A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2, Part 94

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

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Born in Virginia, April 20, 1820, Robert W. Baskett was there educated. Coming with his parents to Howard county, Missouri, he succeeded to the ancestral occupation, and when ready to settle in life bought land in Richmond township, and began the improvement of what is now known as Elm Ridge Farm, one of the most desirable estates in the county. During his active career he was successfully en- gaged in tilling the soil, and when ready to retire from active business moved to Fayette, where he continued his residence until his death, April 21, 1906, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. He was twice married. He married first Emeline Sebree, a daughter of Uriel Sebree, a prominent and influential citizen of Howard county, and grandfather of Rear Admiral Uriel Sebree, a retired naval officer, now living in

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San Diego, California. Uriel Sebree married Betsey Payne, who came from a family of prominence in pioneer days. Of the union of Robert W. and Emeline (Sebree) Baskett, three children were born, as fol- lows: Thomas Payne Baskett, who died at the age of twenty-four years, leaving a widow; John Sebree, the special subject of this brief sketch; William Crewdson Baskett, of Moniteau township, who married Emma Hall, a daughter of Jude Hall. The mother died at the age of sixty-seven years, February 12, 1893, and the father married for his second wife Letitia Payne, daughter of Jefferson Payne.

John Sebrce Baskett grew to manhood on the home plantation, re- ceiving his carly education in the public schools, and completing his studies at Central College. Becoming thoroughly acquainted with the various branches of agriculture while young, he chose for his life work the independent calling of a farmer, and in his operations he has met with eminent success. His large plantation of five hundred acres is one of the finest in the county, yielding abundant harvests of blue grass, corn and wheat. His buildings are tasteful, substantial and con- veniently arranged, and he is carrying on general farming and stock- raising after the most highly aproved manner, using all of the ma- chinery required by a first-class modern agriculturist.

On January 14, 1880, Mr. Baskett was united in marriage with Mary D. Smith, who was born in Howard county, and was graduated at Shelbyville (Ky.) College. Her father, the late Jason W. Smith, came from Madison county, Kentucky, to Howard county, Missouri, in 1858, settling in Moniteau township, where he was employed in successfully tilling the soil until his death, in 1904, at the age of sixty-nine years. His widow, whose maiden name was Sarah Todd, is now living at Wichita Falls, Texas. Mr. Smith was a Democrat in politics, and served during the Civil war under General Price, in the Confederate army. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith were members of the Christian church. They had a family of twelve children, of whom the following named grew to years of maturity : Mary D., now Mrs. Baskett; Nancy, wife of Robert Walker, of Wichita Falls, Texas; Ann, wife of David Smith, of McAlester, Oklahoma; Neriah T., of Haskell, Texas; Nermie, wife of Sam Fenton, of Custer City, Oklahoma; J. D., of Haskell, Texas ; and Charles, of Crowell, Texas.

Mr. and Mrs. Baskett are the parents of four children, one of whom, Catherine, a highly educated and beautiful young girl, passed to the life beyond in 1906, at the age of twenty-one years. Those now living are Robert W., William D., and Edgar Sebree. Robert W. Baskett, born January 15, 1881, was educated at Central College. He married Nancy Wells, a daughter of Thomas and Mary C. Wells, and they have three children, Mary C., Carolyn and Robert W. William D. Baskett, born February 7, 1882, was educated primarily at Central College, afterwards attending Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Mary- land, completing his studies in Berlin, Germany, and is now a pro- fessor in the William Jewell College, in Liberty, Missouri. Professor Baskett married Maybelle Grisby, of Illinois, and they have two chil- dren, William D. and Mary Frances. Edgar Sebree Baskett, born October 21, 1889, acquired his education at Central College and Missouri State University, and is now taking a course in journalism at the University of Missouri, in Columbia.

Mr. Baskett is a Democrat in politics, and a deacon in Mount Zion Church, of which he and his wife are valued members.

JUDGE JACOB S. WALTERS is the senior member of the mercantile firm of Walters & Kincaid, of Stoutsville, Missouri, and he has been identified

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with this community in Monroe county since 1887. He was born in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, on March 12, 1837, and is a son of John U. and Elizabeth (Teiler) Walters.

