USA > Missouri > Bates County > History of Bates County, Missouri > Part 67
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secretary of war under President Hayes. This firm was located in Keokuk, Iowa, and young Denton pursued his law studies in that city while teaching school in Hamilton, Illinois. Mr. Denton was admitted to the bar in 1880 and began the practice of his profession in Keokuk, Iowa, but his health again failing him he returned to the teaching pro- fession for about two years. He came to Bates county in 1882 and practiced at Rich Hill, this county, for a period of six years. He then located in Butler, where for the past thirty years he has been a leader of the bar and prominent in business and financial circles. In 1886, he was a candidate for the office of prosecuting attorney of Bates county, and ran more than four hundred votes ahead of his ticket in the face of a normal Democratic majority of over one thousand votes. In 1892, he was again a candidate for the same office and was defeated by a very small margin. He served one term as city attorney of Butler and ably represented the interests of the city during his term. He was a candidate for the office of circuit judge in 1898 but was defeated. At the next election he was again a candidate for circuit judge and was successful, not withstanding the fact that the Democratic majority that year was over one thousand votes. While serving on the bench, Judge Denton rendered many important decisions.
In May, 1911, he was appointed by Governor Hadley to the posi- tion of pardon attorney at Jefferson City. While filling this important position, Judge Denton performed the hardest and greatest task of his life. Prior to his appointment, the state of Missouri had followed no definite system of paroling and pardoning prisoners and wrongdoers. The work had been done in a haphazard and indifferent manner with indifferent results. Judge Denton was possessed of vision which enabled him to look far ahead and he mapped out a plan of handling the parol- ing and pardoning of the unfortunates whose .cases would be called to his attention. With characteristic energy and far-seeing vision which enabled him to look ahead and foresee the need of a constructive sys- tem of handling the problem of granting paroles and pardons, he began at once to place his advanced ideas into actual practice. He inaugu- rated a system which was destined to become the forerunner of the present benevolent plan of reforming rather than further degrading those whose environments and the influence of the truly vicious ele- ment had caused to transgress the rules of society. The plan which he evolved and placed in actual operation during his term of office has resulted in the improvement of prison conditions and the bringing
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back to society, hundreds of men who had fallen from their places in the civic body and come under the ban of the state laws. During his term as pardon attorney, but thirty-two out of more than four hundred prisoners paroled were returned to prison. Judge Denton inaugurated the plan of public hearings of prisoners on their applications for execu- tive clemency.
An extract from a commendatory letter written by former Governor Hadley to Governor F. D. Gardner on February 27, 1917, urging the appointment of Judge Denton to a membership on the board of prison management is appropriate at this point and shows conclusively the opinion which Governor Hadley held and still holds concerning Judge Denton's record : * * You could not make a better appoint- ment than Judge Denton. During the two and one-half years he served in the position of pardon attorney he established a most excellent sys- tem for the investigation and consideration of application for pardons and he showed a degree of common sense and justice in passing upon these applications. He is a man of fine personality and unquestioned integrity. He is that type of man who never has to establish his entire integrity in any official matter with which he may deal. That is unhesi- tatingly conceded by all who know him. In short, if I were asked to serve as governor again and considered accepting, I would insist as a condition that Judge Denton pass on all applications for pardon or parole. Very truly yours, H. S. Hadley."
Judge Denton served as a delegate to the Chicago convention in 1912 and was a supporter of Theodore Roosevelt in that convention. He was the candidate of the Republican party for supreme judge in 1912, having been placed upon the state ticket before the split had occurred in the ranks of the party. He has always been a firm adherent of Republican principles and no sacrifice has been too great for him to make when called upon by the members of his party.
The marriage of Judge C. A. Denton and Miss Emma Baldwin was consummated on October 2, 1879. Mrs. Denton is a daughter of C. W. and Mary (McPherson) Baldwin, the former of whom died in Butler in 1909, the latter having preceded him in death in the nineties. Four chil- dren were born to this marriage: Wesley, president of the People's Bank of Butler ; Meda J., wife of R. F. Lisle ; Doris B. ; and Waldo, who died at the age of two and a half years. Judge Denton has always been a firm and consistent supporter of all measures and undertakings in-
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tended to advance the interests of his home city and Bates county along material, social, intellectual, and moral lines. Fraternally, he is affi- liated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Modern Woodmen lodges.
