A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 59

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

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Braymer's large landed acreage in the vicinity of Braymer is divided among several farms, each improved with good houses, barns and all the facilities for successful stock farming. He keeps from a hundred to three hundred head of cattle on his Caldwell County places, also about five hundred hogs, and as a measure of his enterprise it can be stated that few of the larger business men and manufacturers of the cities of Missouri control more extensive interests than Mr. Braymer.

His interests extend to various other states. There are 800 acres of land under his ownership near Fort Sill in Oklahoma, a large tract of valuable land near Ellensburg, Washington, and another fine farm in South Dakota. Mr. Braymer has always followed the practice of in- vesting his surplus capital in land, and his skillful knowledge of how to make land productive and profitable is a full justification of this practice. He is also owner of about thirteen thousand acres in South Mexico, one of the most beautiful tracts of land anywhere in North America, with almost untold wealth in timber and other resources.

Since 1896 Mr. Braymer has lived in the City of Braymer, where he has a fine home. He was married in 1869 in Washington County, New York, to Miss Nancy Woodward. She was born in Washington County, a daughter of John and Fanny (McCarter) Woodward, both New York State people. The other Woodward children were: John, now de- ceased ; Alexander, deceased; Mary Jane, who lives in Washington County, New York. Her father died at the age of sixty-seven and her mother at seventy-nine. Her father was a democrat in politics and a member of the Baptist Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Braymer have children as follows: George V., who is following in the footsteps of his father and is one of the prominent stockmen of Caldwell County, was married first to Stella Feese, who died three years after marriage, leaving one child, Pauline. He married second Alice Morris, and to this union three children were born, Daniel Richard, George V., and Mildred; Stella Braymer; Frank, who died at the age of fifteen; and Lulu, who is married to Dr. Boone Woolsey and lives at Braymer, and they have one child, Randall B. Mr. Braymer and his family are members of the Methodist Church. He is a republican in politics, and served as county judge of Caldwell County in 1881 and 1882. He is content to perform his share of public service through the management of his extensive interests, which are not only a source of profit to himself but have resulted in the upbuilding and improvement of the community, and are a source of wealth to a number of men in this section and elsewhere. Mr, Braymer has always proved himself a strong supporter of good roads, schools and churches and law and order, and when public undertakings are proposed he is one of the first men whose endorsement and practical cooperation are required.

SID F. THOMSON. Cashier of the First National Bank of Cowgill, Sid F. Thomson has been identified with banking in this town for the past six years, was formerly in business as a merchant and is a Cow- gill County citizen whose career has been passed here from birth, and has always been honorably and influentially identified with the welfare of the community. Mr. Thomson in 1914 was honored by the citizens of Cowgill with election to the office of mayor, and since the beginning of his administration has done much to improve the town as a business and home center. The First National Bank of Cowgill was established in 1887, at first as a private institution, and took out a National charter about fifteen years ago. Its officers are : A. M. Delany, president ; W. H. Lile, vice president; C. L. Wells, vice president; Sid F. Thomson, assistant cashier. The bank has a capital of $35,000, and its surplus is

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now $15,000. Mr. Thomson has a large acquaintance both in Caldwell and in Ray counties, has spent his youth and manhood in this section, and possesses the esteem paid to honest ability in all his relations, whether in business or with civic affairs.

Sid F. Thomson was born on the old home farm in this vicinity, August 14, 1873. His father, Frederick Thomson, was a farmer and stock man, and died in 1897 at the age of fifty-three. He was born and reared in Caldwell County, and his parents came to this section from Kentucky. He was married in Lincoln Township to Mary Thomson, a cousin, who is now living at the age of seventy on the old homestead. There were five children : Sid F. Thomson ; Samuel, in Excelsior Springs, Missouri ; Ella, wife of E. M. McCray of Cowgill; Crosby, of Cowgill ; and R. A., a farmer and stock man operating the old homestead. The father of these children was a prominent citizen, served as county com- missioner, was an elder in the Christian Church, and in politics a democrat.

Sid F. Thomson grew up on the home farm, learned its duties and developed a good physique, and was educated in the public schools, finish- ing with a business course. His father was postmaster at Cowgill during the second Cleveland administration, and Sid Thomson during that time served as assistant postmaster. In 1900 Mr. Thomson married Linnie May, a daughter of C. A. May, now deceased, while her mother is living in Grand Junction, Colorado. Mrs. Thomson was before her marriage a popular teacher, and is a graduate of the Breckenridge High School. Mr. and Mrs. Thomson have three children : Frederick A., Dorothy May and Robert H. Mr. Thomson affiliates with Lodge No. 561 of the Masonic Order, he and his wife are active in the Christian Church and for a number of years they have made themselves useful and influential members of local society.

