A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2, Part 30

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864- , ed
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 912

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The late Richard Woodson grew up on the plantation where he was born, and he was the youngest of the children, the others being named as follows : William C., James E., Mrs. Elizabeth M. Nicholds, and Mrs. Martha Jane Miller. In St. Louis county Mr. Woodson spent a number of years of his life, being engaged in business there. On the 6th of January, 1854, he married Frances Ann Adie, who was born in Stafford county, Virginia, July 2, 1831. Her father was Lewis Adie, a native of the same county. There were three Adie brothers who were soldiers in the War of 1812. Lewis Adie married Fanny Tolson, who was born in Stafford county, Virginia, a daughter of Benjamin Tolson, who was an official in the War of 1812. Major Tolson was on the Potomac river in service when the capital was burned at Washington by the British troops. In 1834 Lewis Adie and family located in the city of St. Louis, it being then a small place. Lewis Adie was a contractor and builder and also had a plantation in the county of St. Louis, where he died at the age of seventy-one. He was a Democrat in politics and a member of the Presbyterian church. The mother died at the age of forty-nine. Their four children were as follows: George Lewis, James Edward, Samuel Nelson, and Mrs. Woodson, who was the second child.

In 1868 Mr. Woodson and his wife moved to Howard county and located upon the farm which was his residence until his death, April 17, 1891. Their children are named as follows: Lewis W .; Roxanna ; Edward R .; John B .; Adia and Francis B. The two eldest sons were extensively engaged in cattle raising and in mining business in the west from 1895 to 1910. The children are all unmarried except Francis

M. Woodson,

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B. The homestead, which has been the scene of many social and family gatherings, is one of the fine old homes of Howard county.

The father, who was a large farmer, grew quantities of tobacco, and for some years operated a saw mill on his place in Franklin county, Missouri, and was extensively engaged in manufacturing tobacco for many years. The present Woodson farm contains 81212 acres, situ- ated about seven miles northwest of Fayette, six miles east of Glasgow and four miles southwest of Armstrong and the C. & A. R. R. runs through their farm. In 1910 they sold $8,000 worth of hogs from this farm. Its many improvements and facilities for modern farming make it one of the best of its kind in Howard county.

WILLIAM CYRUS CRAIG. Foremost in the ranks of the prominent and prosperous agriculturists of Pike county, who by indefatigable perse- verance and untiring energy have hewed their way onward and upward, stands William Cyrus Craig, whose handsome, well-cultivated farm is located about ten miles southeast of Vandalia. Mr. Craig comes of a family of agriculturists, and is in the third generation of the name to carry on operations in northeastern Missouri. His grandfather, Thomas Craig, was born in Kentucky about 1790, and came to the state of Mis- souri in 1829, settling on land in Indiana township, Pike county, about one and one-half miles north of the farm of William C. Craig. On this land, which he secured from the government, he spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits, and there died in 1846. While still a resident of Kentucky, he was married to Rachel Smith, and they had a family of eight children, namely : John T., William, Paulina, Virginia, Isabelle, Permelia and two who died in infancy. Mr. Craig was a stanch Whig in his political views, and with his wife and children, attended the Methodist church, of which he was a consistent member and liberal supporter.

John T. Craig was born in 1829, in Kentucky, and was six weeks of age when he was brought by his parents to Pike county, Missouri. Educated in the district schools, he was reared to the vocation of a farmer, and spent the rest of his life in tilling the soil in Pike county. In politics he was a Republican, and like his father was a faithful Meth- odist in his religious faith. He was married in 1854, in Pike county, to Miss Elizabeth McDonald, who was born in 1834, daughter of the Rev. Cyrus McDonald, an early Presbyterian preacher of Pike county. John T. Craig died on the 18th of August, 1909, and his wife passed away September 2, 1912. During the last few years of their lives they made their home with their son, William C. Craig, and there their deaths occurred. John T. and Elizabeth Craig had a family of eight children : William Cyrus, Benjamin, John, Silas, Millie, Amanda, Elizabeth and Belle. During the Civil war, John T. Craig served in a local company of the Missouri state militia.

