USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > A Biographical history of Nodaway and Atchison counties, Missouri : compendium of national biography > Part 60
USA > Missouri > Atchison County > A Biographical history of Nodaway and Atchison counties, Missouri : compendium of national biography > Part 60
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BARTLETT L. COOK.
Bartlett L. Cook, a veteran of two wars and one of the pioneer settlers of Nodaway county, is a gentleman well known to the residents of this county. He was born in North Carolina, in Ashe county. January 13, 1828, a son of Henry and Anna ( Sherer ) Conk.
Michael Cook, our subject's grandfather. was a farmer of Pennsylvania and was of German descent. He married Elizabeth Arnery, and they were the parents of the following children: John; Adam; Henry. the father of our subject: Katic; Jacob; Mike: Polls, the wife of A. Hampton; David, William, Betsy and Robert. None of these children came to Missouri except Henry. His parents died in North Carolina. Henry Cook was married in North Carolina, in 1827, and in 1812 moved to Missouri. settling in Buchanan county, where he re- maine the rest of his life, carrying on farm- ing. Hedied December 7. 1868. Hewasa strong 'ni'm man, but did not serve in the army. Politically he was a Whig and later a Republican, though he never aspired to office. Henry Cook married Anna Sherer, who was born in 18to, a daughter of Rob- ert and Sally ( Kendle) Sherer, both of
North Carolina. Robert was a son of John and Grace. Sherer. John being a native of Scotland and a prominent farmer and slave- owner of North Carolina. He attended the Primitive Baptist church. Henry Cook and His wife had seven children, namely : Bart- lett L., the subject of this sketch: Nancy. the wife of A. Simmons, of Kansas: Thomas F .. of Effingham. Kansas : Robert S., a Bap- tist minister of Easton, Kansas; Martha E., who first married D. Norris, and secondly married William C. Sampson, of Kansas; John H., of De Kalb, Missouri, and a school teacher ; and James M .. a music dealer of Harrisonville, this state. The parents were both Primitive Baptists.
Bartlett L. Cook, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the public schools and taught school for three years in Mis- souri. He was fourteen years of age when he moved from North Carolina with his father, and in 1846 enlisted and served in the Mexican war. He was at the battle of Sacramento and many other hotly contested battles. He marched into Chihuahua and soon after the battle returned to Leaven- worth, where he received an honorable dis- charge. He was in the quartermaster's de- partment a short time, and then returned home and resumed farming. In 1849 he married and rented a farm for one year, after which he moved to Nodaway county, where he rented a farm for two years. He then entered a tract of forty acres where he still lives, and also entered school land, and now owns two hundred acres of finely im- proved land, all of which is in a good state of cultivation. On his coming to this county, all the settlements were along the streams and timber, and Mr. Cook's farm is now in the valley. The pioneers were all poor, and every one was on an equality
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with all the rest, assisting each other as much as possible.
In 1864 Mr. Cook enlisted in Company K. Forty-third Missouri Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Harding. He was at the bat- tie of Lexington, and his company guarded prisoners at St. Josephi. After the surren- der of Lexington he went to the Benton Barracks, and later to St. Louis, where he was mustered out and received an honorable discharge. He then returned to his family and resumed general farming and stock- raising.
Mr. Cook married Mary Graves, who was born in Tennessee in 1833, a daughter of Anthony and Martha Graves. Anthony Graves was a Tennessee farmer but located in Buchanan county in 1840, and in 1850 moved to Nodaway county, where he died several years later. He was a farmer all his life. Politically he was a Democrat. He was the father of fifteen children, four- teen of whom were at his bedside when he died. The children by his first wife were: Nancy. Mrs. J. G. Allen; Elizabeth, mar- ried L. B. Sharp: Rebecca. who married J. Sharp; and Hugh H. By his second wife the following children were born: John; Sally, the wife of L. Wilson : Mary, the wife of our subject ; Jacob: Martha, the wife of W. H. Pope; Henry; Rosanna Wilson ; Catherine, the wife of J. S. Miller : Willian A., deceased ; and Letitia, who married first J. Donaldson and secondly J. Allen.
