USA > Missouri > Macon County > General history of Macon County, Missouri > Part 89
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In politics Mr. Reynolds is an unwavering Democrat, and with a loyalty to his party that never hesitates, he is always ready for the march when the advance is sounded to help with all the powers at his command to win victory for the cause to which he is pledged. His services to the party are highly appreciated by its leaders, and they are sincere and disinterested, for he has never sought or desired any of the honors or emoluments of public office. His religious connection is with the Missionary Baptist church, in which he has long been an active worker. Ile was married on May 30, 1867, to Miss Mary J. Shoush, of Macon county. All of the six children born to them are living. They are: Robert Lee, who lives in Hannibal; Gilla Ann, wife of Joseph Robey, of this county; Hesekiah, who is also a resident of Hannibal; George M., who lives in Joplin; Sarah Jane, wife of Perry Chin, of this county; and Ebenezer, who is living in Hannibal. Their mother died on October 14, 1883, and on July 27, 1898, the father married Mrs. Mary C. Keen, of Macon county. They have had three children, one of whom is living, their son Dennis, who is still with his parents.
GEORGE REYNOLDS.
This prominent, publie-spirited and progressive citizen and pros- perons farmer of Middlefork township, Macon county, was born in the neighboring county of Shelby on December 25, 1845, and is a son of Kentucky parentage, his parents and all his grandparents having been born and lived in the Blue Grass state. His paternal grandfather, George Reynolds, was one of the early settlers in what is now Shelby county, and also lived for a number of years in Macon county.
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Mr. Reynolds is a son of George Madison and Elizabeth ( Raney) Reynolds, who emigrated from their native state to Missouri about the year 1838 and located in Shelby county. The father was born in 1821. He was therefore but seventeen years old when he became a resident of this state. His school days were over when he came hither, and they . would have been if he had not ended them before. For the exacting conditions of the frontier, as this portion of Missouri was then, required that every available force be put to work in breaking up the land, making necessary improvements and finding a living for the household whose members were engaged in this ardnous but promising task. Mr. Reynolds was large and old enough to do a man's portion of the toil, and he was often forced by the exigencies of the situatian to do more. He gave himself resolutely to the performance of the duties before hin, and passed the remainder of his days farming in Shelby county, first on his father's farm and later on his own, ending a busy and useful life in 1885 on the land he had helped to redeem from the wilderness and make over into a comfortable lome.
In all his ventures Mr. Reynolds was successful, forging steadily ahead in a worldly way until he became the owner of 400 acres of highly fertile land with good buildings and other improvements plentifully bestowed upon it, and winning his way in the regard and good will of the people around him until he was universally esteemed. He was mar- ried in 1843 to Miss Elizabeth Raney, a native of Pulaski county, Ken- tucky, as he was of Lincoln county in that state. Of the twelve chil- dren born to them seven are living: George, the immediate subject of this article; Sarah Frances, the wife of J. H. Hughes, of Wright county, Missouri; William, who lives in Randolph county; John D., whose home is in Macon county; Clemency, the wife of R. G. Heron, of Bevier, Macon county; Eben, a prosperous citizen of the new state of Oklahoma; and Elizabethi, the wife of James Heron, who is now living in Shelby county. The father was a life-long member of the Demo- eratie party in political allegiance and a Baptist in church relations.
George Reynolds, the third of the family to bear the name in direct and immediate descent, was educated at the Liberty school in Shelby county and grew to manhood in that county. He remained there until 1876, when he attained his majority and took up the burden of life for himself. He had acquired a thorough knowledge of farming on his father's farm, and he chose the occupation of his forefathers for gen- erations as his own. Coming to Macon county in 1876, he at once turned his attention to farming and raising stock, and to those lines of indus- try he has steadfastly adhered during all his subsequent years in spite
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of all temptations to take up and follow others which promised more considerable immediate returns. He now owns and successfully and profitably farms 135 acres of land, his farm, which is all under cultiva- tion, being considered one of the best and most desirable in the township of Middlefork.
