A Biographical history of Nodaway and Atchison counties, Missouri : compendium of national biography, Part 41

Author:
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > A Biographical history of Nodaway and Atchison counties, Missouri : compendium of national biography > Part 41
USA > Missouri > Atchison County > A Biographical history of Nodaway and Atchison counties, Missouri : compendium of national biography > Part 41

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Mr. Livengood was united in marriage, at the age of twenty-six years, with Miss Miranda Woodard, of Lincoln township, a daughter of David Woodard, a record of whose life is to be found elsewhere in this work. Three children were born in this this nion, as follows: Evaline, the widow of S. C. Brownfield, who lived in Lincom township: Adelma, who is living at home :

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and Leonard, who also makes his home with his parents. Politically, our subject is a stanch supporter of the Populist party. He is a member of Marshall Post, No. 162, G. A. R., of Elmo, Missouri.

FRANK W. COLE.

One does not need to seek for the self- made man in the ranks of the professions or in the busy marts of trade. The self-made man is more in evidence in farming commun- ities than almost anywhere else, and in such environments he is of a quality about which there can be no question. An intimation that a successful lawyer or business man has not always been honest in his prosperity can hardly be refuted off hand; but the daily work and the daily life, all the hopes, fears, obstacles and successes of the farmer's ca- reer, are known to his neighbors. Nodaway county has its full quota of worthy farm- ers who are self-made men, and one of them held in special regard by his fellow citizens is Frank W. Cole.

This well-known resident of Nodaway township and county, Missouri, whose post- office address is Burlington Junction, was born near Circleville, in Pickaway county, Ohio. September 20, 1855, a son of Shad- rach and Mary ( Franklin) Cole. Shadrach Cole, who was a son of Dimmet Cole, was also born in Pickaway county, Ohio. Dim- met Cole was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock and was born in that state. He died in Cass county, Nebraska. Shadrach Cole's wife. nec Mary Franklin, was also born in Pick- away county, where she and her husband grew up, were educated and married. They had three children : George Cole, of Denver. Colorado. Frank W., and another son who died young. Mary ( Franklin) Cole died in

1859, when her son Frank W. was four years old, and after a time Shadrach Cole married Mary Westfall, who bore him two children : Maud, who married Clem .\ley, of Nebraska, and Clarence, who died when thirteen years old. The father of these chil- dren died at the rather early age of thirty- eight years. He was a farmer, a Republi- can, a Methodist, and a good citizen who commanded the respect of all who knew him.

Frank W. Cole was thirteen years old when his father died. lle grew up on the home farm in Nodaway, gained a practical education in the public schools and as oc- casion offered obtained instructive business experience. He began farming for himself in 1881, and now has one hundred and forty acres of productive land, all under ad- vanced improvement, a large and comfort- able residence and ample barn and stable ac- commodations. He has plow land. pasture land, meadow land, good and plentiful water, adequate outbuildings-everything requisite to make his farm one of the good ones in his neighborhood. He was married in 1881, to Miss Alice Timmons, a daughter of Samuel and Anna ( Cox) Timmons. Mr. and Mrs. Timmons were both born in Ross county, Ohio. The latter died November 25. 1895, after having borne her husband seven sons and six daughters. Two of their sons, Frank and Stephen, were soldiers in the federal army in the war of the rebellion. Samuel Timmons, who was a practical farm- er, was a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Cole have eight children, named as follows : Maggie May, Clarence Wilbur, Clara Etta. Edwin M., Jessie Frances, Marshall Hal- dana, Cyrus Bethel and Ada Gertrude.

Mr. Cole is a progressive and substantial

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farmer, a popular and influential Republi- can and a public-spirited and useful citizen. Mrs. Cole is a communicant of the Chris- tian church, and it may be added that the entire family are liberal and helpful toward that institution, Mr. Cole especially so. Ile is ever ready to assist any measure of move- ment having for its object the benefit of the county or township, and votes, as he acts in all relations of life, from principle.

WILLIAM COLTER.

