USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 61
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The father was an active and loyal Democrat in his political faith, but he never held or sought a political office. His religions connection was with the Catholic church. Some years after lie was well established in this country, and had become a prosperous farmer in Adams county, Illinois, his father, Pat- rick Dempsey, brought the rest of the family to that county, and there he met with a tragic fate, being killed by acci-
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dent before he had much opportunity to become acquainted with the institutions and opportunities for advancement in the land in which he had sought a new home.
Mark Dempsey grew to manhood in this county and was educated in its pub- lic schools, as has been stated. At the age of nineteen he began farming as a tenant on land he rented, and a few years later he bought the farm on which he now lives in Jackson township, where he owns 310 aeres and has the whole tract under advanced and skillful enlti- vation. From the time when he began farming until now (1910) he has been continuously engaged in this interesting and progressive pursuit, and in eonnee- tion with his farming operations he has condueted also an extensive business in raising and feeding live stock for the markets. He has been highly successful in both lines of his industry, and has risen to consequence and esteem among the people as one of their most enter- prising, progressive and representative citizens.
So well has he established himself in the public regard, and so thoroughly has he demonstrated his ability, integrity and fitness for official duties, and his abiding interest in the welfare of the county and its people, that he was elected county judge for a term of four years, and during the last eight has been the county assessor, filling the office with great credit to himself and decided bene- fit and acceptability to the people. His political allegiance is given firmly and faithfully to the Democratic party, and he has made himself so serviceable in helping to guide its activities and make
them effective for continued success that he has risen to leadership in it and is highly esteemed by both its members of prominence and its rank and file, all of whom have found his counsel wise and his energy in the party's behalf con- tinuous and effective.
On January 28, 1889, Mr. Dempsey was married in this county to Miss Cath- erine Hurley, a native of Adams county, Illinois, and a daughter of James and Alice Hurley, highly respected residents of that county. Six children have been born in the Dempsey household and five of them are living, and all still mem- bers of the parental family circle. They are: William Hurley, Edward James, Alice Loretta, Margaret and Patrick Leo. All the members of the family be- long to the Catholic church.
JOHN ERTEL.
Although a native of this county, John Ertel, one of the prominent and pro- gressive farmers of Salt River township, this county, is of French parentage and ancestry, and comes of a military strain. His forefathers fought from time to time in the French army, and his grandfather made a ereditable record under Napoleon, following the eagles of the empire from field to field until they were altogether overthrown in the his- torie battle of Waterloo. In his turn the grandson took the field in defense of the Union when war desolated our own un- happy country, and in many a well- fought battle admirably sustained the examples and history of his family.
Mr. Ertel was born in Quiney, Illinois, on June 26, 1844, and is a son of Daniel
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and Mary (Louekinbill) Ertel, the for- mer in Franee in 1815 and the latter a native of Switzerland. The father came to the United States in 1832 and located in Quincy, Illinois. There he worked as a carpenter and millwright until 1860. In that year he moved into the country in Adams county. Illinois, a few miles from Quincy, and turned his attention to general farming, which he followed until 1898. He then returned to Quincy to pass the remainder of his days, and in that city he died in 1899. He was very successful in his several lines of industry, and when he died left an Illi- nois farm of 400 acres and other prop- erty.
His marriage with Miss Mary Louck- inbill took place in 1839, and by it he became the father of twelve children, seven of whom are living: John, who is the only one of them residing in this county; Fred J., whose home is in Quincy, Illinois; George, a resident of Adams county, Illinois ; Albert, who lives in Hannibal, Missouri ; Daniel, of Adams county, Illinois; Emma, the wife of Nicholas Haufner, of Quincy, Illinois; and Louisa, the wife of Wilkie Brunts, also of Adams county, Illinois. In American political affairs the father ad- hered to the Democratic party, and. although he had no official aspirations for himself, always gave his organiza- tion the most loyal and effective support, and was a man of influence in its loeal councils.
