USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 72
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In 1904 Mr. Baker returned to Shelby county and for the ensuing three years he had charge of his mother's homestead farm, upon which he erected within this period a new house and barn. In 1907 he opened a blacksmith, wagon and gen- eral repair shop in the village of Ep- worth, where he has since continued in
business and where he has built up a prosperous enterprise, being a skilled mechanic and conducting business ac- cording to the most fair and honorable methods, so that he has a strong hold upon the confidence and esteem of the community. This sterling veteran of the Spanish-American war is now in another department of government service, as he has been postmaster of Epworth since February, 1908. Mr. Baker marches gallantly and loyally under the banner of the Republican party, and in a fra- ternal way he is affiliated with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows.
On December 23, 1907, Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Margaret E. .Johnson, who was born and reared in this county, being a daughter of Fred- erick H. Johnson, a representative farmer of Bethel township. Mrs. Baker passed to the life eternal on May 12, 1909, and is survived by one child, Oliver J.
JAMES F. MORAN.
The owner of a fine farm property in Bethel township, the subject of this re- view is one of the representative agri- enlturists and stock-growers of the county, is a citizen who has exerted mueh influence in local affairs of a public order and who has served as county judge, of which office he was incumbent for two terms. He has been a resident of the county since 1880 and here has attained independence and definite suc- cess through his well directed efforts, the while he has at all times commanded the unqualified confidence and respect of those with whom he has come in contact in the various relations of life.
JAMES L. HOLLIDAY
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
Judge Moran is a native of Mason county, Kentucky, where he was born on May 16, 1858, being a representative of a family early founded in the fine old Bluegrass commonwealth, where he was reared and educated and where he con- tinned to reside until 1880, when, as a young man of twenty-two years, he came to Missouri and took up his residence in Shelby county. He purchased a farm of eighty aeres, northwest of the village of Bethel, where he was engaged in farming for six years, at the expiration of which he disposed of the property and removed to a farm three miles southwest of Shelbyville, where he re- mained until he removed to his present fine homestead in Bethel township, where he now has a well improved farm of 256 acres. The place bears every evidence of thrift and prosperity and shows the interposition of an owner of marked en- ergy and progressive ideas. The build- ings are of substantial order and Judge Moran is constantly devising ways and means for the further improvement of his farm, which is devoted to diversified agrienlture and the raising of excellent grades of live stock.
Judge Moran has maintained a liberal and loyal attitude as a citizen and has given his influence and tangible eo-oper- ation in the support of measures and enterprises tending to further the ma- terial and civie prosperity of the com- munity. In politics he is found arrayed as a stalwart advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, and in 1902 he was elected county judge, being chosen as his own successor at the expiration of his first term and thus serving in this office for four consecutive years. He has
also given efficient service in the offices of sehool director and road overseer. He and his wife are earnest and zealons members of the Missionary Baptist chureh.
On October 26, 1880, was solemnized the marriage of Judge Moran to Miss Ocea E. Clift, who was born and reared in Mason county, Kentneky, being a daughter of Silas A. and Ellen (Dye) Clift, who still reside in that state. Judge and Mrs. Moran are the parents of five children, namely: William R., who resides in Shelbyville; Ambrose, who is a resident of Republican City, Nebraska ; and Albert W., Shelbina; Mary Fay, and Alice, who remain at the parental home.
The parents of Judge Moran were Robert and Bridget (Fay) Moran, both natives of Ireland. They were both brought to the United States as children and were married in Kentucky. The father was a blacksmith and followed it through life. The mother still resides in Kentucky, the judge being the only one residing in Missouri.
JAMES L. HOLLIDAY.
Born in Shelby county, Missouri, near- ly sixty-two years ago, on December 13, 1848, and having passed all his subse- quent years within its borders, attend- ing its public schools, working on his father's farm and later farming one of his own, and thus contributing essen- tially and practically to the growth and development of the county and the pro- motion of some of its leading industries, James L. Holliday, of Black Creek town- ship, has proven himself a citizen of
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value to this part of the state, and fully worthy of the confidence and esteem of the people, which he enjoys wherever he is known.