Among the representative farmers of Nodaway county is the subject of this bi- ography, whose home is four and a half miles north of Maryville. He is a self-made man. having attained his present prosperous coll- dition by perseverance and industry. \ na- tive of Kentucky, he was born in Washing- ton county, March 6. 1847, and is a son of Spencer and Minerva (Steel ) Colter, also native- of that state, Where the father spent his entire life, dying there in 1892. He was one of the prominent farmers of his com- munity. was a man of strict integrity and sterling worth, and was a consistent mem- ler of the Primitive Baptist church. His wife. Who holds membership in the same church, is still living on the old homestead ir Kentucky, at the age of seventy-four Their children were Mrs. Nancy Sett. . resident of Kentucky: William, our Subject : Andrew Mell., a resident of Indi- .. and Samuel and James, both of Ken- m' Our subject's paternal grandfather. "ar Colter, was born in Kentucky, of Irish Busty. and was a farmer and slave owner ofti estate. He was a Whig in politics and : member of the Baptist church. In his fam iy were the following children: Sterling. Wiem. Hence, Harry and Spencer.

On the home farm William Colter grew to manhood, and he obtained a limited edu- tion in the subscription schools. The Civil war having broken out, he enlisted. at the age of eighteen years, in the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, which was assigned to the First Di- vision, Twenty-first Corps. Army of the Tennessee, under the command of Colonel Wilson. He participated in many skirmishes and hotly contested battles and was in the campaign against Hood. In the engagement at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he received a minie ball through the body, and when the com- mand retreated the wounded soldiers were taken prisoners and placed in the field hos- pital, where they were well taken care of until Lee's surrender. These that were un- able to leave were taken in charge by some federal soldiers who took them to Tusca- loosa from there to Mobile and on to New Orleans. On reaching the last named city Mr. Colter was unable to proceed further and was pliced in a hospital until better. . At length he returned to Kentucky and was hon- orably discharged.

He arrived home in September. 1805. and the following December was united in marriage with Miss Amanda J. Sutton, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of James Sutton, a farmer, who is still living in that state. She was one of a family of seven children, the others being Betty, the wife of I. P'rather : Henry and Alexander, both resi- dents of Kentucky: Mr -. Nancy Babcock ; Mrs. Lucy Graham: and James, a resident of Missouri. Mrs. Colter, who was a faith- ful member of the Baptist church, died \u- gust 17. 1880, leaving seven children, name- ly: Erasmus and William IL., farmers of lowa; Snsan J., the wife of W. Doherty, a farmer of this county : George, also of lona ; Miranda, the wife of Joseph Watson, a farm-

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er of this county; Mary, the wife of Ed- ward Horn, also a farmer of this county; and Nannie, at home.

Mr. Colter was again married, in March, 1890, his second union being with Mrs. Sarah E. Atherton, the widow of George Atherton, who died January 2, 1887, leav- ing four children. to whom our subject gave the same advantages as his own children re- ceived. They are Marion, who is now mar- ried and engaged in farming on his own account; Arthur, who is employed by the month by Mr. Colter : Clyde and Clara, both at home. Mr. Atherton was a Democrat in politics. Mrs. Colter's parents, Joseph and .Abigail ( Scott) Price, were natives of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, respectively, and were married in Iowa. In 1860 they came to Nodaway county. Missouri, where he engaged in farming until after his wife's death and then lived with his children. He died in Kansas, in 1898, at the ripe old age of eighty-four years. Religiously he was formerly a Methodist and later a member of the Christian church. His wife, who held membership in the Baptist church, died in this county, in 1888, at the age of seventy- three. Their children were Henry, William N .. Theodore and Sarah E. Mr. and Mrs. Colter have four children: Ada, born No- vember 17, 1890; Elva, February 15, 1892; Jessie, February 4, 1895 ; and Etta, Novem- ber 4. 1898.

After his first marriage Mr. Colter settled upon a farm of forty acres in Kentucky. where he made his home until 1881, when he came to Nodaway county, Missouri, and first located near Elmo. On his arrival here he had but five dollars, and therefore had everything to make and nothing to lose. At first he supported his family by chopping wood by the cord, and the following season

commenced operating a rented farm. He bought a team on eredit, but the man who went his security took the same before his crops were harvested. Two southern friends stood by him, however, so that he was able to secure another team and gather his crop. At the end of two years some Pennsylvania Germans insisted that he should take their large farm, which he successfully cultivated for many years, and in the meantime was able to purchase his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He lived upon the rented farm until the spring of 1899, when he moved to his own place, leaving his sons. who were now grown, to carry on the other. His farm is well improved with good build- ing's and is under a high state of cultivation. He handles some stock, but has given the greater part of his time and attention to general farming. Mr. Colter was reared a Whig, and since attaining his majority has always supported the Republican party. So- cially he is a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows.

GEORGE W. MURRAY.

