USA > Kentucky > Memorial record of western Kentucky, Volume II > Part 8
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SANFORD W. BAKER.
Sanford Wilson Baker, who for many years was engaged in farm- ing in Caldwell county, is now living a retired life in Princeton, and the fruits of his former toil enable him now to enjoy a well-earned rest. He is a native son of this county, born on the 30th of March, 1843. Ilis parents were Wiley and Nancy ( Howard) Baker. The father was born in North Carolina in 1802, and when twenty-two years of age came
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to Kentucky, where soon afterward he married, and then located upon a farm seven miles east of Princeton. Upon that place his nine children were born and reared. In order to provide for their support he always carried on agricultural pursuits, and became a well-known and pros- perous agriculturist, for although he started out upon his business career a poor man he steadily advanced through energy and industry until he had reached the goal of success, brooking no obstacles that could be overcome by persistent and earnest effort. He was a Democrat in his political affiliations, but never sought or held public office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs. His wife was born in Caldwell county, in 1807, and was a daughter of William and Sarah (Cook) Howard, very early settlers in what is now Caldwell county, while their descendants are now numerous in this portion of Kentucky and to some extent have become scattered through other states. They were the parents of eleven children. By her marriage Mrs. Baker became the mother of nine children, namely: Matilda, How deceased; Sarah F .; William H. and Zera Allen, who have also passed away; Mary W .; Robert L., who has also departed this life; George Ann, deceased: Sanford W .; and Martha Mildred, deceased. The father's death occurred in 1881 and the mother, surviving him for a number of years, was called to her final rest in 1801. Both were mem- bers of the Predestinarian Baptist church and led earnest Christian lives.
On the home farm Sanford Wilson Baker spent the days of his boyhood and youth, and in the public schools received a limited educa- tion. He was early trained to habits of industry and economy and in- tegrity, as he also became familiar with the labors of field and meadow and learned of the best methods of producing good crops. When ok
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enough to engage in business on his own account he determined to make the occupation to which he had been reared his life work, and he always followed farming until he retired to private life. As the years passed he prospered, working diligently and continuously until he had gained a comfortable competence. The fields were plowed and planted, and in the autumn rich harvests were garnered, and thus time went by until 1889, when, wishing to provide his children with better educa- tional advantages, Mr. Baker removed to the city.
In 1867 Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Alzara Jane Miller, of Hopkins county, Kentucky, and to them were born six children : Gustavus B., Thomas Lula, Ella May and Bertie; two are deceased, one dying in infancy and one, Margaret V., dying aged three and a half years. Mr. Baker has always been devoted to his family, putting forth every effort in his power to promote the welfare and en- hance the happiness of his wife and children.
At the time of the Civil war, Mr. Baker, who was then but a boy in years, enlisted in the Confederate army and served from 1861 until 1863. He was a private of Company B, Eighth Kentucky Infantry, and lovally defended the cause which he espoused. His political support has ever been given to the Democratic party, and he greatly desires its success, but has never sought official preferinent for himself, and has held no office save that of councilman in Princeton. In the county where his entire life has been passed he has a very wide acquaintance and the uniform regard of those with whom business or social relations have brought him in contact.
Gustavus B. Baker, his elder son, was born on his father's farm in Caldwell county, July 31, 1869, was educated in the district schools and in the graded schools of Princeton. Hle then secured a teacher's cer-
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tificate, and successfully engaged in teaching school for about three years, after which he became a student in the Louisville School of Pharmacy, in which he was graduated. For four years thereafter he was engaged in the drug business in Princeton, after which he sold his store and attended the school of embalming at Louisville. He estab- lished a furniture and undertaking store in Princeton in 1898, and has since been very successfully conducting it, carrying a large and well- selected line of goods in both departments and receiving a very fair share of the public trade. He is widely recognized as one of the leading young business men of the city.
In 1896 Gustavus B. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Madie Bond, and to them has been born a son, Wiley. Mr. Baker belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and by his ballot endorses the principles and platform of the Democratic party. He is a member of the Christian church, and his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Both are held in high esteem in the community, occupying an enviable posi- tion in social circles.
HON. NEWTON W. UTLEY.
