General history of Macon County, Missouri, Part 87

Author: White, Edgar comp; Taylor, Henry, & company, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. Taylor & company
Number of Pages: 1106

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Mr. Kale is a Republican in politics and active in the service of his party. He is an enthusiastic member of the fast fading Grand Army of the Republic, and by his connection with it keeps alive the memories of his military service, keeping in evergreen recollection its racy enjoy- ments, thrilling adventures and its privations, now softened by time, and burying in oblivion the strong passions and bitter sectional feeling incident to the sanguinary and desolating conflict. His religious con- nection and that of his wife is with the Missionary Baptist church, but at heart they are both Hardshell Baptists. Both take a cordial interest and a leading part in church work. Approaching now the sun- set of life, this good and useful couple are comforted and gratified with the knowledge that the people among whom they have so long lived and labored respect them highly and appreciate the services they have rendered to the community. For on all sides they are regarded as among the most worthy and estimable citizens of the county. Mr. Kale's special delight in his stock industry is in fine horses and sheep, and he has done a great deal toward improving the standard of these animals all over the county.

ARTHUR C. SKINNER.

This esteemed farmer and merchant of Narrows township, Macon county, represents the third generation of his family born and reared in Missouri. His grandfather, John Skinner, and his father, Rev. William R. Skinner, were born in Randolph county, and he is himself a native of Bevier in Macon county, where his life began on September 24, 1875. His father who is now the pastor of Missionary church just north of Bevier, was born in 1846, and during his boyhood and youth worked on his father's farm in Randolph county. He obtained a com-

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mon school education and supplemented it with extensive reading, especially in theology. for he determined early in his manhood to enter the Christian ministry. This he did in 1867 in Macon county, which has ever since been the principal field of his labors, although he is often called to preach and render other ministerial services in other communities than the one in which he lives. His present home is in Macon City, and as has been stated, he is the revered pastor of the Baptist church north of the city of Bevier.

Rev. Mr. Skinner was married in 1867 to Miss Sarah Sneed, a native of this county. They have had ten children, nine of whom are living: Arthur C., the subject of this writing; Albert, who lives in Bevier; L. Nora, the wife of James L. Vansiekle of Macon City; Eli, whose home is in Huntsville, Randolph county; Theodosia, the wife of H. P. Goodale, a resident of Texas; Omer, who lives at Bevier; and Lizzie. Clara and Ruby, all of whom have their home in Macon City. The father is still hale and hearty, and as energetic in his work as when he first entered upon it. His services to the church are highly appreciated and he occupies an elevated position in the regard of the leaders and governing bodies of the sect and section for which he officiates.

Arthur C. Skinner obtained his early education in the district schools of Bevier and other places in Macon county, and after leaving school assisted his father on the home farm until 1884, when he rented land and engaged in farming on his own account, also raising stock in goodly numbers and making regular shipments to the markets, where his output held a high rank because of the skill with which it had been fed and cared for as shown by its excellent condition when shipped and delivered. He continued his operations along these lines until 1900, when he determined to seek a change of ocenpation. In obedience to this determination he went to Macon City and entered the employment of the Adam Rogers Company, extensive manufacturers of brick for building purposes. He worked for this company two years as an ordinary hand and during the next three as foreman of the plant.

By the end of the period specified Mr. Skinner had had his experi- ence in the industrial and business world, and it left him with a longing for the occupation he had abandoned, with its free and independent life. In 1905, therefore, he concluded to return to it, and to this end bought forty acres of good land in Narrows township, this county, which traet is a part of his present farm. He has resided on the farm ever since and given his time and best energies to developing and improving it, cultivating the original forty aeres and the additional

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forty which he has since acquired with skill and judgment, according to the most aproved modern methods, and has had the gratification of seeing his labors well rewarded and his property rapidly increasing in valne. He has been very successful as a farmer, gathering a competency for himself and contributing to the progress and improvement of the township by his own activities and by these he had awakened and stimulated by his example.

