A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 49

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

USA > Missouri > A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III > Part 49

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).

Mr. Kurtz is liberal in the support of measures and enterprises pro- jected for the general good of the community, is a republican in politics, has served with zeal and efficiency as a member of the school board of his district, is affiliated with the lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Oregon, the county seat, and both he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Presbyterian Church.

In 1891 Mr. Kurtz was united in marriage to Miss Anna Gelvin, who likewise was born and reared in Holt County and who is a daughter of the late Matthew Gelvin. Of the five children of this union, Roy, Lewis, Russell and Lester are living, and Mabel died at the age of six months.

THEODORE NEWBURN. During a residence at Bethany of fully forty- five years, Theodore Newburn has not only identified himself in a success- ful manner with the cares and responsibilities of private business, but has possessed and exercised that public spirit which looks after the welfare of the community, and supports institutions and movements that have a broader significance than the well being of the individual.

Theodore Newburn was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, October 26, 1845, and was reared in that vicinity. He comes of a family of quiet and industrious people, and his grandfather Mahlon Newburn was a farmer in Pennsylvania and Ohio and died in Jefferson County of the

1619

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

latter state during the early '50s. He was born in Bucks County, Penn- sylvania, and by his marriage to Miss Puntney had children, John, Mahlon, Jane, Sarah and Eliza.

William Newburn, the Bethany citizen above named was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, July 11, 1818, was brought up on a farm, had a limited education, and learned the trade of bricklayer and stone cutter, an occupation followed by him for many years. When a boy he went with his parents to Ohio, and in 1844 was married in Wellsburg, West Virginia, to Miss Elizabeth Crayton. Her father was a farmer near Wellsburg and had been born in London, England. William New- burn died in 1896, and his wife in 1909 at the age of ninety. Their only child was Theodore Newburn.

Theodore Newburn during his youth spent on a farm acquired a some- what limited education in the district schools of Eastern Ohio, and besides his training as a farmer was also taught the trade of stone cutter and brick layer. He spent seven years as a farmer and in work at his trade at Vandalia, Illinois, and in 1869 came to Northwest Missouri, making the trip by railroad as far as Chillicothe and reaching Bethany by means of the stage coach. He continued work at his trade in Harri- son County until 1874, and in the following year took up merchandising in Bethany, as a partner of Andrew J. Fuller, succeeding W. H. Hillman in the drug business. From 1875 for about fifteen years this firm was the leading drug firm at Bethany, and Mr. Newburn was then in busi- ness alone until his retirement in 1896. In the meantime he had acquired numerous interests, has been identified with the Harrison County Bank for many years, and for several years was a director. He has always contributed to propositions that were designed to develop new resources about Bethany, and also to the corporations which promised larger activities and greater benefit to the town. Mr. Newburn has invested in local real estate, and now has one of the good homes of the city.

As to his political activity, Mr. Newburn was reared a democrat and continued to vote with that party until, as he explains, "Mr. Bryan tried to make the people believe that fifty cents was worth as much as a dollar," and in that campaign voted for McKinley, and has since been allied as a voter with the republican party. He was formerly quite active in the democratic party in Harrison County, served for ten years as chairman of the democratic committee, was frequently in the state conventions, and as a public officer was at one time city treasurer of Bethany. Fraternally Mr. Newburn has been affiliated with the Masonic Order since 1872, and has passed the chairs in the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, and has gone to the Grand Lodge as a delegate. He is a supporter of the Methodist Church, which he calls his church home, and with which his family are identified as members.

On September 10, 1868, Mr. Newburn was married in Vandalia, Illinois, to Miss Clarinda Weidner. Her father, Isaiah Weidner, married a Miss Schmidt, both of Pennsylvania German farming people. Mrs. Newburn died in Bethany, September 2, 1910, leaving two children : Mrs. W. C. Barlow and Mrs. W. W. Myers, both of Bethany. On Decem- ber 1, 1913, Mr. Newburn married Mrs. Alice Browning, of Danville, Illinois. She was a sister of his first wife. Besides the two wives of Mr. Newburn, the children in the Weidner family comprised: Mrs. Mary Browning, of Burlington Junction, Missouri; Mrs. D. Browning, of Vandalia, Illinois; Mrs. Florence Freeland, now deceased. of Hagars- town, Illinois; and I. J. Weidner, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. By his first marriage Mr. Newburn has four grandchildren, as follows: James T. Barlow, a senior student in the agricultural department of the State

1620

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

University, and Harry M. Barlow; Zola Myers, a student in the Uni- versity of Missouri; and Charles W. Myers.