D. A. Gepford, progressive farmer of Shawnee township, evidently believes thoroughly in the use of modern labor-saving devices on his splen- did farm of two hundred forty acres, as the place is well equipped with every device and the latest agricultural machinery to enable him to perform the farm work quickly and inexpensively. In these times of scarcity of farm labor it would seem that a farmer as well equipped as Mr. Gepford would not need to worry a great deal about securing farm labor. The Gepford place is located six and a half miles east of Adrian and it boasts two sets of improvements. The farm has a nice six-room residence, two barns, a scale house, and sheds to facilitate the care of livestock and protection of the harvested crops. The oldest barn on the place was built in 1897, and the splendid, new barn was recently erected in 1917. The main buildings are erected on section 9, while the west "eighty" which is the home of R. H. Gepford, son of D. A. Gep- ford, is also well equipped, the barn and feed shed being 32 x 40 feet in dimensions. Mr. Gepford has built an implement shed and a black- smith shop since coming to this place. The scale house is enclosed as is the corn sheller, fanning mill, and the pumping machinery, all of which are operated by an upright engine. Mr. Gepford does custom work, such as grinding, etc., for his neighbors and has all the work which he cares to do. This farm has an International tractor, a twenty by thirty-six Case separator, which has a capacity for 2,000 bushels of oats or 1,000 bushels of wheat per day's run. Mr. Gepford can plow seven to ten acres per day with his tractor plow outfit which is fitted with three fourteen-inch plows. He is thus enabled to plow as deeply as is desired. Only recently he has purchased a two-row cultivator with motor attachment.
D. A. Gepford was born in Macon county, Illinois, near the city of Decatur, in 1859. He is the son of George and Letitia (Shepherd) Gep- ford, both of whom are deceased, the former dying in 1888 and the latter in 1911. Mr. Gepford's parents lived practically all of their days in Illi- nois and were honest, hard-working, industrious citizens who taught their children the value of industry and honesty. D. A. Gepford was reared and educated in Macon county, Illinois, and lived in his native county until 1894. In that year he moved to Andrew county, Missouri, and
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D. A. GEPFORD AND FAMILY.
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resided there until 1900 and then came to Bates county. He purchased his farm in Shawnee township from Zib White, who had bought it from William Lee and the Reeder heirs.
In 1883, Mr. Gepford was united in marriage with Josephine Stick- ler, a native of Illinois, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Stickler, of Macon county, Illinois. To this marriage have been born children as follow: Ettie L., at home with her parents; Irvin, deceased; R. H., operates his father's farm in section 9 and also assists in cultivating the home farm; J. A., at home with his parents.
While the Gepfords are not "old settlers" of Bates county, they have taken their place among the representative families of this county who are doing things for the good of the county and are ably demonstrat- ing what can be accomplished on Bates county soil. They have a host of good and warm friends in their neighborhood and Mr. Gepford ranks high among the truly progressive and successful farmers of this county.
David Albaugh De Armond was born in Blair county, Pennsyl- vania, on the 18th day of March, 1844. He was the oldest of a family of six children. His grandfather, Michael De Armond, was of Irish stock and a soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving under Wash- ington at Valley Forge. His father, James De Armond, was a man of limited education, but good natural ability, with an intense desire for his sons to receive a good education and while he was unable to help them greatly, the four who grew to manhood were all of the learned professions, two lawyers, one doctor and one educator. His father was born in 1790 but did not marry until past the age of fifty when he mar- ried Catherine Albaugh, the youngest of a family of thirteen children. She was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock. James De Armond settled upon a farm in Blair county, Pa., where his children were born, and engaged in farming, being also an engineer upon the present Pennsylvania rail- road system in its early days. Both James and Catherine De Armond lived to a great age, he dying at Greenfield, Missouri, at ninety-five and she at Butler, Missouri, at ninety.
