USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 70
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ELIAS A. McBRIDE.
The fine old state of Virginia has made her name glorious in history by her pro- duction of many of the most distinguished men this country has known, and also by rearing on her historie soil a whole race of chivalrie and high-minded men and graceful, cultivated and elegant women.
From her prolific and teeming popula- tion and liberal institutions have gone forth in addition hosts of sturdy and self-reliant emigrants to other states, which they have helped to build up and develop in every element and feature of industrial, commercial and civil power.
In this last class belongs Elias A. Mc- Bride, one of the sterling yeomanry of this county, and the family from which he sprang, whose activities in this sec- tion of the state form part of the pro- ductive force which has been at work in developing its resources during the last three generations. He was born on Oc- tober 13, 1850, in that portion of Virginia which was torn from the mother state by the stern arbitrament of the Civil war. There also was the place of nativity of his grandfather, Stephen McBride, and his parents, James J. and Ellen (Horn) McBride. He came to Missouri with his parents in 1858, and the family located in Sheridan county, where the father was actively engaged in general farming and raising live stock until the beginning of the Civil war. When that memorable conflict between the sections of our torn and distracted country began he went into the Confederate army as a drill mas- ter. But before he served any great length of time he was captured by the opposing forces, and from then until his death, which occurred in 1863, he lan- guished in a Federal military prison in St. Louis, and there he died. The mother was spared the sadness of know- ing his fate, for she died in 1860, more than a year before his military service began.
They were the parents of six children,
MR. AND MRS. ELIAS A. MCBRIDE
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two of whom are living: Lucretia, the widow of the late Jesse Smith, of Han- nibal, Missouri, and Elias A. The latter was thus orphaned by the death of his mother when he was ten years old and doubly orphaned by that of his father when he was thirteen. Yet, in spite of the malignity of fate that thus bereaved him, he was able to secure a good educa- tion in the, district schools of Shelby connty and the high school in Shelby- ville. But he was obliged to make his own way in the world from an early age, and he began his progress up the steep incline toward prosperity by work- ing ont as a hired hand on farms in the state of Illinois, which he did for a pe- riod of eighteen months.
Mr. McBride was industrious and fru- gal, and used every opportunity avail- able to him to advance his fortunes, and at the end of the period named, he re- turned to Shelby county, Missouri, and took up his residence on a farm of 120 acres near Shelbyville. He now lives on one of 240 acres in the same locality. He has farmed his land vigorously and skillfully and has made it highly pro- ductive. And his success in developing it and enlarging his own prosperity, while the progress was slow and painful at first, has been continuons and con- siderable. He has also taken an earnest interest and an active part in helping to build up and improve his township and connty, and is regarded as one of their most worthy and estimable citizens. In politics he is a Republican, in frater- nal life an Odd Fellow, and in religion a member of Missionary Baptist ehnreh. On October 4, 1874, he was married to Miss Agnes Forman, a native of this
county. They have had four children, three of whom are living: Ernest H. and Everett T., prosperous citizens of Shelby county, and Emmet C., who is still living at home with his parents. Ely E. died on Angust 23, 1909, aged twelve years. Mrs. McBride died Octo- ber 31, 1906. No persons in the county stand higher in public esteem than the members of this excellent family.
ROBERT EDGAR TAYLOR.
The son of an extensive live stock breeder and shipper, and who was also extensively engaged in farming, and himself occupied from the dawn of his manhood in the same lines of activity, with steadily increasing snecess, Robert Edgar Taylor, of Black Creek township, has contributed materially and effec- tively, in himself and through his par- ents, to the growth and development of Shelby county and its consequence, in- fluence and power in the productive and commercial life of the state. The part his parents took in this commendable work is, however, by no means to be considered only on his account, nor is his part to be regarded only in connec- tion with theirs. For each is worthy in itself of honorable mention, without ref- erence to the other, as each has been considerable in magnitude and impor- tance.
