USA > Missouri > A history of northwest Missouri, Volume III > Part 79
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119
.
1821
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
war, was wounded once or twice, and afterwards married and reared a family.
Mrs. Crockett is the only child living of the five born to her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Crockett have five children : Elbert M., who lives on part of the home farm and married Hazel Thompson; Eunice C., wife of Frank W. Edwards of Empire Township, Andrew County; Mabel Clementine ; George D .; and Stanley B., all living at home.
HON. JAMES E. FORD. In November, 1914, the fourth district re- elected James E. Ford to the State Senate. His return to the body in which he has served as representative and senator for eight years is an encouraging sign of the time to all citizens who believe in the essential wholesomeness of the modern progressive tendencies in politics and gov- ernment. Senator Ford has given excellent and positive service to the cause of good government in Missouri, and by their votes at the recent election the people of the fourth district justified his record and thereby added a strong and experienced member to the next senate.
Senator Ford was elected to represent Grundy County in the lower house in 1906, and during his second term was speaker pro tem. In 1910 he was elected for his first term in the senate. In that year Gov- ernor Hadley appointed him a member and he was chosen chairman of the auditing committee to investigate state offices. About half of the forty bills he has introduced have become law. He was a joint author of the present county school supervision law. He was the author of the enabling act, now a law, defining and restricting the use of the initiative and referendum, by which the people of the state have authority to originate and also to approve or reject legislation. He was joint author of the bill establishing the present state poultry experiment station, and introduced a bill to prevent the importation of diseased live stock into the state, a bill that failed of passage, but the essential value of which has been emphasized by recent events. Among the measures introduced by Senator Ford in the session of 1915 is one providing for a system of township school districts, managed by one board of six with a uniform levy throughout the township, defining township districts as "town dis- tricts" with power to levy and collect taxes now allowed other town districts, and providing for the establishment of township high schools or joint township high schools. This plan Senator Ford thinks corrects the two fundamental weaknesses of the present country school system, the low tax levy required under the constitution, and the weak, isolated independent district, and he thinks it will soon place a high school within horseback distance of nearly every boy and girl in the state. Another bill is a system of building permanent country roads by convict labor, which is advocated by the state highway commission. His progressive tendencies are also shown by his introduction of bills to provide for a presidential preference primary and another for the popular election of United States senators, now provided by amendment to the Federal Constitution. He was the first man in Missouri to conceive and ad- vocate the use of the initiative as a means of overcoming the practice of gerrymandering congressional and senatorial districts.
Senator Ford is a young man, but his career has stimulating interest to those who believe in the efficacy of hard work and ambition. He was born on a farm in Grundy County, April 5, 1880, a son of John B. and Sarah (Cooksey) Ford, the former a native of Shelby County, Mis- souri, and the latter of Illinois. His paternal grandparents, James H. and Amelia (Cockrum) Ford, were both born in Kentucky, The senator is descended on both sides from ancestors who took part in the Revolu- tionary war. Vol. III-34
1822
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
His first schooling was in the old Ford School in Myers Township of Grundy County, but most of his education has come from hard study at home. He graduated in the Kirksville Normal, also attended the Missouri State University, and took a course in logic and other subjects through the correspondence department of the University of Chicago. He has taught school, has owned and edited several newspapers, and besides his active public career has kept close to the farming vocation at which he was reared. His home is on his farm, Silverdawn, 21/2 miles north of Trenton. In 1904, after leaving the Kirksville Normal, Senator Ford bought a newspaper at Gault, but sold it in 1906 and came to Trenton and for a time was in the real-estate business. For a short time he owned and edited a Trenton paper. He is also known as an author, having completed some very authentic county histories, now in book form, and is the author of a volume of humorous sketches en- titled "Fact, Fun and Fiction," of which he sold the copyright. Dur- ing 1911-12 he managed the home farm, then bought and conducted a newspaper at Hamilton, which he sold in 1913, and has since given his time to the operation of his own farm. In politics Mr. Ford is a repub- lican.
In 1907 Senator Ford married Miss Grace Humphreys, a daughter of Wade H. and Nettie (Cooper) Humphreys, of Gault, her father being a large land owner in Grundy County. Mr. and Mrs. Ford are the parents of three children, Wade H., James E. and Allie Grace.
