USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 39
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George Eaton was reared and edu- cated in Kentucky and upon coming to Missouri he numbered himself among the pioneers of Shelby county, where he settled before the county had been or-
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ganized as such. He seenred 160 aeres of land and set to himself the task of reclaiming the same to cultivation. He labored with all of energy and ambition and was not denied a due reward, as he became one of the representative farm- ers and stock-growers of the county and here accumulated a valuable landed es- tate of abont 500 acres, which he devised to his children in his will. He contin- ned to reside on his old homestead farm until his death, which occurred in 1871, as has already been noted in this article. His cherished and devoted wife was sum- moned to the life eternal about 1880, and the names of both should be per- manently recorded on the roll of the hon- ored pioneers of Shelby county, to whose social and material development they contributed to the full measure of their powers and opportunities.
Harrison Eaton, whose name initiates this sketch, was reared to maturity on the old home farm, and he continued to be actively associated in its work and management until he had attained to the age of thirty-two years. His educational advantages were such as were afforded in the common schools of the locality and period, and his discipline in this line was completed in the village schools of Shel- byville, the county seat. He later am- plified his fund of scholarship and gen- eral information through private study and well directed reading, and while a young man he was ordained to the min- istry of the Baptist church. He gave zealons and devoted service in the work of this church during a period of ahont twenty years, and in the meanwhile con- tinned his active identification with ag- ricultural pursuits. In 1870 he retired
from the work of the ministry, and there- after he gave his undivided attention to farming and stock-growing, in which he is still interested, though he has lived essentially retired in the village of Shel- bina since 1895. Ile has about twenty- five acres of land within the limits of this attractive town, and retains the own- ership of his well improved farm of 220 acres in Shelby county, to which he gives a general supervision. He is one of the substantial men and honored citizens of his native county, and here he has ever held the unqualified confidence and high regard of all who know him. Generous and tolerant and imbued with a kindly interest in his fellow men, he has made his life count for good in all its relations, and he has been one of those earnest and loyal citizens who have witnessed and contributed to the upbuilding of the county as one of the most favored sec- tions of the state of Missouri. In poli- ties Mr. Eaton has been arrayed as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party from practically the time of its inception, and both he and his wife have been most zealous in the work of the Baptist church, in whose ministry he served with mneh of conse- crated zeal and devotion.
When the dark cloud of civil war cast its gruesome pall over the national ho- rizon, Mr. Eaton was loyal to the canse of the Union, and he was among the first in Missouri to tender his services as a soldier in the federal ranks. In Janu- ary, 1861, he enlisted in the company commanded by Capt. John F. Benjamin, and this company became an integral part of the Missouri Volunteer Infantry. He continued in service with this com-
THEODORE P. MANUEL
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mand until April, 1863, when he received his honorable discharge, by reason of physical disability. His certificate of disability was signed by Dr. Gilroay Post, who was surgeon of the federal hospital at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Mr. Eaton took part in the engagements at Kirksville and Cape Girardeau, was present at the capture of the famous guerilla, Joseph Shelby, and took part in many skirmishes and other minor en- gagements. He is now a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is also affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.
On October 25, 1870, Mr. Eaton was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Staleup, who was born and reared in Shelby county, where her father, the late William Staleup, was an early settler. The three children of this union are: George W., who is a resident of Idabel, Oklahoma; Anna M., who is the wife of Chester R. O'Neal, also of Idabel, Okla- homa ; and Ethel E., who is the wife of Thomas M. Wood, a successful farmer of Shelby county.
THEODORE P. MANUEL.
