USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > A memorial and biographical record of Kansas City and Jackson County Mo. > Part 5
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J UDGE M. H. JOYCE, who is now serving as justice of the peace in Kansas City, was born in Troy, Mi- ami county, Ohio, November 11, 1854, descending from Irish ancestry. His paternal grandfather, a farmer in the Em- erald Isle, died there at an advanced age. His parents, Henry Michael and Mary (Mc- Donnell) Joyce, were both natives of Ire- land, and came to America in the '40S, locating in Ohio, where the father followed farming. He died there in 1867, at the age of forty-eight, and his wife passed away in 1856. Both were members of the Catholic church, and he served as a soldier in the Union army during the civil war. Their family numbered three children: Mary, wife of David McHale, of Piqua, Ohio; Annie, also living in Piqua; and Michael H., of this review.
During his boyhood Judge Joyce was en-
gaged to ride race-horses until becoming too heavy for that purpose, when he engaged in training horses. He was about eighteen years of age when he left Ohio. John Scul- lin, taking a great interest in the young man, kindly afforded him the means of ac- quiring an education, and he attended Man- hattan College, at which he was graduated in 1880. He next went to St. Louis, where for a year he was employed in the offices of the Scullin Street Railway, having charge of the ticket accounting. His health then failing, he went to Colorado, where he re- mained for nine months. In 1881 he ar- rived in Kansas City on a visit, but here his health improved so rapidly that he removed to this place to remain, and has since been a resident of this locality. He secured em- ployment with the St. Joseph, Kansas City & Council Bluffs Railway as yard clerk, and occupied that position for seven years, when his faithful service and ability won him pro- motion to the position of assistant yard- master, in which capacity he served until November 7, 1890, when, on his election to the office of justice of the peace, he re- signed. After a four years term he was re- elected, in 1894, and when his present term expires will have filled the position for eight years.
On the 26th of December, 1883, Mr. Joyce was united in marriage with Miss Nora Carroll, daughter of Michael and Ellen Carroll. They have four children, -- Grover, Charles, Annie and Marguerite. The Judge and his family are members of the Catholic church, and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity, the Independent Order of Foresters, the Improved Order of Hepta- sophs, also the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In politics he is a stalwart democrat. With few advantages in his youth, Judge Joyce
Ino B. Stone
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has, by his own efforts and the kindly as- sistance of one friend, worked his way stead- ily upward, and his career commands the esteem and confidence of all who know him.
J UDGE JOHN BESTOR STONE is the highest type of American citizen- ship, loyal and faithful to every trust. He is now judge of the county court, and in the discharge of his duties there is but one thing that he takes into con- sideration, and that is justice. Nothing can swerve him from the path which he believes to be right, and the predominant trait of his character is his absolute honesty and fidelity.
A native of Alabama, the Judge was born in Marion, Perry county, December 5, 1842, and is a son of John M. and Permelia Caroline (Roberts) Stone. Two centuries and a half ago there came to the shores of America an English vessel, aboard which were five brothers of the name of Stone, who had come to find homes in the new world. They were of English birth, but allied their interests with their adopted land. Four of the number located in the northern colonies, while the remaining brother found a home in Virginia. From the last men- tioned the Judge descended. His grand- father, Robert Stone, was born in the Old Dominion and became the owner of a large plantation there. John M. Stone, the father of our subject, was born in South Carolina, and became a cabinet-maker by trade. He married Miss Roberts, a native of Alabama, and for many years they resided in that state. For a considerable period they were residents of Selma, and Mr. Stone was very prominent in public affairs there, serving as alderman and taking an active part in ev-
erything that pertained to the prosperity of the community. His wife died when the Judge was only fifteen years of age, and his death occurred in Florida, June 27, 1890, at the age of seventy-seven years and ten months. They were both members of the Christian church, and had the high regard of all who knew them. Mrs. Stone was a daughter of Reuben Roberts, a native of South Carolina, who removed to Alabama, where he became a large planter. His death occurred there at an advanced age.
In the family to which our subject be- longs were eight children, -five sons and three daughters, -of whom three are now living, namely: John B .; Melissa, wife of Walter E. Robbins, of Palatka, Florida; and Fannie G., who makes her home with her brother.