LEE H. BUSSELL. The career of Lee H. Bussell, of Mount Moriah, reflects practical and useful ideals, and its range of activities has included merchandising, farming and banking, in each of which he has met with well-merited success. Mr. Bussell is a native of Mercer, Missouri, born near the line of Mercer and Harrison counties, March 24, 1864, and is a son of Elihu and Sarah J. (Milner) Bussell.

William Bussell, the grandfather of Lee H. Bussell, was born in Tennessee, from whence he removed to Kentucky and there carried on agricultural pursuits until the time of his death. His children were as follows: Martin, who spent his life at Indianapolis, Indiana; Eliza, who married Rankin Dinwiddie, and passed away. at Albia, Iowa; Elihu; John T., of Nebraska City, Nebraska; and Will, who was killed as a Union soldier during the Civil war. Elihu Bussell, the father of Lee H. Bussell, was born in Kentucky, January 15, 1836, and was brought up on the home farm, his education being secured in the country public schools. As a youth he was taken by his parents to Hancock County, Indiana, and there he grew to manhood and was married, and in 1856 brought his family by way of wagon to a point seven miles southeast of Mount. Moriah, which he patented and improved, and on which he made his home until the close of the Civil war. He then moved to a locality east of Mount Moriah, where he resided until 1884 and then moved to the village, where for a time he was interested in mercantile pursuits, and where he died April 22, 1887. During the Civil war he served for six months in the Missouri State Militia, as a member of Captain Hensleys' company, but was out in the field only upon the call of his colonel. In politics he was a republican and never held office nor did he attend con- ventions. Although not a member of any religious denomination, he attended the Baptist Church. Mr. Bussell was married in Indiana to Miss Sarah J. Milner, a daughter of James Milner, a farmer who went from Indiana to Kansas, and died at Madison in the latter state. Mrs. Bussell died June 23, 1909, having been the mother of the following children : James W., who is a resident of Osawatomie, Kansas; Mary A., who became the wife of Marshal Mullins, of Mercer County, Mis- souri ; Julia E., who is the wife of C. B. Johnson, of the same county ; Lee H., of this review ; Jasper M., a resident of Osawatomie, Kansas, and Samuel R., of Kansas City, Missouri.

Lee H. Bussell grew up in the community in which he was born, received his education in the district schools of that vicinity, and lived there until nearly reaching his majority. His business career was com- menced as a clerk in his father's mercantile establishment at Mount Moriah, the firm being Shoemaker & Bussell until the young man became a partner, when it was changed to Bussell & Son. This style continued until the death of the father, when the stock was sold to J. H. Myers, and Lee II. Bussell subsequently purchased an interest in the business, which became known as Myers & Bussell and continued as such for two years, when Mr. Bussell disposed of his interest to purchase a stock of dry goods at Princeton, at which point he engaged in merchandising. Mr. Bussell remained in Princeton as a merchant for one year, but at the end of that time, not feeling satisfied with his location, moved his stock to Mount Moriah and conducted a thriving business for two years. At that time his stock was destroyed by a fire, but he immediately secured another line of good, resumed business, and has continued to be engaged therein at Mount Moriah practically ever since. He is a partner in the dry goods concern of E. B. Johnson & Company, and in the firm of

1621

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

C. S. Carpenter Hardware Company, of Mount Moriah, and his farming interests are extensive and important near this place. He is a wheat, corn and grass raiser, and grows from 350 acres of corn up and as much wheat. In addition, he handles stock as a feeder and shipper, and his own stock as well as a dealer and shipper.

Mr. Bussell was one of the organizers of the Bank of Mount Moriah, an institution which was formed in 1898 with a stock of $10,000, with Mr. Bussell as vice president, Mrs. N. M. Stoughton as president and W. P. Chambers as cashier. The bank has a $5,000 certified surplus, which is treated as capital stock, and a total surplus of $10,000. In 1906 Mr. Bussell became president of the bank as the successor of T. F. Gray, who had succeeded Mrs. Stoughton. The vice president at this time is E. L. Stoughton, and the cashier remains the same, while the official board comprises Mr. Chambers, John S. Twadell, E. L. Stoughton and Mr. Bussell.

