of the parties in the hanging mob were recognized.

1891, May 21

J.S. (or probably I.S.) Haston

Buffalo (MO) Reflex: Comrade J.S. (probably Isaac Sylvester Haston was chosen to be the secretary of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) and S. of V. (Sons of [Union] Veterans of Civil War) in Jackson Township of Dallas, County, MO.  The G.A.R. was a fraternal organization for Union veterans of the American Civil War.  This I.S. Haston fought in the Union Army during the Civil War.

The High Prairie Church Selected as Place for Memorial Service – May 15th, 1891

Comrades J.W. (John Wesley) Haston, E. Price, and Sanford Creek were appointed to clean and decorate the graves of deceased comrades in the Haston Cemetery.  J.S. Haston, Mrs. Alice Haston, Effie Haston, Lola Haston, and others were on a committee to decorate the church, the High Prairie Church, in preparation for the memorial service.

The mention of the “Haston Cemetery” is significant.  As a child, Joan Moore Gillett (1922-2011), an avid Haston researcher, often visited her Haston aunts, who lived near where Daniel Haston’s son, Jeremiah Haston, lived until his death.  Referring to Jeremiah Haston’s death and burial, Joan wrote “Haston Cemetery” in her records, as if other people would know the location of that graveyard.  She did say he died in Charity, Missouri, “1 mile N-Buffalo Road.”  I assume that was where he was buried.  From the village of Charity, it is almost exactly one mile north on the road to Buffalo to a high spot on Jeremiah’s 40 acre tract where his homesite was probably located.  The aunts (granddaughters of Jeremiah) would have been old enough (Lucinda, age 15; Samantha, age 23) at the time of Jeremiah’s death to have known their grandfather well and clearly remember his death and burial.  They were likely there when his body was lowered into the ground.  

 

However, no one in that area (Jackson Township of Dallas County, MO) now knows where the Haston Cemetery is.  In addition to Jeremiah Haston, there are several other members of his family that I think are buried there.  There is no mention of their graves in the old cemeteries of that neighborhood.

1891, April 30

J.A. Haston

Chariton (MO) Courier: J.A. Haston’s wife eloped with an African American hired hand in Jackson County, MO.  The western line of Jackson County, MO, bordered Kansas and Kansas City, KS. Currently, I do not know the identity of this J.A. Haston

1891, June 6

I.N. (Isaac Newton) Haston

The Springfield (MO) Democrat: The Honorable I.N. Haston was in Springfield, MO.  He was one of the important witnesses in a Henkle divorce case.  I.N. Haston was the son of Isaac Haston/Hasting’s son, William Carroll Haston.  The Isaac Haston (son of Daniel) family settled in Cass Township of Greene County, MO in the late 1830s.

1891, June 12

Miss Lizzie Haston

Junction City (MO) Republican: Miss Lizzie Haston (daughter of Abi Albert Haston, Jesse Haston, Sr.’s son) was a teacher in a Catholic School.  She was the best teacher her school had ever employed.

1891, June 14

Isaac S. Haston

Kansas City (MO) Journal: Isaac S. Haston in Missouri was issued a certificate for a pension.  I assume this was a pension for his Civil War service in the Federal Army.

1891, June

Rev. J.B. Haston

Ukiah (CA) Daily Journal: Jesse Haston’s grandson, Jesse Bascom Haston, began a pastoral ministry in the Christian Church of Ukiah, CA (northwest of Sacramento).  He was previously in Chico, CA (about 140 east of Ukiah) Christian Church pastor.

1891, August

(Rev.) J.B. Haston

Santa Cruz (CA) Surf and Superior California Farmer: On the 4th day of a Christian Church convention, Rev. Jesse Bascom Haston presented a paper that was well received.

1891, October 22

John W. (Wesley) Haston

The Buffalo (MO) Reflex: A birthday party with 46 people was thrown to celebrate John W. Haston’s (Uncle John’s) 73rd birthday. “He was one of the oldest settlers of Dallas County, MO, having come here in the year 1838 and has resided here ever since.”  John was the son of Jeremiah Haston, who was the son of Daniel Haston.

Much of the “Hastons (and Hastains) in the News” coverage for 1892 was about two of Daniel Haston’s descendants running for offices in their respective states.  Jesse Haston (Jr.), son of Jesse Haston, Sr., was seeking to be the Treasurer for the state of MontanaPleasant Dawson (P.D.) Hastain was running to be State Congressman of the 7th District in Missouri.  We learn a lot about these two men from a selection of the many articles that appeared in 1892 newspapers.  They were both very driven and successful men, but very (very!) different in other ways.