His grandfather was a native of Vir- ginia, and a descendant of families do- mesticated in that state and factors in its history from early times. Mr. Hol- liday's father, James M. Holliday, and his mother, whose maiden name was Em- ily Vandiver, were also born and reared in Virginia. They were married in Shelby county, and had seven children, three of whom are living: Richard S., whose home is in Carroll county, Arkan- sas; James L., the subject of this brief memoir; and Emma, the wife of Arthur Freeland, who also lives in this county.
The father came to Missouri in about 1832. He had been a trader between St. Lonis and Santa Fe, New Mexico, at an early period in the history of this part of the country under American rule. On his arrival and location in Shelby county he took up his residence on a tract of 160 acres of wild land, which was yet virgin to the plow and still luxuriated in the un- pruned growth of centuries. After bring- ing this tract to a somewhat advanced stage of systematic productiveness and converting it into a home for his family, he bought another tract of the same size and repeated his work of improvement on that, thereafter working both tracts under his personal management and sn- pervision until his death in May, 1857. ITe had been successful as a traveling trader and he was highly successful for his day as a farmer and live stock breeder and feeder. His localized indus- tries in this county were of great im- portance to a wide extent of country, for
while he was carrying them on, at least during the first years of his residence here, the population was sparse, supplies were searce and every kind of production for the sustenance and comfort of the people was of great value. He met the requirements of the situation as far as his facilities would permit, and being an important factor in the work of provid- ing the necessities of life for an exten- sive frontier, he became a man of conse- quence in the public affairs of the region, as well as a highly appreciated purveyor for the physical wants of its scattered in- habitants. In politics he was a Whig and took a very serviceable part in the aetivi- ties of his party. His religious affiliation was with the Southern Methodist church. His wife died in 1865, after many years of great usefulness as his assistant in everything he undertook in the way of business.
Their son James L. began his educa- tion in the district school near his home and completed it at a high school in Shel- byville. After leaving school he worked as a hired hand on farms for a period of five years. At the end of that time he settled on a farm of sixty acres which he inherited from his father and which he has since increased to 208 acres, all of which he has improved to high value and made extensively prodnetive. He has also been long engaged in raising live stock steadily, enlarging his operations in this line as his prosperity increased and his facilities became greater.
Mr. Holliday was married on March 5, 1878, to Miss Sarah C. Tingle, a native of Shelby county. They have had seven children, six of whom are living-Maud E., the wife of Joseph O. Foreman, a res-
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ident of Shelby county; Virgie, the wife original American progenitors came to of Albert Bethards, a resident of Meade this country from Holland. Thomas county, South Dakota; and Thomas E., Jefferson Van Osdol, father of him Bertha, now Mrs. Roy Bethards, of Meade county, South Dakota; Maggie and Ella, all of whom still have their home with their parents. The father fol- lows the fortunes of the Democratic party in faith and political action, and is a steady worker for the success of that organization. In religion he and his wife are Southern Methodists. All the mem- bers of the family are well esteemed, be- ing accounted useful citizens, true to the best interests of their township and county and zealous in promoting the gen- eral welfare, the progress and the sub- stantial improvement of both.
LUKE VAN OSDOL.
In his native township of Bethel Mr. Van Osdol is now to be accounted one of the successful farmers and stock- growers, and as a well known and highly esteemed citizen of the county which has represented his home from the time of his birth to the present. Through en- ergy, industry and well directed enter- prise he has gained a success worthy the name, and he well merits the high regard in which he is uniformly held.
