USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 68
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He was married in February, 1876, to Miss Mary Jane Philliber, a resident of this county. They have had six children, four of whom are living: Nora, the wife of Walter Howerton, of Knox county, Missouri; John, who is a resident of Shelby county; and Lily May and Ber- tha, who are still living at home with their parents. The father is an earnest and effective worker for the principles and candidates of the Democratic party in his political relations, although he has never sought a political office of any kind for himself, either by election or ap- pointment. His religious connection is with the Christian church, of which he is an earnest, loyal and devoted member. A residence of forty-five years in Black Creek township has given him a very ex- tensive acquaintance with its people, and those living in other parts of Shelby connty, and has also given them an inti- mate knowledge of his worth as a man and his usefulness as a citizen, in conse- qnence of which he is well esteemed in all parts of the county. His wife also stands well in the regard and good will of the people, and so do the other mem- bers of his family, all of whom exemplify in their daily lives the sterling traits of character that distinguish their parents.
MR. AND MRS. HIRAM SELSOR
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
HIRAM SELSOR.
This enterprising and progressive farmer and live stock breeder of North River township, Shelby county, has had a somewhat checkered and spectacular career in the nearly seventy years he has lived since his birth, and while the inei- dents and events that make up the story are all interesting, they are also alto- gether creditable to the subject of it in that they show him up as a man of force and self-reliance under all cir- cumstances, and impelled by a high sense of duty in every case.
Mr. Selsor was born in Shelbyville, Missouri, on March 21, 1841, and is a grandson of Larkin Selsor, a native of Virginia who moved to Missouri and lo- cated in Shelby county among its early settlers. John W. Selsor, the son of Larkin and father of Hiram, was born in 1816 in Scott county, Virginia, where he grew to the age of sixteen. He was of an adventurous disposition and longed to go abroad from his home and see something of the world. He therefore left Virginia in 1832 and came to Mis- souri, locating near Walkersville in Shelby county, and finding a home tem- porarily with the family of Richard Per- ry. From that home as a basis he went forth from time to time to different parts of the county, working on farms and as a carpenter in every section. Then dur- ing a period of about ten years he was engaged in the furniture trade in Shelby- ville. He died at Hunnewell in 1881.
The elder Mr. Selsor, father of Hiram, while not a great success in his business undertakings, was a good man and highly respected all over the county. In about 1838 he was married to Miss Keturah
Matlack, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Abraham Matlack, of that city, a retired sea captain. Of the ten children born of the union three are living : Hiram, the subject of this article; Henrietta, the wife of Marion Dill, of this county; and Anna, the widow of the late Frederick Munch, of Shelbina. In polities the father was first a Whig and afterward a Republican. The mother. even though a married woman, was bus- ily occupied in teaching school for many years, about twenty-five in all, although not continuously for that length of time. And it must be said in all truth to her credit that she was regarded as one of the best teachers in the county in her day.
Hiram Selsor attended the district schools in the county and the Shelbyville high school until he was about eighteen years of age. He then worked on the home place and assisted the family until August, 1861, when he enlisted in the Federal army in defense of the Union. first in Berry's cavalry, which was sta- tioned at St. Joseph, Missouri, and later in the Third Missonri cavalry under Col. John M. Glover. He was soon afterward commissioned as first lieutenant in Com- pany A, 4th Arkansas Cavalry. This position was gained by a competitive ex- amination, several hundred competing, and his commission as lientenant was signed by President Lincoln personally, and in that capacity he served until the close of the war, when he was mustered ont at Little Rock. While in the 3rd Missouri Cavalry he took part in fifty- eight engagements, among them the prin- cipal ones being those at Bayumetre, Brownsville, and the capture of Little
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
Rock. And while in the 4th Arkansas Cavalry many skirmishes made it warm and life active for the regiment.
