Staff Reports
Local author and Dunklin County Genealogy Society member John C. Fisher presented a program on his book "Southeast Missouri from Swampland to Farmland: The Transformation of the Lowlands" to the Butler County Genealogy Society on April 26 at the First Methodist Church with 17 members and two guests attending.
Fisher began the program with the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes. The earthquakes had a major impact on the lands of Southeast Missouri. In addition to the destruction of property, changes to the landscape included landslides and areas of sunken land, resulting in swampland with lakes 6 to 10 feet deep. As a result, the land became too wet for farming with a very dramatic decrease in crop production.
In 1836 plans were developed for the draining of the swampland. Many citizens believed the draining would improve the land and make it useful for farming. If the land could once again become crop productive, it would lead to an increase in land sales in Southeast Missouri.
However, appeals to the government for action fell upon deaf ears. The improvement of the land in Southeast Missouri was not a project in which the federal government had any interest. The plans for the land remained stagnant until President Millard Fillmore signed the Swampland Act of 1850, allowing the states to take control of their land and removing the federal government's control. This led to the formation of the Board of Swampland Commissioners in 1851 whose purpose was to plan a way to drain the swampland and once again make the land attractive for farming.
However, the struggle continued over several decades.
About 1890 with the construction of the railroads, some progress occurred with the drainage venture. The railroads greatly changed the dynamic because with the ability to move timber came a greater value. As the worth of timber increased, so did the desire to drain more of the lands and remove the timber.
In 1898 the first drainage district in Southeast Missouri was finally organized and implemented over a period of several years. By 1905, almost 100 years after the earthquakes, business in the area was again moving at a brisk pace. The equation of the railroads, increased value of timber, and drainage once again gave way to greater areas of farmland.
At this time the value of land lay primarily in its ability to be agriculturally productive, so our early ancestors suffered through years and years of trials and tribulations to provide us with the productive farmlands we have in our area today.
For more information on author John C. Fisher, his website is johncfisher.com, and he also has a Facebook page.
May's program will be The Underground Railroad Quilt Code presented by Catherine Richmond, and June's program will be A Year Without Summer presented by Margaret Shackleford.
The society's next meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at the First United Methodist Church, 500 N. Main St. Visitors are always welcome and encouraged to attend.