A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2, Part 78

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

USA > Missouri > A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2 > Part 78

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).

1808

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

JAMES M. BURTON. A highly esteemed resident of Huntsville, Mis- souri, whose career as agriculturist, public-hearted citizen and incum- bent of public offices has reflected credit upon himself and his com- munity, is James M. Burton, who has lived in Huntsville all of his life, with the exception of several short periods, and who devoted the greater part of his active career to agricultural pursuits, although in his younger days he was a school-teacher. Mr. Burton was born at Hunts- ville, Randolph county, Missouri, February 26, 1836, and is a son of Samuel L. and Frances L. (Dameron) Burton. His grandfather, Fran- cis Love Burton, was for many years a slaveholder and plantation owner in North Carolina, but his death occurred in Randolph county, Missouri. Samuel L. Burton was born in the Tar Heel State, in 1812, and was six- teen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Missouri in 1828, and here he cultivated his Randolph county lands with slave labor prior to the Civil war. His death occurred June 1, 1888, while his wife passed away in 1862, and they had a family as follows : James M .; Abraham F., of Randolph county; William, who met his death during the Civil war; Elizabeth, the wife of B. S. Dorr, of Cedar county, Missouri; Martha M., wife of Thomas Mayo, of Randolph county ; Thomas S., of Portland, Oregon; and Cassie and Sarah Nancy, both deceased.

James M. Burton received a public. school education, and remained on the home farm until he was nineteen years of age, at which time he started on horse-back for Texas. Subsequently, he returned to Ran -. dolph county after a short stay in Louisiana, and took up school teach- ing, a profession which he followed with a fair measure of success for ten years. During this time, Mr. Burton carefully saved his earnings, until he was able to invest in sixty acres of land, but this he later sold to purchase one hundred and sixteen acres, on which he resided for about twelve years. He then bought his present property, a finely-cultivated tract of two hundred and sixty acres, situated in township 53, range 14, sections 3 and 4, and here he has since carried on farming and stock raising. He is known as an excellent farmer, a good judge of stock, and a friend of progress and advancement along all lines. His property reflects credit upon his management, and each year grows more valu- able. During the Civil war, Mr. Burton attempted to enlist in the volunteer service of the Confederate army, but owing to defective eye- sight was refused, and consequently returned to the vocations of peace.

When he was but nineteen years of age, Mr. Burton was married to Miss Annie E. Cockrell, who was but sixteen years old, and they became the parents of the following children : Thomas J., superintendent of the county farm at Huntsville : Fannie J., deceased, who was the wife of John Jennings; Quantrell, residing in Kansas City, Missouri; Ella D., wife of S. J. Maloney, of Kansas City ; Ollie E., wife of William J. Grif- fith, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; John A., residing in Oklahoma; Minnie and Nora C., who are deceased; Mary L., wife of Virgil West- lake, of Randolph county ; and Annie M., who married C. F. Wright.

In political matters a Democrat, Mr. Burton has been deputy sheriff of his county, and has also served four-year terms as collector and asses- sor. Fraternally, he is a Mason, and he and his family are affiliated with the Methodist church, South.

L. E. PATTON. Many of the more progressive farmers of Northeast- ern Missouri are specializing along certain distinct lines, finding that they thus attain better results than if they followed the regular routine. This is an age of specializing, which is being followed in the professions and business, and the far-seeing farmer, ever ready to grasp a new idea that will benefit his interests, has not been slow to adopt the new system.

1809

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

L. E. Patton, who is carrying on extensive operations in Randolph county, where he owns a handsomely-cultivated farm of one hundred and sixty acres, has made a specialty of breeding thoroughbred live stock. He was born in Washington county, Arkansas, December 23, 1870, on the farm of his father, W. E. Patton, a native of Missouri, who is now de- ceased. His mother, who survives, is now a resident of Moberly.

