A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 69

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

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Mrs. Crecelius was born near Avalon, Livingston County, Missouri, and is a daughter of Thomas and Nannie (Shields) Fair. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, in 1844, a son of Simon and Catherine (Booher) Fair, and her mother was also a native of the Keystone State, having been born in 1848, a daughter of David and Mary (Craig) Shields. Thomas Fair grew to sturdy young manhood in his native Armstrong County, and July 12, 1862, enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Civil war. He underwent his baptism of fire at the awful Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, and following that battle participated in all the engagements fought by the Armies of the Potomac and the James until the close of the Civil war, with the exception of Gettysburg and Hatcher's Run. He proved a brave, faithful and courageous soldier, and was honorably dis- charged and mustered out of the service June 2, 1865, with an excellent record. Mr. Fair has been a resident of Missouri since 1868 and of Grundy County since 1892, being at this time assistant to his daughter at the library.

Mrs. Crecelius received her early education in the country schools of Livingston County, Missouri, and when eleven years of age accom- panied her parents to Grundy County, here attending school three miles east of Trenton until 1896, going then to the Spickard High School and completing her education at Avalon College, Trenton, where she took a three-year course. On November 1, 1903, she was married to Charles Walter Crecelius, a son of David and Samantha (Curry) Crecelius, who are farming people residing seven miles north of Brookfield, Missouri, and one child, Geraldine Fair, was born to this union. Mr. Crecelius died March 14, 1913. On November 23d of that year Mrs. Crecelius was elected to the office of librarian of the Jewett Norris Library, and

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has continued in this capacity to the present time, her services having been of a singularly helpful and satisfying character. Mrs. Crecelius is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, belongs to the Woodmen's Circle, and is widely and favorably known in social circles of Trenton.

In this connection it may not be inappropriate to briefly sketch a history of the library and of the life of its founder. Judge Jewett Nor- ris was born at Dorchester, Grafton County, New Hampshire, June 11, 1809, and lived on the homestead farm until about his fifteenth year. His facilities for early education were meager, being only such as the district school during three months of the year afforded, but by econ- omizing the spare hours from a busy life he came to be a ripe scholar of extensive and accurate information. About the fifteenth year of his age, he entered a country store as clerk, where he remained over a year, and succeeding this three years were spent in Boston and seven in New York, as a clerk. Failing health admonished him that he must seek employ- ment in the open air. Another New Hampshire boy said: "Go West, young man," but young Norris had already gone. In 1835, he crossed the Father of Waters and located on unsurveyed land near where the City of Trenton, Grundy County, Missouri, was afterwards located.

In November, 1837, Judge Norris was married to Sarah E. Peery, a daughter of George Peery, one of the first settlers of the county. She was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, July 20, 1813. With his young wife, Judge Norris moved into the log cabin he had built on the Gov- ernment land where for twenty years he was extensively and successfully engaged in farming and stock raising, and where his six children were born. About 1855 he moved to Trenton, where afterwards he engaged in merchandizing. On the farm three of his children had died; and soon after his removal, June 17, 1858, the mother followed them, and then his beloved eldest daughter, Rebecca, died also.

Judge Norris had actively participated in the organization of the new county, was one of the judges of the first County Court, and was after- wards elected state senator. From the very first agitation of the ques- tion of secession, he took a strong and unconditional position in favor of preserving the Union at all hazards and at any cost. The situation in Missouri early in 1861 was a peculiar one. The governor and every state officer, except possibly two-the Legislature, with almost unanimity -and probably more than two-thirds of all the county and other officers in the state were aggressively and avowedly for the South. It required courage to meet this tide and turn it back. The quiet farmer and mer- chant, however, and his compatriots in Missouri, were of the same stuff as those men who seventy-five years before had pledged "our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." Little known as a public speaker, Judge Norris surprised and electrified the country by his eloquence and earnestness. He canvassed most of North Missouri in behalf of the Union candidates for members of the convention called by the Legislature to consider the relations of Missouri to the Federal Government in the hope and expectation it would declare them dissolved. With the election machinery all in the hands of their enemies and before one United States soldier had been sent into the state, the Union candidates were elected by a majority of nearly two to one. That convention, in spite of the governor, Legislature, judges and officers, saved Missouri to the nation -and probably saved the nation to us all, for with Missouri allied to the South, the result might have been seriously jeopardized. From the time of his election to the presidency, Judge Norris was always a great admirer and warm supporter of Mr. Lincoln.