MICHAEL R. FOWLER. It is by no means an empty distinction to have lived actively and usefully for a period of fourscore years. At this writing Michael R. Fowler has passed his eightieth birthday. He was born in Missouri during pioneer times, and has been both a witness and an actor in the changing development of this state since he was a boy. Mr. Fowler is now retired, but still more or less active in super- vising his extensive interests. As a farmer and stock man he is regarded as one of the wealthiest and most successful, and is known in all the region about Polo, both in Caldwell and Ray counties, where most of his active career has been spent.

Michael R. Fowler was born May 4, 1834, in Howard County, Mis- souri. His birthplace was a log cabin, the type of home which was more frequently found in Missouri eighty years ago than any other kind. His parents at that time lived north of Fayette. His father, Elijah Fowler, was an early settler in Missouri, and came from the vicinity of Boston, Massachusetts, and was of English descent. Elijah married Matilda Burton, who was a native of Kentucky and of an old family in that state. The family moved from Howard County to the vicinity of Huntsville in Randolph County, and from there came to Clinton County. The father improved a large tract of land in Ray County, and followed farming until his death at the age of seventy- seven. He was a democrat in politics. The mother passed away at the age of seventy. They were the parents of a large family of children, named as follows: William, who went out as a volunteer to the Mexican war in 1846, and is now deceased; John, deceased; Stephen, deceased ; Jesse, deceased ; Moses R .; Elizabeth; Michael R .; James, who lives in

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Randolph County; Matilda, whose home is in Cooper County, Missouri; and Ellen, who lives in Randolph County.

Michael R. Fowler grew up on a farm, and hard work was his portion as a boy, and all his education came from one of the primitive schools kept in Missouri during the '40s and '50s. It was in a log cabin, with a puncheon floor, with slab benches, a mud and stick chimney, and the crude furnishings matched the old fashioned methods of instruction, which included only the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Mr. Fowler was married in Ray County, Missouri, in 1864 to Elvira Moss. She was reared and educated in Ray County, a daughter of Archi- bald Moss, who was born in Kentucky, of an old French family. Archi- bald Moss married Lucy Boston, also a native of Kentucky. Their children were: William, Reuben, Elizabeth Jane, Thomas, Archibald, Nancy, Irene, Susan, John, Elvira Fowler, and one that died in child- hood. Mrs. Fowler's father died at the age of eighty-five. He had served in the Confederate State Militia during the war. The mother died at the age of seventy-two and both were members of the Christian Church.

Mr. Fowler began his career as a farmer and stock raiser more than half a century ago, and his operations have always been carried on on an extensive scale, as a raiser, feeder and dealer in cattle, hogs and other live stock. He has handled many hundreds of acres of land, both as a farmer and a dealer, and at one time owned 2,000 acres in Ray and Caldwell counties. This was divided among several farms, and he has long been one of the heavy tax payers in this section. Mr. Fowler was formerly a stockholder in the Farmers Bank of Polo, and though he has given liberally to his children still has large interests to supervise. His home in Polo is a substantial and comfortable eight- room house, and he has all those material good things which make old age pleasant.

Mr. and Mrs. Fowler became the parents of seven children. Their son Archibald is one of the prominent farmers and cattle men in the vicinity of Polo and operates over eleven hundred acres of land. He has a son named M. R. Thomas, the next child, is a stockman in Ray County, with 1,000 acres of well improved land, and has a home and family. The son Charles is likewise a farmer and cattleman, occupying 350 acres in Ray County. Fred B. is proprietor of a farm of 400 acres in Caldwell and Ray counties. Lulu is now deceased. Carrie is the wife of J. G. Withers, the popular cashier of the Farmers Bank of Polo. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler have reared their children to lives of honorable usefulness, and take great pleasure in their grandchildren and in the successful careers of the sons and daughters. Mr. Fowler and wife are both members of the Christian Church. Mr. Fowler is a democrat in politics but has never sought office.

