USA > Missouri > Linn County > Compendium of history and biography of Linn County, Missouri > Part 49
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While taking a decided and earnest interest in public affairs, as every good citizen should, W. E. Parks is independent in politics, cast- ing his vote with a view to securing the best interests of the township and county, according to his light and knowledge on the case. In the affairs of the township, moral, educational and social, he is a prominent personage and a potent force for good. He has been a member of the school board during the last seven years, and the schools are the better for his aid in the supervision of them. Fraternally he is a Freemason and an Oddfellow, and in church connection he is a Presbyterian. Mar- celine township has no better citizen, and the people cheerfully admit this.
GEORGE W. EARLY
Relied on with all confidence as a financier, everywhere highly esteemed as a man, admired for his social qualities and universally popular as a public official, George W. Early, cashier of the First Na- tional Bank of Marceline, is easily one of the leading citizens of the community in which he lives. In many ways he has shown his deep and abiding interest in the welfare and progress of its people during the nineteen years of his residence among them, but in no way more than through his earnest and intelligent support of every worthy project designed to promote their betterment and augment their moral, intellectual and commercial influence in the state, and their comfort and convenience at home.
Mr. Early was born in Vermont, Fulton county, Illinois, on January
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28, 1854. His father, Lewis J. Early, was a native of Ohio, and his mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Walker, was a Kentuckian by birth. The father was a farmer in his native state and also in Illinois and Kansas, and moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1880. He died in Kansas City, Kansas, January, 1912. The mother died in 1875. Their offspring number four, George W., and his three sisters, all of whom are living.
Mr. Early's paternal grandfather, Andrew Early, was a farmer in Ohio for many years and died in that state. He was descended from old Scotch-Irish ancestry, and the salient characteristics of that combina- tion in the formation of human traits, habits and tendencies, all of which are admirable, have been prominent in all members of the family for generations, and have formed the basis of the successes they have won in their various localities and stations in life.
George W. Early grew to manhood in Ohio and Kansas and ob- tained a good common school education, with considerable special train- ing which well prepared him for the duties in which he is now engaged and others that have occupied him at different times and in various places. His entrance into the world of business was as a bookkeeper. He was treasurer of the Great Western Manufacturing Company in Leavenworth, Kansas, for fifteen years, and engaged in banking at Atchison in the same state for a time.
In 1892 he came to Marceline and took charge of the old Bank of Marceline, of which he had control until it was reorganized as the First National Bank of Marceline, and since then he has been its cashier. Under the impulse of his quickening spirit of enterprise and progress- iveness, his breadth of view and accurate knowledge of the banking business, his prudent management and his genial social qualities, the bank has enjoyed great prosperity and a considerable increase in its business.
Mr. Early was married on February 11th, 1880, to Miss Mary Calla- han, a native of Platte county, Missouri, and the daughter of Dr. H. B. and Sarah (Metcalfe) Callahan, esteemed residents of that county for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Early have two children, their son Henry B., who resides in Prescott, Arizona; and their daughter Elizabeth, who is now Mrs. Henry Reed, of Kansas City, this state.
Mr. Early has long been connected with the official life and public life of Marceline. He has served on the school board and as township trustee for fifteen years, and his length of tenure of these offices is the best evidence of the value and appreciation of his services in them. Fraternally he is a Freemason and in religious affiliation he is connected
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with the Baptist church. In all the relations of life he has shown him- self worthy of the full confidence and high esteem of the people, and he has them.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MARCELINE
The original of this enterprising, progressive and highly valued financial institution, which is such a credit and of so much service to the thriving and expanding city of Marceline, and the country which surrounds that pleasing municipality, was the Bank of Marceline, a state institution, which was organized on January -, 1888, with a cap- ital stock of $35,000, the president of which was Benjamin F. Sights. In 1898 the capital stock was reduced to $25,000, and in 1900 the insti- tution absorbed the Santa Fe Exchange Bank. With this addition to its resources the Bank of Marceline had a better outlook and prospered more extensively.
In 1902 the gentlemen who now control the First National Bank took charge of the institution, and in 1904 reorganized it under its present name, and with the officers who still direct its affairs. These are: William G. Lancaster, president; George W. Early, cashier, and F. G. Lancaster, assistant cashier. The board of directors is composed of the gentlemen named and Dr. W. S. Woods and H. W. Pratt, of Kan- sas City, Missouri. Under its new birth and baptism the bank has pros- pered steadily and has steadily gained friends, patrons and business. It is now one of the strong and sound fiscal institutions of Linn county, and has an excellent reputation throughout the state for safe and skill- ful management, an enterprising and up-to-date spirit, and a disposition of liberality toward the business houses and private citizens of the ter- ritory tributary to its operations, which is extensive and increases year by year.
