USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 52
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ways took a very active and serviceable interest in church work, serving his con- gregation as deacon and elder at inter- vals for fifty years.
Judge Rufus Farrell was educated in a private school at Clarence, under the management and instruction of Profes- sor Johnson. After leaving school he was associated with his uncle, James M. Farrell, six years in extensive farming operations, and at the end of that period he went to St. Louis and took up the live-stock commission business in part- nership with Metcalf, Moore & Company. and this occupied him until 1879. In that year he changed his plans and took charge of the Commercial hotel at Mo- berly, Missouri, and carried it on until 1882. Tiring of the life of a publican by that time, he sold out in that year and returned to farming on 120 acres of his father's old place in Shelby county. He continued his activity in this line of en- deavor and the allied ones of raising and feeding live stock, and shipping hogs and cattle to the markets for fifteen years, until 1897, in fact, when he took up his residence in Clarence and gave his attention to the grain elevator and stock business in association with J. B. Shale. This business connection lasted until 1902, when Mr. Farrell was elected district judge. He served one term of four years, and at the end of that, in 1906, he was chosen presiding judge of Shelby county. Since his accession to this office, through his efforts, the county has built a fine infirmary, which was very badly needed, and which is now highly appreciated by the people.
Judge Farrell was first married in 1871, to Miss Florence Martin, of this
county. One child was born to them in 1872, and died in 1874. Mrs. Farrell died in 1875, of tuberculosis. On No- vember 4, 1883, the Judge contracted a second marriage, being united on this occasion with Miss Bettie Wright, a resi- dent of Maud, Missouri. Ten children have been born to them, and all of them are living: Ruby, the wife of Dr. S. J. Miller, of Liberal, Kansas; Gentry T., a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Una May, the wife of Earl Ray, of Louisiana, Missouri; and Blanche, John W., Madge, Maurine, Manuel, Juanita and Eliza- beth, all of whom are living at home with their parents. In politics, Judge Farrell is a Democrat in his faith and allegiance, but since his accession to the bench he has not been an active parti- san, although outside of political consid- erations he takes a great and very help- ful interest in all the public affairs of the county, state and nation. He has also been energetic and progressive with ref- erence to local improvements and every- thing involving the comfort, convenience and enduring welfare of the people of the locality in which he lives. Ilis relig- ious affiliation is with the Christian church. Of the Judge's legal attain- ments, course on the bench, judicial tem- perament, or other qualifications for the high office he fills, it is not for the pres- ent biographer to speak. They are writ- ten in enduring phrase in the records of his court, the decisions he has rendered, and the general and high estimation in which he is held as a jurist all over the state of Missouri and those that are ad- jacent to it. There is tribute to his at- tainments, also, in the fact that he has been the choice of the people for a higher
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position on the bench after having given them appreciated service in a lower one, and that his popularity at home and re- nown abroad in the exalted station he fills increases and intensifies as the years pass and add their testimony in favor of his excellence as a judge, his useful- ness as a citizen and his worth as a man.
ALONZO L. GRISWOLD.
Making his struggle for advancement in life in several different occupations- agricultural, mechanical and mercantile -- Alonzo L. Griswold, one of the leading merchants of Clarence, in this county, has been successful in all, and his prog- ress has been steady and continued. He has enterprise and perseverance, and through his varied experience has ac- quired a good knowledge of the world and of human nature in its many forms of development and activity. And he is industrious in the application of his knowledge to his business, adapting him- self to the tastes and requirements of his patrons with a zealous determination to meet their wants and satisfy their wishes.
Sual, Iowa; Clarence T., who has his home in Clarence, this county; Charles W., also a resident of Clarence; Emma, the wife of John Thorne, of Sumner, Missouri; Abbie, the wife of E. W. Black, of Chillicothe, Missouri, and Harry A., a prosperous citizen of Colo- rado Springs, Colorado, in addition to Alonzo L., the subject of this brief re- view, who is sixth in order of birth of the eight living children of the household.