Mr. Taylor was born in this county on July 11, 1868, and is a son of Roh- ert James and Louisa (Frye) Taylor, natives of Virginia, where their fore- fathers lived for generations. The father came to Missouri in 1849 and set- tled on a farm of 280 acres near Shelby-
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ville. He carried on an active and ex- tensive business as a general farmer, and also conducted one of equal magni- tude in raising and shipping live stock for the Eastern markets. He was very successful in all his undertakings, de- voting to them his whole attention and applying to them all his energy and in- telligence, except what was given in be- half of the general interests of his township and county. He was so zeal- ons in his industry and the management of his operations that he never laid aside his instruments of progress or abated his earnestness in the use of them until death ended his labors on January 26, 1909.
His union in marriage with Miss Frye took place in abont 1850, and by it he became the father of eight children, three of whom are living: Maggie, the wife of T. N. Looney, of St. Louis, Mis- souri; Lula, the wife of Charles Ennis, of Shelbyville; and Robert E., the sub- ject of this brief review. The father was an active and zealous Democrat in his political relations, a member of the Masonic order in fraternal life, and gave his religions allegiance to the Sonthern Methodist church.
All its industries and interests were thus transferred from father to son, although the former remained in his position as adviser of the latter to the end of his life. The business has gone on in the same steady strides of advancement and enlargement ever since the son took hold of it, and he has shown that his early training under the eye of a master in it was not lost upon him. He has kept up the general farming and also the live stock industry to their full capacity, and has also kept pace with the march of modern progress in conducting them.
He united in marriage with Miss Ollie Dines, a native of Shelby county, on September 16, 1891. The two children born to them are both living and still members of the parental household. They are Daniel E. and Clifford Lee, both youths of promise and giving ex- cellent fruits of their home training in their fidelity to duty and admirable traits of character. The father is a Democrat in his political faith and ac- tivity and devoted to the welfare of his party. He is an Odd Fellow, and be- longs to the Southern Methodist church.
HENRY G. MILLER. 1
Robert Edgar Taylor, like most of his boyhood associates, obtained his educa- The history of this sturdy farmer and stock man, sterling citizen and stimulat- ing force in the affairs of Black Creek township, this county, and that of the family to which he belongs, presents a feature of very unusual occurrence and interest. Both he and his father were soldiers in defense of the Union during our Civil war of unhappy memory, and each saw three years' service in that tion in the public schools of Shelbyville.' And, like the greater number of them also, began a career as a farmer and stock breeder as soon as he left school. The beginning of this career was on his father's farm and nder the direction of that enterprising and progressive man, and the son continued this rela- tion until 1899, when he bonght the farm and began operations for himself on it. sanguinary and momentous conflict, the
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father as a corporal in his company and the son as a private in his. Of the mili- tary experiences they had, both have been restrained by natural modesty and genuine worth from saying much, espe- cially in their own behalf. But the knowledge of others, based on well as- certained facts, has established the truth that they bore well their part in the shock of battle or frenzy of the charge, and bravely endured the hardships and trials of duty in camp and on the march.
Mr. Miller is a native of Shelby county, Missouri, born on March 20, 1842, and is a scion of old Alabama fami- lies. His grandfather was a native of that state, and not the first representa- tive of the family that lived there. In that state also the father and mother of the interesting subject of this sketch were also born and reared. The father, Solomon W. Miller, came to Missouri in 1836, and located in Shelby county. He bought a farm of 120 acres of land near Shelbyville, and on that he lived and la- bored with well applied industry and fidelity to every requirement of duty until 1856. He then built a mill, known all over the surrounding country as "Miller's mill," and for a long time one of the landmarks and central gathering places for farmers and others for many miles around. He was successful and prosperous in both his farming and mill- ing operations, and became a man of substance and of prominence in the com- munity. The mill was built in the neigh- borhood of Shelbyville.