After the war Mr. Selsor returned to Shelby county, and on November 2, 1865, was united in marriage with Miss Kate Hesler, of Lone House, a danghter of Fleming and Mary (Jordon) Hesler, na- tives of Kentucky, but for many years esteemed residents of this county. He then located on a farm and began a ea- reer as a farmer and live stock breeder, which has continued to the present time, except during the ten years he passed in Hunnewell in the drug trade. He now owns and enltivates 200 acres of land and carries on a flourishing live stock business as extensive as his aere- age and other facilities will permit. He pushes both departments of his business with enterprise and manages them with good judgment, and they are both profit- able to him as well as important to the township and county because of the aid they give in expanding the production and commerce of this portion of the state.
By his marriage with Miss Hesler Mr. Selsor became the father of six children, five of whom are living: Dr. William L. Selsor, of Shelbina; Catherine, the wife of Ray Moss, of Hunnewell: Fred, who resides and is in business in Kansas City, Missouri; and Francis Ella and Beatrice, who are living at home with their parents. The father has always taken an earnest interest and an active part in the local public affairs of the township and county, and has been serv- iceable in promoting the welfare of both. Before his children grew to maturity he served on the school board, and in many
other ways made his mark as a pro- gressive and public-spirited citizen in reference to the general well-being and substantial progress of his locality. In polities he is a Republican, in fraternal life a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In belief Mr. Selsor is an agnostic, while his wife is a mem- ber of the Christian church.
JAMES H. VANSKIKE.
A seion of old Kentucky and Mary- land families, James II. Vanskike, one of the substantial, enterprising and pro- gressive farmers and stock men of Shelby county, whose fine farm of 190 aeres is located in Black Creek township, has well exemplified in his career the salient and sterling traits of character and habits of useful industry for which his ancestors were distinguished, and which have made the people of those two states prosperous and progressive at home and well esteemed abroad, secur- ing for them honorable names in history and creditable mention in all the under- takings of the United States in peace and war.
Mr. Vanskike was born in Knox county, Missouri, on January 25, 1848, and is a grandson of Jesse Vanskike, a native of Kentucky, where Jesse's son William, the father of James H., also was born, and where his life began in 1820. He became a resident of Missouri in 1835 and, after a short residence in Monroe county, moved to Shelby county. Here he remained until his marriage with Miss Sarah Todd, who was born in Maryland, the marriage taking place in
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
Shelby county. He then preempted eighty acres of land in Knox county not far from the boundary of Shelby county, and on this farm he passed the re- mainder of his life, actively and prosper- ously engaged in general farming and raising live stock until his death in 1900.
He and his wife were the parents of eight children, six of whom are living: John W., Charles and James H., who are residents of Shelby county; and Jesse, Thomas and George W., who live in Knox county. The father was a Repub- lican in politics and a member of the Baptist sect in religion. He was a man of great energy and activity, and rose to considerable prominence and influence because of his continued and general use- fulness as a citizen. He took an earn- est interest and an active part in the af- fairs of the counties in which he lived, helping to give their progress and de- velopment a substantial foundation and good speed in advancement.
His son, James H. Vanskike, grew to manhood on his father's farm and ob- tained his education in the Knox and Shelby county district schools. He took his part in the labors of the farm both while attending school and after com- pleting his education, remaining with his parents and assisting the family until 1871. In that year he bought the farm on which he now lives seven miles west of Shelbyville. He has greatly improved it and added to its value by his industry and thrift and his excellent management of its general farming operations and the vigorous and enterprising live stock business which he has long been con- dneting on it.
Like his father, he has taken a very
earnest and serviceable interest in local public affairs, serving as a member of the school board sixteen years, and in many other ways doing his full part in promoting the welfare of the township and county of his home and ministering to the increased comfort and prosperity and general well being of their people. Ilis political faith and zealous support are given to the principles and candi- dates of the Republican party, and in fraternal life he is an Odd Fellow and in religion a member of the Missionary Baptist church. He was married on September 14, 1871. to Mrs. Nannie C. (Duncan) Dunn, a danghter of John S. and Matilda (Lyne) Duncan, of Shelby- ville. Two children were born of the union, Sallie May, who is living at home with her parents. and Joseph S., an esteemed and prosperous citizen of this county. All the members of the family stand well with the people of their lo- cality, who have found them worthy and estimable in all the relations of life.
