USA > Missouri > Macon County > General history of Macon County, Missouri > Part 55
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Throughout his residence in the township he has steadfastly refused to accept a political office of any kind, or allow the use of his name as a candidate, although he is an ardent Democrat and a zealous and effective worker for the good of his party. But he has not been indifferent to public affairs, either local or general, and has given his aid freely and extensively to all projects for the improvement of
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the township and county which have commended themselves to his judgment. His religious allegiance is given to the Methodist Epis- copal church, of which he has long been a member, and his fraternal affiliation is with the order of Modern Woodmen of America. In 1883 he married with Miss Maria Stevens, who was born and reared in Macon county and is a daughter of Robert and Mary A. (Hoffman) Stevens. Six children have blessed their union and sanctified their family altar. Of the six, five are living: Lindlay C., Robert Stuart, Hallie F., Alpha R. and Harry.
Mr. Crysta is still in the prime of life, and all his faculties are in full vigor and activity. He belongs to the class of men who never halt in the way they mark out for themselves, and never dally on the high- way that leads to the goal they desire to reach. His success has been considerable, but it has not satisfied his appetite. Rather has it only whetted that for greater conquests. He has seen the country around him reduced to systematic cultivation and grow rich in all the products of civilized life, but he desires to see it still more elevated, with its material, intellectual and moral forces expanded in magnitude, ang- mented in power and intensified in purpose, and he is eager to do his part toward raising it to that higher elevation. There are many years of usefulness apparently before him, and that he will employ them for the good of the township and county, as well as for his own advanec- ment, has abundant proof in his past record and present public spirit. In all his endeavors he will have the ready and effective aid of his friends, his neighbors and the people in general. For he is essentially a representative man and wields great influence for good.
PHILIP R. SMITH.
Born, reared, educated and successful in the community in which he now has his home, highly respected by all the people of the town- ship, among whom the whole of his life so far has been passed, owning and farming 540 acres of valuable land which he has brought to a state of great improvement and advanced productiveness, Philip R. Smith, of Excello, has an estate which, in all the ordinary contingencies of life, places him above the reach of adverse fortune and indicates a record of many years of arduous labor, faithful performance of duty and wise and skillful management.
Mr. Smith's life began at Excello on Jannary 9, 1847. He is the son of Captain William C. and Elizabeth ( Rowland) Smith, the former born in Clark county, Kentucky, on May 4, 1817, and the latter a native of Missouri. The father came to Missouri in 1838 and located in
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Narrows township, this county. He farmed industriously and profit- ably until 1878, then during the next ten years manufactured wagons extensively. At the end of the latter period he retired from active pursuits and lived in the comfortable enjoyment of his acquisitions and the general esteem in which he was held until his death, on March 17, 1909. His wife died on September 21, 1902. They were married in 1844. Four children blessed their union and brightened their home. Three of them are living: John W., of Macon; Philip R., of Excello; and Jay Douglas, of Macon. The father was a stockholder in the State Exchange Bank.
Philip R. Smith grew to manhood at Excello and obtained his edu- cation in the public schools of that village. From the time of his leaving school he has been actively engaged in farming, and has made a pronounced success of his work. He has followed general farming, giving attention to every braneli of the business suited to this elimate, and in addition raising shorthorn cattle, which he has been doing extensively for more than twenty years. In this department of his business he is as careful as possible, making every effort and taking every precaution to secure the best results and keep up the standard of his herd, which is deservedly very high. He cares for his cattle with the intelligence gleaned from close observation and extensive reading and reflection. On all subjects connected with breeding and caring for live stock he is an acknowledged authority, and as his judg- ment is known to be based on extensive knowledge and intelligent deductions, his advice is widely sought and freely given. His zeal and enterprise in the matter have done a great deal to raise the stand- ard of cattle in the county and inspire the farmers around him to efforts for still better and more profitable results.
