A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 62

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

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HON. JACOB WALL. When Judge Jacob Wall first came to Missouri, thirty-nine years ago, his possessions included the clothes which he wore, $1.50 in money, and a limitless stock of ambition and determination. With these he resolutely set about to make a place for himself in a growing community, and, once established, he directed his labors in such an able manner that today he is the owner of the beautiful Elm Grove Dairy Farm, a tract of 221 acres, located in section 33, Rochester Town- ship, and is known as one of the substantial men of his locality. His career is one that should be encouraging to the youth dependent upon his own resources, for all that he now owns has been accumulated through his own efforts, always directed by the closest adherence to honorable and upright principles.

Judge Jacob Wall was born April 11, 1854, in Casey County, Ken- tucky, and is a son of W. H. and Mary J. (Lucas) Wall. His father was born May 3, 1825, and his mother February 18, 1836, both in Ken- tucky, where the father in his earlier years was engaged in the trade of blacksmith. In the fall of 1881 they came to Andrew County, Mis- souri, where W. H. Wall engaged in farming, and his death occurred in 1900 in Gentry County, Missouri, where he had resided for a few years, the mother passing away in 1913 at the home of a daughter in Lafayette County, this state. Both died in the faith of the Christian Church, in the work of which they had been prominent in Kentucky. They were the parents of twelve children, as follows: Jacob, of this notice ; Hezekiah, born February 15, 1856, a resident of Hayes County, Nebraska ; Francis M., born April 11. 1858, who lives in Nodaway County, Missouri; Randolph C., born January 13, 1861, a resident of Phelps County, Nebraska; Coleman L., born March 13, 1863, who also lives in that state; Ann, born March 23, 1865, who died at the age of two years; Mollie, born January 2, 1870. who is the wife of Thomas E. Wade, of Lafayette County, Missouri; Laura E., born April 27, 1867, who is the wife of William E. Sheeley, of Clinton, Oklahoma; William S., born September 7, 1872, who is a resident of Harlan County, Ne- braska; Henry C., born August 19. 1874, who lives in Atchison County, Kansas; Ramon C., born July 9, 1877, also a resident of that county and state ; and Arthur S., born January 15, 1881, who lives in Phelps County, Nebraska.

Jacob Wall was reared on his father's farm in Casey County, Ken- tucky, and there was given his education in the common schools. He remained under the parental roof until 1876, at which time, embark- ing upon a career of his own, he made his way overland to Andrew County, Missouri, and here soon secured employment as a farm hand, working four years for agriculturists in the county. With his carefully saved earnings he next rented a small property for two years, at the end of which time he felt ready to start operations for himself, and accordingly bought sixty-five acres in the northern part of the county, which he improved and subsequently traded for eighty acres in Rochester Township, this tract forming the nucleus for his present beautiful farm, a tract of 221 acres, the greater part of which is under a high state of improvement. Here Mr. Wall has made many improvements and erected numerous substantial buildings, including a commodious residence, a large and well-built barn and a modern silo. A nice grove of white elm trees suggested the name which he has given to the property. Elm Grove Dairy Farm, and this is one of the best watered properties in the county, having three fine springs and two good wells. Mr. Wall has engaged in general farming and has extended his operations to agri- culture in all its branches, shipping several carloads of hogs annually.

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as well as some horses, keeping about twenty cows, manufacturing butter, and operating a butter wagon, he having a large patronage in the latter line among the private families of St. Joseph. He is known as a good business man, and in commercial circles has an excellent reputation for integrity and honorable dealing. A democrat in politics, in 1909 Mr. Wall was elected county judge from the eastern district of Andrew County, and served in that capacity from January 1, 1910, until January 1, 1912. He has made two other races for this office, but has been unable to overcome the large republican majority, there being about 300 of that party in the district. Judge Wall is a member of the Christian Church at Long Branch, Missouri, and for the past ten years has served in the capacity of deacon.

On December 25, 1879, Judge Wall was married to Miss Eliza J. Reece, who was born in North Carolina, February 26, 1862, and came to Missouri in 1867 with her parents, Joel M. and Mary M. (Fleming) Reece, natives of the Old North State. The father was born February. 15, 1833, and the mother about one year later, and he met his death by a stroke of lightning in 1874, while the mother passed away in 1871. Ten children have been born to Judge and Mrs. Wall, as follows: Wil- liam, born January 1, 1881, who died January 10, 1881; Maggie, born November 24, 1881, who died September 29, 1903; Mary, born February 23, 1884, who is the wife of Elmer Bowlin, of Rochester; Maude, born December 24, 1885, who resides with her parents; Loren, born November 27, 1887, who resides at home; Laura, born February 23, 1891, who is a schoolteacher; Lula, born November 6, 1893; Arthur, born May 12, 1896; Archie, born July 23, 1898; and Jacob, born July 23, 1902.

