USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 48
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her most able support to the religious seet she is most interested in.
S. G. PARSONS.
From her sister county of Monroe on her southern border, Shelby county has received from time to time valued con- tributions in elevated manhood, fine bnsi- ness capacity and sterling citizenship in every sense of the word. Among them all none has stood higher, been more sue- cessful or attained to more general con- fidence and esteem than S. G. Parsons, the first pioneer of Shelbina and long one of the leading merchants of that pro- gressive and enterprising community. He was born at Paris, Monroe county, on August 29, 1843, a son of John N. and Jane M. (Gilbert) Parsons, the former a native of Frederick county, Maryland, and the latter of Virginia.
The father was born on July 24, 1804. and although a native of Maryland, was reared and educated in Virginia, where his grandfather lived. He came to Mis- souri in 1829 and located in St. Louis, where he worked at his trade as a car- penter and found a great demand for his services. He helped to build the court- house of that day and many other im- posing structures in that city. In 1832 he moved to Pike county in this state and there was engaged in the dry goods trade for a period of two years. In 1834 he changed his residence to Monroe county, and during the next four years sold dry goods at Middlegrove. At the end of the period last mentioned he took up his residence at Paris, and there he engaged in merchandising in dry goods until 1854, when he retired from business. He took
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a leading part in the local affairs of every community in which he dwelt and was always at the front in all undertak- ings for the development and improve- ment of the seetion. At Paris he helped to found the first bank in the county, and also represented the county in the legis- lature, being elected as a member in 1858.
It was in Paris also that the golden web of sentiment enmeshed him in its gleaming net. In that eity in November, 1842, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Jane M. Gilbert, who was born in Virginia. They had six children, four of whom are living: S. G. Parsons, of Shelbina, the immediate subject of these paragraphs ; Sallie P., the widow of Tay- lor Thompson, who is now living in Oak- land, California; Mary C., the wife of J. A. Dawson, of Chillicothe, Missouri ; and Annie E., the wife of R. E. Bodine, of Memphis, Tennessee. In politics the father was a Democrat and in fraternal life a member of the Masonie order. He was very successful in business and left a large estate at his death, which occurred on April 11, 1885, in Shelbina.
S. G. Parsons was reared in Paris and educated in the private schools of his boyhood in that city. At the age of twen- ty he located at Shelbina and started a dry goods store in-company with Mr. Mil- ler, the firm name being Miller & Par- sons. The firm lasted eighteen months. Then Mr. Parsons turned his attention to the grocery trade, with which he has ever since been connected, except during a period of five years, when he gave his time and energies exclusively to farming and raising live stock. He is still en- gaged in this interesting pursuit, in addi- tion to his merchandising, and finds in it
an agreeable relief from the annoyances and vexations of mereantile life.
His first marriage occurred on May 5, 1865, and was with Miss Mary T. Hanger, a native of Monroe county. They had eight children, seven of whom are living. Jennie T. and Lelia; Kitty Belle, the wife of Lee Francis, of Shelbina; New- ton II., who died in 1910; John R., of Kansas City, Missouri ; Annie E .; Mary, the wife of Frank Henninger, of Shel- bina; and Nellie, the wife of Charles Murphy, who is living in the state of Oregon. He was married a second time in 1904 to Mrs. P. A. Sparks, of Shel- bina.
From the dawn of his manhood Mr. Parsons has been a firm and faithful Democrat in political faith and practice. And although he has never sought or de- sired official station for himself, he has always taken a zealous part in the cam- paign of his party and given earnest and effective support to its candidates. At the same time he is not a hide-bound or narrow partisan, and never allows his ardent interest in the welfare of his com- munity to be over-borne by political or personal considerations. Living in an age of progress and a section of the country that is making rapid and substantial advances, he is not only in the procession of development and im- provement but one of its trusted and in- fluential leaders. Having helped to found the municipality of Shelbina, he has been constant and effective in his efforts to build it up to its highest and best devel- opment according to the demands of the time, and has left his impress on every mental, moral and mercantile ageney at work among its people. He has found
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nothing in which the welfare of the com- munity was involved too small for his at- tention and nothing too great for his dar- ing. Shelby county has no better, wiser or more progressive citizen, and none who is more generally recognized as a truly representative man of lofty ideals, right purposes and commanding re- sonrees. And on all sides he is esteemed in a just estimate of his worth and use- fulness.
