USA > Missouri > A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III > Part 71
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Charles C. Sigrist was educated in the public schools of Rochester. He entered business first as a stock clerk for the Saint Joseph firm of Tootle, Hosea & Co., where he continued about one year and then returned to Rochester. In the meanwhile his father, a man of much business enterprise, had founded the mercantile house which yet largely dom- inates the trade in this section of the county, and with other interests was a leading factor in business and in politics in Rochester Township. In 1888, on account of an accident, he retired from business and turned
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his mercantile interests over to his sons, Charles C. and R. E. Sigrist, and they continued as partners, under the firm name of Sigrist Brothers, for twenty years. In 1908 Charles C. Sigrist sold his interest to his brother and since then has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He bought the old Judge Snowden farm of 155 acres, which lies one- half mile north of Rochester, a finely improved property which numbers among its attractions a lake well stocked with fish and by Mr. Sigrist equipped with pleasure boats.
Mr. Sigrist was married February 23, 1890, to Miss Bettie Taylor, who was born at Rochester in 1871, and is a daughter of James and Margaret (Beers) Taylor, the former of whom is deceased. The mother of Mrs. Sigrist resides at Rochester. Mr. and Mrs. Sigrist have had nine children: Flossie Pearl, who is the wife of Leon Chaney of Roch- ester, and they have two children, Irene and Leona; Maggie May, who died when aged three years; and Anna Belle, Jennings Bryan, James Taylor, Edna, Charles Raybun, William Rufus and Catherine Mary, who reside with their parents. The children are being given educational and social advantages and all are numbered with the representative people of this part of the county. Mr. Sigrist follows in the footsteps of his father in being a stanch democrat, but he has never consented to hold public office. He belongs to the fraternal order of Odd Fellows, being identified with the lodge at Helena.
R. E. SIGRIST. As proprietor of one of the oldest mercantile houses in Rochester Township, Andrew County, and as postmaster of Rochester for the past twenty-one years, R. E. Sigrist may justly be mentioned as one of the best known men in this section. He is a native of Roch- ester, born June 7, 1861, and is a son of Philip and Mary L. (Walters) Sigrist.
Philip Sigrist, for many years a leading citizen of Andrew County, was born in France, February 27, 1834, and in infancy was brought to the United States by his parents. They settled in Pennsylvania and he continued to live in that state until 1855, when he came to Andrew County and established himself in the wagon-making business, a trade he had learned in Pennsylvania. Later he engaged also in undertaking and, being a man of great business enterprise, in 1885 started a general store, founding the business which has been continued ever since and which is now the sole property of his son, R. E. Sigrist. Philip Sigrist was made postmaster under the democratic administration, and was also a justice of the peace for fifteen years. He continued all his enter- prises until an accident befell him which made it necessary to practically retire, and in 1888 he turned his mercantile interests over to his sons, R. E. and C. C. Sigrist. In 1890 he went to Denver, Colorado, and died there three years later. On February 28, 1856, he was married in Andrew County to Mary L. Walters, who was born in Ohio in 1836, and six children were born to them: Emma, who is the wife of J. A. Belton, resides at Helena, Missouri; Henry, who died when aged eleven years; R. E .; Charles C., who is a farmer in Rochester Township; Willie, who died when aged ten months; and Cora E., who is the wife of C. E. Cald- well, of Rochester Township. After the father of the above family died in Colorado the mother returned to Rochester, where her death occurred at the age of sixty-three years.
R. E. Sigrist was educated in the public schools and as soon as old enough gave his father assistance, and has been identified with the pres- ent store ever since it was started in 1885. For three years he was with his father, and afterward carried on the business in partnership with his brother, C. C. Sigrist, until 1908, when the brother retired to his farm
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after selling his interest to R. E., who has continued alone ever since. He carries a large and well selected stock, and as a business man enjoys the confidence of patrons all over this section of the county. Mr. Sigrist has always been a democrat in politics, but has never accepted any pub- lic office except that of postmaster, his appointment dating April 26, 1894. This office is one of considerable importance and Mr. Sigrist makes it his business to see that its service is entirely satisfactory.
