USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri (the center state) one hundred years in the Union, 1820-1921, Volume V > Part 64
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During the World war prior to federal operation Mr. Hoxie was appointed by the secretary of war chief accounting officer of the state of Oklahoma, in charge of all military traffic and was otherwise associated with war activities, in which connection he did important work.
On the 27th of October, 1902, Mr. Hoxie was married in St. Louis to Miss Alice May Lee, a daughter of Rev. James W. Lee, D. D., and Efaula (Ledbetter) Lee, who came to Missouri from Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Hoxie have become parents of four children: Robert Lee, who was born January 29, 1904; James Lee, born April 13, 1906; Alice Lee, November 6, 1908; and Prynne Lee, August 9, 1914. All were born in St. Louis.
In his political views Mr. Hoxie is an earnest republican. He belongs to the City Club, also to the Chamber of Commerce and for an extended period has been identified with St. John's Methodist Episcopal church, South, of which he served for eleven years as treasurer, while at the present time he is church steward. He was for several years chairman of the board of the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association and during the war period Mrs. Hoxie was chairman of the Union Station Committee for the Y. M. C. A., also a member of the Red Cross Ambulance Corps and was instructor in the Red Cross surgical dressing department. She, too, took a most helpful interest in all war measures and their efforts in that direction were far-reaching and beneficial. Throughout his life Mr. Hoxie has been actuated by noble purposes, by laudable ambi- tion and by indefatigable energy and he has therefore accomplished what he has undertaken not only in the promotion of his individual business interests but also in the support of those activities which make for the uplift of the individual and the welfare of mankind.
CHARLES L. COOKSON.
Charles L. Cookson, the president of the Admiral Hay Press Company, deserves prominent mention among the leading business men of Kansas City, for his business has constituted a valuable contribution to the world's work, especially beneficial in agricultural lines. Mr. Cookson is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He was born Feb- ruray 28, 1857, and is a son of Charles and Mary (Lewis) Cookson, the former a native of Durham, England, while the latter was born in Lancashire, England. His grandfather, John Cookson, was paymaster of excise and customs under Queen Vic- toria. An uncle by marriage, John Buck Lloyd, was Mayor of Liverpool at the time of the opening of the town hall in Manchester, England, and led the grand march of the opening ball with Queen Victoria. The father of Charles L. Cookson of this review was a graduate of the School of Law and became a prominent barrister of his native country. He possessed a most studious nature and his habit of study con- tinued a dominant element throughout his entire life. He was keenly interested in the sciences and frequently lectured on astronomy. He represented one of the prom- inent families of England and was fortunate in that his lines of life were cast in harmony with the talent that won leadership for his people. After coming to the new world and establishing his home in Illinois he settled on a farm for a brief period and later occupied a position in the city hall in Chicago. His death occurred Novem- ber 17, 1879. His mother, Mary Lewis Cookson, was the daughter of Francis Lewis of the firm of Francis Lewis and Sons of Manchester, England, who were manufac- turers of cotton spinning machinery built under their own patents, and also helped to complete the first locomotive, the Rocket, installing the reverse motion, now known as the link motion. They also made extensive experiments for John Erickson when he invented and built the Monitor that sunk the Merrimac in Chesapeake Bay.
Spending his youthful days under the parental roof Charles L. Cookson attended the public schools and later was a pupil in Dyhrenfurths Business College of Chicago. He afterward entered the machinery business, not only developing ability along me- chanical lines but also becoming familiar with every branch and phase of the business in connection with the firm that was composed of T. C. Bradley, C. L. Cookson and T. J. Cookson. They engaged in the manufacture of steam engines, the partnership being maintained until 1878 when Mr. Bradley made his way westward to Kansas City as a captain of the United States Engineers, having charge of revetment work on the Missouri river between Jefferson City and St. Joseph. With sagacity he recognized
CHARLES L. COOKSON
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what the future held in store for Kansas City and prevailed upon the Cooksons to come to the west, so that in 1882 they also arrived in Kansas City and established business under the name of the Cookson Iron Works, manufacturers of engines, boilers and elevator machinery, Mr. Bradley becoming president of the company with Charles L. Cookson as vice president and general manager. The firm did all kinds of job work and reconstruction work. There were no pavements and no sidewalks here at the time of their arrival. They had a plant at Eighth and Mulberry streets, and with the settlement of the west their business grew. The firm, moreover, saw the possibilities in the manufacture of hay presses and Charles L. Cookson invented the machine and also subsequently patented many improvements thereon. Something of the continuous and marvelous development of the business is indicated in the fact that they now have branch establishments in all the principal cities in the United States and Canada and extensive trade in foreign countries. The company was one of the pioneers in the building of hay presses and the Admiral Hay Press Company is the outgrowth of the Cookson Manufacturing Company. Upon the death of T. C. Bradley in 1915 Charles L. Cookson became the president of the business. Their press has won the reputation of being "the hungriest hustling hay press in the world." The business was estab- lished in 1882 and theirs is the only plant in the country devoted exclusively to the building of hay presses. Through his inventions and manufacturing interests Mr. Cookson has made valuable contribution to the agricultural development of the country and has aided in winning for America its well deserved reputation of being foremost among the nations of the world in the manufacture of hay machinery.