JAMES H. TARBET.
James H. Tarbet, who is one of the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of Black Creek township in this county, where he owns and operates a. fine farm of eighty acres, and where he has been for many years prominent in the public and official life of the town- ship, is not a native of Missouri, but has lived in Shelby county from the time when he was but a few months old, and may therefore be fairly regarded as a Shelby county product. He obtained his education in its district schools, has mingled for many years with apprecia-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
tion in its social life, made his whole career as a public official in the service of its people, and has passed all the years of his activity to this time in ener- getic and successful management of two of its leading industries, contributing to their growth and development.
Mr. Tarbet was born on April 21, 1867. in Rush county, Indiana. and was brought to Shelby county, Missouri. be- fore the end of the year of his birth. His grandfather, Robert Tarbet, was a native of Kentucky, and in Fleming county of that state Mr. Tarbet's father, John W. Tarbet, also came into being. his life having begun on October 16, 1840. He moved to Indiana a young man. and in 1867 brought his family to this state and located in Shelby county. For some years after his arrival here he farmed on land which he rented. But later in life bought a farm of 160 acres. which he cultivated with vigor and profit until 1900, when he moved to Haskell county, Texas. In connection with his farming he kept a general store at Kirby, this county, for eleven years and also operated a threshing outfit. When he decided to move to Texas he sold all his possessions here. Ile was prominent also in the official activities of the county. serving very acceptably as a justice of the peace for sixteen years and in other ways of valne making himself useful to the county and its people, and acquiring extensive influence and popularity among them, as a merchant, a farmer and a pub- lic spirited citizen.
He was married in 1864 to Miss Nancy E. Kenning, a resident of Indiana at the time of the marriage. They became the parents of fourteen children, ten of
whom are living: James II., the sub- ject of this review ; Jolm M., Charles F., George and Mary (twins), and Walter, all of whom reside in Haskell county, Texas ; Jesse E., whose home is in Grant county. Kansas; Thomas H. and Grover C. (also twins), the former a resident of Haskell county and the latter of Denton county. Texas; and Josephine, whose home is also in Haskell county, Texas. In politics the father is a staunch and loyal Democrat, always active and ef- fective in the service of his party. Fra- ternally he is allied with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, and in re- ligious affiliation he and his wife are members of the Christian church.
Their son, James H. Tarbet, grew to manhood on his father's farm, assisting in its labors while attending school, and working also on other farms in the neighborhood. He remained with his parents and gave them all the help he could until 1888, when he married and started a home of his own. During the next five years he rented farms, but in 1893, through industry, frugality and good management, found himself able to buy a farm and purchased the one on which he is still living. This comprises eighty acres of first rate land, and he has improved it with a taste and good judg- ment and brought it to a high state of productiveness by careful and intelligent cultivation. He also condnets a lively and profitable industry in raising and feeding live stock for the markets.
Mr. Tarbet has prospered in his busi- ness and has shown a good citizen's un- failing interest in the welfare and prog- ress of the county. He was a member of the school board thirteen years and
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
is now serving as its elerk. In 1899 he was also appointed road overseer, and is still giving the people of the township excellent service in that capacity, having held the office continuously from the date of his first appointment. In political re- lations he adheres firmly to the prin- ciples of the Demoeratie party and is at all times one of its most energetic and effective working members. His fra- ternal connections are with the Odd Fel- lows and the Modern Woodmen of Amer- iea, and he and his wife are zealous and deeply interested communieants in the Christian church, in which they are both earnest and appreciated workers.
His marriage was solemnized on Jan- uary 10, 1889, and was with Miss Har- riet .J. Robinson, a daughter of James and Matilda (Sehndy) Robinson, prom- inent and highly esteemed residents of Shelby county. Three children have been born of the union, and they are all living and still at home with their par- ents. They are Omer .J., Velina L., and Esther May.