When a lad of nine years, Judge Stone accompanied his parents on their removal to Selma, Alabama, where he made his home until 1873, and then went to Texas. He was educated in the former city, but his lit- erary studies were interrupted by his serv- ice in the Confederate army. He was reared in the south, and true to its institu- tions and beliefs he joined company A, fourth Alabama infantry, when nineteen years of age. In his second engagement- the battle of Manassas-his thigh bone was broken. At the battle of Chickamauga, September 20, 1864, he was wounded, and also in the seven days' fight near Richmond, and in the battle of the Wilderness on the 6th of May. At Fort Blakely he was cap- tured and imprisoned on Ship island until the close of the war. He participated in a number of the most hotly contested en- gagements of that long struggle, including the first and second battle of Manassas, Chickamauga, the seven-days' battle in the
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A MEMORIAL RECORD OF KANSAS CITY
Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, and a number of heavy skirmishes. He entered the service as a private, but was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. In his military career he exhibited that ardor and enthusiasm, valor and impetuosity charac- teristic of the true soldier.
When the war was over Judge Stone re- turned to his old home in Selma, and for two years engaged in merchandising. He then removed to Shelby county, Alabama, where he carried on farming for a time, after which he returned to Selma, and was elected city clerk and tax collector. In 1873 he removed to Dallas, Texas, where he engaged in the real-estate business, follow- ing that pursuit for some years. During that time he erected the federal government building there and gave it to the state for ten years free of charge. He also erected many other large buildings in that city. In 1879 he was elected alderman of Dallas, but soon after resigned and removed to Col- orado, where he was engaged in mining for three years. Returning then to Texas, he made his home in the Lone Star State until 1885, when he came to Kansas City, where he engaged in the real-estate business for several years. He is a practical, thorough- going business man, perfectly reliable in all things, energetic and honorable, and no one has the confidence of the public to a greater degree than Mr. Stone.
This fact was signally demonstrated in November, 1894, by his election to the office of presiding county judge. He was first spoken of for that position by the "re- formed democratic " party, but such is his known ability and fidelity to duty that he was indorsed by the republicans and the populists, and also ran as an A. P. A. can- didate, being the first man elected to that
office in twenty-five years who was not elected on the regular democratic ticket. Those whose opposition he had to meet in the campaign were mostly professional pol- iticians who place party above everything else and . desire personal aggrandizement rather than the good of the country. The Judge has taken quite an active part in political affairs, but devotion to country is to him above party or personal preferment. He has been strongly talked of as the can- didate for governor of Missouri in 1896, and the attitude of the loyal American element in the state as opposed to the party element was shown by an article which appeared in one of the leading journals of Missouri and read as follows:
" What Missouri wants is a man in the gubernatorial chair; and it makes little difference whether he calls himself repub- lican, democrat, populist or whatnot, so he is competent, a Christian gentleman and a patriot; and all these we believe Judge Stone to be. We have tried republican rule in Missouri and we have tried demo- cratic; now let us try being ruled by Amer- ican patriotism and let us put at the head of our ticket one who loves country more than party and Americanism more than per- sonal aggrandizement."
The Judge is a man of strong convic- tions, fearless in expressing them under all proper circumstances, but always ready to hear and weigh the views of those who dif- fer from him. He is unswerving in his support of what he believes to be right, no matter at what personal cost to himself. On the bench it is his aim to be absolutely impartial, and no personal feeling is allowed to interfere with the even-handed adminis- tration of justice.
On the 18th of June, 1881, Mr. Stone
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was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary M. Kester, widow of John H. Kester, and a daughter of Joel and Mary Belle (Earles) Haley, both natives of North Car- olina. Joel Haley was a union soldier, a member of company I, third Arkansas in- fantry, and died in the service. Mrs. Stone was born in Steelville, Crawford county, Missouri, and by her marriage has become the mother of one daughter,-Calla G. The Judge and his wife have a handsome brick residence at No. 3032 Prospect ave- nue, and in social circles are highly es- teemed. They are members of Trinity Episcopal church, and the Judge belongs to the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fra- ternities and the American Protective Asso- ciation. In manner he is an affable, genial gentleman, of unvarying courtesy, high- minded and scrupulously faithful to every trust. He numbers among his friends peo- ple of all classes and no man in Kansas City is more generally esteemed than Judge Stone.