Kentucky has ever been distinguished for the marked ability of the representatives of her bench and bar .. In the early days of the republic her sons left their impress upon the judicial history of the nation, and since that time they have figured conspicuously in public affairs as well as representatives of the great profession which stands as the stern conservator of justice and of right. Winning fame at this bar where so many distinguished men have practiced, Hon. Newton Willard Utley has already exerted an influence upon the life of the state that will be
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felt for all time, and has engraved his name indelibly on the pages of its annals in connection with service that has been prompted by the most unfaltering loyalty and devotion to the best interests of the common- wealth.
Born upon a farm in Marshall county, Kentucky, May 12, 1860, he has spent almost his entire life in this state and now makes his home in Eddyville. His parents were William Washington and Sallie Ann ( Holland) Utley. His paternal grandparents were Merrill and Elizabeth ( Woodward) Utley, both natives of North Carolina, and the progenitor of the family in America was an Englishman who came to the colony of Virginia with the Jamestown settlers. It was about 1820 when Merrill Utley removed to Kentucky, locating in what is now Mar- shall county, where he entered from the government a tract of land that still remains in possession of the family, being now owned by our subject and occupied by his mother, who has occupied the same house for over sixty years.
William W. Utley was born in North Carolina in 1818, and was therefore quite young when brought by his parents to this state, where his remaining , days were passed. After reaching mature years he wedded Miss Sallie Aun Holland, who was born in Lyon county, Ken- tucky, in 1820, a daughter of John and Catherine ( Parrent ) Holland, representatives of okl Kentucky families. Her father was one of the pioneer settlers on the Jackson Purchase, and one of the first members of the Methodist church of that locality. He assisted in organizing a church of that denomination at his own home, and his residence was the meeting place of the congregation for several years. He lived to pass the age of four score years, and he had five sons, all of whom are yet living with one exception. The daughter became Mrs. W. W. Utley
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and the mother of our subject. At the time of his marriage the father took his bride to the old family homestead in Marshall county, and there he carried on farming throughout the remainder of his days. To him and his wife were born nine children. Mr. Utley belonged to the Baptist church, and his wife has been a life-long member of the Metho- dist church. He died on the old homestead in 1878, and there she still resides, a venerable lady who has the highest respect of all who know her.
Newton W. Utley was reared upon a farm in his native county, and was educated in the district schools until such a time as he pro- vided for himself better educational privileges. Ilis own labor sup- plied him with the means which enabled him to enter Vanderbilt Uni- versity, at Nashville, Tennessee, and he found it necessary to work upon the grounds of the institution at night in order to secure the necessary text books. The elemental strength of his character was thus manifested. Necessity is the great spur to labor, and when supplemented by a laudable ambition forms the sure foundation upon which to build success. He not only continued his course to graduation, but won the three honors of his class, thus making a record which has hardly been equalled in the history of the first institution of learning in the south.
In 1880, immediately following his graduation, Mr. Utley entered the ministry, and was sent by the Methodist Episcopal church, South, to Japan, to enter the niission field. He entered upon what was known as a self-sustaining mission; that is, there was no support provided for him by the church. He labored there untiringly in the interest of the church, and his efforts were far-reaching, bringing to the people of that field the benefits of the gospel and of a faith in Christianity. In 1890
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he had married Miss Mary S. Childers, of Eddyville, Kentucky, and while they were residing in Japan two of their children were born : Newton Willard and Francis Stacker, while since their return Merrill Holland, born in Eddyville, has been added to the family.
Because of the continued ill health of his wife, Mr. Utley left the mission field and returned to his native land, taking up his residence in Eddyville in 1896. He now turned his attention to the law, which he had studied previous to pursuing his university course, and in 1897 he was admitted to the bar, since which time he has risen to a position of distinction among the ablest lawyers of the state. His preparation of cases is most thorough and exhaustive; he seems almost intuitively to grasp the strong points of law and fact, while in his briefs and argu- ments the authorities are cited so extensively and the facts and reason- ing thereon are presented so cogently and unanswerably as to leave no doubt as to the correctness of his position or his conclusions. No detail seems to escape him; every point is given its due prominence, and the cause is argued with such skill, ability and power that he rarely fails to gain the verdict desired.