The only child of his parents, L. E. Patton attended the district schools of Washington county, following which he became a pupil in a business college, and after his graduation therefrom returned to the home farm. He remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age, thoroughly learning every detail of his chosen vocation, and then started out in life for himself, renting a farm in his native county for several years. Subsequently he purchased the property on which he is now carrying on operations, a tract of one hundred and sixty acres located in Randolph county, each year finding him making extended improvements. Some years ago. he became interested in stock raising, and this has gradually taken more and more of his time, until he now makes this his chief line of work. All that he possesses he has earned, and he fully deserves the success which he has attained, for he has never neglected a duty nor wasted his substance or time. He is a Democrat in his political views, but outside of acting in the capacity of school direc- tor has never cared for public office, although he is interested in the advancement of his locality, and takes a pride in the improvements that have been made since he was a youth. His fraternal connection is with the Masonic Lodge No. 51, at Milton, in which he has numerous friends.

Mr. Patton was married in 1895 to Miss Susan Snell, who was born in Monroe county, Missouri, and is a daughter of E. P. and Mary (Mc- Can) Snell, natives of this state, the latter of whom is now deceased. Mrs. Patton received excellent educational advantages, attending the public schools of Monroe county and Kirksville (Missouri) College, fol- lowing which she was engaged in teaching school for a period of eight or nine years. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Patton: W. E. Guy, July 10, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Patton are consistent members of the Christian church, at Moberly, their home being situated on Moberly Rural Free Delivery Route No. 3.

ABRAHAM VINCE. In naming the representative citizens of any community, the biographer invariably finds that among the most suc- cessful are found men who started out in life with little capital save industry, ability and a determination to succeed, and who have attained prestige and position through the medium of their own efforts. North- eastern Missouri has numerous examples of the self-made man, success- ful not only because of the achievement of independent fortunes, but because of success aside from material things, in the estimation of his fellow men and in the friendship of those who know him. In this class undoubtedly stands "Abe" Vince, of Moberly Free Delivery Route No. 3, who needs no introduction to the citizens of Randolph county on ac- count of a residence here of more than sixty-five years. Mr. Vince was born on the old Joseph Vince farm in Union township, August 21, 1847, and is a son of Joseph and Katherine Vince, natives of Kentucky. The parents of Mr. Vince left the Blue Grass State for Missouri at an early day, becoming pioneer settlers of Randolph county, where they devoted their energies to agricultural pursuits during the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of a family of eleven children, of whom all but four are living at this time.

Abraham Vince received the advantages afforded by the common schools of Randolph county during his boyhood, and even as a youth

1810

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

showed himself to be steady, industrious and enterprising, his early years being spent in working for his father and thoroughly learning the business of farming. On attaining his majority he purchased a part of the John Vince old homestead, which he immediately began to cultivate, and during the years that followed, he added to his property tract by tract, putting each under cultivation as soon as it was acquired, until he now has a magnificent property of four hundred and forty-five and three- quarters acres, all located in Randolph county. On this property is located Mr. Vince's own residence, a fine modern structure, one tenant house, with substantial barns and well-built out buildings, and here, in addition to general farming, he has made a specialty of raising thorough- bred cattle and mules. His ventures have all been uniformly success- ful and have been conducted along legitimate lines, his integrity and probity in business transactions being unquestioned. Politically a Democrat, he has served his township efficiently in the capacities of road commissioner and school director. He is not connected with any fra- ternal body, but has held membership with the First Baptist church at Moberly since 1868 and has been a deacon therein many years. He is a supporter of all movements that tend to advance the cause of morality and good citizenship.

In 1873 Mr. Vince was united in marriage with Miss Melissa Chris- man, also a native of Randolph county, Missouri, and a daughter of Silas Chrisman, who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Vince have had no chil- dren of their own, but reared a daughter, Ruby Howsert, to whom they gave the advantages of an excellent education. She still makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Vince.

REV. WILLIAM B. ANDERSON, deceased, for a number of years an earnest and able representative of the Christian ministry in Missouri, also as a teacher evinced a further interest in the moral values of life and gave of his best talents and energies to advance the cause of education. His endeavors in both of these fields of usefulness and his Christian character and educational acquirements had made him widely esteemed among those with whom he had associated in life and when death called him from the scene of his earthly labors on September 9, 1903 there was closed the life of one of this state's honored pioneers and one of Randolph county's most upright and respected citizens.

Rev. Anderson was a Kentuckian by birth, born in Christian county on February 11, 1824 to Robert and Martha (Lowery) Anderson, both of whom were natives of Virginia. The father also was an educator, an instructor of the unfortunate deaf mute. After completing his educa- tion in Bethany College in Virginia Rev. Anderson came to Missouri at the age of twenty and first located in Carroll county but later became a resident of Randolph county, where the greater part of his life was spent in the manner mentioned above. In political views he was a Democrat and his religious tenets were those of the Christian denomination.