William Cyrus Craig was born November 3, 1855, on his father's farm in Pike county, and there secured his education in the district schools. General farming has claimed his attention throughout his career, and his ventures have proven successful, as at this time, with his son-in-law, he owns some 460 acres of land in Pike county. His land is pleasantly located about ten miles southeast of Vandalia, and com- pares favorably with any property of its size in the locality, having three fine residences on the 460 acres of land, and substantial improve- ments of every kind. Mr. Craig is an honorable, upright man, possessed of good business qualifications, and as a citizen his character is above reproach. He is a Republican in his political views, but has not cared for public office, preferring to give his time to the management of his

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farming interests. With Mrs. Craig, and their children, he attends the Methodist church.

On March 28, 1878, Mr. Craig was married to Miss Ann C. Smith, who was born December 19, 1862, in Pike county, on what is now a part of her husband's farm, daughter of Chester and Juliette (Butler) Smith. They have had six children, as follows: Julia, who married Joseph Rutherford, and died August 2, 1892; Barbara, who married W. L. Stevens, and lives in Pike county; Anne, who married Grover Stu- art, and also resides in Pike county; Artie, who makes her home with her parents; and John and Minnie, who died in infancy.

THOMAS ROBNETT. In Cleveland township, Callaway county, one mile east of the village of Stephens, is situated the attractive and finely improved farmstead of Thomas Robnett, who is numbered among the progressive and representative agriculturists and stock-growers of his native county and whose status as a citizen of sterling character and marked popularity makes specially consistent his recognition in this publication.

Mr. Robnett was born on the old family homestead, three miles south of his present residence, and the date of his nativity was December 18, 1875. He is a son of William C. and Mary (Nesbitt) Robnett, the former of whom was born on the old Robnett farm in Boone county, nine miles east of Columbia, and the latter of whom was born in Callaway county, she having been a sister of Thomas Nes- bitt, a well-known citizen of Fulton, the judicial center of this county, and also of Frazer Nesbitt, who now resides in California ; she died when her son Thomas was about seven years of age, and was comparatively a young woman when she was thus summoned from the scene of life's mortal endeavors. Both the Robnett and Nesbitt families were founded in northeastern Missouri in the pioneer days and the names of both have been most worthily linked with the civic and industrial develop- ment and progress of this favored section of the state.

William C. Robnett was reared and educated in his native county and removed thence to Callaway county about the time of the close of the Civil war. He became one of the substantial agriculturists and stock-growers of Callaway county, was a man of steadfast and upright character, and through his energy and well directed endeavors he gained substantial prosperity, the while he ever commanded secure place in the confidence and esteem of his fellowmen. He was the owner of a well improved landed estate of three hundred and twenty acres, and in addition to diversified agriculture and general stock-growing he devoted special attention to the raising of mules, which, in the early days, he shipped to the southern markets. He was a stockholder in the Stephens Bank, with which he became identified at the time of its organ- ization. He erected on his farm a large and attractive residence and at the time of its building it was one of the best in the county. It was known for its generous hospitality and in the same special attention was paid to the entertaining of the clergy of the Presbyterian church, both Mr. Robnett and his wife having been zealous members of the Whitecloud Presbyterian church, in which he served as elder. His political allegiance was given to the Democratic party, but he never manifested any desire for the honors or emoluments of public office. He gave support to measures and enterprises advanced for the general good of the community and stood exponent of the best type of citizenship. He continued to reside on his farm until his death, which occurred in 1907, and he was seventy-four years of age when he thus passed away, "in the fulness of years and well-earned honors." His funeral services

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were conducted by Rev. John Kerr, who had been his intimate and valued friend and who has formerly been pastor of the Whitecloud Presbyterian church. After the death of his first wife Mr. Robnett wedded Mrs. Jennie (Overton) James, and she preceded him to the life eternal by about one year, no children having been born of this union. Twelve children were born of the first marriage, and of the number eight attained to years of maturity. Concerning them the following brief record is given :

Pleasant removed to Texas and became one of the prosperous farmers and stock-growers of that state, where he still maintains his residence; William Frazier remains on the old homestead farm; John, who likewise was a successful farmer of Callaway county, died at the age of thirty-five years and was survived by his wife and three children; Thomas is the immediate subject of this review; Alice is the wife of Robert Finley, a farmer of Callaway county; Jennie, who became the wife of David Hamilton, died when a young woman; Nettie is the wife of .Harvey Dunham and they reside near Nevada, Vernon county, this state; and Altha is the wife of Rev. Samuel Shiffler, who is a clergy- man of the Presbyterian church, and they now maintain their home in the state of California.