John Ertel grew to the age of sixteen in Quiney, Illinois, and then accompa- nied his parents to the farm. He oh- tained his education in the public schools
of his native city, and was about to enter upon a career for himself as a farmer when the Civil war broke out and called him to another department of service. In 1864, when he was but twenty years old, he enlisted in the Union army, Com- pany HI, Fifty-first Illinois Infantry, un- der command of Major Beatty. His service in the army lasted one year and was then ended by his muster ont at Columbus, Georgia, and his discharge soou afterward at Springfield, Illinois. But while his term was short his service was active, and took him into the battles of Chickamauga, Georgia, and Knoxville, Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee, and several minor engagements. He was wounded twice in battle.
After the close of the war he returned to his father's farm, on which he worked until 1868. He was married in that year and began life for himself as a general farmer. He has adhered to this oceupa- tion ever since and has been very sue- cessful at it. In 1890 he became a resi- dent of Shelby county, Missouri, and he now owns 280 acres of fine land in Salt River township, the farm being well im- proved and nearly all under cultivation. He was married in 1868 to Miss Naney Wilhoit, of Adams county, Illinois. Fight of the ten children born of this union are living : William, of this coun- ty; Daniel L., of St. Louis, Missouri; and Jane, George, Anna, Delilah, Nancy and John, all of whom are still living at home with their parents. In politics the father is a Republican. He is loyal to his party and zealous in its service, but has never sought a politieal office of any, kind for himself.
GEO. W. CRAWFORD
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
GEORGE W. CRAWFORD.
A native of the state of New York, born in St. Lawrence county on October 3, 1848, and of Scotch and English an- cestry, George W. Crawford has exem- plified in his career in Missouri the en- terprise and progressiveness of the great state of his nativity and the sterling traits of the people from which his fam- ily are descended. His grandfather, Jolın W. Crawford, was born and reared in Scotland, where his forefathers lived for many generations. His son, also named John W. Crawford, the father of George W., was a native of Canada, and when but a small boy was taken by his parents to New York state, where the family lived for a number of years and he grew to manhood. A few years later he moved to Illinois, when that now great state was opening its horn of plen- ty to the service of mankind and asking all who chose to come and share in its bounty.
John W. Crawford, the second, was a farmer all his life. On November 22, 1829, he was united in marriage with Miss Diana Fay, a daughter of Caleb Fay, a scion of old English families, long resident in Great Britain, but himself a native of Vermont and a son of Caleb Fay, who was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill. Eleven children were born in the older Crawford household, but only two of them are living, George W. and his older sister Mary. The father died on March 5, 1862, and the mother in 1889.
Their son George W. obtained his edu- cation in the district schools of New York and Illinois, and after leaving
school worked on farms in the latter state. In 1871 he came to Missouri and located in Clay township, Shelby county, and here he has been energetically and successfully engaged in farming and raising live stock from that time to the present. His farm comprises 420 acres and is well improved and highly culti- vated. His stock industry is extensive and active and is managed with the same care and intelligence that he bestows on his farming operations, and like that is progressive and profitable. He is one of the leaders in both industries in this part of the state and has a high and wide- spread reputation for his activity and intelligence in both lines of endeavor and the excellence of his output in stock.
Mr. Crawford was married on Decem- ber 24, 1873, to Miss Mary Bowman, a daughter of Aaron S. and Mary (Pierce) Bowman, who were natives of Tennessee and came to Missouri in 1853. On their arrival in this state they located in Ten Mile township, Macon county, where they lived until 1882, when they moved to Shelby county. Here the father was industriously engaged in farming until within a few years of his death, which occurred on March 25, 1892, when he was eighty-six years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Crawford have had five children, but only two of them are living, their daughter Zella, the wife of Leslie Schwada, and their son Charley M. In polities the father is a Republican, with an abiding interest in the welfare of his party and an energy always ready for its service. He was a member of the school board for ten years or longer. In relig- ions connection he and his wife are affil- iated with the Evangelical church and
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are very zealous and aetive ehureh work- ers, serving as steward of the congrega- tion to which he belongs and taking an earnest interest and leading part in all its benevolent activities and undertak- ings. He is generally esteemed as one of the best and most useful citizens of his township, who can be depended on to do his part in furthering the promotion of every worthy enterprise for its improve- ment and advancement.