WILLIAM R. ANDERSON. A vigorous young Trenton business man who has shown much capacity to manage large responsibilities and build up business is William R. Anderson, local manager for the T. W. Ballew Lumber Company. Mr. Anderson has had much experience in the lum- ber trade, and though a young man still in his twenties has demonstrated both ability and success in his relations with business and with citizen- ship.
William R. Anderson was born in Montrose, Henry County, Missouri, February 22, 1888. His father, Jno. Q. Anderson, was born in Ken- tucky November 12, 1862, and all the Andersons came originally from Kentucky. The mother, whose maiden name was Sallie Wilson, was of an Illinois family, but was born in Ray County, Missouri, February 28, 1864. They were married at Kansas City in 1884. The father located in Polk County, Missouri, in 1874, taught country schools there for several years, and in 1891 became identified with the E. W. Blew Lum- ber Company at Montrose, Missouri. In 1898 he took over the business, making the firm the Anderson Lumber Company. His death occurred in 1902.
William R. Anderson acquired his early education in the public schools of Montrose, graduating from the high school in 1905, then in the fall of the same year entered the Western Commercial and Military School at Clinton, Missouri, was a student there until 1906, and during 1907 attended the Hill Business College at Sedalia. His practical busi- ness career began in the fall of 1907 at Excelsior Springs, where he was connected with the Roanoke Lumber Company until 1912. In that year he became local manager for the T. W. Ballew Lumber Company at Trenton, and has since been a resident of that city.
Mr. Anderson is a republican, is affiliated wth the Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter of Masonry, and with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, being a popular member of these different fraternities. Decem- ber 26, 1912, he married Miss Bessie Peterson, a daughter of Peter and Viola (Schultz) Peterson of McCook, Nebraska. The Peterson family were pioneer settlers in Nebraska.
1823
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
ROBERT A. COLLIER. One of the venerable citizens of Grundy County is Robert A. Collier, whose home has been in that locality for more than seventy years, and whose mind is filled with recollections of the early surroundings and events of Northwest Missouri. He is one of the honored veterans of the great Civil strife of the '60s, and has given many years to public in Grundy County.
Robert A. Collier was born at Fayette, in Howard County, Missouri, March 19, 1838, a son of William and Susan Collier. His father was a man whose enterprise did much for early Grundy County, and who was the contractor who constructed the first courthouse at Trenton. The family history is of much interest, and will be found somewhat in detail in the sketch of Hon. Luther Collier, a brother of Robert A.
Robert A. Collier was five years old when the family moved to Tren- ton, and grew up in that city. He has recollections of some of the early schools and early school teachers, and among those who directed his mental training as a boy he recalls Col. John H. Shanklin, George H. Hubbell, James Turner, Jacob T. Tindall, Rev. James Vincent, J. B. Allen and Joseph Ficklin. Later he attended school for a time at Beth- any. For a practical vocation in life he learned the trade of brick- layer under his father's direction, and that has been his main business, although the greater part of his active years have been spent in other duties.
In 1861 Mr. Collier enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming a member of Company B, of the Twenty-third Regiment of Missouri Infantry. He was made orderly sergeant, and in 1863 was commissioned lieutenant by Governor Gamble. Soon afterwards by order of President Lincoln he was appointed a mustering officer, and thus became a member of the general staff. He served on the staff of Gen. Thomas A. Davies, General Guitar and General McNeil. After three years and four months in the army he returned home and was appointed mustering officer for Grundy County, a position which he retained for about one year. Soon after the close of the war Mr. Collier continued his public work as deputy · county clerk, and finally resigned that position to engage in merchandis- ing. In 1870 he was elected county clerk, and gave twelve years to that office.
In 1863 Mr. Collier married Miss Ann E. Cooper, a daughter of Dr. James and Mary A. E. Cooper. They are the parents of four children : William C., Robert E., Leon E. and Mary E., the last being the wife of W. E. Pierson. Mr. Collier has affiliated with the Masonic Order for half a century, and is one of the oldest Masons in Northwest Missouri.
LESLEY P. ROBINSON. Prosecuting attorney of Grundy County, to which position he was elected in 1912, Lesley P. Robinson is one of the most popular officials of the county, and for nearly ten years has prac- ticed law with growing success at Trenton.