This well known agriculturist of Noda- way county, Missouri, living five miles west of Skidmore, was born in Wyoming county, New York, June 18, 1840, and is a son of Allen P. and Fanny C. (Halstead ) Mur- ray, also natives of New York. The pa- ternal grandfather, Ira Murray, was born in Scotland and at an early day emigrated to America, locating in New York, where he followed farming throughout the re- mainder of his life. His children were Allen P .: Daniel R .; Austin W .; Charles; and Emily, the wife of O. W. Johnson, an attorney of Fredonia, New York. Our sub- ject's maternal grandfather, Washington

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Ilalstead, was also a prominent farmer of New York, and an active Mason until after the death of Morgan, when he renounced the order. He died on his homestead. In his family were nine children, namely : Betsey; Louisa, the wife of Joel Marsh; Nancy: Jane, the wife of Horace Smith ; Laura, the wife of B. Cleveland : Fanny C., mother of our subject : Norville : Lemont ; and Cullin, who was killed at Cold Harbor during his service in the Civil war.

After his marriage the father of our subject engaged in farming in New York, until 1848, when he moved to Will county. Illinois. Two years later he went to Cali- fornia in search of gold, by way of the over- land route, and after spending one year in that state was taken ill and returned east by water. About 1853 he purchased eighty acres of unimproved prairie land in Will county, Illinois, which he improved and then sold, and subsequently bought a larger farm which he ran a number of years. In 1875 he came to this county and bought a farm north of Maryville, where he made hi- home until called from this life June 18. 1882. He was a member of the Congre- gational church and was highly respected by all who knew him. The mother of our subject died in Illinois, and the father sub- scquently married again.

During his boyhood George W. Murray attended the district schools near his home, ! and remained with his parents until after the Civil war broke out. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company H. One Hundredth Ilinois Volunteer Infantry, which was as- signed to the Fourth Corps, Army of the Tennessee, and he remained in the service imtil hostilities ceased. His first engage- ment was the battle of Perryville, which was followed by the battle of Chickamauga, once began its improvement. His first home

where he received a gunshot wound in the left side but was able to walk back to the field hospital, where with many wounded soldiers and hospital employes he was taken prisoner. They were sent to Richmond, Virginia, where the rebel surgeon gave his wound good attention, and where he was held a prisoner three months. He was then sent to St. Louis, and was later allowed to come home, where he remained five months. When exchanged he joined his command at Murfreesboro, and at Big Shanty the regi- ment united with Sherman's forces. After the fall of Atlanta they went in pursuit of Hood, and were with General Thomas in the battle of Franklin, where about one thousand Union soldiers were taken prison- ers, our subject among the number. They were sent to Andersonville, where they re- mained until the close of the war, undergo- ing all the torture of hunger and priva- tions, sleeping unprotected on the ground and covered with "graybacks." When re- leased Mr. Murray with others was sent to Jacksonville, Florida, and later to Annapolis, Maryland, where he remained some time. serving as wardmaster in the first ward of St. John's College Hospital. He was later sent to St. Louis, and from there to Spring- field. Illinois, where he was discharged as a paroled prisoner the last of June, 1805.

Returning home, Mr. Murray resumed work on the farm, and soon afterward bought a place, which he successfully con- ducted until coming to this county in the fall of 1870. The previous spring he had . given one thousand dollars to Rufus Smith. a minister who was visiting in Illinois and who purchased a quarter-section of land in this county for our subject. Mr. Murray was well pleased with the property and at

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here was a box house, and his stable was , and Bridget, the wife of John Flageole. made of poles and slough grass. The same When the father of these children died his widow went to live with a daughter near Kankakee, Illinois, where she died March 19, 1899. at the ripe old age of eighty-four years. In religious faith she was a Catho- lic. To Mr. and Mrs. Murray were born nine children : George L., a farmer of this county ; Lilla, the wife of J. E. Altaffer, section boss on the Missouri Pacific Rail- road in Colorado; Edgar, a resident of Ful- lerton, Nebraska: Frank. at home: Ada, the deceased wife of O. M. Jones, a farmer ; Emma, the wife of B. Reynolds, a farmer of Nebraska: AAllen, at home: and two who died young. fall the latter caught fire and he lost all his grain, some harness and other things of nominal value, which proved a heavy loss to him at that time. He has since prospered, however, and now has a valuable farm of two hundred acres under a high state of culti- vation and improved with good buildings and a fine orchard. In connection with gen- eral farming he is engaged in stock raising. and in both branches of his business has been eminently successful. Formerly he affiliated with the Republican party, but now votes independent of party ties. supporting the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices. Religiously both he and his wife are consistent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. JEFFERSON N. WILLIAMS.

