A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 52

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

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IIARVEY VAN BUSKIRK. One of the oldest citizens of Savannah in point of residence is Harvey Van Buskirk, who came here in 1852 when this was still a struggling village with 300 inhabitants. During his boyhood he passed through experiences that would hardly be believed by the members of the younger generation, who, seeing the thriving and progressive city, with its large business and financial institutions, its modern schools and churches, and its distinguishing marks of advanced civilization, would find it hard to realize that but sixty years ago slaves were sold and publicly whipped here; that it was a nightly occurrence

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to hear the great black timber wolves howling in the near vicinity ; that rags soaked in grease and tallow candles were used for lighting purposes, and that, having never heard of screens, the inhabitants were forced to burn great smudges to keep off the mosquitoes. All these things Mr. Van Buskirk has witnessed and more. His career has been an exceptionally active one and has included a variety of pursuits, and at the present time he is engaged in the photographic business, in which he has gained much popularity and success.

Harvey Van Buskirk was born in Morrow County, Ohio, July 22, 1846, and is a son of John and Eliza (Cook) Van Buskirk. The father was of old Holland Dutch stock, and belonged to a family that was connected by marriage with Lord Lawrence of England. The grand- father of Harvey Van Buskirk, John Van Buskirk, removed from New York to Pennsylvania at an early day, and in Greene County, the latter state, John Van Buskirk, the father of Harvey, was born in 1800. He was still a youth when the family moved to Richland County, Ohio, where they settled in the heavy timber and cleared a farm, and when he grew to manhood moved to Morrow County, where he was married to Eliza Cook, who had been born in that county in 1805. In 1852 the parents came to Savannah, Missouri, and located on a farm seven miles west of the town, and there the mother died during the fall of the same year. The father, who was a farmer, cabinetmaker and carpenter, survived for many years, and died in March, 1894, on his farm adjoining the town of Savannah. He and his wife were devout members of the Baptist Church, and he was originally a democrat in politics, but cast his last democratic vote for Stephen A. Douglas, following which he always voted the republican ticket. There were ten children in the family : Stephen, who died in infancy; Asher, who served in the Missouri State Militia during the Civil war and later went to Camas, State of Wash- ington, where he died; John, who served in the Indian wars in Oregon, and died at Tacoma, Washington; Rhoda, who died at Savannah, in 1908, was the wife of Capt. Simon Evans, who was captain of Company B, Twenty-fifth Regiment; Missouri Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war; Mary, who died at Savannah as the wife of Milas Wilson; Ida, deceased, who was the wife of John Roberts; Rufus, who served during the last six months of the Civil war as a member of Company B, Fifty-first Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and died at Savannah in 1908; William, who served in the Fourth Missouri State Militia for three years during the Civil war and is now a resident of Tacoma, Washington ; Eliza, who married David Mendenhall, and resides 21/2 miles west of Savannah ; and Harvey, of this review.

Harvey Van Buskirk remained on the home farm until he was twelve years of age, at which time his father moved to Savannah. He was only fifteen years old when he began his active and varied career as the driver of teams across the plains for John Hobson, freighting to Denver, Colorado, and subsequently making a trip for the United States Government to Fort Union, New Mexico. He also followed the printer's trade to some extent as a youth, having learned the trade as a boy in the office of the Plain Dealer, under Charles Whitaker. On February 25, 1865, Mr. Van Buskirk enlisted in Company B, Fifty-first Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, having a very creditable military record. In 1866 he went to White Cloud, Kansas, where he secured employment as a printer on the White Cloud Kansas Chief, with which he. remained until 1883, and after two years spent at Ouray, Colorado, in the same capacity, returned to the White Cloud paper for a short time. Returning to Savannah, he succeeded his brother, Rufus, as the proprietor of the photograph gallery

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here, and with this business he has continued to be identified to the present time. He has attracted to his studio an excellent patronage, and the excellence of his work has made him favorably known throughout the county. Politically Mr. Van Buskirk is a republican, but he has had no political aspirations. He has accepted his share of the responsi- bilities of good citizenship, and may be depended upon to give his support to good men and beneficial measures.