In polities Mr. Smith has always been a Democrat, and an active. and serviceable one at all times. Wise in counsel and sedulons and effective in work, he is a strong man in his party and wields consider- able influence in the management of its affairs. He has served the people well in official capacities, although he does not care for political office. But they know his ability and integrity, and have forced him into the party harness. He has been deputy county collector and served two years as township collector. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the Christian church. In each his membership is service- able to a high degree and appreciated at its full value.
Mr. Smith has been married three times, and twice has death invaded his home and taken away the partner of his domestic life. Ilis first marriage occurred on January 3, 1870, when he was united
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with Miss Amanda Walker. Of their two children, only Wilbur M., a citizen of Texas, is living. The first Mrs. Smith died in 1879, and in 1881 Mr. Smith was married to Miss Effie Powell, a native of Excello. This marriage also resulted in two children, both of whom are living. They are Hugh L., a resident of San Francisco, and Lena, who is living at home. Their mother died in 1898. Mr. Smith's third wife, whom he married in 1900 and who still abides with him, was Mrs. Cora E. Jones, of Ten Mile township.
For more than three score years this successful and representa- tive farmer has lived among the people of Narrows township, and now there is not one that does not do him honor. His citizenship dignities and adorns the township, his example has been potential for good to its people, his services have left their mark on its progress in quickening improvements and stimulating development, and all his undertaking's have ministered to the general welfare in ways that are valuable and enduring. If a community is to be judged by its leading citizens, the residents of this section might well and safely rest on Philip R. Smith as the type and representative of their own standing and tendencies, and cite his record as an indication of their spirit, their aims and their achievements. For he embodies all that is best in their citizenship and is the author and developer of much of it. He has built up his own estate substantially and extensively, but at the same time he has been of great assistance in making the most of the community's resources and raising it to its present high standard of progressiveness and enterprise, and its real wealth of material. intellectual and moral power.
JOHN STEVENS CROMWELL.
Choosing at the dawn of his manhood an occupation for life and resolutely adhering to it in spite of all temptations to do otherwise; pushing his industry with all his powers, and turning a deaf ear to all the blandishments of persuasion, all the rosy prospects held out in dif- ferent lines, all musie of every siren that has sought to divert him from his purpose, John S. Cromwell, of Excello. Narrows township. this county, has made a great success of his undertaking and is now ranked among the most substantial, enterprising and representative farmers and citizens of Macon county.
Mr. Cromwell came into the world in 1841, in Union county, Ken- tucky. His parents, Joseph W. and Martha (Finnie) Cromwell, were natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively, and became residents of Missouri in 1856. They located in Randolph county, where the
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father was engaged in merchandising; he sold his business and retired to a farm he had purchased, which he farmed until his death. This occurred on the farm in 1894, he having survived for thirty-six years his wife, who died in 1858. All of their nine children grew to maturity and four of them are still alive. These are: John Stevens; Anna, the wife of Dr. Dobson, of Lakeland, Missouri; William Oliver; and Susan, the wife of Jolin Croakin. All are prosperous and respected as upright and nseful citizens.
John Stevens Cromwell was but two years old when his mother died, and fifteen when the family moved to Missouri. In the public schools of this state he completed the education he had begun in those of Kentucky, and immediately after leaving school began farming with energy and a settled purpose to make that his life occupation and realize the utmost out of his opportunities. As has been noted above, he has adhered to his purpose and realized his desires. He has a large acreage of very valuable land, and this he has brought to a high state of productiveness and greatly enriched with improvements which are substantial in structure, attractive in appearance, convenient in arrangement, complete in equipment and noteworthy in value. His wisdom and skill as a farmer and in the management of his affairs in general has made his name almost a synonym for progress and enter- prise in the township and given his career the importance of an oft- quoted example. He bears his prominence modestly, however, claim- ing no credit for anything but the faithful performance of his duty and an effort to make the most of his every resource and opportunity.