As the time passed Mr. Skinner found that his farming and stock raising operations were not sufficient to fully occupy his mind and faculties, close as was the attention he gave them. Hle had room and ability for other engagements, and on April 13, 1909, he bought the store and business of James Vansickle, which is known as the Narrows Creek store, and since then he has been engaged in general mer- chandising in connection with his farming and other industries. The store is well known throughout a large extent of the surrounding country and has an extensive trade. For a long time it was the only store and contained the only postoffice within a circuit of many miles, and was, therefore, not only a center of distribution but a social, busi- ness and political focus for this whole section of the county. The increase in population and the multiplication of business houses in its vicinity have not robbed it of its supremacy, and it is still one of the leading resorts of the people in all the surrounding territory.

On February 24, 1884, Mr. Skinner was united in marriage with Miss Mollie R. Waller, a daughter of Richard Waller, one of the sub- stantial and influential citizens of Macon county. The five children born of this union are all living and all still members of the family household. They are Elmer, William, Gladys, Georgia and Theodore. Mr. Skinner is a Republican in politics, a Modern Woodmen of America in fraternal relations, and a member of the Missionary Baptist church in religious affiliation. He and his wife, who also belongs to this church; are active church workers, with loyal devotion to the congregation and zeal for its welfare.

ALONZO C. THOMPSON, M. D.

Descended from old Virginia families whose history has long been coincident with that of the Old Dominion, in which they have lived from colonial times, Dr. Alonzo C. Thompson of Round Grove town- ship, this county, exhibits in his own character and career the salient characteristics of his ancestry and fully exemplifies them and the tradi- tions of the family and the state in which it grew to prominence before his birth.

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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

Dr. Thompson is himself a native of Macon county, where he was born on September 5, 1866. His grandfather, John Thompson, and his father, William P. Thompson, were both born (the grandfather October 3, 1783, and the father in 1818) and reared in Lonisa county, Virginia. There the Doctor's father, passed his early years, remaining until he reached maturity. In 1837, at the dawn of his manhood, he determined to seek a home in the west, even though it involved a sur- render of most of the comfort and all of the luxuries of life and a discipline of danger and endurance. He came to Missouri that year and located in Randolph county, where he remained four years. At the end of that period he moved to this county, taking up his residence on government land in Narrows Creek township, which he secured as a homestead, and on which he passed the remainder of his life actively engaged in farming and raising stock. He died in 1868 leaving a well improved and highly productive farm of 160 acres, which he had wrested from the wilderness and transformed into a valuable and attractive home.

The Doctor's father was married in 1840 to Miss Mary E. Butler of this county, and by this marriage became the father of ten children. Six of these have passed away, leaving as the survivors of the family Susan, who is the wife of S. M. Dorety of Duncan, Oklahoma ; John H., who lives at Greencastle, Indiana ; William M., who is also a resident of Duncan, Oklahoma; and James P., who has his home in Kansas City, Missouri. The mother of these children died in 1863, and in 1865 the father married a second wife, Miss Mary E. Moore, a native of Loudoun county, Virginia. The Doetor is their only child. The father was an ardent Democrat in politics and belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church South, of which he was a devout and active working member for many years. The second wife died April 25, 1909 in Oregon.

Dr. Thompson began his scholastic training in the country schools of this county, continued it in the graded public schools of Macon City and completed it at the old St. James Military Academy there. In 1890 he entered the medical department of the State University at Columbia, where he completed the first year's course of instruction. In 1891 he matriculated at the Baltimore Medical College, from which he was graduated with the degree of M. D. on March 23, 1892. His next move was to take a post graduate course in the New York Poly- elinie institution, at which he passed four and a half months. Suffering when he left that institution from failing health, he made a tour of the South with a view to the restoration of his vigor, and on his return to Macon county in the spring of 1894, he turned his attention to farming

HISTORY OF MAACON COUNTY

for the same purpose. After farming for a year he began the practice of his profession in Macon City in 1895. He continued to practice there until 1901, then retired to his farm in Round Grove township, and on this he has lived and labored ever since, giving up his practice alto- gether, and devoting his entire time and energy to the operations of the farm, which comprises 518 acres and is all under cultivation.