Mr. Van Osdol was born on his father's homestead farm, in Bethel township, six miles distant from his own farm home today, and the date of his nativity was April 1, 1877. He is a scion of a family founded in the state of In- diana in the pioneer epoch of its history, and in that commonwealth his grand- father, Madison Van Osdol, a farmer by vocation, passed his entire life. The
whose name initiates this sketeh, was born in Indiana, on Christmas day of the year 1835, and was there reared to maturity. At the age of twenty years lie left the Hoosier state and came to Missouri, taking up his residence in Bethel township, Shelby county, where lie seenred a tract of land and developed a productive farm. Here he continued to reside until his death, which occurred on April 25, 1889. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Miller, was likewise a native of Indiana, and her death occurred in the fall of 1897. They became the parents of eleven children, of whom seven are living, namely: Jo- seph O., who is a resident of Linn county, Missouri; Oscar, who resides in Kirks- ville, this state; Annie, who is the wife of John K. Hiestand, of Harper county, Kansas; Weber, who resides at Plevna, Missouri ; Susan, who is the wife of Lafy Hunt, of Knox county, this state; Luke, who is the immediate subject of this sketch; and Maud, who is the wife of Coy D. Fox, of Linn county, Missouri.
Luke Van Osdol passed his boyhood and youth on the home farm and was not denied ample opportunity for the learning of the practical lessons of hon- est toil, while his educational advan- tages in the meantime were limited to the district school. He was a mere boy at the time of his father's death, and when twenty-one years of age he began working by the month as a farm hand, being thus engaged, with various farm- ers of the county, until 1899, when he initiated his independent career as an
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agriculturist by purchasing forty acres of land in section 27, Bethel township, to which he has since added thirty aeres lying contiguous, and here he has la- bored indefatigably and with marked judgment in the developing of one of the excellent farms of this section of the county, all of his land being available for cultivation. He gives his attention to diversified agriculture and stock rais- ing, is enterprising and aggressive in his endeavors and has won his success through worthy means. He takes a loyal interest in all that concerns the welfare of the community, keeps in touch with matters of publie polity and interest, and in polities is aligned as a supporter of the cause of legitimate Socialism. He is affiliated with the lodge of Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows in the village of Plevna, and both he and his wife are earnest members and regular attendants of the Missionary Baptist church at Mt. Pisgahı.
On December 26, 1899, Mr. Van Osdol was united in marriage to Miss Florence Riley, daughter of Valentine and Martha Riley, of Florida, this county, within whose borders she was born and reared. Mr. and Mrs. Van Osdol have one son, Vance, who was born on June 3, 1906.
MORRIS OSBURN.
One of the honored and venerable pio- neer citizens of the county, which has been his home from his boyhood days, is Morris Osburn, who resides on his finely improved homestead farm in Tay- lor township, where he is the owner of 200 acres, located in sections 33 and 27.
Mr. Osburn finds a due measure of
satisfaction in reverting to the historie Old Dominion as the place of his na- tivity, and the family was founded in Virginia in the colonial days, being of staunch English lineage. In that com- monwealth was born his grandfather, Richard Osburn, and there also was born his father, John Osburn, in the year 1803. The father was reared and educated in his native state and was a man of excellent intellectual attain- ments, having been a successful and popular teacher in the schools of Lou- doun county, Virginia, at the time of his death, which occurred in 1833, when he was a young man. In 1826 he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Van Vactor, who was born and reared in Jefferson county, Virginia, and who survived him by many years, her death occurring in Shelby county, Missouri, in 1865, at which time she was about sixty- four years of age. Of the four children, the subject of this review is the only one now living.
