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 66
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 66
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year later he purchased and removed to the farm on which he now resides. It is one of the most beautiful farms in Benton Township, upon which he has a handsome residence and fine outbuildings. This farm comprises 146 acres. He also owns eighty acres of land in Kansas opposite St. Joseph, and nine town lots in Rosendale. In 1866 he was united in marriage with Mary C. Pattisson, who was born in Jefferson County, Ind., in 1844. She is the daughter of John Pattisson, deceased. Mr. Petti- grew takes an interest in all public affairs, to which he contributes lib- erally.
Benjamin Petree, ex-judge of the county court, and a prosperous farmer of Clay Township, was born in Franklin County, Ind., February 4, 1834. He is the son of Henry and Mary (Snowden) Petree. The father, a native of North Carolina, was born in 1807. The mother was a native of Ohio, born on August 13, 1811. They were married in In- diana, where they lived, engaged in farming, until 1843, at which time they came to Andrew County, Mo., where they died, the father about 1872, the mother in the fall of 1844. In politics the father was a Whig. The mother was a member of the Christian Church. Benjamin is the third of six children. He received a common-school education, which has been much improved by desultory reading and study. He went with his father to California in the fall of 1849. The latter remained there about one year, when he returned to Missouri; but Benjamin remained until 1857, engaged in mining. He then came back to Missouri, and upon his return settled in Andrew County, and commenced his present occupation. In the spring of 1857 he bought and removed to a farm one and one-fourth miles east of Savannah, where he lived till 1876, when he exchanged that for his present home. His farm consists of 190 acres of good land, with a neat residence, barn and other buildings upon it. In November, 1860, he wedded Miss Lucy Earls, a native of Platte County, but reared in Andrew County. She is the daughter of Jonathan and Francis Earls. The former was the first treasurer of Andrew County. In the early part of 1864 Mr. Petree enlisted in the United States army, joining the Eighteenth Missouri Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war. He accompanied Sherman from Atlanta to Washington City, and was mustered out of service at Louisville in July, 1865. In politics he is a Republican. In 1880 he was elected county judge, and served one term. His wife is a member of the Christian Church. They have had nine children-six sons and three daughters-of whom one daughter is dead.
W. A. Pyle, a farmer living three miles south from Savannah, in Jeffer- son Township, Andrew County, was born in Scioto County, Ohio, in 1844. He is the son of G. W. and Susannah ( Rankin) Pyle, both natives of Scioto County, Ohio. The former was born about 1815, and was the son of Absalom Pyle, born in Roanoke County, Va., of English parents. He removed from his native State to Ohio, where he engaged in farming. His wife, Sabina Marshall, also of English descent, and a native of Vir-
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ginia, was a first cousin of Humphrey Marshall, of Kentucky. The father of our subject was a farmer also, and removed to Missouri in 1847, having purchased the homestead where W. A. now resides. He died the year of his removal to Andrew County. His wife was born in 1817, and was the daughter of William Rankin. She died in Ohio dur- ing the winter of 1846-47. W. A. was reared on his grandfather's farm in Ohio, and acquired his education in the district schools, and in a pri- vate school at Jackson. At seventeen years of age he enlisted in the army, joining Company E, of the Thirty-third Regiment of Ohio Vol- unteers, as a private, Col. Sill commanding. He marched with his regi- ment into Eastern Kentucky, where Humphrey Marshall was driven out; from there to Louisville, and with Gen. Mitchell, through Bowling Green, Ky., to Nashville, Tenn., and on to Huntsville, Ala. His regiment was then left as rear guard, and on Gen. Buell's retreat were shelled out of Fort McCook, when they marched to Louisville, and thence to Perry- ville, and in Rosseau's division participated in the fight at that place, where twenty-four of the forty-five men in the company were lost. After this they went to Nashville, and thence to Murfreesboro, where they engaged in the Stone River fight, and subsequently in the Tulla- homa campaign, and after driving the rebels from Hoover's Gap, went into camp at Cowan, where they remained until September 1, 1863. Chickamauga was their next fight. His regiment was in the First Brigade, First Division and Fourteenth Corps. On Sunday, the last day's fighting, he was wounded and taken prisoner, and after laying on the field in Cheatham's hospital, was taken to Atlanta, and held in prison until February 17, 1864, when he was exchanged under a flag of truce. He was sent to the hospital at Nashville, was granted a furlough, and returned to Ohio. He reported at Cincinnati in May, and was placed in the hospital. In August, 1864, he was sent to Todd Barracks, Colum- bus, Ohio, to be mustered out on October 4, 1864, after which he re- turned to his home in Ohio, where he remained until 1867, when he im- migrated to Andrew County, Mo. He has resided here since, and engaged in farming. He was married in 1867 to Mary J. Bennett, who was born in Ohio on December 26, 1847, and is the daughter of James Bennett. They have three children in life, and one dead.