David De Armond spent his childhood and early manhood on a hilly, rocky farm at the foot of the Alleghany mountains, attending the local schools and afterwards attending Dickinson Seminary. He secured the means to complete his education by teaching a part of each year. His parents moved to Davenport, Iowa, in 1866, where David De Armond studied law in the office of Lane & Day, being admitted to the practice in 1867. Seeking a place to locate for the practice of his
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profession he was advised to change his politics and go to western Iowa. His party principles with him were not a matter of convenience, liis family having been Democrats from the organization of the party, and he turned his eyes toward Missouri, a state then not yet recovered from the effects of the Civil War. He finally settled upon Greenfield in Dade county, where he located in 1869.
He soon began to build up a law practice. He was there married to Alice M. Long, daughter of Arch M. Long, one of the early families in that section, and continued to live in Greenfield until 1883. In 1878, he was nominated for the state senate and although the district was normally Republican he was elected and served for four years, declining a renomination. In the state senate he quickly took high rank and gained the first of that state-wide reputation he afterward enjoyed. In 1883, he moved to Rich Hill, then enjoying great prosperity as a min- ing center and practiced law with W. T. Marsh under the firm name of De Armond & Marsh. In 1884, he moved to Butler, where he made his home and met his tragic death. He formed a law part- nership with Thomas J. Smith, under the firm name of De Armond & Smith.
In 1884, he was Democratic elector and voted for Grover Cleve- land. In 1885 he was elected a member of the supreme court commis- sion, which had been provided by the Legislature to clear up the docket of the court. The manner of his election was a high testimonial to his legal ability. The court had been balloting for some time to fill the place of a member of the commission who had died, without being able to agree upon a commissioner. Mr. De Armond was not a candi- date but appearing before the court to argue a case in which he was an attorney his presentation of his case so impressed the members of the court that he was elected to the vacancy that evening. The com- mission expired by limitation soon after. Mr. De Armond was also one of the three attorneys employed by the state who successfully prosecuted the claim of the state against the Hannibal & St. Joe rail- road for several millions of dollars of state aid in building that road.
In 1886, he was elected to the circuit bench in this judicial district, having no opposition for the nomination. His inclinations especially fitted him for the bench and he filled the position with marked abil- ity. His love of the law and his temperament of mind were best suited to a judicial position and during his service in Congress he sometimes regretted having left the bench.
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In 1890, with the announcement of Congressman Stone that he would not be a candidate for renomination to Congress, one of the greatest contests in the history of Missouri Democratic politics arose. Charles H. Morgan, Grantley of St. Clair, Joshua Ladue of Henry, Hill of Jasper, Judge Givens of Cass and De Armond of Bates all entered the race, the announcement of Judge De Armond being made only a few weeks before the convention which met in Butler. At the end of three days Judge De Armond was nominated over Morgan and entered upon his career in Congress, to which he was re-elected for nine terms without opposition for nomination in his party.
In Congress, Judge De Armond gradually forged to the front until at his death he was a member of the Rules Committee of the House of Representatives and the senior Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee. As a debater he had few equals during his service and his clear reasoning and unswerving honesty of purpose won him a fore- most place in the national assembly. While he was a Democrat from principle he did not hesitate to vote with the opposite party upon a number of questions which arose in Congress nor was his action in so doing ever criticised by the people of his district.
On two occasions, at least, an effort was made by leaders in state politics to induce him to enter the race for governor, which he declined to do.
In public life Judge De Armond was a man of greatest modesty, making no effort to advertise himself or his doings and having none of the traditional arts and tricks of the politician. His standing in the district he served so long was due to the fact that his supporters knew he had but one desire and that was to faithfully and honestly serve their interests. But while modest as to himself, in course of conduct and in debate he was fearless and outspoken and as a judge avoided no part of his duty and in debate had a gift of irony and satire that made few opponents willing to meet him.
His family consisted of four children all of whom are still living. James A. De Armond, married to Nancy Lee Bell of Liberty, Missouri, formerly adjutant-general of Missouri, and at present mayor of Butler. Mrs. Orville D. Standsbury of Okmulgee. Oklahoma. Col. Edward H. De Armond, married Miss Toots Hannah, and at present is in France as chief of staff of the Thirty-second Division of the National Army. Major George W. De Armond, married Miss Marguerite De Armond. and at present is in France with the Aviation Section of the Signal
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Corps. Both Edward and George, the younger sons, are graduates of West Point.