In 1862 he was again elected state senator-the district then compris-

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ing the counties of Grundy, Mercer, Harrison and Daviess, and served as such during the next four eventful years with marked credit and ability. He was one of the leading, if not the leading man in devising ways and means for maintaining the Provisional or Union Government and keeping the militia in the field. In 1863, Judge Norris introduced in the Senate strong resolutions taking advanced ground in favor of a vigorous prosecu- tion of the war, the abolition of slavery and the punishment of the traitors. In support of these he made a clear, bold and able speech which was published throughout the state and did much to revive the hope and courage of the loyal people.

Judge Norris was captain and quartermaster of the Grundy County Battalion, Missouri Militia, in 1861 and 1862, and with his private means furnished supplies to them and the Mercer County Battalion to a large amount which was afterwards repaid in Missouri defense warrants- then worth, in greenbacks, only 75 cents on the dollar. In 1863, 1864 and 1865 he was lieutenant colonel of the Thirtieth Enrolled Missouri Militia, and in that capacity was detailed as a mustering officer for many counties in North Missouri and contributed largely towards maintaining the organization and efficiency of the Union militia.

After the expiration of his term as senator, in 1866, Judge Norris took no further part in public affairs, but devoted himself exclusively to the closing up of his large personal business. Meantime his health had be- come impaired, and believing that a change of residence would be bene- ficial, in 1870 he moved to St. Paul, and made some very profitable in- vestments in land and city property, residing the most of the time in the city, although opening up a large farm some distance north of the city. The change proved beneficial and although not active in business pursuits he accumulated a comfortable fortune. However, he did not forget his old home and friends in Missouri, where he had spent thirty- five years of his active life. It was in Trenton that his wife and five of his children were buried, one, a daughter, having died after his removal to St. Paul. Here his first successes in life were obtained ; here his public services were matters of record ; here the prime of his life was spent and his active mind, broad culture and intellectual genius had made its im- press in moulding and building up the institutions of the country. When Judge Norris left here he took with him about $50,000 accumulated capital. He returned the whole of it to the people among whom he had acquired it, in the founding of the Jewett Norris Library.

Judge Norris died at St. Paul, May 12, 1891. He never affiliated with any church or religious denomination. He was extremely liberal in all his views concerning religious affairs ; but was a firm believer in a Supreme Being and a future existence. His belief was in the "Universal Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man." Strictly scrupulous and conscientious in all his duties to his fellow men, he lived a blameless and useful life.

The following is a draft of the proposition of Hon. Jewett Norris to the board of education of Trenton School District: "To the Board of Education of the City of Trenton, Grundy county, Missouri. Gentle- men :- I herewith offer to give to the Public Schools of the City of Tren- ton, fifty thousand dollars, in trust, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a free Public Library and Reading Room in your city. I make this donation on the following conditions, to-wit: That your Board procure a suitable site for a Library building, to be deeded to your board for that purpose, and cause to be erected thereon (and equipped with furniture, fixtures, books and literature) a suitable building for the purpose aforesaid, and that the Library and Reading Rooms so estab- lished shall be forever maintained as a free Public Library and Reading