The honored president of the Citizens' Bank of Clarence is a native son of Shel- by county, a member of one of its ster- ling pioneer families and a representa- tive citizen and business man of this favored section of the state. Mr. Man- uel was born on the old homestead farm of his father, in Taylor township, this county, and the date of his nativity was January 19, 1859. ITis father, the late Preston Manuel, was born in Kentucky on the 6th of March, 1820, and was twelve years of age at the time of his
parents' removal to Missouri, in 1832. Here he was reared to manhood and re- ceived such advantages as were afforded in the somewhat primitive pioneer schools, and he eventually became one of the extensive farmers and stock grow- ers and essentially influential citizens of Shelby county, where he continued to be actively identified with the great basic art of agriculture until his death, which occurred on the old homestead which was his original place of settlement, hav- ing been summoned to the life eternal on the 23d of September, 1876. He was first married to Miss Hulda MeAfee, who died one year later, and his second union was with Miss Adaline MeAfee, a sister of his first wife. She was born in the state of Kentucky and her parents were numbered among the worthy pio- neers of Shelby county. She was sum- moned to the life eternal on the 28th of April, 1865, and of her four children three are now living-Oscar A., who is a representative farmer of Shelby coun- ty; Theodore P., who is the immediate subject of this review, and Warren E., who is engaged in farming in this coun- ty. In December, 1868, Preston Manuel contracted a third marriage, having been then united to Mrs. Delilah J. Garnett, whose maiden name was Delilah J. Wright, and who survives him, as do also their three daughters, all of whom reside in the eity of Clarence. Mary E. remains with her widowed mother, Cora B. is now Mrs. Bart Hollyman and Lula P. resides at the maternal home. In politics the father was a staunch adherent of the Democratic party, taking a loyal inter- est in public affairs and being known as a citizen of sterling character, so that he
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commanded a secure place in popular confidence and esteem. He was a mem- ber of the Christian church and exem- plitied his faith in his daily life.
Theodore P. Manuel, whose name ini- tiates this article, secured his early edu- cational training in the district schools of his native township and later sup- plemented this discipline by a course of six months in Oaklawn College, at Nov- elty. Knox county, Missouri. Thereafter he put his scholastic acquirements to practical test and utilization by engaging as a teacher in the schools of his home county. He continued to follow the peda- gogie profession, teaching principally during the winter terms, for a period of five years, and in the meanwhile he did not sever his association with agricul- tural pursuits, under whose beneficent influences he had been reared.
In 1883 Mr. Manuel purchased a gen- eral store at Leonard, Shelby county, where he continued in successful busi- ness for the ensuing sixteen years, in the meanwhile becoming the owner of a fine landed estate of 700 acres in Shelby county and devoting the same to general agriculture and the raising of high-grade live stock. In 1899 he disposed of his store and business at Leonard and there- after he devoted his entire attention to his farming interests until August, 1901, when he sold his live stock and removed to the city of Clarence. He still retains possession of a fine farm estate compris- ing 500 acres, and is also the owner of valuable realty in the city of Clarence. Upon his removal to this city Mr. Man- nel entered into partnership with Rufus E. Dale, under the firm name of Dale & Manuel, and they built up an extensive
business in the handling of real estate. This alliance continued until December, 1904, when the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. In the meanwhile Mr. Manuel had also become interested in the Clarence Lumber Company, of which he was president and manager for one year. Upon the dissolution of the partnership mentioned he purchased a considerable block of the stock of the Citizens' Bank of Clarence, of which he became cashier, retaining this position until January, 1909, when he was elected president of the institution, an office of which he is now the able and popular in- cumbent. A brief sketch concerning this substantial banking concern is given on other pages of this work.
Mr. Manuel has ever been known as a loyal, progressive and publie-spirited citizen, and he has so ordered his course as to retain the inviolable confidence and esteem of the people of the county in which his entire life thus far has been passed. In polities he gives an unquali- fied allegiance to the Democratic party, and he served as postmaster in the vil- lage of Leonard for four years, under the administration of President Cleveland. He also held the office of notary public under commission from six different gov- ernors of the state, retaining this office for a period of twenty-four years. Both he and his wife are zealous and devoted members of the Christian church, in which he has held official position contin- nously since he was seventeen years of age and in which he has served as Sun- day school superintendent for nearly a quarter of a century.
On the 20th of February, 1879, was sol- emized the marriage of Mr. Manuel to
1
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Miss Richard Ella Harrison, who was born in Kentucky, whenee her parents, Richard H. and Laura W. (Magruder) Harrison, removed to Missouri when she was a child, the family settling in Shelby county, where her parents passed the residue of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Manuel have one child, Mona M., who re- mains at the parental home, and who is one of the popular young women in the social life of the community.
