USA > Missouri > Macon County > General history of Macon County, Missouri > Part 46
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Mr. Smith was born on January 2, 1880, at Clarence, Shelby county, Missouri, and is a son of B. F. and Beatrice (McAfee) Smith, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Shelby county in this state. The father left his native state and came to Missouri in 1866. At that time the Old Dominion was a badly wounded giant, lying prone on the battlefield of the Civil war, with every energy prostrated and all strength for the time exhausted. Its once rich plantations were largely in ruin, its industries were paralyzed, and all its civil and social insti- tutions were agonizing under the iron heel of a military despotism. Bnt its fine spirit was only dethironed and as much as ever unconquerable. The subsequent history of the grand old state has given abundant evidence of its recuperative powers, and commanded the admiration of the world by the rapidity, vigor and excellence of their work. Still the process of rebuilding was a painful and exacting one, and had to be conducted in the face and in spite of the prejudices and obstacles born of the war, which levied heavy tribute on the depleted resources of the region for the evils which existed in addition to the cost of curing them. Under these circumstances Albert Smith's father believed his chances for advancement would be better in a country presenting fewer difficulties in the way of development. He therefore came to Missouri and located in Shelby county. This section, also, was wasted by the fraternal strife and had the prejudices incident to the contest. But its disasters had been neither so general nor so extensive, and it was comparatively a new country, with almost boundless resources which had not yet been developed. Missouri was not a towering giant of full maturity thrown down and ernshed by superior force, but a young giant moving toward maturity with its progress temporarily checked by a passing storm.
The elder Mr. Smith chose wisely for himself and his offspring by enlisting under the banner of this growing potency. In the service and store-house of opportunity of the newer state he throve and flourished, working at his trade as a cooper, and through it becoming more than a mechanic working at a trade. He raised his business to
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the proportions and dignity of a mannfactory, and by this means was of material service to the community of his home in supplying a portion of its wants. He was married in 1874 to Miss Beatrice MeAfee, and by this marriage became the father of three children. His son Albert F. is the only one of the three who is living. His mother died in 1885, when he was a child of tive years. B. F. Smith broke up house-keeping at this time and Albert F. was taken by his grandfather A. S. McAfee at Clarence, Missouri with whom he made his home until May 1890, when Mrs. McAfee died leaving him again without a home. In June 1890, he found a temporary home with W. L. Thompson, near Anabel, one of the most extensive dealers of live stock in Macon county. Mr. Thompson became attached to the boy and decided to give him a home as long as he wanted it, also to give him as good an education as he could, sending him to the rural schools and one year each at Clarence High School and the State Normal.
At the age of eighteen Albert F. Smith began his career for him- self still elaiming Mr. Thompson's home as his home and always staying there when he was not employed.
In his own words : "It was the help and advice and fatherly interest manifested by Mr. Thompson that has enabled me to become what I am, and I certainly appreciate it."
Albert F. Smith began his education in the district schools of Macon county, continued it at a high school in Clarence and completed it at the Kirksville Norman school.
After leaving the institution last named at the end of a three years' course, he taught in the public schools for a period of seven years, passing two of them as principal of the schools in Elmer. In 1907 he became a stockholder and director of the Elmer Exchange Bank and was elected its cashier. This position he is still filling with great acceptability to the patrons and friends of the bank and to the entire satisfaction of its other officers. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Elmer Creamery Company, a member of the school board, and treasurer of the consolidated school district.
Mr. Smith's political faith is that of the Democratic party in whose affairs he takes an active interest and in whose behalf he is a faithful and appreciated worker. His fraternal connection is with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to which he renders good and loyal service as secretary of his lodge, and with the Modern Woodmen of America. He is also a zealous member of the Christian church, and its interests received his careful and helpful attention. In 1904 he was married to Miss Dora Salyer of this county. They have one child,
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their daughter Bertha. He and his wife are prominent in the social circles of the community and are looked upon as excellent citizens, warmly interested in everything involving the welfare of the community and willing at all times to do all in their power to promote it and add to the conveniences and comfort of its people.
V
EDWIN I. DUNHAM.
Like Freedom's battle in human history, when once begun and "bequeathed from bleeding sire to son, though baffled oft is ever won," the course of the empire in this country, through the onward surge of the pioneer wave, has made steady progress by the successive advances of one generation after another, until it has redeemed our whole wilder- ness from the waste and covered our whole wide expanse with thrifty, progressive and prosperous people. This continued migration of hardy adventurers with the progress of the sun, from the Atlantic sea- board toward the Pacific coast, forms one of the most inspiring and spectacular pages of all our chronicles. Almost within the memory of men yet living it was checked by the Ohio; then by the Mississippi; then by the Missouri, over whose triple source the Rocky mountains frowned with forbidding severity. But the army of axmen and plow- men kept pushing their progress fast on the heels of the flying buffalo, the sons taking up the march where the fathers laid it down, until having overspread the country, and thus accomplished its mission, it passed into history and became but a memory, yet a vivid one, and kept alive and green by the triumphs of civilization and mighty achievements for which it blazed the way.