Mr. Van Buskirk was married in 1876 to Miss Cora Spaulding, a native of Kansas, and she was the mother of two children: Anna, who is the wife of T. E. McFarlin, of Belleville, Kansas; and Edith, now Mrs. Howard, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1889 Mr. Van Buskirk was married a second time, being united with Mrs. Jennie June Rusing. They have had no children.

J. C. GILMORE. The career of J. C. Gilmore, a venerable citizen and retired farmer of Savannah, is one that is remarkable for the interesting incidents and experiences that have marked its course, and for the breadth of country and diversified occupations that it has covered. An Irish emigrant lad at the age of eleven, a gold seeker during the "days of old, the days of gold, the days of '49," a marshal in the mining camps when pay was exceptionally good because the men who would accept such dangerous office were few and far between, a business man in Savannah when this city was in its infancy, and for many years a suc- cessful tiller of the soil-his life has been one of constant activity, and his eyes have been witnesses to wonderful transformations and develop- ments. If the span of human life be measured by ideas, by new sensa- tions, then the life of Mr. Gilmore may be said to be longer than that of the patriarchs who drew out centuries amid the monotony of the deserts in the dull round of pastoral pursuits.

J. C. Gilmore was born in County Down, Ireland, June 24, 1822, and is a son of Patrick and Susan (Logan) Gilmore, also natives of that part of Erin, where they passed their entire lives. They were the parents of seven sons and two daughters, but besides J. C., only two came to the United States, Henry and Anna. J. C. Gilmore received only an indifferent public school training in his native land, and in 1833 was brought in a sailing vessel to the United States by neighbors who were making the trip, the youth joining his brother Henry, who had preceded him about six years, at St. Louis. There he was given further educational opportunities, attending school for about six years, and then following whatever honorable employment presented itself until the discovery of gold in California was announced and people from all over the country set forth in a mad hunt for the yellow metal. An adventuresome young man, with no particular family ties to bind him, Mr. Gilmore joined the courageous throng which wended its hazard- ous and wearisome way across the broad burning plains. His experi- ences during that journey will ever live with him, and culminated in his capture, with another teamster, by the famous bandit Jewell who detained them for three days and then released them and sent them on to their destination with two scouts. Arriving in the Golden State, Mr. Gilmore found, with others, that all was not so bright as it had been painted, but he immediately settled down to mining, at which he was principally engaged during the following twelve years with some degree of success. During this time he was in both California and Idaho, and in the latter state served as marshal of Idaho City, a position the danger of which was shown by the enormous wages paid the incumbent.

Returning from the West, in 1866, Mr. Gilmore established himself in business as the owner of a saloon and billiard hall, on the present site

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of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but when he turned his attention to farming disposed of this business and became a charter member of the Bible class of the new congregation. He still continues as a member of this organization. When he became a tiller of the soil, Mr. Gilmore purchased a farm six miles west of Savannah, which he cultivated until his retirement, January 6, 1912. Long years of faithful and well-applied labor eventuated in the accumulation of a handsome competence, and he is now living at his comfortable home at Savannah, content in the knowledge of a useful life. In political matters Mr. Gilmore is a demo- crat, but public life has not appealed to him. He is willing at all times to assist movements which will make for the betterment of his com- munity, and is known as a good citizen. With the carriage and appear- ance of a man thirty years his junior, his life of activity and out-door exercise is shown at its face value.

On March 6, 1870, Mr. Gilmore was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Blair, who was born in County Donegal, Ireland, December 25, 1850, and came to the United States with her parents in May, 1866, they being Thomas and Eliza (Patterson) Blair, both of whom passed away at Savannah. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, namely : Mary, who is the widow of Wood Cobb, of Savannah, and has three daughters; Susan, who is the wife of Clyde Fralikill, of St. Joseph, and has three sons; William, who is a farmer of Andrew County and has one son and two daughters; Robert, of St. Joseph, who has two sons and three daughters; Grace, who is the wife of Lee Fralikill, of St. Joseph, and has no children; Anna, who is the wife of William Benningfield, of Chicago, and has one daughter; Harry, of St. Joseph, who is single ; and Effie, who died at the age of nine years. Mr. Gilmore has fifteen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

JOHN D. KERR. While Mr. Kerr was for one term the efficient in- cumbent of the postoffice at Savannah, he is probably best known over Andrew County for his many years of active connection with newspaper work, as editor and publisher of the Savannah Republican. His family is one that has been identified with Andrew County the greater part of forty years, and his father, Dr. William M. Kerr, is one of the oldest and most prominent physicians of Savannah.