In early life the father moved from his native state to Aberdeen, Indiana, and in 1868 brought his family to Missouri, locating at Clarence, in this county. He worked at his trade of blacksmithing all of his mature life until about twenty years before his death, when he retired from active work. He died on January 6, 1906. Ile was a Republican in polit- ical faith and activity, and devoted to the success and general welfare of his party. In fraternal relations he was for many years actively and prominently connected with the Masonic order, and when he died was buried by his lodge ac- cording to the ritual of the order. His religious connection was with the Pres- byterian church.
Mr. Griswold was born in Aberdeen, Alonzo L. Griswold obtained a district school education in Clarence, and after leaving school engaged in farming until 1882. During the next six years he and his brother, Clarenec T. Griswold, con- ducted a flourishing blacksmithing busi- ness in partnership. Tiring of this line of work, he abandoned it in 1SSS, and became a clerk in the dry goods and clothing store of Marvin Dimmitt, in Clarence. He was employed in the store in the capacity of clerk and salesman for Indiana, on February 18, 1863, and came to Missouri with his parents when he was but five years old. He is a son of Washington R. and Louisa (Larue) Gris- wold, the former born in Trumbull county, Ohio, on June 4, 1828, and the latter a native of Baton Rouge, Louis- iana. Their marriage occurred in 1851 and they were the parents of nine chil- dren, cight of whom are living: William E., a resident of Clarence, Missouri ; Ida, the wife of Dr. J. D. MeNecly, of six years, and at the end of that period
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became the manager of the business, Mr. Dimmitt retiring in 1895. He has since carried it on under the name and style of A. L. Griswold & Co., and has made it one of the leaders in its line in this part of the state. His store is a very popular one and he has the confidence of the people as to his business methods and meets the requirements of the com- mumity by the extent, variety and com- prehensiveness of his stock.
Mr. Griswold was married on April 3, 1895, to Miss Margaret E. Carruthers, of Shelby county, Missouri. They have had seven children, five of whom are living: Clarence A., Ernest F., Gladys M., Warren R. and Ellen L., all of whom are still members of the parental family circle. The father is a Republican in politics and a Modern Woodman of the World in fraternal life. He stands well as a merchant, is influential and promi- nent as a citizen, and is held in the high- est esteem as a man.
JAMES A. HAMILTON.
Farmer, miller and merchant, James A. Hamilton, of Clarence, in this county, has, during all of the last twenty-eight years, contributed essentially and sub- stantially to the progress and develop- ment of Shelby county and the enduring welfare of its people. He is not a native of the county, but has lived so long and so serviceably among its people, that, to all intents and purposes he is practically a Shelby countian, being thoroughly im- bued with the spirit and aspirations of its citizens and zealous and effective in helping to carry them to their highest and best development.
Mr. Hamilton was born in Monroe county, Missouri, on May 24, 1854, and is a grandson of Walter Hamilton, a na- tive of Marion county, Kentucky, where Clement A. Hamilton, the father of James A., also was born, his life begin- ning there in 1824. He came to Missouri in 1851 and took up his residenee in Mon- roe county. There he was engaged ex- tensively and continuonsly in farming and general stock raising until 1888. when he retired from active pursuits and moved to Clarence, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying in Novem- ber, 1900. He was very successful in all his undertakings, at one time owning and farming 500 acres of land.
He was married in 1846 to Miss Susan Mary Brown, a native of Washington county, Kentucky. They became the pa- rents of eleven children, seven of whom are living : Susan Dorothy, the wife of J. 0. Stribling, of Clarence, Missouri; James A., the subject of these para- graphs; Margaret Isabelle, the wife of J. T. Elliott, of Monroe City; P. W., a resident of Monroe county, this state; Mary Ann, the widow of the late E. C. Patrick, of Clarence ; Hattie, the wife of William Lister, of Hnnnewell, Missouri ; and C. A., a resident of Monroe City. The father was a Democrat in his poli- ties and a member of the Catholic church in his religions faith and allegiance. He was highly respected as a man and wielded considerable influence in the af- fairs of his locality as a progressive and publie spirited citizen.