In the local affairs of the township and county the Doctor has always taken an active and serviceable interest, whether they were professional, political, mereantile or social. He served two years as county physician, and has long been an active and zealons member of the Macon County Medical Society, of which he was secretary in 1896 and 1897. The genius of improvement in this section of the state has felt the influence of his quickening spirit and known the benefit of lis material assistance, and all moral, mental and material agencies for advancement have commanded his aid in counsel and in active serv- ice. He was married on October 4, 1904, to Miss Margaret Stiles, a daughter of Elbert and Margaret (Fullmer) Stiles, prominent resi- dents of Shelby county in this state. Two children have blessed the union and brightened the home of their parents, their sons, Howard Alonzo and Harry Lysander. The Doctor is an active Demoerat polit- ically, earnestly devoted to the welfare of his party and one of its most effective workers in all campaigns. His wife is a member of the South- ern Methodist church, in the work of which she takes great interest and an active part. Both are highly esteemed throughout the county, num- bering their friends by the host and firmly established in the good opinion of all the people.

GEORGE W. GRAVES.

One of the oldest residents of Macon county and one of the early arrivals in this section from the country farther east, George W. Graves has witnessed the growth of the section from a primeval wilderness to its present state of progress and high development, and has contributed his full share of the labor required to bring about the gratifying change. He also bore his full share of the burden of pioneer life and risked all the hazards of the frontier, becoming familiar with them in his boyhood, when they were numerous and at all times imminent, and seeing them gradually removed through the onward march of civilization and its conquest of the wilderness.

Mr. Graves was born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, on October 12, 1829, and came to this county with his mother in 1838, when he was but nine years old. He is a grandson of Robert Graves, a prominent

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citizen of the county of his nativity, and the son of Jessie and Celia (Graves) Graves, and the only survivor of their eight children. His parents were born, reared and married in Kentucky, Pulaski county. and there the father passed the whole of his life as an industrious and well-to-do farmer. After his death the mother brought the two sons she had to Missouri and located in Macon county. Here the sons grew to manhood and obtained their education in the district schools, or rather in the subscription schools of the neighborhood, as they were in those early days. While attending school and after leaving the shrine of Cadmus George W. worked on farms and assisted his mother, . remaining with her until 1850. In that year he took up eighty acres of government land, on which he has been actively and extensively engaged in farming and raising live stock ever since.

Mr. Graves has given his farm his closest attention from the start and prospered in working it. He has increased it to 120 acres, all of which he cultivates with industry and skill, getting large returns for his intelligent labor and raising the value of his property by steady increases from year to year. He is a student of his business and applies with judgment and profit what he learns by reading and observation, keeping himself abreast of the most advanced thought in agricultural pursuits, and disseminating his acquisitions on the subject among his friends and neighbors by his example and the results of his experiments.

On January 12, 1850, Mr. Graves was married to Miss Louisa Moss, a native of Macon county and daughter of Carl and Mary Moss, pros- perous and esteemed farmers of that county. By this union they became the parents of four children, all of whom are living and resi- dents of Macon county. They are: Francis Marion; Martha Ann, the wife of John Bohannon; John A .; and Mary P., the wife of John Whiles. In politics the father has been a life-long Democrat, always loyal to his party and zealous in its service, firmly attached to its principles and feeling it to be his duty to do all he could to have them prevail in the government of the country. He is now fourscore years of age and over, and has passed nearly three-quarters of a century in Macon county. Ile is a venerable link connecting the dawn of the county's history with its present noonday splendor of development and power, and is revered by the people accordingly, as he is, also, for his sterling worth, his usefulness in the past in promoting the welfare of the township and county, and his upright and elevated citizenship. Macon county has no better man among her people and none who is held in more general good will and esteem. His life is an inspiration

J. F. SEARS

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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

to endeavor and his character is well worthy of imitation by all who strive after lofty ideals.

JOSEPH F. SEARS.

