USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 57
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
Wood, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of the state of Tennessee. The father's father, William Wood, was also born and reared in Kentucky, where his parents were among the pioneers of that great and progressive state. There John Wesley Wood, father of Hugh W., was born on May 3, 1831, and from there he accompanied his parents to Missouri and Shelby county in 1835, when he was but four years old. He grew to man- hood and secured a common school edu- cation in the primitive country schools of his boyhood, the best then attainable in the undeveloped state of this region.
After leaving school he started the battle of life for himself as a farmer on a traet of forty aeres of wild land. This he reduced to subjection and fertility, improved it into a comfortable country home and, as his prosperity increased, added to its extent by additional pur- clases. He is now seventy-eight years of age and is still actively engaged in farming and raising live stock, his farm now comprising 180 acres of superior land and being all under skillful and vigorous cultivation. It is located three miles northwest of Shelbina.
Mr. Wood, the elder, married Miss Kitty Robb, a native daughter of Ten- nessee, as has been stated, but long resi- dent in this county. Of the nine chil- dren born of this union six are living: Meredith, the wife of Malcolm Swear- inger, of Shelbina; IIugh W., the subject of this sketch; Meretta, the wife of L. W. Duncan; Laura Frances, the wife of Ollie Fletcher; and Myrtle, the wife of W. H. Tenney, all residents of Shelby county, the last named having her home
in Shelbina. The father adheres faith- fully and firmly to the Democratic party in political matters and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in his religious relations.
Hugh W. Wood was educated in the public schools of Shelby county and, after completing their course of instrue- tion, helped his father on the home farm until he reached the age of twenty-seven years. In the autumn of 1888 he began the career in farming and raising live stock which he is still extending. His fine farm of eighty-five acres is a model of its size and capacity in the develop- ment to which it has been brought and the skill and intelligence with which it is managed. For, having no ambition in any other line of effort, Mr. Wood stud- ies what he is engaged in and applies to his operations in both farming and the live stock industry all that he can ac- quire of valuable information from ju- dicious reading and reflection. All this is greatly to his credit and of material benefit to his township and county, in which he has always manifested a very active and helpful interest.
On October 3, 1888, Mr. Wood was united in marriage with Miss Mary L. Fletcher, a daughter of Charles A. Fletcher, who was a prominent resident of Shelbina. His political allegiance is given to the Democratic party and in all its campaigns he is one of its service- able and appreciated workers, although never seeking any of its honors or offi- cial positions for himself. Ilis religions affiliation is with the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, and in this also he takes an earnest and productive interest,
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
as he does in the work of all church or- obligations with cheerfulness, entered ganizations without regard to creed or denominational differences.
JOHN T. DAVIS.
Looking well always to the interests of his country and freely offering his life and all its energies to the service of that country, whether the call of duty took liim to the gory field of battle trampled by the relentless iron heel of civil war or those white with the harvests of peace- ful and productive industry, John T. Davis, one of the leading and most suc- cessful farmers and live stock men of Jackson township in this county, bas vin- dicated his patriotism and sterling citi- zenship in peace and war.
He was born in Marion county, Mis- souri, in 1833, and is a son of Gabriel and Cynthia (Kinkaid) Davis, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Vir- ginia. They were married in 1832 and had six children, two of whom are living : John T. and his brother Wallace, who is also a resident of Shelby county. The father was born in 1809 and came to Mis- souri in 1828. Through the agency of his ancestors and other hardy pioneers his native state had by that time been largely redeemed from its wild and un- pruned condition and made highly pro- ductive and progressive. But when he became a resident of Missouri at the age of nineteen he found the frontier condi- tions still extensively prevalent and him- self face to face with the problem that had engaged the energies of his fore- fathers one and two generations earlier in Kentucky. But he was of heroic mold and accepted the situation and its
upon the duties before him with alacrity and did his part toward the development and improvement of the region in which he had taken up his residence with dili- gence and fidelity to every requirement. He located in Marion county and en- gaged in farming and raising live stock, which he followed continuously and with success until 1884, when he retired from active labor. In 1848 he sold his Marion county property and bought a farm in Shelby county, on which he passed the remainder of his life and died in 1894. He was a Republican in political faith and allegiance from the foundation of the party and always gave its principles and candidates his earnest and effective support.