John U. Walters was a machinist who emigrated from his native land in 1846, bringing his family to Philadelphia and there following his trade for about five years before engaging in farming in Berks county, that state, in which county he passed many quiet and prosperous years. He was born on January 1, 1800, and died in Polk county, Missouri, in 1880. He moved to Missouri in 1870. His first wife died in 1840, the mother of four children, as follows: Henry, who died in California; Charles, now a resident of Polk county, Missouri; Sophia, the widow of H. T. Heneke, of San Francisco, California; and Jacob S., of this review. Later, John Walters married Sophie Teiler, the sister of his first wife, and four children were born to them: Albert C., of McDonald county, Missouri; Rosa, the widow of John Houck, of Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, the early home of the family ; John R., of Carlisle, Pennsylvania ; and William, who died in McDonald county, Missouri, leaving two children.

Jacob S. Walters was educated in the public schools of his native community. He learned the trade of a millwright in Pennsylvania and left that state in 1860, coming to Illinois, where he was occupied with his trade when the War of the Rebellion came on. He promptly enlisted at New Boston, in April, 1861, in Company I of the 17th Infantry, under Captain Wood, Lieutenant Sanders and Colonel Ross in command of the regiment. His brigade commander was General Prentiss and his service began in Missouri. He took part in the engagement at Fredericktown and Cape Girardeau, and then crossed the river and took part in the campaign against Forts Henry and Donelson. From that time on he was busy on the battlefields of Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, and in the campaign against Vicksburg. During this advance the engagements at Raymond, Champion Hills and Big Black were fought before the siege of the Con- federate stronghold itself was begun. Following the capture of Vicks- burg, the advance on Mobile began, and Mr. Walters took part in the reduction of Forts Blakely and Spanish, which were the great strength of Mobile. Following the surrender of the Confederates at that place. Mr. Walters' regiment formed a part of the army withdrawn to operate in the Trans-Mississippi country, and went up Red river to Shreveport, Louisiana, and into East Texas, where expeditions were made in and about that section until resistance to Federal authorities ceased, when the regiment returned to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and there Mr. Walters was discharged. During these long years of service, in the very thick of the conflict, Jacob S. Walters was never wounded nor was he once in the possession of the enemy, nor once excused from duty, his comrade Fuller being the only other man of his company who was constantly on duty.

Returning from the seat of the war, Mr. Walters was paid off at Springfield, Illinois, and reported for civil duty as a mechanic on the spot where he had enlisted four years before. He came to Missouri and followed his trade at various points, building a mill at Brighton, in Polk county, and finally coming to Monroe county. He abandoned his trade at Stoutsville in 1891 and there engaged in merchandising as a member of the firm of Cunningham, Wright & Company, joining James Wright and C. C. Cunningham in the venture. He soon became proprietor of the business, by purchase of his partners' interests, and conducted the business alone until 1901 when Mr. Kincaid came into the present firm. They have continued to carry on a thriving business, and their house is known as the leading hardware and implement place in the village. . ,

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Mr. Walters is a stockholder in both banks of Stoutsville, and is a member of the town board. He has ever been an active Republican, and is a member of the Monroe county Republican committee, having been chairman of that committee for twelve years. He attended the national convention in Chicago in 1912 as an alternate delegate. He was appointed county judge for the eastern district of Monroe county in May, 1910, by Governor Hadley and served in that office until Janu- ary, 1911.

On March 12, 1869, Mr. Walters was married in Philadelphia, Penn- . sylvania, to Miss Alice Winchester, a daughter of John S. Winchester. She died in 1871, leaving a daughter, Alice, now the wife of Henry Travis of San Francisco, California.

Mr. Walters is a member of the blue lodge of Masons and the chap- ter, and has been a member of the Masonic order for the past fifty years. He is several times a past master, and has been a member of the Missouri grand lodge. He is also an Odd Fellow, being past noble grand in that order.

JOHN BERNARD BRISCOE. Something more than a simple announce- ment and a passing remark is due to the memory of the late John Bernard Briscoe, one of the remarkably capable and successful farmers and stockmen of Ralls county, whose acumen and business sagacity were universally recognized, and of whom it is everywhere admitted that had his activities been devoted to different channels he would have made the same glittering success indicated by his substantial achieve- ments on the farm. Mr. Briscoe belonged to one of the pioneer families of Ralls county and his forefathers came from the descendants of the first settlers of Maryland. His grandfather, John Briscoe, was the pro- genitor of this Missouri family, having left Maryland after his mar- riage with Miss DeLashmut and located in Bath county, Kentucky. He was of Welsh blood and his wife of French ancestry. John Briscoe and his wife were rural people and were Kentuckians until 1827, when the family joined the frontiersmen of Missouri and settled near New London, the journey westward being made by wagon. A part of the caravan consisted of the few slaves which the family owned until set. free by the Civil war. John Briscoe settled on a farm, and when he died he was laid away, as was his wife, in the family lot on that farm. They had the following children : Ralph D .; Anderson, who passed his life in Ralls county, as did William; Philip and Jack, who also died here ; and Willella, who married a Mr. Emerson.