Mr. Cook and his wife were blessed with seven children : Henry, a farmer of Noda- way county ; Anna, who married first Fred Berger and secondly G. W. Stabler, an attor- ney at Huron, Kansas ; Nannie H., who mar- ·ried J. D. Roberts, now deceased; Sarah, w ho married J. Hauk, deceased; William R., a farmer and stock-raiser; Joseph F., of
Acton, Massachusetts; and Rosa B., de- ceased, who married J. S. Selker and left one child at her death. Mrs. Cook died September 2. 1899. She was a Baptist. Mr. Cook married Eliza McKee, a widow, October 12. 1899. She was the wife of Isaiah McKee, and bore him four children. Two of the children are being brought up by Mr. Cook: they are Ivy and Myrtle. The other two are named Arthur and Nora. Mr. Cook has no children by this second minion. He is also caring for his mother, who is ninety years old.
Mr. Cook is a Democrat, and held the office of justice of the peace before and after the war. He was also a notary public for ten years, which he yet holds, and he has also held several minor offices. Ile is a great worker in the Baptist church, a church which the family have attended for many years.
J. M. HOLT.
J. M. Holt, a farmer and stock-raiser of Green township, Nodaway county, resid- ing on section 10, was born in Bedford county. Tennessee, May 24, 1819, and is a son of John and Elizabeth Holt. His father was a native of Ireland and his mother of North Carolina. They were married in 1815 and afterward took up their residence it: Bedford county, Tennessee, where the father died. In 1815 our subject, accom- panied by his mother, removed to Clay county, Missouri, and in 1855 came to Noda- way county, locating at his present home.
Mr. Holt was united in marriage, on the 19th of November. 1840, to Miss Harriet J. Ayers, who was born in Bedford county, Tennessee, July 19, 1823, and was a daugh- ter of Moses and Mary Ayers, natives of Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Holt have seven
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children living, namely : Moses EL .. Alexan- der. John W .. Elgibia, George. M. L. R. and A. J. They have also lost three children : Mary, William J. and Phoebe J. Both the parents are members of the Christian church and Mr. Holt belongs to Quitman Lodge. No. 196. A. F. & .A. M.
Our subject is recognized as one of the leading citizens of Green township. In 1861 he enlisted in Captain MeQuittie's Company, under General Price and was in the service until July, 1862. He was once ar- rested for treason, but was afterwards dis- charged. Since the war he has carried on agricultural pursuits and is now the owner of a good property in Green township. Noda- way county. He is well advanced in years and an honorable, upright life has gained him uniform respect and veneration.
H. T. COULTER.
11. T. Coulter. a prominent farmer of Nodaway county, belongs to that class of men whom the world terms self-made. for he has conquered the obstacles in the path to success and has not only secured for him- self a handsome competence but by his ei- forts has materially advanced the interests of the community with which he is asso- ciated.
lle was born in Lawrence county, Ohio. September 10, 1845. and was reared to agri- cultural pursuits, his literary education be- ing obtained in the common schools. His grandfather. William Coulter, was born in Virginia, of German and English ancestry. and at an early day moved to Gallia county. Ohne, where his death occurred. By occu pation he was a farmer. In his family were three s as : Adam, the father of our subject : Samuel, who died in Ohio; and John P ..
who died in Missouri. There were also two daughters, who died in Virginia.
Adam Coulter was a native of Monroe county. Virginia. He accompanied the fam- ily on their removal to Ohio, where he made his home for many years, being engaged in farming and steamboating. For several years he was a captain of boats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and became well known in river towns. In the spring of 1866 he and his family moved to this county, lo- cating near Arkoe, where he bought a farm and devoted the remainder of his life to its cultivation, dying in May. 1889. He was twice married. his first wife being a Miss Neal, who died in Ohio, leaving four chil- dren. namely : Mrs. Emily Miller: William. who died at Cairo, Ilinois: John Pascal, a steamboat captain on the Willamette river. Oregon: and Mrs. Naomi Miller, of Law- rence county. Ohio. For his second wife the father married Rebecca Wiseman. also a native of Monroe county, Virginia, and a daughter of Isaac Wiseman, who was born in the same state and died in Ohio. Ile followed farming as a life work and was a pillar in the Methodist church. His chil- dren were Rebecca, the mother of our sub- ject : Andrew. a resident of Wisconsin : Mrs. Mary Wray: Abner, who died in Illinois: Samuel and George, both farmers ; and Mrs. Lettie Ervin, of Illinois. By his second marriage Mr. Coulter had seven children : 11. T., our subject : Ellen and Lydia, who died unmarried : George, who is living on the homestead with his mother: Mrs. Harriet Kelly, a resident of Oklahoma: Charles, who live on a portion of the home farm, and Minnie, who died unmarried. The mother is a consistent member of the Methodist church and a most estimable lady.