His son, James A. Hamilton, was edu- eated in the distriet schools of Monroe county, and after leaving school worked on the home farm with his father until
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his marriage. In 1882 lie bought land in Shelby county, on which he engaged in farming and raising live stoek until 1891. He then sold his farm of 160 acres and accepted the position of manager of the Alliance flour mill at Shelbina. In 1893 he bought the mill in association with other men and continued to condnet its operation until 1901. In that year he sold his interest in it, but continued to live at Shelbina until 1904, when he moved to Clarence, and here he has ever since been actively engaged in the har- ness and road vehicle trade. He has been successful in all his undertakings and is one of the substantial and promi- ment citizens of the town in which he lives, active in promoting its progress and development and looking after the best interests of its people, and those of a large extent of the surrounding coun- try. He has always taken an earnest in- terest and an active part in the public affairs of the community of his home and been of very substantial service to the people. While living in Shelbina he served as alderman of the city, and much of its progress is due to his wise and ju- dieious care of everything involving the welfare of its people, both as a public official and a private citizen.
Mr. Hamilton was married in 1879 to Miss Cecilia T. Worland, of Lakenan, Shelby county, Missouri. They have had four children, three of whom are living: John C., who resides in the state of Mon- tana ; Margaret, the wife of E. C. Davis, of Brookfield, Missouri; and Winona, who is living at home with her parents. In politics the father is a Demoerat, in fraternal relations a Modern Woodman
of America, and in religions affiliation a member of the Catholic church.
HON. H. JEANE SIMMONS.
The Clarence Courier, published at Clarence in this county, is one of the bright, lively, up-to-date and progres- sive newspapers of our country which enjoys an unusual allotment of For- tune's favors. It is doubly endowed in its editorial department, combining therein the delicacy and grace of woman with the strength and aggressiveness of man-the endearing arms of tenderness engirdled with the steel bracelets of power. Its editorial staff ineludes Hon. H. Jeane Simmons, its owner and pub- lisher, and his accomplished wife, Mrs. Alice (Grant) Simmons, one of the most successful and pleasing literary ladies in this part of the country. It is to this duplex torch that this volume is indebted for the luminous, interesting and com- prehensive general history of Shelby county which sparkles on its pages. That attractive chroniele of the life, progress, aspirations and achievements of the peo- ple of the county is the joint product of Mr. and Mrs. Simmons, and it proclaims their mastery of facts and the best meth- od of grouping and presenting them for the entertainment of the reader in every paragraph. But it must speak for itself, and it does so in a voice of no uneertain sound or meaning.
Mr. Simmons represented Shelby county in the lower branch of the state legislature continuously from 1900 to 1908, and was again chosen as its repre- sentative in that body on November 8,
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H. JEANE SIMMONS
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
1910. He was born in the village of Girard, Branch county, Michigan, on March 6, 1869, and is a son of Watson C. and Etta J. (Brown) Simmons. The father was a native of Erie county, New York, where his life began on July 6, 1841. He died in Monroe county, Mis- sonri, on April 5, 1870, closing at the age of twenty-nine years a life of un- usual promise and of considerable achievement, short as it was.
During his boyhood his parents moved to Branch county, Michigan, and there he grew to manhood and obtained his education. On June 20, 1861, he heark- ened to one of the first calls for volun- teers for the defense of the Union and enlisted in Company E, Fourth Michi- gan Volunteer Infantry, in the federal army, for a term of three years. But he suffered in the service, and in April, 1862, was discharged on account of disa- bility, receiving his release at George- town, Kentucky. He returned home and recuperated his health, and then, still fired with patriotic ardor, again enlisted in the Union army, this time becoming a member of Company H, Ninth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and being enrolled in the City of Kalamazoo. Under his second enlistment he served to the close of the war, and was mustered out at
Nashville, Tennessee, on September 15, 1865. The next fom years were passed by him in his native county. In 1869 he moved his family to Monroe county in this state and engaged in farming six miles south of Hunnewell. But he had not more than fairly started his useful labors in this state before death ended them, and left his son Jeane an orphan aged thirteen months.
The father was married on October 7, 1863, to Miss Etta J. Brown, who is still living. They had two children, the im- mediate subject of this review, and his brother, Glenn C. Simmons, who is now a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The family had its origin in this country in the east, the grandparents of Mr. Sim- mons of this sketch being natives of the state of New York, and descended from families long resident in that part of the country. But they were versatile and could easily adapt themselves to eircum- stances. Although reared amid the cus- toms and trained to the ideals of the east they met all the requirements of the west and prospered on its soil and were esteemed by its people. The same adaptability to requirements distin- guishes the present representatives of the family, and has enabled them to do well wherever they have found them- selves and in whatever they have under- taken.