EDWARD C. SHAIN.
A prominent and influential factor in the financial and business affairs of Shelby county is Edward C. Shain, who was president of the Shelby County Sav- ings Bank, at Clarence, of which institu- tion he was the founder, and of which he was the executive head from the time of its incorporation until he retired in Jan- uary, 1911. Ile holds an nntarnished reputation as an able and progressive business man and upright and loyal citizen, and such is his high standing in the community that he is eminently en- titled to representation in this publica- tion, on other pages of which may also be found a brief record concerning the stanch banking institution of which he was president.
Mr. Shain is a scion of a family that was founded in the Old Dominion state of Virginia in the colonial epoch of onr national history, and in that state was born his paternal grandfather, John Shain, who eventually became a pioneer in Kentneky, and who continued to re- side in that state until 1830, when he removed to Sangamon county, Illinois, and died there. William Shain, father
of him whose name initiates this sketch, was born in Kentucky in November, 1803, and there was reared to manhood, receiving such educational advantages as were afforded in the locality and pe- riod. He in turn gained a full quota of experience as a pioneer, having come to Missouri in the year 1824, and hay- ing first settled in Randolph county, where he developed a farm, and where he eontinned to be identified with agri- cultural pursuits and stock-growing for a decade, at the expiration of which, in 1834, he removed to Macon county, this state, where he became the owner of a good farm, and where he passed the resi- dne of his life. He retired from active labors in 1870 and continued to reside on his old homestead until his death, which occurred in March, 1882. He had the distinction of being the first inenm- bent of the office of deputy sheriff and collector of Macon, Schuyler and Adair counties, all of which were then included in Macon county, and of this dual office he continued in tenure for a period of four years. He was a stanneh Democrat in his political proelivities, and both he and his wife were zealous and consistent members of the Baptist church. Mrs. Shain likewise was a native of Ken- theky, and her maiden name was Cath- erine Smoot. She was summoned to the life eternal in 1877, and her memory is revered by all who came within the sphere of her gentle and gracions infh- ence. Of the twelve children, seven are living, and concerning them the follow- ing brief record is entered for consistent perpetnation in this article: Bettie Jane is the widow of John Griffin, of Tishi- mingo, Oklahoma; Edward C. is the im-
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mediate subject of this review: Thomas he was elected sheriff and collector of J. and William T. are residents of At- lanta, this state; Armstead A. resides at Kirksville, Missouri; Mary Ann is the wife of Dade Sears, of Macon county; and Charles M. is a resident of the state of Oklahoma.
Edward C. Shain was born on the old homestead farm in Independence town- ship Macon county, Missouri, December 23, 1835, and he was reared to maturity in his native county. where he duly availed himself of the advantages of the com- mon schools of the pioneer days. inelnd- ing a well conducted school in the village of Kirksville. After leaving school he continued to devote his time and atten- tion to farming for a period of four years, at the expiration of which, in 1863, he entered into partnership with William B. Sears and engaged in the general merchandise business at Callao, Macon county. In September, 1864, he subordinated his private interests to tender his aid in defense of the Union, becoming first lieutenant in Company K, Forty-second Missouri Volunteer Infan- try. under command of Colonel Forbes and Gen. Andrew J. Smith. He was in active service with his regiment. princi- pally in Tennessee and Alabama, until victory erowned the Union arms. and after the final surrender he continued in service until the spring of 1866, when he was mustered out and received his honorable discharge.