Hon. David Rea was born in Ripley County, Ind., January 19, 1831, and is the eldest of a family of ten children born to Jonathan and Lu- rana (Breeden) Rea, natives of Mecklenburg County, N. C., and Ken- tucky respectively, and born in 1805 and 1813. The mother was a daugh- ter of Joseph Breeden, and the father a son of John Rea, who died when Jonathan was but a boy. The latter immigrated to Andrew County, Mo., in 1842, and locating upon a farm made the same his home until his death in 1854. David Rea spent his boyhood in hard labor upon his father's farm during the summer months, devoting himself to study during winter. At the age of eighteen he was qualified to teach school, which he did a portion of the time for five succeeding years, during which time he began
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the study of law. In 1852 he married Miss Nancy E., daughter of James C. Beatti, formerly of Virginia. He then commenced to improve eighty acres of land near Rosendale, and upon the commencement of the war joined the ranks of the Union army, in which he successively served as first lieutenant, captain, quartermaster and lieutenant colonel. Hav- ing been admitted to the bar in 1862, he began the practice of his pro- fession in 1863, and followed his professional career diligently until nominated for Congress. During these years of his residence in Savan- nah he was for some time a member of the board of education. Politi- cally he is and has always been a Democrat. His first presidential vote was cast for Pierce, and the nominees of his party have since had his hearty support. In 1874 the Democratic party of the Ninth Congres- sional District, composed of Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Clinton, De Kalb, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway and Worth, and afterward also of Cald- well and Ray, chose Mr. Rea as its candidate for Congress on Septem- ber 22. After a warm contest and campaign Mr. Rea was elected by a majority of 1,558 over his opponent, Col. D. A. Thompson, of Atchison County. In 1876 Mr. Rea was again nominated by his party for re- election to Congress. Hon. B. F. Loan, of St. Joseph, Mo., an able law- yer, and for six years during and after the war a member of Congress, was the Republican nominee against him, and after a very warm and exciting campaign Mr. Rea was re-elected, defeating his opponent by a majority of 2,372 votes. In 1878 he was again the Democrats' choice for a third term in Congress, his opponents for nomination being Gen. James Craig, of St. Joseph, Mo., Hon. Lafe Dawson, of Maryville, Mo., Col. Cundiff, then editor of the St. Joseph Gazette, and Hon. Thomas Porter, of Clinton County. In this election he was defeated by Hon. Nicholas Ford, the nominee on the Greenback ticket, the year being the one in which that party swept many portions of the State. During the XLIV Congress Mr. Rea was a member of the committee on agriculture; during the XLV, of the committee on commerce, Hon. John H. Reagan, of Texas, being chairman. This committee pre- pared and reported to the House the inter-State commerce bill of that Congress, and also during that Congress Mr. Rea was a member of the com- mittee on mines and mining. Among the public measures warmly sup- ported by Mr. Rea while in Congress were the inter-State commerce bill, the remonitization of silver, and the improvement of our great waterways. After the 4th of March, 1879, Mr. Rea retired from public life, having served as a member of Congress from March 4, 1875, to that date, and has since resumed the practice of law in Savannah. He still works zeal- ously every election for the success of his party, but has not been a can- didate or held any official position since his retirement from Congress, with the exception of being a member of the school board of Savan- nah. Mr. Rea resides in one of the handsomest dwellings in Savannah, and has a family of four sons and two daughters. Himself and wife are unostentatiously charitable, and much respected and admired as among the best citizens of the county.