Mr. Reynolds has given close, constant and careful attention to his agricultural and live stock interests, but he has not allowed them to absorb the whole of his time and energy. He has taken an active and leading part in local public affairs and performed his whole duty in the service of his township and its people. He served as a justice of the peace from 1882 to 1894, clerked in a general store at Woodville three years, and was diligently employed as road overseer for fifteen years. In all these positions he was faithful and zealous, and the people who have had the benefit of his services in them have naught but praise for the manner in which he has always discharged every duty, whether it was in business or official station, in public or in private life.
On April 17, 1873, he was united in marriage with Miss Ollie Albright, a daughter of J. M. and Ann Albright, well known and highly respected citizens of Macon county. Of the seven children born of this union three have died. The four living are: James M. and John N., who live in Macon county; Edgar, whose home is in Oklahoma; and Porter, who is a prominent business man in Hannibal, Missouri. The father has always taken a very active part in polities as a Democrat, rendering his party good service and helping it to win many victories in the county and state. In religions affiliations he is connected by membership with the Holiness church, in which he is also a zealous and effective worker. His thirty-three years of residence and useful and productive labor in Macon county have not been devoid of excellent results. He has acquired a competency for himself and aided materially in building up and improving the county. In private and in public life he has been a stimulating example to the young, a companion and help to the mature and a comfort to the aged, and all alike hold him in the highest esteem.
V
JAMES PORTER ROBUCK.
Descended of a sturdy Scotch ancestry, and reproducing on the soil of the New World the traits of character and habits of industry which have given the race to which he belongs success in the old and renown throughout the whole world, with triumphs in every field of human endeavor, James Porter Robuck, of Middlefork township, Macon county,
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furnishes a gratifying proof that in all manly contests blood will tell in the results, other things being equal and the field being fair.
Mr. Robuck is a native of Missouri, born on February 11, 1852, in Randolph county. His grandfather came from Scotland to the United States when he was a young man and located in Tennessee. There he grappled with the then wild conditions and wrested from reluctant Nature a substantial competence and achieved considerable prominence and influence among the early settlers. In Tennessee his son, Henry Kelso Robuek, the father of James P., was born on August 4, 1816, and there he lived and labored on the parental frontier aeres until 1834. He was then but eighteen years old, but the manly inde- pendence he inherited from his parents made him eager to begin the battle of life for himself and at a place remote from family influence. so that whatever he might accomplish would be wholly his own triumph, won by his own efforts and ability, without the aid of any other force.
In 1834, therefore, he came to Missouri and entered eighty acres of government land in Randolph county. To the cultivation and improve- ment of this land he devoted himself with faithful and telling industry, and in time had the reward of his diligence and capacity in the owner- ship of 165 acres of the best farm land in the township in which he lived. He continued to work his farm and enjoy its products until 1892, when he sold all his property and moved to Macon county, making his home with his son until his death on December 31, 1898. He was mar- ried on December 7, 1837, to Miss Rhoda Jane Jenkins, of Randolph county, and they became the parents of eleven children, five of whom are living: Mary Ann, wife of Cyrus Halteman, of Randolph county; Albert, who lives in Shelby county; James P., the subject of this writ- ing; John, who is a resident of Moberly, Missouri ; and Lee, whose home is in Dallas, Texas. The father was an ardent Democrat in politics and a member, an elder and an active worker of the Cumberland Presby- terian church, giving the congregation to which he belonged excellent service for many years and standing high among its members, as he did in the community in general, and wherever else he was known.
James P. Robuek was educated in the district schools of Randolph county. He remained with his parents, helping to brighten their home and assisting them on the farm until 1874. He then moved to Macon county and became possessed of land, in the cultivation and improve- ment of which he has ever since been sedulously and profitably engaged. He now owns 145 acres of excellent land, which is all under cultivation and yielding rich returns for the skill and labor he bestows upon it. In connection with his farming he carried the United States mails from
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY
1895 to 1899 on one of the star routes that were the subject of violent political controversy during the administration of President Arthur. Like his father, James P. Robuck has won success by his own efforts and ability, and his triumphs are all his own.