Mr. Bussell cast his first presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison, and has supported all the republican nominees since that time. He was a delegate to the St. Louis State Republican Convention, in 1912, and helped name the delegate-at-large to the National Republican Convention at Chicago. He has also held various local offices, including those of trustee and member of the school board. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being past grand of Mount Moriah Lodge.

Mr. Bussell was married first March 16, 1892, at Modena, Missouri, to Miss Hattie B. Rock, a daughter of Joshua Rock, a pioneer to Mis- souri who first lived at Macon, his forefathers being from Kentucky. Mrs. Rock was formerly Amanda Scott. Mr. Rock was a farmer and merchant and his family comprised Walter F., of Denver, Colorado; Mrs. Bussell; and Stella, the wife of James S. Arnett, of McAlester, Oklahoma. To Mr. and Mrs. Bussell there have been born the following children : Walter I., who is a student at the Ottawa (Kansas) University ; and Vivian, who is attending the public schools of McAlester, Oklahoma. Mrs. Bussell died January 13, 1905, and Mr. Bussell was married again, his wife being Zelpha Ross, a daughter of James and Margaret (Lloyd) Ross, who were early settlers of this section from Virginia and Ohio, respectively. Mr. Ross, who is a farmer, has been the father of the fol- lowing children: Alice, who is the wife of W. P. Chambers; Jennie, who married Robert Frazee and died at Gilman City, Missouri; Mattie, who married Daniel Landes, and died in Oklahoma ; Jacob W., of Mount Moriah ; and Mrs. Bussell. Mr. and Mrs. Bussell have one son : Arthur Ross.

As a builder of Mount Moriah, Mr. Bussell erected the largest home of the town, and built also the store building where his enterprises do business. He was identified with the school board when the new brick schoolhouse was erected here, and has encouraged all worthy and progres- sive movements.

W. H. KELLER. In noting the qualities which have advanced W. H. Keller from the drudgery of a small rented farm to his present standing as one of the foremost citizens of Clay Township, Holt County, one is forced to renewed appreciation of courage, moral strength, perseverance and industry, for these have been the qualities which have formed the medium through which his rise has been made. Mr. Keller was born at Oregon, Holt County, Missouri, January 13, 1853, and is a son of Charles and Mary (Harmon) Keller, natives of Germany.

Charles Keller grew up in the Fatherland, and there received his education, learning also the trades of carpenter and furniture maker.

1622

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

Deciding that there were better opportunities for advancement in the United States, he emigrated to this country in young manhood, and after traveling around for some time took up his residence in Oregon, Missouri, where not long afterward he was married. After following his trade for several years, Mr. Keller turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, settling on a small property four miles east of Oregon, which he developed from the raw prairie, and to which he added from time to time until he became the owner of 240 acres of good land, all under cultivation. He was a good business man and a reliable citizen, and when he died, November 2, 1894, left many friends to mourn him. The mother sur- vived him ten years, dying in 1904, and like her husband was widely esteemed. They were the parents of four children, all born at Oregon, and of whom one is now deceased. A daughter is living in Andrew County and a son in Axtell, Kansas.

W. H. Keller was given only those educational advantages which are furnished by the public schools, and when ready to enter upon his own career was forced to do so on a rented property of eighty acres. Through hard and persevering work and economy he managed to accumulate enough to purchase his first eighty acres of land, the houses on which were fastened together with a plaster preparation containing straw and hair. As the years passed, and his finances permitted, Mr. Keller added to his holdings and gradually began to make improvements, so that today he is the owner of 808 acres of good land, on which are to be found fine, modern improvements. A part of this property has been inherited, but the greater portion has come to Mr. Keller as a result of his untiring, industrious labor. He is not a politician in the accepted sense of the word, having been too busily engaged with his own enterprises to seek the doubtful honors of the political arena, but has been willing to do his share in bearing the responsibilities of citizenship, and during the past three years has served very acceptably as a member of the school board. He supports republican candidates and policies, and both Mr. and Mrs. Keller belong to the Christian Church, but their children all belong to the Methodist Church. During the forty years of his residence in Clay Township, he has formed a wide acquaintance, and his general popularity is evidenced by his wide circle of friends.