Mr. Utley is a man of strong intellect, clear insight and of marked oratorical power, and these qualities naturally render him a leader of men and a director of public opinion. In 18gg he was elected a member of the Kentucky senate on the Democratic ticket, and he entered upon a brilliant legislative career, becoming a leader in the senate chamber and accomplishing many parliamentary and strategic results. A con- temporary publication has given the following account of his political carcer :
"During the first session of Senator. Utley's term the memorable contest of Goebel versus Taylor for the governorship of Kentucky,
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came before the assembly. On account of his high legal attainments and parliamentary skill, Senator Goebel made Senator Utley one of his advisers. Just as the contest committees were about to finish their work and report to the assembly for final action, Senator Goebel was shot by an assassin. Thus cruelly wounded, he designated Senator Utley to act in his stead as president pro tem of the senate, which also made him ex-officio chairman of the steering committee. The chairman- ship of this committee is the most important and the most delicate posi- tion in which a member of the party can serve. Every phase of legisla- tion and every tactic of party policy must be determined by the chair- man. The hours that elapsed between the wounding of Senator Goebel and his inauguration as governor were the most vital in the history of Kentucky. The least error or the slightest indiscretion would have pre- cipitated war in the capital and lost the governorship to the Democrats. Through this trying ordeal Senator Utley laid his trained hand on the helm of the state and without the slightest variation from the line of duty, inducted the dying leader into the governorship of Kentucky and thereby reclaimed a victory for his party and saved the good name of the state."
Senator Utley has declined political honors, and yet undoubtedly a brilliant political future awaits him. He has been spoken of as the candidate of his party for Congress, and such a man would prove a force in the national halls of legislation. ITis strength of character, his intellectuality, his thorough understanding of public questions, his devotion to the general good and his fidelity to the right as he sees it well entitle him to the leadership of men and make him worthy their confidence and trust. Ile is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and his private life is an exemplification of the traits
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of character which are always found in the true and, therefore, the really great, citizens. With his family he occupies a beautiful home at Eddyville, overlooking the Cumberland river, and is found there to be a most genial and companionable host.
CORNELIUS T. DABNEY.
Cornelius T. Dabney, deceased, who was a successful hardware merchant of Princeton, Kentucky, was born in Virginia in 1823, and came to Kentucky when nine years of age. His father, Cornelius Dab- ney, was a native of Virginia, where he was married to Mary Catlett, of the same state. They were the parents of four children, of whom our subject was the eldest son and second child. On account of poor health, Mr. Dabney, Sr., took his family to Kentucky, but only remained a short time, and then returned to Virginia, where he soon after died.
When twenty years of age Cornelius T. Dabney came to Caldwell county, Kentucky, to work for a Mr. McGowen, a hardware merchant of Princeton, but later became a hardware merchant himself and thus continued until 1875, when his death occurred. He was a prominent man both in the Democratic party and in business life, while in the Masonic fraternity he was very popular.
Mr. Dabney was married in Caldwell county in 1844 to Emily Wylie, who was born in Caldwell county, in 1828, a daughter of John Wylie, a native of Ireland, who was brought to South Carolina by his parents when two years of age. A short time later they went to Ken- tucky, and were among the pioneers of the county. By occupation Mr. Wylie was a farmer and operated a tannery two miles from Princeton. He was married in Caldwell county to Elizabeth Whitnell, a native of
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Tennessee. Mrs. Dabney's parents had the following children, all born and reared in this county, namely; Josiah, deceased; John, deceased; James, deceased; David, deceased; and Mrs. Dabney.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dabney made their home in Princeton for a number of years and in 1873 moved to the residence now occupied by the widow, the homestead then containing one hun- dred acres, but some has since been sold. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dabney, namely: Frank; Charles; Albert, deceased; John; Cornelius; David; Lee; Edward; Mary; Elizabeth, deceased; - and Richard, deceased. All were born in Caldwell county.
Mr. Dabney was a member of the Christian church at Princeton, and he helped to erect the first church of that denomination in the place. His memory is tenderly cherished not only by his family, but a large circle of friends who appreciated bis many virtues and benefited by his good deeds.