JAMES L. O'BRYAN.
This enterprising and popular busi- ness man of Shelby county is proprietor of a well appointed general merchandise store in the village of Lentner and is a native son of Missouri. He is a son of George W. O'Bryan, who is now a resi- dent of Lentner, where he is engaged in farming.
James L. O'Bryan was born on the parental homestead farm, in Monroe connty, Missouri, July 12, 1883, and his educational training was secured in the district schools of Monroe and Shelby counties, Missouri, and the high school at Santa Ana, California. After leav- ing school he was associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm, near Lentner, Shelby county, and in 1907 he associated him- self with Dee Botkins in the general mer- chandise business in Lentner, the enter- prise being conducted under the firm name of Botkin & O'Bryan until July, 1908, when Mr. O'Bryan purchased his partner's interest. Since that time he has individually conducted the business, in the management of which he has brought to bear the most progressive
and up-to-date methods, keeping his es- tablishment well stocked in all depart- ments and offering to his large and ap- preciative patronage the most desirable bargains, while his genial personality and strict integrity in all his dealings have gained him the unqualified confi- dence and regard of the community. He is one of the popular and successful young business men of this section, and as a citizen shows a loyal interest in all that makes for the well-being of the com- munity. In politics Mr. O'Bryan is found enlisted as a staunch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, and fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America.
On February 9, 1908, Mr. O'Bryan was united in marriage to Miss May Robinson, daughter of Joseph Robinson, of Clarence, Shelby county, and they have a winsome little daughter, Naoma Eloise.
HENRY M. EATON.
Mr. Eaton is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of Shelby county and is himself one of its repre- sentative and honored citizens. He is now living virtually retired from active business, in the attractive little village of Lentner, and is vice-president of the Bank of Lentner.
Mr. Eaton was born on a farm in what is now Salt River township, Shelby county, Missouri, February 8, 1842, and is a son of James M. and Caroline (Tobin) Eaton, the former of whom was born in Kentucky, September 30, 1816. and the latter of whom was born in the state of Virginia: their marriage was solemnized in Kentucky, April 2, 1840.
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James M. Eaton was reared and edu- cated in his native state and was a young man at the time of his removal to Mis- souri. He settled in Shelby county, where he seenred a tract of land, prac- tically unimproved, and here he contin- ued to give his attention to farming and stock-raising until his death, which oc- curred April 16, 1853, on his old home- stead farm. He was a man of promi- nenee and influence in the county in the early days, having served as county clerk and also as justice of the peace. He was a successful farmer and sterling citizen, and he was an influential factor in public affairs of a local order, having been one of the leaders in the ranks of the Democratic party in Shelby county. He enlisted for service in the Mexican war, and went to the front with a Mis- souri regiment. Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church. She was summoned to the life eternal in 1843, at which time she was about twen- ty-five years of age. They became the parents of two children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the younger, and Ann E. died at the age of fifty-five years.
Henry M. Eaton was born and lived on the old homestead farm of which men- tion has been made, until the death of his honored father, and was a lad of about ten years at the time. He passed the ensning four years in the home of his maternal grandfather and in the meanwhile continued his school work as opportunity afforded. After leaving school he continued to be actively identi- fied with agricultural pursuits, princi- pally in the employ of others, for sev- eral years, and in 1862. loyal to the in- stitutions under which he had been
reared, he tendered his services in de- fense of the cause of the Confederacy, enlisting in the regiment commanded by General Price and taking active part in a number of spirited skirmishes and other minor engagements, including those at Shelbina, Silver Creek and Pea Ridge. He was mustered out and given an honorable discharge in the summer of 1863. and he then located upon a farm in Salt River township, this county, where he engaged in farming and stock- growing, and made a specialty of the handling of mules. In 1869 he removed to Monroe county and located in Holli- day, where he conducted a drug store and where he also had large farming in- terests. He continued his residence in that county for a period of sixteen years, at the expiration of which he returned to Shelby county. Here he is still the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres, in Lentner township, besides a nice resi- dence property in the village of Lent- ner, where he has lived essentially ro- tired since the year 1906. He was one of the incorporators of the Bank of Lentner, of which he is vice-president. and he has been a valued member of its board of directors from the time of its inception. Though never a seeker of public office he is aligned as a staunch advocate of the principles of the Demo- cratie party, and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church. South.
