USA > Missouri > Bates County > History of Bates County, Missouri > Part 48
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Doctor Bates is a most public-spirited and patriotic citizen and he is always interested in all that concerns the welfare of his city and county. He has been honored with several offices of public trust, hav- ing served as mayor of Adrian, as a member of the school board, and is now serving as city physician of Adrian. Doctor Bates is vice-presi- dent and a member of the directorate of the First National Bank of Adrian. He has succeeded admirably and has prospered since his com- ing to Bates county, Missouri, thirty-one years ago and is now the owner of a splendid farm of two hundred forty acres of land in this county, which country place he rents, and of his beautiful modern resi- dence in Adrian, a two-story structure of ten pleasant and spacious rooms.
In all his relations with his fellowman, professional, business, or social, the conduct of Dr. S. L. Bates has been open and straightforward, his integrity unassailable, his courtesy that of a gentleman of the old school. His professional career has from the beginning been charac- terized by close and diligent attention to duty and an unusual skill and proficiency in all branches of general practice and he is now justly enjoying a most lucrative practice. He and Mrs. Bates are highly respected and valued in Adrian.
E. A. Cherry, the well-known postmaster of Adrian, Missouri, one of the leading horsemen of Bates county, the organizer of the Farmers Lumber Company of Adrian, a potent factor in the organization of the Adrian Cheese Factory, is one of the county's most influential and public-spirited citizens. Mr. Cherry is a native of Illinois. He was born in 1866 at Carthage in Hancock county, Illinois, a son of John W. and Purlina (Pyle) Cherry, the former, a native of Tennessee and the latter, of Kentucky. The two families, the Cherrys and Pyles, settled in Illi- nois among the first pioneers of that state in 1843. John W. Cherry was an early-day freighter, working between Springfield, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. He drove three yokes of oxen and it required from two to three weeks to make the trip. He would camp nights and
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in order to keep off the howling wolves would keep fires burning around his wagon. In later years, John W. Cherry homesteaded land in Han- cock county, Illinois, and became an honored pioneer of that county and a prosperous farmer and stockman, the owner of one thousand two hundred eighty acres of land located near Carthage, a wealthy grain merchant and stock buyer. As there was no bank at Carthage, Illinois, in those days, Mr. Cherry frequently went to Warsaw, a distance of eighteen miles, on horseback, and drew from the bank at that place as much as twenty thousand dollars at one time and in safety return home. John W. Cherry always paid cash for stock and grain imme- diately upon delivery. He resided at Carthage, Illinois, several years and while a resident of that city was one of the leading financiers. His friends would deposit with him their money, for which he would give a receipt, and thus it may truthfully be said that he was the first and most trusted banker of Carthage. Because of his sterling integ- rity and unquestioned honesty, John W. Cherry was many times appointed administrator of estates in Illinois. He was dissatisfied in the city and after a few years returned to his farm, where he spent the closing years of his life in happiness and contentment. Mr. Cherry was a model gentleman, a truly Christian character, and if he had any faults or bad habits no one ever knew of them. He never in his life drank intoxicating liquor, never smoked, never chewed tobacco, and not one of his twelve children ever heard him swear. He died in 1891 and twelve years later, in 1903, he was joined in death by his wife. Of the twelve children born to John W. and Purlina Cherry, but five are now living: E. C., a successful clothier of Milan, Missouri; W. P., president of the Cherry-Tilden Live Stock Commission Company of Kansas City, Missouri; H. G., president of the Cherry Brothers' Invest- ment Company and president of the Mine Creek Oil Company of Kansas City, Missouri; E. A., the subject of this review; Dora, the wife of E. C. Barber, of the Home Telephone Company of Kansas City, Missouri.
