A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 27

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864-1935 editor
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 912

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CHARLES MILTON ADAMS. Among the citizens of enterprise and progressive spirit who are ably representing Worth County's agricul- tural interests Charles Milton Adams holds deservedly high place. A resident of Northwest Missouri for a long period of years, he has become the owner of a handsome property in the vicinity of Worth, and his long and useful career has been characterized by industry, integrity and public spirit, qualities which commend him to his fellow-citizens. He is a native of Edgar County, Illinois, and was born March 23, 1852, a son of Joseph and Sarah (White) Adams.

Joseph Adams was born in Kentucky, and was there engaged in farming until 1832, in which year he went to Illinois with his parents, the family settling on the grandfather's homestead in Edgar County. A graduate of the common schools, he was reared amid agricultural sur- roundings, and after his first marriage, to a Miss Moore, engaged in farming on his own account. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Adams was married to Miss Sarah White, the daughter of a Revolution- ary soldier and pioneer of Coles County, Illinois, where he owned a farm of 160 acres. In 1856 Mr. Adams took his family by ox-team to Mis- souri, and there rented land from his brother Samuel, a tract in Worth County which is now owned by L. G. Elliott. Here he remained until 1862, when, because of the Civil war, he left his crops and stock and returned to Coles County, Illinois, where he rented land. This trip was made from Worth, the family traveling north through Iowa, cross- ing the Mississippi River at Fort Madison, and thus avoiding the "bush- whackers," who were numerous in Northwest Missouri, although the trip consumed three weeks. Mr. Adams was an invalid and was not able for service in the army. His sympathies were with the South, but because of his family he took the oath of allegiance and thus secured a pass from the Government. In the fall of 1869 he disposed of his Coles County interests and returned with his family to Worth County in the same manner, and again took up his residence in the house which he had left. In later years he purchased a small farm close by, and there passed the remaining years of his life, dying February 8, 1895, while Mrs. Adams survived him only one year. Joseph Adams served during the '50s as constable, but was not a seeker after public office. In his early years he was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, but after coming to Missouri joined the Presbyterian faith. He and his wife were the parents of four children: Charles Milton, Thomas J., Lillie and Lewis Monroe.

On returning from Illinois the second time, Charles Milton Adams attended the public schools until 1869, and then turned his attention to farming, beginning to work for wages in 1878. He was married on November 22d of that year to Miss Rachel Ellen McCord, daughter of William and Eliza Jane (Carmichael) McCord, of Greenville, Mercer

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County, Pennsylvania. William McCord was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Missouri with his father, Robert McCord, making the trip by team to St. Louis, and then by steamer on the Missouri River. He purchased 320 acres of land, located in township 62, section 32, range 32, at that time all prairie land and known as the Thomas Jacks farm, and in addition to this subsequently purchased three eighty-acre tracts and one forty-acre tract of land. He cleared and fenced his property, and there continued to be engaged in farming during the remainder of his life, passing away in 1898. Mrs. Adams' mother was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, a daughter of John and Maggie (Garvin) Car- michael, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Ireland. There were six children in the McCord family: Maggie, Lizzie, Rachel Ellen, Cora, Olive and John.

Mr. Adams has continued to follow farming and stock raising in Worth County and has been substantially successful in all of his opera- tions, being possessed of thrift, industry and a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of agricultural work. He is a valued member of Ox- ford Lodge, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand. In political matters he is a democrat, but public life has held out but few attractions to him, he being content to devote himself to his soil cultivating activities. He has been the father of the following children : William J., who married Mattie B. Moore, of Gentry, Missouri, and has three children, Goldie and Gladys, twins, and Mildred; Elizabeth, who has been for some years a popular school teacher of Worth County; Edson, who married Daisy Laing, of Worth County, and has two children, Doyle and Charles Blaine; Jessie, who married Wilbur Wilhite, a farmer of Worth County, and has one child, Cecil; John L., who is engaged in farming operations with his father; Katherine, who resides at home; and Vittoria, who graduated from St. Joseph Central High School, class of 1914, and is now engaged in teaching school.