On February 12, 1867, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Eaton to Miss Eliza- beth L. Mitchell, who was born in Ken- tucky and who was a child at the time of her parents' removal to Monroe county, Missouri, where they became
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pioneer settlers and where she was reared and educated. Mr. and Mrs. Eaton became the parents of seven chil- dren, and in conclusion of this brief sketch is entered record concerning the five who are living: James M. is a resi- dent of Meade county, Kansas; Charles H. is a resident of McAllister, Okla- homa ; Lillie is the wife of Peter O. Scho- field, station agent of the Chicago & Rock Island railroad at Pleasant Hill, Mis- souri; Thomas T. is a successful farmer of Shelby county; and Birdie W. is the wife of John Harris, of Guthrie, Okla- homa.
HARDIN DOUGLASS.
Now living retired in the village of Lakenan, Shelby county, is to be found this venerable and honored citizen, who is a member of one of the sterling pio- neer families of Missouri, which has been his home from the time of his na- tivity, and who gained definite success through his long association with the great basic art of agriculture. Ile has been a resident of Shelby county for nearly half a century, and has so ordered his life as to merit and receive the un- qualified confidence and regard of his fellow men. He was loyal to the cause of the Confederacy in the Civil war and served for a time as a valiant soldier in a Missouri regiment.
Hardin Douglass was born in Howard county, this state, October 25, 1832, and is a son of Edward and Dysie (Green) Douglass, the former of whom was born in Tennessee and the latter in Madison county, Kentucky, where their marriage was solemnized. Edward Douglass took up his residence in Missouri in the year
1820, settling first in Boone county, whence he later removed to Howard county, where he became one of the pio- neers. He secured a tract of wild land and effected its reclamation, beeoming one of the prosperous farmers and in- fluential citizens of that section, and con- tinning to maintain his home on the farm until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he removed to the village of Palmyra, where he lived retired until his death, which occurred in the year 1876. His wife passed away in 1880, both having been zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Of their eleven children only three are now liv- ing, and of the number the subject of this sketch is the eldest; Lula is the wife of Henry Green, of Monroe county, this state; and Joel A. maintains his home in Boone county.
Ifardin Douglass was reared to the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the farm and was afforded the advantages of the common schools of the pioneer days in Howard county. After attain- ing years of maturity he continued to be identified with the great basic art of agriculture and remained a resident of his native county until the climacteric period of the Civil war. In 1863 he ten- dered his aid in defense of the Confed- erate cause, enlisting as a private in Company I, Missouri Infantry, which became a part of the command of Gen- eral Clark. Mr. Douglass participated in engagements at Kansas City and Lit- tle Blue, Missouri, besides a number of skirmishes, and then proceeded with his regiment into the Indian Nation, where the regiment disbanded after he had been in serviee about eight months. Ile
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returned to his home in Howard county, but in the year 1864 he removed to Shelby county. He became the owner of a good farm in Jackson township and devoted his attention to diversified ag- riculture and stock-growing until 1874, when he disposed of his farming inter- ests and took up his residence in Lake- nan, in which village he is now living. For the past few years he has lived vir- tually retired from active business, and, now venerable in years, he is able to enjoy the generous rewards of former years of earnest toil and endeavor, the while he has the gratifying associations implied in the companionship of old and loyal friends and the high regard of the entire community which has so long rep- resented his home. He has ever been a stalwart advocate of the principles of the Democratic party and has taken an intelligent and loyal interest in the is- sues and questions of the hour and in all that has tended to conserve the material and civic progress of his home county and state. Both he and his wife have long been consistent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.
