Agriculture and other Industries.--The first efforts of the early settlers in the line of agriculture were made with the rudest of implements. Up to 1815 two-wheeled carts, constructed entirely of wood, tires and all, were used almost exclusively for hauling, and were usually drawn by oxen, seldom by horses. The first four-wheeled vehicle was brought to the county from St. Louis, in 1809. It was a common wagon with four wheels and iron tires, and was taken to Benjamin Johnston's on one of his law days, for public exhibition, where it excited great curiosity among many of the early settlers.
Prior to 1820 very little wheat was raised. The people lived on corn bread, wild game and vegetables. Some of the wealthier ones raised a little wheat, which they cut with "reap hooks" or sickles, and threshed it with a flail or tramped it out with horses. It was only raised for bread, not for market, except as a portion would sometimes be sold to a neighbor who did not raise it. In an early day, especially in the southern part of the county, much more attention was paid to mining than to agriculture. The latter has never been developed to any great extent; and it may truthfully be said that Jefferson County, on account of the hilly aspect of its surface, is not a first-class county exclusively for agriculture, but, with agriculture and stock raising combined, it may be considered excellent. With its abundance of pure water, extensive ranges for pasture, and its nearness to the market, it certainly has superior advantages for the raising of all kinds of stock. Statistics, however, do not show that this industry has been fully developed.According to the census of 1850 the farms in Jefferson County were valued at $570,920, and the farm implements at $32,517; and the number of domestic animals was as follows: Horses, 2,510; mules and asses, 130; milch cows, 2,713; working oxen, 1,442; other cattle, 4,546; total of cattle, 8,701; sheep, 4,525; swine 18,712. The value of the live stock was estimated at $177,463. The same census gives the cereal and vegetable products of the county for the year 1849 as follows: Wheat, 17,322 bushels; rye, 241 bushels; oats, 35,441 bushels; Indian corn, 289,116 bushels; Irish potatoes, 15,474 bushels; sweet potatoes 2,171 bushels; barley, 167 bushels; buckwheat, 201 bushels; tobacco, 800 pounds; hay, 751 tons. The wool clip was 7,503 pounds, and the orchard products were valued at $1,189.
To show the increase in the agricultural productions and the livestock raised in the county at the end of the next thirty years the following statistics are gleaned from the United States census of 1880: Number of farms, 2,137; improved lands, acres, 107654; value of farms, $3,487,885, value of farm implements, $151,835; value of live stock, $543,690; value of farm productions for the year preceding (1879), $871,508. Domestic animals--horses, 4,662; mules and asses, 2,226; working oxen, 108; milch cows, 6,112; other cattle, 8,093; total of cattle, 14,313; sheep, 6,324; swine, 31,452; pounds of wool, 23,972. Cereal and vegetable products for the preceding year--barley, 1,035 bushels; Indian corn, 827,969 bushels; oats, 57,974 bushels; rye, 221 bushels; wheat, 423,888 bushels; Irish potatoes, 147,538 bushels; sweet potatoes, 4,961 bushels; tobacco, 5,861 pounds; hay, 2,628 tons; value of orchard products, $14,630. From the first settlement of the territory of Jefferson County to 1850 three-quarters of a century elapsed; and in the next thirty years, as shown by the figures, the farms of the county were worth six times what they were in 1850. In 1880 the live stock alone was worth nearly as much as all the farms were in 1850. The number of horses had nearly doubled, and the mules and asses were seventeen times greater. Other animals had increased in numbers from 50 to nearly 100 per cent, and the value of the live stock had trebled. Of the cereal and vegetable productions, the yield of wheat was nearly twenty-five times as great, and of Indian corn nearly three times as great. Further comparisons are left to the intelligent reader. When the census of 1890 shall be published, a wonderful increase during the decade of the eighties will undoubtedly appear.