CHARLES G. MCKINLEY, M. D. While his chief work during a resi- dence in Jamesport since 1891 has been as a successful physician and surgeon, Doctor Mckinley is also the owner of a fine farm and gives attention to its supervision and is a banker. Throughout a professional career of more than thirty years he has rendered a skillful and kindly service to a generation of patients, and has been a factor in the useful citizenship of each community which has represented his home.

Charles Gordon Mckinley was born on a farm near Clarksburg, West Virginia, August 29, 1852. He comes of that fine Scotch-Irish stock that did so much to people and give vitality to the institutions and society of the Allegheny frontier before the beginning of western expansion. One of his ancestors was Colonel Mckinley, who com- manded a regiment during the Indian border wars about the time of the Revolution, and was captured and beheaded by the Indians, who in order to strike further terror to the settlers put his head on the end of a pole and exhibited it during their raids. Doctor Mckinley's uncle was William McKinley, a soldier in the War of 1812, and the doctor has a cousin relationship with the late President William McKinley. Doctor McKinley's parents were Edmund and Caroline (Reed) McKin- ley, who had a farm near Clarksburg, West Virginia, and during the boyhood of Charles G. moved to another farm in Lewis County of. the same state, where the parents lived until their death.

Doctor Mckinley acquired his early education in the common schools of Lewis County, following which he attended the Alfred Center College at Alfred Center, New York, and from that entered the Eclectic Medi-

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cal Institute of Cincinnati, graduating M. D. in 1883. Doctor Mckinley began his practice of medicine at French Creek, West Virginia, re- mained there until 1891, and in that year established his office in James- port, where he has since been permanently identified with his profession. Some years ago he took post-graduate work in orificial surgery in Chi- cago, and although his practice is of a general nature both he and his associate, Dr. G. D. Harris, who has been his partner since 1911, spe- cialize more or less along the line of orificial surgery.

After coming to Jamesport Doctor McKinley bought two farms, comprising 240 acres. He gives a general supervision to this property, and besides the staple crops raises a good deal of stock. Doctor McKin- ley is a stockholder and director of the Bank of Jamesport, and has been interested in that institution a number of years.

Doctor Mckinley is an active member of the Jamesport Commercial Club, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and in politics is a repub- lican. For sixteen years he served as United States Pension Examiner at Jamesport. He is a member of the Missouri State Eclectic Society, of which he is an ex-president, and of the National Eclectic Society.

On February 12, 1885, he married Miss Martha M. Thorpe, of French Creek, Upshur County, West Virginia. To their marriage have been born three daughters, Georgie E., at home; Vesta, wife of Harold Lewis of Grundy County; and Letha, wife of Walter Scott of Jamesport.

JAMES SCOTT. A resident of Martinsville or its vicinity since 1867, James Scott came to this locality in that year from Lanarkshire, Scot- land, where for many generations the Scotts had resided, being, in the main, farming people, although James was identified with mercantile pursuits as foreman at Glasgow for ten years prior to coming to the United States. He was born in the Parish of Stonehouse, July 22, 1835, and is a son of James Scott, who died in the Martinsville community in 1881, at the age of eighty-four years. The father was born in Lanark- shire, Scotland, and in active life was a farmer, but in the United States was little more active than a retired citizen. He married Lucy Camp- bell, a descendant of the Campbells of Argyle, Scotland, and she died at Martinsville in 1886, at the age of eighty-six years. The children born to James and Lucy Scott were as follows: Miss Jeanie, a resident of New Hampton, Missouri; Janet, who married Robert Stone, of Har- rison County ; James, of this review ; Archibald, a resident of Bethany ; Elizabeth, who is the widow of Michael Cochrane, of New Hampton, Missouri; and Thomas, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits near Martinsville.

James Scott acquired a liberal education after going to Glasgow, in which city he attended the lectures at the Mechanics Institute. Suc- ceeding this, he connected himself with a grain and provision establish- ment and went from a menial position to the foremanship of the house, and when he was thirty-two years of age left his native land, sailing from Glasgow aboard the steamer St. Andrews, bound for Quebec. He was accompanied by his parents and the journey was made without un- toward incident, and from the Canadian city he crossed over to the United States at Port Levi and went then on to St. Joseph, Missouri. He had two brothers here, whom he joined at Martinsville.

