USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. II > Part 2
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ADOLPH SCHOENHERR .- Prominent among the active and prosperous business men of Carterville is Adolph Schoenherr, a well-known real estate and insurance agent, who is officially connected with various in- dustrial enterprises, and is contributing his full share in promoting the best interests of town and county. A native of Missouri, he was born at Mine La Motte, Madison county, September 12, 1877. of German lineage. His father, Charles G. Schoenherr, was born and bred in Ger- many, and after coming to this country married Elizabeth Kidwell, a native of Saint Francois county, Missouri, and in 1877 settled in Jasper county. In September, 1881, he moved with his family to Carterville, which has since been the home of the family.
But four years of age when his parents came to Carterville, Adolph Schoenherr was here educated, being graduated from the high school with the class of 1894. The ensuing twelve years he was variously em- ployed, going first to Saint Louis, and later to points in the South and West. He served in different capacities in railroad, contracting and town-site offices, filling positions of chief clerk, assistant secretary, and secretary and treasurer, under such men of prominence as F. N. Finney,
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president of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, and Col. J. E. Hen- derson and R. M. Quigley, prime movers in the development of the Southwest.
Returning to Carterville on June 7, 1906, Mr. Schoenherr established himself in the real estate and insurance business, and has since met with marked success in his operations. "Lakeview," a high class suburban residence section, was promoted by Mr. Schoenherr. His ability and good judgment are widely recognized, and his services are in demand in many organizations. He is the secretary and a director of the Schoenherr- Walton Mining Company, one of the best mineral producers of the dis- triet : is secretary and one of the directorate of the Carterville Savings and Loan Association ; secretary of the Business Men's Law Class of Jop- lin : a director of the Zine Ore Producers' Association ; vice president of the Missouri Association of the Fire Insurance Agents, has served as a director and secretary of the Carterville Commercial Club and as seere- tary of the Republican City Committee, and he is now serving his third term as member of the County Central Committee.
Mr. Schoenherr married, November 14, 1906, Miss Beulah MeClel- land, daughter of T. J. McClelland, of Liberty, Missouri, whose home, "Ringo," was one of the first of the stately old homes of Clay county, and a place of historic interest. Fraternally Mr. Schoenherr is a mem- ber of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and of the Knights and Ladies of Security.
ALLEN DIXON .- Judge Dixon is one of the honored pioneer citizens of Jasper county, where he has maintained his home for more than forty years, and few have been more closely or more worthily identified with the development and upbuilding of this opulent and progressive section of the state than has this sterling jurist, who has served continuously on the bench of the county court since 1902 and whose public spirit and progressive policies have been potent forces in furthering the civie and material advancement of the county. Judge Dixon is the owner of a fine landed estate in Jasper county, has been to a greater or less extent identified with mining enterprises in this celebrated district, has com- passed the improvement of much of his real estate and has won distine- tive suecess through his well ordered efforts along normal lines of busi- ness activity. lle resides on his fine homestead farm, which is eligibly located three and one-half miles northwest of the city of Joplin.
The Dixon family, whose lineage is traced back to stanch English origin, was founded in Maryland in the colonial days, and representatives of the name are now to be found in the most diverse sections of the Union. Thomas Dixon, Jr., the well known author of "The Leopard Spots" and other popular works of fiction, is a kinsman of Judge Dixon of this sketch. Allen Dixon was born in Woodford county, Illinois, on the 24th of July, 1843. and is a son of Thomas and Permalia ( Radeliff) Dixon, who were numbered among the pioneer settlers of Woodford county, that state, where they continued to reside until their deaths and where the father became a representative agriculturist. In his native county he initiated his independent business career by the purchase of a farm, and he continued to give his attention to the operation of the same until 1870, when he sold the property and came to Jasper county, Missouri. He was a young man of twenty-seven years at the time and he has eon- tinued to reside in JJasper county during the long intervening years, within which he has contributed in generous measure to the social and industrial progress and upbuilding of this now favored section of the state. His cousin, Marshall Dixon, had preceded him to this county and became one of its prominent and honored citizens. Soon after his ar-
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rival Judge Dixon purchased his present homestead farm, which at the time comprised two hundred and forty aeres and for which he paid at the rate of nine dollars and fifteen cents an acre. The place had formerly been owned by Rev. Andrew Rader, by whom various improvements had been made on the property, but the house erected by this pioneer elergy- man had been destroped by fire at the time of the Civil war, incendiaries having burned the same as a matter of protest against the Union sympa- thies of the owner. Thus when Judge Dixon purchased the property practically all evidences of improvement had been obliterated and the farm was virtually open prairie, even the trees of the old orchard having been stolen and moved to Kansas. The place had thus suffered devasta- tion at the hands of marauding "Jayhawkers." whose depredations through Kansas and Missouri were of the most wanton order during the progress of the Civil war.