William G. Lancaster, the president of the bank, is a native of Clinton county, Missouri, where his life began on November 27, 1856, and has been continued in many places and amid a great variety of cir- cumstances. He is a son of Green B. and Rebecca J. (Roberts) Lancas- ter, who were natives of Estill county, Kentucky. The father came to Missouri with his mother about the year 1834. The family located in Clinton county, where he grew to manhood, completed his education and is still living, and, although advanced in years, continues the farm- ing operations which have formed the occupation of his life.
The life story of this estimable and venerable man connects the
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present with a past in our country's history which seems remote in this age when time is counted rapidly. He was interested in public events when General Jackson retired from the presidency; felt the thrill of the historic "Log Cabin" campaign of 1840, which swept General Har- rison, of Tippecanoe fame, into the same office; took part himself in the Mexican War, and was deeply concerned over the events which brought on the Civil War. He has also witnessed the remarkable growth and development of our country since that awful sectional conflict wiped the stain of chattel slavery from our proud escutcheon, and is now able to rejoice over the wonderful wealth and power of the land; and it is to be said in his favor that, according to his means and oppor- tunities, he has contributed to the results the American republic has wrought out.
The elder Mr. Lancaster was married in 1847 to Miss Rebecca J. Roberts, and by this marriage became the father of five sons and seven daughters, one of the sons being William G. Lancaster of this sketch. The mother of these children died in 1869, and in 1871 the father mar- ried again, uniting himself with Miss Ella Martin, who bore him six daughters and one son, making him the father of nineteen children in all, a number that would have done him credit in the patriarchal age of human history.
William G. Lancaster grew to manhood in Dekalb county, Missouri, and obtained his education in country schools. In 1874, when he was eighteen years of age, he went to Wyoming, where, during the next ten years he was engaged in ranching. On the wide plains of that state he had many thrilling and some hair-raising adventures, some narrow escapes from death by violence, many hardships from the rage of the elements, and a continuous experience of life in an atmosphere of excite- ment and hazard.
In 1883 he returned to Missouri and located at Winston, Daviess county, where for four years he was engaged in the drug trade. He then became cashier of the Bank of Winston, a position which he filled with great acceptability until 1901. In the meantime, however, in 1897, he assisted in organizing the Bank of Altamont, Missouri, and acted as cashier of that also. In 1901 he sold his interests there and became in- terested in the Bank of Excelsior Springs in Clay county, this state, which he served as president one year. In 1902 he sold out there and moved to Marceline, and here he has ever since resided and been en- gaged in business.
On August 18, 1883, Mr. Lancaster was married to Miss Vivian Tracy, of Maysville, Missouri. They have four children: Ielah R., who
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is the wife of Charles S. Steiner, of Marceline; Fred G., assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Marceline; Glenn E., who is also connected with the bank; and Tracy M., who is living at home with his parents. Like their parents, the children are held in the highest esteem by all classes of the people throughout the county, and wherever else they are known.
Mr. Lancaster is a Democrat in his political affiliation and loyal to his party, but he has never held or sought a political office. Fraternally he is a Freemason of the Royal Arch degree. He is regarded as one of the best and most useful citizens Linn county numbers among its people.
CHARLES WILLIS GREEN
Native force of character, general capacity for development, self- reliance and resourcefulness are qualities of manhood that will always tell to the commanding advantage of their possessor, and if he has at the same time industry, integrity and a strong sense of duty, his success in life is assured from the beginning under almost any circumstances that do not deprive him of the power to work. And in a country of such wealth of opportunity as ours presents, such circumstances are scarcely to be feared.
Charles Willis Green, founder, owner and editor of the Brookfield Argus, is a gentleman who possesses all the qualities enumerated above, and others of great value and usefulness, all of which he has exemplified before the residents of Brookfield in his daily life from boyhood, and in a manner so forceful yet unostentatious, that he has won their universal admiration. He began life on his own behalf at the very bottom of his calling, and by his industry, ability and excellent management he has risen to a position of great influence and high standing in it.
Mr. Green was born in Lake county, Ohio, on July 29, 1860. He is a son of Nelson L. and Maria C. (Williams) Green, of the same nativity as himself. The father was a farmer and nurseryman, and brought his family to Missouri and Linn county in 1866. Here he followed the same pursuits as in his native state, locating for the purpose on a farm one- half mile south of Bucklin. He lived on this farm four years, then moved north of Brookfield. He died in 1908. The mother is still living in Brookfield. They became the parents of two children, their son Charles and their daughter Alma, who is now the wife of W. A. Kaup of Brookfield.
The grandfather, Jesse Green, was born and reared in Massachu-
C. W. GREEN
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setts, then moved to Lake county, Ohio, where he was a pioneer. He also was a farmer and passed the remainder of his life in the county to which he moved from his native state. He married Miss Cynthia Lovett. Both died many years ago, but well advanced in years, having lived long enough to see the wilderness in which they located in early life grow into great fruitfulness of production and become fragrant with the odors of industry.