Mr. Keller was married to Miss Mattie Hodge, one of the eight chil- dren of Steven and Martha Ann (Howell) Hodge, the former of New Jersey who is now a merchant of Oklahoma, while the latter was born in Mason County, Illinois, where they were married, and where Mrs. Keller was also born. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Keller, all on the present farm: Charles, who married Della Rowlett; Bertha, who is single and resides with her parents; Maud, who is the wife of Walter Rowlett; and Steven Henry and William Hobart, who are engaged in farming with their father, as is also Charles. Father and sons are looked upon as most progressive and energetic men, able repre- sentatives of the farming class that is maintaining such a high standard of agricultural supremacy in Holt County.

FRANCIS MARION SPRAGG. One of the public spirited men of Ridge- way in Harrison County is Francis Marion Spragg, successful as a real estate dealer, and a man who has devoted considerable attention to the civic, educational, moral and religious interests of that community, which has been his home since May, 1893. He is active in the progressive movements, giving both time and money to enterprises that mean more to all the people than to himself. Mr. Spragg has been identified with the land interests in this section of Harrison County since the fall of 1888.

1623

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

Francis Marion Spragg was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, October 29, 1854, and comes of an old Pennsylvania family. The first American settler of the name is said to have come from Whitehall, Eng- land, and some of his descendants served in the Patriot Army of the United States in aid of independence. The great-grandfather of the Ridgeway citizen was Caleb Spragg. The grandfather, David Spragg, was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and spent his life as a farmer there. The family has been represented in Greene County since colonial times, and through their activities and their membership in one com- munity there originated the town known as Spragg's Postoffice. Grand- father David Spragg married Nancy Gordon, and both spent their lives in Greene County. He was the owner of a large amount of land, was a favorite socially among his neighbors, entertained much company in the old home, and they were both active workers in the Methodist Protestant Church. He was a democrat, and all the family have affiliated with the same party. His death occurred at the age of eighty-one, followed about five years later by his wife. Their children were: Polly, who married Jesse Phillips, and died in Pennsylvania; Caleb A., who was born in December, 1829; William G., who died in Greene County; Adam, who spent his life in that Pennsylvania community ; and Debbie, who married Joel Strawn of Greene County.

Caleb A. Spragg, father of Francis M., was born in Greene County, as already stated, in 1829, was active as a farmer and stock man, and for many years postmaster at Spragg's. He was a regular worker in church, and though never a speaker took active part in democratic politics and held several local offices. His death occurred in July, 1913. His wife was Sarah Johnson, daughter of William and Nancy (Lantz) Johnson. Their children were: Sylvanus L., a prominent surgeon and graduate of Jef- ferson Medical College at Philadelphia and now practicing at Wheeling, West Virginia ; Francis M .; William F., who died in Greene County in 1913; David G., who died at Ridgeway, Missouri; and Clara N., who became the wife of C. K. Spragg of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

Francis M. Spragg was reared on the old farm at Spragg's Postoffice, was educated in the local schools and the high school, and qualified as a teacher, holding a permanent certificate in that state. For two years. Mr. Spragg served as deputy sheriff, and for three years was in the news- paper business, managing the Greene County Democrat. During that time the circulation of the paper was increased from a thousand to more than three thousand. It was a democratic paper, published at Waynesburg, the county seat, and Mr. Spragg as editor pursued a vigorous policy in his editorials for good government and for temperance, and placed the paper in hundreds of homes where it had not been previously read. In Greene County at that time the dominant party was the democrats, and Mr. Spragg was one of its active leaders, though he declined to become a candidate for the office of sheriff, though urged in that course by his friends.

From Pennsylvania Mr. Spragg came west and located at St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was engaged in the real estate and mercantile busi- ness, and from there investigated the country about Ridgeway in 1888. After five years in St. Joseph he returned to Ridgeway and became a local merchant, a business he followed at intervals for a number of years. With his son Lloyd Mr. Spragg was for three years identified with the publication of the Ridgeway Journal, but since selling that paper he has given all his attention to real estate.