Ralph DeLashmut Briscoe, father of John B. Briscoe, was born in Kentucky in 1798 and came to Missouri on his bridal tour in 1827. He was a saddler by trade and came to mature years with only a com- mon school education, and located in Cincinnati, Missouri, where he died in 1836. He married Winifred Lynch, a daughter of John Bernard Lynch, who brought his family to Missouri in company with the Bris- coes. Mrs. Briscoe kept her household intact with the assistance of her sons, educated them according to her means, and established her home in Hannibal some time prior to the Civil war. She died there in 1863, having been the mother of four children, namely : John Bernard ; Henry Parmenas, of Chico, California ; Sarah J., who married M. Kinealy and resides in St. Louis ; and Ann Sivilla, who died in childhood.

John Bernard Briscoe was born May 28, 1828, and acquired sufficient education from the school at Cincinnati and in St. Paul to enable him to teach. Before 1850 he had opened his career as a teacher in Ralls county, but discovered in the early weeks of his experience that he did not like the calling and that he would not take another school, so he

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allowed the children to practically "run the ranch." The schoolhouse was on the site of Monroe City and in the vicinity of Cincinnati he began his career as a stockman when school closed. Ambitious to raise stock and without the funds with which to supply himself with the nucleus of a herd, he worked his wits to discover some means of achieving his desire. A neighbor chanced to make a sale of some cattle and, encouraged by old Judge Hardy, he bought calves at seventy-five cents and a dollar and a quarter per head until he had obligated himself to the extent of $17.50. When he was assured by the judge that the latter would endorse for him for that amount, the climax of his early career was reached. The idea that an orphan boy, with apparently so little promise, could gain such a confidence and credit, was to him almost overpowering in its importance. He, however, kept his level head and his cattle and dis- posed of the latter at a profit of double their cost and continued his experiments until induced to go to the Pacific coast country.

In 1850 Mr. Briscoe joined several young men of his acquaintance and crossed the plains to California. They had a considerable caravan in crossing the desert country and the hardships of the journey dissi- pated their stock and took away some of their men. As their horses fell exhausted they gathered others from among those abandoned by other plainsmen, or burned their wagons to dispose of them and took up the remainder of the journey on foot. Reaching the Golden State after many weeks, Mr. Briscoe first turned his attention to digging for the yellow metal. Results, however, did not prove satisfactory, and he em- barked in the business of furnishing miners with provisions and in trad- ing, and these enterprises he carried on with fair profit during the re- mainder of the four years he was in the state. Having satiated his appetite for the scenes and experiences of the west, he returned home by the Isthmus of Panama and New York.

With the several thousand dollars brought home from California, Mr. Briscoe engaged in importing wild horses from Mexico, purchasing his stock along the Mexican states of the Rio Grande, Chihuahua and Tamaulipas, driving them in bunches of hundreds across Texas, Arkan- sas and Missouri into Iowa and Illinois and disposing of them at immense profit, notwithstanding the losses consequent to the primitive mode of transportation. This business he followed from about 1855 to 1858. On one of his trips he crossed over the prairie country of West Ralls county and decided this would be an ideal spot for his next cattle venture, which he had already decided upon. As a nucleus of his holdings of real estate, he purchased one of the William Muldrow tracts on "Dry Fork," and occupied it before the opening of the Civil war. During the four years of the Rebellion, he came so near remain- ing neutral that none of his neighbors discovered the allegiance he held. His heart was with the Union, but he harbored none of the com- batants and expressed no opinion upon the merits of the struggle. Neighbors watched his house at night to catch him befriending "the other side" and stood ready to take his life for his hypocrisy, but fail- ing to uncover deception in him during the four years, John B. Briscoe was pronounced by all parties worthy of the confidence of all, with the return of peace.