Dr. William Morrison Kerr was born in Woodsfield, Monroe County, Ohio, February 28, 1840, a son of John and Janet (Davidson) Kerr. The parents were both natives of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and in 1836 emigrated to America, bringing with them two children, John, who died in Wheeling, West Virginia, and Mary, also deceased. The parents died at Woodsfield, Ohio. The father was a carpenter by trade, having learned that business in Scotland, but after locating in Ohio was a farmer. His death occurred at the age of seventy-nine and his wife was past eighty. Altogether there were thirteen children, and five sons and four daughters reached maturity. Two of the daughters and one son died in Scotland from the scourge of cholera.

Doctor Kerr grew up in Ohio, learned the duties of a farm and acquired a common school education, and when about twenty-two years of age, in August, 1862, was commissioned second lieutenant in Com- pany A of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He continued in active service until November, 1864, when discharged from the hospital following a severe attack of typhoid fever. In the meantime he had been promoted to first lieutenant and was commissioned captain in September, 1864, but was never mustered in with that rank. After the war Doctor Kerr studied medicine in Miami Medical College at Cincinnati, graduating M. D. in 1868. He has been actively identified

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with his profession now more than forty-five years. He began practice at Fairfield, Illinois, but in 1876 moved to Northwest Missouri, locating at Fillmore in Andrew County. He later spent a year in Kansas, returned to Missouri, and in 1887 again moved to Jewell County, Kansas, and lived there about three years. Since his return in the fall of 1890 his home has been at Savannah, and he has a high standing among the physicians of the county.

Doctor Kerr's brother, John D., was a soldier in the same company and died on the Antietam battlefield, while his youngest brother, George, now a resident of Woodsfield, Ohio, was a member of the noted organiza- tion known as the "Squirrel Hunters" during the war. Doctor Kerr has been a republican almost since the organization of the party, and is an active member of Peabody Post, No. 41, of the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been a Mason for more than half a century and is affiliated with Savannah Lodge, No. 71, A. F. & A. M. His ancestors in Scotland were covenanters, and he is an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Savannah. Doctor Kerr was married in Illinois in 1871 to Mary I. Trousdale, who was born in Wayne County, Illinois, daughter of John and Ellen ( Wilson) Trousdale, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of England. Doctor Kerr and wife were the parents of the following children: Anna, who died at the age of eight years; John D .; William R., of St. Joseph; and Alice, who was assistant post- master at Savannah.

John D. Kerr was born in Fairfield, Illinois, August 1, 1873. That was the home of his mother at the time she married Doctor Kerr. He was three years of age when his parents located at Fillmore, and has spent most of his life in Andrew County. Mr. Kerr graduated from the Savannah high school in 1892, and in the following year entered the office of the Andrew County Republican, and was in active newspaper work for twenty years. In 1896 he bought a half interest in the paper, and in 1905 became sole proprietor and successfully managed that influential news organ until he sold out in August, 1913. On February 23, 1911, Mr. Kerr received appointment as postmaster at Savannah, and during his incumbency did much to improve service to patrons.

Mr. Kerr has been a republican all his mature life, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church and of the Modern Woodmen of America. In 1896 he married Mattie Buis, who was born in Andrew County, and they were graduated from the high school in the same class. Her parents, both deceased, were Perry and Mary Buis. Mr. Kerr and wife have eight children : Eleanor, John, Jr., Morris, Janet, Catherine, Gertrude, Helen and Charlotte.

