USA > Missouri > A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2 > Part 69
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At the age of twenty-seven years Dr. Wright was united in mar- riage to Miss Caroline Shaffroth, who was born and reared in Howard county and who completed her education in Howard Payne College, at Fayette. She was a woman of most winning personality, was a devoted wife and mother and was a most gracious chatelaine of the home over which she presided. She was a sister of Hon. John T. Shaffroth. a former governor of the state of Colorado, and now a senator from the same state, and was a member of one of the well-known pioneer families of Howard county. She was summoned to eternal rest in 1889, and was survived by five children, concerning whom the following brief data are given : Uriah S., Jr., was graduated in the Kansas City Med- ical College and is now engaged in the successful practice of his pro- fession in Kansas City; Anna L., who was a successful and popular teacher in the public schools is now a principal of the public school at Bozeman, Montana; Nannie Louisa, principal of the musical depart- ment in Howard Payne College at Fayette; John, who is a veterinary surgeon by profession, is engaged in practice at Salisbury, Chariton county ; and Caroline is a successful and popular teacher in private schools of Howard county, this state, holding diploma from Central Col- lege and Howard Payne College. In 1890 was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Wright to Miss Willie S. Swinney, who has proved a devoted help- meet and who is a popular factor in the church and social activities of her home city. She was born at Bedford, Virginia, and is a daughter of the late John Swinney, a well-known citizen of Bedford, Virginia. Of the second marriage have been born three sons, and these fine young- sters give life and brightness to the family circle, their names being here entered in respective order of birth,-Frank W., Benjamin G., and Robert Swinney.
Enjoying the gracious associations of an ideal home and surrounded by a host of friends who are tried and true, Dr. Wright, who still remains "in the harness" and finds pleasure in his professional labors, may well felicitate himself that his "lines are cast in pleasant places" and that he has not been denied a recompense for his many years of earnest and arduous endeavor as a true friend of humanity.
ALBERT L. KIRBY. The life of every public man possesses interest to his fellow-citizens, particularly if his abilities have elevated him to honorable office in which he has displayed honest effort and fidelity in the performance of its responsibilities. Pre-eminently is this true when the official is a native-born citizen of the county he serves, and espe- cially is interest excited when the subject is so well known and honored a man as Albert L. Kirby, circuit clerk of Howard county. Whatever success has come to Mr. Kirby has been gained through the medium of his own efforts, for his youth was filled with earnest endeavor and con- stant study, and the determination which has marked his entire career has culminated in the securing of a high official position and a place of prominence among his fellowcitizens. Mr. Kirby was born in Howard county, Missouri, January 21, 1863, and belongs to an old and honored family of this section. His grandfather, John Kirby, was a native of Kentucky, and some time after marriage migrated to How- ard county and settled on a farm, on which Jesse Kirby, the father of
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Albert L., and also a native of the Corncracker State, grew to manhood. Jesse Kirby married Elizabeth Brashear, and they had a family of eight sons and four daughters, of whom three children survive, namely: C. W., who lives in Armstrong, Missouri; Albert L .; and N. F., also a resident of Howard county.
Albert L. Kirby, the youngest of the twelve children, was reared to the life of an agriculturist, and was engaged in tilling the soil until after his marriage. In his youth he received only ordinary educational advantages, but it was his ambition to enter upon a professional career, and with this in view studied assiduously at home. Thus he was quali- fied to become a school teacher, and in 1887 was given his first school, which was located in his home district, and there he spent the next seven years in instructing the youths placed in his charge. Following this he taught in Randolph county for one year, and also taught two terms in Armstrong, and became widely known as an educator, and a general favorite with pupils and parents. In 1899 Mr. Kirby was chosen as representative of his district to the fortieth general as- sembly, and was reelected to the same position when his first term ex- pired, and was known as one of the working members of that distin- guished body. His eminent services in the legislature caused his name to be mentioned favorably, in 1910, as a candidate for the office of circuit clerk and recorder, and he was subsequently nominated and elected, having served eight years as department circuit clerk before this. Here he has shown the same faithful and conscientious regard for the duties of his office, and is known as one of Howard county's most efficient and popular officials. Mr. Kirby is a man of sound judg- ment and well-balanced views, and regards his office as a sacred trust, and for this reason, and others, he holds the unqualified esteem of his fellow citizens, among whom he numbers many warm friends. He holds membership in the local lodges of the Masons and the Knights of Pythias, and takes a keen interest in the work of these fraternal orders.
