USA > Missouri > DeKalb County > History of Andrew and De Kalb counties, Missouri : from earliest time to the present; together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and family records. besides a condensed history of the state of Missouri, etc > Part 63
USA > Missouri > Andrew County > History of Andrew and De Kalb counties, Missouri : from earliest time to the present; together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and family records. besides a condensed history of the state of Missouri, etc > Part 63
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on December 4, 1839, and is the ninth son of ten boys born to William and Susanna (Small) Edwards. The father was born in North Carolina, in 1791. He removed to Ohio previous to his marriage, and from that State to Indiana. In 1843 he came to Andrew County, Mo., of which he was one of the early settlers. He followed farming as a vocation, and was a prominent man throughout his life. He served as judge in the common pleas court in Indiana for nineteen years, and also represented Randolph County, Ind., in the State Legislature; he died in Andrew County, Mo. The mother was born in North Carolina in 1801; she died in 1877. Both parents were members of the Christian Church, and were universally beloved as pious Christian citizens. Henderson was reared on a farm, and received a good practical education in the public schools. On leaving school he engaged in farming for two years, and after spending two years in the State militia enlisted, in 1865, in the Federal army, joining Company B, Four Hundred and Thirtieth Regi- ment of Missouri Infantry, of which company, at its organization, he was elected first lieutenant. At the close of the war he returned to Andrew. County, where he engaged in various occupations until 1867. He was then appointed postmaster of Savannah, which position he held for two years. Returning to the farm he engaged in farming until 1879. He then served for two years as deputy county collector, and in 1880 was elected collector. At the end of his term he embarked in the hardware and implement business, in which he is interested at present. He was married in 1868 to Elizabeth Lamasters, who was born in Kentucky in 1845. They have had six children, five of whom are living.
E. B. Ensor is one of the leading citizens and physicians of Savannah, Andrew Co., Mo., and was born in Baltimore County, Md., on August 8, 1855. [See sketch of Thomas H. Ensor. ] He lived until his thirteenth year in Baltimore County, and then with his parents removed to Noda- way County, Mo. His literary education was obtained in the public schools and at the Missouri State Normal. Upon leaving that institution he taught school for two years in Andrew County. Meanwhile he read medicine, and in 1879 attended medical lectures at the Eclectic Medical College in St. Louis, taking two courses. In 1882 he attended the State
University at Baltimore, Md., and in 1883 attended lectures at the Cin- cinnati Eclectic School of Medicine, at which school he graduated. Returning to Savannah, Mo., he began practicing, and has continued up to the present time. He is also engaged with D. P. Abbott in breeding and handling fine blooded horses. He was married, September 29, 1881, to Ella Riggin, who was born in Andrew County, Mo., and is the daugh- ter of James Riggin. To this union two children have been born.
Thomas H. Ensor, one of the leading young members of the Andrew County bar, and a citizen of Savannah, Mo., is a native of Baltimore County, Md., where he was born on November 13, 1856. He is the son of Joseph and Lavina (Boring) Ensor. Joseph was born in Baltimore in October, 1823, and is the son of Nicholas Ensor, who was also a native
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of Baltimore. The latter was the son of Nathan, whose parents came to America with Lord Baltimore, and for them one of the streets in the original plat of that city was named-Ensor. The Ensors were of a mer- cantile class, yet Nathan served in the Revolutionary War, and Nicholas in the War of 1812. Joseph, the father, has followed merchandising all his life, up to 1868, when he removed to Nodaway County, Mo., where he now resides. Lavina Boring was born in 1821, on Commodore Barney's manor, in Baltimore County, Md. She was a descendant of the Com- modore, and is the daughter of Richard Boring and Catherine ( Wheeler) Boring, both of whom were natives of Baltimore County, Md. The Wheelers are immediate descendants of Commodore Barney, and are at present a prominent family of that county. Both parents are living. Until his eleventh year our subject lived in Baltimore County, and then with his parents came to Nodaway County, Mo. His early education was acquired in the common schools, but in 1873 he entered the Missouri State Normal, which he attended for three years. In 1876 he began the study of law in the office of I. V. McMillan, in Nodaway County. The same year he came to Andrew County, began teaching school, and con- tinued regularly for three years, meanwhile studying law with Col. L. I. White, of Maryville. . Also, while pursuing his studies, he was for a year and a half engaged in the mercantile business in Nodaway County. Although he was admitted to the bar of Andrew County in April, 1881, he taught the Fillmore school a year, and then taught in the Savannah school half a term. Resigning his position, he entered the circuit clerk's office at Savannah, where he remained for three years. He then purchased the practice, office and library of William W. Caldwell, and engaged in the practice of his profession. Soon after he formed a part- nership with W. B. Allen, in the loan and abstract business, under the firm name of Allen & Ensor. He was married, April 3, 1879, to Maggie J. Phillippe. She was born in Boone County, Mo., September 13, 1861, and is the daughter of Hiram Phillippe. To them two children have been born-J. Guy, a boy of seven years, and Lulu E., a girl of four. He is a brother of Dr. E. B. Ensor, who is a citizen of Savannah also, and en- gaged in the practice of medicine at that place.