The family to which Edwin I. Dunham of Elmer in this county belongs, and of which he is a worthy representative, embodies in its own an epitome of our country's story in this respect. Its American progenitors settled in New Jersey in 1680, emigrating to that state from Northumberland county, England. They flourished there as conquering frontiersmen, as the first generation of their descendants did in southeastern New York, and the next in the wild luxuriance of the Mohawk valley. Western Pennsylvania bowed in subjugation and yielded tribute to the third generation, and the unbroken prairies of Indiana to the fourth, as did those of Iowa a little later, to the fifth. In all these localities the Dunhams were pioneers and well-to-do farmers, helping to build into beauty and systematic productiveness the region in which they camped and afterward dwelt in comfort.
Edwin I. Dunham, however, was a pioneer, but never sought the kind of conquest his forefathers made illustrious in the earlier history
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of the family. By the time he came upon the scene of action we no longer had a frontier, and he took his place in the work of developing and improving the country those before him had opened to settlement. He was born on January 24, 1866, in Louisa county, Iowa, a son of Sylvanus and Mattie (Jamison) Dunham, the former a native of Indiana, born in 1822, and the latter of Ohio and of North of Ireland ancestry. The mother was a daughter of William and Elizabeth Jami- son, who, also, were born and reared in Ohio. The Dunhams were married in January, 1865, and had nine children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are : Edwin I .; William W., of Fredonia, Kansas; Harry A., of Wapello, Iowa; Sylvanus V., of Montevista, Colorado; Nellie Ursula, the wife of Frank G. Colburn, of Oskaloosa, Iowa; and Elmer R. and Fred, who also live in Iowa, the latter at Wapello.
The father moved from Indiana to Louisa county, Iowa, in 1837, when he was but fifteen years of age. He was industrious and thrifty, and had a great deal of enterprise and business capacity. He became in time the owner of over 3,000 acres of land and one of the leading stock men of his day in the Northwest. Owing to his extensive oper- ations in raising and dealing in live stock, and his general ability and high character, he rose to consequence in his section of the state, becoming, in fact, the most prominent citizen in the portion he lived in. He died on September 4, 1902. His widow is still living and is now (1909) sixty-eight years old and has her home at Wapello, Iowa.
Edwin I. Dunham attended the district schools in his native county, and on completing their course of instruction, entered a good high school. After the completion of his scholastic training he taught school for a period of three years, then followed contracting and building for awhile in Salt Lake City. In 1890 he returned to Iowa and took up his residence at Oakville in the county of his nativity. There he dealt in cattle until 1896, when he became a retail druggist. In compliance with the state law he made a special study of his business in technical and practical training, taking his instructions from a private tutor and securing his registry in 1900. He found his new mercantile connection agreeable and full of stimulus for him, and stuck to it faithfully until 1905, when the utter failure of his health compelled him to give it up, and seek a more congenial climate and an out-door life. He then came to Missouri and located at Elmer in this county. Since his arrival in this locality he has been energetically and extensively engaged in farming and raising stock, and has been very successful in both.
Mr. Dunham now owns 500 acres of choice land and cultivates all of it except what is required for grazing purposes. HIe feeds and
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ships large numbers of cattle every year, and prepares his output from the very beginning of his work on it with the greatest care and intelli- gence. For this he has ample reward in the rank his shipments have in the markets and the high prices they bring. His business is large and makes exacting elaims on his time and energies. But he does not allow it to wholly absorb him or lessen his interest in the affairs of the township and county. In everything pertaining to their wel- fare he takes an earnest interest, and in all worthy projects for. promoting that he bears an active and serviceable part. He was reared in the Republican school of political thought. For, although his father was not an active partisan and mingled but little with politi- cal affairs, he was a loyal Republican. His son's convictions, started by the father's views and opinions, have been strengthened by his own reading, observation and reflection, and he is as active in the service of his party as his father was loyal and firm in his faith in it. His prominence in its conneils and zeal in working for its suecess have brought him prominently before the public, and in 1908 he was a drafted candidate for membership in the lower house of the state legislature. In 1903 he was made president of the school board and served with great energy and intelligence in that capacity for three years. The valne of his services is shown in the efficiency of the schools and acknowledged by the universal esteem in which the people hold them and him. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonie Order, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America, and is active in his service of each. In 1896 lie was united in marriage with Miss Melissa Miller, a native of Iowa and daughter of Jonas and Mary Magdalene (Fry) Miller. Two children have blessed their union, their danghter Ursula and their son Robert, both of whom are attending school. The parents are social favorites wherever they are known, warmly welcomed in the best circles of society and brightening and warming them with their genial natures, eultivated manners and broad general intelligence. In connection with local progress and improvement they are considered as among the most useful citizens of the township, and in all the relations of life they stand in the front rank in general popular estimation.