JOHN WIGGINS.
Orphaned when he was but little over five years of age by the untimely death of his father, and thus thrown on his own resources at an early age, and now one of the successful and prosperous farmers of Shelby county, with a fine farm of 400 acres in Salt River town- ship, John Wiggins has evidently had vision to see, alertness to seize and in- telligence to use his opportunities for advancement to good advantage. What he has is the fruit of his own unassisted industry, ability and determined spirit, and it is therefore all the more to his credit that he has it, and all the more enjoyable to him in possession and nse.
and took up his residence in Carroll county. But he did not live long to real- ize the high hopes with which he had sought a new home in the distant West, as it was then. He died on the farm on which he had settled his family in Sep- tember of the same year at the age of about forty-five years.
He was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Leach, of the same nativity as himself, and by this marriage became the father of six children, three of whom are living: John, the immediate subjeet of this brief review; Adelaide, the wife of John Onan, of Shelbina; and JJulia, the wife of C. L. Wilkins, who also lives in Shelbina. In politics the father was a pronounced and loyal Democrat and a faithful worker for his party. Ile was industrions and frugal, making good provision for his family, according to his circumstances, and also took an ac- tive and helpful interest in the affairs of his township and county, in which he was esteemed as an excellent eitizen. But his usefulness was ent short and his career ended before he had made much headway in his struggle for ad- vancement, and he left his widow and offspring but slenderly provided for.
Mr. Wiggins is a Kentnekian by birth, It thus happened that the mother of John Wiggins found herself with sev- eral children to rear and educate as best she could, and an undeveloped farm ont of which to make a livelihood for her household. But she entered upon the task bravely and performed her duty faithfully. Nevertheless, it became nee- essary for her son John, her oldest child, to begin his work in the world at an early age. He obtained a limited edu- but he was brought to this county by his parents when he was but seven years old, and he has lived here from then to the present time. He was born in Mason county, Kentucky, on May 10, 1846, and is a son of Thomas Wiggins and a grand- son of Archibald Wiggins, the latter born and reared in Virginia and the for- mer in Kentucky, his life begining in Mason county of that state in 1806. He moved his family to Missouri in 1851, cation in the distriet schools of Carroll
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county, just over the line from Ray county, in which his mother's farm was located, but was not allowed to attend them long or with any regularity while he went to them.
He remained at home assisting his mother on the farm until 1864, then moved to Shelby county and began farm- ing and raising live stock on his own account. He has dwelt in this county continuously ever since and been en- gaged in the same occupations all the time. He has been very successful in his operations, having nothing to start with in the way of capital, and is now one of the substantial farmers of the township in which he lives. On Decem- ber 8, 1870, he was married to Miss Mar- tha Cadwell, of this county. Four chil- dren have been born to them and all of them are living. They are: Clara May, the wife of A. B. Stalcup; Birda Ethel MeGee, whose home is in this county ; Addie, the wife of Alonzo Keith, of Shelbina; and Allie, the wife of Elwood Snell, who resides in Texas. The par- ents are zealous members of the Mis- sionary Baptist church and take an ac- tive part in the work of the congrega- tion in the sect to which they belong.
WILLIAM L. DUNCAN.
A son of the late Judge Duncan, of this county, and taking from him the management of the farm on which he was born and reared, and on which he learned the art of farming under the careful tutelage of his father, William L. Duncan, of Black Creek township, in this connty, has demonstrated in his suc- cessful career that the lessons of his
boyhood and youth were not lost upon him, and also that he had capacity to apply them in practice to his own ad- vantage and the benefit of the township and county in which he lives and has passed the whole of his earthly exist- ence to this time.
Mr. Duncan was born in this county on December 15, 1864, and is a son of William H. Duncan, who was born in this county in 1844, and a grandson of Levin Duncan, a native of Maryland, who was one of the early settlers of this part of Missouri. His son, William H. Duncan, the father of William L., was reared in this county and educated in its public schools. From the time when he left school until his death he was en- ergetically and profitably engaged in farming and raising and feeding live stock for the markets, and in all his op- erations he was one of the most enter- prising and successful men in his town- ship, and one of its leading citizens.