Mr. Sigrist was married May 23, 1890, to Miss Ada Brown, who was born in Andrew County, Missouri, in September, 1870, and is a daughter of Gorman and Sarah Brown, the former of whom is deceased. The mother of Mrs. Sigrist makes her home with her daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Sigrist have five children : Elmer P., who is a resident of Saint Joseph, Missouri; G. Fred, who is a student in the Saint Louis Uni- versity ; Ralph E., who is attending school at Rochester; and Maude and Lester, who are twins.
Mr. Sigrist belongs to a number of the fraternal organizations of the country. He has been an Odd Fellow for many years, following the example of his father, and belongs also to Lodge No. 334, Knights of Pythias, at Rochester, and to Lodge No. 66, Elks, at Helena, Missouri.
D. A. REECE. That energy, prudence and industry are the leading elements of success in agricultural as well as in all other lines of endeavor has been very clearly proved by D. A. Reece, a prominent farmer and cattle raiser and shipper of Andrew County, who is the owner of the Kodiak Stock Farm, a tract of 298 acres situated in section® 7, Roch- ester Township, one-half mile south of Kodiak. Left an orphan in child- hood, Mr. Reece has had to make his own way in the world, and that he is now a substantial, prominent and respected citizen of his county proves that he is a man of character and enterprise, hard working and thrifty.
D. A. Reece was born in Yadkin County, North Carolina, March 8, 1866, and is a son of Joel and- Malissa (Fleming) Reece. Both were natives of North Carolina, and in 1868 removed to Andrew County, Mis- souri, locating in Rochester Township. There the mother died in 1870, and the father in 1874, his death being caused by a stroke of lightning. They were the parents of four children: Louise, who is deceased ; Eliza, who is the wife of Jacob Wall, of Rochester Township; D. A .; and John F., who is a resident of Oregon.
After the loss of his parents D. A. Reece became a member of the household of Samuel O. Daily, of Rochester Township, and remained with Mr. Daily until he reached manhood. When he started out for himself he went to Colorado, where he located a claim and remained in that state for eighteen months, working on an irrigation project the most of the time. After returning to Andrew County he rented land for three years and then bought fifty-eight acres in Rochester Township, on which he resided for seven years, when he sold to advantage and for three more years rented the adjoining farm of 187 acres, which he then bought and continued to operate for seven years. In the mean- while he had gone extensively into the cattle business and bought his present farm of 298 acres, later selling his other farm. Mr. Reece has a fine property and has added to its value by making excellent improve- ments. He is one of the large cattle raisers of this section and feeds and buys for market and for several years has shipped annually four or five cars. He is an expert judge of cattle and the product of the Kodiak stock farm commands the highest market price.
Mr. Reece was married January 20, 1889, to Miss Emma V. Roberts. who was born near Jefferson City, Missouri, April 4, 1870, a daughter of
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Andrew and Sarah ( Williams) Roberts. They were natives of Kentucky and both died in Moniteau County, Missouri. The mother of Mrs. Reece died when she was one year old and in 1873 the father married a second time in Andrew County. Mr. and Mrs. Reece have five children : Joel A., who resides in York County, Nebraska, married Happy A. Graham; John M., who is a farmer in Rochester Township, married Ura M. Cort- ney ; Mary D., who resides at home; Eliza S., who is the wife of Stanley G. Kelly, a farmer in Rochester Township; and Eddie Rosa, who resides at home.
Mr. Reece and family are members of the Christian Church at Long Branch. For many years he has been a Mason, as was his father before him, and belongs to the blue lodge and chapter at Savannah. He has never been an office seeker, but has always given his political support to the democratic party from principle. It is largely due to the sturdy good citizenship of such men as Mr. Reece that Andrew County has made such substantial progress in the last decade, and to this class the best interests of their home community will always appeal.
WILLIAM LILLIBRIDGE was born at Omaha, Nebraska, May 15, 1857, and is a son of I. B. and Martha (Swift) Lillibridge. The father was born at Stafford Springs, Connecticut, in 1827, and died on his home- stead in Rochester Township, April 11, 1885, at the age of fifty-seven years. His ancestors were from Scotland, and they settled in Rhode Island in colonial days. His paternal grandmother was Bessie Ruby, who was a granddaughter of John Adams, once President of the United States. I. B. Lillibridge was married to Martha Swift, who was born at Watertown, New York, and died at Savannah, Missouri, in February, 1901, at the age of sixty-eight years. They had three children: William; Thomas, who followed farming on a part of the old homestead until he removed to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1912; and Walter K., who was born at Rochester, Missouri, February 5, 1870, and died at Savannah, June 28, 1877.