In 1860 Mr. Murray was united in mar- riage with Miss Margaret H. Graham, who was born in Will county, Illinois, May 30. 1842. Her parents. Edward and Matilda (McGowen) Graham, were both natives of Ireland, but were married in Illinois after their emigration to this country. The fa- ther bought a tract of government land in Will county, but the Illinois Central Rail- road claimed it, and he had to purchase another farm which he carried on until his death in 1852. He left six children, namely. Michael, a resident of Illinois; Mar- garet H., the wife of our subject : Thomas, who lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Ellen, the wife of John Galliger, a farmer of Holt county, Missouri; John, a car- penter living near Kankakee, Illinois; and Mary, the wife of Joseph McCoy, of Illi- nois. After the death of her first hus- band Mrs. Graham married John McGowen, by whom she had two children : Patrick. who occupies the old homestead in Illinois ;

The nation owes a debt of gratitude to its old soldiers, which, generous though it may be, it can never wholly repay. Many of them are burdened with ill health. the cumulative result of disease contracted in the service, and, during all the years since the war of the rebellion, to a degree have been handicapped in their efforts to get on in the world by this unfortunate condition. The people of Nodaway county gladly do honor to one such ex-soldier, whose name is above, whose citizenship is of a quality most admirable and who has never won a sub- stantial success in which they have not re- joiced with him.

Jefferson N. Williams was born in 1844. in Perry county, Illinois, a son of Richard and Polly ( Wooten) Williams. His father was born near Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and was of Scotch ancestry. His mother was a native of Illinois. She lived to be seventy years old and died in Worth county, Mis- souri, after many years' membership in the

BIOGR.IPIIICAL HISTORY.

Christian church. Richard Williams at- tained the advanced age of four-score years. after giving a long and busy life to agri- cultural pursuits. In politics he was a Re- publican after the organization of that party. and he was long identified with the Chris- tian church. This worthy couple had nine children. all of whom lived to be men and women respected by those who knew them. Following are their names : Artemisa, Rich- and Wesley, Jefferson N. Angeline. So- pronia, Jennie. Belle. Rozine and Emily.

At the age of fourteen years Jefferson N. Williams went from his old home in Illi- nois to Worth county, Missouri, where he found employment at farming. He was married in Worth county, to Mary E. Hunt. a daughter of Judge John .. and Sarah Hunt, who was born in Indiana and reared in Indiana and Illinois. Mr. Jlunt was prosecuting attorney and probate judge in, Worth county, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have had ten children, named as Follows: Belle. Mrs. Harvey Shadduck, of Burlington Junction, Nodaway county, Mis- wouri: Ida, the wife of W. I. Daughterty. of Oklah ana: John, of Nodaway county; Richard : Robert: Burnell : Mrs. Rall Vurge- inett, of Lincoln township. Nodaway coun- ty : Blanche and Frank, at this time pupils in the public school: and Mary, who died young. Mr. Williams has followed farming the most of his life and continued in that · coupation as long as his health permitted. When he came out of the army at the close of the Civil war, it was as the victim of a combination of diseases contracted in the urine, iran which he has vainly sought relief and which have partially incapacitated him for long entmuel manual labor.

Mr. Williams' military record is an in- testing ne. He was a member of Com-

pany D, Fourth Regiment, Missouri Car- alry, commanded by Captains Pritchard and Hamilton, and saw three years service with that organization. Mr. Williams saw a year's service, also, in the Fifty-first Mis- souri Volunteer Infantry, and at the end of the war was honorably discharged, having seen all kinds of service, in which he had acquitted himself gallantly and won a record of which any sollier might be proud.

R. R. STAPLES. SR.

R. R. Staples is the proprietor of Grand View Farm, of Colfax township. Atchison county, and is one of the leading repre- sentatives of the agricultural interests in northwestern Missouri. In political circles he is also prominent, his opinions carrying weight at the councils of the Republican party. Almost a quarter of a century has passed since he arrived in this loedlity, and as the years have gone by he has been known as a promoter of all interests calculated to benefit the commonwealth.