1892, January 13

William F. Haston

Nashville (TN) Banner: Charles F. Haston was elected President of the White County (TN) Union at the Findlay Institute, three miles from Sparta.  They were expecting up to 1000 people, but a raging snowstorm cut the crowd down to 500-600.

1892, January 15

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

El Paso (TX) Times: Jesse Haston lived in Montana, but owned property (640 acres, a square mile) in El Paso, TX, which he sold to G.T. Newman.  Jesse probably owned the land there because he traded livestock in the El Paso area, and sometimes needed land to graze his stock in the process of buying or selling.

1892, February 19

Attorney (P.D.) Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Democrat: This article about the “Evan’s seduction case” shows what a hard-nosed attorney Pleasant Dawson Hastain was in the courtroom.  Hastain wrangled about court procedures, with witnesses, and with their opposing attorneys.  The charge against the defendant, John Evans, was dismissed for lack of evidence.

1892, April

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

The Independent-Record (Helena, MT): Jesse Haston was elected president of the newly formed “The Jos. K. Toole Custer County (Montana) Democratic Club.”  There were 106 signers to the club’s constituion.

1892, March 24

P.D. Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Democrat: At the meeting of the colored Republican club at the Knights of Labor hall on Main street in Sedalia, MO, P.D. Hastain gave a speech in which he appealed to the colored voters to forsake the Democratic Party and vote Republican.

Later that year, on October 8, 1892, Hastain, added this to one of his speeches to a colored audience: “You ought to take your shotgun and shoot any colored man who votes the Democratic ticket.”  Understandably, Democrats used that against him.  The reporter explained that “Mr. Hastain meant the statement to be funny, but added that the illiterate, superstitious negro sees no joke in such matters.”

1892, May 3

P.D. Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Weekly Bazoo: P.D. Hastain was not selected to be a delegate to the MO State and Congressional Republican Convention.  Hastain received 26 votes compared to his opponent’s 62 votes.

1892, July 18

Mounted Policeman Haston

Los Angeles (CA) Evening Express: I don’t if or how this Haston policeman fit into the Daniel Haston family, but it is interesting to know there was a Los Angeles mounted Haston cop working the beat in downtown Los Angeles.

1892, July 27

P.D. Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Democrat: Pleasant Dawson Hastain, Great-Grandson of Daniel Haston through David>Daniel McComisky Haston, was the Republican Congressional candidate for the 7th District of Missouri in November 1892.  Until the election, news about his candidacy was the subject of many stories, some positive, some negative, and some mixed.  He was a controversial man, no doubt.

Missouri Counties in 7th District

1892, August 11

Thomas (T.J.) Hastain

The Windsor (MO) Review: “Mr. Thos. [Thomas Jefferson] Hastain, from near Calhoun [Missouri], started for the southern part of Colorado Sunday afternoon for the benefit of his health.”

Earlier in the year: 1892, March 7 – “T.J. Hastain is very sick and is not expected to live at this writing.”

1892, September 13

Hon. D.P. (P.D.) Hastain

Springfield (MO) Leader and Press: P.D. Haston, of Sedalia, MO, made a speech in Springfield, MO, to a small crowd in the courthouse.  The reporter commented: “Mr. Hastain is clean shaven, above average weight, has a fine physique, is genial, a good orator, and takes well with the ‘boys,’ hence it is a pity that he is wasting his ‘sweetness on the desert air.'”

1892, September 15

Hon. P.D. Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Democrat: This is a Democratic paper, so it is not unexpected that their review of a Republican candidate, especially a local favorite, was negative.  

1892, September 30

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

Chariton (MO) Courier:  Jesse Haston, Jr. was nominated by the Democratic Party of Montana for the office of State Treasurer.  Another article indicates the Democratic State Convention, held in Great Falls, Montana.  It reports this same news and states that Jesse Haston was “of Deer Lodge [County].” However, Jesse was from Custer County, MT, not Deer Lodge County.  

Benjamin Harrison (of Indiana) was the Republican Presidential candidate, and Whitelaw Reid (of New York) was the VP candidate on the national ticket.  Grover Cleveland, a former President, was the Democratic candidate for President and Adlai Stevenson was his VP candidate.

1892, October 4

William and Margaret Haston

Springfield (MO) Leader and Press: In a Circuit Court divorce case, Margaret sued her husband, William Haston.  Then, the divorce was “off” and then it was back “on” – in same newspaper column!