E. A. Cherry attended the public schools of Carthage, Illinois, and, later, business college at Quincy, Illinois. After completing a business course at the latter institution, Mr. Cherry returned to his father's farm and, as the elder Cherry was disabled for many years prior to his death, the son assumed charge of all business affairs and managed the father's estate until he died in 1891. The following year, 1892, Mr. Cherry, the subject of this review, located at Carthage, Illinois, where he owned a large stock barn. Closing his business in the autumn of the
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same year, Mr. Cherry came to Kansas City, Missouri, and for several months was employed in the real estate department of the Lombard. Investment Company of Kansas City. He then returned to Carthage, Illi- nois, and again took up his residence on the farm near that city and dur- ing the years immediately following became one of the most prominent horsemen of the state of Illinois. Mr. Cherry dealt extensively in imported stallions and shipped them to many different parts of the country. He brought the first imported draft horse to Bates county, Missouri. For eleven years, he was engaged in training race horses. When Mr. Cherry came to Adrian in 1898, he had back of him years of experience in the stock business and at that time he brought a num- ber of fine stallions to Missouri and has ever since been interested in the breeding of high-grade horses. Mr. Cherry has made one hundred sixty-two different exhibits of his animals in Bates and Cass counties and has received one hundred fifty-four first and nine second premiums, being defeated but once. In his stables at Adrian, Mr. Cherry has capacity for one hundred head of horses. In addition to raising horses, he also keeps a number of jacks and, at the time of this writing in 1918, has seven dairy cows. He sells the milk from his dairy to the Adrian Cheese Factory. The Cherry stables and the residence together occupy a half block in the city of Adrian. The residence is a handsome, modern structure of nine rooms.
E. A. Cherry and Lula Fair, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Fair, of Adrian, Missouri, were united in marriage February 25, 1892, and to this union were born two children, one of whom is now living. Wesley, who was his father's assistant in the postoffice. Lula (Fair) Cherry died in 1899. Mr. Cherry remarried, his second wife being Pearl M. Leffler, a daughter of Alexander and Nancy Leffler, and to them have been born four children: Crystal I., Emmett A., Lydia Ann, and Dorothy Pearl, all of whom are at home with their parents.
In civic affairs, no one in this part of the state takes a keener inter- est than E. A. Cherry. He has at all times evidenced his willingness to sacrifice self-interest for the good of the community and has been very active in aiding the development of the business interests of Bates county. In 1900, Mr. Cherry assisted in organizing the Farmers Lum- ber Company of Adrian, Missouri, and he, himself solicited six thousand six hundred seventy-five dollars of the ten thousand dollars capital stock. He was the first secretary of the company. Sixteen years later, he was instrumental in the organization of the Adrian Cheese Factory,
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which is situated on a tract of land formerly owned by Mr. Cherry. .He was appointed postmaster of Adrian in 1913, which position he still occupies and is efficiently and satisfactorily filling at the time of this writing in 1918. On January 24, 1918, he received his reappointment for another four-year period.
Rev. Abram H. Lewis .- Few names figuring in the history of Bates county are more favorably or more lovingly remembered than that of the late Rev. Abram H. Lewis who for a period extending nearly two score years preached the gospel according to the precepts of the Baptist faith in this section of Missouri. It was he who practically founded the Baptist churches in this section. His lovable and kindly character which was tempered by a force which won its way to the hearts of the people will make him long remembered in hundreds of Bates county homes. Through long months and years he would visit his various charges, mak- ing long and tiresome trips by horseback to hold services among his people. He was the really successful Baptist missionary in this section of the state, and his work will endure many years to come.
Rev. A. H. Lewis was born September 9, 1826, in Culpepper county, Virginia, and was a son of John Lewis, born in Culpepper county, Vir- ginia, on May 1. 1783, the eldest son of William and Mary Lewis who had twelve sons and two daughters, all of whom were reared to maturity excepting one son who died at the age of two years. John Lewis mar- ried Ann Merry Wallis, a daughter of William and Mildred Wallis and she was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, January 1, 1793, but was left an orphan at a tender age and was reared by her grandmother Walker. Until her nineteenth year she was kept in a boarding school and in 1811 was married to John Lewis. They then moved to Madison county, Virginia to a place located near the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, where all of their eight children were born, six sons and two daughters as follow: William W., Ethelbert W., Alfred B., Mary M., Ann E., John M., Abram H., and Robert S. Lewis. In March of 1831. John Lewis moved to Culpepper county, Virginia to the farm which had been the home of his father-in-law. and they resided there until their deaths, the mother dying in August, 1859.
Reverend Lewis was educated in the schools of his native county when not assisting in the work upon his father's farm, closing his school days in 1846. For three years following he taught three terms of school. of ten months each in the neighborhood of his father's home. In June, 1843 he was baptized in the Baptist faith. In October, 1849 he pur-
REVEREND ABRAM H. LEWIS.