ON. JAMES S. BOTSFORD .- It has been said by a well-known writer that " some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them; " and when in any department of life a man attains signal success the thinking world is wont to pause and inquire through which of these methods did his eminence come. In regard to the marked success attained by the Hon. James S. Botsford, one of the prominent lawyers of Kansas City, a review of his life will answer the above question.
James S. Botsford was born in Wau- kesha county, Wisconsin, June 10, 1844,
son of John Sherman Botsford and Rhoda nce Look, natives of Oneida county, New York, and of Scotch-Irish descent. The Botsford family were among the early set- - tlers of the Empire state. Seymour Bots- ford, a brother of our subject's father, was a participant in the war for the independ- ence of Texas and was killed at the battle of San Jacinto: John S. Botsford, the father of James S., was a farmer. Some time in the '3os he left New York and emi- grated to Wisconsin, which was then on the frontier, and in the midst of the dense forest of Waukesha county he purchased 160 acres of Government land, at $1.25 per acre, and at once devoted his energies to the work of clearing and improving his farmn. This land is now very valuable. Here he died in 1851. The mother still survives and resides near Waukesha. Some time after Mr. Botsford's death she became the wife of a Mr. Rodgers, and by him has two children, -Anna and John. The children of her first marriage are five in number, named: James S., Clara, Mattie, Charles and Phœbe. Charles is an attorney of Oklahoma.
It was on his father's farm that James S. was born, and amid frontier scenes that his boyhood days were passed. He at- tended the country schools for some years and when he grew older was sent to high school at Lisbon, Illinois. The breaking out of the war interrupted his studies, as it did those of many other patriotic young men, and in May, 1861, he enlisted as a private in company F, fifth Wisconsin in- fantry. With this command he was identi- fied until September, 1864, when he was hon- orably discharged, having participated in all the principal engagements of his regiment up to that time. At the battle of the Wil- derness, May 5, 1864, he was wounded by a
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A MEMORIAL RECORD OF KANSAS CITY
gunshot through the right shoulder, after which he was taken to Armory Square hos- pital, Washington, District of Columbia, where he remained three months. It was at the end of this time that he received his discharge and returned home. On his re- turn home he at once resumed his studies, giving especial attention to law, and in due time passed a creditable examination before the supreme court at Ottawa, Illinois. That was in 1866. The same year he entered upon the practice of his profession at Seda- lia, Missouri, at which place he maintained his residence until 1872, having served one year, 1870, as. city attorney. In 1872 he removed to Jefferson City, Missouri, where he practiced until 1879. He was United States attorney for the western district of Missouri from 1871 to 1877, or two terms. In 1879 he located in Kansas City, Missouri, and since that date has practiced here, hav - ing established at this place a large and lu- crative business. He is now a member of the popular law firm of Botsford, Deatherage & Young. Both as a speaker and lawyer, he has few equals.
Mr. Botsford has for years been identi- fied with the Masonic fraternity, has re- ceived the higher degrees of the order, and has been honored by official position in the same. He is past high priest of the chapter, and past eminent commander of Kansas City commandery, K. T., No. 10; also he is a member of the George H. Thomas post, G. A. R.
Mr. Botsford was married in November, 1871, to Miss Sallie, daughter of Colonel W. A. Warner, and granddaughter of Gen- eral Leslie Combs, of Kentucky. Their only child, Georgia, is the wife of B. F. Deatherage, a prominent lawyer of Kansas City.
ON. WILLIAM C. ADAMS, one of the prominent and influential citi- zens of Jackson county, who has been an important factor in public affairs and an esteemed representative of agricultural interests, was born on the 13th of March, 1836, in the county where he yet makes his home. His parents, Lynchburg and Elizabeth (Drake) Adams, were num- bered among the earliest settlers of Jackson county, and for more than sixty-five years the family has been prominently connected with the history of this state. Willianı is the youngest in a family of five children, and amid the wild scenes of the frontier he was reared to manhood, early becoming familiar with the development of wild land and the labors necessary upon a farm. His primary education was acquired in the com- mon schools, and later he was for eight months a student in Chapel Hill College, and for three months pursued his studies in William Jewell College.