JOSEPH S. LEAMER. When Joseph S. Leamer came into Caldwell County in 1866, he brought with him one horse and a set of harness. He had no money, and the first winter was spent in cutting cord wood at the rate of $1 per cord, and he also split several thousand rails. That was the means by which he was started on a successful career. It is needless to say that he possessed industry and a vigorous physique, and these resources with a faculty of good business judgment have put him in a position through the succeeding years where he is now regarded as one of the most influential and prosperous men of Polo. He is one of the most extensive land owners in the county, and his farms aggregate 635 acres. His home place comprises seventy-five acres and adjoins the Town of Polo, being situated in section 21 of Grant Township. His own

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residence is a large and commodious house of ten rooms, surrounded with large barns, feed lots, and all the facilities for conducting his industry as a stock farmer. He keeps cattle and hogs, and makes a specialty of the breeding of mules and horses. On his place can be found some of the best thoroughbred Duroc swine in Caldwell County. Mr. Leamer understands his business, is a thoroughly practical man, and his success is based on thorough business qualifications and an integrity which has stood without question for nearly half a century.

Joseph S. Leamer comes of good old Pennsylvania stock of German ancestry on the maternal side and of Scotch Irish on the paternal, and he was born in Blair County, Pennsylvania, in 1847. His parents were Jacob and Rebecca (Stevens) Leamer. In 1850 the family left Penn- sylvania and embarked on a river steamboat on which they descended the Ohio River and then came up the Mississippi and found a home in Benton County, Iowa, where for several years they lived surrounded by pioneer conditions. The father died at the age of forty-seven, leaving a widow and nine children. The mother attained the advanced age of ninety-three years. The parents were members of the United Brethren Church.

Joseph S. Leamer grew up in Iowa, had the surroundings of a pioneer farm and a new country, and all his education came from the public schools. In 1867, about a year after his arrival in Caldwell County, he married Elizabeth Webb, a daughter of Isaac Webb. Mr. and Mrs. Leamer have a fine family of sons and daughters, mentioned briefly as follows: Elma, wife of George Dixon of Polo ; Lenora, deceased; Richard R., who is married and has two children; Hiram, who died at the age of nineteen ; Nellie Minger ; Mattie Minger ; Maude Stone ; Blanche Stone; and Frank, who is married and has two children. Mr. Leamer's sons are all active farmers and cattle men. Mrs. Leamer is a member of the Baptist Church. Though his own success has come from hard work and in spite of obstacles and lack of advantages, Mr. Leamer has always shown a friendly interest in schools and other provisions for the educa- tion of the young, and is a man of public spirit in all movements affect- ing the improvement of his community.

WILLIAM C. STONE. While the foundation of his business career and prosperity has been in farming and stock raising, William C. Stone has for several years been best known to the business community of Polo and vicinity as president of the Farmers Bank. The Farmers Bank of Polo is one of the strong institutions of Caldwell County, and has a capital stock of $35,000 and surplus of over $17,000. The institution represents the resources and personal character of a group of sub- stantial citizens, and under his management Mr. Stone has done much to increase the solidity and service of the bank.

While Mr. Stone now makes his home in Polo, he still gives active supervision to the interests of his fine farm of 500 acres located 21/2 miles east of town. In many of its features it is a model farm estate. It has a large comfortable residence of nine rooms, and a large barn and cattle sheds indicate that the primary industry is stock raising. The land is divided among blue grass pastures and grain fields, and one con- spicuous feature is a fine pond, furnishing water sufficient for 500 head of cattle, and well stocked with fish. The farm is located in Grant Town- ship. Mr. Stone moved into Polo in 1909, and his town home is a sub- stantial residence of eight rooms, all well furnished and making one of the best residences of Polo.

William C. Stone was born in Ray County, Missouri, at the old Stone Homestead March 10, 1857. His father, William Stone, a native of

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Kentucky, was a soldier in the Civil war, and his business was that of farming and stock raising. He married Mary F. Baker, a sister of James and John W. Baker, well known citizens whose careers are sketched on other pages of this work. William Stone died at the home in Caldwell County at the age of forty-seven, leaving a widow and nine children. The mother is now living at Polo. The names of the children were William C., James, Sarah, Addie, Martha, Minnie, Lillie, Eva and John. Politically the father was a democrat, and his church was the Baptist.