Mr. Scott had not come to the United States to settle, but merely to see his parents safely located, as he had promised them, but when he had looked about and was offered a quarter section of land for $400, he was induced to buy it and later to cultivate it and undertake its im- provement and operation. He secured no crop the first year and in after years, when he would have sold the land from sheer discouragement, he

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HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

could not, so he just retained it and made himself a permanent part of the county. Mr. Scott farmed the place until six years ago, and during this time made many substantial improvements, also secured other lands as the years went by, and added another quarter section, making him the owner of a half a section in section 9, township 64, range 29, the tract lying one and one-half miles north of Martinsville. In his operations, Mr. Scott first entered the stock business in a small way with young cattle, and his success, coming slow but surely, enabled him to advance from them to "feeders," and he finally became a feeder of stock, a line in which his prosperity continued.

Mr. Scott took out citizenship papers after five years of residence at Martinsville, soon assumed an interest in educational matters, and was for many years a member of his district board. He united himself politically with the republican party and voted first for General Grant for President in 1872 and has not missed a presidential election since, always supporting republican candidates. He has never become con- fused by blatant politicians and their theories, but has gone along in a modest way, making a success both of his citizenship and of his private affairs. In church matters Mr. Scott is a Presbyterian, having been brought up under that influence in Scotland. He has served the Mar- tinsville Church as an officer since the congregation was organized, and is an elder therein at this time.

Mr. Scott was married in Harrison County, Missouri, in June, 1868, to Miss Elizabeth Murray, a Scotch woman, who was born in the same shire as her husband, and came to America during the year she was mar- ried. Her father was Alexander Murray, a merchant and her mother was formerly Elizabeth Baird, and of their children two sons and two daughters came to America. To Mr. and Mrs. Scott there have been born the following children: Elizabeth Baird, who graduated from Park College, Missouri, taught then in Bethany school, was elected county school commissioner of Harrison and served two years, was then employed in the public schools of Kansas City as a teacher in the grades, and was finally transferred to the manual training high school as teacher of English literature and now acts in that capacity ; Jeanie, who married Elmer Baldwin, a farmer near Martinsville, and has three children, Margaret, Truman and Eleanor; Lucy Campbell, who is the wife of Hinton Van Hoozier, a farmer, and has two children, Elizabeth and Eldon. The children were all given excellent educational advan- tages, were reared in an atmosphere of culture and refinement, and were carefully and thoroughly trained to accept and dignify the honor- able positions in life to which they have been called.

HON. JOSEPH L. BENNETT. In 1856 there arrived at Savannah, Mis- souri, one who was destined to take an important part in the development and upbuilding of Andrew County. There was nothing in his appear- ance, however, to justify the belief that such was the case, for he had just completed a long and arduous journey from Louisville, Kentucky, having traveled from that city to St. Louis, Missouri, then on to Weston by boat, and because of the shallowness of the river had been compelled to complete his trip by stage. Moreover, he was practically at the end of his resources, his cash capital being in the neighborhood of twenty-five dollars. This was the modest and unassuming advent of Judge Joseph L. Bennett in Savannah; but in the fifty-eight years that have intervened happenings have occurred that have developed the poor and untried youth even as they have developed the wild and unproductive county. While the latter has become one of the most fertile, stirring and progres- sive sections of Northwest Missouri, the former has taken his place as one

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of his community's most substantial men, a successful agriculturist, a capable financier and business man, and a citizen who has been repeatedly called upon to represent his fellow men in public positions of trust.