HENRY B. MCDONALD AND DUDLEY S. MCDONALD. One of the long established and prominent families in Andrew County in the vicinity of Savannah is the McDonalds, and their home farm, known as Elm Place, south of the county seat, is a well-known landmark in that section. The McDonalds through three generations have had many interesting ex- periences in Missouri and the western country, and the more important facts in the family history are appropriately related in the following paragraphıs.

Henry Buford McDonald was born near Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky, May 23, 1844. His parents were Daniel and Martha (Mc- Murtry) McDonald, both of whom were natives of the adjoining county of Washington in the same state. Daniel McDonald was born August 13, 1803, and died at what is known as the Jimtown Farm in Andrew County, October 24, 1876. His wife was born May 21, 1804, and died June 3, 1873, also at the Jimtown place.

Henry B. McDonald was educated in the common schools of Ken- tucky, and during the terms of 1859 and 1860 attended the Kentucky University, then situated at Harrodsburg. The battle of Perryville in the fall of 1862 was fought within ten miles of his father's home. About a year after that battle Henry B. McDonald moved from Ken- tucky to St. Joseph, Missouri, arriving in the latter part of September, 1863. The winter of 1863-64 he spent clerking in the store of his brother, R. L. McDonald, at St. Joseph. His brother had collected a large drove of mules which he designed to send overland and market in California, and Henry B. McDonald gladly accepted the commission to take these mules across the plains. Leaving St. Joseph, May 16, 1864, he crossed the Missouri River on a ferry boat, having a hundred head of mules and six wagons. The wagons were loaded with goods designed for the Salt Lake market. Others of his immediate family who accompanied

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him on this trip were his uncle Dr. Silas McDonald and son Daniel. They had two wagons loaded with drug supplies for the same market. In 1864 there was an immense emigration to the West, and the Mc- Donald party was never out of sight of covered wagons throughout the journey along the Platte River. For about one week they were delayed at Julesburg by the high waters of the South Platte River, which at that point was nearly two miles wide. It was possible to swim the mules across, but it cost ten dollars for each wagon, which was taken over on a flat boat. Salt Lake City was reached July 16th, and they remained there three weeks awaiting the arrival of Henry's brother, R. L. The goods were sold in Salt Lake, and the wagons were likewise disposed of with the exception of two. From Salt Lake Mr. McDonald went on west, accompanied by his brother to Austin, Nevada. There Dr. Silas McDonald and son and R. L. took a stage for California, while Henry B. remained about six weeks in Nevada. This delay was to take advan- tage of the abundant grasses found in Nevada, on which the mules were recruited. In the latter part of October he started for California, and after a hard trip over the Sierra Nevada mountains, on account of scarcity of feed, he arrived in Sacramento the day of the presidential election of 1864. For several preceding years most of the California country had suffered from drought, and feed was very scarce. Con- sequently he drove his mules down in Sonoma County, where they were fed during the winter on straw from the good crops of oats and barley made possible by the fogs from the ocean. In the spring the mules, being in fine condition, were sold and delivered to the Government at the Presidio in San Francisco.

On June 5, 1865, Henry B. McDonald left San Francisco, and after a hard stage trip arrived in St. Joseph, July 1. On the 7th of April, 1865, his father had come from Kentucky to Missouri and bought a farm south of Birds Mill in Andrew County. The son remained with his father on this farm until 1872, in which year they all moved to what is known as the Jimtown Farm north of St. Joseph, now owned by R. L. McDonald, a brother of Henry. As already stated, it was on the Jimtown Farm that the parents died in 1873.