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Judge Joseph Rea is of Irish and Scotch descent, and was born in Ripley County, Ind., November 13, 1837. He is the second child of Jonathan and Lurana Rea, and has one brother and six of eight sisters now living. He immigrated with his parents to Andrew County, the family then consisting of David, Joseph, Frances, Jane and Elizabeth. He made his home with his parents, working upon the farm in the sum- mer and attending the district school in the winter. After the death of the father in February, 1854, he remained with his mother and sisters until the death of the former in February, 1861, whereupon the family became scattered. Joseph then lived with William Pettyjohn, who had rented the old homestead, and continued farming and stock rais- ing, devoting his leisure hours to the study of law, for which he had a nat- ural inclination, and which he had studied previously in the law office of Judge William Heren at Savannah, Mo., while making his home with that gentleman during his attendance at a term of school taught by Prof. George W. Turner. During the war he took a decided stand for the Union. In October, 1862, he was married to Miss Sarah A. Muse, daughter of Henry and Mahala Muse, who had emigrated from Kentucky to Missouri in an early day. He afterward, during the war, enlisted in the Fifty-first United States Missouri Infantry Volunteers, served as private and first lieutenant of Company B, and assistant quartermaster, and for about two months kept the Gratiot Street military prison in St. Louis. Since his honorable discharge upon the cessation of hostilities, he has been successfully farming and practicing law in Andrew County, Mo. He is a Democrat in politics, and in 1886 was nominated for the office of probate judge by his party, and after a close race with John B. Majons, the Republican nominee and a prominent and popular man, was elected by 87 majority, the county being about 200 Republican majority at the time. Mr. Rea is now the probate judge, and is filling the office to the satisfaction of his friends and the community.
J. S. Reece, a farmer and stock raiser in Platte Township, was born in Yadkin County, N. C., on August 10, 1838. He is the son of Alvis and Mary (Hobson) Reece. The father was born in Yadkin County, N. C., January 26, 1810, and is the son of Joel Reece, of English lineage. He has followed farming as a vocation, and now resides in his native county. He is a zealous member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, and is universally respected. The mother is also a native of Yadkin County, N. C. She was born in 1812, and died in 1843. They had three sons, of whom J. S. is the youngest and only surviving one. He was reared at home, and received a common- school education in the country schools. When but twenty years of age he came to Andrew County, Mo., and in the spring of 1858 hired as a laborer on a farm, receiving $13 per month. On October 2, 1862, he was united in marriage with Martha Allen. Two sons, S. F. and J. B., are the fruits of their marriage. Their mother died Janu- ary 20, 1868. On February 1, 1870, he formed a second union with 34A
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Mrs. Rhoda (Vestal) Holcombe. Two sons, Frederick and Oscar, and daughters, Maud and Nettie, have blessed this union. His wife's first marriage was blessed with one daughter, Jurusiah. In 1863, soon after his marriage, he went to farming for himself as a renter, but by energy and frugality he has been able to become the owner of a well- improved farm of 240 acres, desirably situated in the township. In 1861 he enlisted for six months in Company A of Col. Kimble's regi- ment of Missouri Cavalry, at the end of which time he was discharged on account of ill health. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and is a friend to churches, schools and all public improve- ments.
James W. Roberts, a well-to-do farmer of Lincoln Township, was born in Saline County, Mo., on May 22, 1827. His parents were Arnett and Ann (Thompson) Roberts, both natives of Virginia, and each in early life removed with their parents to Kentucky, where they were married in 1825. After their marriage they came to Saline County, Mo., where the father engaged in school teaching one year, when he removed to Clay County, where he remained occupied in agri- cultural pursuits, until 1842. He then came to Andrew County, and continued to till the soil, and took a mail contract between Hamburg and Penwick's Store, for which his son, James, did the riding four years. Our subject having gone to Nebraska in 1854, the parents removed there in 1857, and the father died in 1862. The mother is still living in Nebraska, eighty-one years of age. James received a fair education, and grew to manhood on his father's farm. He began business life farming and trading in live stock. He was among the first settlers of Nebraska, and built in Richardson County the first cabin that was erected in the State. He was one of the party that laid off the town of Salem. In 1867 he re- turned to Andrew County, where he has since resided. He purchased his present farm in 1866, and settled on it the next year. He owns 104 acres of land upon which is a neat residence. On February 25, 1849, he wedded Miss Sarah Walker, daughter of Joseph Walker, the first settler of Andrew County. They have had ten children-six sons and four daughters-of whom one son and one daughter are dead. Mr. Rob- erts is a Democrat in politics. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.