Mr. Robuck was married on January 15, 1874, to Miss Martha Cox, a daughter of F. M. and Sarah E. Cox, early settlers in Macon county. Five children were born of this union and three of them are living: A. L., one of the rising citizens of Macon county, and Hattie and Harry, who are still under the shelter of the parental roof and add brightness and warmth to the family fireside.
In his political allegiance the father became a Democrat at the dawn of his manhood and he still adheres to the party of his first choice. To this party he has always rendered effective service and both his counsel and his activity are highly appreciated by its leaders. He served as one of the road commissioners of the connty three years and is now constable for Middlefork township, serving his second term. He has also served four terms on the school board, and the present elevated standard of the schools shows the vigor and wisdom of his administra- tion of the office. In fraternal relations he is connected with the order of American Patriots, and in religions affiliation he leans to the Pres- byterian church, of which his wife is an active and zealous working member.
V
ANDREW S. COX.
A native of Kentucky, a resident of Missouri, a sojourner in Cali- fornia, a farmer, a stock breeder, a manufacturer, a merchant and a public official for years, Andrew S. Cox, of Middlefork township, Macon county, has seen life in many places and a great variety of attitudes. A striking exception to the rule that a rolling stone gathers no moss, he has acquired a considerable amount of worldly wealth and risen steadily through all his wanderings in travel and occupation to a posi- tion of commanding influence in his community and is firmly established in the regard and good will of its people.
Mr. Cox was born in Byron county, Kentucky, on October 11. 1836. He is a son of Louis A. and Caroline P. (Baird) Cox, natives, also, of Kentucky, but for many years residents of Missouri. The father was born in Byron county, Kentucky, on October 25, 1815, and located at Bloomington, Macon county, Missouri, in 1842. During the next two years he followed farming at that point, then moved to Hannibal, where he wrought diligently and profitably as a mason, remaining six years. In 1850, moved by the siren voice of the California gold fields,
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he journeyed across the trackless plains to that distant eldorado, making the trip with ox teams, and determined to remain until he acquired a fortune or exhausted his resources in the attempt. After an absence of sixteen years he returned to Macon county, and for four or five years devoted his energies to farming. At the end of the period men- tioned he went to New Mexico to work on a railroad, and there he died on May 20, 1879.
The parents of the subject of these paragraphs were married in 1835 and had five children, three of whom are living, himself and his brothers, Spruce M., now living in Oklahoma, and James K., a resident of Washington. The father belonged to the Democratic party politi- cally and throughout his mature life gave it his cordial and unwavering support.
Andrew S. Cox became a resident of Missouri when he was but six years old and grew to manhood amid the rugged scenes and experi- ences of pioneer life. He obtained his limited seholastie training in the primitive country schools of the day and locality, and, after leaving school at an early age, took his place in the productive industries of Macon county by working on farms in the vicinity of his home as a hired hand, assisting in the duty of supporting the family in the absence of the father. In 1854 he and his brothers, in connection with their mother, purchased 160 acres of school land to have a home of their own and make some headway in the struggle for advancement. This land they broke up and improved, and on it Andrew remained until 1866, dili- gently engaged in farming. By that time he had acquired some means, and determined to go to California in search of his father. He crossed the plains with teams. the only means of transportation then available, and after a stay of eighteen months on the Pacific slope brought his father back to Macon county and the home the mother and sons had won from the wilderness.
Turning the farm over to the management of the father, the son started an enterprise in making wagons and coffins, which he eondneted for a period of five years, doing some farming in connection with his manufacturing. But farming and raising live stock was the business for which he deemed himself best suited, and so, at the end of the period named above, he abandoned his wagon and coffin making and gave himself up almost wholly to the industries he preferred until 1908, when he retired from active pursuits. In the meantime, however, he founded the village of Cox and condneted a general store there for six years, also serving as postmaster, a position which he filled acceptably for twenty-one years.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY
In the public affairs of the township and county Mr. Cox has always manifested a lively and intelligent interest and taken an active part. He served as a justice of the peace four terms, as school director a number of years and in various other township offices. He has been very successful in all his ventures and made everything tell to his advantage, acquiring a competence for life, of which his fine farm of 116 acres is the nuclens. But he has not been selfish in his advancement, but has freely contributed to the improvement of the township and county, seeking by every means at his command to keep their progress abreast of his own. He enjoys the regard and good will of the people in a marked degree, and stands forth prominently among them as one of their leading citizens, deeply interested in their welfare and zealons in promoting it.