William C. Stone grew up on a farm and as his years increased and his strength likewise he aided actively in its cultivation, and when not employed on the farm attended the country schools. Mr. Stone was married March 29, 1876, to Rachel Flint, who has been his faithful companion and helpmate for thirty-six years. She was born in Caldwell County, a daughter of Jesse K. and Asenath (Owens) Flint. Her father was born in Illinois, but was reared in Iowa, and his wife was a native of the latter state. Mrs. Stone's father died at the age of seventy, and there were five children in the Flint family: John, Henry, George, Elizabeth and Rachel. Mr. and Mrs. Stone are the parents of nine chil- dren, five sons and four daughters, namely : Nellie, wife of R. H. Baker, and the mother of two children ; Pearl; Fred H .; Frank; Samuel; Ellis; Jesse ; Verne; and Nettie. The sons are all prosperous farmers and stock men.

COLUMBUS OWEN SELBY. Only few families of Harrison County have had three active generations identified with the management and cultivation of the farms in this district. One such family is the Selbys, and Columbus O. has spent twenty-five years or more in active and influential citizenship, and has a farm near Bethany in the same com- munity in which his grandfather Selby founded the family about the year Harrison County was organized.

His grandfather was William Selby, a native of Kentucky, from which state he moved to Rush County, Indiana, and from there came to Har- rison County more than seventy years ago. In Rush County he married Martha Flint, a relative of Thomas J. Flint, mentioned elsewhere in this work. Their children were: George W., a farmer in Harrison County ; Joshua J., father of Columbus O .; John F., who spent his life in Harrison County and left a family ; Thomas, who died when young; James P., of Harrison County ; Jesse B., who was the head of a family when he died ; and Rachel, widow of Leonard Nichols of Harrison County. John F. Selby served Harrison County two terms as associate judge of the county court and James P. Selby was elected county treasurer two terms and county collector one term.

Joshua J. Selby, of the second generation in this particular history, was born in May, 1843, soon after the advent of the family into Harrison County. He grew up in a pioneer locality, spent his life as a farmer and stock man, and died on the old farm in April, 1900. With limited schooling, he later acquired a general fund of information, and always maintained a lively interest in public affairs. During his early manhood the Civil war was in progress, and he served about two years with the Forty-third Missouri being corporal of his company. All his service was in the home state, and he was never wounded or captured. His home was in Sherman Township, adjoining the homestead of his father, and there he acquired more than half a section of land, and had a local reputation for growing and feeding stock. He was a republican and a member of the Christian Church.

Joshua J. Selby married Mary Fail, who was born in Illinois. Her father, Isaac Fail, of German family, moved to Harrison County when

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it was new, and was a farmer and merchant at different times, spending the rest of his life in Harrison County. He married a Miss Rathbone, of New England family. Their children were: Bolivar Fail, who died in Rice County, Kansas, leaving a family; Webster Fail, of Hodgeman County, Kansas; Samuel Fail, who died as a Union soldier at Atlanta, Georgia, leaving a family in Iowa; George Fail, who died at St. Joseph ; Mrs. Joshua Selby, who now lives in Gilman City; Jane, who married John Brown of Oklahoma; Elizabeth, who died near Bethany as the wife of James Buck. Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Selby had the following children : Rose, wife of Dr. J. A. Magraw, of Gilman City; Columbus O .; Percy, a farmer in Harrison County ; and Clifford, who occupies the old farm.

In Sherman Township Columbus O. Selby was born September 20, 1867, and since reaching manhood a quarter century ago has done much to prove his ability as a home maker and a good citizen. His education in the country schools was supplemented by the old Stanberry Normal, and for twelve years he was actively engaged in educational work. His first school was the Pin Oak District near Bethany, and his last was at High Point, his home district. For two years he was principal of the Blue Ridge schools. During the summer seasons while teaching he either farmed or attended school. While a teacher he was a member of one of the old boards of commissioners appointed to aid the county superin- tendent in selecting instructors for the county institute. Since leaving the school room his career has been one of increasing activity as a farmer. His attractive and well improved estate comprises 210 acres, in sections 17 and 7, township 63, range 27, being a part of the George Selby Farm. His business may be described as mixed farming and stock raising.

More or less ever since reaching manhood Mr. Selby has mingled in local and national politics. As a republican, he was in the County Central Committee sixteen years, its secretary and treasurer six years, and his voice was influential in making candidates and party manage- ment. He campaigned in Harrison and Daviess counties in 1896 and 1900 in opposition to free silver and imperialism. In 1912 he became interested in the progressive movement, supported Roosevelt for Presi- dent, and is now chairman of the Progressive County Committee. He is a director in his home school district, and his church is the Christian.