The first enterprise instituted by Judge Dixon after he had come to Jasper county was to erect a dwelling house on his farm, and he chose the site for the same near a fine spring of pure, cold water, admirably adapted for domestic and other purposes. This original and very modest little dwelling, erected more than a quarter of a century ago, is an integral part of his commodious and attractive residence, and here he has eon- tinuously resided during the years which have compassed the develop- ment of Jasper county into one of the most vital and prosperous of the entire state. The farm of Judge Dixon has long been one of the model places of the county and he has shown marked energy and discrimination in the improving of the property as well as in bringing its productiveness up to the highest standard, the homestead having been given over to diversified agriculture and the raising of excellent grades of live stock, besides which several mines have been opened and developed on the farm. Judge Dixon has bought and sold other properties in the county, and it is worthy of note that he sold for twelve thousand dollars the land in which were developed the celebrated Tuckahoe mines. In 1893 he pur- chased one hundred and sixty-seven acres of unimproved land in Min- eral township, at twenty-two dollars an acre, and this property he still owns, the same being in the best mineral range. In 1909 he purchased, at twenty-seven dollars an aere, one hundred and sixty acres of hay land in Jasper county, and he also has an interest in a large tract of ex- cellent land in the state of Oklahoma, so that his landed estate is an exten- sive one in its entirety. He instituted the development of a zine mine at Lehigh, Jasper county, but the venture ultimately proved disastrous. The Tuekahoe mines, previously mentioned, have proved a paying in- vestment to the present owners.
Sincere, earnest and upright in all the relations of life, independent in thought and action and endowed with strong mental powers, Judge Dixon has been a natural leader and has shown a lively interest in all that has tended to further the social and material welfare of his home, county and state, the while he has gained and retained the unqualified confidenee and esteem of the community which has so long represented his home. He served for twenty years as a school director of his district, and he has at all times stood forth as an earnest supporter of progres- sive measures in connection with educational matters. In 1902 he was elected a judge of the county court, and through five successive reelee- tions he has since continued to retain this important office,-a fact which indicated the popular estimate placed upon his loyal and effective serv- iees. He was elected on the Republican ticket and as the Demoeratie party is much in the aseendaney in the county it is evident that many of his Democratie friends have given him their support at the polls. He has not been a seeker of public office and has not been active in campaign
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work, even to the extent of furthering his own election to his present office, and it may be here noted that in furthering all his elections he spent but one day among his friends soliciting their support. In a fig- urative expression it may well be said that he is not one to "crook the pregnant hinges of the knee that thrift may follow fawning." He is said. on the ground of practicality, to be unfavorable to the cause of prohibition and local option, as he realizes that the measures thus pro- jected are ineffective and that the liquor traffic is better regulated under the high-license system, through which a most appreciable revenue is given to the various counties and the state. However, he personally uses no intoxicants and ever deprecates the abuse of the same on the part of others, though he is tolerant in his views, as he well understands the springs of human thought and motive and realizes the frailties and mis- takes to which men are prone.
Within the period of his service on the county bench Judge Dixon has advocated progressive policies and yet a determined conservatism in the expenditure of the county funds. Under his regime have been con- strueted in the county many bridges of the better type, and there have been expended for this purpose fully twenty-five thousand dollars. There has also been accomplished an admirable work in the improvement and construction of public highways, and he has been specially active in the promotion of new roads. At least twenty miles of road have been sup- plied with gravel taken from the refuse of mines owned by him, and Jasper county has to its credit at the present time more than four hun- dred miles of fine gravel road. The Judge was instrumental in raising the grade of live stock on the county farm to a high standard, and to him is primarily due the installing of an elevator service in the court house, -- an improvement which he insistently urged for five years before he was able to secure the necessary support of his official colleagues. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, but is not formally identified with any religions organization, though he has the deepest re- gard for the spiritual verities and is liberal in the support of religious and benevolent work. Mrs. Dixon is an active and devoted member of the Presbyterian church, and is a popular factor in connection with the social activities of her home community.