On June 20, 1877, Mr. McDonald married Sarah Emily Rogers. She was the daughter of Edward Payne and Joanna (Steele) Rogers, both of whom were natives of Woodford County, Kentucky, where they were married. The Rogers children were: Mary Bowman Wilson and Sarah Emily McDonald, both natives of Mercer County, Kentucky, Sarah Emily having been born December 25, 1853, and after the Rogers family moved to Andrew County a son, John Bowman, was born. Mr. Rogers bought a farm in Andrew County near the old Rochester Road, but subsequently sold that and moved to St. Joseph. Edward Payne Rogers died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. McDonald, August 18, 1895, while Joanna Steele Rogers died July 12, 1900. Mrs. McDonald was married at the home of D. M. Steele in St. Joseph.

In the spring of 1880 Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, with their two children, and with Mr. Edward Rogers and a colored girl named Louisa Mosley, started for Montana. From St. Joseph they went as far as Yankton by railway, taking with them thirty head of Shorthorn cattle, a span of mules and one riding mare. They arrived at Fort Benton, the head of navigation on the Missouri River, about June 30th, having traveled by boat from Yankton. From Fort Benton Mr. McDonald started with his family in a spring wagon, looking for a location for a home. After a few days he found a ranch, known as the Rock Creek Ranch, which pleased him very much and which he afterwards purchased. Rock Vol. III-27

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Creek Ranch was the McDonald home in Montana for almost five years. During that time the family made a trip in a covered wagon to Yellow- stone Park, and spent six weeks enjoying the delights of that great natural park. In 1881 Mr. McDonald bought over four hundred head of cattle to run on his range, and three years later, the price of cattle having advanced and the range having become short, he sold out and also disposed of the ranch. He then returned to Missouri, arriving February 22, 1885. For almost two years he was again located on the Jimtown Farm, but in the fall of 1886 purchased a farm in Andrew County, one mile south of Savannah, known as the China Clark Place, and the family took possession the same fall. Mrs. Henry McDonald named this farm Elm Place, and not only the trees but many other surroundings and improvements give it an attractiveness which marks it out among the country homes of Andrew County. Mrs. Henry Mc- Donald died August 24, 1890.

To their union had been born four sons and two daughters: Dudley Steele and Mary Lydia, who were both born on the Jimtown Farm; Rufus Lee and Joanna Steele, who were born on the Rock Creek Ranch in Montana; Henry Buford, born after the family returned to the Jimtown place; and William Wallace, who was born at Elm Place. The youngest child died at Elm Place March 29, 1895. Mr. Henry B. McDonald was converted at a meeting held in Jimtown by Rev. T. M. Miller and Rev. Jesse Bird in the year 1865, and joined and helped to build the church at Fairview. From there his membership was trans- ferred to the Presbyterian Church at Savannah, where it has since remained.

In the fullness of his three score years and ten and after comfort, peace and plenty had succeeded to the varied experiences and vicissitudes of the career which has just been sketched, Henry B. McDonald was called away by death on December 1, 1914. Both during his active lifetime and at his death there were many substantial evidences of his high standing as a man and citizen. His useful career has ended, and' its influences are now transmitted through his children.

Of the children, Dudley S. is now operating the Elm Place Farm, and has gained a more than local reptuation as a successful stock raiser, especially in cattle and hogs. Dudley is a democrat, and married Grace Maxwell. The daughter, Mary Lydia, is the widow of Charles I. Rowe of Omaha. Rufus married Miss Jessie Laney, lives in Itasca County, Minnesota, and has four children named William Dudley, Virginia Lee, Wallace M. and Roger L. The daughter, Joanna S., is the wife of Dr. R. L. Laney of Virginia, Minnesota. Henry B., Jr., lives in Rocky Ford, Colorado.

JACKSON VAN SCHOIACK, who has been a resident of Jefferson Town- ship, Andrew County, throughout his life, and who for thirty-three years has been carrying on operations on his present property in section 34, is one of the native sons of this locality who have taken a helpful part in advancing the community's interests while gaining success on his own account. His career is expressive of the possibilities of country life when directed by an intelligent purpose, earnest industry and per- severing effort.