September 3, 1899, Mr. Selby married Miss Ethel Miller, a teacher in the schools of Harrison County. She is a daughter of John A. and Adella (Collins) Miller and a granddaughter of Dr. Ben Miller, who was at one time county superintendent of schools of Harrison County. He came from Indiana to Harrison County before the war, locating in Sugar Creek Township, where he practiced medicine and lived until his death. Doctor Miller's children were : Green Miller, Mrs. Matilda Magraw, Mrs. Alice Hart, Mrs. Ann Price, Mrs. Samantha Myers, John A. and Jasper, the last named being a resident of Colorado. John A. Miller now lives at Maysville, and is a mechanic. His children are: Mrs. Selby, who was born September 3, 1876; Herbert, of Maysville; Ben H., deceased, who was a teacher in Harrison County; Percy A., of Daviess County ; John, of Harrison County; and Merl, a teacher in Harrison County. Mr. and Mrs. Selby have one son, Eugene, who was born July 23, 1903.

HON. EDWARD M. MCLEOD has maintained his residence in the district near the dividing line between Gentry and Worth counties for more than forty years, and though his splendid landed estate is situated in Gentry County, the Village of Denver, Worth County, repre- sents his postoffice address. His has been a life of signal achievement and sterling principles, and he has ever commanded the confidence and

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esteem of his fellow men, his title of judge being conferred by reason of his service as judge of the county court of Gentry County. To him also is the honor of having been one of the patriotic and loyal young men who gave gallant service in preserving the integrity of the Nation in the climacteric conflict of the Civil war, and in the more mature years of his long and useful life the same spirit of faithfulness has characterized him.

Edward Miles McLeod was born in Delaware County, Ohio, on the 6th of September, 1846, and is a son of Ingles and Hettie (Roberts) McLeod, the former of whom was born in the State of Kentucky, in 1822, of stanch Scotch-Irish lineage, and the latter of whom was born in Delaware County, Ohio, her entire life having there been passed, and her death having occurred in 1898. Ingles McLeod's father was a native of Pennsylvania, born near the City of Philadelphia, and in his earlier life this worthy ancestor was a sea-faring man, later learning the trade of rope making. He finally removed to Kentucky, for the purpose of manufacturing rope in a district where adequate supplies of hemp were grown, but when he found it virtually impossible to compete with slave labor in the old Bluegrass Commonwealth, he removed with his family to Delaware County, Ohio, where he entered claim to a section of wild land and developed a fine farm, besides continuing to give more or less attention to the work of his trade. He attained to the age of sixty-five years, and his wife, who was born in Pennsylvania and whose maiden name was Ingles, preceded him in death by a few years. They became the parents of eleven sons and two daughters, namely : John, Reynolds, Lewis, Turner, George, Edward, Ingles, Charles, Alfred, Walter, Leonard, Margaret and Eliza. Margaret married Jacob Wicks and the name of Eliza's husband was Amlin. The sons were reared to manhood in the old Buckeye State, and it may be noted that of the number John died in Shelby County, Missouri; Reynolds established his home in Iowa; Turner passed the closing years of his life in Southern Missouri; and Lewis and Edward were residents of Indiana at the time of their death.

Ingles McLeod learned the trade of ropemaking under the direction of his father, but when machines were invented for the manufacturing of rope the tradesmen who still utilized the old-time hand method found it impossible to compete with the modern system. Mr. McLeod became one of the substantial and prosperous farmers of Delaware County, Ohio, where he served also as a member of the state militia in the early days, his son, Judge McLeod, having clear memory of the insignia of patriotic colors which the father was entitled to and wore upon his hat, though. he was never called into active war service. He died in 1860, at the age of forty-two years. His wife was a daughter of John Roberts, a Penn- sylvania man who settled on "Yankee Street" in Delaware County, Ohio, and, like all other residents of that colloquially designated thoroughfare, he became a wealthy and independent farmer. Mrs. Hettie (Roberts) McLeod survived the husband of her youth by nearly forty years and continued to reside in the county of her birth until she too was sum- moned to eternal rest, in 1898, at a venerable age. Of the children the eldest is Emory, now a resident of Westerville, Franklin County, Ohio; Judge Edward M., of this review, was the second in order of birth; and Caroline is the widow of Henry M. Williams, of Westerville, Ohio.

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A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 59

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