The mother of Hon. H. Jeane Simmons married again after the death of his father, and during the childhood of her two sons became a resident of Shelby county, locating on a farm three miles south of Clarence. Here Mr. Simmons passed his boyhood and youth in the pur- suits and experiences customary in this region. The family moved to Clarence in 1875 and here he began his scholastic training in the public schools and com- pleted it at the college in Glasgow, How- ard county, from which he was grad- nated, after a four years' course of study, in 1889. After receiving his col- lege degree he followed teaching school one year, then entered the employ of the Missouri Lumber & Mining Company,
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with which he remained a year. Follow- ing that engagement he was variously occupied until June of 1894, when he purchased The Clarence Courier, which he has edited and published ever since. From 1201 to 1910 he was assisted in publishing the paper by his brother-in- law, Edward B. Grant, whose connec- tion with the Courier was severed by his death in July of the year last mentioned.
In politics Mr. Simmons has been a life-long Democrat. He has been very energetie and effective in the service of his party, and has risen to commanding influence and leadership in its councils, both in Shelby county and the state at large. He served as mayor of Clarence from 1895 to 1899, and as city clerk for two terms previous to his first election as mayor. In 1900 he was elected to the state house of representatives, and so satisfactory were his services in that as- semblage that he was re-elected in 1902, and again in 1904 and 1906. He was chosen for a fifth term in the fall elec- tion of 1910. He was also a candidate for the office of lieutenant governor in the fall of 1908, but was defeated for the nomination by a small majority in the primary election. During his service in the house of representatives he has served as chairman of the committees on Life Insurance and Ways and Means, and as a member of the committee on Railroads and Internal Improvements, and several others of leading impor- tance. He was also a member of the com- mission appointed to make arrangements for the centennial celebration of the Louisiana Purchase by a world's fair in St. Louis.
In the session of 1907, Mr. Simmons introduced and secured the passage of the two cent railroad fare law, which is now being tested as to its constitu- tionality in the Supreme Court of the United States. He was also the father of the law providing for the choice of United States senators at primary elec- tions, the law regulating the taxation of franchises and the compulsory education law. In 1903, Governor Dockery ap- pointed him a member of the commission to audit the books of all state officials, and in 1907 he was chairman of the com- mittee which was appointed to refurnish the legislative halls and other rooms in the state capitol.
On May 23, 1894. Mr. Simmons united in marriage with Miss Alice Grant. a daughter of William and Mary A. (Moul- ton) Grant, the former a native of Eng- land and the latter of the province of Ontario, Canada. They located in Mon- roe county, Missouri, in 1869, and in 1879 moved to Shelbina, where the father died in 1893. The mother is now living at Clarence. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons have had two children, their daughters, Alice Jean and Annette, the former of whom died at the age of eighteen months. Annette is still living at home with her parents.
Mrs. Simmons, who has won renown by her versatile and graceful pen, and is one of the distinguished literary lights of Missouri, was educated in the schools of Shelbina, being graduated from the high school in 1888. For three years she taught schools at different places in Shelby county, and during another pe- riod of equal length was principal of the
MRS. H. J. SIMMONS
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Intermediate department of the Shel- bina schools. Her whole life has been passed in touch with literature, of which she has been a diligent and discriminat- ing student, and she has its best spirit of productiveness largely developed in her nature. She has for years been a valued contributor to the Women's de- partment of a number of the papers in this state, and is now held in high esteem as a writer for several ladies' journals in different parts of the country. While her husband was absent from the city during the first three terms of his ser- vice, she successfully edited The Clar- ence Conrier, and neither its influence nor its force diminished while it was un- der her control. Her reputation as a newspaper writer of brilliancy, power and directness is coextensive with the state and extends far beyond its borders. She assisted largely in the compilation of the general history of Shelby county that is published in this work.
Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and both are active in all the good work of the congregation to which they belong. Mr. Simmons is chairman of its board of stewards and superin- tendent of its Sunday school. He was also chairman of the building committee during the erection of the church edifice now occupied by the congregation. Fra- ternally he is allied with the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. Shelby county has no citizens more es- timable than these, and none whom the people of all classes respect more highly or regard with more genuine and well merited pride and esteem.
J. SIDNER SMITH.
Having passed the three score years and ten allowed by the sacred writer as the ordinary span of a complete life and during more than fifty of the period hav- ing toiled faithfully and effectively in advancing his fortunes and promoting the welfare of the region of his activities, J. Sidner Smith, of Clarence, is now liv- ing retired from active pursuits and en- joying the rest he has so richly earned and the fruits of the labors he so faith- fully performed during the heat and bur- den of his day. He is a fine representa- tive of the best and most useful Shelby county citizenship, and as such is univer- sally esteemed by the people of the county.
Mr. Smith was born in Monroe county, Missouri, on October 7, 1839, and is a son of Thornton and Ann (Sidner) Smith, the former born in Bourbon county, Ken- tucky, on July 12, 1809, and the latter a native of Fayette county in the same state. They were married on November 19, 1829, and became residents of Mis- sonri in 1835, locating in Monroe county, north of Paris. There the father was ac- tively and successfully engaged in farm- ing and raising live stock until his death, which occurred in 1878.
He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are liv- ing: Nancy J., the wife of Sam Baker, a resident of Clarence; J. Sidner, also liv- ing in Clarence; Fannie, the wife of John Williamson; Emma, the wife of Henry Glasscock, of Monroe county, Mis- souri ; John T., who also lives in Monroe county ; M. C., whose home is in Shelby county ; and Robert C., a resident of the
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state of Washington. In politics the father was a firm and faithful member of the Democratic party. In fraternal relations he was long connected with the Masonic order and in religious allegiance was attaclied to the Christian church.
Jacob Sidner Smith obtained his edu- cation in the district schools of Monroe county and when he left school went to work on his father's farm, on which he had been reared and had learned the art to whieli he has ever since been devoted. He did not remain at home long, how- ever, but after working with and for his father a short time. went to Kentucky, the home of his ancestors, where he re- mained a few years, and where he was united in marriage on December 20, 1860, with Miss Sarah E. Houston, of New- town, Scott county, in that state. He re- turned to Missouri with his bride in 1861, and located in Shelby county, and here he was energetically and profitably en- gaged in farming and raising live stock until 1908, when he retired from active pursuits and moved to Clarence. He has 240 acres of fine land, all under cultiva- tion, and its products yield him a very comfortable living.
Mr. Smith and his wife have had twelve children, eleven of whom are liv- ing: Virginia Ella, the wife of J. F. La- riek, of this county; Mary Addie, the wife of P. P. Barton, of Kansas City, Missouri; Robert K., who also lives in Shelby county; Annie Fletcher, the wife of J. W. Brewer, of Kansas City, Mis- souri; Emma Susan, the wife of F. S. Barton, of Shelby county ; Abner G., who resides at Liberty, Missouri; Nora Agnes, the wife of D. M. Butner, of this county; Leslie G., also residing in this
county; Fannie Kate, the wife of Wil- liam Cross, another resident of Shelby county; Sallie H., the wife of Edward Savage, of Kansas City, Missouri; and Emmett S., of Shelby county.
In his political faith and allegiance the father trains with the Democratic party and is zealous of its service, although asking nothing from it for himself. From his youth he has provided for himself without outside aid or any of Fortune's favors, and he has so faithfully per- formed his duties in all relations that everybody who knows him thinks and speaks well of him.
LEWIS J. PETERMAN.
The ordinary observer and the super- ficial judge of affairs measures success in life among men by results. The deeper thinker and more judicious an- alyst of men and events measures it ac- cording to the direction in which a man moves, being convinced that the only real success is to work in the right direc- tion, whatever the results may be. Tried by either standard Lewis J. Peterman, a retired merchant and farmer of Shelby county, now living in ease and comfort in Clarence, has been a successful man. The results he has achieved 'are grati- fying in magnitude and character, and he has always expended his efforts in the direction of not only enlarging his own worldly estate, but as well in promoting to the best of his ability the welfare of his community and the good of the peo- ple among whom he has lived.
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