Jonathan Eppler, a farmer of Empire Township, Andrew Co., Mo., was born in this county October 2, 1840. He is the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Clark) Eppler. The father was born in Sevierville, Tenn., December 6, 1808, and is the son of Jonathan Eppler, a native of Virginia, of German lineage. He removed from East Tennessee in 1821, and first settled in Randolph County, Mo., but later became a citizen of Andrew County, with the history of which his life has been identified. He is now in an advanced age, and resides in Empire Township. Our subject was reared on the farm. After securing a common-school and academic education, he attended, for two terms, the Cornell College at Mount Vernon, Iowa. On December 17, 1869, he wedded Jemima F. Courtney, daughter of Alfred H. Courtney. After his marriage he be-
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gan his present occupation, in which he has been very successful. He owns a fertile and well-improved farm of 186 acres. In 1861 he served for six months in the Missouri State militia, and for three months in the Enrolled militia. In January, 1865, he enlisted as a private in the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, and was mustered out of the service in January of the following year at Savannah, Ga. After the war he returned home, and later spent one year on the plains. He then located in Missouri. He has held various political views. He was a Republican for a number of years after the close of the Civil War, and later .was an advocate of the Greenback party, for which party, in 1882, he was a candidate for representative from his county. At pres- ent he is an adherent of the United Labor party.
William Fulkerson, a farmer of Jefferson Township, is a native of East Tennessee. He was born at Washington, Rhea County, April 3, 1819, and is one of a large family of children born to Frederick and Sallie (Bradley) Fulkerson. They were natives of Washington County Va., where they were married and resided several years, then moving to Washington, Rhea Co., Tenn. In 1829 they immigrated to Missouri, and settled in Lafayette County, where they died-the father in 1841, the mother in 1845. The father was a farmer by vocation, and in politics a Democrat. William received a common-school education in his youth, while assisting his father on the farm. His life has been mostly given to tilling the soil. In 1850 he went by the overland route to California, and for about twelve months was engaged in digging gold. He returned to Andrew County in the spring of 1851, and resumed his vocation. In 1846 he purchased and settled where he now lives. He owns 335 acres of fine land. On October 5, 1848, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Sallie Breckenridge, of Andrew County, and distantly related to John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky. They have had nine chil- dren-four sons and five daughters-of whom two sons and three daughters are dead. At one time Mr. Fulkerson was trustee of Jeffer- son Township. He has been a life-long Democrat. Mrs. Fulkerson is a worthy member of the Regular Baptist Church.
John Galbreath, an enterprising merchant of Fillmore, of the firm of Galbreath & Darrah, was born in Delaware May 2, 1839. He is the son of James and Sarah (Mundew) Galbreath, both natives of Delaware, and born in 1809, the former of Irish, and the latter of French-English descent. They left their native State in 1840, and started west. Stop- ping awhile in Ohio, they went to Michigan, but soon returned to Ohio, where they lived till 1864, at which time they came to Andrew County, Mo. The father was a mechanic by trade, though he spent most of his life farming and merchandising. He was a graduate of Granville College, Ohio. He died at Fillmore, May 12, 1887. The mother still lives at the home place in Fillmore. John is the eldest of three children, and received a common-school education in Ohio. In August, 1861, he entered the Union Army, enlisting in Company F,
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18th Ohio Regiment of Infantry; but after serving eighteen months, was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., on account of ill health. Returning home, he remained about one year, then re-enlisted for four months as first lieutenant in the One Hundred and Sixty-first Ohio Infantry. In the fall of 1864 he returned to Ohio, and the next spring came to Missouri, and from 1865 to 1876 engaged in farming in Nodaway and Andrew Counties. In 1876 he removed to Fillmore, and began the mercantile business with Fletcher Swank, but continued only a short time. He then went to Solomon City, Kas., where he was engaged in the mer- cantile business six years with J. L. Galbreath & Co. In 1883 he returned to Fillmore, where he was in poor health for a few years. In the spring of 1887 he and partner established their present business. He was married in Ohio, and has four intelligent children living, and one daughter dead, Esther, who was born December 14, 1865, died March 2, 1882. Mr. Galbreath is a. Republican in politics.