Mr. Briscoe's life after the war was one long and strenuous pull, as he created a magnificent estate and developed into a leading stockman of the county. He "bached" and worked alone for some thirty-two years, extending his domains until he had title to twelve hundred acres in a body, and when he took his final look at it, his princely holdings of land, the achievements of the "boy who borrowed from the old Judge" were forcibly impressed upon him. He was the pioneer in

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feeding cattle for the market and his success inspired others to con- tribute thus to an industry which has become one of the greatest in all the United States. His first market places were St. Louis and Hannibal, and he was eager to encourage transportation by rail when the oppor- tunity came. He gave right-of-way and cash for the building of the Perry branch of the "Short Line" and more cash to achieve the actual building of the line. He was one of the directors of the Perry Bank and of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Center, and his influence and credit were valued assets to any effort depending upon public patronage for success.

John B. Briscoe was a character outside of the arena of business. He did not let money-making absorb him to the detriment of his mental development. He was a book man and became acquainted with the lives of great men of all ages long gone by. He read the old classic authors, Plutarch among others, explored the field of history, was a student of public men and lost himself in the lives of the great sol- diers and statesmen of the civilized world. His ideal soldier was the "Little Corporal," Napoleon, and his ideal statesman and patriot, Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Briscoe participated in public affairs only as a voter of the Democratic faith, although he refused to follow the "Free Silver" vagaries of his party when it was Bryanized by the "Boy Orator of the Platte" in 1896. He believed in Grover Cleveland and his policies, and waited until his party came back to its old anchorage. Among other things he favored a liberal education for the young who courted it, but doubted the wisdom of forcing children whose bent seemed away from a literary course. He was a good listener and weighed advice and suggestions fairly before rejecting or accepting them.

Mr. Briscoe was married August 31, 1888, to Miss Margaret Fenelon, a daughter of Thomas and Bridget (Cottrell) Fenelon, of Arcadia Valley, Missouri. Mr. Fenelon brought his family out from County Carlow, Ireland, where Mrs. Briscoe was born in 1864, and here he engaged in farming and contracting. Mr. Fenelon died in 1883, his surviving children being Morris Fenelon, of San Antonio, Texas, and Mrs. Briscoe. Mrs. Briscoe was educated in the convent at Arcadia Valley, taught school for one year, and then became the wife of John B. Briscoe and the companion of his declining years. Their children are Henry Bernard and John Fenelon.

Mr. Briscoe was a decidedly domestic man, enjoying his home and his books and periodicals more than long journeys for pleasure. He grew "tired," as he approached his four score years, and passed away February 22, 1909. His wife has carried on the extensive affairs of "Prairie Vista Farm," has erected her barns, remodeled her home, and entered into the life of this agricultural community as the capable head of a magnificent estate.

EDWIN WEBSTER KEITHLY. Steadfastness of endeavor, honesty of purpose and concentration of effort have been combined in making Edwin Webster Keithly one of the captains of industry in Ralls county. Intimately associated with the history and development of the com- mercial, realty and financial interests of Center since the beginning of his career, his activities have carried him into prominence in all of these fields, and at this time he holds prestige as business man, citizen and public official. Mr. Keithly was born in Ralls county, Missouri, December 10, 1871, and is a son of James Keithly, a retired farmer of Center.

The Keithly family belongs to the pioneer settlers of Ralls county,

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the Missouri founder of the family being the great-grandfather of Edwin W. Keithly, Levi Keithly, who was born in 1794, one of the eighteen children born to Jacob Keithly and wife, and came to Missouri from Warren county, Kentucky, Jacob Keithly was born in 1754, in either Germany or Pennsylvania, and was a son of Samuel Keithly, the old German patriarch who founded this numerous American family. It is claimed by a descendant of Samuel Keithly that the latter was born in one of the German states in 1732, and that he came to the American colonies and settled among the Quakers of Pennsylvania before the American Revolution. Of his several children, Jacob, Isaac and Daniel were sons, and the first named, who was the first born, took his family from the Keystone State to Bourbon county, Kentucky, between the years 1783 and 1792, reaching the territory of the "Corn- crackers" before it was admitted to the Union. All of his family save John and Obediah came out to Missouri between the years 1797 and 1817. Thirteen of the family of eighteen children of Jacob Keithly passed childhood, and ten of them were sons. Abraham was the first one to come to Missouri, and was born in 1776; John was born the following year, and passed his life in Kentucky; Polly K. was born September 26, 1779, and took a conspicuous part in the founding of one of the leading families of Pike county, Missouri; Joseph was born in 1782, and was a "runaway" to Missouri as a boy; William was born in 1786; Samuel was born in 1789; and Roland in 1790; Levi was the great-grandfather of the subject of this review; Elizabeth was born in 1795, and became the wife of Casper Roland. and was a blind woman; Patsy was born in 1796, and married one Dethridge; Daniel was born in 1797, and died November 12, 1860; Absolom, born in 1799, died in 1879; and Obediah was born in 1807, and was the last member of the family to migrate to Missouri.