In early manhood I. B. Lillibridge learned the trade of painting and graining, and for eight years was employed in the cotton mills at Chico- pee Falls, Massachusetts, where he became boss painter and grainer. After his marriage he moved to Ringgold County, Iowa, and from there to Omaha, Nebraska, where he followed the business of painting and decorating until the fall of 1857, when he came to Savannah, Missouri. He continued to work at his trade at Savannah and also at Saint Joseph and then went into the mercantile business in Gentry County and had a store at Mount Pleasant and another at Alanthus Grove. These enter- prises he conducted from before the opening of the Civil war until 1867, when he came to Rochester and purchased the farm, a part of which his son William now owns. He bought about nine hundred acres of land in all, for which he paid $10 per acre. His last years were spent mainly at Savannah and at Pueblo, Colorado, but he died, as above stated, on the old farm. He was an extensive stockman, raising many horses, mules, cattle and hogs. He was a member of the Masonic frater- nity during a large part of his life. In many ways he was a man of unusual ability, possessing excellent judgment and business capacity, and wherever known he was regarded with respect.
William Lillibridge was given educational advantages and before entering into business life for himself took a course in the Nebraska State Normal School. He then embarked in the grocery line at Pueblo, Colorado, where he continued for three years. then was in the newspaper business in Kansas City, and afterward, for three years, followed news- paper illustrating in St. Joseph. After marriage, in 1885, he located on
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the home place and remained for six years and then went to Saint Joseph and resumed newspaper illustrating. For the next seven years he was in the mercantile business at Savannah, and then, for five years he was a merchandise broker at Saint Joseph. Mr. Lillibridge then returned to the old homestead, 370 acres of which he owns, and here has given a good account of himself as a farmer and stockman. This prop- erty is valuable, being favorably situated and well watered and lies on the west side of the Platte River, opposite Rochester. It is practically a stock farm.
Mr. Lillibridge was married December 1, 1885, to Miss Orlena F. Auble, who was born at New Michigan, Illinois, July 6, 1860, and came here in 1864 with her parents, H. C. and Hannah A. (Parmenter) Auble. They have had three children: Nellie S. and Bessie F., both of whom are at home; and Bennie, who died at the age of ten years.
During the Civil war Mr. Lillibridge's father was a strong supporter of the Union cause, and the first Union meeting held in Gentry County in the early days met at his house.
S. F. COFFMAN. In Braymer the leading dry goods store is operated by S. F. Coffman & Sons, general merchants, who have long had an established reputation for their goods and their standard methods of merchandising. The members of the firm understand merchandising in all its details, and have succeeded in building up a store which now supplies the most discriminating wants of patronage in Braymer and surrounding district.
The senior member of the firm, S. F. Coffman, was born in Fair- field County, Ohio, in 1856, on a farm, son of Martin Coffman, who was an honored and respected farmer in that county, and is now living retired at the age of eighty-four in Braymer, while his wife is aged eighty-one. He is a republican in politics and a member of the United Brethren Church. S. F. Coffman was reared in Ohio, was educated in the schools of that state, and prepared himself for a business career by practical experience in various lines. When twenty-one years of age he came out to Ray County, Missouri. In 1882 he married Miss Luella Alspaugh, who was also born in Fairfield County, Ohio. S. F. Coffman has long been identified with the business of contracting and building. For thirteen years he was manager of the M. D. Tait Lumber Yard and has erected many of the most substantial buildings in Braymer. He is a careful and thorough business man, has made a record for square dealing in every relation with the community, and has done much for his community. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and formerly he was active in the United Brethren Church. On the local school board he has served twelve years and is one of the active republicans in Braymer and vicinity.