Judge Dixon finds his chief recreation and diversion in sports afield and afloat, and he is an adept with both gun and rod. He is an especially fine marksman and has won many trophies on his various hunting ex- peditions. He is the owner of two fine duck shooting tracks, one of which is located in Oklahoma, and it is unnecessary to state that he duly avails himself of the privileges of these preserves. In 1893, while on a trip for big game in Wyoming, Judge Dixon shot a magnificent elk, and its head he retains as a trophy, the same being one of the first with six- prong horns to be exhibited in Missouri. He has made numerous expedi- tions in quest of big game, and during the first winter of his residence in Jasper county he killed nine deer, having been in those earlier years numerous herds of deer on the prairies. During the early years of his residence in this county he operated a threshing outfit in connection with his own farming operations, and found ready demand for the services of his machine. He is a man of large heart and strong mental equipment, is genial and affable and has gained the stanch friendship of those with whom he has come in contact during the long years of his residence in Jasper county, where he is recognized as a prominent and influential citizen of the most, liberal and loyal type.
In MeLean county, Illinois, on the 9th of June, 1864. Judge Dixon was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Gillespie, who was born in High- land county, Ohio, on the 20th of June, 1843, and who was eighteen years
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of age at the time of the family removal to Illinois, where her parents passed the residue of their lives. Concerning the children of Judge and Mrs. Dixon the following brief record is entered in conclusion of this sketch : Ira Eugene died at the age of eighteen years; Harvey, who is a successful farmer in Jasper county, wedded Miss Anna McNeill, daugh- ter of the late William W. McNeill, to whom a memoir is dedicated on other pages of this work; Chester, who has supervision of the homestead farm for his father, married Miss Nannie Miller, and they have two children, Mary and Freddie; and May is the wife of David Elliott, of Kansas City, Missouri, and they have one child, Allen Dixon, named in honor of his maternal grandfather. Harvey Dixon is also a noted shot. On the 22d of June, 1911, he won in the grand American shooting tour- nament at Columbus, Ohio, score ninety-nine out of one hundred, with a purse of one thousand dollars. For this feat he was presented with a trophy set with thirteen diamonds and valued at five hundred dollars, and he has also won other trophies and medals.
JOHN F. WISE .- It can not be denied that the true elements of suc- cess are innate attributes of the individual person, and the significance of this has been well shown forth in the career of this sterling citizen and influential business man of Joplin, for he started out for himself when a mere boy and through his own exertions and powers has advanced to a position as one of the most substantial capitalists of Jasper county. He had the prescience to discern the possibilities in store for this sec- tion of the state, where he took up his residence when a young man, nearly two score of years ago, and he has literally been one of the build- ers of the greater city of Joplin, which was but an obscure town when he here established his home. In personal advancement of most definite order he has not neglected the duties of citizenship but has stood ex- emplar of the best type of civic loyalty and publie spirit, so that his influence has permeated in many benignant directions. As one of the representative citizens of Jasper county he is eminently entitled to recog- nition in this historical compilation.
John F. Wise was born on the old homestead farm of his father in the township of Eugene, Vermilion county, Indiana, on the 20th of Feb- ruary, 1854, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Naylor) Wise, the former of German and the latter of Scotch lineage. Jacob Wise was born in the state of Pennsylvania, in 1816, and he became one of the pioneer settlers of Vermilion county, Indiana, where he reclaimed a farm and where he continued to reside until 1866, when he removed with his fam- ily to Miami county, Kansas, where he again became a pioneer but where the problems of development were signally different than those that had marked his labors in the old Hoosier state. He continued to reside in Kansas until his death, in 1884, at the age of sixty-eight years, and his devoted wife died when about forty years of age. Of their children three sons and two daughters are now living. A daughter, Nellie, is de- ceased. Jacob Wise was a man of sterling character. honest, industrious and God-fearing, and his entire active career was one of elose indenti- fieation with the great basie industry of agriculture. His father was a native of Germany and upon coming to America established his home in Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in farming during the residue of his life.