Mr. Staples was born near Sparta. Monroe county, Wisconsin. December 23. 1854. His grandfather. Job Staples, was a native of Vermont and many years sailed on the salt waters, visiting various foreign ports. He was of Scotch lineage, his an- cestors being noted for their bravery and business qualifications. Abial Staples, the father of our subject, was a native of Orange county, Vermont, and married Miss Magail Ward, who was born in New Hamp- shire, and was a daughter of Benjamin Ward, who was born in that state, of Eng lish parentage, and died in Vermont. l the year 1847 the parents of our subject removed westward. locating in the Badger state among the early settlers of Jefferson

R. R. Staples Dr.

FEWY

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county and afterward took up their abode in Monroe county. In 1856, with ox teams and wagons, they made an overland trip to Gentry county, Missouri, and in 1862 came to Nodaway county, locating in AAtchi- son township, near the present site of the town of Clearmont, being among the first settlers there. The father resided there un- til 1876, when he located on the farm which is now the home of our subject, residing there until his death in 1879, when he was sixty-seven years of age. He was a Re- publican in his political faith and held mem- bership in the Christian church, which in- dicated his religious preference. His wife was also a member of the same church and departed this life in 1883, at the age of sixty-seven years. They were people of the highest respectability, enjoying the warm regard of many friends. They carefully reared their children, instilling into their minds the lessons of industry, economy and honesty. Four of their six children are yet living, namely: Marcus Staples, a leading stock dealer of Belleville, Kansas: Almond Abial, a prominent dealer in stock in Colfax township; Myron William, who is exten- sively engaged in dealing in stock in Noda- way and Atchison counties, and resides at Burlington Junction; and Rodolph Rich- mond, of this review. Two died in child- hood.

Mr. Staples, whose name introduces this record, was a little lad of three summers when the family removed from Wisconsin to Gentry county, Missouri, and was a youthi of nine years when they went to Nodaway county, where he was reared on the home farm. His father was extensively engaged in raising and dealing in cattle and became an excellent judge of stock when he was yet a boy in his 'teens. He began his educa- 20

tion in a log cabin in Gentry county and later attended the public schools of Nodaway county, his knowledge having since been supplemented by his reading and experience in business affairs. At home he was taught to work, to be honest and just, and those qualifications have been numbered among his characteristics throughout his life. In 1876 lie and his father located on what is now his present homestead farm, where he has five hundred and sixty acres, constituting one of the best farming properties in the township. Ilis beautiful home is known as Grand View The house stands on an elevation, thus com- manding a splendid view of the surrounding country. Other improvements are seen there, including large barns, sheds, cattle yards, feed pens, modern windmills and the latest improved machinery. Rich pastures, meadows and cultivated fields are among the features of the homestead, and his corn crops yield him from fifty to sixty-five bushels to the acre. He is also one of the most suc- cessful cattle dealers in the county, having large herds, which enable him annually to. make extensive shipments to the markets.

On the 9th of April, 1876, Mr. Staples was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Isabel Fine, a lady of intelligence and good family, and to her husband has been a capable helpmate on life's journey. She was born in Fountain county, Indiana, near the Wabash, and is a daughter of Harrison and Elizabeth (Emerick) Fine, the former a na- tive of the Hoosier state, while the latter was born in Ohio. In 1859 her parents removed to Taylor county, Iowa, where the father still carries on agricultural pursuits. He is a Democrat in his political faith and he and his wife are Lutherans in their religious belief. They have eight children, namely : Mrs. Clara Cunningham, Mrs. Hannah I.

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Staples, Mrs. Alice Fentiman, Mrs. Etta Parnes, Frank E., Martin L., Mrs. Emma Boganreif and Malvina M. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Staples have been born four children : Arvilla L., who is a proficient teacher of music: Weltha J., who is a singer of con- siderable reputation, now a member of the Methodist choir in Tarkio: Lester O., who is a student in Tarkio College ; and Rodolph R .. Jr .. who is pursuing his studies in the public schools of Tarkio. The daughters both graduated in Tarkio College, with the class of 1807, and are now successful teach- ers in Nodaway county.

In his political affiliations Mr. Staples is a Republican, unswerving in his advocacy of the principles of the party. He is recog- nized as one of the local leaders and has exerted a strong influence in molding pub- lic thought and opinion. He has delivered many campaign addresses, speaking in be- hali of Republican principles in various parts of the county. He has been a delegate tu county, state and congressional conven- tions and was a candidate for county judge iu 1888, at which time he succeeded in re-

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A Biographical history of Nodaway and Atchison counties, Missouri : compendium of national biography, Part 41

Author: Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 726

Author:
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 726