John T. Davis was educated in the country schools of this county and after leaving school learned the carpenter trade. He worked at this until 1864, when he enlisted in the Union army, Company F, Thirty-ninth Missouri In- fantry, under command of Captain Poe. The Civil war was in its last stage of vigor, however, at the time of his enlist- ment, and his military service lasted only six months. At the end of that time he was mustered out of the army at St. Louis, Missouri. He was ready for more arduous trials in the service than he ex- perienced, as he was familiar with mili- tary tactics and knew something of the possible hazards and hardships of war, having belonged to the state militia for some years before the Civil war began and during the war until his enlistment.
After his discharge from military service he returned to his Shelby county home and remained there two years. In
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1867 he bought a farm of fifty acres and to its development,. improvement and proper cultivation he devoted himself with all his energy until a short time ago. He now has his farm worked by a tenant but still employs himself in light tasks in connection with its management. He has prospered as a farmer and stock man, and has attained to general esteem and approval as a citizen. He gives his ear- nest support to the Republican party in political affairs and is potential in its service. His fraternal relations with the Grand Army of the Republic are main- tained in active membership and devoted loyalty to that organization, and his re- ligious convictions find expression in zealous and helpful connection with the Sonthern Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in 1867 to Miss Ange- line Davis, of New York state. They have had three children, two of whom are living : Alma, at home, and Linnens I., who resides in the state of Texas. The mother of these children died Feb- ruary 8, 1905.
CHARLES A. GRAVES.
Among the substantial, prosperous and progressive farmers and live stock men of Jackson township, this county, none stands higher than Charles A. Graves, whether his industry, good management and success in his business or the elevated character and continued usefulness of his citizenship is taken as the gange of his merit. He is well and widely estecmed for both, and it is con- ceded on all sides that he is fully worthy of the high rank he holds in the general
esteem of the people wherever he is known.
Mr. Graves was born in Marion county, Missouri, on March 31, 1858, but has been a resident of Shelby county for many years. He is a son of James and Martha (Janes) Graves, natives of Ken- tucky, who were married in Kentucky, and had eleven children, three of whom are living: Ellen, the wife of John W. Hubbard, of Monroe City, Missouri; Henrietta, the wife of R. D. Rogers, who resides in Oregon; and Charles A., the interesting subject of this brief review. The father settled in Marion county, this state, long before the Civil war and was busily engaged in farming and raising live stock until the end of his life. He belonged to the Democratic party in po- litical allegiance and the Catholic church in religious faith and obedience, and gave earnest attention to the interests of both.
Charles A. Graves obtained a limited common school education in the country schools of this county, and after leav- ing their course of training began the struggle for advancement in life by working on farms in the neighborhood of his home, in addition to what he did there, assisting his mother, who was then a widow. Some time later he moved to this county and bonght a farm. On this he has worked hard and steadily, but with judgment and profit, ever since, making it highly productive and improving it with judicions taste, re-creating it into one of the attractive rural homes of the township in which it is located. He has carried on, in con- nection with his farming operations, a
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
flourishing live stock business, raising many head of stock and feeding num- bers for the markets. In both lines of liis endeavor he has been very success- ful, because he has applied intelligence as well as great energy to his work. His farm now comprises 160 acres and is nearly all under enltivation.
Mr. Graves has suffered many dis- asters in his career as a farmer and stoek man, but these never disheartened him. On the contrary, they seemed to awaken latent powers of enterprise in him and stimulate him to broader vision and still greater activity. In the local affairs of the county, and especially those of his township, he has taken a very earnest interest and rendered very helpful service. He has been a member of the school board three years, is a stoekholder in the IFunnewell bank, and in many other ways has contributed to the advancement and improvement of this portion of the state and the endur- ing welfare of its people.