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Rooms in the city of Trenton, under such rules and regulations as your Board may from time to time adopt for its successful maintenance and support, having in view the use of said Library and Reading Room free to the people of Trenton and Grundy County forever, and that the same shall be kept open to the public every day from 9 A. M. until 9 P. M., Sundays and legal holidays excepted, and on such other days and hours as you may see fit, and that the said building shall be kept in good repair by your Board, and that a competent librarian and necessary assistants shall be employed to take charge of the property and serve the public, and that your Board shall annually provide for the defraying of all necessary expenses for the support of the aforesaid institution. And I further stipulate that your Board shall never sell nor convey the building or land upon which it is situated, but forever retain it for the use of the people of Grundy County. If the above conditions are accepted by your Board I will place the sum of thirty thousand dollars in the Union Bank, subject to your order, as fast as it is required for the erection of the building, and whatever amount of the said sum is not required for the building, may be used for the equipment of said Library and Reading Room with furniture, books and literature. When the Library Building is completed and furnished with furniture, books and literature as far as the funds at your disposal will admit, and the institution is in suc- cessful operation, I propose to furnish twenty thousand dollars, five thou- sand of which shall be made available for its further equipment if your Board think it necessary, and the balance as a permanent endowment fund, to be invested in the same manner and under the same restrictions as the common school fund is now required to be invested by the school law of your state, the annual income from which to be used in the support of said institutions. Should your Board approve of all the above condi- tions, you will please give me your formal acceptance of the same, and have it recorded with the proceedings of your Board. Jewett Norris. Saint Paul, January 22nd, 1890."

The following is the acceptance of the proposition by the board of education : "Whereas, The Hon. Jewett Norris of Saint Paul, Minne- sota, having submitted to the Board of Education of the Trenton School District a formal proposition to donate the sum of ($50,000) fifty thou- sand dollars, for a free public library in the town of Trenton. Therefore be it Resolved, that we, the said Board of Education, acting for and on behalf of the Trenton school district, do hereby accept the said proposi- tion upon the terms and conditions therein stated, and agree in all things to carry out the wishes of said Jewett Norris contained in said formal proposition in accordance with the laws of Missouri, and that said prop- osition, together with this preamble and resolution, be spread upon the minutes of the Board and made a part of the records of the Trenton School District. And in behalf of ourselves and of the inhabitants of said School District whom we represent, and of the people of Grundy County, we hereby tender to Judge Norris our thanks and gratitude for this munificent public benefaction, the influence of which, for enlighten- ment and refinement, should be felt by this and future generations for all time to come. H. C. Sykes, Pres., A. Chapman, Sec'y, G. W. Smith, Treas., William Gessler, Chancy Hall, H. F. Benson."

REV. WILLIAM A. CHAPMAN. A resident of Rosendale, Andrew County, for thirty years, Rev. William A. Chapman is one of the most widely known and best beloved ministers of the Christian Church in Northwest Missouri. He was born in Knox County, Ohio, June 29, 1850, and is a son of Benjamin and Margaret (Spry) Chapman.

Benjamin Chapman was also a native of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. III-30

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born in 1819, and was left an orphan when still a lad. As a young man he went to West Virginia, where he was married the first time, and had one daughter. His wife subsequently died and he returned to Ohio and married Margaret Spry, who was born in Knox County, that state, in 1821. In 1851 Mr. and Mrs. Chapman started for Missouri, locating in Holt County, but three years later moved to Brownsville, Nebraska, where Mr. Chapman assisted in the building of the first house. In 1859 he went to Texas, but in the following year returned to Nebraska, and a later trip was made in 1873, this extending until 1876. At that time the parents again came to Missouri, settling first in Nodaway County, and there the father passed away in 1880. The mother died at Savannah, at the home of her son, Judge J. H. Chapman, in 1904. In his younger life, Mr. Chapman was engaged in steamboating on the Ohio River, but after coming West devoted his entire attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he met with well-deserved success. He was a man of high prin- ciples and sterling citizenship, and was esteemed and respected among a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. There were four children born to Benjamin and Margaret Chapman, as follows: Rev. William A., of this notice ; Mary E., who is the wife of T. J. Sonedley, of Monet, Mis- souri; Rebecca L., the wife of Josephus Edwards, of Anglin, Washing- ton, and Judge J. H., a resident of Savannah.

