USA > Missouri > A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121
James I. Mullenix is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres near Worthington, in Putnam county, and has reared a family of five children, named as follows: Clarence, a farmer near Graysville; Charles Wesley; William Herman, a farmer near Worth- ington ; Mrs. Vertie Cowan, living near Martinstown, and Mertie, at home with her parents.
Charles Wesley Mullenix was educated in the common schools and the Unionville high school, later finishing his studies at the Missouri State University. Before he entered the university he had been engaged in teaching for five years, and had also spent a year and a half as deputy recorder of Putnam county. He was elected county treasurer in 1908, while still a student at Columbia, and took charge of the office in April, 1909, entering upon a four years' term. He has served as ex-officio collector during his term of office, as well as discharging the other duties of his position. Mr. Mullenix was appointed cashier of
1298
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
the Citizens' Bank upon its organization in June, 1910. It was organ- ized with a capital of $30,000, and has deposits of $100,000 and undivided profits of $5,000. The personnel of its officials is as follows: P. M Mannon, president; D. A. Mourer, vice-president; C. W. Mullenix, cashier; S. D. Hayward, assistant cashier. Its directorate includes the following men: P. M. Mannon, W. C. Raney, D. A. Mourer, S. J. Haigler, W. B. Horndale and W. M. Fowler.
Mr. Mullenix is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and the Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is a Republican.
JOHN L. WITT. The men who succeed in any enterprise in life are those who have confidence in themselves and the courage of their con- victions. There is a time in every man's life when he reaches the conclusion that envy is ignorance, that imitation is suicide and that though the world is full of good no good thing comes to him without self-reliance and the power to gain results. The man who trusts him- self and who plans well his part on the stage of life is a success. A strong and sterling character is like an acrostic-read it forward or backward or across-it still spells the same thing. John L. Witt, who is strictly a self-made man, is a land owner and cattle-grower in Scot- land county, Missouri, where he has resided during practically the entire period of his life time thus far. He is cashier of the Granger Exchange Bank and has held that position since 1895.
On a farm six miles south of Memphis, Missouri, October 23, 1864, occurred the birth of John Leander Witt, who is a son of Samuel Witt, a native of Kentucky. Samuel Witt was a son of Leander Witt, who died in Kentucky, February 22, 1844, at the age of thirty-five years, at which time he was survived by seven children and a noble wife. Samuel was born in Kentucky, August 29, 1830, and being the oldest child, he assumed the responsibility of the family and at the age of eighteen years came to Missouri, locating on government land just south of Memphis. The family joined him later and eventually the mother married again and had four more children. Samuel prospered in his new home and with the passage of time accumulated a landed estate of three hundred acres. He was a man of standing and considerable influence in his home community, dying September 29, 1903. He mar- ried in 1852, Martha Jane Barnett, who was born in 1833, and who died in 1893; she was a daughter of John W. Barnett. Mr. and Mrs. Witt reared a family of four children, concerning whom the following brief data are here incorporated,-Margaret J. died at the age of twenty years; James E. died in 1908 and is survived by a widow and three sons, namely, Ivan H., Morris and Joseph; Henrietta is the wife of W. F. McDaniel, superintendent of buildings and grounds of the Missouri Valley College, at Marshall: they have one son, Hubert L .; and John L. is the immediate subject of this review.
John Leander Witt was reared on the farm on which he was born and he received his preliminary educational discipline in the neighbor- ing district schools. At the age of nineteen years he was matriculated as a student in the Kirksville Normal School, where he pursued a two- year course, at the end of which he taught school for five years in Scotland county. In 1891 he was graduated in the commercial depart- ment of the University of Kentucky, at Lexington, and for one year thereafter he again taught school. At the early age of fifteen years he began to manifest great interest in and talent for breeding saddle and road horses. In this line of enterprise he has met with tremendous success and has taken numerous premiums and ribbons at horse shows in Memphis, Kirksville, Kahoka, Newark, Milton and Lancaster. He
THOMAS HARRISON
1299
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
is the owner of a span of registered saddle and road mares, which have won many premiums and which are valued at six hundred dollars. Mr. Witt owns a finely cultivated farm of 120 acres and at the present time, in 1912, he is associated with a nephew in farming some four hun- dred acres, that are leased for several years.