Holmes Robertson, a farmer of Jackson Township, is a native of Jefferson County, Ind., born April 4, 1823. He is the fifth of eleven children born to William and Mary (Hie) Robertson. The father was a native of North Carolina, born January 22, 1791. The mother was born in Virginia, July 29, 1791. She afterward went with her people to North Carolina, where she was married. After their marriage they engaged in agricultural pursuits in Bladen County, N. C., where they lived a few years, then immigrated to Indiana, and settled in Jefferson County, but ten years later moved to Ripley County where they died. His death occurred on April 12, 1877, his wife's on December
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ANDREW COUNTY.
28, 1876. They were both members of the Missionary Baptist Church. In politics the father was a Whig. Holmes received a common-school education, which has been improved by desultory reading and study. His boyhood was spent on his father's farm. February 5, 1846 he wedded Miss Mary E. Cole, of Ripley County, born October 9, 1829. After his marriage he remained in Ripley County until the following October, when he immigrated to Missouri, and settled near Fillmore. In March, 1847, he settled on his present location, buying at the same time the pre-emption right of 80 acres. He has since bought other land until now he owns 400 acres. He and wife are among the respected and esteemed citizens of their county. They have twelve children-five sons and seven daugh- ters-all of whom are living. Three sons and four daughters are married; two sons are in the West. In politics Mr. Robertson is a Democrat.
William D. Ruddell, one of the leading citizens of Andrew County, and at present deputy circuit clerk, was born in Adams County, Ill., on February 21, 1834, and is the son of John M. and Martha A. (Dunlap) Ruddell. John, the father, was born in Kentucky in 1812, and is the son of Stephen Ruddell, a native of Virginia. The grandfather removed to Kentucky with his parents, who were among the pioneers of that State. In 1817 he removed to Missouri, and in 1829 to Illinois. John Ruddell is a successful farmer, and a prominent man in Adams County, Ill. He has served as a member of the county court, and also repre- sented his county in the Illinois Legislature. Martha, the mother, was born in Kentucky in 1813, and is the daughter of John Dunlap, a native of South Carolina, who immigrated at an early day to the State of Ken- tucky. To the parents eleven children were born, of whom William D. is the eldest. He was reared on a farm, and educated in the common schools. In 1857 he began life for himself as a farmer in Illinois, at which he continued till 1862, when he assisted in raising a company for the Seventy-eighth United States Regiment of Illinois Infantry, of which he was elected first lieutenant. He continued throughout the war with his regiment, serving as adjutant, with the rank of lieutenant for six months in 1863, and in January, 1864, was promoted to captain; he was severely wounded at the seige of Atlanta, Ga. He was mustered out of service on June 7, 1865, at Washington City. Returning to Adams County, Ill., he resumed farming, at which occupation he continued until 1876, when he removed to Andrew County, Mo., and purchased a farm in Clay Township. In 1884 he was elected treasurer of Andrew County as a Democrat, being the only candidate elected on that ticket. He held the office for two years-one term-and then took his present position under J. C. Brooks. He was married November 15, 1857, to Miss Malissa J. Grimes, who was born in Kentucky in 1835, and is the daughter of Abraham Grimes. Five children have blessed this union, one of whom is dead. Mrs. Ruddell is a member of the Christian Church.
M. G. Ruby, the subject of the following sketch, was born in Cumber-
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
land County, Penn., June 6, 1826, and is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Rupp) Ruby. He is a descendant of a family of which five brothers were Revolutionary soldiers, who were in winter quarters at Valley Forge. The father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, was the son of Michael Ruby, also a native of the Keystone State, and of French descent. Samuel was a civil engineer, and was reared and educated in his native State, where he married and resided until his death. His wife, a native of the same State, was of German lineage. She was the mother of four sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and a daugh- ter are now (1887) living. They are Prof. S. V. Ruby, Anna C. Ruby and our subject. M. G. was reared in Pennsylvania, and received a classical education at the Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, that State. He also studied law in Pennsylvania, and removed to Mis- souri in the fall of 1853, settling in Howard County, but later went to Platte County. His first pursuit, after his arrival in Missouri, was school teaching, which he followed for a short time. He then entered the pro- fession of law, locating in Gentry County. He practiced his profession until the war, when he entered the drug business, which he followed for several years. In 1854 he was united in marriage with Amelia F. Lee- brick, daughter of John N. Leebrick; they have three sons. His aspira- tions are not for public life, but he prefers the life of a retired citizen, and now resides in Rochester, Andrew County, Mo. He is a Master Mason. In politics he was a Democrat before the war, but since has been a Republican.