Mr. Robinson was born on a farm four miles from Corydon, Wayne County, Iowa, October 17, 1881. His father was Peter Lunsford Robin- son, who was born in Greencastle, Indiana, June 1, 1832. The grand- father was Addison Newton Robinson, a native of Kentucky, whose father moved to Indiana during the territorial period, and who lost his life while defending the old fort at Vincennes against Indian attack. Grand- father Robinson was a pioneer of Putnam County, Indiana, and had his home near Greencastle. In 1843 he went West and found a home in the Territory of Iowa. He entered land four miles northwest of the present site of Corydon, and was one of the early settlers who cleared the wilder- ness and prepared the way for modern civilization in that part of the state. He improved his land and lived upon it until his death when about
1824
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
seventy years of age. He married Elizabeth O'Neil Lunsford, who was born in 1812, and whose parents were probably natives of Ireland and early settlers in the State of Indiana. Grandmother Robinson died at the age of eighty-seven years.
Peter Lunsford Robinson, father of the prosecuting attorney, was eleven years old when the family located in Iowa, was reared amid pioneer surroundings in that state, and during his later life he often recalled many circumstances which characterized the country in that day. He knew Iowa when wild turkey, prairie chicken and all kinds of game roamed and could be found by the hunter in abundance on every quarter section. There were no railroads for a number of years after the Robin- son family located there, and the farmers of Wayne County in the early days took their grain to Alexandria on the Mississippi River, there load- ing with goods needed for domestic consumption at home. When ready to start in life on his own account Peter L. Robinson bought land near the homestead and finally succeeded to ownership of the old place, where he lived until 1896. Selling out his Iowa home, he then moved to Grundy County, Missouri, and bought land in Madison Township. He became one of the well known farmers and stock raisers and lived there until his death a few years ago. Peter L. Robinson married Mary Atkinson, who was born in Lee County, Iowa, December 13, 1849. Her father, James Atkinson, was one of the early settlers of Grundy County, and had the distinction of operating a grist mill for the benefit of the settlers in the early days. About 1863 he went out to Denver, Colorado, and was one of the early residents of that western city. Later he returned to Mis- souri, and spent his last days in Boone County. He was by profession a Primitive Baptist preacher and was quite successful as a trader. The maiden name of his wife was Margaret Mendenhall, who was born in Illinois and died at Trenton before her husband went out to Colorado. Mrs. Peter L. Robinson died December 22, 1910, and she reared eleven children, namely : Willett, Ida, Edwin, Stephen, Lizzie, Lida, Lesley P., Nellie, Maggie, Newton and William. Of these children Willett and Lizzie are now deceased.
Lesley P. Robinson received his early education in the rural schools of Wayne County and as he was about fifteen when the family came to Grundy County he had some schooling here, and later entered the Univer- sity of Kansas and studied law in the Kansas City Law School. Ad- mitted to practice in the fall of 1904, he has since been steadily advancing in professional attainments, and in 1905 formed a partnership with the veteran lawyer, Luther Collier, a partnership which has continued with mutual profit and satisfaction to the present time.
In 1908 Mr. Robinson married Nellie May Songer. She was born in Grundy County, a daughter of John R. Songer, who was born in Tren- ton Township November 9, 1847, and was the son of Giles Songer and grandson of Abraham Songer. The last named was a native of Pennsyl- vania and of German stock, later removing from Pennsylvania to Wash- ington County, Indiana, and finally to Clay County, Illinois, where he died. Abraham Songer married Catherine Sawyer, who was born in Pennsylvania and also died in Clay County, Illinois. Giles Songer came to Grundy County in 1846, only five years after this county was organized, and got a tract of land direct from the Government six miles northeast of Trenton. He was a man of much industry and enterprise, and after developing his first tract of land sold out at a profit and bought more land three miles east of his previous location where he resided until his death in 1884. Giles Songer married Nancy Childress, who died in 1907, at the good old age of eighty-seven years. John R. Songer, Mrs. Robinson's father, has spent his entire life in Grundy County, and now lives
1825
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
retired in the City of Trenton. He married Nannie V. Shanklin, who was born in Trenton, a daughter of Andrew and Rachel (Sharpe) Shank- lin, and the granddaughter of Absalom and Nancy (Leester) Shank- lin. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have one daughter, named Mary Virginia.