Thomas Robnett, whose name initiates this article, remained at the parental home until the time of his marriage, and through practical experience he early gained effective knowledge of the manifold details of the agricultural and live-stock industries. In the meanwhile he duly availed himself of the advantages of the local public schools, after which he continued his studies in the Missouri State Normal School at Kirks- ville and the Kirksville Mercantile College, in which latter institution he was graduated.

On the 23d of November, 1898, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Robnett to Miss Lottie Eckley, who was born on the homestead farm of her father, near Stephens, this county, and who is a daughter of John and America (Oldham) Eckley, who still reside in this county, to which they came from Kentucky as a young couple, nearly half a cen- tury ago. Mr. Eckley has long been numbered among the representa- tive farmers of Callaway county, and both he and his wife enjoy the high esteem of all who know them. Mrs. Robnett received excellent educa- tional advantages, and is a specially talented musician. In addition to her ability as a pianist she has composed and published a waltz and has otherwise shown fine appreciation of musical technique and form. Mr. and Mrs. Robnett have a winsome little daughter, Helen Rose, and the at- tractive family home is a center of gracious and refined hospitality.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Robnett established his residence upon his present farm, which comprises one hundred and sixty acres and which was originally owned by John McKim, one of the sterling pioneers of the county. He is one of the progressive and enterprising agriculturists and stock-growers of the county which has ever been his home, and has given special attention to the feeding of mules, of which he handles each year an average of about one hundred and fifty head. He also raises other live stock of high grade, and has made successful exhibitions of stock at county fairs. He is a stockholder in the Stephens Bank, is a Democrat in his political allegiance and holds membership in the Presbyterian church, his wife being a member of the Christian church.

Mr. Robnett takes a lively interest in all that tends to foster the ma- terial and civic welfare of his native county, and as a citizen he is essen- tially liberal and public-spirited, the while both he and his wife have a circle of friends that is coincident with that of their acquaintances.

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JOHN FLEENER is an ante-bellum resident of Lincoln county and has been a member of the community of Louisville since early childhood. As a carpenter and farmer he gave the strong and vigorous years of his life to this locality, and as a youth and young man divided his time with amusement and fun-making as a ventriloquist and with the magic of legerdemain. Hampered by the weight of years, and incapacitated for other cares than the light work of a small farm, he is living prac- tically retired, having passed the scriptural three-score and ten years. John Fleener was born in Monroe county, Indiana, September 25, 1840. His father, Nicholas Fleener, settled there as a young man and began his life as a Hoosier, perhaps with the admission of the state into the Union of commonwealths. He was born in Virginia in 1791 and opened his career as a citizen with a career as a soldier. He joined General Harrison's troops for operation against old Tecumseh, in Indiana, in 1811, and fought the famous battle of Tippecanoe. He was an officer of his company of cavalry, and was wounded seriously and had his horse killed at the same time, and lay in a branch without other attention than he could give himself by applying mud to his wound and by eat- ing the flesh from the hams of his dead mount until he was finally picked up by his comrades. The sword with which he defended himself at close quarters is now the property of his son at Louisville, and he con- tinued to use it as a soldier against the British in the War of 1812.

Nicholas Fleener came to Missouri from Indiana in 1851, giving himself up to farming in the vicinity of Louisville, where his death occurred. He was married in Monroe county, Indiana, to Nancy John- son, who died in 1884, at the age of eighty-three years, and they became the parents of twelve sons and three daughters, as follows : Milton, Jack . and Fred, who died in Brown county, Indiana, the last two being veterans of the Mexican war; James, who passed away in Texas; Daniel, who died near Louisville, Missouri; George, who died near Elsberry, Mis- souri; William, who was a resident of Nashville, Tennessee, where he died; Nicholas, who met a violent death in Illinois; Isaac, who died at Martinsville, Indiana; Alexander, who died in the same state; John, of this review; Sallie, who married Thomas Henderson and died in Chilli- cothe, Missouri; Polly, who resides in Brown county, Indiana, the wife of George Brock; and Martha, who married Lloyd Worthington, and died at Ashley, Missouri.