In addition to breeding horses Mr. Witt has a large herd of forty shorthorn cows and likewise a drove of Poland China hogs. He has met with good success in the breeding of Shetland ponies.
Since 1895 Mr. Witt has been connected with the Granger Exchange Bank, at Granger, Missouri, as cashier. This substantial financial insti- tution was organized in 1895, with a capital stock of ten thousand dol- lars and it now has a capital and surplus amounting to twenty-five thousand dollars, with deposits amounting to sixty-eight thousand dol- lars. The bank is officered as follows: J. M. Lockheart, president; H. Hanford, vice-president; J. L. Witt, cashier. The board of directors consists of the' above officers and in addition, Fred Mohr, Benjamin Steeples, James Curry, Joseph Miller, W. H. Dochterman.
In 1896 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Witt to Miss Mary A. Johnson, a daughter of John Johnson, of Granger. Mr. and Mrs. Witt are the parents of three children,-Margaret, Martha and Robert Leslie. In religious matters the family are devout Presbyterians and they are zealous church workers. Fraternally, Mr. Witt is affiliated with the A. H. T. A. and in politics he is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Republican party. He is a man of high ideals and one who is straightforward and honorable in all his dealings with his fellow men. He is popular amongst all classes of people and it may be said con- cerning him that the number of his personal friends is coincident with that of his acquaintances.
JOHN HARRISON. The great farming and stock growing interests of northeastern Missouri owe their importance to the fact that they have been constantly fostered by men of ability, who, through per- sonal experience and natural inclination, backed by inherent agricultural qualities inherited from long lines of farming ancestors, have been able to bring to their labors the skill that has made this state the equal of any agricultural section of the country. Callaway county for many years has been the home of the Harrison family, members of which have been prominent in the trades, the professions and military and civic life, but the greater part of whose activities have been devoted to tilling the soil. A worthy representative of this old and honored fam- ily is found in the person of John Harrison, familiarly known as "Jack" Harrison, from whose wide acres come large and luxuriant crops, large numbers of mules, hogs and cattle, and a famous line of saddle horses which are the pride of the section and consistent blue-ribbon winners.
Major John Harrison, the grandfather of John, was born at Roanoke, Virginia, and came to Missouri, in 1817. His father, Thomas Harrison came to Missouri in 1819. At the same time, Thomas Harrison, son of Thomas and brother of John Harrison, came to Missouri, while other brothers were Judge "Jim" Harrison, of Audrain county, and Ben- jamin and Andrew Harrison, who died as bachelors. Thomas Harri- son died in 1842, and was buried on the home farm in the family bury- ing ground. John Harrison had entered a separate farm on Harrison Creek, and there he moved his family.
The Harrisons have always been prominently connected with mili- tary affairs. Major John Harrison, the grandfather of "Jack" Har- rison, served in the War of 1812 from Virginia, and later received a commission from the governor of Missouri as a major of state militia.
1300
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
He lived and died on the old home farm, passing away in 1873, at the age of eighty-three years. His wife was Mary Crockett, daughter of Col. Hugh Crockett, of Virginia, and she died one year before his demise. Mr Harrison was the owner of 800 or 900 acres of land, was one of the largest stock-growers in this section, and, like all the Har- risons, was actively interested in public matters, but only as a sup- porter of his friends and as a good citizen.
About 1835 Thomas Harrison, Sr., mailed a letter at Jones Tan- yard, written to a friend in Virginia, as to the death of John Harri- son's brother, Thomas, and his views of life, in which he gave the facts of the death of Thomas Harrison at St. Charles. He was on a trip from St. Louis, where he had disposed of a large bunch of stock, and on his return trip was stricken with cholera, died there, and was buried in the American cemetery. The farm of Thomas Harrison, the father of Maj. John Harrison, laid on the old Boone Lick road, having been entered in 1818 by a Mr. Watson, who conducted a public house and a postoffice called Green Hill, and Thomas Harrison continued to con- duct the public house after he had secured the property. Major John Harrison was a member of Liberty Christian church, situated some eight or nine miles distant, and was buried in the Harrison cemetery, which had been started at the time of the death of his father, Thomas Harrison. Major John Harrison had the following children: Thomas; Samuel, the father of John S. Harrison, a sketch of whose career will be found on another page of this work; Crockett, who died in 1871; Benjamin, engaged in the stock commission business for a number of years in Chicago, where his death occurred in 1900; James M., who died on his Audrain county farm, his two sons being Crockett, of Ful- ton, and Dr. Frank, of Mexico, Missouri; Virginia, who married Wil- liam H. French, of Mexico, and died some ten years ago; and Rebecca, who died in young womanhood, unmarried.