Judge De Armond in his family life was a man of the greatest affection and generosity. His children were given every advantage possible and in his grandchildren he found his greatest pleasure during the recesses of Congress. David A. De Armond, Jr., his oldest grand- son, aged seven, was with him almost constantly during the last summer of his life and with him occupied a sleeping porch at night at Judge De Armond's residence in Butler.
On the night of November 22, 1909, just a few days before he was to return to his duties in Washington, after spending the evening with his family, Judge De Armond and this little grandson retired to their cots upon the sleeping porch. Some hours after midnight the house was discovered on fire, the flames eating down through the roof and inside of the house just back of the door which opened onto the sleeping porch. Mrs. De Armond and their daughter, who were sleep- ing inside the house, barely escaped. His daughter, who slept near a window opening toward the porch heard the frightened child's cry, "Get me out of here, granddaddy ; get me out of here," and the answer of her father, calmly, as he always quieted the childrens' fears, "Don't be scared, little son; granddaddy will get you out." When the door was opened it is supposed that they inhaled the flames and died instantly, for there was no other sound.
The remains of grandson and grandfather were recovered from the ruins and interred in Oak Hill cemetery. Friends from all parts of the district, state, and nation, were present at the funeral services held in the Methodist church, while the Masonic service at the grave was conducted by Ex-Governor Dockery. One of the most touching features of the sad occasion was the pall-bearers, who were composed of gray-headed men from among Judge De Armond's friends and asso- ciates of many years, by the side of each of whom walked a little boy, the seven-year-old playmates and school-fellows of his little grand- son.
The author of this book knew Judge De Armond from the time he came to Rich Hill in 1883, down to the date of his death as above described. He practiced law with him at the bar and before him when he was elevated to the circuit bench. He was a good lawyer and a just judge. No man at the Bates county bar was more adroit and effec- tive before a jury. No man with business in his court ever had reason
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to complain of unfair treatment; and it may be truthfully said he looked beyond the attorney to the client in the administration of justice. There was no favoritism from the bench. The rich and the poor looked alike to him, and only the issues involved were tried in his court. Courteous to the bar, he was firm in discipline, and sought only justice between litigants.
Later, when he became the representative in Congress of and for the Sixth Missouri District by long and faithful service, he gave the district a standing in Washington it never enjoyed before; and while not the leader of the minority in the Lower House, he was for years recog- nized by the Democratic party and the country as the actual leader of his party in that body of distinguished Democrats. Clean and fear- less, honest and faithful, no one even among the Republicans in Con- gress or in his home district ever hinted at graft in his public service.
Personally, Judge De Armond was a quiet, unassuming gentleman, companionable and cordial among his friends and his neighbors gen- erally ; but he was not a good "mixer." Many people thought him too reserved and cold in his demeanor; but this feeling prevailed only among those who did not know him at home and well. He held his place in the respect and confidence of our people largely by force of his intellectual power. As a public speaker he did not resort to tricks or devices to stir the crowds ; but he commanded attention by his clear, logical, decisive periods ; and at times he reached the heights of real elo- quence. He was a wonderful master of the English language; and no man in all the country could make an extempore speech which needed less editing in the newspaper office. We often listened to him in won- der that a man could so phrase his speech while on his feet before an audience that not the dotting of an "i" nor the crossing of a "t" would be required if it went to the printer. He never repeated, never hesi- tated for the right word, and never stumbled. In this accomplishment he was without a peer among the public speakers in the country. His service in Congress was an honor to the Sixth district, and when he perished untimely in the flames of his own home he left many friends and no personal enemies. Judge De Armond was one of the really great men of his era in public life.