C. C. Somerville. The father of the subject of this sketch was Alex- ander Scott Somerville, who was born on his estate, Somerville Park, Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1786. His was a branch of the Lord Somerville family of Scotland, originally of France, who came over with William the Conqueror. Alexander was a cousin of Lord Somerville, who died in 1870, leaving his son, Alexander N. (a brother of our subject ), heir to the Somerville estate, which is now in litigation. The father died in 1855. The mother was Elizabeth Munro, daughter of Col. Munro, of the British army, who fell at the battle of Seringopatam, India, in 1799. She died in 1848. They were married in 1812, and had eight children, only two of whom survive, the subject of this sketch and Rev. Dr. A. N. Somerville, of Glasgow, Scotland.
C. C. Somerville was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on April 22, 1826. He received a good education at Edinburgh Academy, and immigrated to Canada in 1846, but in 1852 removed to Andrew County, and located at Savannah, where he engaged as bookkeeper for William R. King. From 1857 to 1860 he was engaged in merchandising in Savannah with Elliott, Somerville & Co. In 1860 he and Edward Breck were engaged in the banking business in Savan- nah, in a branch of the Southern Bank of St. Louis, and in July, 1863, he returned to Scotland, where he remained a year, and then located in Canada, and for twelve years engaged in merchandising. Returning to Andrew County, Mo., he for four years served as deputy county clerk
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ANDREW COUNTY.
of that county, and from that time until 1882 he was engaged in bank- ing with John McLain. Since 1882 he has been connected with the Farmers' Bank at Savannah. He was married July 22, 1854, in Savan- nah, Mo., to Mary Woodcock, a native of Knox County, Ohio, born October 3, 1832. She is the daughter of Samuel Woodcock, who settled in Andrew County, Mo., in the fall of 1839. To this union eight chil- dren have been born, six of whom are living.
Jule Schnitzius, county collector of Andrew County, Mo., was born on the river Rhine, Prussia, on March 13, 1842, and is the son of John and Mary (Sheater) Schnitzius, both of whom were born in the above named locality, the father, September 2, 1805, and the mother, April 5, 1810. They immigrated to America in the spring of 1847, landing in New York City. They at once located in St. Charles County, Mo., and engaged in farming. The mother died May 3, 1873, the father, May 5, 1886. To the parents five sons and two daughters were born, of whom our subject was the sixth. He was reared on a farm, and secured a lim- ited education in the schools of St. Charles County. He began life for himself in 1859, as an apprentice at the carpenter's trade in St. Louis, at which he continued until April 17, 1861. At this time he enlisted in the Federal army, and was assigned to Company D, of the Second Regi- ment of Missouri Volunteer Infantry. At the expiration of three months, he re-enlisted in Company B, of Kimball's Sixth Regiment of Missouri State Militia, and served for six months. He was mustered out at St. Joseph, Mo., in the spring of 1862, and then enlisted in Capt. Castle's company of militia, organized at Savannah, of which company he was second lieutenant. While a member of the above named company, he farmed in Andrew County, and in 1863 enlisted in Company M, of the Eleventh Regiment of Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, of which he was quartermas- ter sergeant. He served with this regiment until the close of the war, being mustered out at New Orleans, La., July 27, 1865. Returning to Andrew County he engaged in farming until March, 1884, when he was elected as a Republican to the office of county collector, and was re-elected in 1886. He continues to reside on his farm, however. He was married September 21, 1865, to Clara Smith, who was born in Andrew County, Mo., on September 24, 1845, and is the daughter of John Smith. To them eight children have been born, one of whom is dead. He and wife are both members of the Presbyterian Church.
S. M. Scott, the subject of the following sketch, is one of the repre- sentative farmers of Platte Township, Andrew Co., Mo. He was born in Marion County, Ky., June 29, 1824, and is the son of George S. and Rachel (Miller) Scott. The former was born in Cumberland County, Ky., in 1801, and was the son of William Scott, of English lineage. He followed farming as a vocation, and in the fall of 1854 immigrated with his family to Andrew County, Mo., where he resided until his death in 1856. The mother was born in Hardin County, Ky., in 1808, and is now in her eightieth year. She is the mother of four sons and five daughters,
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