On November 3, 1850 he was joined in marriage to Euphemia, daugh- ter of Kirtley and Sally (Mckinney) Collins, who were pioneers of Randolph county. Kirtley Collins was born in Old Virginia and Sally McKinney was a native daughter of Kentucky. The latter's father, Abraham MeKinney, in an early day came to Randolph county, Mis- souri, then known as Howard county, and entered a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres near Huntsville on which Mrs. Anderson now resides. Rev. and Mrs. Anderson, who after the grandfather's death rented this property from the grandmother for some time, at her death bought the interests of seven other heirs and thereafter made it their home. Instead of the log cabin of former days a fine brick residence

1811

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

erected by Mrs. Anderson now adorns the place and makes it one of the attractive homesteads of Randolph county.

Six children came to the union of Rev. and Mrs. Anderson, four of whom have joined the father in death. In order of birth they were : Robert, deceased, born August 25, 1851; Francis P. and Calden M., both deceased ; Frank, now a resident of Randolph county; Sally, who resides with her mother; and William, deceased. Mrs. Anderson has now sur- passed the years of her husband and in a serene and beautiful old age is passing her closing years amid the scenes with which she has been familiar from childhood and among loved ones and friends to whom she is endeared by the personal qualities of her character and by the ties of long association. No history of this section would be complete without the mention of this worthy pioneer family.

JOHN ENGLE. Most successful men in the business world are those who have risen to the top through hard work and conscientious appli- cation to the duties given them to perform. The ability to recognize, grasp and master situations spells success, and this is forcibly demon- strated in the career of John Engle, proprietor of a mercantile establish- ment at Milton, Missouri, who, born poor, belonged to that class of young Americans whose every faculty must be excited to achieve distinction through the stimulating friction of battling with difficulties and ob- stacles. He has taken an active part in shaping public sentiment when the welfare of his community has been at stake, and may well be said to be representative of its best type of citizenship. John Engle was born April 10, 1842, in Monroe county, Missouri, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Woolf) Engle, natives of Germany. They left the Father- land in 1836 and emigrated to the United States, settling in Monroe county. Missouri, on a farm, where both spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of seven children, of whom but two survive.

John Engle received his education in the district schools of Monroe county, and remained at home assisting his father until he was twenty- two years of age, at which time he enlisted for service in the Confed- erate army under General Price, continuing to fight with that command until the close of the Civil war. Returning home at that time, he con- tinued to work on the farm until he was twenty-six years of age, and then embarked as an agriculturist on his own account, renting a farm for some years and carefully saving his earnings until he was able to pur- chase a tract of land in Monroe county. There he resided for some- thing more than twenty years, skillfully tilling the soil in a manner which brought him handsome profits, and when he was ready to give up farming, came to Milton and engaged in the mercantile business, to which he has devoted his attention to the present time. Like his other ventures this business has proved successful, and adds materially to the commercial importance of Milton. A stalwart Democrat in his politi- cal belief, Mr. Engle has served as justice of the peace for some time, and his interest in the cause of education has been the cause of his election to the office of school director for many years.

In 1867 Mr. Engle was married to Miss Jennie Quisenberry, who was born in Kentucky, a daughter of Jackson and Betty (Baker) Quisen- berry, natives of the Blue Grass State. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Engle, as follows: Mary L., who is the wife of R. R. Hall ; C. B .; Henry D .; F. M .; Thomas; John; Clara, who is the wife of E. Huston ; Hubert, and Lila. Mr. Engle is a member of the Presby- terian church, while his wife affiliated with the Christian denomination. Both have many friends in Milton and are numbered among its most highly esteemed residents.

1812

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

THOMAS OWEN THORNBURG, lately deceased, was the owner of one of the fine farms of Randolph county, Missouri, of which county he was a native son and where throughout his lifetime he was well known as an intelligent, industrious and enterprising farmer and as a citizen of ster- ling qualities.