JOHN G. VON THUN.
John G. Von Thun is one of the highly successful and prosperous farmers and live stock men of Black Creek township, in this county, whither he was brought by his parents from the far distant land of his birth when he was but two years old. He was born on June 2, 1866, in the colony of Victoria, Australia. There the father, Nicholas Von Thun, a native of Germany, born in 1827, passed ten or twelve years of his life engaged in farm- ing and teaching school. In 1868 he
moved his family to Missouri and located in Shelby county. Here he bought land and was busily occupied in general farm- ing until his death, in 1872.
He was married to Miss Caroline Burkhardt, who was also a native of Germany. They had six children, four of whom are living: Henry, a sketch of whom will be found in this work; and Harman, John G. and Paul, all four resi- dents of this county. The parents be- longed to the Lutheran church and were among the original settlers in the Ger- man Lutheran community in this county, to whom is much indebted the industry, thrift, progressiveness and general good citizenship of the colony, for there were excellent men and women, giving faith- ful attention to every duty in public and private life, and both through their la- bors and the force of their example they gave the portion of the county in which they lived substantial prosperity and good speed on the road to high develop- ment.
John G. Von Thun, as has been noted, was an infant but two years old when his parents moved to the United States and located in Shelby county. He has passed all his subsequent years here, and while he has prospered himself in a worldly way, he has also been an important fac- tor in promoting the general welfare and steady improvement of his township and county. He has always been energetic and enterprising with reference to all publie interests and has given everybody around him the stimulus of his own zeal and activity and the force of an excellent example for the good of the locality in which he has so long lived and so effec-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
tively labored for himself and all worthy undertaking's involving the good of his community.
Mr. Von Thun obtained his edueation in the district schools of this county and at an early age began working on neigh- borhood farms, and when he grew older rented land for himself and did consider- able cropping. He kept this up until 1891, when he bought the land on which he now lives, and which has been his home and the seat of his enterprise ever sinec. He has carried on vigorous farm- ing operations in a general way, with skill and enterprise, and he has also con- ducted a very active and extensive live stock industry. His farm is a fine one, well improved and highly productive, and he makes every hour of his work on its tell to his advantage.
His religious affiliation is with the Lutheran church.
On January 15, 1891, he was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Doss, a daughter of John and Henrietta (Trea- fald) Doss, first settlers in the German Lutheran community, coming here in 1865, and have sinee been worthy and ap- preciated residents of Shelby county. One child has been born of the union, a son named Albert, who is living at home . with his parents. He is a young man of promise, zealous in the performance of his duties and a credit to the family, standing well in the community and gen- erally esteemed, as his parents also are, and as they all deserve to stand and be esteemed.
HARRY H. PRANGE.
One of the most successful and pro- gressive farmers and stock men of Black
Creek township, in this county, and one of the most energetic and publie spirited of its citizens with reference to public improvements and the general progress and development of the township, Harry H. Prange is justly esteemed an excel- lent man to have as a resident of any wide-awake and enterprising community and as worthy of the regard and admira- tion of all persons who value his charac- ter of citizenship, which has been found very useful and based on proper ideals of manhood and duty to the region in which he lives.
Mr. Prange is a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was born on Sep- tember 11, 1863. He is a son of John and Catherine (Hyman) Prange, the former born in Germany in 1834, and the latter a native of Pennsylvania. The father came to the United States early in the 60's and located in Pennsylvania for a few years, then in 1866 moved his family to Missouri and found a new home in the German Lutheran colony in Shelby coun- ty. He was one of the first settlers in that colony and at once showed the sturdy and sterling traits of character and habits of industry and frugality which distinguished its residents and gave such an impetus to the development and improvement of the portion of the county in which the colony was located. He bought land there and followed farm- ing and raising and feeding live stock for the markets with great vigor, skill and good management. He was suecess- ful in his business, and at the time of his deatlı, which oceurred on February 19, 1909, was a well-to-do man of consider- able valuable property and excellent standing in his township. His marriage to
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Miss Catherine Hyman took place in 1859, and by it he became the father of six children, all of whom are living, and all residents of Shelby county but one. They are: Harry, the subject of this brief memoir; Margaret, the wife of Jacob Gable; Isabelle, the wife of Justice Ech- ternacht; Christ, a prosperous Shelby county farmer; Anna, the wife of Simon Gingrich; and Mary, the wife of Frank Wilt, who lives in Monroe county, Mis- sonri. The father was a Republican in his political adherence and a member of the Dunkard, or German Baptist church, in his religious affiliation. The wife and mother departed from this life January 20, 1911.