In politics Mr. Cromwell has always been a Democrat, devoted to the principles of his party and effective in service to its cause on all occasions. His interest in the development and improvement of the township has been marked and fruitful in benefits to all the people. It is mueli to be a successful and a leading man in any community, but it is more to be this and at the same time help to make the community successful and a leader also. This has been Mr. Cromwell's aim, while building his own fortunes, and his aid has been potent and his example stimulating in bringing about the desired result. His serv- ices to the township and county cannot be measured alone by what he has done himself. A considerable part of the case is the result of the forces of enterprise he has awakened and set in motion in others by his influence and example. He has never songht office, but has served well as road supervisor during the last two years. He was married in 1863 to Miss Sarah Powell, a native of Excello. They have had three children. Two are living : Mand, the wife of F. R. Switzer,
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of Excello; and Nellie, the wife of Dr. Hunt, of Callao. A sketch of Mr. Switzer will be found on another page of this volume.
FREDERICK R. SWITZER.
Born to a destiny of privation and toil in his childhood, youth and early manhood, facing the dangers and undergoing the hardships of bitter and relentless war while he was yet but little more than a boy, taking up the battle of life for himself soon after he passed the stile in life's pathway which admitted him to man's estate, and doing this far from home and friends, yet all the while making substantial prog- ress toward his desired condition of comfort and consequence among men, Frederick R. Switzer, of Excello, in Narrows township, furnishes in his career a fine example of what continued industry and thrift will do for a man in this country, and how even Fortune, with a manifest disposition to buffet him, can be won to his support and made to minister to his plans.
Mr. Switzer was born in this county on April 11, 1844. At that time the whole of this part of the state was wild and unsettled; the population was sparse and the facilities for living comfortably were very meager, even for families well-to-do. His parents, Newton and Mary (Reid) Switzer, were natives of Virginia and scions of old fami- lies long established in that state. The father was born in 1808 and they were married in 1835. They came to Missouri and located in this county in 1840. Here they engaged in farming and the father operated extensively for that day in raising horses and mules. Twelve children were born to them, and of their full dozen all but one grew to maturity, although only six are now living. They are: Saralı, the wife of Beverly Daniel, of Oregon; Frederick R., of Excello; Emma, the wife of A. T. Leviek, of Illinois; Virginia C., the wife of II. T. Galbraith, of Denver, Colorado; Millard F., who lives at Jacksonville, Missouri; and John D., a resident of Houston, Texas.
Politically the father was an ardent Democrat and always active in the service of his party. He showed great interest in the welfare and development of the township and devoted himself to its promotion with zeal and energy at all times. For many years he served the people well and faithfully as a justice of the peace, and for a long time also as a member of the school board. He died on February 17, 1887, aged nearly eighty years. His wife survived him more than twenty years, dying at Houston, Texas, in September, 1907.
Frederick R. Switzer was reared at Woodville, this county, and
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educated at the district schools near his home. At the age of sixteen he enlisted in the Confederate army, becoming a member of a company commanded by Captain Guthrie. He was young in years, but he felt a call to duty in defense of the principles he believed in, and when he had once entered on the path of obedience to the call, he followed it to the bitter end, remaining in the service to the close of the war, follow- ing the flag of his choice in victory and defeat until it was finally furled forever at Appomattox. He took part in the battles of Lexington, Dogwood, Carthage, Prairie Grove, Helena, Corinth, and many others of great or small degree. In many of these engagements death dealt with a free hand all around him, but he escaped unhurt. He was cap- tured at Helena and confined eighteen months. He bore, however, his full share of hardship, privation and toil in camp and on the march, as well as in the field, and was glad to bear it all in defense of what he conceived to be right, cheerfully offering ease, comfort, opportunity and even life itself on the altar of his faith, and in behalf of principle, as it appeared to him.
