History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 73

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220

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MICHAEL BRIGHT.

Michael Bright is the son of Michael and Jane ( McClung) Bright, and was born in Callaway county, Missouri, May 20th, 1848. His father was from Greenbrier county, West Virginia, and emigrated to Missouri in 1834. The grandfather of our subject was also Michael Bright, and his wife was Sarah Price, all Virginians. The father of Michael, our subject, settled in Callaway county, Missouri, near Ste- phens' store, and lived upon the farm until his death, in 1881. He is buried at Cedar church, in Callaway county. The present Michae was reared upon the farm and lived with his parents until he was twenty-four years old, when he went to Wyoming Territory, and stayed two years. He was married on the 28th of May, 1874, to Miss Adelia A., daughter of John C. and Elizabeth Mckinney, of Boone county. Mrs. Bright's father is dead, but her mother is yet living. Her father died in 1875, and is buried at Walnut Grove church. Mr. and Mrs. Bright lived one year after their marriage in Callaway county, and then sold their farm and bought and improved the place here in Boone where they are now living. The farm contains 240 acres, well improved. The house is upon the southwest quarter of section 20, township 49, range 11. Mr. Bright handles stock consid- erably, mostly cattle. His wife is a member of the Baptist church at Prairie Grove. They have one son, John McKinney Bright,

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

BERRYWICK J. BROWN.

Berrywick Johnson Brown is a native of Boone county. He is the son, and only surviving child of James and Sarah Ann ( Davis ) Brown, who were among the early settlers of Boone county. Berrywick was born four and one-half miles northwest of Columbia, November 3, 1848. He was educated at the district schools, completing his studies at the Missouri State University. Was married November 29, 1877, to Miss Lula, daughter of Philip and George Ann (Nichols), Prather. By this marriage they have had two sons. Mr. Brown was raised on the farm, and has followed agriculture exclusively until recently, when he added the business of brick-making, forming for this purpose a partnership under the firm name of Brown & Berry. This is the largest firm of the kind ever established in Columbia. They employ over twenty hands. They have all the modern machinery for making pressed brick, such as our people were formerly compelled to ship from a distance. They find ready sale for all their brick. Though the enterprise is yet in its infancy, Messrs. Brown & Berry have every reason to feel encouraged, and the people of Columbia are fortunate in thus securing good material for the many excellent buildings that are being added to the town every year. Mr. Brown has a farm of 500 acres, situated two miles north of Columbia, on the Columbia and Blackfoot rock road. He is a member of the Columbia lodge of K. of P. His wife is a member of the Christian church. James Brown, the father of B. J., was born July 27, 1798, and came to Boone county in 1832, emigrating from Madison county, Kentucky. He was married March 5, 1840, to Sarah A. Davis, of Scott county, Ken- tucky. By this union they had seven children, six sons and one daughter, Berrywick being the fifth child born of this marriage. He is the only child now living. James Brown, the father of Berrywick, died in 1865, and was buried on the farm now owned by his son. Mrs. Brown died July 18, 1873, aged fifty-nine years. She was buried by the side of her husband. The elder Brown was banished from Missouri in 1862, on account of his Southern proclivities. He spent most of his exile at Greencastle, Indiana.

LEONIDAS B. BROWN, M. D.

Dr. Leonidas B. Brown is the son of James and Dorcas ( McCalla ) Brown, of Scott county, Kentucky, where he was born May 13, 1828. The family came to Boone county, Missouri, in the spring of 1835.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

He was educated at Georgetown College, Kentucky. Studied medi- cine in the office of Greig & Rankin, Georgetown, Kentucky, after- wards graduating at the University of Louisville, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. He next attended a course of lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, graduating in the spring of 1852. He then came to Boone county, Missouri, where he practiced his profes- sion for two years, returning to Philadelphia for another course of lectures. Completing his medical studies, he returned to Boone county and resumed his former practice at Brown's Station. He moved his family to the farm, formerly owned by his father, one-half mile east of Stephens' station, but still keeps his office at Brown's Station, which derives its name from him. The village, consisting of some eight or ten houses, is built on his land. He has an extensive practice, visit- ing in his rounds some three hundred families. He has at his home farm 170 acres, and at Brown's station about 40 acres. Dr. Brown was married December 19, 1854, to Miss Thompson, daughter of Richard and Ann (Swan) Thompson. By this marriage they had one son and one daughter. The first wife died in 1856. In 1858 he was married to Miss Nannie, daughter of Hugh and Mary Wright. By this union they have four sons and one daughter. Dr. Brown's father was a carpenter, but carried on a farm while working at his trade. He built a great many houses in Columbia. He was quartermaster in the Mormon war, under General Thomas D. Grant. He died in 1845, and is buried at the old Hinkson church. Mrs. Brown died in 1869, and is buried by the side of her husband. Their family consisted of nine children, five sons and four daughters, of whom three sons and two daughters are now living, Dr. Brown being the oldest. F. C. Brown is a practicing physician at Hickory Grove church, Boone county. C. C. Brown is in the mercantile business, St. Louis ; Isabella married Jesse Hart ; Miriam married Samuel Crockett, all of Boone county. Mrs. Dr. Brown is a member of the Methodist church.