The early discipline of John F. Wise was that gained in connection with the work of the home farm and he secured his rudimentary educa- tion in the district schools of his native county. He was twelve years of age at the time of the family removal to Kansas, where he continued to assist in the work of his father's farm and in the meanwhile made his
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way a distance of three miles to the little district school house, in which he continued his studies for two winter terms. He is a man of broad information and mature judgment, but this wider knowledge has been gained under the direction of that wisest of headmasters, experience, as his school days ended when he was but fourteen years of age. He then abandoned the life of the farm and secured a position as general utility boy in the establishment of R. C. Crowell & Company, commission and forwarding merchants at Olathe, Kansas. He remained with this firm about six years and through efficient and faithful service was promoted through various grades until he held a position of considerable responsi- bility and was looked upon as a valued employe.
In 1874, having learned somewhat concerning Joplin, Missouri, and the business opportunities that were here opening, he eame to this city in that year, as a young man of twenty years, and here he became associated with his elder brother, JJames M., in the hide and grain business, under the firm name of Wise Brothers. He had carefully eonserved his earn- ings during his previous years of employment, and these formed the basis of his independent business venture. He and his brother were the pioneers in their line of enterprise in Joplin and they continued to be associated for a period of five years, at the expiration of which John F. purchased his brother's interest. Hle thereafter conducted the bus- iness individually for fifteen years, and by good management and hon- orable dealings he accumulated sufficient capital to justify him in ex- panding the scope of his business activities. In the meanwhile had been instituted the development of the magnificent mineral resources of this district and he had the wisdom to identify himself with this impor- tant line of industry. In 1895 he became one of the organizers of the corporation that essayed the development of the Morning Star mine, which eventually became one of the greatest producers of the district and which was operated profitably until the ore supply was exhausted. He next formed a partnership with Thomas Connor, one of the sterling pioneers and successful mining operators of Jasper county, and they opened the MeKinley mine, which proved a bonanza and which they operated most successfully for some time, at the expiration of which they sold the property for one hundred thousand dollars. The firm of Conner & Wise next opened the Katy C. mine, and from the same Mr. Wise realized about seventy-five thousand dollars in dividends before selling his interest to his partner. This mine is still under profitable operation.
In 1896, seeking other advantageous investments, Mr. Wise beeame one of the stockholders of the Miners' Bank of JJoplin and was elected vice president of the institution. At the expiration of six years he re- signed this office, but still continued a member of the board of directors, and in 1907 his interposition was again demanded by the stockholders of the institution, who elected him its president, an office which he has since filled with marked discrimination and conservatism. He has ex- erted much influence in the building up of this splendid financial insti- tution, which is one of the strongest and most effectively managed in this section of the state. its operations being based on a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars and its deposits having reached the noteworthy aggregate of from about eight hundred thousand to one mil- lion dollars. Mr. Wise has made other judicious investments and in this connection it should be specially noted that he is the owner of the Henri- coal mine, at Henryetta, Okmulgee county, Oklahoma,-a very profitable property. In the vicinity of Holdenville, Hughes county, Oklahoma, he also owns and conducts a fine stock ranch of three thousand acres. There he is finding both pleasure and profit in the breeding of high-grade
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live stock. He has on the ranch more than five hundred head of cattle, a large number of blooded horses and a herd of fully one hundred head of swine, principally of the Berkshire type.
Mr. Wise takes a lively and helpful interest in all that touches the welfare of his home city and is ever ready to extend his co-operation and influence in the support of such undertakings as tend to advance its social and material progress and prosperity. He is an uncompromis- ing advocate of the principles of the Republican party and has given active service in behalf of its cause. Though he has not been imbued with a desire for public office his service was given effectively, for two terms, as a member of the city council, and in this position he advocated prog- ressive measures and did all in his power to foster a wise administration of municipal affairs. He is affiliated with the local organizations of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias, and his wife holds membership in the Congregational church.