In June, 1865, the war being over, he returned to Woodville and went to work on his father's farm. He remained at home about two years, then took up his residence in Colorado, where lie engaged in raising live stock. His life in the Centennial state lasted sixteen years, and during it he was at times compelled to fight for his life with the wild men of the forest and plains, who were turbulent at all times and openly hostile and savage at many. In 1876 he took charge of the third herd of cattle that was ever driven in the Panhandle of Texas.
He wearied of the Colorado life at length, and in 1883 again took up his residence at Woodville in this county. Here he continued for five years the industry he had followed in the farther West, farming and raising stock with good results until 1888. In that year he moved into Narrows township, where he still lives, changing his location but not his line of effort. He is vet actively engaged in farming and rearing live stock on a large scale and in a very progressive manner.
In March, 1886, he was married to Miss Mand Cromwell, a native of Macon county and daughter of John and Sarah (Powell) Cromwell. They have had seven children, and of these six are living: John Glen, Chester Lee, Frank Kellock, William Lloyd, Blanche and Floyd. The father of this family has been very successful. He owns and farms 390 acres of land in this county and 220 in the state of Colorado. He is also a stockholder in the State Exchange Bank, and connected in a leading way with other institutions high in character and profitable in
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operation. All his property shows the skillful management of a mas- ter, and all his undertaking's work out as his force and ability compel them to. He is one of Macon county's most eminent and representative farmers, and one of its most influential citizens.
CHARLES S. AYERS.
A native of that great hive of multiform and all-conquering indus- try, Pennsylvania, where his parents were born and reared, and where their forefathers lived for generations, Charles S. Ayers, of Macon, has shown in his career in this state that he is a worthy son of the commonwealth of his nativity and a true representative of the genius of its people. Having lived in Pennsylvania until he reached the age of nine years, he had opportunity to absorb something of its spirit of enterprise, and the seed thus planted in him in his childhood has multi- plied and produced good fruit in all his subsequent years and efforts for his own advancement and that of those living around him and associating with him.
His life began on November 25, 1876, and he is the son of Lewis J. and Margaret (Cummins) Ayers, who were married in 1867 in the Keystone state, where the father was born in 1842. They came to Missouri in 1885, and settled down to industrious and profitable farm- ing, the same pursuit they had followed in their former home. Their offspring number four: Jessie, the wife of A. H. Carnahan, of Leaven- worth, Washington; Jefferson, who is a resident of Trinidad, Colo- rado; Charles S., of Macon; and Ernest C., of Cimarron, Kansas. Politically the father was an ardent Democrat and a hard worker for the success of his party. During the Civil war he followed the lead of his native state in taking a stand in defense of the Union, and in 1863 enlisted in the federal army as a member of Company C, Fifth New York Heavy Artillery, in which he served until the close of the san- guinary and memorable conflict. His service in the army was active and brought him face to face with death on many a hard-fought field, but he escaped uninjured. After the war he was a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic until his death, which occurred in Pennsylvania in September, 1897. For many years he was a devont and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His widow still survives and has her home in Macon.
Their son, Charles S., grew to manhood in Macon and was educated in its public schools. Their eurrienhim was all he had opportunity for in the way of schooling, for his services were needed at home to help
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in managing the farm. After the death of his father he took entire charge of the place, and he is still farming it with excellent results. He is a student of agriculture and a close observer and reasoner on the subject. To his work in cultivating his land and conducting the indus- tries allied with that, he applies intelligence and good judgment, and his farm shows the advantage of his methods. He is recognized as one of the best and most progressive farmers in the township, and his allied enterprise of stock-breeding has given him high rank in that department of productiveness also.