JOHN P. FOSTER, M. D.
Active in the practice of one of the noblest and most beneficent of all the professions, with a large and loyal body of patrons, connected with a number of the financial and industrial interests of the county in a leading way, prominent in the fraternal life of his community and
JOHN P. FOSTER, M. D.
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energetic and influential in local public affairs, Dr. John P. Foster of La Crosse, Richland township, in this county, is deservedly regarded as one of the most useful and representative citizens of this portion of the state, and as a man is well worthy in every way of the high regard the people feel for him.
Dr. Foster was born on May 9, 1866, in Kirksville, Adair county, Missouri, which is known as an educational center of prominence all over the country because of the excellent normal school which is located there. He is a son of Hiram B. and Martha J. (Ferguson) Foster, the former a Kentnekian and the latter an Indianian by nativity. Of the eight children born of their marriage four are living: James M., a resi- dent of La Crosse ; Dr. John P. Jeannette, the wife of John T. Farmer; and Emmett O., whose home is also at La Crosse. The parents were married in 1861, and the father died on March 30, 1904. The mother is still living and has her home at La Crosse.
The father moved to Missouri in 1852 and was engaged in mer- chandising until the beginning of the Civil war. Being warmly attached to the Union, and abhorred at the possibility of its dismemberment, he deemed it his duty to aid in saving it at any liazard, and with him to be convinced was to act. He enlisted in the Twenty-second regiment of Missouri infantry and was made lieutenant of his command. This was soon after its enrollment at the front and during the memorable confliet saw considerable active and dangerous service. Mr. Foster took part in the battles of Vicksburg, Nashville and other places where tragic history was written in blood, and also in many minor engage- ments. After the war he located in this county, coming here in 1866. He did not, however, return to mercantile life, but gave his attention to farming, and also practiced law. He attained good standing as a professional man and considerable influence as a citizen, using all his opportunities and powers in promoting the welfare of the region in which he lived and advancing the interests of its people.
The Doctor was reared in his native town and began his education in its public schools. His academic training was completed at the Kirksville Normal school, and his professional preparation was made by private reading and a thorough course of instruction at the Marion Simms Medical College, from which he was graduated on March 23, 1893. He at once began his ereditable professional career at La Crosse, among the people who know him well and esteem him highly, and he has found them so fruitful in benefits to him and so appreciative of ' his services to them that he has remained with them ever since. Their interests have been dear to lim and he has songht in every way avail-
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able to him to promote them. He is vice-president of the Bank of Gifford and also a stockholder and direeter of the Gifford Brick and Tile company. In addition to these, other institutions of value to the locality have the benefit of his active interest and helpful counsel and assistance. He also serves both the government and the people as United States pension examiner.
In politics he is an ardent and active working Republican, prom- inent in the conncils of his party and zealous in advancing its interests. For a number of years he has been a member of its county central and executive committees. Yet, although his loyalty to his party never wanes and his efforts in its service never cease, he has never consented to accept a political office for himself, and has resolutely put aside all appeals to him to become a candidate for one. Several times he has been requested urgently to accept a nomination for representative in the lower house of the state legislature, but has always deelined positively and promptly.
Before he began the study of medicine Dr. Foster taught in the public schools several years. This experience gave him intimate knowledge of the people and of himself, and has been valuable to him in all his subsequent carcer, professional and in other lines of action. He is prominently connected with the fraternal life of the community as a member of the Masonic Order, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the American Mutual Benevolent Association, and in his profes- sional work and studies is ably and extensively assisted by active mem- bership in the National, State and County Medical Associations. He was married on October 1, 1896, to Miss Claribel Gilleland, a native of this county, and one of the cultured and popular ladies of this portion of the state. She presides over his home with grace and dignity and gives great animation and brillianey to the social life of which it is a hospitable and refined center. Like the Doctor, Mrs. Foster stands high in the estimation of the public, and like him, too, she rielly deserves all the regard that is bestowed upon her.
JOSHUA CALEB BRADLEY.
The pen of the biographer has seldom a more engaging theme than the life story of a good man who has advanced to middle life in pros- perity for himself and usefulness to his fellow men, and who is still vigorous and energetie for further service and has the disposition to render it. In his view the state of prosperity to which he has helped to bring the region in which he lives is but the means to greater devel- opment and progress, and the noble institutions and agencies for the
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publie good which he sees flourishing around him, and which he has helped to create and foster, are but incentives to other and greater undertakings of the same character, or closely allied with what is, for the purpose of bringing about what should be. Such a theme is presented in the business career, elevated citizenship and ennobling public spirit of Joshua Caleb Bradley of Goldsberry, whose name is a household word for esteem and admiration throughout White town- ship in this county, and a large extent of the surrounding country.