The children of S. F. Coffman and wife are: Albert L. Coffman, a business man at Grand Rapids, Michigan ; Laurence E. Coffman, who is now the active head of the firm of Coffman & Sons; Ada Coffman, who is cashier in the store; and Martin A. Coffman, who is a jeweler in Bray- mer. Laurence E. Coffman was born in Ray County, Missouri, April 14, 1886. He was reared in Ray County, and at Braymer received a good substantial education in the public schools, and got his early training for commercial pursuits in the M. D. Tait Lumber Company. For three years he was assistant cashier and bookkeeper of The Bank of Bray- mer. Mr. Coffman was married September 23, 1908, to Miss Myrtle Isom, daughter of J. M. Isom. They have one son, L. E., Jr. The Coff- man & Sons store occupies a building 50 feet front by 105 feet in depth, furnished with all the modern fixtures and facilities for complete and
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adequate service to the customers, and stocked with a large line of dry goods and general merchandise. Up-to-date business methods have brought and retained an extensive trade, and in the success of the estab- lishment personality of the owners and managers has been an important factor.
HUGH BURRIER. One of the fine homesteads in Lewis Township of Holt County is the property of Hugh Burrier, years of whose life have all been spent in Holt County, and whose individual enterprise and judgment as a business man have been chiefly responsible for his pros- perity. He represents one of the old and honored family names in this section of Missouri.
Hugh Burrier was born at Oregon, April 30, 1857, a son of Andrew and Sarah (Reidenour) Burrier. Both parents came to Northwest Mis- souri from Pennsylvania in pioneer times, settled on land that was unim- proved, developed a good farm and lived here until they were called away in death, the father preceding the mother. Hugh Burrier had seven brothers and sisters, and all were born in Holt County.
Mr. Hugh Burrier married Barbara Fry, daughter of Jacob Fry, and both her parents died in Holt County. Mr. and Mrs. Burrier have seven children: Ida; Edward, who married Grace Momine; Jesse, who died at the age of eighteen ; Rosie, who married Earl Wastel; Fred; William; Johnnie. All the children were born in Holt County and were educated here, and have now found places of usefulness and honor.
Mr. Burrier is the owner of 400 acres in Lewis Township and prac- tically all the improvements on his farm are the result of his individual labors. Mrs. Burrier's father and mother were active members of the German Methodist Church. Her people were all born in Germany, and she had five brothers and sisters, all of whom are living. Her father was a stonemason in Germany, and after coming to America and settling in Holt County combined that occupation with farming. Her father was a hard working and thrifty man, and having come to Missouri com- paratively poor lived a life that brought a substantial home and ample provisions for his children, and he cleared up a large amount of land in Holt County. While Mrs. Burrier's father was a republican, Mr. Bur- rier's father was a democrat, but Mr. Burrier himself is a republican. He has also served on the school board and is a citizen always ready to help any community enterprise.
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ABSALOM HARVEY. Brief mention in any history of Northwest Mis- souri should be given to Absalom Harvey, who was not only one of the early settlers in Grundy County, but has special distinction, owing to the fact that he had served during his early manhood as a soldier with the American forces during the second war with Great Britain, from 1812 to 1815. He was one of the noted characters of his time, and left many descendants.
Absalom Harvey was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, June 13, 1791. When he was thirteen years old his parents joined in the tide of emigration which was flowing from the Carolinas into the Northwest Territory. In that country he grew to manhood, and when war broke out in 1812 joined the forces under General Harrison, and followed that leader in the various campaigns against the British throughout the Middle West. Following the war he became a permanent settler in Wayne County, Indiana, where he lived until 1820, and then removed to Henry County in the same state. In 1842, a year or two after the organization of Grundy County, he came out to Northwest Missouri and established himself on what was then the frontier of western civilization.
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. He was a pioneer by instinct and habit, and found a congenial situation in the new country. His home was established near the present site of Edinburg. While he was known and followed the vocation of farmer, he was also a noted hunter, and kept a pack of hounds and frequently accom- panied Indians on their hunting expeditions. He continued to reside in Madison Township of Grundy County until his death, on September 17, 1872. His body was laid to rest in the City Cemetery in Trenton, and it is said to be the only remains of a soldier of the war of 1812 reposing in Grundy County.
Absalom Harvey was married October 5, 1813, to Eleanor Julian. She was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, October 9, 1796, a daughter of Isaac and Sarah Julian. She survived her husband and died at a good old age. There were eight children of their union, and at the time of her death she was survived by about forty grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren.