In 1883 Mr. Kirby was united in marriage with Miss Rose Rimer, a highly educated lady of refinement and social graces, daughter of Maj. Thomas Rimer, a prominent agriculturist of Knox county, Mis- souri, who is still living at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby have had three children : Albert Rimer, who is a student in the Fayette high school; and Elizabeth and Charles B., who attend the graded schools of this city. The family is affiliated with the Baptist church, and Mr. Kirby is known as a supporter of all measures calcu- lated to advance the cause of education, progress, religion and good citizenship.
WILLARD SMITH. The duties of the public administrator include the inventorying of estates, the collection of accounts due, the paying of all debts and the distribution of the remainder of the estate among those entitled to it. The very nature of these duties make it plain that this official, who was elected by the people of the county 1904-1912, a man not only of high ability as a business man, but of the strictest in- tegrity and probity of character, with a knowledge of jurisprudence and some experience as an accountant. For this reason the public ad- ministrators of any community are invariably found to be citizens in whom the public has the greatest confidence, whose careers have been free from stain or blemish and in whose abilities their fellow citizens may trust. No exception to this rule is found in Howard county, Mis- souri, where the public administrator, Willard Smith, has proven him- self eminently capable of meeting every requirement above mentioned.
Willard Smith is a native of Howard county, Missouri, and was born
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June 13, 1867, a son of Judge James Thomas Smith, who served on the bench of Howard county for sixteen years as a probate judge. He was born in Madison county, Kentucky, a son of James Smith, also of the Corncracker State. Judge Smith was a man widely known and highly respected, and when he died, in 1911, at the age of seventy-three years, Northeastern Missouri lost one of its best citizens. He married Josephine Wilcoxson, who was born, reared and educated in Howard county, and she survives him and lives in Fayette, being in excellent health in spite of her advanced years. They had a family of four chil- dren, as follows: Willard, of this article; G. W., residing in Fayette; Dr. N. E., engaged in the practice of medicine in Fayette; and Miss Nellie H. The parents were members of the Christian church, and the children were reared in that faith.
Willard Smith was reared to manhood in Fayette, and was given the advantages of an excellent education, first attending the public schools and later attended Central College. On leaving that institution, he became connected with the banking business as a clerk in the Davis Bank, and was subsequently advanced to the position of bookkeeper, which he held for some years. On severing his connection with that financial concern, Mr. Smith entered the abstract and loan business, and was so engaged in 1904, when he was given the appointment to the office of public administrator of Howard county, in which he has con- tinued to serve with credit to himself and to the best interests of How- ard county to the present time. He is known to be capable and faithful in the discharge of his duties and his continued reelection serve to demonstrate that the business of his office is being properly handled. A courteous and obliging manner has made him one of his county's most popular officials, while among his wide acquaintance in Fayette he numbers many sincere friends.
JOHN FERGUSON. The profession of photography has a skillful rep- resentative in John Ferguson, of Fayette, Missouri, who is a master of its science and art and well understands that efficiency in this, as in every other calling, is the compelling key to success. He himself is the severest critic of the work that passes from his studio and is satisfied only with the best production that it is possible to obtain. With this mention of the character of his workmanship it is scarcely necessary to add that Mr. Ferguson is the leading photographer of Fayette, is prospering and is a citizen of that type that is valued in every com- munity.