Although comparatively a young man yet, Joseph F. Sears, cash- ier of the Bank of Ethel, in this county, has already established himself firmly in the confidence and regard of the people of the county as an excellent business man and a first-rate citizen, ardently devoted to the interests of the town and county in which he lives and willing to do all in his power to promote them and the enduring welfare of the people. He is a native of Macon county, born near the village of Walnut on September 15, 1881, and a son of James M. and Martha E. (Rice) (Smiley) Sears, the mother having been at the time of her marriage to Mr. Sears the widow of a Mr. Smiley, who was killed in one of the terrible battles of the Civil war. By her first marriage she became the mother of one daughter and one son, and by the second of a daughter named Myrtle, who is now the wife of C. S. Swarthont, of La Plata, and Joseph F., the immediate subject of this brief review. The father was for many years one of the leading farmers of Walnut township, in this county. He is now living retired from active pursuits, he and his wife making their home at La Plata. He is a Democrat in political faith and served for a number of years as constable in La Plata township.

Joseph F. Sears has lived a rather quiet life, passing all of his mature years in the service of the Bank of Ethel, first as bookkeeper and clerk and later as cashier. He was prepared for the performance of duty in life by training in the public schools of La Plata and a course of special instruction at the Gem City Business College in Quincy, Illi- nois. Soon after completing his education he was appointed bookkeeper and clerk in the Bank of Ethel, or, rather, assistant cashier. In 1906 he bought some stock in the bank and was chosen a member of its board of directors, and in 1908 was made cashier. Since his accession to this position the bank has made rapid progress, enjoying a steady increase in its business, the number of its patrons and the general confidence and good will of the community in which it operates and to the welfare of which it contributes essentially.

Mr. Sears is earnestly devoted to the interests of the bank and gives its affairs his whole attention except what is required by his family and the needs of the township and county. All his investments are in its stock, of which he now owns a considerable volume, acquired by small but steady and continued purchases, his holdings making him one of

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the principal owners of this valuable and profitable property. He is a Democrat politically, but, although he is deeply interested in the suc- cess of his party, he has never been a very active partisan and has always refused to accept a political office of any kind. In fraternal relations he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America, and his religions connection is with the Christian church. He is one of the elders of the congregation to which he belongs and has long been one of the most active workers in its worthy and commendable undertakings.

On July 16, 1906, he was united in marriage with Miss Ethel B. Baity, a native of La Plata and daughter of George W. and Margaret (Saunders) Baity, also natives of Macon county. Mrs. Sears was a teacher in the public schools of La Plata for a number of years and is a very accomplished lady. She and her husband have one child, their son Joseph F., Jr., who is the light and life of their beautiful home, which is a center of social culture and refined and gracions hospitality, and a favorite resort for the most intellectual and cultivated people of the community. Mr. Sears began life with practically nothing and has been very successful. He and his wife are everywhere held in the highest esteem and are very popular.

JOHN TOOLEY.

In the case of Jolin Tooley, one of the prominent, enterprising and successful farmers of Middlefork township, Macon county, desire and duty, the positive and negative poles of our being, have worked harmon- iously and enabled him to pursue, in the main, the vocation he wished and win the results he sought. He has tried his hand at various occupations, but never had to be driven to any, and found enjoyment and profit in all. The experience has given him breadth of view and self knowledge, and each pursuit has helped to make him more capable for the next.

Mr. Tooley is a native of this county and was born on July 7, 1860. He is a son of Stephen and Louisa E. (Walker) Tooley, the former born in Shelby county, Kentucky, and the latter in Macon county, Missouri. The father's life began in 1829, and he came to Missouri in the fifties, locating in Macon county. Here he was busily occupied in general farming until 1868, when he moved to Clarence in Shelby county and became a dealer in tobacco, buying and selling extensively. making large shipments to the eastern markets and supplying a considerable local trade. He built the first tobacco barn in Clarence and continned his operations in handling the staple article of merchandise of almost

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universal use which claimed his attention until 1872. He then saw bet- ter opportunities for profit and advancement in handling live stock, and he turned his attention to this commodity, in which he dealt actively until 1893. He then moved to this county, and, retiring from business, has made his home with his son John ever since. For a quarter of a century he was interested in general merchandising at Clarence, being for a time a member of the firm of Chinn, Tooley and Company and afterward of that of Tooley and Bishop.