Morris Osburn was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, on December 27. 1831, and in 1835 his widowed mother came to Missouri and took np her abode in Marion county, where she remained un- til 1838, when she established her per- manent home in Shelby county, having passed the closing years of her life in Taylor township, this county. She was a woman of gracious and noble person- ality and her memory is revered by her only surviving child, to whose care and welfare she was ever devoted. Mr. Os- burn is indebted to the district schools of the pioneer days for his early edu- cational discipline and was reared to maturity in Shelby county, which has
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continued to represent his home during the long intervening years. He initiated his independent career at the age of sev- enteen years, and for several years he was employed at farm work by various farmers of his home connty. From 1859 · until 1862 he conducted a general store at Hager's Grove, and after his mar- riage, in 1866, he located on his present homestead farm, having originally pur- chased forty aeres, to which he has since added until he now has a well improved landed estate of 200 acres, all of which area is available for cultivation, making the farmstead a model place. For many years Mr. Osburn bent every energy to the improving and developing of his farm, guiding his course with marked discrimination and judgment, and in due time reaping the generous reward that was his just due. Now venerable in years he relegates the practical work of the farm to younger hands, though he still finds much of satisfaction in giving a general supervision to the same. His character has been moulded and formed in the practical school of experience, and he has ever been kindly and generous in his intercourse with his fellow men, tolerant in his judgment and imbued with an impregnable integrity of pur- pose, so that he has naturally held the unequivocal confidence and esteem of those with whom he has come in con- tact in the various relations of life. IIe has been one of the world's gallant army of workers and none has a deeper ap- preciation of the value and dignity of honest toil and endeavor.
Mr. Osburn is one of the honored and influential citizens of his township, is a stalwart in the local camp of the
Democratic party, and, while never am- bitions for public office, he has given effective service as road overseer and school director. He and his wife are zealous and devout members of the Christian church and have been specially active in its work until advancing years have partially precluded this faithful and constant service.
On April 10, 1866, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Osburn to Miss Martha E. Smith, who was born in Harrison county, West Virginia, and reared in Shelby county, where her parents, Charles L. A. and Nancy (Parr) Smith, settled many years ago. Of the six children of Mr. and Mrs. Osburn, four are now living, the other two having died in childhood. Helen F. is the wife of William G. Vandiver, who is a success- ful farmer of this county; Dewitt C. has the practical management of the home farm; George M. likewise is a successful farmer of this county; and Samuel A. is associated in the work of the home- stead farm.
GEORGE W. HALL.
It is gratifying to the editors and pub- lishers of this history to be able to in- corporate within its pages a review of the career of this venerable and honored citizen of the county, which has repre- sented his home for more than half a century and been the scene of the ear- nest and honest endeavors that have gained to him independence and enabled him to enjoy generous peace and pros- perity as the shadows of his life begin to lengthen from the golden west. He has lived virtually retired on his fine
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homestead farm for more than twenty- five years, the same being eligibly lo- cated in Taylor township, and he is here surrounded by a circle of loyal friends, being one of the well known and highly honored residents of this section of the county and commanding the high regard of all who know him.
Mr. Hall is a native of the state of Maryland, having been born in Worces- ter county on February 7, 1829. His father, James Hall, was born in the same county and passed his entire life in Maryland, where his active career was one of active identification with agri- cultural pursuits. He died in 1832, while still a young man, having been married in 1828 to Miss Louisa Grey, who was likewise born and reared in Maryland, where the respective families were early founded, and of the two children the subject of this sketch is the survivor, his brother, Thomas P., having died at the age of abont fourteen years. A number of years after the death of her first husband, Mrs. Hall became the wife of William Webb, with whom she came to Missouri in the year 1835. They lo- cated in Marion county, whence they later removed to Monroe county, and both Mr. and Mrs. Webb passed the closing years of their lives in Shelby county, where her death occurred on March 3, 1891. Of the children of the second marriage, two are now living, Jacob and Elizabeth (now Mrs. Brew- ington), both of Shelby county.