Thomas, the son of Major John Harrison, was born January 5, 1817, in Montgomery county, Virginia, and was a child when he ac- companied his father, driving a horse overland. He was married at the age of thirty-five years, and settled on land he secured from the govern- ment. He erected a brick house at Galena, and the first jail in Calla- way county, and was also foreman of the big Sawyer farm in Shamrock, where he was overseer of a large number of slaves. He fought bravely in the Mexican war, under Colonel Doniphan, thus upholding the fam- ily's military prestige. In 1850-51 he made several trips to California in search of gold, the first time returning via Central America and Mexico, and the second time coming back by way of the Horn. On each trip he drove a six-mule team across the plains. On his second return, Mr. Harrison was on a New Orleans steamer which blew up on the Gulf of Mexico, and all of its passengers, with the exception of Mr. Harrison, his, brother, Crockett Harrison, and William B. Tucker, a merchant of Fulton, lost their lives. During his gold seeking days, Mr. Harrison was successful in making money, but this he spent. On settling down to farming life, however, on the 160-acre tract that had been given him by the government in appreciation of his services in the Mexican war, he began to conduct himself seriously, succeeding in accumulating a vast competency. Shortly after his return from Cali- fornia, he was married to Catherine Maddox, and they settled on his farm, which was situated four miles east of Auxvasse, and which is still owned by "Jack" Harrison, and here he remained until 1898, when he sold his interests and moved to Mexico, Missouri, there pass- ing away in 1900. He was buried at the cemetery at the old Auxvasse
1301
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
Presbyterian church, where his wife lay, both having been active mem- bers of that denomination.
Although he started his career with his land and his good health, Mr. Harrison so industriously directed his energies along well-chosen channels that he became the owner of about 3,700 acres of land, includ- ing the old Major Harrison homestead. He paid from $1.25 to $8.00 an acre for his property, which had many times doubled in value by the time of his death, assisted all of his children to get a start in life, and entered the stock business, handling from seventy-five to 100 mules annually, the greater part of his own raising. He operated his entire property, and in addition to his own family, kept eight men busy all the time, and on some occasions gave employment to as many as twenty- five hands. He grew from 300 to 500 acres of corn, in addition to making a market for others, and was a stockholder and director of the Mexico Savings Bank from its organization until his death. In 1867-8 he erected a second brick house, which is still standing. Like other members of the family he actively supported others in their office seeking, but did not care for public life himself. At the time of his death he was the heaviest tax payer in Callaway county. He and his wife, who died in 1894, had children as follows: Margaret, who married Hill Langtry, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this work; Frances, who married W. H. Cave, a resident of Dallas, Texas; Charles L .; Frank, who is engaged as a cattle rancher in Colorado; Lida, who married John S. Henderson, president of the Southern Bank of Fulton; Thomas S., who is engaged in the livestock commission busi- ness in Kansas City, Missouri; Eunice, who married R. E. Biggs, and lives on a part of the old home farm; John; Virginia, who married Charles B. Hillister, with the Eli Walker Dry Goods Company, of St. Louis; Angeline, who is single and lives with Mr. and Mrs. Hillister, in St. Louis; and Edward and Elizabeth, who died in childhood. Charles L. Harrison graduated from the University of Missouri, at Columbia, following which he worked as a civil engineer for the United States government on the Mississippi river, and then erected the water works at Ishpeming, Michigan, and worked on the Illinois drainage canal, at Chicago. He was then chosen by the government to survey the Panama canal and make an estimate of the cost thereof, laid the tunnel under the East river, New York, acted in the capacity of deputy chief engi- neer of water works for the city of New York, erected the McChesney dam for the Denver Water Works, and had his home in New York city, where his death occurred September 13, 1912. He was laid to rest beside his parents in Auxvasse cemetery.