Mr. Tooley's parents were married in 1856. His mother's maiden name was Louisa E. Walker, and she was a daughter of Isham M. Walker, one of the revered pioneers of Macon county, a brief account of whose useful life will be found elsewhere in this work. Of the seven children born of the union only two are living, John and his sister Nannie, who is the wife of Thomas Boulware of Louisville, Kentucky. In polities the father has always been an energetic and loyal Democrat, interested in the triumph of his party and on all occasions doing what he could to make it victorious. His business career is greatly to his credit and gave him high rank in mercantile cireles, and his elevated citizenship touching all the relations of life has won him the respect and regard of all classes of the people.

John Tooley's education was limited to what he could get in the curriculum of the district schools in Shelby and Macon counties, except what he learned in the stern but thorough school of experience. When he finished his scholastie studies he went to California, where he remained until 1885, doing whatever he found to do, and doing every- thing as well as he could. He mined some, helped to build bridges, and found profitable employment in other lines of endeavor, being always willing to perform any labor that was at hand and making the most he could of it. In 1885 he returned to Macon county and bought eighty acres of land, the nucleus of his present farm of 330 acres, and here he has been vigorously, diligently and successfully engaged in farming and raising live-stock ever since. He is enterprising and pros- perous, and occupies a position of prominence and influence in the civil and social life of the township and county. He has given elose and intel- · ligent attention to the needs of the section of the state in which he lives, and his service in promoting its advancement are highly appreciated by all its people.

Mr. Tooley was married on November 27, 1888, to Miss Catherine Graves, a native of Macon county and a daughter of William R. and Permelia (Reynolds) Graves, an account of whose lives appear on another page of this volume. The union has resulted in five children

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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

all of whom are living and still at home with their parents. They are Lnln, Riley. Marie, Eva and Isham. The father takes an active part in local polities as a Democrat firm in the faith and of unwavering loyalty to his party. In its behalf he exerts himself with energy and effectiveness, and is known throughout the county as one of the men of influence in his township whose counsel is warmly welcomed and whose services are highly esteemed in the county organization and all the undertakings of the party. He and his wife are zealous and devoted members of the Christian church and earnest and energetic workers in its behalf.

LYSANDER LEE GRAVES.

Born, reared, educated and married in Middlefork township. Macon county, in which he has expended all the energies of his life from his birth to the present time, Lysander Lee Graves is wholly a product of that township and a worthy representative of its people. He is one of the intelligent and energetie farmers of the county, and exhibits their salient characteristics of industry and thrift in his business as he shows their publie spirit, progressiveness and breadth of view in his citizenship.

Mr. Graves was born in Middlefork township, this county, on March 9, 1866, and is a son of William R. and Permelia (Reynolds) Graves. He is a brother of Robert M. Graves of the same township, in a sketch of whom, elsewhere in this work, a brief history of the parents will be found. Lysander L. Graves has shown himself to be worthy of his ancestry and a fine exemplar of the sterling traits of character and manhood for which they were distinguished.

Like others of his day and locality, Mr. Graves obtained his educa- tion in the country schools near his father's home and worked on the parental farm while getting it. He remained at home until 1890, assist- ing his father in the work of the homestead and laying up what he could save of his earnings as a part of his equipment for the battle of life when the time should come for him to take it up for himself. This he did in 1890, when he bought eighty acres of land and began farming on his own account. He has conducted his operations with great enter- prise and skill, farming intelligently and progressively, and managing his business with shrewdness and careful attention to its every detail, and he has been very successful. He now owns 480 acres and has most of it under cultivation and yielding abundant returns for the labor and care he bestows upon it.

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General history of Macon County, Missouri, Part 87

Author: White, Edgar comp; Taylor, Henry, & company, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, H. Taylor & company Number of Pages: 1106

Author: White, Edgar comp; Taylor, Henry, & company, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. Taylor & company
Number of Pages: 1106