From the time he was four years of age until he reached the age of twenty-three years, William A. Chapman resided on his father's farm in Nemaha County, Nebraska. While being reared to agricultural duties, he attended the district schools of that locality, as well as the State Normal School, at Peru. At the age of twenty years he entered upon a career as an educator, and for the next twenty years engaged in teach- ing, becoming widely and favorably known as an educator. Mr. Chap- man was twenty-three years of age, in 1873, when he was married to Armilda T. Tharp, who was born in Jasper County, Iowa, February 25, 1854, and who at the age of eighteen years was taken to Nebraska by her parents, C. C. and Emmeline (Wolf) Tharp, natives of Indiana, the former of whom died in Nebraska at the age of eighty-four years, while the latter was sixty-nine years of age at the time of her death. They had spent their lives in the pursuits of the soil, and were known as honest, hard-working and God-fearing people. Three weeks after their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Chapman went to Blanco County, Texas, and later removed to Bell County, in the same state, but in 1876 returned to Ne- braska, in 1878 came to Missouri and settled in Nodaway County, and in 1885 located at Rosendale, Andrew County, where he continued to be en- gaged as a school teacher until 1890.

In 1877 Doctor Chapman had preached his first sermon in the old home schoolhouse in Nebraska, and he continued to preach intermittently until 1890, when he gave up schoolteaching to devote his undivided time to and concentrate his energies upon the work of the ministry of the Christian Church. The first church he served was Fairview Christian Church, two and one-half miles south of Rosendale, and there he has spent the greater part of his time. He has preached longer than any other elergyman in Andrew County, has preached more funeral sermons, solemnized a greater number of marriages, and has baptized more people than any other. He is an earnest, zealous worker, always interested in the affairs of his people, who have given to him that affection which but few men can inspire. Doctor Chapman is a charter member of both the Masonic and Odd Fellow lodges at Rosendale.

Nine children have been born to Doctor and Mrs. Chapman, as follows : Nellie, who is the wife of W. A. Housman, of Andrew County ; Edgar O., of Guthrie, Oklahoma, a traveling salesman; Cora, the wife of J. O.

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Brown, of St. Joseph, Missouri; Charles B., of that city; Jessie, who is the wife of O. B. Smith, of Downs, Kansas; Robert K., of Denver, Colo- rado; Edna, the wife of O. H. Spicer, of Fillmore, Missouri; Edith, the wife of J. A. Shunk, of Fillmore, and William A., Jr., who resides with his parents.

JOSEPH H. CALDWELL. The progressive agriculturist of Northwest Missouri, after many years spent in tilling the soil of any one locality, is usually loath to turn over to other hands the property to which his life's labors have been devoted; but when he feels that advancing years entitle him to a rest from his activities, and he retires from active participa- tion therein to the quietude of private residence in the adjoining town or village, he is welcomed as an addition to the community who, through his years of practical experience, cannot fail to contribute to his new home interests. Joseph H. Caldwell, who is now living in retirement at Rochester, Andrew County, was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in Rochester Township, and his energetic and well-directed labors have earned him a competency that assure him of all of life's comforts in his declining years.

Mr. Caldwell was born in Noble County, Indiana, May 17, 1841, and is a son of John and Margaret (Clouser) Caldwell. His father was born September 14, 1810, in Ohio, and was there married to Miss Margaret Clouser, who was born October 24, 1816, in Pennsylvania, and shortly after their marriage they moved to Noble County, Indiana, where they resided on a farm until 1848. In that year they removed to Schuyler County, Illinois, but in 1851 came on to Andrew County, Missouri, where the father secured a tract of land one-half mile south of Rochester. In addition to carrying on agricultural pursuits, Mr. Caldwell was a mill- wright, and in partnership with his brother, William, conducted the Rochester Mills for several years. He was faithful and energetic in his labors and was able to furnish a good home for his family before his death, which occurred December 27, 1857, the mother surviving him until April 9, 1872. They were the parents of six children, namely : Simon C., who is deceased; Joseph H., of this review; David G., who served in a Missouri Cavalry regiment during the Civil war and is now living re- tired at Rochester after many years spent in farming, and a sketch of whose life will be found elsewhere in this work; John, who is deceased ; Eliza, who died at the age of twelve years; and Henry C., who makes his home with his brother, David G.