On leaving home at the age of twenty
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years our subject became an engineer's ap- prentice and followed steamboating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers for four years. He was married, in Ohio, in 1872, to Miss Sarah B. Miller, who was born in that state, in 1850. Her father. Robert Miller, was a farmer of Ohio and a very intelligent, well- posted man and an earnest advocate of the Republican party and its principles. He was also an active church worker. H wedded Mary Laffoon, and both died in Ohio. Their children were Andrew, a res- ident of that state : Warren, a farmer of Illi- nois : Samuel, who was a captain of a com- pany in the Civil war and was killed in the service : Abram, a lieutenant, and Kinton, a private, who were both killed in the same struggle : Sarah B., the wife of our subject ; and Mary, the wife of R. Eaton. Mrs. Coulter is the only one of the family living in Missouri. Our subject and his wife had seven children, namely : Harry, who is mar- ried and engaged in farming on his own ac- count ; Myrtie .A., the wife of E. J. Dobbins; Pearl, the wife of J. Dobbins; May, at home; George R., who died at the age of two years ; and Thomas W. and Mary, both at home.
After his marriage Mr. Coulter came to Nodaway county, Missouri, and purchased a farm of forty acres, to which he subse- quently added another forty-acre tract, mak- ing it his home for three years, at the end of which time he traded it for a farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres near Picker- ing. Six years later he sold that place and built a house in Maryville, where he con- ducted a wood yard for three years. He became the owner of three pieces of prop- erty in that city, which at the end of that time he exchanged for his present farm of two hundred and seventy-six acres of fine valley land. He has since remodeled the
residence, built a large barn, and made other valuable improvements upon the place. In 1889 he rented it and embarked in general merchandising in Arkoe, where he bought a store building and crected a residence, car- rying on business there for eight years with good success. He returned to his farm in 1898, but in October, 1900, he rented his farm for five years and again engaged in the merchandise business in Arkoe, where he now resides. Ile still owns property in Maryville.
His life record is well worthy of emula- tion and contains many lessons of incentive. showing the possibilities that are open to young men who wish to improve every op- portunity for advancement. Socially Mr. Coulter is a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, and religiously his wife is a member of the Methodist church.
ED BOUCHER STEVENS.
The value of the local newspaper in the upbuilding of the best interests of any com- munity is universally conceded. The rule is that good papers are found in good towns, interior journals in towns of stunted growth and uncertain future. It is not so much a matter of size as of excellence and of adapt- ability to the needs of its locality. These conditions given, in an appreciative and pro- gressive community, the size of the paper will take care of itself in a way mutually sat- isfactory to publishers and patrons. This has been proven in Quitman. The Quitman Rec- ord was established June 17, 1887. by W. T. Graves and afterward published successive- ly by C. D. Morris, Il. M. Knowles, the firm of Null & Roberds and N. V. Bilby. The present publisher bought the Record on the Ist of June, 1898, and that he has since con-
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tinued its publication with profit to himself and to the satisfaction of his patrons is shown by an increased circulation and an enlarged advertising patronage.
Mr. Stevens was born at Kingston. Mis- sonri, May 25, 1869, his parents being E. W. and Clara ( Boucher ) Stevens. The latter resides at Cameron, Missouri, and the for- mer died November 1, 1900, having been for thirty-five years engaged in dental sur gery. In 1887, when eighteen years of age. Mr. Stevens of this review began to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Cam- eron Observer, and when nineteen years of age was editor of the Birmingham Locomo- tive at Birmingham, Missouri. Ile worked eight months in Topeka, Kansas, and for three years in Kansas City. Missouri. He was well qualified for his journalistic work by a good education, having been graduated at the Cameron high school with the class of 1888. After devoting some time to news- paper work he thought to cater the minis- try and attended the Westminster College at Fulton, Missouri, in 1893. as a ministerial student under the care of the Platte presby- tery. In 1894 he entered Tarkin College, at Tarkio, Missouri, and in company with James F. Gore, a classmate, published in 1805 a small book called College Deliriums. In 1896 he left college and abandoned the idea of entering the ministry and followed the journalistic profession. He has since de- voted his energies to editing and publishing the Outman Record and he made it a very interesting country paper, devoted to the wel- fare and upbuilding of the community as well as to the circulation of local. general and foreign Deus.