Mr. Ferguson was born on a farm in Kentucky in June, 1861, and on both the paternal and maternal sides is a scion of worthy and prominent Kentucky families. Isaac Ferguson, his father, was born in North Carolina and came of Scotch ancestors, he well bearing out in his career the reputation for the integrity and honor which is pro- verbially attributed to the Scotch nationality. When a young man he came to Kentucky and there was married to Mary E. Harrison, a second cousin of President Benjamin Harrison. Later the family removed to Springfield, Missouri, where Isaac Ferguson passed away at the age of seventy-three. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religious faith and church membership a Christian. Mary E. (Harrison) Ferguson is yet living, being now seventy-three years of age, in good health and still a resident of Springfield, Missouri. There were ten children in the elder Ferguson family, five of whom are yet living. John Ferguson is sixth in this family in order of birth. He was about seventeen years of age when his parents removed to Springfield and had received his education in Kentucky. He began to learn photography under the
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direction of an elder brother, George W. Ferguson, a well-known pho- tographer at Springfield, and he devoted himself assiduously and with intelligence to mastering the science and the art. Later he engaged in the business at Springfield for himself, remaining there some eighteen years, or until his removal to Fayette, Missouri, in 1907. A master of the principles of his profession, and with the artist sense and a large capacity for the most careful attention to details, Mr. Ferguson has won the reputation of being one of the best artists in his line in North- eastern Missouri. He has the finest studio in Fayette and his patronage is largely drawn from the students of Central College and Howard Payne College, located there, though people from towns many miles distant also come to Fayette to avail themselves of his superior abilities as a photographer.
On October 15, 1903, at Springfield, Missouri, Mr. Ferguson was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Westmoreland, who was born in. Greene county, Missouri, and was educated at Springfield. She is a daughter of William Westmoreland, of Greene county. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, namely : Mary Alice, who died when sixteen months old; and Nancy Doris and John Hubert. Mr. Ferguson is a Democrat in politics. Fraternally he is associated with the Knights of Pythias, and his religious faith is expressed by member- ship in the Christian denomination.
ROBERT W. PAYNE. Among the first of the thrifty settlers coming to Howard county, Missouri, was Robert J. Payne, the grandfather of Robert W. Payne, of Fayette, vice-president of the Bank of Fayette and one of the well-known and capable financiers of Northeastern Mis- souri. The former's advent to this section dates back nearly a century ago, or to 1818, and he was numbered among the prominent and suc- cessful pioneers of Howard county, the prestige he gave the family name for honor and worthy living being well upheld by his grandson, our subject, as will be seen in the following brief review. Robert J. Payne, mentioned above, was a Kentuckian by birth and was a farmer and stockman in business activity. Coming to Howard county, Mis- souri, in 1818, he was one of the earliest and one of the prominent makers of history in this section and became well known throughout Northeastern Missouri. He was a large slave owner and quite success- ful in a business way. He was a man of splendid physique, being over six feet tall and of pleasing proportions. He died at the age of thirty- seven years, passing away much esteemed by all who knew him. He and his wife were the parents of six sons, one of the sons being Richard J. Payne, the father of Robert W., of this sketch. Richard J. Payne was born in Howard county, Missouri. He was married to Lenora Ben- son, a daughter of Ezekiel Benson, who also was a Kentuckian. The wife and mother died when her son Robert W. was but six weeks old and left a family of three sons and two daughters. Of these, the two dauglı- ters, Maria and Laura, died young; the sons are William, an agri- culturist in Howard county, this state; Robert W., whose name in- troduces this sketch, and Dr. T. J. Payne, of Fayette, Missouri. Rich- ard J. Payne, the father, attained definite success as a farmer, and passed to rest at the age of sixty-seven. Dr. T. J. Payne, the second son, a prominent physician and business man of Fayette, received a good education and was graduated in medicine at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1888.
Robert W. Payne was born on a farm in Howard county, Missouri, on March 20, 1866, was reared to farm pursuits and by precept and example was guided to habits of industry and was taught to be loyal
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to truth, honor and right and to regard his self-respect and the de- served esteem of his fellow men as of the first importance in life. He received both a public school and collegiate education and first entered into business activity in 1888, when he became a member of the drug firm of Payne & Denneny. He continued identified with this business twenty-five years and assisted in conducting the leading and the most popular drug store of Fayette. It was in 1908 that he became vice- president of the Bank of Fayette and he has since continued in that position, being one of the popular officers of the institution. A busi- ness man of splendid ability, he has proved his worth both as a financier and as a citizen and stands high in public estimation at Fayette and throughout Howard county. With his brother, Dr. T. J., he still owns the old homestead settled by his grandfather in the early days.