After the close of his career as a leal and loyal soldier of the republic, Mr. Shain returned to Missouri and resumed his active connection with the mercantile business at Callao, where he continued operations in this line until 1870, when
Macon county. In this dual office he served one term, within which provision was made for the segregation of the offices, and he was re-elected sheriff under the new dispensation, continuing ineumbent of the shrievalty until 1874, and giving a most able and acceptable administration. In the meanwhile he had become the owner of a good farm in his native county, and after his retire- ment from office he continued to reside on and supervise the work of this home- stead until 1883, when he removed to Kirksville, in order to afford his chil- dren better educational advantages. He there continued his residence until 1890, and in the meanwhile showed his indi- vidual ambition and scholastic apprecia- tion by devoting much attention to the study of both ancient and modern his- tory. He finally became associated with his only son in the humber business, in which connection, in 1892. they floated lumber in rafts down the Mississippi river to Warsaw, Illinois, where they manufactured the same into siding, pick- ets. moldings and general building ma- terial, continuing operations at that place until 1894, when Mr. Shain re- turned to Missouri and established his residence in the village of Clarence, Shelby county. Here he purchased a building and effected the organization of the Shelby County Savings Bank, which opened its business in the building men- tioned, and of which he was president from the beginning, as already stated in this context. Full data in regard to the upbuilding of this popular financial in- stitution will be found in the individual sketch devoted to the same on other
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pages of this volume. In addition to giving much of his time to the direction and supervision of the affairs of the bank, Mr. Shain also did an extensive individual business in the extending of financial loans upon approved real-estate securities, and he is known as one of the able, honorable and progressive business men and substantial capitalists of this section of the state.
Mr. Shain is loyal and liberal as a citi- zen and his entire life has been charac- terized by that integrity of purpose that ever begets popular confidence and es- teem. In a generic way he is a staunch supporter of the cause of the Demo- cratic party but in local affairs he gives his support to the man and measures meeting the approval of his judgment, irrespective of strict partisan lines. He is affiliated with the time-honored Ma- sonic fraternity and is a zealous and de- voted member of the Christian church, in which he has been an elder and teacher of a Bible class for twenty years.
On August 19, 1859, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Shain to Miss Emily Bristow, of Macon county, who died in November, 1866, and who is survived by one son, Hopkins B. Shain, now a repre- sentative attorney of the city of Sedalia, Missouri. He was elected district judge of Sedalia county, Missouri, in 1910. His second marriage occurred in October, 1866, his second wife being Nancy Bris- tow, a sister of his first wife.
SHELBY COUNTY STATE BANK.
This is one of the well managed and staunch financial institutions of the county, and its business is of the most
substantial order, implying public ap- preciation of its stability and effective service. The bank is located in the city of Clarence, and dates its inception back to the year 1894, in August of which year it was organized and incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000. Six months later, to meet the demands of the rap- idly expanding business, the capital stock was increased to $15,000, and at the expiration of its first year of opera- tions the capital was augmented to $30,- 000, at which figure it was maintained until 1904, when it was increased to $50,- 000, which is the amount since repre- sented in its stock; and $25,000 perma- nent surplus.
The personnel of the original board of directors was as here noted : Edward C. Shain, W. D. Crow, B. P. Rutledge, J. L. Sibley and H. B. Shain. Edward C. Shain was chosen president of the insti- tution and remained inenmbent of this office until in January, 1911, when G. T. Gilman was chosen president; IT. B. Shain was the first cashier, and B. P. Rutledge the first vice-president. In 1895 A. W. Combs succeeded II. B. Shain as cashier, continuing incumbent of this executive position for seven years -up to the time of his death, in 1902, when Marson Dimmitt was chosen cash- ier, of which position he has since re- mained in tenure. B. P. Rutledge is vice-president, and J. O. Callison, J. D. Fleming and II. R. Combs are assistant cashiers. The members of the board of directors are as follows: George T. Gil- man, N. A. Edwards, C. W. Belsher. B. P. Rutledge, Mrs. A. K. Combs, J. C. Rodes and D. White. The deposits of the bank now aggregate nearly two hun-
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dred and eighteen thousand dollars, and a surplus of $25,000 is maintained. On other pages of this publication will be found a brief review of the career of the president of this popular financial insti- tution.
WILLIAM L. HAMRICK.
A native son of Shelby county, who has here gained prestige and success as an able member of its bar, and who is now incumbent of the office of proseent- ting attorney of the county and also that of eity attorney of Clarence, is William L. Hamrick, whose professional stand- ing and personal popularity find ample voucher in the official preferments which are his at the present time.