Judge Joseph L. Bennett was born in Spencer County, about twenty- five miles south of the City of Louisville, Kentucky, February 29, 1836, and is a son of Joseph H. and Susan W. (Overton) Bennett, and a grandson of John and Charlotte (Drake) Bennett, members of a family which originated in New Jersey. Joseph H. Bennett was born in the Jersey Blue State, February 24, 1799, and as a young man went to Kentucky, where he was married August 29, 1821, to Miss Susan W. Overton, who was born in Kentucky, October 8, 1798. Mr. Bennett was a carpenter and cabinetmaker, and in addition owned a small farm in Spencer County, which he cultivated for a number of years. He was an industrious, capable and persevering man, and through a life of earnest endeavor accumulated a competence. He was also a man of some import- ance in public affairs, and for thirty years served in the capacity of assessor of his county. He was a democrat in his political affiliations, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church. The father died at Louisville, Kentucky, November 22, 1888, while the mother passed away at Spencer, that state, October 22, 1872. They were the parents .of twelve children, as follows: John E., born in 1822, when sixteen years of age went to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, there taught school for some years while reading law, was admitted to the bar and engaged in practice until his death in 1849; Fannie C., born November 20, 1823, married Gideon G. Jewell, who is now deceased; Sarah Ann, born April 13, 1825, died August 15, 1847; Joseph D., who died in infancy, October 1, 1826; Samuel C., born September 6, 1828, who died December 18, 1875; Susan M., born August 18, 1829, married James Tansill, and is now a widow and resides in Chicago; Charlotte A., born January 27, 1831, died July 28, 1847; Julia A., born May 12, 1833, died October 2, 1857 ; Judge Joseph L., of this review ; Nancy J., born July 14, 1839, married James H. Ben- nett, deceased, and is now a resident of Savannah; James H., born November 24, 1841; and Bernard, born January 24, 1844.

Joseph L. Bennett received his early education in the public schools of his native place, was reared to young manhood on the home farm, and as a youth carefully saved his earnings that he might secure a start for himself in some new and undeveloped region where land was cheap. Accordingly, in 1856, he left the parental roof and journeyed to St. Louis, as before related, where he boarded the boat and paid his fare as far as St. Joseph. The river was found to be too low for navigation, however, and the steamship company sent its passengers on to their destination by way of stage coach, and it was thus that Mr. Bennett came to his new home. From that time to the present, with the exception of one year, 1857, in Kansas, he has been a resident of Andrew County, and this has been the scene of his labors and of his success. From the time that he secured his first tract of land farming and stockraising have continued to be his chief occupations, and for several years he devoted his attention to the raising of Short Horn cattle, in addition to which he was for eighteen years hog buyer for a large St. Joseph packing company, al- though he resided during this time on his farm adjoining the City of Savannah. He was for many years a partner with his brother-in-law, S. R. Selecman, in farming on Selecman Heights, Savannah, but Mr. Bennett disposed of twenty-one acres of his interests in 1897 in this property, which was platted by W. G. Hine. While residing in the country Mr. Bennett was the owner of a beautiful home, but this was destroyed by fire in 1905, and he now resides in his present modern resi- dence, at the corner of Third and West Bennett avenues, in Bennett's

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Addition, a residence district of Savannah which he platted himself. In the line of finance Mr. Bennett was the original organizer of the State Bank of Savannah, in 1887, and was its president for a number of years. In various ways he has assisted in the development and growth of his community, and as a citizen he is known to be progressive and public- spirited. A lifelong democrat, in 1887 and 1888 he served very capably in the capacity of collector of revenue of Andrew County, and in 1881 was appointed county judge to fill a vacancy and served ably for two years. Judge Bennett, however, is primarily a business man, and while he has always shown fidelity in discharging the duties of citizenship, he has not been a seeker for public favors.

Judge Bennett was married August 1, 1857, to Miss Martha S. Selec- man, who was born in Kentucky, February 8, 1841, and came to this county with her parents, Henry and Mary Selecman, in 1844. She died March 15, 1894, without issue. Judge Bennett has reared and educated three children of his relatives, and now has three more under his charge who are being trained to man and womanhood under his wise direction and being given the advantages of superior mental training. Judge Bennett was married the second time, October 9, 1895, to Miss Elizabeth E. Gore, a native of Andrew County, and a daughter of Green L. and Emeline Gore, both of whom are deceased.

Mr. Bennett was converted, in 1854, in Spencer County, Kentucky, and is a member of the First Baptist Church of Savannah, which was organized in 1902. And of this church Mrs. Bennett is also a member. Mr. Bennett is one of the trustees of the church, and he and other trustees selected and paid for the present site. In this connection it is with pleasure that we state: "Mr. Bennett has been one of the most liberal contributors to the Baptist Society."