Mr. Van Schoiack was born in Jefferson Township, Andrew County, Missouri, February 16, 1847, and is a son of Machiga and Luella (Jackson) Van Schoiack, natives of Kentucky, who were married in that state and moved to Indiana, remaining there three years and came to Missouri in 1839, locating on land in Jefferson Township, where the

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father entered a tract from the Government. In 1852 Machiga Van Schoiack purchased the farm of his father, Josiah Van Schoiack, who started across the plains in that year for Oregon, but never reached his destination, dying on the way of the numerous hardships encountered. Machiga Van Schoiack died on the farm which his father had entered, one mile south of the present home of his son Jackson, in November, 1906, and would have been ninety-three years old in the following April. He was at that time one of the substantial men of his community, being . the owner of 200 acres of land, and stood high in the esteem of his fellow- citizens. Mrs. Van Schoiack died in 1895, at the age of seventy-seven years, having been the mother of eleven children, as follows: William, who is deceased; Thomas, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Jefferson Township; Joseph, who died at the age of nine years; Rachel, who married Lee Hall and resides on the home place; Rebecca, who married Healby White, deceased, and resides in Arizona; Jackson, of this review; Martin, who is deceased; Holland, who married Thomas Ridgeway, and is now deceased; George, who died in Los Angeles, California ; Laura, who is deceased; and Mary, who married George Rockwood of St. Joseph.

Jackson Van Schoiack received his education in the subscription schools of his native locality, as at that time there were no free schools, and as an illustration of the advancement of the times it may be here noted that today he pays a school tax of $140. He was brought up a farmer boy and remained under the parental roof until the time of his marriage, when he purchased a farm of 120 acres in Gentry County, Missouri, residing there for nine years and meeting with moderate success. Selling out at the end of that time he returned to his native township and bought his present home, on which he has lived for thirty- three years and where he has met with a full share of prosperity. At this time he is the owner of 162 acres, although he formerly had a larger tract, but sold off fifty-four acres. The greater part of this land has been cleared by Mr. Van Schoiack, and all the improvements have been made by him, his present buildings being of substantial character and attractive appearance. In his general farming and stock raising opera- tions he has shown himself a skilled and practical farmer, and uses the most modern methods and machinery in his work.

On November 14, 1869. Mr. Van Schoiack was united in marriage with Miss Missouri Ann Turpin, who was born in Andrew County, Missouri, June 15, 1848, a daughter of Edward and Lavina (Abbott) Turpin, natives of Indiana, where they were married. Mr. and Mrs. Turpin came to Missouri in 1844 and located in Jefferson Township, where they continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits during the remainder of their lives. The mother, who was born December 25. 1804. died October 20, 1887. while the father, born in 1806, died April 25, 1873. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: Margaret, the widow of William Colburn, a resident of Oklahoma ; Jane, the widow of Sam Duncan, a resident of Mound City, Missouri; James, who died in childhood; Celestine, the widow of Frederick Breit, residing in Jef- ferson Township; William Isaac, a resident of Empire City, Oregon ; Mary Ann, deceased, who was the wife of Nelson Graves, who is also deceased ; and Missouri Ann, who married Mr. Van Schoiack.

Mr. and Mrs. Van Schoiack have had two children: Addie, who is the wife of Elias Wrigley of Jefferson Township, has two sons, George Dewey and Alva; and Laura, who died at the age of ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Van Schoiack are consistent members of the Christian Church, in the movements of which they have taken an active part. He has

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not been a seeker for public preferment at the polls, but at all times has supported good men and measures and is accounted one of the public-spirited men of his township.

EDWARD R. GIBBINS. A companion of the wilderness of Andrew County and a sharer in the prosperity unfolded by the zeal and enterprise of its tireless workers, Edward R. Gibbins, of Jefferson Township, has been a witness to and a participant in the wonderful changes which have transformed this part of Northwest Missouri from an unproductive, . valueless waste into one of the most fertile and valuable sections of the country. A resident of this county and township for more than seventy years, no one has better maintained the personal honor and public- spirited characteristics of the best class of pioneers, or more forcibly and persistently projected the usefulness of his family into a later and more progressive period than has this highly esteemed agriculturist of section 35.