In Chicago, in 1884, Mr. Cookson was married to Miss Mary Booth of that city, a daughter of Daniel and Henrietta Booth, the former the owner of ยท extensive land holdings in Chicago and at one time a recognized leader in democratic circles there, serving as representative from his district in the general assembly. Mr. and Mrs. Cookson have two daughters: Ethel Henrietta, the wife of Dr. Norman W. Getman of Oneonta, New York, and the mother of four children: Henrietta, Martha, Norman and . Charles Cookson ;- and Marion, the wife of Whitney Goit, vice president of the Admiral Hay Press Company. They have two children: Charles Whitney and Betty Ann.
Mr. Cookson belongs to the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and is chairman of its inventions committee. He belongs to the Rotary Club and to the Automobile Club and his social qualities make for popularity wherever he is known. His military record covers service as a member of the First Infantry of the Illinois National Guard and he is now a member of its veteran corps, having enlisted in 1878. In politics he is a stalwart republican. He has always been active in civic affairs and is keenly interested in everything that pertains to public welfare and progress, stanchly sup- porting all those activities and interests which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride. He is very prominent in Masonic circles and has made a notable record in this connection. He is a past master of York Lodge, No. 563, A. F. & A. M .; is a past high priest of Orient Chapter, No. 102, R. A. M .; past illustrious master of Shekinah Council, No. 24, R. & S. M .; member of Oriental Commandery, No. 35, K. T .; member of Ararat Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .; and past sovereign of Mary Conclave No. 5 of the Imperial, Ecclesiastic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine, the most exclusive Masonic body in the world, its membership being limited and depending upon character and Masonic activity. It would be impossible for Mr. Cookson to be an inactive member of any organization. He becomes a stalwart champion of any cause which he espouses and his connection therewith is actuated by the same spirit of progress which has dominated his business career and made him one of the dis- tinguished factors in the industrial development of Kansas City.
WALTER POCOCK.
Walter Pocock, secretary of the Brick Manufacturers Association of St. Louis, 1s doing splendid service in that connection, studying all the vital questions which bear upon this line of business and displaying excellent powers of organization and executive control. Born at Wilmington, Illinois, December 25, 1864, he is a son of the late John H. Pocock, who was born in Quebec, Canada, and was of English lineage. In 1867 he became a resident of St. Louis, where he became a pioneer in tin can manufacturing, continuing his residence in this city to the time of his death, which occurred July 31,
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1911, when he was eighty-four years of age. He was a very successful business man and developed one of the important industries of the city, contributing much to the commercial progress of St. Louis. He married Fannie McDermott, who was born in Ireland and in childhood accompanied her parents to Canada, being married in the city of Toronto. She became the mother of nine children, five sons and four daughters, of whom three daughters and the son Walter are the only survivors. The mother passed away at St. Louis in 1901 at the age of seventy-two years.
Walter Pocock is indebted to the public school system of his native city for the early educational advantages which he enjoyed. Later he attended Smith Academy and also the Adams Academy at Quincy, Massachusetts, and after completing his edu- cation entered his father's business at the age of twenty-one years, continuing his con- nection therewith until the plant was taken over by the American Can Company in 1903. For twelve years prior to this time Mr. Pocock had been vice president and treasurer of the J. H. Pocock Can Company. For the succeeding nine years he was connected with the Simmons Hardware Company in the buying department and afterward became secretary of the Brick Manufacturers Association, which office he has since continuously and acceptably filled. His broad business experience in manufacturing and commercial lines well qualifies him for the duties of his present position and with him each day marks off a full-faithed attempt to know more and to grow more that he may render still more effective service as secretary of the association.