On March 9, 1869, Mr. Cox was married to Mrs. Susan M. Dunham, of this county. They have had seven children, three of whom are living : Ernest E .; Mora O., the wife of Calvin Robuck; and Mabel L., who is living at home with her parents. The others are also residents of Macon county. In polities the father has always been an energetie working Democrat, giving the principles and candidates of his party effective and appreciated support at all times, and earnestly striving for their success in every proper way. He and all the members of his family are members of the Christian church and zealous workers for its advancement. Mr. Cox is a charter member of the congregation to which he belongs, and donated to it the ground for the church edifice and the cemetery attached to it.
V
ANDREW B. VANSICKLE.
Beginning the battle of life with no armament but his natural endowment of pluck, self-reliance and determination to win, good healthı and a hopeful spirit, a limited common school education and a few hints from the academy of experience, which came to him even as a boy, Andrew B. Vansickle, now one of the leading farmers and stock breeders of Narrows township, Macon county, has made his way stead- ily forward through difficulties and untoward conditions to consequence in a worldly way and general esteem among the people in the way of . reputation. It is much to his credit, too, that his triumphs are all his own, owing nothing to favoring circumstances of the smiles of fortune.
Mr. Vansickle was born in Macon county, Missouri, on October 13, 1864. He is a grandson of Louis Vansickle, a native of New York state and one of the first settlers in this county. He came to this region before there was anything in the nature of a local government or suf-
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rieient people living in it to make one. A hardy adventurer, daring the rage of wild men and the elements, the fury of beasts of prey and other perils, he was engaged in hunting and trading with the Indians, and so became one of the pathfinders for the advance guard of the army of conquest and civilization that was to follow.
ITis son, Henry Vansiekle, the father of Andrew, was born in Elk- hart county, Indiana, in 1828, and was brought to Missouri by his par- ents in 1839. The family located in Macon county seven miles and a half south of the present Macon City, where the father entered one of the first tracts of land taken up from the government in this locality. When the son grew to manhood he also took up a tract of government land and make it his permanent home. Ile fenced and broke up his land, and by continuous and well applied industry gradually brought it to fertility and gathered about him such home comforts as the frontier conld furnish, in time making his place one of the best and most attrae- tive farms in this part of the county. But in addition to being a farmer, he was also a trader and dealer in land, buying and selling to advantage as the tide of immigration into the region swelled, and so became a man of considerable property and also one of considerable influence in the locality. Some years before his death, which occurred in 1894, he sold all his land and retired from active work.
The elder Vansickle was married twice. His first wife, whom he married in 1848, was Miss Mary Snell, of Ralls county. They had eight children, five of whom are living: John H., who lives in Kansas; Franees, the wife of H. S. Smith, of Nebraska; Sarah, the wife of Ed Butner, of Wagoner, Oklahoma; Mary Jane, the wife of S. R. Perkins, of this county ; and Andrew B., the subject of this memoir. Their mother died in 1866. and two years later the father was married to Mrs. Mary L. Duffy, a native of West Virginia. Of the second marriage six chil- dren were born and five of them are living: Brookie, the wife of H. S. Adkins, of Imola, Oklahoma; Ethie M., the wife of Fred Zolhnan, of Macon county, Missouri ; Mand, the wife of Albert Holcomb, of Michi- gan ; Mattie, the wife of Dr. Hyatt, of Macon City; and Barney, who lives in Oregon. In his political faith the father was an ardent sup- porter of the Republican party in national affairs. In local matters of public import he gave the welfare of the county his first consideration and sought to promote that without regard to party or personal inter- ests. He was a useful citizen and did his full portion toward develop- ing and building up the part of the state in which he lived, and know- ing his services and the integrity of his character, the people held him in high esteem.
