Two stone twin churches were built due to the flooding of the Salt River and inability of parishioners in attending when there were floods. There are slave burials at the side of the cemeteries at one of the churches. The slave burial markers are wooden and are of more recent placement. There appears to be about 20 graves there, at least by the no. of markers.
The younger of the two sons, became the first black priest, Father Augustine Tolton, after he was taken to Rome and educated. Attempts had been made to educate him in the USA, but prejudice was too strong. He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1886 and went back to Quincy, IL, to serve. Later he went to Chicago and when he died there, his body was returned to Quincy, where it remains, buried under the casket of a white priest. Tolton's inscription is on the back of the cross monument.
More complete information comes from: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~momonroe/tolton.htm
General Porter & Mrs. Porter, the Confederate recruiter in NE MO, had a home in NE MO. That seems to be part of the reason Gen. Porter came into the area recruiting when Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) attempted to join the Confederate Army at Florida, MO. At times, Palmyra was controlled by those with southern sympathy.
Hannibal was considered a southern strong hold with the MS and the Salt River areas being settled by those of southern sentiment.
Samuel Clemens was saved from drowning in Bear Creek (at Hannibal) by one of the slave workers from one of the hotel/boarding homes. It seemed the children of Hannibal had great freedom to be on their own in their growing years. Sam and his friends swam in and across the MS River much of the summer. Turtle Island was one of their special areas.
Samuel wrote many stories and incidents about his uncle's slaves at Florida, MO. The boys hunted with the slaves at night, and listened to the ghost stories around the campfires. He commented the slave "uncle" and "aunts" did more of his raising than his parents. Many felt these experiences were the beginnings of his love and respect for Negroes.