His attention to public affairs, both local and general, has been continuous and fruitful of good to the township and county. Nothing of value in the way of a project for public improvement or the good of the people ever appeals for his aid in vain, or goes without the utmost he can do to help it along. In political faith he is an unwavering Democrat, true to his party and effective in its service. In 1906 he was elected a justice of the peace, the first Democrat elected to that office in his locality in twenty years. He still fills the office and per- forms its duties with general acceptability to the community and great credit to himself. Fraternally he belongs to the order of Woodmen of the World, and in his camp of the order he is now serving his fifth term as the presiding officer. In religious affiliation he is connected with the First Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a useful member, devoted to its articles of faith and zealous in all its beneficial efforts for the good of mankind. On June 3, 1903, he was married to Miss Anna Bannam, who was born and grew to maturity in this county, and is a daughter of George F. and Martha (Daily) Bannam, esteemed residents of Hudson township. Two children have blessed the union and brightened the home, George, who is five years old, and Margaret, who is three.
For nearly a quarter of a century Mr. Ayers has lived in this county and all of the time in the same locality. He is therefore well known to the people around him, almost the whole of his life having been passed in their midst. The highest tribute to his worth and the correctness of his daily walk is the universal esteem in which he is held and the good will of all who know him. This is freely bestowed on him by friends and acquaintances everywhere, and by the general public. For his life has been upright and acceptable, and his services to the community have been elevated in tone, extensive in volume and considerable in value. He is a representative man in the township and one with whom the people are well pleased.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY
CHARLES OWEN WEST, M. D.
Approaching near to the age of forty years, which is held by many reasoners to be the beginning of the best period of a live man's life, and living in a community which is rich in the record and recollection of his parents and has memorialized the family name in one of its towns. Dr. Charles Owen West is particularly fortunate in his sur- roundings, his stage of life and the opportunities and promise they give him for the future. He is more blessed than in aught else in the fact that he measures up to his opportunities and worthily sustains the traditions and exemplifies the sterling traits of his parentage and more remote ancestry.
Dr. West was born at Westville, in Chariton county, Missouri, on May 8, 1871. He is a son of Dr. W. S. and Mahulda Anne (Haigler) West, who were born and reared in Virginia and moved to Missouri in 1839. They located in a country region and started the nucleus of a thriving settlement, which was named in honor of the father because of what he did to develop and improve it and the influence for good he exercised over its people. Among them he practiced medicine for a period of over thirty-eight years, until his death in 1885. He was married in his native state, in about 1856, to Miss Mahulda Anne Haigler, whose family, like his own, had lived in the Old Dominion for generations. They became the parents of nine children, six of whom are living : Silas W., a resident of Alameda, California; Elizabeth, the wife of Elisha Earl, of Blue Grass, Oklahoma; Jennie V., the wife of J. M. Wathem, of St. Charles, Missouri; Catherine M., the wife of R. Rowland, of Kansas City; Jessie H., the wife of G. W. Howard, of Lexington, Missouri; and Dr. Charles Owen, of New Cambria, the immediate subject of this brief memoir.
The father was frugal as well as industrious and careful in build- ing up his own estate while laboring wisely and arduously to improve that of the community in which his talents and acquisitions were employed. While he was a busy physician and earnestly interested in the public affairs of the whole country around him, he also owned and operated a large farm successfully, and became one of the leading citizens of this part of the state. In political faith he was an ardent Demoerat of the old school, and at all times ready to do anything and dare anything that was right in the service of his party. He was the first postmaster of Westville, and in many other ways gave character and standing to the municipal bantling that had been baptized in his
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name. In 1885, at the ripe age of seventy-three years, he laid down his trust at the behest of the great Disposer, leaving to his children and friends the priceless heritage of a good name and the record of a life well spent and highly productive.
His son, Dr. Charles O. West, grew to manhood in the locality of his birth and began his academic training in the district schools near his home. He finished at the Salisbury high school, and then studied his profession at the Kansas City Medical College, from which he was graduated with the degree of M. D. on March 25, 1895. He at once started his practice, loeating at Lingo, where he remained three years. At the end of that period he moved to Westville, and three years later to New Cambria. In that town he has ever since been established, building up a large practice and growing steadily in the esteem and good will of the people; ministering to their physical betterment and all the while giving close and intelligent attention as well to their political, social and industrial welfare. He is one of the most influential and representative men in the township.
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