George William Hall, the immediate subject of this review, was abont six years of age at the time of the family removal to Missouri, and his early edu- cational advantages were most meager,
being limited to a very irregular and brief attendance in the pioneer schools of Monroe and Scotland counties, this state, where he did not even become fa- miliar with what were designated in the early days as the "Three R's," inter- preted as "Reading, 'Riting and 'Rith- . metic." Through the valuable lessons gained under the wise headmaster, ex- perience, he later supplemented his lim- ited early training, becoming a man of mature judgment, much business acu- men and wide general information. When eleven years of age he went to live with his uncle, Jacob Grey, a farmer in Scotland county, and there he worked on the farm and in a blacksmith shop for the mere recompense of a home. He continued thus engaged until 1847, when, at the age of eighteen years, he began working by the month in Shelby county, devoting himself to farm labor in this way until 1849, when he married and ini- tiated his independent career by rent- ing land, upon which he farmed until the following year, when he purchased a tract of practically unimproved land near the village of Clarence, this county. A few years later he sold this property and purchased 110 acres in Salt River township, where he was engaged in farming until the close of the Civil war, having also operated a saw mill on Black creek. In 1866 he sold his farm and re- moved to the village of Clarence, this county, where he conducted a black- smith shop until 1873, having built up a successful business. He then sold the shop and purchased 160 acres of his present homestead, in Taylor township, where he has since maintained his home and where he continued actively identi-
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fied with the work of the place until 1882, since which time he has lived vir- tually retired. He has developed his land into one of the valuable farms of the county, and the area of the same is now 270 acres. Soon after locating here he established on his farm, contiguous to the village of Leonard, a blacksmithı shop, which he conducted until his re- tirement from active labors, and of which he is still the owner.
Mr. Hall has been one of the progres- sive and loyal citizens of the county and has never failed in his duties as a eiti- zen. He is a staunch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party, but the only office in which he has consented to serve is that of school trustee, of which he was incumbent for several years. His integrity of purpose has never been questioned, and his unassuming sineer- ity and honor have gained him the es- teem and good will of all with whom he has come in contaet.
On June 28, 1849, Mr. Hall was united in marriage to Miss Lovey Brewington, who was born and reared in Shelby county, where her father, Henry Brew- ington, was an early settler. Of the ten children of this union, six are living, and concerning then the following brief record is entered : James H. is engaged in the farming and blacksmithing bnsi- ness in the village of Leonard; Thomas B. is now a resident of the state of Idaho; Joseph N. resides in Baker City, Oregon; William P. is a physician of Macon county, Missouri; Martha S. is the wife of Edward Hines, of Shelby- ville, this county ; and George M. is iden- tified with agricultural pursuits in Brit- ish Columbia. His first wife died June
17, 1899. He was married to his pres- ent wife in June, 1910, her name being Mary Willis, widow of Finius Willis. Her maiden name was Mary Breeding. She was born in Randolph county, Mis- souri. She died in December, 1910.
WILLIAM L. GILLASPY.
In the attractive little village of Leon- ard Mr. Gillaspy is living virtually re- tired from active business, after having contributed his quota of service as one of the world's workers. He is a native son of the county and a member of one of its honored pioneer families, and the original progenitor in America settled in Virginia in the colonial epoch of our national history. There was born James Alexander Gillaspy, father of him whose name initiates this sketch, and this worthy man left the Old Dominion to become a pioneer of Kentucky, whence came the original representatives of the name in Missouri.
William L. Gillaspy was born in Tay- lor township, Shelby county, Missouri, on October 6, 1840, and is a son of Louis II. and Lneinda (Manuel) Gillaspy, both natives of Kentneky, where the former was born on July 5, 1806, and the latter on April 23, 1804. Their marriage was solemnized on January 1, 1835. In 1830 Louis H. Gillaspy had come from his uative state to Missouri, first settling in Marion county, where he remained until his marriage. soon after which he came to Shelby county and seenred 160 acres of government land, upon which a portion of the present city of Shelby- ville is located. He reclaimed a portion of the tract to cultivation and there con-
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tinned to reside until 1838, when he sold the property and removed to Taylor township, where he eventually became the owner of a fine landed estate of 320 acres. He gained precedence as one of the successful farmers and stock-growers and influential citizens of this section of the country, where he ever commanded uniform confidence and esteem, and he continued to reside on the old homestead until his death, in 1890, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. He was a staunch Democrat in his political pro- clivities and both he and his wife were members of the Christian church. Mrs. Gillaspy was summoned to the life eter- nal in 1890 at the age of eighty-six years. All of the three children are living, the subject of this review being the youngest of the number. Sarah C. is the wife of Samuel P. Gaines, of Leonard, this county; and John A. is likewise a resi- dent of this county, where he has at- tained marked success in connection with agricultural pursnits.
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