In public affairs Mr. Robinson has enacted a considerable role, and is regarded as one of the leaders of the local democracy. He cast his first vote for W. J. Bryan, and has served as a member of the Grundy County democratic central committee and as delegate to county and state con- ventions. In the campaign of 1912 he was candidate on the democratic ticket for the office of prosecuting attorney, and his name contributed to the strength of that ticket, and since taking up his duties he has well justified the confidence of his friends and political supporters.
LEVI M. HICKEY. From the close of the Civil war until his retire- ment a few years ago to the Village of Whitesville, Levi M. Hickey was one of the industrious and hard-working farmer citizens of Andrew County. Mr. Hickey won his competence under conditions which would be deemed hardships by the present generation of agriculturists. Per- sistent toil, early and late, vigilant attention to all details of his busi- ness, and observance of all the old-fashioned rules of honesty and fair dealing, have been the cornerstones on which his career has been based. He is one of the highly honored citizens of Andrew County.
Levi M. Hickey was born in Carter County, Tennessee, December 21, 1838, and belonged to a large family of that plainspoken and hardy class of people known as East Tennesseeans. His father was a whig, during the war was a Union man, and the son Levi was one of the family who fought for the cause of the Union. The parents were James M. and Nancy (Millard) Hickey. His father was born in Washington County, Virginia, in 1797, and his mother in Sullivan County in East Tennessee in 1803. They were married in Sullivan County, and spent their lives in that state on a farm. The mother died in 1862 while her son Levi was in a Confederate prison at Richmond, Virginia. The father died at the age of seventy-two. There were fourteen children, all of whom lived to maturity, and all were reared in a hewed loghouse, one of the typical homes of Eastern Tennessee, where there was an abundance of the necessities, but very few of the luxuries and in that time and place schools were held in less esteem as a means of discipline than the work and experience of the home farm. The children are briefly named as follows: Charlotta White, who died in Tennessee in December, 1912, at the age of ninety; Elizabeth Lacey, Matilda Miller, Timothy, James, William. and Nathaniel, all deceased; Ann, who married Thomas Crum- ley and is now deceased; Levi M .; Mary, deceased wife of Jack Crumley ; Martha ; Emma, wife of George Crumley of Knoxville, Tennessee; and Paulina Dinwiddie of Knoxville, Tennessee.
Levi M. Hickey lived at home until his marriage in 1859, and then moved to Washington County, Tennessee, and lived in that vicinity until the outbreak of the war. He early determined to enlist in the Union army, and while trying to get through the Southern lines to the Union forces was made a prisoner, and for three months kept at Richmond, Virginia. Having been exchanged, and sent through the lines, he reached Louisville, Kentucky, where the regiment which he was to join was then stationed. Thus his formal enlistment was delayed until De- cember 26, 1862, when he became a member of Company B of the Fourth Tennessee Infantry, and remained with that organization until August 2, 1865, being mustered out at Nashville with the rank of sergeant. In the fall of 1865.Mr. Hickey came to Andrew County, Missouri, locat- ing 21% miles north of Whitesville. His chief possessions at that time
.
1826
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
were a willingness to work hard for a living, and by steady industry he prospered as a farmer and acquired a valuable estate. His home was burned in 1907, and owing to his advanced age he decided to sell his land, and has since lived in Whitesville, in a home he built on coming to that village.
Mr. Hickey has a record of exceptional length as a republican voter. Owing to the fact that there was no Lincoln ticket in Tennessee in 1860, he gave his ballot to John Bell, the free soil candidate, but while in the army voted for Lincoln the second time, and has supported every presi- dential candidate of that party down to date. In state and county elec- tions he splits his ticket. Mr. Hickey was a member of the Dunkard Church until removing to town, and now attends worship in the Chris- tian Church.
In 1859 he married Mary Bashor, who died in Andrew County in 1892. Their children were: Nancy, wife of Charles Daggett of Kansas ; Thomas, of Idaho; Louisa, wife of G. W. Gebhart of Platte Township; Paulina, wife of Bert Riddlesbarger of Idaho; Wallace of Wright County, Missouri; and Henry Milton, who died in infancy. In 1896 Mr. Hickey married Mrs. Malinda (McNatt) West, who was born in Gentry County, Missouri, a daughter of William MeNatt and widow of Joseph West. By her first marriage her children are: Esther, wife of George Hardwick of Los Angeles, California; and Elmer, of Ravens- wood, Missouri.