REV. JOHN D. KIRKPATRICK.
Rev. John D. Kirkpatrick was born in Montgomery county, Ten- nessee, November 27, 1828, and is a son of Finis Ewing and Margaret (Gant ) Kirkpatrick. The mother died when he was just three days of age. He has a twin brother, Robert Simpson Kirkpatrick, now a farmer and resident of Washington. The parents were natives of Tennessee.
Rev. Kirkpatrick was reared by relatives in Tennessee. His train- ing was given him upon a farm, and his early educational advantages were very limited. When seventeen years of age he was thrown upon his own resources, and worked as a farm hand for one year, then in 1848 came to MeCracken county, where he has practically made his home ever since.
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In 1858 he married Mary Jane Rudolph, born in Montgomery county, Tennessee, July 22, 1834, and their children were as follows: An infant, deceased; Elmira M., deceased; Ellen Simpson, deceased ; William T .; Linnie B., deceased; E. Wallace.
When Mr. Kirkpatrick was sixteen years of age he joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which both he and his wife are faithful members. In the spring of 1855 Mr. Kirkpatrick was licensed to preach, and was an active worker in the vineyard of the Lord until recently when declining years forbade. While carrying his religious labors he has also farmed, and is a most excellent and worthy man. In his political convictions he is a Prohibitionist, and at one time was a candidate of that party for the legislature. Fraternally he is a Mason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
JOSEPH F. STARR.
Joseph F. Starr, one of the representative men of McCracken county, Kentucky, was born in this county February 23, 1845, a son of Moses and Elizabeth (Bogard) Starr, the former of whom was born near Clarksville, Tennessee, February 18, 1798, and died in McCracken county in January, 1880. He was in turn a son of Henry and Martha Starr, and Henry was born in New Jersey and was one of the early settlers of Tennessee, and in 1826 came to McCracken county, Kentucky, where he lived and died.
Moses Starr came to this county with his father in 1826, and mar- ried here Elizabeth Bogard, who was born in 1811 and died in 1879. She bore her husband six children, of who three are still living, namely : Kate, who married Dr. Milan, of Paducah; Mary; and Joseph F. By
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occupation the father was a farmer, and was successful in his work, leaving a fair estate. In politics he was a Democrat, and he and his wife were members of Cumberland Presbyterian church. He was a man of great piety, who never used an oath or knowingly wronged a single human being.
Joseph F. Starr was born, reared and has always lived in Mc- Cracken county, Kentucky, and grew to manhood on a farm, receiving his education in the common schools. In 1870 he was married to Miss Rebecca Cross, born in New Jersey, and their children are as follows : Benjamin C., Moses and Sarah Elizabeth.
Mr. Starr is an excellent farmer and owns a farm of one hundred acres, upon which he and his family make their home. In politics he is a Democrat, although he has never aspired to public office. Both he and his wife are Methodists, and are very excellent people, highly es- - teemed in their neighborhood.
WILLIAM J. FLOURNOY.
For many years the subject of this sketch was a prominent factor in western Kentucky. As a minister of the Baptist church, preaching in various localities, and establishing churches, he wielded a potent in- fluence. Of the life and family of William J. Flournoy we make brief record as follows :
William Flournoy was born in Virginia in 1811, and in his native state was reared and educated. Coming west to Paducah, Kentucky, in 1833, he engaged in merchandising, and conducted a general store for two years. From 1835 to 1838 he was in the drug business at Pa- ducah, and after 1838 devoted his energies to the work of the min-
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istry of the Baptist church, preaching at various points in western Ken- tucky, thus gaining a wide acquaintance and exerting an untold influ- ence for good. In 1843 he was pastor of the Mayfield Baptist church. Much of his time, however, was spent in traveling, and he was the founder of a number of churches that remain as monuments to his use- ful work.