Mr. Adams remained at home until the breaking out of the war, when he offered his services to the south. He became second lieutenant in the Missouri state guards, in which he served for six months and partici- pated in the battle of Lexington. He was afterward commissioned first lieutenant of company G, third Missouri infantry, com- manded by Colonel Reeves, under General Sterling Price: In the fall of 1862 his cap- tain was killed and he assumed command of his company, thus serving until the close of
the war. At the battle of Lexington he was slightly wounded, and again at the battle of Corinth he was slightly wounded and taken prisoner, but was soon after paroled. Near Vicksburg he was again captured and held for about ten months on Johnson's island in Lake Erie, when he was exchanged. The
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Mr. J. Pay me
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war having closed Mr. Adams returned to Jackson county and engaged in agricultural pursuits in Blue township.
On the 9th day of April, 1868, he was united in marriage with Sarah J. Herd, who was born in Jackson county, Missouri, a daughter of Jesse Herd, deceased. Of their union five children have been born, four now living, namely: Edmund L. ; Susan E., wife of T. C. Horan; Dora M. ; and Charles L. Francis S. died in California when about seventeen years of age, and the mother died in Blue township, October 21, 1883. On the 26th of February, 1884, Mr. Adams was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Fannie Jepson, widow of Jesse W. Jepson and a daughter of C. J. Samples. She was born in Kentucky, but was reared in Clay county, Missouri. Of this marriage have been born five children, namely: Jessie A., James W,, Mary H., John Q. and Pauline Ruth.
Mr. Adams has taken an active part in public affairs and has several times been called to office, wherein he has discharged his duties in such a prompt and capable manner that he has won the commendation of all concerned. He was at one time nomi- nated on the greenback ticket for the office of state senator. In the fall of 1879 he was elected on that ticket to the lower house of the legislature, and during his term served as a member of the committee on agriculture, retrenchment and reform and other important committees. For sixteen years he has served as school director and has done effective service in the cause of education. He is a progressive, wide-awake citizen who favors all interests calculated to benefit his native county. Of recent years he has taken a very active part in advoca- ting the building of macadam roads, being 3
largely instrumental in having several road conventions held in his county. Chiefly through his exertions a permanent good roads association was formed for Jackson county, of which he is president. He is also vice-president of the Missouri Roads Im- provement Association, a state organization which meets annually. He has served as chairman of the county committee of the populist party and is very prominent in public affairs. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, and take an active interest in church work. For many years he has served as superintendent of the Sunday-school, and does all in his power to advance the cause of Christianity. His home place is a valu- able farm of 460 acres, richly cultivated and highly improved, and he is now successfully carrying on farming and stock-raising.
ON. MILTON J. PAYNE .- The most interesting feature of bio- graphical history is that which deals with the lives and characters of men who have through their own exertions risen to high positons. He whose name heads this sketch is an example of what can be attained through steady application, per- severance and industry, coupled with in- herent ability. Hardship is the native soil of manhood and self-reliance, and the earn- est desire of succeeding is almost always a prognostic of success. While Mr. Payne has steadily and persistently worked his way upward to a position of wealth, he has also been an important factor in the upbuilding of Kansas City and aided largely in pro- moting her material welfare. The benefac- tors of a city .are those who advance her commercial activity, and with many of the
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leading business enterprises of Missouri's western metropolis he has been identified.
He is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Christian county, on the 29th of October, 1829, and is a son of Edward Payne, and a grandson of Rev. James Payne, who was a prominent minister of the Bap- tist church. The father died in 1840, leav- ing a family of seven children to the care of the widowed mother, who had but little for their support, the estate which her hus- band left being small. Milton was the sec- ond in order of birth. Realizing at the early age of thirteen that his mother could not well provide for all her family he resolved to earn his own livelihood and sought her con- sent to enter a printing-office in Hopkinsville, the county seat of Christian county. The permission being finally granted, he entered courgeously upon the work, and, with a resolute purpose that difficulties have failed to quell and upon which obstacles have had little effect, he pursued his labors in the daytime and in the evening gave his hours to study, under the direction of one of the school-teachers of the town, who took a deep interest in the young lad thus trying to secure an education. Soon afterward he was offered a position in a dry-goods house, and, feeling that it would be more to his taste, and would offer wider fields for the development of business capabilities, he gladly accepted it. Here he quickly developed such business tact and energy that his services were eagerly sought by the other leading merchants of Hopkinsville, and for several years he was in the employ of A. Gant & Sons, the most extensive dry-goods dealers of that town.