LEE J. EADS, M. D. By a career of kindly and capable service to the community in his profession as physician and surgeon, Dr. Lee J. Eads has become known all over the country about Hamilton, and is a man who, once known, is not easily forgotten. He combines with a thorough ability in his chosen calling a striking physical presence, stands six feet four inches, and weighs more than two hundred pounds. He is a man of powerful build, of great energy, and his splendid physique has stood him in good stead in his untiring devotion to the welfare of his patients. Doctor Eads located at Hamilton in 1901. He is a graduate of the Louisville Medical College with the class of 1889.

Doctor Eads was born at Monticello, Kentucky, March 18, 1868, a son of William T. Eads. William T. Eads was a brother of the well- known Colonel Eads, who built the great Eads Bridge, the first structure to span the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The Eads family came orig- inally from Virginia, and furnished many men prominent both in peace and in war. The first ancestors in America were three brothers who came from England before the Revolutionary war. Doctor Eads' grand- father. Jacob E. Eads, was a native of Virginia, and moved from there to Louisville, Kentucky. He married Ada Norman, who was of a Protest- ant Irish family. Jacob B. Eads and wife had sixteen children, nine sons and seven daughters. Doctor Eads' grandmother was Esther G. Steven- son, a cousin to Hon. Adlai Stevenson, who was vice president of the United States with Grover Cleveland as President, and was also a cousin to the Hon. L. J. Stevenson, a Kentucky congressman living at Mount Sterling in that state. Doctor Eads was one of a family of eleven chil- dren, and one of three brothers still living. His brother J. B. Eads is a well-known physician at Paris, Kentucky, while William is living in Lexington, Kentucky. A sister Sallie P. Rexroat lives in Kentucky ;

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another sister, Ann E. Eads, lives at Lexington; Bettie P. Dugan is a resident of Shafter, Kentucky ; Fern lives in Earlville, Kentucky, and the last of the daughters is Fannie P. The father of this family was a farmer, a democrat in politics, and a member of the Baptist Church. His death occurred at the age of fifty-two, while his wife is still living at the age of seventy-four.

Doctor Eads grew up in Kentucky, was a farmer boy in that state, and when he reached his majority he stood six feet four inches in height and weighed 220 pounds. He was as athletic as he was large and pow- erful, and excelled in many forms of sport, particularly in boxing. Such was his skill in this work that he was at one time urged by the champion of the world, John L. Sullivan, to take up the sport as a profession. However, his ambitions kept him in a different line, and one more serv- iceable to the country. He attended high school, also a college at Monti- cello, Kentucky, and afterwards graduated from the Louisville Medical College.

Doctor Eads married Mantie Richardson, a daughter of Rev. Samuel Richardson and Edith (Thompson) Richardson. Mrs. Eads died in 1895 at the age of twenty-six, and left one son, Lee S. Eads, who was born in 1894 and is now in his third year at the University of Missouri in Columbia. In 1900 Doctor Eads married his present wife, Sula E. Dunagan, of Brownstown, Kentucky. She was a daughter of Jefferson and Mary (Simpson) Dunagan. By his second marriage Doctor Eads has one son, Elton C., born April 14, 1902. Doctor Eads is a democrat in politics, and has taken much part in Masonic affairs, having served as high priest of the Royal Arch chapter. He is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with his wife belongs to the Eastern Star. They are members of the Methodist Church.

FRANK N. BROWNLEE. One of the popular young citizens of Mound City is Frank N. Brownlee, whom the people of Holt County have known for several years in his capacity as an auctioneer. Mr. Brownlee is a man of wide and varied experience, has traveled over many states, both east and west, and from an early age it has been his ambition to render a service of value, and in his chosen work he is one of the most successful judges of livestock and general auctioneers in this part of Missouri.

Frank N. Brownlee was born at Peoria, Wyoming County, New York, December 16, 1883. His parents are David and Mary (Noble) Brownlee, and his father has for many years been engaged in farming in Wyoming County, New York. The old homestead comprised 120 acres of land, and in its improvements and general character was a typical New York farm. There was one other child in the family, Edna, now the wife of John D. Greenleaf.

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A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 27

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864-1935 editor Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 912

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864-1935 editor
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 912