Solomon W. Miller was united in mar- riage with Miss Jane Tolliver, a native of Alabama, the marriage taking place in Indiana. Seven children were born
in the household, fonr of whom are liv- ing, and all but one of them residents of Shelby county. They are: Henry G., to whom these paragraphs are specially devoted; Fannie, the wife of Samuel Al- lison; Joseph H., also a successful Shelby county farmer; and Emma, the wife of John Ruckman, of the state of Oklahoma. In politics the father was a Democrat, and in religion a Universalist.
He was a son of the South, but he was not favorable to the institution of sla- very, and was strongly opposed to the dismemberment of the Union. And he showed the strength of his convictions by following them to the battlefields of the Civil war, which so violently wrenched the institutions and was so fatal to the life and prosperity of the country, serving as a corporal of the company in which he enlisted, as has been stated above. He was discharged from the service in 1865 after being in it three years.
His son, Henry G. Miller, obtained his education in the district schools of Shelby county, and after leaving them at once turned his attention to farming and milling. From then until now (1910) he has been energetically occu- pied in these industries, except during the three years of his service in the Union army during the Civil war, men- tion of which has been made in the open- ing paragraph of this sketch. He lives on an excellent farm of 160 acres near Shelbyville, which he cultivates with vigor, intelligence and profit, and his mill is one of the established and popu- lar institutions of this part of the county, of which he is also one of the leading and most representative citizens, held in
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high esteem by all who know him and earnestly devoted to the best interests of the township and county in which he dwells and to the prosperity and ad- vancement of which he so essentially and judiciously contributes.
Mr. Miller was married on February 15, 1866, to Miss Mary S. Collier, a na- tive of Grundy county, Missouri. Seven of the ten children born to them are liv- ing: Sallie F., the wife of E. C. Grossen- bacher, whose home is in Texas; Mary C., the wife of Amos Forman, a resident of this county; Lizzie B., the wife of C. H. Walker, who lives in Quincy, Il- linois ; James W., who is in business in St. Lonis; Effie E., the wife of W. I. Forman, of Shelby county; Maggie I., who also has her home in Shelby county ; and Ida, who is residing at home. The father is a Democrat in polities and a Universalist in religion. He gives dili- gent attention to the claims of both his party and his state, and is valued as a member and worker in both. In his business operations he has been uni- formly successful and prosperous, and in citizenship no man in the county stands higher.
ROBERT L. CARMICHAEL.
building up the township and county of his residence, in which he lived and la- bored for the last forty-four years. His death occurred February 1, 1911.
He was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, now West Virginia, on Octo- ber 28, 1850, and was a son of Robert and Lucy A. (Louthan) Carmichael, of the same nativity as himself, and a grand- son of Daniel Carmichael, who came to this country from Scotland, where he was born and where his forefathers lived many generations before that event occurred. The father was born on No- vember 15, 1814, and brought his family to Missouri in 1866. He located on a good farm in Shelby county and lived on it until his death on November 3. 1899. He was a planter in his native state and a farmer here, passing the whole of his life from boyhood in agri- cultural pursuits, and he attained con- siderable snecess in his work, which he managed with skill and prosecuted with vigor and enterprise of the most com- mendable character.
He was married to Miss Lucy A. Lon- than, and by this union he became the father of six sons, five of whom are liv- ing: John W., Daniel A., James H., W. E., and Robert L., all residents of Shelby county. In politics the father was a Democrat of the old school and a de- voted member of his party, giving it loyal and effective support at all times. His religions association was with the Methodist Episcopal church, South. ITe was a man of strong character, consid- erable intelligence and elevated man- hood, and he became one of the promi-
Transferring to this state and Black Creek township, Shelby county, the ele- vated ideas of manhood and publie duty he inherited from his ancestors and ac- quired from association in the place of his nativity, and coming to this locality with his parents at the age of sixteen, Robert L. Carmichael made himself a very useful and esteemed citizen here nent and influential citizens of this and helped materially in the work of county.