J. W. LEWIS.
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chased the farm owned by his brother-in-law, Robert S. Jeffries, which adjoined that of his father and decided to marry and go to housekeeping. On January 15, 1850, he was married to Geraldine L. Covington, a daughter of John S. and Elizabeth W. Covington, and he then moved to his farm. In March of 1850, Mr. Lewis was ordained a deacon of the New Salem Baptist church, and it was at this time that he began to take an active part in the work of his church. During the seven years following his marriage, he resided in Virginia and most of the time he was superintendent of the Sunday school of his church and did a great amount of good work in converting his Sunday school pupils to become Christians.
In November, 1856, Mr. Lewis made a visit to Missouri in order to view out the country with a view to making it his future home. He in company with others went by railroad to St. Louis, and then by boat to Hannibal on the Mississippi river, and then by hack to the home of his uncle, Peyton Botts, with whom he spent a week. He then went to Miami, Saline county, where his brothers, Alfred's and Ethelbert's fam- ilies lived (Ethelbert Lewis had died of cholera in May, 1855 leaving a widow and seven children). Mr. Lewis was much pleased with the country and he soon decided upon a place for his new home. One week later he went to Ray county and visited with Thomas A. Duvall who had married Lucy Covington, a sister of his wife. Both Mr. Duvall and Mr. Covington were very anxious that he locate in Ray county, but he returned to Miami and left a bid with his brother Alfred for one hun- dred sixty acres of land adjoining his farm, for which a deal was made with Alfred Stephenson in February, 1857. This land cost him twenty-two dollars and fifty cents an acre. After returning home and selling out his farm and settling up his affairs in Virginia, Mr. Lewis started on the return trip to Missouri on September 14, 1857. For the ensuing year he lived in the house on his brother's farm, working his farm and Alfred's together by the aid of Alfred's hands until his own home was completed and into which he moved in September, 1858.
When the Civil War broke out he espoused the cause of secession and enlisted in the Missouri state troops under Gen. Sterling Price in December, 1861. Six hundred fifty volunteers started to go to General Price's headquarters at Osceola, with only a few of them in possession of arms. All of the volunteers were on foot and accompanied by a number of loaded provision wagons. While in camp on Blackwater they were attacked by a, large force of Federals and were captured. The
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prisoners were taken to St. Louis and incarcerated in the Gratiot street prison on December 25, 1861. They were kept in this prison for about six weeks and were then removed to Alton, Illinois. About the first of April, 1862 an offer of their release was made those who were only sworn in for state service, provided they would each give bond and security to remain quietly at home. A large proportion of the men accepted this offer of release and Mr. Lewis was among this number who gave their bonds and were permitted to go to their homes. When in August an order was issued for all to enroll in the militia in behalf of the Federal Government, contrary to their given parole, a large num- ber of his comrades enlisted in the Southern army, but ill health pre- vented Mr. Lewis from going to the front with them. In December of 1863 he sold his farm and personal property in order to protect his brother, John M. Lewis, who had loaned him money with which to buy his farm. In March, 1864, Mr. Lewis removed with his family to a farm in Ray county, three miles north of Richmond. Ten days later, Mr. Duvall died and he located on the Duvall farm, living there for eight years and renting the farm from Mrs. Duvall. During the ensuing years of the war he was not much troubled except by soldiers hunting food, and whom he always fed. But, in the spring of 1865, times became so bad that he determined to leave the country for Nebraska in order to save his life. While en route to Omaha in April, 1865 he learned of Lee's surrender and the assassination of President Lincoln. He and his brother Alfred, who accompanied him on the trip then returned to their homes. A brother, John M. Lewis, was killed in the trenches before Petersburg, April 2, 1865. His brother-in-law, Robert S. Jeffries, was captured there and taken to Point Lookout where he remained until near the close of the war when his wife got permission from President Johnson to take him home. He died in Alexandria on his way home.
In March, 1871, Mr. Lewis made another trip to Virginia on busi- ness and received from his father's estate the sum of one thousand dol- lars. In February of 1870, his brother Alfred and he took a prospecting trip to Bates county in search of a future home site. Mr. Lewis con- tracted for one hundred sixty acres for which he agreed to pay eight hundred forty dollars, when the deed was furnished. In May, 1870 he came to Bates county with a team and plough and broke up forty acres, went home, then came back in August and erected a house and meat house, expecting to move in that fall, but decided to wait for a time. In March, 1872, he moved to Bates county and settled on the farm
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in West Point township which is known as the old Lewis homestead. Reverend Lewis made this farm his home until his death, November 9, 1913.