GEORGE W. RODECKER. The retirement of George W. Rodecker from active life, in 1900, was justified by the accomplishment of success in its broadest sense, by many years of devotion to the vocation of farming, by a brave and active service in the ranks of the Union army during the great Civil war, and by faithfulness to public and private duties and conscientious regard for the perpetuation of his name and labor in the bringing up of his children. His life has been a singularly active one, and the end of his labors finds him financially prosperous and rich in the esteem of a wide circle of appreciative friends.

Mr. Rodecker was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1840, and is a son of Samuel and Ann (Best) Rodecker, the former a native of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Chambersburg, that state. The family was founded in America during Colonial days by the great-great-grandfather of Mr. Rodecker, who emigrated to this country from Germany, while his great-grandfather was born in the

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Keystone state, where the family has been known for many years. Samuel Rodecker resided on the farm on which he was born until 1854, in which year he migrated with his family to Illinois as a pioneer, and there passed his life in the pursuits of the soil, dying in Knox County. The mother passed away in Andrew County, Missouri. They were the parents of eight children, of whom six grew to maturity: George W., of this review; Mrs. Nancy Andrews; Frederick, deceased, who was a resident of Southern Missouri; Alice Hensley, a widow, who resides at Lincoln, Nebraska; Mrs. Kate Bell, a widow of Chicago, Illinois; and William, a resident of Nebraska.

George W. Rodecker was fourteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Illinois, and in that state he completed his education in the public schools. He remained at home assisting his father on the farm until the fall of 1861, when his country's need for defenders of the flag caused him, with other patriotic young men of his neighborhood, to enlist in the Union army. He became a member of Company K, Fifty-fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, attached to the Fifteenth Army Corps, First Brigade, Second Division, with which organization he served for three years. During this service he partici- pated in nine great battles, in addition to numerous smaller engagements and skirmishes, and at all times bore himself as a courageous, faithful and cheerful soldier, winning the respect of his comrades and the con- fidence of his officers. He took part in the great battles of Shiloh and Hollow Springs, Mississippi, the advance on Corinth, Sherman's march to and past Vicksburg, where he helped dig the canal approaching the fortifications and was on guard duty when the Indianola ran the block- ade, and the battles of Missionary Ridge and Black River, and was then disabled by sickness and taken to the hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, where he was confined for two months. He was finally mustered out of the service with an excellent record, receiving his honorable discharge at Springfield, Illinois, in the fall of 1864.

When his military service was completed, Mr. Rodecker returned to farming in Knox County, Illinois, and there remained until the spring of 1882, when he came to Andrew County, Missouri. Here he suc- cessfully followed agricultural pursuits until 1900, when he rented his property and moved to King City, in order that his children might secure better educational advantages. In 1904 he took up his residence at Savannah, where he has a comfortable home and is surrounded by all the comforts that a life of industry and honorable dealing may bring.

Mr. Rodecker was married in 1865 to Miss Louise Marks, a native of Kentucky, who died five years later without issue. In 1872 Mr. Rodecker contracted a second marriage, being united with Miss Eliza Cooper, who was born in Kentucky, in 1847, and died at Savannah, in February, 1907, the mother of five children, as follows: Frank, who is a resident of Durango, Colorado, and has six children; Nera, who is the wife of Morris McColley, of St. Louis, Missouri; Irma, who resides at home with her father; Mrs. Alice Sealey, who died in April, 1913, leaving two children, Maxine Elliott and Leon, who make their home with their grandfather; and George C., who is a shoe merchant at Savannah, and the father of two children.

Mr. Rodecker has been a lifelong democrat. He heard the great joint debate between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, at Galesburg, Illinois, and subsequently, while in the army, cast his ballot for George A. McClellan. He has continued to support democratic can- didates to the present time and has been an active worker in the party, although he has not sought personal preferment. While a resident of Illinois, however, he acted. capably for a number of years in the capacity

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of justice of the peace. Mr. Rodecker is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has served as elder and trustee for a number of years, holding the latter position at the present time. He has continued to maintain an interest in his old army comrades, and is a popular member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic.

LLOYD W. BOOHER. The son of Congressman Charles F. Booher, Lloyd W. Booher, took his father's place in the old established and prominent law firm of Booher & Williams in 1909, and has been one of the active lawyers of Andrew County for the past fifteen years. As his father began practice at Savannah in 1871, the name has been con- tinuously identified with the law and with public affairs in this city over forty years, and is one of the most prominent and best known in Northwest Missouri.