Charles Willis Green was but six years old when his parents brought him to this county. He grew to manhood here, was educated in the Brookfield public school, and at the age of fifteen began his craft and business career by becoming a printer's devil in the office of the old Brookfield Chronicle. He finished learning his trade in the employ of the Brookfield Gazette, and worked at it until 1883. In that year, although he was but twenty-three years old, he founded the Brookfield Argus, which has occupied his time and attention ever since, and had the benefit of his business, mechanical and intellectual ability, until he has made it one of the best newspapers in northeastern Mis- souri. For a more extended account of it see the chapter on News- papers to be found elsewhere in this work.
The journalistic creation of his enterprise and capacity has been one of the objects of greatest solicitude to Mr. Green. It has been his purpose from the beginning to raise and develop his bantling, as it was at first, into an influence for good in the community, and he felt that he had the power to do this. All who know of it agree that he has succeeded and that the paper well deserves its rank. He is a strong, incisive and sparkling editorial writer, a good business manager and a man of clear- ness of vision who always sees the needs of his community and has the courage, energy and progressiveness to aid in providing for them through the columns of his paper and other channels.
Socially Mr. Green is very popular. He is genial, courteous and companionable at all times, a good conversationalist, and also a good listener, which is a rarer trait. He is a warmly welcomed addition to any social gathering, and always one of its radiant sunbeams. He is a genuine good fellow in the best sense of the term, and probably has now every friend he ever made, even though he has long been very active in politics and has encountered some of the asperities of journalism.
The interesting subject of this brief review has twice "bowed beneath the flowery yoke of Eros." He was first married in September, 1885, to Miss Nellie J. Jones, a daughter of Rev. Thomas A. and Jane Jones, and by this marriage became the father of one child, his daugh-
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ter Frances Loraine, who is now a teacher. Her mother died on Decem- ber 10, 1896, and on November 2, 1899, the father contracted a second marriage in which he was united with Miss Florence Burnett of Brook- field, a daughter of James and Mary (Ware) Burnett, early settlers in Linn county. Of this union two children have been born, Howard Elliott and Marion, both of whom are living.
Mr. Green's political affiliation has always been with the Democratic party, and he has been very energetic and efficient in its service. He served as commissioner from Missouri to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the later Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. In 1897 he was chief clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives. He has also been a member of the city council and president of the board of education. At the present time (1912) he is one of the regents of the Kirksville State Normal School and president of the Commercial Club of Brookfield. His religious connection is with the Episcopalian church, and he is one of the vestrymen of the parish to which he belongs.
As an evidence of the extent to which his ability and usefulness are appreciated it should be further stated that his political party has chosen him on several occasions as one of its representatives in state and national conventions, and he has been for years the local corres- pondent for the leading daily papers of Kansas City and St. Louis. But none of the distinctions bestowed upon him can abate his great love for his home and his library, or his warm and enthusiastic attach- ment to Brookfield. He is a great booster for the city and Linn county and edited the chapter on Brookfield which appears in this work. In fact it is one of his sources of commendable pride that he is an ardent champion for the present attractions and future promise of his home city, and he also has pride of the same kind in his paper as one of the city's established and influential institutions. The publishers of this history run some risk of seriously offending his modesty by saying so much in his favor, but they know and the residents of Brookfield know that he deserves it all.
DR. WILLIAM W. ELLIS.
Having been engaged in a large and active general practice as a physician and surgeon in the eastern part of Linn county during the last twelve years, and with headquarters at Marceline all the time except the first two, Dr. William W. Ellis, whose home is now in Marce- line, has become well known to the people of this section, and his serv- ices to them have been such as a doctor and a citizen, that he is held in
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the highest esteem by every class and condition of them. He is well and favorably known throughout the county, in fact, and is everywhere regarded as a good representative of all that is best and most admir- able in their citizenship.
Dr. Ellis was born near Keytesville, Chariton county, Missouri, on November 8, 1873, and is a son of Wesley and Adelia (Doughty) Ellis, also natives of Chariton county, this state. The father has been a mer- chant and farmer, and has prospered in both lines of his business. He is now, however, retired from active pursuits, and he and his wife are residents of Marceline, where they located in 1898. He was twice elected mayor of Marceline, and his administration of the affairs of the city brought him great credit while it was in progress, and is still remem- bered with gratification by the people and often highly commended yet.
The mayor's father, Pilliman Ellis, came from Kentucky, and the doctor's mother's parents from Tennessee. The doctor's grandparents on both sides died in Chariton county, where they passed many years of their lives. They became residents of this part of the state when it was still wild and largely unsettled, and their fortitude was often called into requisition by the privations and hardships they encountered, while their courage was severely tested by the dangers which sur- rounded them at all times for some years after their arrival in the country. But they lived to transform portions of the wilderness into good and fruitful farms, and so left their impress on the region they improved by their labors and their influence, and the proofs of their usefulness and fidelity to duty in a form that makes them manifest and is enduring.