On October 12, 1892, Mr. Payne was married to Miss Anna Carey, a lady well educated, refined and the daughter of Calvin Carey, a well-known citizen of Cooper county. Mr. and Mrs. Payne have three children, namely : Robert W. Jr., now nineteen years of age; Martha C., and William R. Mr. Payne and his family enjoy one of the beautiful homes in Fayette.
JOHN T. GRAVES. One of the well-known and prominent men of Fayette, Missouri, is Jolin T. Graves, who has won his standing through many years of activity as a tobacco grower and manufacturer in How- ard county and as a merchant in Fayette. He is a native son of Mis- souri, born near Prairieville, Pike county, on July 1, 1843. James Graves, his father, was a Virginian by birth and in an early day came from his native state to Missouri, where he engaged extensively in growing tobacco. He was a son of John Graves, of Virginian birth and Irish lineage, who was a soldier in the Revolution and also partic- ipated with Gen. Andrew Jackson in the battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. The patriot's father was an Irish immigrant to the United States during its latter colonial period and was the original progenitor of the family in this country. James Graves married Eliz- abeth Waugh, who also was born in Old Virginia and was of German descent. They became the parents of two children: Mary, the eldest, now deceased, and John T. Graves of this review. Both parents have long since passed to rest, the father's demise having occurred at the age of seventy-six. Their lives were so ordered as to gain and retain for them the high respect of all who knew them and their home was one of open hospitality and one where kindness and good cheer pre- vailed. They were devout members of the Christian church and con- sistently lived the faith they professed. John T. Graves was brought up on a farm, where in healthful rural life he developed a rugged con- stitution and those traits of character that have made him a strength both as a business man and as a citizen. Like his father, he became a tobacco planter and for a number of years was also successfully en- gaged in its manufacture. In the great issue between the North and the South which led to the Civil war the sympathies of Mr. Graves were with the Confederacy. Enlisting as a soldier under General Price, he saw much active service in Missouri and Arkansas, among the numerous engagements in which he participated being those at Wilson's Creek, Missouri, and Lexington, Missouri. After the conflict had ended he returned to his home in Howard county and in 1869 was joined in marriage to Addie A. Ray, who was born and reared in Howard county. She is a daughter of Thomas Ray, a prominent pio- neer farmer of this county who came here from Kentucky, where he was born June 3, 1807, near Lexington. He participated in the Black
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Hawk war as a member of General Owens' command. He was very successful in his farming operations and at his death in 1882 left a large estate to his children. For years a member and an elder in the Christian church, he helped to build the first Christian church in Howard county, and in this and in other ways left a worthy and enduring impress upon the life of this community. Mrs. Ray, who was Miss Phoebe Johnson prior to her marriage, was a member of a prominent Kentucky family and one of her brothers became one of the leading bankers of New York City. She passed away in 1862. There were two children in the Ray family: Thomas Ray, Jr., who died in 1892, and Addie A., the wife of Mr. Graves. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have two sons: James T. and M. Fisher, both of Fayette, Mis- souri. Mr. Graves has traveled much in the South and West and through his business connections has become well known in both sec- tions. He has a good physique, a soldier's carriage yet unbent by his years, and his open, frank and genial ways make him a pleasant as- sociate, whether in business or social affairs. Both he and his wife are valued members of the Christian church at Fayette.
J. H. BUTLER. One of the best known and most popular stores in Fayette, boasting as large and complete a stock of books, china and glassware as may be found in Northeastern Missouri, is the Arcade, an establishment located on the west side of the square, the proprietor of which, J. H. Butler, has spent his entire business career in this city. A member of an old and honored Howard county family, he early chose mercantile pursuits as his life work, and has no reason to regret his choice, for today he occupies a place of prominence in the business world and in the esteem of Fayette's best citizens. Mr. Butler was born in Howard county, Missouri, November 26, 1867, and is a son of William G. and Sarah (Maddox) Butler, both of whom are deceased.