In Belleville, Illinois, on the 10th day of July, 1901, Mr. Pocock was married to Miss Ella Lee Covington, a native of St. Louis and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David A. Covington, both representatives of prominent old Kentucky families, the mother having come originally from Ireland.
Politically Mr. Pocock is a republican where national issues are involved but at local elections he casts an independent ballot. He belongs to Naptha Lodge, No. 20, A. F. & A. M., and is also a Royal Arch Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star. Their religious faith is that of the Unitarian church and their social position is an enviable one, the hospitality of many of the best homes of the city being cordially extended to them.
FRANKLIN P. HUNKINS.
When Franklin P. Hunkins passed away St. Louis lost one of her progressive busi- ness men who had long figured prominently in commercial and manufacturing circles. The sterling worth of his character was widely recognized and all who came in con- tact with him through business or socially, always held him in high regard. He was a native son of Illinois, his birth having occurred at Galena, July 15, 1850. His parents were Darius and Ann (McCarthy) Hunkins and the father died about thirty-eight years ago. Spending his boyhood days under the parental roof Franklin P. Hunkins attended the public schools of Galena and later entered college at Racine, Wisconsin, thus qualifying for life's practical and responsible duties. When his textbooks were put aside he entered the St. Louis office of the Northern Line Packet Company, which controlled the line of steamers running between St. Louis and St. Paul. He acted in that capacity for two years but was ambitious to engage in his own business and in 1875 organized the firm of Thorn-Hunkins to engage in the lime and cement business. The trade of the firm steadily increased and developed and in 1889 the business was incorporated under the style of the Thorn & Hunkins Lime & Cement Company which in 1896 was succeeded by the Hunkins-Willis Lime & Cement Company, of which Mr. Hunkins remained the president to the time of his death. The company engaged in the wholesale manufacture of lime, building up a business of substantial proportions. In all things which he undertook he used sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise. The Hunkins-Willis Lime & Cement Company employed about one hundred people in St. Louis and a like number are employed at Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, where the office of the Peerless White. Lime Company is maintained. At St. Louis the corporation op- erates six branches. This business has been developed through the enterprising and progressive nature of Mr. Hunkins and he remained an active factor in the manufac- turing and commercial circles of the city to the time of his death.
On the 18th of October, 1877, Mr. Hunkins was married to Miss Fannie A. Blatter- man, in St. Louis, and to them were born two daughters and two sons: Stella M., who
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was the wife of Jolin T. Donnell, Los Angeles, California, and who has passed away; Darius S .; Ethel, the wife of Judge Rhodes Cave; and Everett.
Mr. Hunkins was a member of the Mercantile Club and became one of the first members of the Business Men's League which was the predecessor of the Chamber of Commerce. His political endorsement was given to the republican party and he was interested in all matters of progressive citizenship. He had many friends and his death on October 30, 1919, brought a sense of bereavement to many in St. Louis.
GORDON A. ANDERSON.
Gordon A. Anderson, a St. Louis merchant handling automobile supplies, was born . in this city October 3, 1890, and has therefore but recently completed the third decade on life's journey. His father, Andrew Anderson, came to America from Glasgow, Scot- land, settling in St. Louis where he worked at his trade of general contracting and building, erecting a large number of the important buildings of the city. He was accorded the contract for the Planters Hotel at Fourth and Pine streets and many of the other mammoth buildings which are prominent features in the down-town district. He passed away in 1914. His wife who was born in St. Louis bore the maiden name of Jane Neilson and was a daughter of Andrew Neilson, who was superintendent of a large steel plant of this city for several years.