J. D. Gepford, a citizen of Platte Township, Andrew Co., Mo., was born near Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Penn., September 3, 1834. He is the son of John Gepford, a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born in 1793 of German parentage. John was reared on the farm, and in early life followed canal boating in Pennsylvania. In 1822 he was united in marriage with Barbara Damuth, also a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born in 1803. They removed to Macon County, Ill., in 1842, where they both died, the father in 1849, and the mother on October 7, 1882. She lived to see two sons and three daughters grow to maturity, of whom three are living, viz .: George W. and Margaret, who live in Macon County, Ill., and the subject of this sketch. He was reared at home, and was educated in the common schools. He has followed farming as a vocation, at which he has made a decided success. He immigrated to Andrew County, Mo., in the fall of 1865, and now owns two good farms, one consisting of 100 acres situated in Nodaway County, Mo., and the other containing 320 acres in Andrew County, Mo., also 50 acres of timber in Gentry County, Mo. In 1861 he was united in marriage with Margaret E. Averitt, daughter of Nathan G. Averitt, of Macon County, Ill. One son, John F., and two daughters, Martha E. and Emma F., blessed the marriage. In 1871 the mother of these children died. In 1872 he chose for his second wife, Minerva J. Meeker, daughter of M. J. Meeker, of Gentry County, Mo. They have two daughters: Katie M. and Octa M. On August 2, 1862, Mr. Gepford enlisted as a private in Company E, One Hundred and Sixteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry; was mustered out of the United States service on June 7, 1865. He participated in the battles of Chicka- saw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Champion's Hill, Black River Bridge, the siege of Vicksburg and the battles before Nashville. He is a member of the G. A. R., and also a member of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Republican.
William Gibson, a farmer and stock raiser of Andrew County, Mo.,
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was born in Scotland, November 12, 1840. He is the son of Hugh Gib- son and Jane Orr, both natives of Scotland. The former followed agri- cultural pursuits, but he died when William was but an infant. The latter with four sons and one daughter immigrated to America in 1852, and settled in Waukesha County, Wis. Two sons preceded her to America. Later she came to Andrew County with our subject, where she died. William was reared on the farm, and received a common- school education in Scotland and Wisconsin. He chose farming as an occupation, and now owns a large, well-improved farm of 280 acres, situ- ated in Platte Township. In 1864 he was united in marriage with Mary Jane Coleman, daughter of Elisha Coleman. Three daughters and two sons have blessed their marriage. Mr. Gibson was a member of the Missouri State Militia for a short time during the Civil War. In poli- tics he is a warm Republican. He is a highly respected citizen, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
John O. Gross, a farmer and stock raiser of Empire Township, Andrew Co., Mo., was born in Clay County, Mo., on May 2, 1843. He is the son of John O. and Mary (Huffaker) Gross. The father was born in East Tennessee, and was a farmer by vocation. The mother was a native of Wayne County, Ky. They were married in 1831, and in the same year immigrated to Clay County, Mo. Here he entered land on which he lived until his death in 1856. Our subject was a small boy when his parents died, but he remained with his brother on the home farm, which he helped to cultivate, until the breaking out of the Civil War. He received his education in the public schools of Clay County, Mo. In 1861, when but eighteen years old, he joined the Confederate army, and some of the battles in which he participated are as follows: Lexington, Mo., Pea Ridge, Corinth, Iuka, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson and Champion's Hill. At the latter engagement he received a severe wound in the left leg, which disabled him for ten years after the war. At the expiration of his service in the army, he returned to his home in Clay County, Mo., but in 1871 removed to Andrew County, and purchased 130 acres of land. In a short time he returned to Clay County, and in 1871 was united in marriage with Sarah Ellen Dollis. daughter of George W. Dollis. They have two sons and four daughters. Mr. Gross is a member of the Christian Church, and in politics is a Democrat.