Mr. Spragg was married in Greene County, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1879, to Jane Yeater, daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann (Phillips) Yeater. Joseph Yeater was a son of John Yeater, and a grandson of

1624

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

Andrew, who served as a Revolutionary soldier from Pennsylvania. Joseph Yeater was a farmer and miller at Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, a man of wide acquaintance and eminent public spirit, and toward the close of his life came out to Missouri and died in Ridgeway in 1903 at the age of seventy-six. His children were: Mrs. Spragg; Harry L .; Joseph F .; Edwin R .; Albert W .; and Robert. Mrs. Spragg was grad- uated from the Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania and from the Millersville Normal in that state, and like her husband was for several years engaged as a teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Spragg had the following children : Earl G., a graduate of the law department of the University of Missouri and now living at Ridgeway; Lloyd Yeater, who took a course in journalism in the State University and is associated with his brother and is also engaged in the real estate business at Ridgeway ; Frances M., a graduate of the Warrensburg Normal School, for several years a teacher and now the wife of Hamlin R. Tull, cashier of the First National Bank of Ridgeway.

During his residence at Ridgeway Mr. Spragg has served on the town board, was at one time mayor, and during a number of years as presi- dent of the school board the present brick schoolhouse was erected. Both he and his wife are active Methodists, and he has been identified with that church all his life, served as superintendent of the Sunday school in his native county, and at Ridgeway was a member of the building committee when the home church was erected. He has in a similar manner been interested in practically all the public enterprises that have appealed to the Ridgeway patronage. Mr. Spragg is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Yeomen, the Knights of Pythias, is a past consul of the Modern Woodmen, and has been chief officer of the Yeomen for a number of years.

WILL R. VANHOOZER. In none of the activities of life to which men bend their energies do individuals become so widely known as in jour- nalism, not always, perhaps, as personalities, but surely as influences, their printed thoughts reaching thousands while their spoken words could be heard by comparatively few. Hence the responsibility of a journalist is of exceeding weight and in the molding of public opinion the editor of a newspaper plays an important part in securing reforma- tory legislation and. in changing public policies. Prominent among the newspaper men of Northwest Missouri is found Will R. Vanhoozer, editor of the Orrick Times, which he has published at Orrick since 1891, always with an increasing circulation and greater popularity. Mr. Vanhoozer entered the journalistic field in 1889, and during the quarter of a century he has been engaged therein has made his name widely known in this section of the state.

Will R. Vanhoozer was born at Elkhorn, Ray County, Missouri, July 12, 1864, and is a son of Alfred and Catherine (Odell) Vanhoozer. His father, born in Eastern Tennessee, May 24, 1843, was a son of Hugh and Rebecca (Callahan) Vanhoozer, natives of that state who came to Missouri in 1855 and located in Buchanan County, in 1859 removed to Gentry County, and in 1862 came to Ray County and settled at Elk- horn, north of what is now the City of Hardin. Alfred Vanhoozer was twelve years of age when the family came to Missouri, and here he was reared and educated. From 1871 until 1879 he was engaged in farming and in the latter year turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, which he followed at Elkhorn from that time until his death, November 9, 1888, when he was but forty-five years of age. He was married in Ray County to Catherine Odell, who was born in this county, a daughter of William and Mary (Tarwater) Odell, natives of Tennessee. She passed away

1625

HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

May 24, 1880, when forty years of age. Mr. Vanhoozer was a popular member of the Blue Lodge of the Masonic Order, and he and Mrs. Van- hoozer were affiliated with the Baptist Church. Of their four children three are living: Will R., of this review; Mary J., who is the wife of L. G. Smith, of Ray County ; and Lucy A., the wife of J. O. Billings, of Clay County.

Will R. Vanhoozer's schooling lasted barely until he reached the eighth grade, when he became self-supporting, and from that time to the present he has led a life of constant activity. He received his intro- duction to the newspaper business in 1889, when at Sedalia, Missouri, he was given employment by J. West Goodman, editor of the Sedalia Bazoo. In the fall of 1890 he went to Richmond, where he worked on the Richmond Democrat, and in April, 1891, came to Orrick and estab- lished the Orrick Times, the pioneer newspaper of this place, which he has successfully continued to publish up to the present. The Times is a democratic organ, but it is the aim of its editor to present to its readers a fair, unbiased opinion on all questions of public importance. A neat, well- printed sheet, its pages are devoted to the interesting national news of the day, all the local happenings and terse, well-written editorials. It is its policy to educate the reading public into discouraging sensational "yellow" matter, the publisher believing that a clean, reliable newspaper will be the means of ultimately developing the best interests of the com- munity. Politically Mr. Vanhoozer is a democrat, and during three terms served as mayor of Orrick, a capacity in which he was able to do much to bring about reformatory movements. His fraternal connection is with the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America.

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 northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 49

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