Maryville, born October 4. 1879. Their friends in Quitman are many. the circle be- ing almost co-extensive with the number of their acquaintances. Mr. Stevens is a mem- ber of the International Typographical Union, the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, and several minor organizations.
As a citizen he is public-spirited and pro- gressive, being deeply interested in every- thing pertaining to the promotion of his county's welfare along material, social, in- tellectual and moral lines.
DR. B. F. ROVER.
Among the prominent and highly suc- cessful physicians of Clearmont. Missouri, is the gentleman whose name appears above. AAlthough he has practiced medicine but a few years. he is classed with the best physi- cians of the city, and is esteemed and re- spected as one of the best citizens of Clear- mont. Dr. Royer was born January 5. 1871. near Bellevue, Seneca county, Ohio, and is a son of John and Barbara ( Bunn ) Royer. The grandfather of our subject was a na- tive of Pennsylvania, and was of French and Holland extraction. The family were early settlers of New England. John Royer, the father of the Doctor, is at present living in Sterling, Rice county, Kansas, having been engaged in farming until a few years ago. when he retired from business life. His wife has been dead some years. Thirteen children were born in their family.
B. F. Royer, the subject of this sketch. received his primary education in the public schools, and later entered the State Indus- trial College at Manhattan, Kansas, where he remained until his graduation in 1895.
On the erst of February, 1900. in Mary- ville, Missouri, Mr. Stevens was united in marriage too Miss Patti L. O'Connor, of At the age of eighteen he began teaching.
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his first school being in Rice county, Kansas, where he remained two school terms. Later he accepted a position as a member of the faculty of Dr. Mathes' school at St. Jo- seph, Missouri. After teaching a few years, Dr. Royer began the study of medicine and finished the course of study in the Ensworth Medical College, at St. Joseph. His first practice was in Holt county, Missouri, where he remained until locating in Clearmont. He is an energetic man, of a studious turn of mind, and keeps thoroughly abreast of the times in all the latest advancements of med- ical science.
Dr. Royer was married to Callie Han- ners, of St. Joseph, Missouri, March 23, 1899. Mrs. Royer was reared in Kansas City, and before her marriage was engaged in teaching for several years. She is a lady of culture and refinement, and she and her husband move in the best circles in Clear- mont. Dr. Royer is a Democrat in politics, and religiously he is an attendant of the Presbyterian church.
CHARLES D. HOCKER.
were of German descent, but nothing def- inite more than this is known of their his- tory. Mr. Hocker was one of six children, the names of the others being John, Joseph, Samuel. Nancy and Polly.
Philip Hocker, the father of our subject, was born in Maryland, but moved to Ken- tucky, where he was one of the early set- tlers of the county in which he lived. He was a true southern gentleman, with courtly manners and family pride. He owned many slaves, and was well known in the state. He was a Whig in politics, but never sought political office. He died in Febru- ary, 1857, and his death was greatly re- gretted by all. His wife lived until 1876. Her brothers were John O., Charles, llenry, Lee and William. Henry and his son were killed during the Civil war by bushwhack- ers who made an effort to rob his store, and which he in turn so bravely defended, losing his life thereby. Philip Hocker and his wife had six children, namely: Henry, of Montgomery county, Missouri: William, deceased; C. D., the subject of this sketch ; Tillman, deceased ; Joseph L., of California; and Susan E., the wife of A. J. Hulett. Both parents are deceased.
Charles D. Hocker, the president of the Guilford Bank and for many years one of the C. D. Hocker, whose name heads this sketch, lived with his mother on the old homestead until he was of age. In 1860 she sold the farm and moved to Missouri, locating in Montgomery county, where she bought a farm. After the family scattered she retired to Middletown, where she lived until her death, which occurred in 1876. Mr. Hocker returned to Kentucky after serving in the militia one year, looking for bush- whackers and guarding property. After his return to Kentucky he was employed as a farm hand. this being his first experience at prosperous and well known farmers and stock-raisers of Nodaway county, Missouri, is a self-made man in every sense of the word. Ile had but very little education of the text-book kind, though he was a mem- ber of a prominent southern family ; but at that time the children of even the well-to-do people were not made to attend school long. The schools of the south were not very good at that time. Mr. Hocker was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, October 27, 1840, a son of Philip S. and Amanda L. (Duncan) Hocker. The Hocker family working out. In 1866 he married and re-
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moved to Holt county. Missouri, where he rented a farm, on which he lived three years.