JOHN M. TOWNSEND. Prominent among the agriculturists of Andrew County who through years of industrious labor have attained substan- tial fortunes and at the same time have acquired and held the respect and confidence of their fellow citizens is John M. Townsend, of Benton Township. Mr. Townsend, with the exception of two years, has been a resident of Andrew County all of his life, and has watched the growth and development of this part of Northwest Missouri with the eye of a proprietor, seeing the log cabin days of his youth pass into the things that are gone and the modern, progressive age succeed that of the pioneer.
Mr. Townsend was born in a log house on his father's farm, located four miles northwest of Savannah, in Andrew County, Missouri, Jan- uary 20, 1851, and is a son of William Calvin and Mary Ann (Judd) Townsend. His father was born in Indiana in 1821, and was there mar- ried May 26, 1842, to Mary Ann Judd, also a native of the Hoosier State, born in Dearborn County in 1825. About the year 1846 Mr. and Mrs. Townsend migrated to Missouri, settling on the farm four miles north- west of Savannah, on which their son was born, a raw tract of land on which there was a log house. The family made their home here until about the year 1861, when they went to Iowa and remained two years, returning to Missouri in 1863 and again locating in Andrew County, this time on a farm 21/2 miles south of Bolckow. There William C. Town- send continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits until the time of his death, which occurred July 12, 1882, Mrs. Townsend surviving him until August 29, 1907. Mr. Townsend was an industrious farmer and a capable man of business and during his active career amassed some- thing more than three hundred acres of good land. He was engaged in general farming principally, but also met with a full measure in the raising of stock, to which he devoted much attention. Both he and his wife were charter members of the Bolckow Baptist Church, in which he was a deacon for many years, and there his children erected one of the largest memorial windows in the church to the memory of their beloved parents. In political matters Mr. Townsend was a republican. Ten children were born to William C. and Mary Ann Townsend: Sarah, who is the widow of George H. Sexton and resides in Oklahoma; Emeline, who married David W. Headley, and is now deceased: Nancy A., de- ceased, who was the wife of James C. Campbell; John M .; William Cal- vin, a resident of Benton Township; Thomas Jefferson, also of this town- ship ; Harriet F., who is the wife of G. F. Wilson, and resides at War- rensburg, Missouri; Charles G., of Benton Township; Elizabeth E., de- ceased, who was the wife of T. J. Officer; and Ida B., who died at the age of four years.
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John M. Townsend attended the public schools of Andrew County . until he was ten years of age, at which time the family removed to Iowa, and there he secured some further training, which was completed when he again located in Andrew County. He was reared to the pur- suits of the farm, and remained on the home place until his marriage, at which time he took up his residence on his present property, a tract of 220 acres, two miles south of Bolckow, a part of it being the old home- stead. This is located in section 23, Benton Township, and is one of the best-improved places in this part of the county, Mr. Townsend having made many additions to its buildings and equipment during the thirty- four years he has resided here. The small log house of his birth and youth has been replaced by a modern ten-room house, with all up-to-date conveniences and comforts, and substantial barns and other buildings have also been erected by Mr. Townsend. His attention is given mainly to grain and stock raising, and in both departments his judgment, ability and foresight, gained through a long and practical training, have enabled him to gain a full measure of profit from his intelligent labors. Polit- ically a republican, Mr. Townsend has served at various times in school and road offices to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He is a member of the Baptist Church, in which he is at present serving as a deacon, and was treasurer of the building committee which erected the church at Bolckow in 1908. Mr. Townsend's fraternal connection is with Blue Lodge No. 413, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, at Bolckow.
On June 12, 1881, Mr. Townsend was united in marriage with Miss Lavina J. Wells, who was born in Andrew County, Missouri, February 18, 1863, a daughter of Judge F. M. Wells, a sketch of whose career will be found elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Townsend have had two children. Their daughter, Miss Iola A., was born March 30, 1887, on the home farm, received her early education in the country schools, and subsequently attended the Maryville Normal School. She now resides at home. The only son of Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, Marion Calvin, was born August 14, 1883, and died August 10, 1886.
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