Gordon A. Andersou was an only child. He pursued his early education in the public schools of St. Louis and afterward attended night school, thus greatly promoting his education. He worked through the day with his father and thus gained his initial business experience, but later established business on his own account and became superintendent of a construction company operating under the name of the A. Ander- son Construction Company. He continued in this business until 1913 when he turned his attention to the automobile trade, handling general supplies for all makes of motor cars at his present place of business at No. 4614 Washington avenue. The floor space is about twenty-five hundred square feet with shelving filled with all kinds of sup- plies for automobiles. He carries an extensive stock and his trade is steadily increas- ing. He is assisted by two obliging clerks who care for the wants of the customers and having been at this location for more than seven years his business is known throughout this section of the city, patrons recognizing the fact that they can secure from him all needed supplies and obtain all kinds of repair work for automobiles. He conducts both a wholesale and retail business and his trade is now one of gratifying proportions.
In St. Louis county, on the 3d of July, 1918, Mr. Anderson was united in mar- riage to Miss Olivia Graff, a daughter of John and Emma Graff of that county. They make their home at the Log Cabin Club in St. Louis county of which Mr. Anderson has for a number of years been a prominent and faithful member and he is now man- ager of the club. He belongs to the Credit Men's Association, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and fraternally is connected with the Masons, having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He belongs to the Presbyterian church and in his political views is liberal, endeavoring always to vote for the best man re- gardless of party affiliations. He is well known in business circles in St. Louis and has won social popularity. He is always courteous and obliging to customers and to friends alike and the sterling worth of his character is recognized by all with whom he has come in contact.
W. M. MESERVEY.
W. M. Meservey, president of the First National Bank of Excelsior Springs, was born November 11, 1871, in Cherokee, Iowa, a son of Adolph F. and Kale (Hull) Meser- vey, who were natives of Illinois. The father, who was born in Clinton, Illinois, in 1851, went to Iowa in 1865 and became a member of the bar there, practicing for a time in Cherokee, after which he removed to Fort Dodge. He continued in general practice of law and served both as city attorney and prosecuting attorney for the county for several terms. In fact he was very active and prominent in connection with the
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public affairs of the state and was elected and served for three terms as state senator from the Fort Dodge district, being first called to that office in 1882. He was very active in all matters of public interest and his leadership was ever an element for good in the community. He removed from Fort Dodge to Excelsior Springs in 1904, remaining a resident here for about fifteen years, after which he retired from active connection with the practice of law and removed to Long Beach, California, where he now makes his home. Both the Meservey and Hull families came from New York at an early day and settled in Illinois during the pioneer epoch in the development of that state.
W. M. Meservey obtained a common school education in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and a high school education in Excelsior Springs, being graduated with the class of 1905. He then secured a position in the First National Bank as bookkeeper and steadily worked his way upward. He left Excelsior Springs in 1910 and returned to Fort Dodge where he remained until 1914. He then again became a resident of Excelsior Springs and at this time purchased the controlling interest in the First National Bank of which he has since been the president and directing head. The bank is capitalized for twenty- five thousand dollars and since 1914 Mr. Meservey had developed its resources up to more than five hundred thousand dollars. The bank was established in 1905, being organized by Gordon Kern and Jobes in May of that year. Mr. Meservey most carefully safeguards the interests of depositors and is developing the bank along conservative yet progressive lines. He is a man of pleasing personality, approachable, genial and well qualified in every particular for bank management, He makes friends readily and holds them by his true, honest manhood and he can say no and yet make one feel that he has done him a favor.
On the 10th of June, 1911, Mr. Meservey was married to Miss Mabel Crockett, a native of Missouri and a daughter of William C. and Mary (McGeorge) Crockett, both of whom were natives of Scotland but came to this country in 1871, settling in Ex- celsior Springs. Mr. Crockett was very active in all public affairs and interests. He installed the gas plant and assisted in promoting many improvements, served as mayor of Excelsior Springs and was one of the six men who brought public attention to Excelsior Springs and promoted its development along all those lines which make for a city's upbuilding. He died July 4, 1911.
Mr. Meservey enlisted in the army in 1918 and when it was found upon his exami- nation that he was an accountant and banker he was put in the paymaster's department at Camp Funston where he remained during the entire nine months in which he was in the service. He was discharged in March, 1919, and returned to Excelsior Springs where he at once took up his duties at the bank. He is very fond of golf, greatly enjoy- ing a game on the links and to this he turns for rest and recreation. His political belief is that of the democratic party and his religious faith is that of the Episcopal church. He and his wife have a wide acquaintance, occupying an enviable social posi- tion and he has made for himself a very creditable place in business circles.
VITAL W. GARESCHE.