W. O. Atkeson, the author and editor of this book, was born in Putnam county, West Virginia, in the valley of the Great Kanawha river, and was reared to manhood there. He is the son of a farmer and had the usual experiences and passed through the ordinary vicissi-
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tudes of farm life in that country. He attended the country schools and quit the public schools a pupil of the Buffalo Academy. At the beginning of the college year of 1873-74 he entered the Kentucky University at Lexington, matriculating in the Agricultural and Mechani- cal College and pursued a special course in mathematics, literature, his- tory, book keeping and military training with recitations in chemistry. He remained in the university only about seven months, and on account of sickness returned home, and went to work on the farm. The follow- ing winter he taught school in Mason county, West Virginia, and with the money so earned he matriculated in the West Virginia State Normal School at Fairmount, and graduated from the same in June, 1875. The following winter he was principal of the New Haven graded schools, and in the spring of 1876 he became one of the editors and proprietors of the "West Virginia Monitor," published at Point Pleasant, West Vir- ginia. After a few months he disposed of his interest in the paper and returned to the farm and began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in Winfield, West Virginia, in 1877. In 1878, he removed to Council Grove, Kansas, where he resided and practiced his profession until he came to Rich Hill in 1882. He was elected justice of the peace in Council Grove, Kansas, and served out a term of two years. In October, 1889, he removed with his family to Butler, where he has since resided. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Bates county in 1890 and served a term of two years successfully. In 1892, he was a candi- date for circuit judge on the People's Party ticket and was also nomi- nated by electors, and carried three counties out of the four composing the 29th judicial circuit, but was defeated. The election of his opponent was contested, the opinion of the supreme court being recorded in 115 Missouri Reports. He became the editor of the "Butler Free Press" in 1894 and has been with the paper ever since, and is regarded by friends and foe as a clear, decisive writer, a fair and honorable editor, and a good citizen. He lives in a comfortable cottage home with a family of five children, having recently lost his wife, who was a daughter of George G. and Mary A. Warnick and whom he married in Barton county, Missouri, in 1884. In 1894, the Kentucky Central Normal School conferred on him the honorary degree of A. M. He is a man of varied culture, firm convictions and great tenacity of purpose ; and his home has always been an open door to all who wish to come and share its modest and cordial hospitality. (The foregoing is from the "Old Set- tlers History of Butler County," published in 1902.)
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In 1902, Mr. Atkeson sold the "Butler Free Press" and returned to the practice of law. After the dissolution of the People's Party he became a Republican, and in 1906 he was unanimously nominated for Congress by the Republican convention of the Sixth Missouri district held in Rich Hill. His Democratic opponent was Hon. David A. De Armond, the sitting member; and after an earnest canvass he was defeated. In 1908, he was renominated for Congress by the Republicans at the pri- mary election, and again made an earnest canvass of the district, but was again defeated by De Armond. In January, 1910, he was appointed a deputy hotel inspector under the Hadley administration and served about sixteen months, retiring from that position to accept an appoint- ment as deputy state labor commissioner, in which capacity he served two years. His elder daughter, Miss Virginia Wheat Atkeson, died March 10, 1912; and in September, 1914, the other children removed to Columbia, Missouri, where Miss Gladys C. had a position as ste- nographer to Dean J. C. Jones, of the State University. Floyd W. continued his studies in the College of Agriculture; Ralph W., entered the College of Arts and Sciences ; and Clarence E., entered the city high school, sophomore year. In December following, the subject of this sketch followed and remained in Columbia until March 1, 1915, when he returned to Butler and on April 12 purchased the "Bates County Record" from the widow of Col. O. D. Austin, who had recently died. For the last three years he has edited and published the "Record." The plant was destroyed by fire December 27, 1916, but the paper was continued by contract until April 26, 1918, at which time it was sold and discontinued at the end of its fifty-second volume. At this time, May 1, 1918, Gladys C. Atkeson, now Mrs. J. W. McCreery, resides in Colum- bia and has one child, Robert A .; Floyd W., will graduate from the College of Agriculture of the University in June; Ralph W. is second lieutenant, "A" Company, One Hundred Twenty-ninth Machine Gun Battalion, Thirty-fifth Division, United States Army, at Camp Mills, Long Island, on his way to France; Clarence E. is in Kansas City, Missouri, attending a business college.
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