Charles F. Booher, who has represented the Fourth Missouri District in Congress since the Sixtieth Congress, was born at East Groveland, New York, January 21, 1848, a son of Henry and Catherine Booher. The family came out to Northwest Missouri many years ago, and Charles F. Booher was educated in district schools and in 1871 was admitted to the bar and at once began practice at Savannah. In 1887 he formed a partnership with Isaac R. Williams, and the firm of Booher & Williams has been continuously in practice at Savannah since that time. Mr. Booher's career as a lawyer has been marked by numerous political distinctions. He served six years in the office of prosecuting attorney, was democratic presidential elector in 1880, for six years held the office of mayor of Savannah, and in 1906 was elected to represent the Fourth District in Congress. He took his seat in 1907, and is now concluding his fourth term. Congressman Booher was married at Rochester, Missouri, January 11, 1877, to Sallie D. Shanks.

Lloyd W. Booher was born at Savannah, November 12, 1877, and this city has been his home all his life. He was graduated from the high school in 1895, entered the University of Missouri in the same year, and after one year in the Academic Department took up the study of law and was graduated LL. B. in the class of 1898. Admitted to the bar in the same fall, on reaching his majority, he began active practice, and in 1909 became a member of the firm of Booher & Williams. Mr. Booher had the distinction in 1900 of being the only democrat elected to a county office in Andrew County. He was elected prosecuting attorney and served one term. Mr. Booher was a member of the Beta Theta Pi college fraternity during his university career, and is affiliated with the Masonic lodge at Savannah, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at St. Joseph, the Knights of Pythias at Rochester, and is a member of the St. Joseph Country Club. On January 15, 1902, he married Josephine E. Hurley, who was born in Andrew County. Her father, O. J. Hurley, was for a number of years editor of the Savannah Democrat.

SAMUEL B. STEWART. One of the best known resident of Andrew County is Samuel B. Stewart, who has lived in the vicinity of Savannah nearly all his life, and is now a resident of the county seat and semi- retired. Mr. Stewart is a man of extensive interests, and has had an interesting career.

He was born about six miles south of Savannah near the Buchanan County line October 17, 1850. His parents were Robert and Clarinda (Keaton) Stewart, both of whom were natives of Kentucky, where they married. During the decade of the '40s they came to Northwest Mis- souri, locating north of St. Joseph. The father was a race horse man and brought some of the first racing stock into this section of the state.

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In the early days he knew Joseph Robidoux, the founder and pioneer of St. Joseph. His death occurred when Samuel B. was five years of age and the mother died about the same time. There were four children : Frances Gillespie; Martha Sherman, deceased; Robert, of Reserve, Kansas; and Samuel B.

After the death of the parents Samuel and his brother were adopted by the late David Moran, a wealthy farmer and land owner whose home was about eight miles east of Savannah. Mr. Stewart lived with Mr. Moran until the latter's death. He had an average education in the country schools and learned to work on his foster father's farm, and at the death of his benefactor inherited a farm of 500 acres which he still owns. In the fall of 1905 Mr. Stewart moved to Savannah, and his son, Robert, now operates the place. Mr. Stewart was active manager of Mr. Moran's large land holdings and in all his business operations has proved himself a capable and energetic worker. Since moving to Savannah he has engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock and for a time had a livery establishment.

Mr. Stewart is a democrat in politics, and at one time was candidate for the office of sheriff, but otherwise has not sought any public honors. Mr. Stewart was a party to the most famous lawsuit ever tried in Andrew County, and it is a case with which lawyers all over Missouri are familiar. This case, entitled Moran vs. Stewart, was a long drawn out piece of litigation, and was in the courts from 1891 to 1913. The Supreme Court reviewed the judgments of the lower courts five different times, and it will probably stand for many years as one of the record cases tried in Missouri. A complete account of this case is found in the Missouri Reports of the Supreme Court and was also published in the Southwestern Reporter of January 1, 1913.

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A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 52

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