Vital W. Garesche, judge of the circuit court of the city of St. Louis, presiding over Division No. 10, was born at Collinsville, Madison county, Illinois, July 10, 1875, his parents being William A. and Mary A. (Brown) Garesche. His great-grandfather was one of the pioneers of St. Louis and his ancestry in the line of his paternal grand- father is traced back to Empress Josephine. His grandmother was connected with the Van Zant family, being a descendant of Commodore Sir Wynant Van Zant of New York, who is buried in the old Trinity Church graveyard on Broadway .. William A. Garesche was also a member of the St. Louis bar.
While in his youthful days the educational opportunities of Judge Garesche were somewhat limited he afterward had the benefit of two years' study in the St. Louis University and during that time led a class of forty members in all branches. It was his ambition to become an attorney and to that end he spent a year in the St. Louis Law School, a department of Washington University. He afterward matriculated in the Benton College of Law, from which he was graduated with valedictorian honors. Subsequently he become associated with Henry Hitchcock in the active practice of the profession and made steady progress in his chosen field of labor. One who has
Sidwhiting
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been a contemporary member of the bar for a number of years said: "He is quick of understanding and able as a lawyer and eloquent and persuasive as an advocate."
From 1911 until 1915 Judge Garesche was attorney of the city of St. Louis. The new charter which was adopted in 1914 went into effect in 1915, abolishing the office of city attorney, the work thereof being turned over to the office of the city counselor. Judge Garesche continued in the latter office until June 29, 1915, when he resigned. On his retirement from the position he was tendered a banquet by the mayor, mem- bers of the har and prominent newspaper men, about two hundred leading citizens of St. Lonis, being present, on which occasion he was presented with a handsome dia- mond pin in recognition of the valuable service which he had rendered to the city as its attorney. He then resumed the general practice of law and became associated with the firm of Spencer & Donnell, the former being now United States senator from Missouri, a position for which he became a candidate through the efforts and influence of Judge Garesche. In August, 1916, the latter received the nomination for judge at a time when there were twenty-five candidates for the position and only seven places to be filled, He was fourth in the field for nomination at the primaries, was elected in November, 1916, and entered upon the duties of the office in January, 1917, having charge of Circuit Court Division No. 14. Some very important cases have come before him for decision. He presided in the famous Jnlins Walsh case, the Mississippi Valley Trust Company acting as administrators of the estate. Three weeks were consumed in taking testimony and arguing the case. His decision and findings were handed down in thirty days after the conclusion of the case, in which over one million dollars was involved. His findings in that case were affirmed by the supreme court of Missouri. He also sat in the David Nation, Jr., case against the estate of David Nation, involving four hundred thousand dollars. Eight days were required for the hearing and immediately upon the conclusion of the argument the Judge handed down his decision and findings in the case, which the supreme court later on sustained. Another notable case in which he rendered decision was the one involving the rights of the widow of Henry Wood as to her interest in her husband's estate of three million dollars. The contention was that during his life there had been a post-nuptial agreement settling on her an income of twenty-four hundred dollars. The balance of the estate, according to the will, gave everything to hospitals and other charitable and public institutions. The widow was awarded one million dol- lars and the decision has since been sustained by the supreme court and the amount paid over to the beneficiary. Probably the most noted case in which Judge Garesche has presided was that having to do with the allowing of fees and compensations in settlement of the receivership in the McKittrick-Hargadine Dry Goods Company, involv- ing about one million dollars. The attorneys for the plaintiff and defendant and the receiver by stipulation selected Judge Garesche out of fourteen judges of the city to hear the case. His award was fees of seventy-five thousand dollars for the attorneys of the plaintiff, fifty thousand dollars for the attorneys of the defendant, thirty-five- thousand dollars for the receiver and his attorneys and twenty-five hundred dollars for the referee. Again his award was sustained and upheld by the higher court. Judge Garesche presided in the case of Chapman vs. Higbee, a suit to construe the provisions of will in an estate of about three million dollars, in which Judge James Seddon was attorney for the plaintiff. His decision was in favor of the plaintiff and he allowed Judge Seddon a fee of ten thousand dollars, no objection being made to his findings in this case. During his first eighteen months' service on the bench there were nineteen hundred cases in his court, twelve hundred of which went to trial, while the others were dropped or disposed of by settlement.
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