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His son, Robert L. Carmichael, ob- tained his education in the public schools of his native county, and while attend- ing them assisted his father in the man- agement of the plantation there. After his arrival in this county he continued this filial course until the death of his parents, when he took charge of the farm and had been actively, progres- sively and profitably occupied with its cultivation and the conduet of his large and remunerative live stock industry. In connection with the home farm he also cultivated what was long known as the Furnam farm, which he became pos- sessed of. His joint farm now comprised 300 aeres, and is one of the most valuable landed interests in the township of Black Creek.
Mr. Carmichael was married on March 9, 1876, to Miss Sallie A. Taylor, a daughter of B. F. and Eliza (Williams) Taylor, who have long been highly es- teemed residents of this county. The Carmichael offspring numbered five, and four of the children are living: Lena M., whose residence is still with her par- ents; Winnie, the wife of Albert Kennel, a resident of this county ; Ethel, the wife of W. W. Elgin, who lives on the old family homestead; and Lucy T., the wife of R. A. Moore, also living in Shelby county. Thus Mr. Carmichael's children dwelled with and around him, within easy communication with their par- ents and one another, and was thereby enabled to keep up to a large extent the old spirit of the family circle of the past. His political allegiance and support were given loyally to the Democratic party, and he was prominent in its couneils and active and effective in its service. He
had no direct religious affiliation except through that of his wife, who is a mem- ber of the Missionary Baptist church, but he aided in the support of all denomi- nations with a liberal hand.
THEODORE B. DAMRELL.
A representative of the third genera- tion of the Damrell family in Missouri, the subject of this review has long held precedence as a progressive and upright business man who has been very suc- cessful in his various enterprises, and as a citizen well worthy of the high re- gard in which he is uniformly held in the county that has been his home dur- ing the major portion of his life. He is now a resident of Shelbyville, he has given effective service in various offices of public trust, and is actively engaged in the business of buying and shipping high-grade horses, jacks and mules, in which line he has built up a large and flourishing business.
Theodore B. Damrell was born on the homestead farm of his father in Jeffer- son township, Monroe county, Missouri, on May 9, 1859, and is a grandson of Judge Edmond Damrell, who was one of the pioneer settlers of that county and one of the first judges of the County court, having been a man of prominence and influence in his community and hav- ing continued his residence in Monroe county until his death, in the fulness of years and honors. Alphens T. Damrell, father of him whose name initiates this article, was born in Monroe county, this state, in 1832, and there he passed his entire life, having been reared to the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm-
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stead and having gained his early edu- cation in the common schools of the lo- eality and period. After leaving school he continued to be associated in the work and management of the home farm until he had attained to his legal majority, when his father gave him a tract of land in Jefferson township, that county, where he developed a valuable farm and became known as one of the thrifty and successful agriculturists and stock grow- ers and as a representative citizen of that section of the state, where he eon- ties the honored father was a staunch advocate of the principles and policies of the Demoratic party and he wielded no slight influence in public affairs of a local order, having been one of the leaders in the ranks of his party in Mon- roe county. Hle was signally loyal and public-spirited as a citizen and his aid and influence were ever given in sup- port of measures and enterprises tend- ing to conserve the progress and pros- perity of the community. He was a char- ter member of the Masonic lodge at tinned to maintain his home until his Florida, Monroe county, and passed its death, which occurred on March 20. 1877. At the time of his death he was preparing to move to Salt River town- ship, Shelby county, Mo., and after his death his family removed to the farm mentioned. various official chairs. His religious faith was that of the Christian church, and his wife has long held membership in the same church. His name merits perpetuation in this work as one of the worthy citizens who have contributed to the material and civic upbuilding of this favored section of the state.