Harry H. Prange obtained a common school education at Hager's Grove, in this county, where the family located on its arrival in this part of the country. After leaving school he remained with his parents, working on the farm and as- sisting the family until 1900, when he bought a tract of land in the neighbor- hood of Kirby, on which he has been farming and raising live stock with suc- cess and increasing prosperity ever since, although he had practically noth- ing to start with. His farm comprises 160 acres of superior land, and he has cultivated it all in a manner in keeping with its high quality and great produc- tiveness.
Mr. Prange was married on March 6, 1890, to Miss Minnie Doss, a daughter of John and Henrietta (Trefall) Doss, who have long been residents of Shelby coun- ty and enjoyed the respect of all its peo- ple. He did not, however, go at once to a farm of his own, but continued to live and work on the homestead of his pa-
rents ten years longer. The four chil- dren born of the union are all living and still have their home with their parents. They are Etta, Nannie, Ernest and Carl. The father trains with and supports the Republican party in political affairs, and has his religious affiliation with the Lutheran church, to which also the other members of the family belong and in which they all take an active and service- able interest, as they do in all other com- mendable agencies for good, at work around them.
WILLIAM T. GIBSON.
Born and reared to manhood in Vir- ginia, and descended from families long resident in that state, William T. Gib- son, one of the most prosperous and progressive farmers and live stock men in Black Creek township, Shelby county, this state, had from his childhood ex- amples and traditions of high emprise to stimulate him to vigorons exertion and elevated manhood, and he has been true to them, taking his fate into his own hands at the age of twenty-two and seeking the advancement in life he had determined to secure by coming to a region far distant from the home of his birth and outside the pale of family in- fluence or the generosity of friends to help him along.
In his new home he has kept in serv- iceable action through daily diligence the forces of inspiration within him, and has achieved a very substantial success in life to this time (1911). He has also adhered to the lessons of good citizen- ship which he learned in his boyhood and youth, and through the steady practice
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
of the principles of manhood involved in them has risen to consequence and influ- ence among the people, being regarded not only as one of the most enterprising and intelligent farmers in their midst, but also as one of the best citizens of his township.
Mr. Gibson was born on January 30, 1863, in Montgomery county, Virginia, and is a son of John and Olive (How- rey) Gibson, the former born in the same county as his son and the latter in Floyd county in the same state, these being adjoining counties. His grandfather, also named John Gibson, was a native of Virginia, too, and passed the whole of his life in that state. The father was a general farmer and also a preacher of the gospel. He came to Missouri and resided in Shelby county until his death. In politics he was a Republican and his religious affiliation was with the Chris- tian church. His marriage with Miss Olive Howrey took place in Virginia, and by it he became the father of nine chil- dren, seven of whom are living: Alice, the wife of Joseph Hall, of Virginia ; William T., to whom these paragraphs are specially devoted; John. who is a resident of Shelby county; Anna, the wife of Grant Winter, of Virginia; James, who also lives in that state; Lynn, who is a resident of Nebraska; Ernest, whose home is in this county; and Mary, the wife of William Haffner, also a resident of Shelby county.
William T. Gibson obtained his educa- tion in the country schools of his native county. In 1885, when he was twenty- two years old, he came to Missouri and took up his residence in Shelby county. During the first three years of his resi-
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