ITis high character and great intelli- gence gave him influence with the peo- ple and made him something of a leader among them. And his interest in the progress and development of the county increased his prominence and power. In 1894 he was elected county judge and in 1896 he was re-elected to the same posi- tion. At the end of his second term, in 1898, he was elected judge at large for his judicial district, but he did not live to take his seat as such. dying before the end of the year in which he was elected to it. In politics he was a Demo- crat and in religious affiliation a mem- ber of the Southern Methodist Episco- pal church.
He was married in 1864 to Miss Mary
L
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Jane Lowman, of this county. They had six children, four of whom are living : William L., the subject of this review; Mettie, whose home is in Shelbyville; Charles B., a resident of Nashville, Ten- nessee ; and Mand, the wife of Clement Tyre, of Lexington, Missouri. They are all esteemed citizens where they live, and in their daily lives exemplify the teach- ings and examples given them at the parental fireside by their excellent par- ents, being faithful in the performance of every duty in both private and public life. The mother now makes her home at Shelbyville with her daughter Mettie.
William L. Duncan began his scholas- tie training in a district school in this county and completed it in a graded publie school in Shelbyville. From school he returned to his father's farm, the one on which he was born and on which he now lives, as has been noted, and began the career as a farmer and live stock man which he is still extend- ing. He has enlarged the farm to 240 acres, cultivated it skillfully and ener- getically, improved it with judgment and good taste, and made it one of the at- tractive and valuable rural homes of the township. He has also taken a good citizen's full part in helping to advance the best interests of his township and county, and labored in all his efforts to promote the enduring welfare of the peo- ple, giving them the stimulus of his in- fluence and the force of his example in good work for progress and develop- ment. On February 19, 1898, he was married to Miss Marietta Wood, a daughter of Wesley and Kittie (Robb) Wood, highly respected residents of this county. Politically he is a Democrat
and fraternally a Knight of Pythias. His wife belongs to the Methodist Epis- copal church, South, and takes an ear- nest interest in church work. Both are among the most generally esteemed citi- zens of the county.
JOHN B. LOWMAN.
Now forty-four years of age, with good health, strength and a spirit of perseverance which is not daunted by difficulties ; owning a fine farm, which he has improved with excellent judg- ment and good taste, and which he has brought to a high state of productive- ness through systematic cultivation ac- cording to the most approved modern methods in agriculture and provided with everything in the way of equip- ment required for its advanced and vig- orous tillage and further development, John D. Lowman, of Black Creek town- ship, this county, is on the highway to extensive prosperity and material con- sermence among men. And, having won the regard of his fellow men who live in the same township and county through his great publie spirit and en- terprise with reference to the progress and improvement of the county, and the readiness and intelligence with which he enters upon every worthy project de- signed to promote them, he has attained a position of influence that promises much for his future as one of the leading citizens of this portion of the state.
Mr. Lowman is a native of Shelby county and has passed the whole of his life to the present time within its bor- ders. He was born on February 15, 1866, and is a son of Samson B. and
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Mary (Wilson) Lowman, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. He had no educational facilities but those furnished by the country schools of this county, but he has been an industrious reader and student on his own account, and is a well-informed man. After leav- ing school he worked on his father's farm and assisted the family until 1891. He then bonght a farm and began a pro- gressive and profitable career in farm- ing and raising live stock for himself, which he is still extending under flour- ishing conditions. His farm comprises 160 acres and he has made it one of the most attractive and valuable of its size in the township. Nearly all of the land is under cultivation, and every acre that is farmed yields first rate returns for the labor and care bestowed on it.