Born in Randolph county, Missouri, on January 9, 1858, to James and Sally (Kimbrough) Thornburg, the death of his mother in 1875 and of his father in 1876 threw heavy responsibilities upon his shoulders while he was yet in his teens, but these he manfully assumed as the eldest son of the family and for a number of years maintained on the parental estate a home for a younger sister and brother. Further mention of the par- ents and of the other members of the family will be found in the sketch of George Thornburg, his brother, which appears on other pages of this work. Mr. Thornburg was a farmer all of his life and gave his attention to the general lines of agriculture and to stock-raising. Prosperity had rewarded his years of effort and at his death on December 13, 1911, he left to his wife and children an estate of three hundred and forty-five acres in this county, but better still he left to them the memory of a good husband and father whose life was an exemplar of useful and worthy living.

On December 22, 1881, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Thorn- burg and Miss Anna Stewart, a daughter of James and Mary (Walden) Stewart. The father of Mrs. Thornburg was a native of Kentucky and came to Monroe county, Missouri, at an early day as a small boy but later in life removed to Randolph county, where for many years he followed farming. He had practically retired, however, at the time of his death, which occurred at Palmyra, Missouri, on December 20, 1906. The mother, Mary Walden Stewart, was a native of Missouri and passed to the life beyond on April 9, 1878. Six children were born to these par- ents. namely : Annie, the widow of Mr. Thornburg; Eugene, of Palmyra, Missouri ; Estella, now Mrs. Madison Nelson; Ella, the wife of J. L. White, and Mary, now Mrs. W. P. Johnson, all of whom reside at Pal- myra, Missouri; and Juan, who died in infancy.

Nine children came to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Thornburg and are as follows: Roy, born May 25, 1883; Nora, born October 22, 1884, who is now the wife of William Iron, of Randolph county, Missouri; James, born August 22, 1886, who also is a resident of this county ; Josephine, born November 8, 1888, married Albert Martin of Moberly; Lee, born July 28, 1890; Jack, born September 19, 1892; Stella V., born January 27, 1895; George S., born January 6, 1897 ; and Mary C., born December 23, 1899, all of whom are at home with their mother.

Mr. Thornburg gave his political allegiance to the Democratic party, and in church membership both he and Mrs. Thornburg were affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church South.

JOHN J. MOSBY. Any biographical history dealing with the lives and accomplishments of those who assisted in developing the various counties making up Northeastern Missouri would be decidedly incom- plete did it not include a review of the career of the late John J. Mosby, who for more than a half century was engaged in farming on one prop- erty in Audrain county. A member of the famous Mosby family that gave John Singleton Mosby, of Mosby's Partisan Rangers, to the Con- federacy, he was also related to Joe and Speed Mosby, of Jefferson City. Missouri, and to Phil Thompson, the noted Kentucky feudist. Mr. Mosby was born in Scott county, Kentucky, March 20, 1821, and was a son of James and Eliza (Robaras) Mosby, natives of Kentucky who came to Missouri in 1828, and settled in Callaway county.

1813

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

John J. Mosby was reared on the homestead farm in Callaway county, and there received his education in the primitive district, schools. He was married July 30, 1845, to Miss Susanna S. Shortridge, daughter of William Shortridge, of that county, and after his marriage entered land in Audrain county, securing four hundred and twenty acres ten miles southeast of Vandalia. One of the first to attempt to cultivate the prairie land of Audrain county, Mr. Mosby was remarkably successful in his efforts, and at the time of his death, January 20, 1910, at Mid- dletown, he was known as one of the most substantial men of his sec- tion. He had lived on his land from 1852 to 1905, a period of fifty-three years, and during this time had seen many improvements take place from the time when he split rails for his fences and hauled them five miles. He was engaged in building the present farm residence at the time of the Civil war, and during that struggle hired a substitute to take his place in the state militia. In political matters he was a Democrat, and was well posted on all local matters, but never cared for public pre- ferment, the greater part of his time that could be spared from his farm work being spent in reading. He was one of the organizers of the Cen- tral Union Christian church, located six miles south of his home, of which he served as elder for upwards of a quarter of a century. His wife passed away in September, 1901, having been the mother of ten chil- dren, of whom nine grew to maturity : James; Mary, who married P. C. Kent; Sallie, who married I. Hockaday; Almira, who married Joseph Farthing; Betty; William S., a graduate of the State University, and now engaged in teaching; Lucy, who is deceased; George R .; and Susanna, who is deceased.