John Fleener reached man's estate with only an elementary educa- tion gained from the district school. He took part in the active field work of the war period as a Confederate and, without entering into details, he was here and there and yon in the service as he did what he could for the defeat of the Federal cause and to implant the banner of the south as a new national ensign. He found himself in Indiana at the close of the war, and accepted its results with regret and returned to his Missouri home to take up civil pursuits. Having developed the power of ventriloquism as a boy while practicing upon his plow-horse in the field, in an effort to increase her speed by throwing his voice under her, he attracted the attention of some professional men of the art, and subsequently joined them in giving country entertainments in ventriloquism and sleight-of-hand. This business he also became profi- cient in and for several years, and before his marriage, toured Missouri localities near by, giving shows in churches and school houses to the satisfaction and pleasure of whole communities.

Abandoning his life of play when he became the head of a family, Mr. Fleener settled down to the monotony of mechanics as a house- builder, and for several years remained a fellow-draftsman of the car- penter's art, doing work over an area tributary to Louisville, and at

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the same time carrying on the duties of a farmer. He owned a tract of land lying against the little old village of Louisville, which, even now, has attained scarce more than urban importance, and as the encroach- ments of age sapped him of his accustomed agility and physical elasticity, he felt impelled to abandon his trade and to concentrate his entire atten- tion in agricultural matters.

On September 14, 1873, Mr. Fleener was married (first) to Miss Drusilla Murphy, daughter of James and Mary (Pennington) Murphy, farming people who came to Missouri. Mrs. Flecner died in 1890, hav- ing been the mother of the following children: Nora, who married Joseph Burbridge and resides at Vandalia, Missouri; Ella, who mar- ried Will Crump, and resides at Jonesburg, Missouri; Donia, who is Mrs. Samuel Young, of Lincoln county, Missouri; Eva, who married Glenn Baldwin, a resident of Alabama; Effie, twin sister of Eva, resides with their father; John S., who is a resident of Jonesburg, Missouri, and married Miss Palmer; and George Elmer, who resides at Louisville, Missouri. For his second wife, Mr. Fleener married Margaret Skinner, a daughter of Elder Skinner, and to this union there was born only one child, a son : William.

Mr. Fleener is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is allied in influence and practice with the Christian church. During a long and active career, he has had many interesting adventures and experi- ences, and has always been known as a man of versatile talents and abil- ities. As one who has led an honorable and useful life, he is fully entitled to the respect and esteem which are universally accorded him.

THOMAS RILEY, an agriculturist of Hurricane township, who man- ages an extensive property, represents a family that was established in Lincoln county during the latter half of the preceding century. This family had for its founder a son of Erin's Isle named James Riley. Of this man, who became the father of our subject, an extensive account will be of interest.

James Riley was born in county West Meath, Ireland, on one of the farms, which, frugally managed, often provide the support for large families. But knowing of the richer lands and broader opportunities of the transatlantic countries, six members of that family came to the western continent. One of these was James and the other five were sisters of his. On arriving in the United States, they distributed them- selves variously throughout its different sections. Three of the sisters are now deceased; one of them passed her life in New Orleans; one, Mrs. A. H. Pringle, still lives, her residence being in Forth Worth, Texas. The only male member of this emigrating group had come to America with but slight education. But he found himself in a land where practical knowledge is easily gained and carefulness, industry and integrity are not without their due reward. For some years James Riley spent his time in "running the river," being employed on boats plying the Mississippi, Missouri and Red rivers. At this work, how- ever, he gained more experience than money. He presently abandoned it to establish a rural home and practice the definitely productive voca- tion of agriculture. In time he drifted into Lincoln county, settled in the vicinity of New Hope and later acquired the farm which is still the property of his family. He was married in St. Louis in 1858, to Miss Bridget Costello, who also had been born in Ireland. To Mr. and Mrs. Riley was born on January 2, 1860, the son, Thomas, to whom this sketch is dedicated. The home farm of this family was always a well- conducted one, orderly and systematic in every particular. It is said of "Jim" Riley that he had order in his makeup and that it crept into

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everything he touched. In the neat and attractive atmosphere of the place his shadow seems to linger still. From political conflicts he kept ever aloof, even having avoided military service at a time when that might have seemed a natural line of activity for a man of James Riley's energetic personality. Peaceful and industrious, he gave to his com- munity more than he took from it. On March 2, 1900, he passed from this life, leaving a widow and the son whose name stands at the head of this article.