Dr. William W. Ellis obtained his academic education in the public schools of Chariton county. He began the study of medicine when he was but eighteen years of age, entering what is now Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1891, as a student in the medical department. He was graduated from that institution in 1895 with the degree of M. D., and at once entered upon the practice of his profession at Westville in his native county.
In 1897 he came to Marceline, but soon afterward moved to New Boston. There he remained two years and was married in 1899, unit- ing himself with Miss Susie Jones. They have no children. After his marriage the doctor returned to Marceline and opened a drug store. He also continued his practice, and during all of the subsequent years he has been actively and busily occupied with his dual occupation of doctor and druggist, and has been very successful in both lines of his work.
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Dr. Ellis believes in progress, and as his profession is a very progressive one he makes every effort to keep pace with it. To this end he is a zealous member of the County and State Medical Societies, and takes an active part in their proceedings. He is also a diligent and thoughtful student of the best literature of his profession, partic- ularly that which has a bearing on his work as physician and his busi- ness as a druggist.
In the public affairs of his township and county Dr. Ellis has taken a cordial interest and an active part from the time of his arrival here. He served as county coroner two years, and in many other ways has been of great benefit to the people outside of the direct channels of his profession and his business. While not an active partisan, and not eager for official consequence in any way, he is loyal to the political party to which he belongs, and at all times energetic and effective in the promotion of the general welfare of his locality in every way open to him. Fraternally he is a Freemason of the Knights Templar degree, and he is also a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in the Masonic order. His practice is large and remunerative, his business is extensive and profit- able, and his standing with the people of the county is in the first rank of manhood and business enterprise. Linn county is well pleased to name him as one of its most estimable and representative professional men, merchants and citizens.
DR. WILLIAM A. CATER
An early arrival at what is now Marceline, having located there about the time the town was founded, in fact, and since then prominent in the professional, mercantile and public life of the place, Dr. William A. Cater may well be put forward by the people of Bucklin township as one of their most estimable, useful and representative citizens. He has been earnestly and actively interested in the growth and develop- ment of the township, the increased comfort and convenience of its people and the promotion of all its beneficial activities from the time of his arrival, and his services to the community in every way are highly appreciated.
Dr. Cater is a native of Ohio, born near Barnesville, Belmont county, on May 13, 1854. His parents, Elijah B. and Elizabeth (Barnes) Cater, were also born in Ohio, and reared, educated and married there. The father is a Methodist clergyman, and now resides at Kirksville in this state. He brought his family to this state in 1865, and since then
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has lived in all parts of northeastern Missouri. He is an indefatigable worker for his church and very liberal in dealing with it. By his indus- try, zeal and persuasive power, he has been instrumental in the erection of more church edifices than any other man in Missouri, and has given $200 to each one he has had erected, not with a view to making himself popular, but solely as an evidence of his great devotion to the work in which he is engaged.
The mother died in 1856, and the father afterward contracted a second marriage in which he was united with Miss Mary E. Elliott, who is still living. By his two marriages he became the father of eleven children, of whom nine are living. He is of English descent, and can trace his ancestry back through the chronicles of England for many generations. His forefathers in this country numbered several genera- tions also, the American progenitor of the family having come to this country at an early date.
Dr. William A. Cater was but eleven years of age when his father moved to this state, and but two when his mother died. The son of a preacher in the itineracy, and with no mother to look after his welfare, guide his footsteps right in childhood and youth, and with frequent changes in his home, the doctor grew to manhood almost according to his own inclinations, and secured such education as he could in the migratory life he was obliged to lead during his minority. He attended the public schools in various places, and having, for some years, his professional career in mind, he made good use of his opportunities.
At the age of twenty-one he began the study of medicine, and after a due course of preparation, entered the American Medical Col- lege in St. Louis, from which he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1878. He began practicing at Macomb, Illinois, where he remained three years, then located at Edina in Knox county, and there he remained considerably longer. From Edina he went to west- ern Kansas, and, after passing some time there, located at Marceline in 1888, being among the first physicians to arrive and take up resi- dence in the promising village which had just been spoken into being by the enterprise and foresight of its founders.
After his arrival here Dr. Cater was actively engaged in and exclusively devoted to general practice for a number of years. He then opened a drug store, which was badly needed in the community, and which he is still conducting. Since starting this enterprise his time has been divided between it and his practice, which still continues to occupy him and helps to make him a very busy man and greatly in demand. His practice has been very extensive and made him well
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known to the residents of all parts of the county, and wherever he is known he is held in the highest esteem for his professional knowledge, his wisdom and skill in the application of it, his high character as a man and his usefulness as a citizen.
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