To Abram H. and Geraldine Lewis were born the following chil- dren: Mrs. Mary Wade Chanler, residing on a farm five miles south- east of Butler; John W. Lewis, subject of this review; Mrs. Lucy Kate Smith, Wellington, Kansas; Mrs. Elizabeth M. Rosier, Mountain View, Howell county, Missouri; Mrs. Geraldine Trice, Oklahoma; Thomas H. Lewis, who lives on an adjoining farm in West Point township; William E., St. Marys, Idaho; Mrs. Irene Crawford, Liberty, Missouri; Strother Covington Lewis, living on the Lewis home place.
The mother of the foregoing children, Mrs. Geraldine L. (Coving- ton) Lewis was born October 24, 1824, in Culpepper county, Virginia, and was the fourth of a family of ten children born to John S. and Elizabeth W. Covington, as follow: Salina S., Lucy F., Robert G., Geraldine L., William Wallis, John L., Thomas H., Margaret I., Mary W., and Susan O. Mary Wade was burned to death when a little girl. William W. died in November, 1850. Mrs. Geraldine Lewis died April 12, 1883.
Although Reverend Lewis had been importuned many times to enter the ministry and preach the gospel according to the Baptist faith, he had refrained until such a time as he felt that he was able and could conscientiously give his services with a whole heart and soul to his Creator. It was not until he had settled in Bates county that his noted ministerial career began and met with such signal success. For over a period of forty years he preached in this county and made hundreds of converts to the cause of Christianity. His name became a byword in the county for earnest endeavor and right living. He assisted materially in the building of many Baptist churches and in the organization of many congregations of that faith in the county. His work also extended into Cass county where he was equally well known as a devout and conscientious man in whom the people reposed the highest confidence. Frequently, this reverend gentleman would travel a distance of twenty- five miles twice at the week end to his ministerial charge and make the return trip in order to be at home by nightfall so that he could care for his invalid wife. There are many Bates county citizens who will remember for long years the great work done by this Christian gentle- man who left an indelible imprint upon the religious life of this section which will endure forever.
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Hon. John W. Lewis, farmer and stockman of West Point town- ship and former member of the Missouri State Legislature, has a splen- did farm of two hundred fifty acres located northeast of the town of Amsterdam in Bates county. Mr. Lewis has resided upon his farm for the past thirty-seven years and first burned off the prairie grass from the virgin soil preparatory to beginning its cultivation in 1880. He has an attractive appearing farm residence of thirteen rooms which stands on an eminence north of the highway and is reached by a driveway. This home was begun in 1880 when Mr. Lewis erected a small habita- tion and it was finally remodeled and enlarged in 1894, making one of the most imposing and comfortable homes in this section of Bates county. The barn on this farm is forty by fifty-four feet in size, and the cow barn is seventy feet in length. Other equipment is the tool shed, and a shedded crib twenty-six by thirty-two feet. Formerly the Lewis tract had considerable timber but Mr. Lewis during past years has cleared away about one hundred acres and now has fifteen acres covered with woods. The Miami river runs through the land and always furnishes plenty of water for all purposes. During 1917, ninety-two acres of the place were planted to corn which yielded a total of four thousand bushels. The farm is partly operated on shares by Mr. Lewis' son-in-law, and produces hogs, cattle and horses. Over one hundred head of hogs are annually sold. The Shorthorn breed of registered cattle are kept on the farm and from twelve to twenty cows are milked.
John W. Lewis was born in Culpepper county, Virginia, March 14, 1853, a son of Rev. A. H. and Geraldine L. (Covington) Lewis, con- cerning whom an extended review is given elsewhere in this volume. The history of the Lewis family goes back three hundred years in America and members of the family have fought in every war in which the Nation has been engaged. Rev. A. H. Lewis came to Missouri in 1857 and settled near Marshall, Saline county. In the spring of 1864 he removed to Ray county where the family resided until they came to Bates county in 1872. John W. Lewis assisted his father in developing the parental farm and when married he purchased a part of the home place of two hundred forty acres. Mr. Lewis was educated in Rich- mond College, Ray county where he studied for four years after the Civil War and was taught by Professor Gibson, a graduate of Wash- ington University, Virginia, and by Prof. Fayette WV. Graves, a graduate of Yale and who taught languages and science at Richmond College. S. J. Huffaker was president of the college during Mr. Lewis' student days.