Polly K. Keithly married Isaac Hostetter in Bourbon county, Ken- tueky, in 1796, and a daughter, Elizabeth, was born to them the next year. In 1798 they came to St. Charles county, Missouri, which then comprised about all of the territory north of the Missouri river. The party built a fort and called it Femme Osage, cleared the land about it, and planted their crop of corn, beans and potatoes, and gathered their meat from the game of the forest. The emigrants reached this point. in the fall of 1798 and remained there several years, after which Isaac Hostetter decided to settle farther north, loaded his effects into a crude river craft and rounded the point of the Missouri into the Mississippi, thus making his way into Salt river and up that stream to Peno creek, and along its course, in Pike county, they made their final settlements. There Gabriel, the youngest of their thirteen chil- dren, was born April 4, 1824.

Levi Keithly married in Warren county, Kentucky, in 1815, and came to St. Charles county, Missouri, in 1817. He married Fannie, a daughter of Chester White, who was of English origin, came to Ken- tucky from Virginia, and was a large slave-owner and wealthy planter near Bowling Green. In 1818 Levi Keithly brought his small family to Elk Springs, Pike county. There he did the preliminary work of improving a farm and remained until 1827. when he moved into Ralls county and settled in the wilderness on Salt river. He entered a traet of hill and valley land along the river, and he and Elijah, his lone slave, did the initial work of clearing it up, building their pioneer cabin and establishing the evidences of civilization. Fannie ( White) Keithly died October 12, 1835, and was succeeded by four other wives, namely : Helen Bell, Drusilla Thompson, Mary Couch and Ailey Hale. The issue of Levi and Fannie (White) Keithly were: Nancy Turner, Martha

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Alexander, Edwin, Melissa Hager, Louis Stone, Zerelda Keithly, Mary Alexander, Jacob C. and Robert. The children of Levi and Helen (Bell) Keithly were: John W., Joseph B., Frances Ann Little and Levi T. Levi T., Benjamin F., Maggie A. Rosser and Sarah E. Keithly were the issue of Levi and Mary (Couch) Keithly. Levi was born May 15, 1794, and his death occurred October 28, 1875.

Edwin Keithly was born near Elk Springs, Missouri, February 21, 1819. In the cabin erected by his father in December, 1818, the third child of Levi was born, a diminutive babe, destined to be a diminutive man. His one hundred pounds of human anatomy were of the best quality, however, as his industry, his prowess as a wrestler with his playmates, and his general utility proved. He seemed endowed with a love for his Maker, joined the Christian church in childhood, and at the age of twenty-seven years was married to Mary Ellen Alexander. They began their lives near Madisonville, where he built . himself a "frontier mansion" of logs, but subsequently moved to other parts of Ralls county, finally settling near Center, where they both passed away. Their children were: James A., the father of Edwin W. Keithly ; Levi C .; Robert L .; John T .; Maggie, wife of Thomas W. Crawford, of Audrain county, Missouri; Louise, who became the wife of Marcus L. Hulse, of Center, Missouri; Fannie, who married Stephen A. Waters ; and Dellie, who became Mrs. Edwin W. Briggs, of Center. Edwin Keithly died September 5, 1885, and his wife in 1805.

James A. Keithly was born in Ralls county, Missouri, in August, 1847, and after passing an active life as a farmer and stockman, he retired to Center, where he resides today. He obtained only such education as the district schools afforded before and during the Rebel- lion, and his efforts, with the favor of nature, rewarded him until he became a farmer and feeder of note. His politics were fashioned after those of a family of Southern people, and his vote has ever been given to Democratic candidates. He is a master Mason, and a consistent member of the Christian church. James A. Keithly was married in 1869 to Julia M. Flowerree, she being a daughter of French Flowerree, a farmer who came to Missouri from Virginia, and whose wife was Mary E. Neal. Mrs. Keithly passed away in March, 1894, and in Decem- ber, 1894, Mr. Keithly was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary E. (Fowler) Osterhout. The issue of Mr. Keithly and his first wife were: French F., a farmer near Center, Missouri, died December 28, 1912; Edwin Webster; Joshua B., of Sedalia, Missouri; Miss Ella Nora, of Center, Missouri; and Ernest, who is assistant cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Center.

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A history of northeast Missouri, Vol. 2 pt 2, Part 94

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