John (Jack) Harrison was born May 29, 1866, and in company with his brother, Thomas, inherited a part of the old homestead, and they formed a partnership in the handling of jacks and horses, an association that continued for fourteen years, Thomas in the mean- time going to Kansas City. John Harrison then settled on his grand- father's old place, but in 1899 disposed thereof and came to his present property, having 240 acres in this farm and 9851% acres of detached land, with from 300 to 400 acres in corn, other grain in proportion, and from 300 to 400 acres operated by tenants. In addition to handling a large amount of his own corn, Mr. Harrison ships that of his neighbors. He feeds all kinds of stock, including cattle, mules, sheep and hogs, ships about 200 mules yearly, feeds from 100 to 200 cattle, and grazes and handles a large number of Shorthorn cattle and other choice breeds. He feeds from 500 to 1,000 sheep each year. and 500 to 600 hogs, and six men are regularly employed by him. He has been espe- cially active in breeding Denmark saddle horses, and formerly owned
-
1302
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
the sire of the famous "Rex MeDonald," "Rex Denmark," as well as the wonderful show horse "Montrose." He still keeps the same winning strain, keeps his interest at home, and has met with unqualified success.
In 1889 Mr. Harrison was united in marriage with Miss Belle Berry, who was born in 1867, daughter of Angus and Mary (Suggett) Berry, of McCredie, Missouri, but natives of Reform, Callaway county. They have no children. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison belong to the Presbyterian faith and attend the church of that denomination in the village of Auxvasse.
DR. JAMES R. BRIDGES, who has been practicing in Kahoka, Mis- souri, since 1888, now has an excellent practice through the surround- ing community and is one of the best-liked men in the district. Born in Franklin county, Missouri, November 19, 1863, he was educated in the common schools of Franklin county. He taught school for three years and in 1885 entered the Keokuk College of Physicians and Sur- geons. He graduated three years later. 'He is a member of the Clark County, Missouri State, and American Medical Associations, and also belongs to the A. F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F. He attends the Baptist church. His marriage to Miss Laura Bostick of Kahoka, the daughter of George W. Bostick, took place in 1891.
Doctor Bridges is the son of William and Virginia (Snoddy) Bridges. William Bridge's father was Andrew W. Bridges, a native of Edin- burgh, Scotland, who came to America as a young man, and settled on a farm in Franklin county, Missouri, in 1843. William Bridges was born March 24, 1821, and died January 5, 1899. Mrs. William Bridges, was born in Virginia, the daughter of William Snoddy, a native of Scotland and also a pioneer settler in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Bridges raised ten children : Artemus, deceased; Margaret Wiseman, Gasconade county ; Dr. Andrew D. of Callaway county; Harriet Mahony, who died in Texas; Eugenia Armstrong of West Plains, Missouri; William, a druggist of Kahoka; Florence Mahoney of Texas; Dr. R. S .; Dr. John B. of Gasconade county ; and Dr. Alvah C. of Kahoka.
DR. JOHN ANDREW MCWILLIAMS was born on a farm in Shelby county, Missouri, and this state has represented his home and the cen- ter of his activities practically all his life. He claims June 28, 1857, as his natal day, and he is the son of Andrew W. and Lucinda (Wright) Mc Williams.
Andrew W. McWilliams was born January 1, 1832, in Marion county, Missouri, and his father was John McWilliams, who migrated from Kentucky to Marion county in 1826, soon after settling in Shelby county, in which he was known as one of the earliest among its pioneer settlers. He was a farmer, and gave his life to that industry, and his son, Andrew W., the father of the subject, also followed in that line of business. The wife of Andrew W. McWilliams was a native daughter of the state of Kentucky, and she bore him five children, of whom J. A. of this review is the eldest; the others are: Louise, who married James Brown; Emma, the wife of Henry Eubank; James N., a resident of Macon; Nannie, the wife of Chambers Remington of St. Louis.
Dr. McWilliams received his education in the public schools of his native town and in Novelty, or Oaklawn College. He was also a grad- uate of Keokuk College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1881. He began the practice of his profession in Novelty, and this place has witnessed his successful labors for the past thirty-one years. He has been in command of a wide and representative practice in all these years, and has been regarded as one of the most successful and capable men in
1303
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
the profession in this section of the country. He has been a member of the county, state and American Medical Societies for many years, and has been active and energetic in his attitude toward the advance of the profession. He has given some little attention to the acquiring of desirable properties in his community, and is the owner of a par- ticularly fine farm of eighty acres near Novelty.