Shortly after Mr. Flournoy came to Kentucky, in 1835, he married Miss Jane Calhoun, daughter of Patrick Calhoun, her native place being Smithland, Kentucky. As the years passed by sons and daughters were born to this worthy couple, who grew up to occupy useful posi- tions in life. Their daughter, Mary E., who became the wife of George Pigeon, of Paducah, died at the age of thirty years; Julia died in 1862, in the bloom of youth; Ellen F. is the wife of Bell Bidwell, of Texas; Kitty is the widow of Colonel Whitford, of Memphis, Tennessee, the colonel having died in 1895; Mathew W., who served in the Confederate army all through the Civil war, died in 1890, at the age of fifty years; Guita M., died at the age of twenty-two years : James E. is a well-known farmer of Ballard county, Kentucky; William B. is a prosperous farmer of McCracken county, Kentucky; Jennie C. is the wife of Boswell Jones, of St. Louis, Missouri; Sallie B. is the wife of William Rodgers, of Paducah, Kentucky. The venerable mother of this large family is still living, is now eighty-five years of age, and is in excellent health.
JAMES P. BROOKS.
James P. Brooks, deceased, who for many years was prominent in Paducah, Kentucky, was a son of James Cary and Nacisis ( Brown) Brooks, both natives of Tennessee, and a brother of Dr. John G. Brooks,
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of Paducah. Ile was born November 10, 18.45, in Robertson county, Tennessee, and died in McCracken county, Kentucky, March 9, 1899. When still a child he was brought to this county by his parents and attended the schools of this locality.
On November 15, 1876, he was married to Charlotte HI. Reid. He then settled on the Benton road, five miles from Paducah, and engaged in farming, although prior to his marriage he had been a clerk in a mercantile establishment. In politics he was a Democrat, religiously was a member of the Methodist church, and fraternally affiliated with the Odd Fellows order.
Mrs. Brooks was born in MeCracken county, Kentucky, February 9, 1857, and is a daughter of John B. and Charicty (Cox) Reid, both born near Raleigh, North Carolina, the father in 1799, and died in 1860, and the mother was born in 1823 and died in 1857. They mar- . ried in 1845 and lived in North Carolina until 1853, when they removed to MeCracken county, Kentucky, settling where Mrs. Brooks now re- sides. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Reid were: Joseph L., de- ceased; William R., deceased; Thomas J., a grocer of Paducah; James MI., deceased; Charlotte HI., Mrs. Brooks. Mr. Reid was a farmer by occupation and a Democrat in politics. The family were all Methodists. Mr. Reid was very successful and became quite prominent.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Brooks were: Saunders; Mo- nima; Reid; Brown; Gordon; Edna; Mabel; John B .; a child who died in infancy; and Anna, who died at the age of seventeen years. Mrs. Brooks lives upon a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres, well im- proved. She owns two hundred and two acres in the same county, mak- ing in all three hundred and forty-two acres, two hundred and fifty of which are under cultivation, producing a mixed crop of corn, hay and
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wheat. Mrs. Brooks is very highly respected throughout the entire community as a woman of good business ability, an excellent manager and a lady whose friends are numerous.
GEORGE W. JACKSON.
George W. Jackson, a successful business man and mattress manu- facturer of Paducah, Kentucky, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1843, a son of Samuel and Martha (Grainger) Jackson. His father was born in England in 1780, and his mother was also born in England, in 1813, and both are now deceased. Samuel Jackson was a stonemason by occupation. After a brief residence in Cincinnati, Ohio, he removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where he became a pioneer in the brewery busi- ness, later served as a policeman, and still later removed to a farm near St. Louis, and was engaged in farming at the time of his death. He was seventy years of age at the time of his death.
George W. Jackson is a brother of John S. Jackson, of Paducah, and was reared and educated in St. Louis, removing to Paducah, Ken- tucky, in 1872, at which time he embarked in the mattress upholstering business and has continued in that line ever since, with marked success. In politics Mr. Jackson is a stanch Democrat, but he has never sought political preferment. Fraternally he is very prominent in the Knights of Honor, and has many friends in that organization, as well as through- out the entire city.
In 1868 Mr. Jackson was united in marriage with Anna Cox, then of St. Louis, Missouri, but a native of Virginia. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson are as follows: Samuel R. is a successful drug- gist of Hot Springs, Arkansas; Thomas J. is bookkeeper of the street
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