John Hart, a farmer of Lincoln Township, was born in Morgan County, Ohio, on February 24, 1830. He is the son of William and Priscilla (Holton) Hart, the former a native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Massachusetts. In early life they settled in Ohio, where the father engaged in the tanning business until he removed to Missouri, which was about 1840. Upon his arrival there he located on a farm in Andrew County, where he died about 1865, at the age of seventy-three. The mother died about 1860. John, one of eight children, was reared on his father's farm, and received a common-school education. He was in Mexico when peace was made between that Government and the United
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States, and for the next eighteen months was a teamster there for the United States. In the spring of 1850 he went to California, and dug gold about seven months, when he returned home by water. Since then he has followed agricultural pursuits. On February 13, 1854, he wedded Miss Sarah J. Waters, of Andrew County, born on May 19, 1833. Upon marrying he settled on a farm, but two years later removed to Kansas. After tilling the soil two years in that State, he returned to Andrew County. He purchased and settled at his present location about twenty- one years ago. In politics he is a Republican. His wife is a member of the Christian Church. They have had eight children, of whom two are dead, viz .: Perry, born December 8, 1854, died September 23, 1855; Sarah A., born February 8, 1880, died April 22, 1880.
Hon. William Heren was born in Zanesville, Muskingum Co., Ohio, on November 15, 1825. His father, Robert Heren, a native of the " Old Dominion, " when quite young immigrated to Ohio with his parents. He married Henrietta Denny, a native of Maryland, who had also come to Ohio when young. They lived near Zanesville until about 1825, when they removed to Highland County, where they resided till the fall of 1845. They then came to Andrew County, Mo., traveling the entire distance in wagons. They spent the winter of 1843-44 on the prairie near what is now known as the David Laney farm, but having little faith in the future of the prairie, in the spring of 1844 Mr. Heren purchased a partly tim- bered claim, about three miles southwest of Rosendale. As the father was not physically strong, the care and support of the family fell largely upon William, who was the eldest child. He was thus deprived of all educational advantages except such as the early common schools afforded. He was a great lover of books, however, and after his day's work was finished he spent his time in poring over such books as he could borrow, or his scanty means would buy. He also took an active part in the coun- try debating societies. In the winter of 1845-46, at the instance of his neighbors, he taught a three months' school, in which he met with marked success. The following spring he began another school in Platte Town- ship, where he taught the greater part of the time for two years. Dur- ing this period he resolved upon the law as his future profession, and chancing to mention his future aspirations to Judge P. L. Hudgens, that gentleman encouraged him by his advice and by throwing his library open to him. Having thus obtained the means of prosecuting his studies, he continued to teach school and read law until the spring of 1849. He then devoted all his time to study until the following fall, when he was licensed to practice by Judge Solomon Leonard. At this juncture, how- ever, he found his health so impaired by confinement and over study that he was compelled to change his manner of living. He went to work on a farm, and the next spring broke up forty acres of prairie land. After teaching school the following winter, he was married, on April 27, 1851, to Miriam Small, who had been one of the pupils at his first school. The next five years he spent in farming and reading law. In the spring
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of 1857 he removed to Savannah, and opened an office. He was thoroughly equipped for the practice of his profession, and by untiring energy he soon built up a splendid practice, extending into all the surrounding counties. Prior to the campaign of 1860 he took but little part in poli- tics, but in that great contest he made several speeches for Douglas, and the integrity of the Union. After the election of Lincoln, however, he yielded him a hearty support, and during the exciting times succeeding the attack upon Fort Sumter he made several eloquent and powerful addresses in opposition to disunion. He closed his office, and turned his attention to organizing the Union men of Andrew County. He went to the camp of Col. Cranor, then in Worth County, Mo., when he joined the Union forces. A short time after, while at St. Joseph, he was elected colonel of the Forty-first Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia, in which capacity he served until the fall of 1862. Col. Heren was then elected to the State Senate, where he served with distinction. After his return home he was commissioned colonel of the Fifth Regiment Provisional Militia. In that capacity he did much to preserve order, and quell dis- turbance in the counties