Edward R. Gibbins was born in Washington County, Kentucky, March 10, 1842, and is a son of Edward R. and Sarah (Noel) Gibbins, natives of the Blue Grass State, the former born June 19, 1805, and the latter June 13, 1811. The grandfather was William Gibbins, prob- ably a native of Kentucky, who was the son of an emigrant from Scot- land. In the year 1843 the parents of Mr. Gibbins came direct to Andrew County with their eight children and located on a farm one and one- quarter miles south of the present home of Edward R. Gibbins. There they secured a quarter section of land from the United States Govern- ment and continued to make it their home until 1865, when they sold out and moved to Illinois. Three years later they disposed of their Illinois property and went to Boone County, Missouri, and the father spent his last years with his son, Rev. Beeler Gibbins, in Harvey County, Kansas, at whose home he died at the age of ninety years. The mother had died in 1843 soon after the family came to Andrew County, and the father was later married to Mary Van Schoiack, who also died in Kansas. Edward R. and Sarah Gibbins had a family of eight children, as follows: Mary, who married Sam Miller, went to Oregon in 1852 and there died; William, a preacher, who crossed the plains in 1852 and died in Washington; Rebecca Ann, who married Sebastian Nordyke and died in 1881 in Andrew County ; James Noel, a resident of Highland, Kansas; Samuel David, a resident of Oregon; George Washington, who makes his home with Edward R .; Thomas Houston, who resides in Mon- tana ; and Edward R., of this review. To the union of Edward R. and Mary (Van Schoiack) Gibbins there were born four children : Martin, a resident of Audrain County, Missouri; John, a Methodist circuit rider who died in Boone County, Missouri; B. Levi, who lives in Oklahoma ; and Beeler, a missionary Baptist preacher, whose home is in Harvey County. Kansas.

Edward R. Gibbins was a child of one year when brought by his parents to Andrew County, and here his education was secured in the primitive district schools. He grew up on the home farm and has always lived in this community, his activities being devoted to general farming and the raising of stock. His present home property is a nicely culti- vated tract of sixty acres, and here he is spending the evening of life surrounded by the comforts and ease which his many years of labor have brought. He has seen the changes that have occurred since he cut many acres of grain with the primitive implements of the pioneers, plowed his land with an ox team and used the same ox team in going to church on Sundays. His life has been a very full and satisfying

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one, and through it all he has retained the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. A democrat in his political views, Mr. Gibbins has served his community as justice of the peace for thirty-two years, and in 1914 was the candidate of his party for representative to the Legisla- ture. He is a consistent member of the Baptist Church, and has served for many years as deacon.

In 1863 Mr. Gibbins was married to Miss Elizabeth Ridgeway, who was born in Calloway County, Missouri, February 10, 1843, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Stephens) Ridgeway, natives of Kentucky and pioneers of Missouri. They were the parents of six children: Sarah, who died at the age of five years; John William, deceased ; Martha Ellen Armstrong, deceased; Nicholas, deceased; Thomas, de- ceased; and Elizabeth, Mrs. Gibbins. Mrs. Gibbins lost her mother when she was an infant, and her father died when she was five years of age. In 1849 she was brought to Buchanan County, Missouri, and was here reared and educated in the family of her mother's sister and the latter's husband, John K. and Mary Ellen (Stephens) Johnson. Mr. Gibbins has reared a remarkable family, and one of which any man might well feel proud. Seventeen children were born to him and Mrs. Gibbins, there being four sets of twins, and of these children five are deceased : Mary Ellen and Martha Ellen, twins, who died aged five and eleven months, respectively; Elisha, a twin of Elijah, died at six months; Nicholas died at the age of two and one-half years; and Elizabeth died at the age of three months. The other children are as follows: John Thomas, a farmer of Jefferson Township; Rebecca Ann, who resides with her parents; Ida Jane; Charles Edward, a resident of DeKalb County, Missouri; Samuel David and Roger Lee, twins, both residing in Andrew County ; Sebastian Ellis, of this county ; William Arthur, who also lives in Andrew County; Elijah, of DeKalb County, Missouri; Alice Belle and Sarah, twins, the former of whom is the wife of Sam Redman, of Andrew County, and the latter of whom resides with her parents; and Nancy Elizabeth, who also resides at home. Mr. Gibbins' eldest son's son, John Edward, has a daughter, Ethel Marie, Mr. Gibbins' only great-grandchild. All the children who are married own their own homes. The children were carefully reared, well educated and thoroughly fitted to become good citizens, and to honor the name which they bear, as well as to lend dignity to the positions in life which they have been called upon to fill.

AMOS MEYER. Many of the successful agriculturists of Holt County are carrying on operations on farms upon which they were born and on which they have resided all their lives. In this class is found Amos Meyer, who has a tract of 124 acres lying in East Lewis Township, and who is known as a progressive and enterprising farmer. He has devoted his career to the pursuits of the soil, and his energetic labors have resulted in the accumulation of a valuable property and a position among the substantial men of his locality. Mr. Meyer was born on the farm on which he now lives, June 20, 1874, and is a son of Martin and Catherine (Miller) Meyer.

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A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 62

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