In September, 1854, Mr. Douglass was united in marriage to Miss Sarah An- drews, whose death occurred in 1869. They became the parents of tive children. all of whom are living, namely: Calvin. who is a representative farmer of Shelby county ; Rhoda, who is the wife of Peter Chapman, of Monroe county; Isabelle, who is the wife of Alonzo Robbins, of Monroe county; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Charles Robbins, of Shelby county ; and Minerva. who is the wife of John McClosky, of Monroe county.
In December, 1870, Mr. Douglass con- tracted a second marriage, being then united to Miss Anna E. Andrews, of Howard county, and of their four chil- dren two are living, Flavius, who is en- gaged in farming in Shelby county, and Jason, who is a successful business man of the village of Lakenan, this county.
JAMES F. HARRISON.
It is most consonant that in this pub- lication be entered a brief review of the career of Mr. Harrison, who has been prominently identified with the agricul- tural industry and other productive lines of enterprise in this section of Missouri, which state has represented his home from the time of his birth, and who is not only a member of one of the old and honored families of this fine common- wealth of the Union, but is also one of the popular and influential citizens of Shelby county. He is still actively con- cerned with farming and stock-growing in this county, but maintains his home in the thriving and attractive little city of Shelbina, where he is the owner of valuable real estate, including his fine residence property.
Mr. Harrison was born on the paren- tal homestead farm in Monroe county, Missouri, seven miles southeast of Shel- bina, April 18, 1856. His father, Fran- cis M. Harrison, was a native of Ken- ineky, where he was born June 8, 1827, and in 1830, when he was about three years of age, his parents removed from the Bluegrass state to Missouri and settled near the town of Old Clinton. Monroe county, where he was reared to manhood and given such scholastic ad-
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vantages as were offered in the some- what primitive common schools of the pioneer days. He continued to be con- cerned with farming interests in Mon- roe county until 1857, when he removed to Shelby county, where he operated a good farm in Salt River township. He was a man of broad and mature judg- ment, distinctive energy and good busi- ness ability, and thus he gained a success worthy of the name, while he ever held as his own the inviolable confidence and esteem of the people of this section of the state. He was long one of the rep- resentative farmers and stock-growers of Shelby county, and he also gained a wide reputation as an auctioneer, in which capacity his services were much in requisition. In 1876 he was elected sheriff and tax collector of Shelby county, in which dual office he served for two consecutive terms, and in which his administration met with unqualified popular approval. His death occurred March 9, 1908. He had the elements of character that ever beget popular trust and esteem, and no citizen of Shelby county had a wider circle of friends than did he. He was a most zealous worker in behalf of the cause of the Democratic party and was recognized as one of its leaders in this section of the state. He was a charter member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in Shelbina, and both he and his wife were devoted workers in the various departments of its service.
In 1848 was solemnized the marriage of Francis M. Harrison to Miss Nancy M. Collins, who was born and reared in Monroe county, this state, and whose father, the late James Collins, was one
of the honored pioneers of this section of the state. Mrs. Harrison survives her husband and maintains her home in the city of Shelbina. Of their seven children four are living, namely : Jo- sephine, who is the wife of Robert V. Taylor, of Marshall, Missouri; Charles J., who is a prosperous business man of Clayton, this state; James F., who is the immediate subject of this sketch; and Norah, who is the wife of Albert S. Arnold, of East St. Louis, Illinois.
James F. Harrison was an infant at the time of the family removal from Monroe county to Shelby county, and he was reared to maturity on the old home- stead farm three miles northeast of Shel- bina, in Salt River township. After completing the curriculum of the district schools he was enabled to continue his studies in the public schools of the vil- lage of Shelbina, and after completing his school work he assisted his father in the operation and management of the home farm and also in the affairs of the office of sheriff and tax collector. Be- sides having held these offices his father also served for some time as constable of Salt River township. From his youth to the present time Mr. Harrison has given his allegiance to the great basic industries of farming and stock-grow- ing, and in this connection he has gained distinctive snecess and prestige, as had also his honored father, under whose able and kindly instruction he was trained in a most thorough and effective way. He is the owner of a well improved farm of 130 acres, in Salt River town- ship, and gives to the same a general personal supervision, though he has maintained his residence in Shelbina
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