He was first married on February 1, 1880, to Miss Louisa Howe, a resident of Shelby county, and by this marriage be- came the father of five children, all of whom are living. They are: Artie, who resides in Marion county, Missouri ; James, whose home is in the state of Montana ; Estes Varian, a resident of St. Louis, Missouri; Josie, the wife of M. Miller, of California; and Letha Ethel, who also lives in California. The father was married again December 20, 1905, uniting with Mrs. Cora E. (Kellogg) Snider, of this county. They have one child, their son Charles Lyman, who is still at home with his parents. The father is a Democrat in his political re-
lations and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in his religious affiliation. He is regarded as one of the leading and most useful citizens of his township.
JAMES W. HOWE.
James W. Howe, widely known in northwestern Missonri as one of the most successful and progressive farmers and publie spirited citizens of Shelby county, whose fine farm of 420 aeres is located in Jackson township, is a native of this county and was born on July 7, 1846. Ifis father, Samuel R. Howe, was born in the state of Kentucky and came to Missouri at an early date, while the greater part of the state was still on the frontier and its resources were vet wait- ing for the commanding might of mind and the energy of the pioneers and their followers to call them into productive- ness and the service of mankind. He located in Shelby county and here he was continuonsly and successfully en- gaged in farming and raising live stock until his death in 1877.
He was married to Miss Naney David- son, of this county, and they became the parents of eight children, all of whom are living : Susan, the wife of J. E. How- ell; John, also a prosperous farmer; James W., the immediate subject of this memoir; Eliza Am, the wife of George See; Francis, another contributor to the agricultural greatness of Shelby county ; Margaret, who resides in the neighbor- hood of her birthplace ; Rebecca, the wife of Harvey Rivercomb; and Lonisa, the widow of the late Charles Graves. They are all residents of this county. The father was a Demoerat in politics and a
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
sturdy manhood of the English, uniting both with the thrift and resourcefulness that distinguish the people of New England.
Mr. Phillips was born in Wyoming county, New York, on June 16, 1841, and is a son of William H. and Phileta (Pier- son) Phillips, the former a native of New Hampshire, born in 1801, and the latter born in 1810 and reared in Con- necticut. The father was a farmer and passed the whole of his life after the removal of the family to the state of New York on the parental homestead actively engaged in farming. He died in 1869, but throughout his career relied on his own exertions for advancement, and never made much of the fact that he was a descendant of Lord Phillips of Ire- land. In politics he was a Whig until the extinction of the party, and after that a Republican. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living-Arabella, of Harvey, Illinois ; Mary, of Lakenan, in this coun- ty ; Kitty P., the widow of H. M. John- son, and now a resident of Live Oak, Florida; and the immediate subject of this brief review; Bessie V., now the widow of William H. Cushman, resides at Phoenix, Arizona.
Eugene C. Phillips obtained his edu- cation in the public schools of Erie county, New York. On leaving school he showed his fidelity to the Union by en- listing for the Civil war in the Thirty- third New York Battery of Light Artil- lery under Capt. A. M. Wheeler. The battery was an independent organiza- tion, but wholly devoted to the cause of the Union and worked in perfect har- mony and co-operation with the Federal
forces. It was stationed most of the time at or near Petersburg, and was ac- tively engaged in all the operations around that historic center of the storm of the great Civil war.
Mr. Phillips was mustered out of the service in June, 1865, and returned to the home of his parents in Erie county, New York. and worked his father's farm as a tenant for two years. In the spring of 1870 he became a resident of Mis- sonri, locating on a farm he purchased in Shelby county. He cultivated and im- proved this farm until 1908, and in con- nection with his farming operations car- ried on an extensive enterprise in stock breeding. In the year last mentioned he retired from active pursuits and has since been enjoying the rest to which his long years of faithful and productive toil entitled him. He has his farm rented and gives his attention to other interests which command and reward it. He is a stockholder in the Commercial Bank of Shelbina, and is now and long has been a stockholder in and director of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Association of Shelby County.