At Joplin, on the 20th of February, 1878, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Wise to Miss Alice Clark, daughter of the late Monroe Clark, a prominent business man and influential citizen of this city. In conclu- sion is entered brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Wise : Delmar C., who is engaged in the coal business at Joplin, Missouri, married Miss Jean Gregg, who is now deceased; Nina is the wife of Hay- wood Scott, of Joplin ; Earl II. is general manager of the Henrietta Coal & Mining Company, in which his father owns the controlling stock, and he remains at the headquarters of the company, in Joplin, the mine being located in Oklahoma, as has already been noted ; Raymond F. is a student in a business college at Quincy, Illinois (1911) ; and John Connor, the youngest of the children, is attending the public schools of Joplin. The family is prominent in connection with the best social activities of the community and the attractive home is one in which is dispensed a most gracious hospitality.
HENRY H. MCNEAL .- Standing at the head of one of the important manufacturing industries that lend commercial precedence to the city of Joplin and known as a citizen of marked progressiveness and public spirit, Henry H. MeNeal is distinctively eligible for representation in this work, one of whose functions is to take cognizance of those sterling citizens who have contributed to the advancement of the county along legitimate lines of industrial and commercial enterprise.
Mr. MeNeal, who is president of the Joplin Machinery Company, was born in the village of Naples, Scott county, Illinois, on the 20th of October, 1865, and is a son of Henry H. and Justina (Baker) MeNeal, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter was born in Ken- tucky. The father was reared to maturity in the old Buckeye state and as a young man he removed thence to Illinois, where he eventually became one of the prosperous farmers of Scott county and where he continued to reside until his death in 1882. His wife survived him by a number of years and of their children one son and one daughter are now living.
He whose name initiates this article gained his early educational discipline in the public schools of his native place and his boyhood days were passed on the home farm, to the work of which he early began to contribute his quota. When sixteen years of age he secured employment in the government service, in connection with improvements being made on the Illinois river, and he was thus engaged for a period of seven years, at the expiration of which he came to Missouri and became identified with improvement work on the Kaw river. His next occupa- tion was with a leading contractor and builder who was at that time
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engaged in the erection of a number of large buildings in Kansas City and who was also the owner of a zinc mine at Joplin. This honored employer, F. M. Sharpe, came to Joplin in 1890, to supervise the opera- tion of his mine, and he made Mr. MeNeal manager of the property, thus showing his appreciation of the latter's ability and fidelity. Mr. MeNeal retained this incumbency until 1898 and in the meanwhile he gained a thorough knowledge of the mining business and the accessories utilized in the connection. Thus he became impressed with the idea that there was an excellent opportunity to engage in the manufacturing of mining machinery at Joplin, and he showed the courage of his convic- tions by effecting the organization of the firm of MeNeal & Company, which forthwith instituted the manufacturing of such machinery, in connection with a well equipped repair department. The venture proved successful from the beginning and it rapidly expanded in scope and importance. On the 11th of September, 1905, to facilitate opera- tions and extend the scope of the business, a reorganization was effected, by the incorporation of the MeNeal Machinery Company, of which Mr. McNeal became president and general manager. His former employer, Mr. Sharpe was vice-president of the company until his death. In 1910 an important addition was made to the business controlled by the MeNeal Machinery Company, which title was adopted in 1905. In June, 1910, Mr. MeNeal effected the purchase of the business of the American Pump Company. of Joplin, and the plant was absorbed by the MeNeal Machinery Company. The pumps manufactured are of acknowledged superiority and the products have a large sale throughout the southern and southwestern states. The plant of the MeNeal Machinery Company is one of the largest and best equipped of its kind in the southwest and the business is constantly expanding in all departments, largely due to the able administration of the officers of the company, who are recog- nized as men of marked initiative and executive ability and their integ- rity of purpose is beyond cavil. Mr. MeNeal is held in unqualified esteem in his home community and here has gained distinctive success through his well directed efforts, which have given him precedence as one of the leading business men of Jasper county. Mr. MeNeal is also vice president of the Conqueror Trust Company, one of the important financial concerns of Joplin, and is treasurer of the Stewart Lumber Company, in which he has the controlling interest. He has never cared to enter the turmoil of practical politics and is independent, always vot- ing for the best man. He has advanced through the various degrees of both York and Scottish Rite Masonry, in which latter he has attained to the thirty-second degree, and he is also identified with other frater- nal and social organizations of representative character.
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