The discovery of gold in California, how- ever, and the reports which he heard of the wonderful riches there to be secured,
awakened in Mr. Payne a desire to try his fortune on the Pacific slope. Accordingly, in March, 1849, after visiting his mother, who had married again and removed to Illinois, he started for St. Louis, where he was to meet and join a party of friends from his old home who were also bound for the "new Eldorado." Arriving at St. Louis he sought entertainment at the City Hotel, of which the well known and popular Theron Barnum was the proprietor, and the host, taking a deep interest in the young stranger, on learning his destination, per- suaded him to abandon his California trip, assuring him profitable employment if he would remain in St. Louis. He fulfilled his promise and obtained for Mr. Payne a position in one of the largest dry-goods houses in the city, where he remained until October, 1850, when he relinquished it to accept a partnership in a dry-goods and clothing house to be opened in Kansas City, which was then a frontier town, but was becoming a place of considerable import- ance as a trading point for the Indians and the residents of New Mexico and the south- west. The new venture, however, proved unprofitable, and the business was closed the following spring. Mr. Payne who had invested all his capital, was thus forced to begin business life anew, which he did as a salesman in the extensive dry-goods house of Walker, Boyd & Chick, of Kansas City. For several years he remained with that firm, a most trusted and faithful employe, demon- strating beyond a doubt his superior busi- ness ability.
His worth was now being widely recog- nized, and in 1855 the reins of city govern- ment were placed in his hands. In June, 1855, he had been elected mayor, and so acceptably did he serve that by re-election
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he was continued in that office until 1862, with the exception of the years 1860 and 1861. The city was then in its early stages of development, and a capable business man at its head did more to direct and shape its policy and promote its growth than any- thing else could have done. Mr. Payne de- voted his entire attention to its welfare, and made a close study of its growth, promoting every enterprise and interest which he be- lieved calculated to improve it. Under his administration streets were first graded and macadamized, public buildings were erected and railway projects were kept constantly in view. It was during these years that the magnificent railway system now operated in the city had its origin. The city officials and the chamber of commerce were co- operating in splendid unity to advance the railroad projects, and he had the support of the people who recognized the efficiency of his practical and progressive administration conducted on straightforward and honorable business principles.
The political support of Mr. Payne has always been given to the democratic party. In early years he took an active part in politics, taking rank as a leader of ability and popularity. He was a great admirer of Stephen A. Douglas, and was a supporter of the war for the union. Ever loyal to his party, he has been prominent in advancing its interests, yet a strong opponent of the intrigues and wiles that are frequently prac- ticed by modern politicians. In 1862, while serving as mayor, he was elected to the state legislature from Jackson county, and re- elected in 1864.
Two years later he went to the east in behalf of the railroad interests in this sec- tion of the country, and during his absence was nominated by his party for the office of
state senator, and undoubtedly was elected, receiving a majority of the votes cast, but for alleged informality the returns from a township in Jackson county, which gave him a large majority, were thrown out by the canvassing board, which was politically opposed to him, and the certificate of elec- tion was given his opponent. Mr. Payne continued to take a lively part in politics after he was defeated by the canvassing board, but never again became a candidate for political office. At those congressional coventions of which he was a member he was solicited to accept the nomination as a compromise candidate. In each of these instances he was in the convention as the chosen manager of the interests of one of the candidates for nomination, and would not consent to the sacrifice of his friends, and by his steadfast loyalty was twice suc- cessful in procuring for his friends the nomination which he refused. As a mem- ber of the house of representatives he was active, successful and popular. To his efforts and ability are largely due the passage of a bill for the construction of the Missouri Pacific railroad to Kansas City. He was also champion of the bill which secured the building, to this city, of the western branch of the North Missouri Railroad, now the St. Louis, Kansas City & Wabash road. Real- izing the importance of these " iron high- ways," Mr. Payne has labored actively and efficiently in securing the establishment of various railroads through this section of the country. He has been the incorporator of several, and with time and money promoted these. He became one of the incorpo- rators and stockholders of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad, and ' success- fully canvassed the border counties of Kan- sas, delivering many public addresses in
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