In March, 1867, Mr. Phillips was mar- ried to Miss Helen Churchill, of Niagara county, New York, and by this marriage became the father of three children, all of whom are living. They are: Edwin P., of Hannibal, Missouri; Gertrude, who is the wife of Robert MeIllvoy, of Troy, Missouri, and Ernest, a successful business man, now living in Chicago. In polities the father is an ardent Prohibi- tionist and in religion a devout and ser- viceable member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, South. He is well es- teemed in the county and is favorably
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
known in all parts of it. He has been helpful in developing it and is looked upon as one of its most worthy and es- timable citizens.
JAMES A. SPENCER.
The interesting subject of this brief memoir, whose death on April 4, 1904, east a gloom over the whole community in which he had so long been a leading citizen, successful merchant and pros- perous and progressive farmer, was a native of Marion county, Missouri, where he was born on July 14, 1841. He was a son of Edward G. and Margaret (McElroy) Spencer, who were natives of Kentucky. They were married in Kentucky and had twelve children, five of whom are living: Wilson, a resident of Saline county, Missouri; Mollie, the wife of Douglas Rieks, of Taylorville, Illinois; Edward and Dorris, whose homes are in this county; and Henry C., who lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
The father came to Missouri at an early day and located in Marion county. There for a number of years he was prosperously engaged in farming, but late in life he changed his residence to Lafayette county, and there he died in 1871. He was a man of force and prom- inence, active in the early history of the locality in which he lived, esteemed by all who knew him, and deserving their regard and approbation by his upright- ness and good influence as a man and his progressiveness and usefulness as a citizen.
His son, James A. Spencer, was edu- cated in the public schools in Shelby- ville and Paris, Missouri, and after se-
curing his own mental training for the duties of life shared the benefits he de- rived from it with others by teaching school at Paris for some years. He moved to Shelby county in 1869 and lo- cated at Hunnewell, where he followed the drug business four years. At the end of that period he changed the seat of his activity to Monroe county and his occupation to farming. His mind was too versatile and active to be con- fined to one line of employment, how- ever, and in 1875 he returned to Hun- newell and to merchandising in connec- tion with his farming and live stock in- dustries. He was first a grocer and afterward a general merchant, carrying on an extensive business in each line and winning a very gratifying success in both. He was also postmaster of Hunnewell four years.
In 1894 he sold all his mercantile in- terests and began an active and sue- cessful career in the real estate business, still continuing his farming operations. His farm at that time comprised 253 aeres, and this he enlarged by successive purchases until at the time of his death he owned and had under vigorous and progressive cultivation 753 acres. On this farm he passed the last twenty-six years of his life, and in that period greatly improved it and increased its value, making it one of the best and most desirable in Jackson township, in which it was located. He was also a stock- holder in the Hunnewell bank, and was actively and serviceably connected with other institutions of value to the com- munity of his home.
On October 5, 1869, Mr. Spencer united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Rags-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
dale, a daughter of James and Sallie (Deaver) Ragsdale, of Monroe county, this state. Mrs. Spencer was born on December 3, 1849, and is still living. She and her husband became the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living. They are : James F., died September 29, 1910; Sidney H .; Ripley C .; Nellie A., the wife of T. J. Greening ; Richard R .; Earl; Leta, the wife of Claney Fitzsim- mons ; and Orrie M., the wife of Charles M. Yaney. They are all residents of Shelby county. The parents were active and useful members of the Christian church. They were esteemed as among the best and most worthy citizens of the county and enjoyed the regard and good will of the whole people.
SIDNEY H. BROWNE, JR.
Of good old Pennsylvania stock, and inheriting from his ancestry the traits of industry, thrift and persevering self- reliance which are characteristic of the people of that great industrial hive, Sid- ney H. Browne, Jr., one of the enter- prising and prosperous farmers and live stoek men of Jackson township, in this county, has employed his native ability and used his opportunities to great ad- vantage in improving his own worldly condition and helping to push forward the welfare and progress of the locality of his home. He has aptly exemplified on the soil of Missouri the qualities of diligence, frugality and good manage- ment that have so signally advanced the prosperity and made the greatness of his ancestral state, although he is not a native of it.