Mr. Hamrick was born on the old fam- ily homestead in Taylor township, this county, and the date of his nativity was November 27, 1866. His paternal grand- father, Rev. Jesse Hamrick, was born in Virginia, where the family was early founded, and was a elergyman of the Methodist church. He removed to Ken- tucky when a young man and there passed the residue of his life. William F. Hamrick, father of him whose name initiates this article, was born in Ken- theky. January 10, 1816, and he was reared and educated in the old Bluegrass state, where he continued to reside until 1854, when he removed to Missouri and took up his residence in Shelby county. He purchased a traet of land in Taylor township and developed one of the valu- able farms of the county. He continued to reside on the old homestead until his death, which occurred September 24. 1873. Hle was a citizen of prominence
and influence in his community, ever commanding the most nnequivocal confi- dence and esteem, and he served for sev- eral years as justice of the peace, hav- ing been a staunch Democrat in his po- litieal proclivities. His first wife, whose maiden name was Melvina Savage, was likewise a native of Kentucky, where their marriage was solemnized, and she became the mother of four children, of whom two are living: Belle, who is the widow of Valentine MeCully, of Cherry Box, Missouri, and Miss Melvina Hamrick, who now re- sides in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. Ilamrick died within a short time after the removal to Missouri, and in February, 1858, Mr. Hamrick contracted a second marriage, being then united to Miss Martha Shelton, a danghter of Grif- fith D. and Lavina P. Shelton, who were pioneer settlers of Shelby county. Mrs. Hamrick was summoned to the life eter- nal in 1904, and of the nine children of the second marriage only two are now living: William Loren, who is the imme- diate subject of this review, and Mar- tha, who is the wife of Luther Kemp. of Leonard, Shelby county, this state.
William Loren Hamrick passed his boyhood and early youth on the old homestead farm and was not denied the privilege of contributing his quota to its work, the while he duly availed himself of the advantages of the district schools of the locality, after completing the cur- rienlum of which he continued his studies for three years in the Missouri State Normal School at Kirksville. Upon leav- ing this institution he continued to be associated in the work and management of the home farm, and in the meanwhile
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devoted close attention to the reading of Accepted Masons, and its adjunct organ- law, under effective preceptorship. He ization, the Order of the Eastern Star, and also holds membership in the M. W. of A. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.
was admitted to the bar, upon examina- tion in the Circuit court of his native county, April 11, 1903, prior to which time he had been for fourteen years a successful and popular teacher in the district schools of the county. After his admission to the bar he continued his pedagogie labors for another year, and on February 14, 1904, he opened an office in the thriving little eity of Clarence, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession, and where his success as a trial lawyer and well forti- fred counsellor has been on a parity with his energy in and devotion to his chosen vocation.
In polities Mr. Hamrick accords an un- swerving allegiance to the Democratic party, in whose faith he was reared, and he has rendered effective service in its cause. In April, 1904, he was appointed city attorney of Clarence, of which posi- tion he has since remained incumbent, and on November 3, 1908, he was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney of the county, receiving a gratifying ma- jority at the polls, and entering upon the duties of his office on January 1. 1909, for a term of two years, and he was re-elected in the fall of 1910, with an in- creased majority. He has proved in his administration the wisdom of his choice for the office and has materially added to his professional laurels through his effective labors as public prosecutor. He is essentially a loyal and progressive citizen, and takes deep interest in all that tends to conserve the welfare of his na- tive county and state. He is affiliated with Clarence Lodge, No. 305, Free &
On July 26, 1906, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hamrick to Miss Grace Kemper, daughter of William Kemper, a representative citizen of Clarence, this county, where she was born and reared.
WALTER M. PRITCHARD.
The able and popular cashier of the Clarence Savings Bank is recognized as one of the representative business men of the younger generation in his native county, and his civic and business status in his native town of Clarence sets at naught all application of the scriptural aphorism that "a prophet is not with- ont honor save in his own country." Of the institution in which he is an exeeu- tive officer, brief record is given on other pages of this work.