After saving enough to invest in some land, he moved to Nodaway county, where he bought forty acres of land, near his pres- ent farm. This was in 1869. There was a small house on the land, and the ground was but rudely broken. He went to work with a determination to succeed, and it was not long until he made great progress in that line. He gave all of his attention to the raising of stock, hogs and farm products. and gradually increased his property until he was the owner of six hundred and eighty acres. After selling some of this land and giving some to his children, he yet owns four hundred acres, all of which is well im- proved and cultivated. When the bank at Guilford was reorganized in 1894, Mr. Hocker was elected its president. He is also a director and a stockholder. His son Jeffer- son is the cashier of the bank, and he also is one of the stockholders. The bank has a capital of ten thousand dollars and a sur- plus of eight hundred. Everything is in a flourishing condition, and the bank is reli- able in every sense of the word.
Mr. Ilocker married Martha L. Mc. Kinney, a lady of much intelligence, who was born October 23. 1837, in Kentucky, a daughter of Jefferson and Jennie ( Givens) Mckinney. Her parents were natives of Kentucky and of Irish descent, and came from prominent families. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Archi bald: Samuel : Thomas ; Nancy J., the wife of 11. Clark: Ann, the wife of J. U'u: Martha, the wife of our subject; and l'armelia, who married G. Schakleford. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Kinney moved to Missouri in 1852, and dur- ing the war returned to Kentucky, where Mrs. McKinney died. Mr. Mckinney then
returned to Hoh county, Missouri, where he died in 1871. Mr. Hocker was the parent of five children by his wife, Martha MeKin- ney. They are : Jefferson, the cashier of the Bank of Guilford; Joseph L., a hardware dealer in Guilford : Charles : Amanda J .. the wife of J. Rimel, a farmer of this county ; and Ida. Mr. Hocker is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politically is a strong Democrat.
11ORACE JONES.
Horace Jones, the most extensive and successful farmer in Nodaway county, cast of Maryville, whose postoffice is Parnell, Missouri, was born in Montgomery county. Indiana, February 18, 1847. He is a son of Gustavus Jones, who was born in 1821, was deprived in youth of most of the advantages of educational facilities, but nevertheless was reasonably successful in business, and in poli- tics always a Republican. His ancestors were Virginians. He married Miss Char- lette Rouse, who died in Missouri, at the age of sixty-eight years. To this marriage there were born four children, as follows : Sarah. the wife of David C. Hurley, of Oklahoma . Horace, the subject of this sketch : Amanda. the wife of Daniel MeKay, of Wapell ... lowa: and Mattie C., who married Will- iam Baker, and is now deceased. Mr. Jones removed from Ohio to Indiana, where he car- ried on farming, near La Fayette, and from this point he removed to lowa, becoming a pioneer in the state and becoming a well known merchant at Wapello, Louisa county, After a brief absence from the state he re- turned thereto in 1850, established himself in mercantile business at Wapello, and re- mained thus engaged until his death, which occurred in 1896.
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Horace Jones was a youth of much more than ordinary ambition. The elementary principles of learning he acquired in the pub- lic schools, and he was found around his fa- ther's store more or less until he was six- teen years of age. At this time an opportu- nity arose which, seized upon, furnished him with a great deal of experience and als) tended to the early development of that it: dependence of character and self-reliance which so markedly characterized him in his mature years. He joined the Tiltons, a New York firm doing a freighting business across the plains, driving teams for them from Omaha to Denver. As a wage-earner he remained in the west for about three years, covering territory in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. One of his employers was ex-Governor Eaton, of Greeley, whose friendship he won and merited, and whose life-work for more than a third of a century has been intimately connected with Colorado and her people.
Mr. Jones, having completed his western wanderings and having re-crossed the "Great American Desert" to his Iowa home. found himself but little richer for having traversed the vast plain seven times, and for having rendered valuable service for many months at good wages. Upon returning to civilization in 1865 Mr. Jones engaged in trading and buying stock for a Burlington packer, and in buying grain and farming. AAt each of these different occupations he worked at different times, according to the season of the year, and in these ways sup- ported himself for four years. In 1869 he decided to settle down on the farm and to engage primarily in farm work, with more and greater earnestness than he had ever done, but also to continue his grain and stock buying ; and it is a matter of fact that his
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