In the rustic environs where the family home was and is located, Thomas Riley was reared to the clean ideals and simple, practical virtues that characterize both rural Ireland and rural America. In the Mill- creek school he gathered the intellectual material for his life's activities. For a few years he followed in his father's footsteps as an agriculturist. Then his desire for independent work of a different kind led him to enter a mercantile business. From 1892 to 1894 he conducted a general store with considerable success. He then made a change of location, continuing the same business, in Eolia, where he sold goods for four years. All this commercial experience was of great value to Mr. Riley, who nevertheless felt, as had his father before him, the call of the farm. He returned to the paternal homestead-a property of 580 acres belong- ing to Mrs. Bridget Riley, Mr. Riley's mother. His excellent manage- ment of this farm, his profitable raising of live stock, including cattle, hogs and sheep, all demonstrate his ability as similar to that of his late father.

Mr. Riley's family consists of his wife and three children. His mar- riage occurred in 1888, at which time Miss Cornelia Blakely, a daughter of Samuel and Susan Blakely, became his wife. Mrs. Riley, the year of whose birth was 1858, was one of seven children. The years of her marriage with Mr. Riley have brought them three children, to whom have been given, respectively, the names of Hortense, John and Euleta.

Thomas Riley, whose attitude toward politics is similar to that which was held by his honored father, refrains from political performance of all kinds except the universal duty of casting his ballot according to the dictates of conscience and reason. His life is that of the worthy private citizen, who lives in accordance with the principles which make for the best civilization and most valuable results from an unpretentious and industrious life as an American agriculturist.

JUDGE CHARLES C. TURNER. Among the very old families of Boone county, Missouri, the Turner family holds a high prestige due not only to the length of time it has been established there but also for the prom- inence which some of its members have attained both in business and public life. Judge Charles C. Turner, of Brown's Station, Mis- souri, is a representative of this prominent pioneer family and in con- nection with a brief sketch of his life mention will herein be made of the early history of the family in Boone county.

About 1830, or possibly earlier, William, Smith, Thomas and Ben- jamin Turner came to Missouri from Madison county, in that section of Kentucky where Daniel Boone, the famous hunter and explorer, signal- ized himself by his many daring exploits against the Indians. Smith and William were the elder and were half-brothers of Thomas and Ben- jamin. They all settled in Boone county and within four miles of each other, William, Thomas and Benjamin all locating in Rocky Fork town- ship about ten or twelve miles north of Columbia, while Smith selected a farm farther west in the northwest part of Columbia township. All of them spent the remainder of their lives in Boone county. William reached the age of ninety-nine and died some twenty-five or thirty years

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ago surviving all of his three brothers. His daughter Polly, who first married a Mr. Hart and later became the wife of a Mr.' Powell, also lived to the remarkable age of ninety-nine years, and her daughter Fanny, still living (1912), has now attained the age of eighty. Thomas, who died at the age of sixty-one and was the father of Judge Charles C. Turner, was twice married. His first wife, whom he wedded in Ken- tucky, was Margaret Denham, a sister of Samuel Denham, Sr., now deceased, who lived west of Columbia. Of the children born to this union, seven reached maturity and but one is now living (1912), Mr. Hocket Turner, of Centralia, the youngest of the family and now aged seventy-seven years. The second marriage of Thomas Turner united him to Mrs. Maria Dysart, nee Cowan, whose marriage to Mr. Dysart had taken place in Kentucky prior to their removal to Missouri. Four of the issue of this second union reached maturity, namely : Cyrus, who died at the age of thirty; Charles C., our subject; A. C. and L. S., the latter a mason at Hallsville, aged respectively sixty-nine, sixty-seven and sixty years, all of whom are still living. Thomas Turner, the father, acquired considerable land in Boone county, owning several hundred acres all in one body and all of his choice. Besides general farming he was extensively engaged in buying and shipping mules to the south. He built a fine two-story hewed log house with large rooms, which at that time was considered one of the pretentious and leading homes of the county. Each of his brothers also became prominent and prosperous men and were slave holders prior to the war. They were all members of the Regular Baptist church and William, who was especially well versed in the scripture and in the creed of his denomination, was ever ready for an argument on biblical questions. Thomas was clerk of the Gilead Baptist church and his home was the stopping place of the min- isters and other church people. As was a prevailing custom of that day, each of the brothers kept liquor in his home but none was ever accused of intoxication. So customary was its use that it frequently appeared on the table even when the ministers were present, the quality and purity of the liquor of that day, however, offering an explanation as to its lack of harmful results as compared with the conditions of the pres- ent day.

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A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2, Part 30

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864- , ed Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 912

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864- , ed
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 912