On October 1, 1884, Dr. McWilliams was united in marriage with Miss Mollie V. Byars of Shelby county, and eleven children have come to them, of which three are dead. Those living are : Chester M., a grad- uate of the State University of Columbia, in the class of 1911, where he attained the degree of B. S. He is a young man of intellect and fine attainments, and now holds the responsible position of county farm supervisor at Jackson, Missouri, in Cape Girardeau county. Carl Franklin is a farmer in Knox county; Roy P. is a student in the State University ; James P., Finis W., Joseph D., Mary E. and Nathan B., all at home.
THOMAS JEFFERSON HOXSEY, proprietor of the Hotel Hoxsey, one of the leading hostelries of northeastern Missouri, is an example of the men who have by their energy, public spirit and careful management, reached positions which the struggles of earlier years scarcely indicate, and who are known and respected for their sterling worth as citizens, having always in view the upbuilding and best interests of the com- munities in which they live. It not infrequently happens that those who have attained the high positions in their chosen vocations are in- dividuals who have had numerous obstacles to overcome. There seems to be something in the necessity for hard work that develops a man's latent energies, and in this respect Mr. Hoxsey is no exception to the rule, his youthful years being filled with disappointments and discour- agements, but at this time he is in a position to look back over the years with no shadow of regret, for it has been in the mastering of these diffi- culties that he has risen to his success.
Thomas Jefferson Hoxsey was born April 4, 1868. in Madison county, Illinois, one of the three children of Joseph and Elizabeth (Day) Hoxsey, and a grandson of C. C. Hoxsey, once one of Madison county's leading citizens. Joseph Hoxsey, who was a farmer in Madison county, died April 6, 1874, at the age of thirty-four years, and his wife followed him to the grave December 8, 1891, when she was forty-four years old. Left fatherless at the age of six years, the boyhood of Thomas Jefferson Hoxsey was one of hard work, little play and only a meagre education, although he was a studious and ambitious youth and took advantage of every opportunity offered him. When he was thirteen years of age he left the Prairie State and came to Missouri, spending ten years in Callaway county as a farm laborer. By the end of that period, through careful saving, he had accumulated enough to purchase a half interest in a general store in Carrington, Missouri, with Thomas Kemp, but not long thereafter this establishment was destroyed by fire and Mr. Hoxsey lost all of his little capital. Somewhat discouraged, but not disheartened, he started to recuperate his fallen fortunes, and August 5, 1893, came to Mexico and bought the old depot restaurant of Mrs. Schleppy. This he conducted until June 1, 1895, when he went on a trip to California, but not finding an opening, returned to Mexico and entered the gro- cery business. About five and one-half years later he sold out his busi- ness to O. J. Mores, and in 1899 went to Kansas City, Missouri, where he spent one year in the grocery business, then again returning to Mexico. Here he built and opened a little restaurant at the old depot on the Chicago & Alton side, with which he was identified until Septem-
1304
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI
ber 15, 1906, when he opened the Hotel Hoxsey, the only European plan hotel Mexico has had, and one which met with instantaneous favor. This hostelry, which now employs twenty-six persons, is three stories in height, 115x65 feet, seats 175 people and has fifty-four sleeping rooms, of which twenty are supplied with baths, and is modern in every par- ticular, with all accommodations and conveniences for its guests. Situ- ated near all the depots, with City Park to the south and the Chicago & Alton Park to the front, and within two blocks of City Square, it is the official blue book automobile hotel and immensely popular with the trav- eling public. Mr. Hoxsey has all the qualifications of a congenial and
courteous host. He has endeavored at all times to make his house the most comfortable and pleasing in this section of the state, and that he has succeeded in his efforts may be judged by its great popularity.
On March 21, 1892, Mr. Hoxsey was married to Miss Lila Ashworth, daughter of Moses Ashworth, of Carrington, Missouri, who died June 11, 1904, leaving one child, Ruth, who was born December 24, 1892. On March 26, 1907, Mr. Hoxsey was married to Miss Ann Lee Brown, born October 31, 1881, daughter of Charles Brown, of New London, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Hoxsey are members of the Christian church. He is a Democrat in his political views, and his fraternai affiliation is with the Knights Templar, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias, and the Modern Woodmen of America, in all of which he has many friends. He is recog- nized as an able business man and a popular boniface, and has the respect of the community that is only given those who are solicitous as to their city's welfare.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.