George R. Mosby was born in his present residence on the old family homestead in Audrain county, July 28, 1868, and in which he has lived all of his life with the exception of three years when he was engaged in the grocery business at Vandalia. At the age of twenty years he took over the management of the home place, and since his father's death has bought the interest of the other heirs. He now has three hundred and sixty acres of land in a high state of cultivation, has made numerous improvements to the old home and its grounds, and is now justly re- garded as one of his community's progressive and enterprising agricul- turists. In addition to carrying on general farming, he engaged in breeding Duroc-Jersey hogs, fattening a great number for the home trade. In politics Mr. Mosby is a Democrat, and is active in local mat- ters, but not as a seeker for personal preferment. He and Mrs. Mosby are members of the Central Union Christian church, at Middletown, in which he acts as deacon.

Mr. Mosby was married November 30, 1896, to Nora Neal, of Van- dalia, daughter of Isaac Neal, and they have had two children: Mar- garet Susan and Miriam Neal.

WALTER A. MARTIN. In the death of Walter A. Martin, which oc- curred in December, 1909, Northeastern Missouri lost one of its most eminent professional men, a public-spirited citizen, and a man whose life had been a most exemplary one and who had won the esteem and regard of all who knew him by his honest and upright character. A skilled legist by training and inclination, he occupied a distinguished position among the members of the Randolph county bar, while his strict observance of the unwritten ethics of the profession assisted in upholding the dignity of his calling. Mr. Martin was born in Missouri, March 26, 1837, and was a son of Noah and Judith (Oliver) Martin. His parents, natives of the Old Dominion State, and representatives of

1814

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

prominent Southern families, came to Missouri at an early day, and both spent the remainder of their lives here.

The eldest of a family of ten children, Walter A. Martin spent his boyhood on the home farm, attending the distriet schools and assisting in the work of the homestead. Subsequently he was sent to college, and on his graduation began the practice of law in Moberly, where he almost immediately gained a widespread reputation. It was but natural that his abilities should be rewarded by suitable emolument, and his money was wisely invested, Mr. Martin's business judgment being as thor- oughly developed as his professional talents, and at the time of his death he was the owner of large real estate tracts in Moberly and the vicinity. In politieal matters a Democrat, he took an active interest in the success of his party, ably supporting its candidates and principles, and serving one term as county superintendent. His fraternal con- nection was with the A. O. U. W.

In 1862 Mr. Martin was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Thompson, who was born in Kentucky, daughter of Warner W. and Naney (Turner) Thompson, natives of the Blue Grass State who later moved to Missouri and here spent the latter years of their lives. Mrs. Martin was one of a family of five children. She still owns two fine residences in the city of Moberly, in addition to other real estate inter- ests, and is a well-known and active worker in the Baptist church, of which her late husband was a consistent member for many years. They had a family of four children, all of whom are now deceased. A nephew reared by them, still lives at home with Mrs. Martin.

ROBERT BARNETT NORVELL, one of the larger farmers of Lincoln county, elaims as his remotest ancestor in America a sturdy Seotehman, who had come from the Grampian Hills, where the chief vocation of the clan was stoek-raising. One of his descendants, Capt. Benjamin Norvell, was a Virginian who, preceding part of his family, came to Missouri, where he settled near Clarksville and led a pastoral and agri- cultural life. His first wife, who had been a Miss Wills, was the mother of his daughter Martha (who married John Akers) ; of his daughter Mary (who married Velarius Terry, the former husband of her de- ceased sister Bettie) ; and of his son Hugh Jefferson, Robert Norvell's father. His second wife was Mrs. Flora B. Foster, who was destined to be doubly related to Hugh Jefferson Norvell. The children of Flora Foster Norvell and her husband, the captain, were Josephine, who mar- ried first Julius Dudley, and for her second husband Henry Veto; Car- ter, who married first James Coleman, and for her second husband a Mr. Finney; Puss, who married William Williams; Margaret, whose husband was Isaae Beauchamp; and one son, James H. Norvell. Cap- tain Norvell was an old man at the time of the Civil war, but was an avowed secessionist and his death was the result of exposure while under arrest by the federal authorities during the confliet. .

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.

A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2, Part 78

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