of Northwest Missouri. In June, 1863, Gen. Hall in command of the Military District of Northern Missouri, was called to the State convention, and Col. Heren by order of Gen. Scho- field was placed in command. This position, during Gen. Hall's absence, he filled with great credit to himself, and to the entire satisfaction of his subordinates. Soon after the return of Gen. Hall he was nominated for judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, and at the succeeding election was chosen by a decided majority over Judge Woodson, who was on the bench at that time. He entered upon the arduous and responsible duties of the office in March, 1864, and discharged them with characteristic ability and fidelity. At the end of his term in January, 1869, Judge Heren left the bench, followed by the best wishes and kindest regards of the entire bar of his circuit. He then resumed his practice in partner- ship with Hon. David Rea. On February 20, 1869, he lost his wife, who died after a lingering illness, leaving a family of three sons, and three daughters, the youngest in her seventh year. On March 5, 1874, Judge Heren was united in marriage with Mrs. Louisa Smithern, a widow resid- ing near Fillmore. They lived happily together until her death on Au- gust 31, 1887. All of the Judge's children are married except the two youngest daughters. Besides his own family he has reared and edu- cated three children of his wife's sister, the eldest of whom, when they came into his care, was only six years of age. He has a comfortable home, and while he has never given his attention to accumulating prop- erty he has a competency to support him in his declining years. His partnership with David Rea continued until the latter's election to Con- gress in 1874, since which time he has remained alone. Judge Heren has always been strictly temperate in his habits; has never used either whisky or tobacco in any shape. He is a fine example of the self-made man, and his life is worthy of emulation.
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W. D. Hoar, the subject of the following sketch, was born in Lancaster County, Penn., February 4, 1830. He is the youngest child of three sons and two daughters born to the marriage of William Hoar and Jane Norton. The former was a native of Pennsylvania, and was of English lineage. He was a blacksmith by vocation, and possessed energy and competency. He was respected by all who knew him. The latter was also a native of Pennsylvania. W. D. was reared in Bird-in-hand Village. His educa- tion was begun in the public schools of Lancaster County, Penn., and completed in the Millersville State Normal School, situated in that county. He, however, lacked one year of graduation at the Normal when the Civil War broke out, but, patriotic and true to his country, he enlisted in what was known as Capt. Nevin's Independent Battery I of Light Artillery as a private, on June 26, 1863. He was mustered out of the service at Philadelphia June 26, 1865. At the close of the war he went to Missouri, arriving at St. Louis in August of 1865, and after a short prospecting tour throughout the State, located at Savannah. Here he resumed the profession of teaching, which he had begun when he was seventeen years of age, teaching and attending school alternately until his enlistment in the army. Besides teaching several years in Andrew County, he has served two years as county superintendent. For the last few years of his life he has devoted considerable attention to farm- ing, and owns a farm of eighty acres in Platte Township. In November, 1886, he was elected by the Republican party to the office of county Representative. In 1868 he was united in marriage with Mary E. Hob- son, daughter of John and Jane ( Phillips) Hobson. Two sons and one daughter have blessed their marriage.
John J. Holt, the subject of this sketch, is a farmer of Nodaway Town- ship. He was born in Andrew County, Mo., on July 11, 1842. Allen Holt, the father, was born in Orange County, N. C., in 1818, and is the son of Hezekiah and Jane Rogers Holt. Hezekiah was born in North Carolina in 1790, of German-Irish parents. Allen immigrated to Missouri in 1838, and in 1842 was united in marriage with Elizabeth Simmons, a native of Illinois; she died in 1851. The father is a highly respected citizen of Andrew County, and has served as public administrator of the county for two terms. Our subject was the eldest of four children, three of whom are living. He was reared on the farm, and educated in the public schools. On March 5, 1863, he was united in marriage with Sarah J. Landers, who was born in Platte County, Mo., on December 5, 1842, and is the daughter of William Landers, one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Andrew County. Upon his marriage he began business life, and in February, 1864, purchased a farm near Savannah. At that time he was in close circumstances, and for several years he lived in a clapboard house, but by industry and economical management he began to accumulate, and in 1872 had met with suffi- cient success to enable him to purchase his present farm of 229 acres, upon which he has a good residence, barn and other improvements. He
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