In the year 1853 was solemnized the marriage of Alpheus T. Damrell to Miss Lupine Stribling, who was born in Mon- roe county, this state, in 1839, being a daughter of Toliver Stribling. a sterling pioneer of that county. She still sur- vives her honored husband and now, venerable in years and secure in the af- fectionate regard of all who know her, she maintains her home in the city of Shelbyville. Of the ten children eight are living and all save the youngest still reside in Shelby county, namely: Leo- nidas, Toliver S., Theodore B., Lydia, Orlando, Edwin M., Eppie, and Lovie Inpine. Lydia is the wife of Marcelus C. Coomes, a representative farmer of this county; Eppie is the wife of Will- iam H. Moore, who is likewise identified with agricultural pursuits in this county ; and Lovie L. is the wife of James W. Miller, of St. Louis, this state. In poli-
Theodore B. Damrell, the immediate subject of this review, passed his boy- hood and youth on the home farm, in whose work he early began to lend his aid, waxing strong in mind and body and duly availing himself of the advantages of the common schools of the locality. He continued to be associated in the work and management of the old home- stead farm until the death of his father and shortly afterward removed with the family to the homestead in Salt River township, Shelby county, near Shelbina. The older brothers had established them- selves independently and he remained with his widowed mother. supervising the work of the farm, until 1879, when he removed to Lewis county and estab- lished his home near La Belle, where he built up a prosperous business as a
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dealer in horses of the better grade and where he continued to reside until 1886, when he returned to Shelby county, where he engaged in general farming. in connection with the handling of fancy horses and mules. In 1889 he left his farm and took up his abode in the city of Shelbyville, where he became senior member of the firm of Damrell & San- ders, dealers in general merchandise. This association continued for a period of six years, at the expiration of which Mr. Damrell's brother, Edwin M., pur- chased Mr. Sanders' interest in the busi- ness, which was thereafter successfully continned under the firm title of Dam- rell Brothers until 1901, when the stock and business were sold to the present owner, Preston B. Dunn, Jr. Since that time Mr. Damrell has given his atten- tion principally to the buying of horses, mules and jacks of the best type, and he has built up a large business, shipping principally into the western states and being one of the leading dealers in this kind of stock in this section. He is a stockholder of the Citizens' Bank of Shelbyville, of whose directorate he is a member, and was a charter member and director of the Shelby County Railroad Company, the construction and operation of whose line was promoted and financed by the citizens of the county. Mr. Dam- rell never denies the support of his in- fluence and tangible aid in the furthering of measures advanced for the general good of the community, and his attitude is essentially that of a broad-minded, progressive and loyal citizen, while his course in life has been so guided and governed that he has never been denied the fullest measure of popular confi-
denee and esteem. He has served for eight years as a member of the board of aldermen of Shelbyville and at the pres- ent time is serving his first term as a member of the board of education of his home city. He is a stalwart in the local camp of the Democratic party and takes an active part in its work. He is affil- iated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America, and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Christian church, giving a liberal support to the various departments of its work.
On January 19, 1888, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Damrell to Miss Nellie E. Hughes, who was born and reared in Shelby county, being a daugh- ter of the late William A. Hughes, an honored pioneer settler and the organizer of the first bank in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Damrell have one daughter, Mary Ilughes Damrell, who remains at the parental home and is one of the popular figures in connection with the social activities of the community.
JAMES M. HOLLIDAY.
The subject of this sketch has been an intimate friend of the writer for more than fifty years, and at our own request the county historian has kindly permit- ted us to write this brief sketch of the life of our friend as connected with the people of Shelby county.
James M. Holliday was born in Seot- land county, Missouri, January 2, 1839, moved to Shelby county, Missouri, with his parents in the month of November, 1852. His father, his father's brother, and their mother were among the pio-
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neer settlers of Shelby county, and were connected with its early history. His unele, Judge William J. Holliday, was Shelby county's first representative in the Missonri legislature.
Our friend like most of our pioneer fathers who prepared this great country for its present civilization, was deprived of a college education, but he through his own effort and resources amassed a wonderful volume of information.
He was an untiring reader, a deep thinker, and a walking encyclopedia. He never forgot anything he heard or read, if it interested him. He was en- thusiastie in his convictions and loyal to his friends; a man who would boldly do battle in the conflicts of life for the sneeess of his friends; honest in pur- pose, resourceful in strength, and judi- cions in his executive accomplishments. Religiously he was a member of the Christian church, his biblical informa- tion eqnal to many who have made the Bible a life study.
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