JAMES GIBSON. Scotch persistence, thrift and industry, qualities which he brought over from the old country, have enabled James Gib- son to accomplish more than the average man who starts life with only a pair of willing hands and a heart courageous for any fate. Mr. Gibson is now one of the large land owners in Platte Township of Andrew County, has a large family of boys and girls, and most of them are married and occupying homes of their own which he gave them. Forty years ago James Gibson came to Andrew County with a wife and an infant child six months old. He had very little money, but most men at the present time would consider it hardly enough for running ex- penses. What he has accomplished since then is a remarkable testi- monial to his diligence and general business ability.
James Gibson was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, June 4, 1849, a son of Alex and Jane (Howitt) Gibson. Both parents were born in the same county, and spent their lives there, chiefly on a farm. Their nine chil- dren were : Jane Miller, deceased; David, who lives in Kansas; William, who died in Scotland; James; John, who lives in Scotland; Mary Jime- son of Scotland; Alex, of Scotland ; Peter, who died in childhood ; Agnes, who died in girlhood; and one that died in infancy.
James Gibson received an education in the old country, and earned his support while working as a farmhand until 1869. He gave his peo- ple half his wages, but by careful economy managed to save £9, and with this sum started for the United States. Large numbers of Ayr- shire people had settled in the State of Wisconsin, and that was his destination. When he arrived at Milwaukee he had 25 cents in his pockets, and though an exceedingly homesick boy lost no time in securing work as a farmhand and going ahead until he had some degree of finan- cial independence. In 1875 Mr. Gibson came to Andrew County, and for five years rented and operated a farm, and then bought the nucleus of his present homestead. At the present time Mr. Gibson owns 640 acres, divided into seven different farms, each with a set of improve- ments. In his home place he operates 120 acres, and also uses forty additional acres for pasturage. His success has come from general
1827
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
grain and stock farming, and after acquiring his land he has kept im- proving it and by his own work has added much of the value which his farms now represent. While his sons were at home assisting him, he usually fed about a carload of cattle every year.
Mr. Gibson is an independent republican, and is a member of the Lower Empire Presbyterian Church, and has fraternal affiliations with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the A. H. T. A. In 1874 he married Agnes Booth. Mrs. Gibson was born January 28, 1852, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, where they were married. Her parents were James and Elizabeth ( Welch) Booth, both natives of Scotland, but married in New York, and immediately afterward came West and settled in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, securing land from the Government. The five children in the Booth family were: Robert, James, Janet, now deceased, Agnes and Elizabeth.
Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have a family of eight children. William lives in Platte Township; Ella is the wife of Myron Johnson of Platte Town- ship; Elizabeth is the wife of Le Roy Wilkerson of Platte Township; James; Myron ; Robert; Charles, who died at the age of four years; and Jennie, at home. The six oldest children are all married and each oc- cupies a farm of eighty acres on Empire Prairie, originally a part of their father's estate. The homestead farm of Mr. and Mrs. Gibson is known as Plain View.
DAVID GEBHART. During the forty-five years of his residence in Andrew County, David Gebhart has lived from early manhood to mature age and has acquired those things most appreciated by a man of industry and ambition. He has a fine farm in Platte Township. which represents his diligence and good business judgment, has provided liberally for home and family, and has gained the esteem of all citizens in that locality for his uprightness and solid work.
David Gebhart is a native of Indiana, born in Henry County, on Christmas Day of 1851. His parents were George and Mary (Baker) Gebhart, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they were married. They removed to Indiana during the '40s and spent the rest of their lives there. The mother died when David was two years old and the father lived to be nearly eighty-two years of age, passing away in 1903. George Gebhart, who was of German ancestry, was a shoemaker by trade while living in Pennsylvania and followed the old-time custom of making boots and shoes to order, and traveling first from one home to the next, doing all the cobbling required by one family before passing on to the next place in his itinerary. After removing to Indiana he took up a farm in the midst of the timber and cleared it up and fol- lowed farming for the most part. He and his wife were members of the United Brethern Church. There were five sons and one daughter : John B., who died at Hagerstown, Indiana, in 1906; Josiah, who died in An- drew County, Missouri, in 1912; Elizabeth Covalt, who died in Henry County, Indiana, in 1911; George W., now living in California, who served four years in the Thirty-sixth Regiment of the Indiana Infantry during the Civil war, having been chiefly under the command of General Rosecrans, and Isaiah, who a number of years ago took up a homestead near Wichita, Kansas, and still lives there.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.