Agricultural Society.--On the 2d of April, 1866, James O. Williams, William Klipper, John L. Thomas, Samuel A. Reppy and fifty-six other freeholders of Jefferson County presented to the county court thereof a petition praying "to be organized and incorporated as a body politic and corporate, under the style and name of the Jefferson County Agricultural and Mechanical Society, for the purpose of improving in agriculture, manufactures, and raising of stock within Jefferson County." The prayer of the petition was granted, and the society incorporated accordingly. The first officers of this society were D. W. Bryant, president; Gust. Hamil, treasurer, and W. S. Jewett, secretary. After some controversy as to where the annual exhibitions of the society should be hold, De Soto was selected as the place, and on the 9th of November, 1866, Edwin Boyne and wife, for the sum of $400, conveyed by deed to D. W. Bryant, M. A. Douthettt, H. S. Christian, Henry Kettleman, Williard Fussell, Anton Yerger, and other directors of the society, a tract of land at De Soto, consisting of ten acres, for a "fair ground." Afterward the society purchased other lands, and enlarged the grounds to twelve acres. An agricultural hall and other buildings were erected, and the grounds enclosed and fitted up, and the first exhibition was held in 1867. Annual exhibitions followed, but the society was not successful financially, in consequence of which a new society, bearing the original name, was incorporated by the county court on the 11th of July, 1881, in answer to the prayer of the petition of Joseph Hopson and more than fifty other freeholders of the county. Becoming involved in debt, the society borrowed $1,000 of the congressional township school fund, and gave a mortgage on the fair grounds, dated December 6, 1884, conditioned for the payment of the money one year after date. Not being successful, the society failed to make the payment, in consequence of which the fair ground was forfeited to the State, and sold by the sheriff of the county, on the 14th of September, 1887, to S. W. Crawford and others to reimburse the school fund. The cause of the failure was a lack of patronage by the people of the county; and the reason for this is because De Sore is located too near the city of St. Louis, where the people prefer to attend the annual fairs, rather than to spend their money to sustain a fair at home. The city has many attractions and of course much more can be seen there than at a country fair.
Horticulture.--Formerly the farmers of Jefferson County paid much attention to horticulture. Extensive orchards were planted, and fruits of all kinds were extensively raised to supply the St. Louis market. For a number of years last past the yield of fruits, especially in regard to peaches, has been so limited that the farmers have become somewhat discouraged, and have partially relaxed their efforts to produce them. The climate being moderately mild, and the soil and locations so well adapted to the growing of orchards, and good markets so near at hand, with constantly increasing demands, there is no doubt but that horticulture will soon become a leading and profitable industry of Jefferson County. For many years past, and at the present time, grapes have been and are now extensively cultivated. The most numerous and most extensive vineyards exist in the northeastern part of the county and along the line of the Iron Mountain Railroad. In Rock Township, which lies nearest to the city of St. Louis, nearly every farmer has a vineyard. This industry was introduced and has been followed mostly by the German citizens. The leading varieties of grapes cultivated are the Concord, Northen's Virginia Seedling, and Ives Seedling. The first is cultivated both as a table and wine grape, and the other two mostly for wine. A very large quantity of domestic wine of superior quality is annually manufactured in the county; the greatest amount at any single point being made at Bushberg, on the Mississippi, and on the railroad twenty-five miles from St. Louis. Facilities for propagating grape vines and for the manufacture of wines have existed at this place and been successfully operated for many years.
Dairies.--Another important industry of Jefferson County is the dairy business. Along the line of the Iron Mountain Railroad there are extensive dairies, and vast quantities of milk, cream and butter are shipped daily to the city of St. Louis. The most extensive of these dairies exist in the vicinity of Peverly. The "Jersey Dale Dairy," located on the line of the railroad, two miles west of Peverly, and managed by Mr. H. W. Douglas, has over one hundred registered Jersey cattle. The proprietors of this dairy furnish milk and cream to the Southern Hotel, in St. Louis, on a contract, for $7,000 per year. Mr. Douglas has recently erected the largest barn in the county, it being two stories high, and 80x124 feet in size. The lower story is built of stone, and the upper of brick. It has stalling capacity for over 100 head of cattle. Aside from this is the old barn belonging to this dairy farm, with stalling room for over fifty head of cattle. In addition to the milk shipped from this dairy, there are over 200 gallons shipped daily from Peverly by other parties. C. H. Kerckhoff, who has a dairy in that vicinity, keeps about 100 cows, and during the past winter (1887-88) he has manufactured 350 pounds of butter per week. Other extensive dairies exist.
Mills, etc.--Since the completion of the Iron Mountain Railroad, the cutting and shipping of cord-wood to St. Louis has been and still continues to be a permanent industry all along the line. Along the immediate line of the railroad the supply of wood is being exhausted, but vast quantities still exist remotely from the line. A few portable sawmills are used in the county, where timber in suitable quantities exist, but the cutting of lumber is mostly for home use, and is not a very prominent industry. The county is well supplied with gristmills, the most of which are along the line of the railroad, and on Big River. Along the course of the latter, beginning at the north, is the mill of James Byrnes, three miles northwest of House's Springs; another, owned by Henry Vandecrusen, on House's Springs Branch, one mile west of the village; then comes the mill of Michael Byrnes, five miles southwest from House's Springs; and next, Lewis Snair's mill, one mile farther in the same direction; then comes John H. Morse's mill, at the southern terminus of the Big River gravel road, and seven miles northwest of Hillsboro. Another mill, and one of the oldest in the county, is Cole's mill, on Joachim Creek, near Valle Mines. Pleasant Valley Mills are located near Peverly.