Mr. Browne was born in Quiney, Illi-
nois, on February 1, 1871, and is a grandson of George Blight Browne, a well-to-do business man of Pennsylva- nia, and a son of Peter A. and Lavena (Jordan) Browne, also natives of Penn- sylvania, the latter born in the city of Philadelphia. The father's life began in 1837 and he became a resident of Mis- souri in 1872, after a residence of some years in Quiney, Illinois, and Hannibal, Missouri. On their arrival in this state the parents located at Hunnewell, where they lived one year. They then moved to a farm one mile and three-quarters from that town. The father engaged in farming and raising live stock, and also dealt extensively in cultivators for the benefit of the farmers living around him, and for his own profit as well. He was in this line of mereantile business about eight years. On March 10, 1900, his life ended on the old homestead.
He and his wife were the parents of six children, five of whom are living: Elizabeth .J., the wife of F. E. Swift, of Hunter, Oklahoma; George Blight, a resident of Burlington, Iowa ; Sidney H., the subject of these paragraphs; Pene- lope, the wife of J. A. O'Daniel, of Hun- newell; and Kenton S., who also lives at Hunnewell. The father was a Re- publican in his political faith and al- legiance, and earnestly interested in the welfare of his party, although he was never a very active partisan. His fra- ternal affiliation was with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows.
Sidney H. Browne, Jr., had the prep- aration for the battle of life usually se- enred by boys of his class and surround- ings. He was trained to useful labor on his father's farm and in scholastic
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development and acquirements in the public schools, attending them at Hun- newell. Since leaving school he has been continuously engaged in farming and raising live stock with increasing pros- perity and progressive intelligence. He has not only given his business close and careful attention in a manual way, but has studied its requirements and possibilities, applying to his operations the best information he could gather from reading and reflection, and he has been successful accordingly. He is a stockholder in the Farmers and Mer- chants' Bank and has interests in other profitable connections.
On December 19, 1895, he was united in marriage with Miss Olive Dill, who was born on November 6, 1873, and is a daughter of F. M. and Heneretta (Sel- sor) Dill, highly respected residents of this county. One child has been born of the union, a son named Francis Marion, who is living at home with his parents. The father is a zealous and active mem- ber of the Republican party in his politi- cal alliance. His fraternal connection is with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and he and his wife are devoted adherents of the Southern Methodist Episcopal church.
PETER A. SNIDER. (Deceased.)
After a trying and adventurous ex- perience during the first few years of his manhood, which embraced the haz- ards of sectional strife on the battle fields of the Civil war and confinement in a military prison, a surveillance of
months under a military parole and a residence and struggle for existence in a state distant from his home and all the associations of his boyhood and youth, Peter A. Snider settled down to farming and raising live stock, and be- came one of the prosperous, enterpris- ing and progressive men engaged in those pursuits in Jackson township of this county.
Mr. Snider was born near Columbus, Ohio, on June 29, 1841, and was a grand- son of Peter Snider, a native of Ger- many, who came to this country and lo- cated in Pennsylvania in his early man- hood. He is a son of John Henry and Barbara (Rupright) Snider, the former born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and the latter a native of Germany. After their marriage they lived for a time in Frank- lin county, Ohio, near the capital city of Columbus. They moved to Hannibal, Missouri, in 1842, and after a residence of four years in that city, came to Shelby connty and took up their residence on a farm on which the village of Kendall now stands. The father also opened a general store there, which he conducted for six or seven years, then moved his stock of goods to Hunnewell, but still retained his farm at Kendall. He con- tinned his mercantile operations at Hun- newell until the troublesome times inci- dent to the Civil war destroyed his busi- ness and ended his mercantile career. He then returned to his farm, where he died in 1863.
His first wife, the mother of Peter A. Snider, their only child, died while the latter was still in his childhood, and some time afterward he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Utz, a resi-
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