Mr. Pritchard was born in the village of Clarence, Shelby county, Missouri, October 11, 1879, and is the elder of the two children of James W. and Mina (Merrin) Pritchard, whose marriage was solemnized in this county in 1876: the younger child, Ahna, is now the wife of John Ward, of Brookfield, Missouri. The honored father died in 1892, and the mother was summoned to the life eternal in 1895. She was born and reared in Shelby county and was a mem- ber of an honored pioneer family of this favored section of the state. James W. Pritchard was born in the state of Vir- ginia, and in 1876 he came to Missouri
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and took up his residence in the village of Clarence, this county, where he con- tinued to maintain liis home until his demise and where he became a substan- tial business man and honored and in- fluential citizen. He was here identified with farming and stock-growing, in con- nection with which he became the owner of a large and valuable landed estate in the county, and he also conducted for a member of years a successful business in the shipping of timber and the manu- facturing of Iumber. In polities he was a staunch Republican, and at the time of the Civil war it was his to render valiant service as a soldier of the Union. He enlisted in Company F, Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and continued in active service during practically the entire period of the great internecine conflict between the states. Ile was wounded in the battle of Kenesaw Moun- tain, but was not long incapacitated, and he was with General Sherman's forces on the ever memorable march from At- lanta to the sea. He was ever interested in his old comrades in arms and signi- fied this by his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. Both he and his wife were zealous members of the Chris- tian church.
Walter M. Pritchard, the immediate subject of this review, is indebted to the public schools of Clarence for his early educational training, which included a course in the high school, and he later completed a thorough course in the Gem City Business College, at Quincy. Illi- nois, in which institution he was gradu- ated as a member of the class of 1898. In 1900, when nineteen years of age, Mr. Pritchard became assistant cashier of
the Citizens' Bank of Clarence, retain- ing this position for a period of five years, at the expiration of which he dis- posed of his stock in the bank and as- sisted in the organization of the Clar- ence Savings Bank, which was incorpo- rated in 1905, and of which he has been cashier from the beginning. His dis- crimination and effective executive ad- ministration have inured greatly to the success of this popular institution, in which he is a large stockholder and which is now one of the solid and im- portant banking houses of the county. He is the owner of a well improved farm of 270 acres, located in Clay township, about two miles east of Clarence, and to the operation of the same he gives a general supervision, devoting special at- tention to the raising of high-grade live stock.
Though never imbued with office-seek- ing proclivities, Mr. Pritchard is ar- rayed as a stanneh supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and is essentially progressive and loyal as a citizen. He and his wife hold member- ship in the Christian church, and he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America.
On Angust 3, 1898, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Pritchard to Miss Ella Kemper, who likewise was born and reared in Shelby county, being a daugh- ter of William Kemper, a representa- tive citizen and business man of Clar- ence. The three children of this mar- riage are Madge, Helen and Kemper. Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard are popular fig- ures in the social life of the community
JUDGE NATHANIEL M. SHELTON
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
and their attractive home is one in which a gracious hospitality is ever in evi- dence.
THE CLARENCE SAVINGS BANK.
In the stability, scope and manage- ment of its financial institutions Shelby county has a source of just gratulation, and among the prominent concerns ex- ercising important functions and forti- fied by all that is reliable in executive control and capitalistie reinforcement, is the Clarence Savings Bank, established in the thriving little city of Clarence.
The Clarence Savings Bank was or- ganized in January, 1905, and was duly incorporated under the laws of the state, with a capital stock of $20,000, which was increased to $40,000 at the annual election of the stockholders in January, 1907. The personnel of the original board of directors was as here noted : J. H. Merrin, Burrel Million, Dr. J. W. Megee, B. L. Glahn, H. C. Williams, M. H. Lewis and W. M. Pritchard. The executive officers of the institution have remained the same from the initiation of business until December, 1910, when James O. Stribbling was elected presi- dent to succeed J. H. Merrin, who re- tired on account of his extreme age. Mr. Stribbling enjoys a wide acquaintance throughout the county and his connec- tion with the bank will add to the strength and popularity of that now popular banking house. The other offi- cers are : Burrel Million, vice-president (Mr. Million died in the summer of 1910 and .J. B. Shale was elected in Jan- mary, 1911) ; and Walter M. Pritchard, cashier. There has been no change in
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