William G. Butler was born in Tennessee, and came to Howard county, Missouri, in 1842. He served as a soldier during the Mexican war, and when the war between the States broke out, he joined General Price's Confederate forces. In 1877 the family moved to Fayette, and there the parents of Mr. Butler spent their active years in farming, the father passing away at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He was the father of three children, namely: Malinda; Bell; and J. H. Butler.
James H. Butler was reared on the home farm, his early training having the effect of instilling in him an appreciation of the value and dignity of hard work. His education has been secured in the public schools, and during his business career he has developed such a won- derful memory, that every article in his extensive stock is tabulated and has a place in his brain. The first floor of his establishment is stocked with a full line of novels by the most popular authors, and an excellent assortment of china and glassware. On the second floor is located a modern candy factory, where all kinds of pure sweets are manufactured in a cleanly manner and under sanitary conditions. A genial, courteous man, at all times anxious to please his customers and to give them a square deal, Mr. Butler is popular with the buying public and the Arcade is well known throughout Fayette.
Mr. Butler was married October 1, 1901, to Miss Minnie Zimmer, who was born, reared and educated in Fayette, daughter of John Zimmer, who served in the Union army during the Civil war, and is now deceased. Mrs. Butler's mother still survives and makes her home in Fayette. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have had five children: Sarah
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Elizabeth, Frances Rebecca, Malinda Lucille, Minnie Estelle and James H., Jr.
The building in which the Arcade is situated is a structure two stories in height, 21x100 feet, and modern material and architecture, well adapted to the needs of the business to which it is devoted. The goods are displayed and handled in a manner that would do credit to a large city establishment, and its proprietor is possessed of modern ideas and uses modern methods, adding thus to the commercial impor- tance of his adopted city. He has been as good a citizen as a business man and has assisted other earnest and hard-working citizens in their efforts to secure greater advantages for their community and its people.
WALTER RIDGWAY. The newspaper profession in Northeastern Mis- souri has an able and popular representative in the person of Mr. Ridgway, who is editor and publisher of the Howard County Adver- tiser, which is issued at Fayette, the judicial center of the county, on Thursday of each week and which, under his regime, is an effective vehicle for the exposition of local interests and the furtherance of the cause of clean and judicious political policies. Mr. Ridgway has had wide and varied experience in the field of practical journalism and is known as a strong and cogent editorial writer of broad views and distinctive public spirit. The paper of which he is now the owner is one of the oldest and most popular in this section of the state, as its history covers a period of nearly three-fourths of a century, and under his administration its standard is maintained on a high plane. He is a man of fine intellectuality and prior to entering the newspaper field he had been a successful and popular teacher in the public schools. He is deeply concerned in all that touches the welfare of his home city and county, and his paper is an admirable advocate of progressive policies along civic and industrial lines.
Mr. Ridgway was born on a farm in Prairie township, Randolph county, Missouri, and the date of his nativity was April 27, 1879. His father, the late John J. Ridgway, was born in Boone county, this state, but was reared to manhood in Randolph county, where he became a prosperous agriculturist and stock-grower and a citizen of prominence and influence in his community. He lived on his old homestead farm for half a century and was seventy-six years of age at the time of his death. His course was ever guided and governed by the highest prin- ciples of integrity and honor and he held secure vantage ground in the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He was a member of the Fairview Christian church for fifty-seven years and served many years as an elder in the same. His loved and devoted wife, a woman of most gracious personality, was likewise a zealous worker in this church, and she was held in affectionate regard by all who came within the sphere of her gentle influence. John J. Ridgway was a son of Enoch Ridgway, who was born in North Carolina, whence he removed to Virginia, from which latter state he went to Kentucky, where he maintained his home until 1818, when he came to Missouri and num- bered himself among the early settlers of Howard county, whence he later removed to Boone county, where he passed the residue of his life. At the time when he established his home in Northeastern Mis- souri this section was virtually on the very frontier of civilization, and he contributed his quota to its development and progress, as one of the strong and honored pioneers whose names merit enduring place on the roll of those who laid the foundation for the opulent prosperity of the present day. John J. Ridgway, as a young man, wedded Miss Mary Ann White, who was born and reared in Boone county, this Vol. III-30
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