Joseph H. Caldwell was about ten years of age when the family came to Andrew County, and here he grew to manhood in the vicinity of Rochester, where he received his education in the public schools. The outbreak of the Civil war found him, with other young men of his com- munity, ready to serve the Union, and March 14, 1862, he enlisted un- der Capt. H. B. Johnson, in an independent battery of light artillery. This organization, in the latter part of 1863, was converted into the First Missouri Cavalry, and Mr. Caldwell remained in active service until peace was declared in 1865, when he was mustered out at St. Louis. He had a good record as a soldier, and on his return home resumed his activities as a farmer, and for thirty years continued to be a tiller of the soil. Through industrious and persevering labor he succeeded in the ac- cumulation of a handsome property, which he eventually sold, and since that time has been residing at Rochester, where he still takes an active interest in the affairs and movements which affect his community. He is a republican in his political views, but his chief connection with political matters has been as a voter and a stanch supporter of good men and measures.

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Mr. Caldwell was married in 1866 to Miss Minerva Tomlinson, who was born December 8, 1844, in Indiana, and came to Missouri in 1854 with her parents, John and Delilah (Christie) Tomlinson, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Ohio and both of whom died in Missouri at advanced ages. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell, four of whom died in infancy, the others being: F. L., who is a resident of Atchison, Kansas; Maude, who is the wife of Thomas N. Jaynes, a farmer of Rochester Township; Margaret, who is the wife of William Shrives, also a farmer of Rochester Township; and Mattie, the wife of George Miller, of the same township.

J. M. STOUT. Among the well known farmers and substantial citizens of Rochester Township, Andrew County, no one stands higher in public esteem than J. M. Stout, whose well improved farm of 159 acres is situated in section 29, the other acre of the quarter section having been donated for church purposes. Mr. Stout was born in Rochester Town- ship, Andrew County, Missouri, November 10, 1854, and is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Walter) Stout. The father was born in Ohio in 1810 and the mother in Kentucky in 1815.

The parents of Mr. Stout resided for some time after marriage in Indiana and afterward on Skunk River, in Iowa, in 1837 moving to Andrew County, Missouri, and entering land near Savannah. After eight years, however, Thomas Stout decided to return to Indiana, but after two days on the journey turned back and bought the farm that C. K. Stout now owns. The mother survived until 1897, but the father died in 1888. He was a fine type of the old-time pioneer, courageous and resourceful, a good neighbor, an honorable man and a sincere Christian. He and wife were earnest members of the Christian Church. They left numerous descendants and in different parts of the western country they have made the name known and respected. Three of their sons, William, Joseph and John, all served as soldiers in the Civil war. The eldest son, George W. Stout, who still survives and lives near Farmington, in the State of Washington, left home in 1853, being then eighteen years old, and started out for himself, locating first in Oregon and removing from there to Washington. He has never re- turned to Missouri, and his brother, J. M., who was not born until the following year, has never seen him. The other members of the family in order of birth were as follows: John, who died in 1909, in Kansas; Nancy, who is the widow of W. Snowden, lives at Omaha ; Joseph, who died in 1906, in Holt County, Missouri; Polly, who is the widow of Henry Hopkins, lives in Utah; William, who is a resident of St. Joseph; Martha, who was the wife of Jasper Huffman, died in Colorado at the age of twenty-eight years; Lizzie, who is the wife of E. M. Richey, of Howard, Colorado; Rebecca, who is the widow of Perry Snowden, lives in Rochester Township; J. M .; and Thomas, of Bolckow. At the time of writing there are thirty-four grand- children in the family.

J. M. Stout remained at home with his parents and assisted on the home farm until his marriage, when he moved to Kansas, where he entered a tract of land in Gove County and proved up within the year, returning then to his father's place, which he managed for three years and then bought fifty acres near the home place. Twelve years later he purchased his present property, and a general agricul- tural business is carried on, which formerly included a large dairying industry, Mr. Stout conducting a butter wagon for nine years, having customers all along the route as far as St. Joseph. This farm is

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A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III, Part 69

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