Mr. Bradley is a Kentuckian by birth, his life having begun in Barren county of that state on March 9, 1854. But as he was brought to Missouri and Macon county in 1855, when he was but one year old, and has passed the whole of his subsequent life here, he may properly be called, for all practical purposes a Missourian and a product of that portion of the state in which he has made his career and rendered his service to the publie. His parents, Beverly W. and Malinda Jane (Dale) Bradley, were born and reared in Kentucky and were descended from families long resident in the state. They were married in January, 1841, and had six children, one of whom has died, John C. Those living are: Thompson W., Robert, George W., Joshna C. and Mollie, the wife of J. P. Greenstreet of Gifford.
During the Civil war the father's sympathies were with the Southern side of the controversy, but there were obstacles in the way of his engaging actively in the strife. He believed in the principles and governmental theories of the old Democratic party, and to that organization he still gives his devoted allegiance and whatever service he is still able to render. He was energetic in its behalf during all the years of his activity in life, and was esteemed as one of its influential advisers and workers in the locality of his home. For many years he served well and wisely as a member of the local school board, and in connection with other beneficial agencies at work for the improvement of the county and the welfare of its people he contributed his full share of the inspiration necessary to start and the labor required to continue them in operation. He is still living at the ripe old age of ninety-four, one of the venerated patriarchs of the county and a shining link con- necting its present state of development with its earlier period of struggle, peril and hopeful patience.
His son, Joshua C. Bradley, was reared in the manner and amid the surroundings almost universal with country boys in this region during his minority. He began his scholastic training in the district schools and completed it at the Kirksville Normal school. After leav- ing this institution he followed for eight years the liberalizing but
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exhausting vocation of a teacher, giving his services to the cause of public education which formed the basis of his own preparation for the battles of life. In 1884 he turned his attention to merchandising in association with P. J. Burton, and at the same time began to look upon the law as the field for the exercise of his faculties through life. During his mercantile career he prepared himself for the profession, and in 1897 he was admitted to the bar. Since then he has been con- tinuously engaged in an active general practice, although he held on to his mercantile interests until 1908. He has also, for a number of years, been active in the real estate, loan and insurance business, and with the agricultural interests of the county as the owner of 1,000 acres of good land, the cultivation of which he superintends, and on which he raises large numbers of fine cattle every year.
Mr. Bradley's mind is energetic and comprehensive, and requires a great deal of business to keep all its faculties employed and satisfy its demands. His profession, his store and his farming and stock breeding enterprises gave him a great deal to do and to think about, but they did not meet all his requirements or absorb the whole of his attention. In 1897, in connection with his brother, Judge Bradley, he started a banking business at Ethel which is still flourishing and has grown to great proportions and won a high reputation for the excellent manner in which it is conducted.
Throughout his long and successful career this energetic man and progressive citizen has overcome every obstacle and been triumphant over nearly every force that opposed his advance in business or pro- fessional life. But when the little god of sentiment attacked him he soon surrendered and suffered himself to be bound with the flowery yoke of the conqueror. He was married in 1878 to Miss Nora Wright, a native of Macon county. They have five children : Zella, the wife of R. B. Turner : Jose H., who is married and living at Goldsberry; Edith, the wife of Charles H. Lile; and Jennie Ruth and Ralph E., who are still members of the parental household.
The father is allied with the Democratic party in political relations, but he has never been a very active partisan. He has supported the principles and candidates of his party loyally but not in an ostentatious or conspicious manner. His manifest capacity for administrative duties and his wide intelligence and high character have, however, made him particularly desirable as a public official and he has yielded to the pressure of public opinion and consented to serve the people in numer- ous township offices. In 1875 he was elected clerk and assessor of Drake township and he filled the position with great acceptability
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for many years. In 1880 he was appointed county school commissioner, and he has been a justice of the peace in and for White township for more than twenty years. He has also been a member of the local school board during the last twelve years, and the unusual interest and activity he has shown in school work have resulted in decided benefit to the schools and brought him considerable popularity and public approval. He has also been a notary public for more than twenty years and from 1881 to 1895 served as postmaster of Goldsberry.
In religious affiliation Mr. Bradley is a Seventh Day Adventist and one of the elders of the congregation to which he belongs. But he is free from all narrowness and bigotry in religious matters and contri. butes freely and generously to the church needs of all denominations. In the matter of private charity he is royal in his munificence and princely in his modesty and silence concerning it, with his right hand ever open to help the worthy who are in need and his left in total ignorance on the subject. In all the attributes of lofty and compre- hensive manhood he is the peer of any man in the state, and none more than he enjoys in full measure the esteem and admiration of the people or more completely deserves their regard and good will.
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