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Mr. Lewis was married October 13, 1878 to Miss Dora C. Berry, who was born April 21, 1857 in West Boone township, Bates county, a daughter of Franklin R. and Armilda O. Berry, natives of Mason county, Kentucky, and who came to Westport, Missouri as early as 1849. Mr. Berry was a wagon maker and blacksmith by trade and did work for the freighting outfits which passed through old Westport. He made a per- manent location in Bates county in 1854. Franklin R. Berry died in 1897. Mrs. Berry was born in January, 1834 and died in March, 1917. They were parents of the following children: Mrs. Belle Taylor, who died in 1887, leaving a son, Frank Taylor, living at Merwin; Mrs. Dora C. Lewis, deceased; Benjamin F. died at Topeka, Kansas in 1911; Anna, Topeka, Kansas; George, living in Oregon; J. B. lives in Stafford county, Kansas; Mrs. Susie Berry, Burlingame, Kansas; W. C. Berry, Mt. Pleasant township.
Eight children have been born to John W. and Dora C. Lewis, seven of whom are living: Leila, at home as her father's housekeeper ; Claude W., a farmer, West Point township, served as a private in the Spanish-American War in the Philippines, and is father of three chil- dren, Nina, Marvel, and Leona; Mrs. Eula White, Stafford county, Kan- sas, has two children, Harold, and Louise; Mrs. Kate Wright, Reno county, Kansas, has four children, Bernardine, Dorothy, Walter, Mar- jorie; Mrs. Pearl Dye, Amsterdam, Missouri, has two children, Harry and Madge; Mrs. Opal Megnin, Kiowa county, Oklahoma ; Mrs. Elpha Kauffman, living on the home place, has a son, Raymond, born October 6, 1915. The mother of the foregoing children departed this life on January 22, 1901. She was a good and faithful wife, and a kind and wise mother to her children.
The Democratic party has always had the allegiance of Mr. Lewis and he has generally taken an active and influential part in matters political in Bates county. He was elected as representative from Bates county in 1910 and served as a member of the Missouri State Legisla- ture during the ensuing session. He served in the sessions of 1910 and 1911. Prior to holding this office he served as township clerk, assessor and tax collector for over sixteen years.
While a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Lewis served on the committees having charge of legislation affecting the railroads, agriculture, mines, mining and militia and made a splendid and com- mendable record as a legislator. He introduced and had passed the bill providing for "free transportation of rural district school children." This bill which was considered a radical and far reaching innovation in (33)
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Missouri aroused wide comment and its author received hundreds of conimendatory letters from prominent educators and people who are interested in the cause of higher education and better school facilities for the children of the rural districts. This bill was the forerunner of later legislation which provided for the establishment of consolidated and central township high schools and had a far reaching influence in advancing the cause of education in Missouri.
He became a member of the Baptist church in Richmond, Ray county in 1867 and in 1872 united with the old West Point Baptist church and has remained a member for forty-six years. The old West Point church is now the Amsterdam Baptist church. Mr. Lewis was ordained a dea- con of the Amsterdam Baptist church when twenty-three years of age. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, being a member of the Amsterdam Blue Lodge and the chapter and council at Butler.
W. W. Parish, ex-postmaster of Adrian. Missouri, a prominent real estate agent of Bates county, is one of the county's most successful and substantial citizens and a worthy representative of a good. old. pio- neer family of Missouri. Mr. Parish was born in Miami county, Kan- sas in 1867. a son of W. D. and Salina Parish. W. D. Parish came to Cass county, Missouri in 1857 from Morgan county. Indiana and for four years was engaged in farming and stock raising in. this part of the state. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. Mr. Parish enlisted with the Union forces and served throughout the war with the Four- teenth Kansas Infantry, receiving the commission of lieutenant. When the war had ended. he purchased a farm in Kansas, a tract of land com- prising one hundred sixty acres located in Miami county, which he sold in 1867 to the authorities of Miami county to be used for the county infirmary. In 1868. Mr. Parish purchased a farm in Cass county, Mis- souri. as the boundaries were at that time. land now a part of Bates county in East Boone township. He engaged extensively in stock rais- ing. keeping both graded and pure bred stock, and succeeded well, being the owner at one time of three hundred twenty acres of choice land in Bates county. W. D. Parish was considered a wealthy man in his day and he was highly respected and esteemed in his community as an hon- est. upright. honorable citizen. He died August 26. 1907 and the widowed mother is now making her home at Galena in Chariton county, Kansas. W. D. and Salina Parish were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Laura Bower. Colorado Springs. Colorado; Mrs. Dora Cook, deceased; and W. W., the subject of this review.
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