Mr. Lowman was married on August 20, 1902, to Miss Ida B. Fagan, of Ma- rion county, Missouri. Mrs. Lowman is a daughter of George W. and Susan E. (Barnett) Fagan, residents of Philadel- phia, Missouri. His political allegiance is given loyally and faithfully to the Democratic party, and, while he seeks no political honors or advancement for himself, he is impelled by the force of his convictions to zealous and effective efforts for the success of his party in all its campaigns. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and his wife of the Missionary Baptist church. They stand well in their com- munity socially, take an earnest interest and an active part in the work of all the intellectual and moral agencies alive and vigorous around them, and in every way do their part as upright, progressive and estimable citizens, and they are held in
high regard by all classes of the people wherever they are known.
SAMSON B. LOWMAN.
Although of Virginia nativity and parentage, Samson B. Lowman, of Black Creek township in this county, who has made his mark indelibly on the record of the county's history both as a farmer and a public official, and is one of its best known and most esteemed citizens, is of Pennsylvania ancestry. His grand- father, Bernard Lowman, was born and reared in the city of Lancaster, Penn- sylvania, but in his early manhood moved to Middlebrook, Virginia, and there his son, William O. Lowman, the father of Samson B., was born in 1815. There also he grew to manhood, was educated and learned the trade of tan- ner, which he followed in his native state for a number of years.
In February, 1835, he was married to Miss Sarah Eagon, of Staunton, Vir- ginia, and by this marriage became the father of four children, two of whom are living, Samson B. and his sister, Mary Jane, the wife of William H. Dun- can, of Shelbyville, this county. In the fall of 1856 the father moved his family to Missouri, and, after passing the win- ter at Canton, Lewis connty, settled in Shelby county, where he spent the re- mainder of his life and died in 1900. passing away at Shelbyville. In this county he was engaged in farming until about fifteen years before his death, when he retired on the competency he had acquired to enjoy the rest he had richly earned. In polities he was a Dem- ocrat, in fraternal life an Odd Fellow,
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and in religious connection a member of the Southern Methodist Episcopal church.
Samson B. Lowman was educated in private schools at Middlebrook, Vir- ginia, and, after completing his scholas- tie training, worked on the home farm with his father until 1860, having come to this state and Shelby county with his parents. In the year last named he bought 160 acres of land in Black Creek township and began farming and raising live stock on his own account. He has followed these pursuits with unceasing devotion from that time to the present, and has won a very gratifying success in pursuing them. In 1876 he was elected county surveyor and road and bridge commissioner of Shelby county, and he held the office until 1892, and during his tenure built the bridge over Salt river, between Shelbina and Shel- byville, the first iron bridge in the county. But ever since he located on his farm it has been his home.
As has been indicated, Mr. Lowman has been entirely successful in his busi- ness operations, and has also risen to prominence and influence in his town- ship and county. His farm now com- prises 360 acres, and all bnt twenty aeres of it is under cultivation. With his in- telligence and progressiveness in view, it is needless to say that his farming and live stock operations are condneted according to the most approved modern methods and with the application to them of all that is latest and best in the- ory and practice in the industries in- volved. And, with knowledge of his pub- lie spirit, enterprise and interest in his locality, it seems equally needless to say
that he is among the leading and most esteemed citizens of the county.
Mr. Lowman has been married twice. His first marriage took place on Novem- ber 26, 1860, and was with Miss Mary Wilson, who died in 1877. They had four children and two of them are liv- ing: John D., an account of whose life appears in this volume, and his older brother, William M., both residents of this county. On June 26, 1879, the father was married a second time, being united on this occasion with Miss Angie Bryan, of Chillicothe, Missouri. Of the two children born of this marriage only one is living, Florence B., who is Mrs. Joseph C. Graddy, of Lexington, Mis- souri. The father is a Democrat in his political allegiance and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in religious affiliation.
JAMES A. SMITH.
A native of Sussex county, Delaware, where his forefathers lived for several generations, and since 1865, except for a short interval of six months, during which he lived in Atchison, Kansas, a resident of Shelby county, Missouri, James A. Smith, of Lentner township, has passed the greater part of his life to this time amid scenes far different from those of his childhood, youth and early manhood, and among people whose habits and institutions are, in many re- speets, greatly unlike those amid which he grew to maturity. He has had ex- perience in both country and city life, and followed Fortune's unreliable prom- ise in several occupations. Yet he has at all times met the requirements of his
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