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY
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Andrew B. Vansickle obtained his education in the frontier schools of Macon county, which he was able to attend but for a short time, and irregularly at that, owing to the poor health of his father. This com- pelled him to leave school at an early age and take charge of the farm, of which he had the practical management until 1882. In that year he went to Osage county, Kansas, where he was engaged in coal mining for two years. He then returned to this county, and after mining here for a time he again turned his attention to farming and raising stock, in which he is still actively engaged. He now has 190 acres of land of fine quality, the most of which is under cultivation and yielding lib- erally to the faith and steady industry of its skillful and enterprising owner.
Mr. Vansickle was married on March 7, 1886, to Miss Caroline C. Miller, a daughter of Jolm W. and Maria C. Miller, well known resi- dents of this county. All of the ten children born of this union are liv- ing. They are: William H. and Forrest A., Thomas E., Charles, Ruth, Dora, Minnie, Philip, Fred, and Mary Maude, an infant, all of whom are still living with their parents. The father is a pronounced Repub- lican in political relations and always gives effective support to the principles and candidates of his party. He is successful and prosper- ous in his farming and stock raising industries, carrying them on exten- sively and with vigor and progressiveness. He also travels extensively, being sales agent for the W. P. Soash Land Company, of Soash, Texas. Throughout Macon and the adjoining counties, and in many other localities, he is well known and held in the highest esteem.
BARNETT R. WILLIAMS.
Exhibiting in his business and professional career great versa- tility and adaptiveness to circumstances, with readiness to meet and resources to deal successfully with all conditions, Barnett R. Williams of Ethel, law-student, farmer, real estate dealer, former school teacher and one-time merchant, has proven himself to be one of the most capable and representative men in Macon county, and is correspondingly esteemed by all classes of its people. He has met every requirement of his duty in all relations, and while pushing his own affairs to exten- sive and profitable development, has also given dne attention to every want of the community and fostering care and apprecialed assistance to every undertaking designed to promote its substantial progress and the welfare of its people.
Mr. Williams is a North Carolinian by nativity and was born at Yadkinville in the "Old North State" on September 13, 1871, and is
BARNETT R. WILLIAMS
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HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY
a son of Sanford and Sarah (Mitchell) Williams, also natives of North Carolina and belonging to families domesticated in that state from early colonial times. They moved their family to Missouri in 1881 and located in De Kalb county, where they engaged in farming. Their offspring numbered ten and all of them are living. They are: Barnett R., the immediate subject of this writing; Laura, the wife of George Stauver of Savannah, Missouri; Dora, the wife of James Ganote; Lucy, the wife of Mitchell Lowe; Mary Jane; Flora, the wife of Daniel Rice; Thomas R., Charles, Earl and Argolis. The parents are still living and actively engaged yet in operating their farm, near Albany, Gentry connty Missouri.
Their son Barnett R. grew to manhood on the parental homestead and secured his education at the country schools of the neighborhood and the Northwestern Normal School at Stanberry in this state. He became a teacher after leaving the latter institution and for about seven years dispensed to others the acquisitions in the way of scholar- ship he had gained, and while doing this studied law under the direction of Major J. L. 'MeCully of Stanberry, and later for a short time under that of C. H. Goodman of Albany in Gentry county. He quit teaching to pursue a course of study in Christian College at Albany, and after completing that engaged in mercantile life from 1898 until 1902, when he sold his interests in the business and turned his attention to farming in Macon county. He is still closely connected with that industry. He owns and cultivates 515 acres of first rate land with diligence and skill and with excellent results. He is also extensively engaged in the real estate, mortgage, loan and insurance business, and in addition to all his other interests, has a nice practice as a lawyer to look after and attend to. While he is one of the busiest men in Ethel he is not satis- fied and left his home town to enter the Law Department of University of Missouri in February to complete his study of law.
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