1892, October 6

Mr. (P.D.) Hastain

Columbia Missouri Herald: Pleasant Dawson Hastain’s family–wife, father, relatives, a brother–were all Democrats.

1892, October 8

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

Billings (MT) Times: Jesse Haston was touted as the man who was assured to win his election bid for the position of Montana State Treasurer.  But did he win?  We will see later. From this article we learn something about his personality–he was the kind of person who rapidly gained friends.

The_Billings_Times_1892_10_08_5 copy

1892, October 13

P.D. (Pleasant Dawson) Hastain

Columbia Missouri Herald: This article compares the four candidates competing for the honor of presenting the seventh district in the Missouri Congress.  

  • Hastain has held county offices.
  • Hastain (a Republican) is married to a Democrat.
  • Hastain was a graduate of the State University (Missouri).
  • Hastain was a mischievous student.  He had a pugilistic (fighting) encounter with a distinguished citizen of Columbia, Missouri in which said citizen was badly worsted.   He also kicked over a stove in his boarding house in a flow of radical spirits–both feats are well remembered in the city.
  • Hastain is a lawyer.
  • Hastain is the most handsome of the candidates. He is a tall, smooth-faced fellow who dresses well.

Great-Grandson of Daniel Haston, through David > Daniel McComesky) Pleasant Dawson Hastain was unopposed in his selection to be the temporary chairman of the Pettis County, MO, Democratic convention to choose a slate of candidates for the upcoming election.  Apparently, he was a powerful, but sometime vulgar, speaker.

1892, October 25

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

The Western News (Stevensville, MT): Jesse Haston, Jr. explains how he became the nominee for Treasurer in the state of Montana.  Jesse was chosen by acclamation.

1892, October 29

P.D. Dawson

St. Louis (MO) Globe-Democrat: P.S. Hastain vs. John T. Heard – 1892 Candidates for Missouri 7th District Congress.

1892, October 31

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

The Anaconda (MO) Standard: Jesse Haston was on a campaign tour, and again we learn more about why he was drafted to run for the office of Montana State Treasurer. 

1892, November 3

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

The Independent Record (Helena, MT): Again, we learn more about Jesse Haston, Jr. (son of Daniel’s son, Jesse Haston, Sr.).  This might appear like political hype, but it seems to match what we can learn about him from other stories.

Here’s (above right) the slate of candidates running for the State Treasurer, as published in the Rocky Mountain Husbandman (Diamond City, MT) on November 3, 1892.

1892, November 3

Mr. (Pleasant Dawson) Hastain

Armstrong (MO) Herald: There were seven mentions of P.D. Hastain on this one page, all about his speeches as a candidate for U.S. District Court Judge:

  •  He is accused of not being truthful about some things he said in a speech.
  • “Negros” attend a speech by “Mr. Hastain,” but feel that they are not treated very well by some members of the party.
  • “Mr Hastain has a good voice and is a nice looking man, but he thinks a great deal of himself, for about every other word was a great bit ‘I.'”
  • “We haven’t heard of any democrats being converted by Hastain’s talk.”

1892, November 3

Mr. (P.D.) Hastain

Kansas City (MO) Journal: “Mr. Hastain has made by far the best canvass that has been made by any Republican candidate in the past ten years.  He has visited every portion of the district and has been accorded large audiences at every point.  He reports that he never before saw the party so enthusiastic and the Democratic Party so correspondingly dissatisfied with their state ticket.

1892, November 30

P.D. Hastain

The (Linneus, MO) Bulletin: The election was held on November 8, 1892. Running as a Republican was difficult in Missouri during the 1890s.  P.D. Haston ran a good race but came up short.

1892, November 16

Jesse Haston (Jr.)

The Anaconda (MT) Standard: The election final vote count in Montana did not go in Jesse’s favor.  Like his Republican cousin (Pleasant Dawson Hastain) in MO, Jesse came in second. 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349565622/?match=1&clipping_id=176725295

1892, November 29

P.D. Hastain

The Sedalia (MO) Democrat: With the election behind him, P.D. Hastain and a couple of others returned home after a bear hunt in the wild area around the Niangua River, in Dallas County, MO.  I wonder if he visited his close cousins, the children of Jeremiah Haston, who lived near the Niangua River?

November 1892 was not a good month for Pleasant Dawson Hastain.

If you appreciated this article, please share it with others who might also enjoy it.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Print

Leave a Reply