A. P. CLARKSON.

Arthur Payne Clarkson is the son of Dr. Henry M. and Mariam (Payne) Clarkson. Dr. Clarkson was a graduate of the old Medical College at Philadelphia, but never practiced his profession. He own- ed a large plantation in Fauquier county, Virginia, which required all of his attention. His wife's father was also one of the largest planters in their section of Virginia. Arthur P. Clarkson came to Missouri in 1841 and settled in Columbia, where he remained for six or seven

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

years. He then moved to the farm upon which he now resides, five miles east of Columbia, on the gravel road. He was educated at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri. Was married April 26th, 1859, to Miss Emily A., daughter of William H. and Harriet (Hol- ley ) Brand, of Lexington, Kentucky. Dr. Holley, grandfather of Mrs. Clarkson, was four years president of Transylvania College, Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. Clarkson has always followed farming. He owns a fine farm one and a half miles east of Columbia, on the St. Charles road. From 1867 to 1873 Mr. Clarkson was chairman of the Boone County Democratic Central Committee. He has always taken a lively interest in political matters. While not a partisan, strictly speaking, he is yet sincere and positive in his political convic- tions and unwavering in his support of party men and measures.

JOHN CONNELLY.

The above is the original spelling of the name of an old pioneer family, though the orthography has been changed by the descendants and younger generation, who spell the name C-o-n-l-e-y, dropping out one "n"and one "I" and placing the "e" between the "1" and the "y." John Connelly, the subject of this sketch, was born in Maryland in the year 1755, and came to Boone county, Missouri, in 1827. He married Elizabeth Turner of Madison county, Kentucky, and became the ancestor of many of the generations in Boone county, who bear the name, and the altered name as mentioned above. Mr. Connelly served under Gen. Greene in the Revolutionary War, and was present at Yorktown when Lord Cornwallis handed over his sword to Gen. Washington. This worthy old pioneer died at the home of his son-in-law, James Turner, in 1849, on what is known as the Two-mile Prairie, and was laid by his friends and relatives in his last resting place.

SANFORD CONNELLY

Is a son of John and Elizabeth (Turner) Connelly, and was born in Madison county, Kentucky, January 8th, 1815, and was partially educated in his native county. He completed his education in Boone county, Missouri, whither his parents removed in 1827. When 22 years old he enlisted, in 1837, for service in the " Florida War." He served three months under command of Col. Richard Gentry, and with credit to himself. Mr. Connelly was married in Boone county, December 23d, 1840, to Jane Le Force, daughter of William and Mary ( Martin ) Le Force, a family of French descent. Mr. Con-

HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY. 755

nelly was engaged in business in Columbia, keeping a general mer- chandise store from 1858 to 1862. He then sold his stock of goods to his nephew, John C. Connelly, and moved to the country on a farm of 280 acres, four miles northwest of Columbia, where he lived till 1879. On leaving that place, he moved to his present place of resi- dence, two and a half miles south of Columbia. Mr. Connelly is one of Boone county's most substantial farmers, and owns some 570 acres of as good land as is in the county. He is a member of the " Olivet" Christian church.

ANDREW MAY CONWAY.

Andrew M. Conway, son of Gen. Frederick Rector and Martha (Collins) Conway, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, October 8, 1842. Came to Boone county in 1849. Was educated at the Bonne Femme Academy, and at Elin Ridge Academy, Howard county, completing his literary education at the Missouri State University in 1864. Completing his medical course in 1874 at St. Louis. Returning to Boone county, he opened an office at Midway, seven miles west of Columbia. In Oct. 1875, he married Miss Susan, daughter of Isaac and Susan ( Anderson ) Hays. In the spring of 1876, Dr. Conway went to Texas with the view of locating, but came back to Boone county in 1878 and settled at Stephens' station, where he is now practicing his profession and rapidly building up a good business. They have two children : Fred- erick R., born September 14, 1876, and Julia, born April 10, 1881. The doctor is not a member of any church. Mrs. Conway is a mem- ber of the Methodist Church South. Gen. Frederick R. Conway, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a man of considerable promi- nence. He was born in Green county, Tennessee, July 4, 1799. He was a grandson of Col. Henry Conway, of the Revolutionary war, and the son of Judge Thomas Conway, who moved to Howard county, Missouri, in 1818, where he remained until his death in 1836. In early manhood Gen. Conway served as clerk in the office of his uncle, William Rector, surveyor-general of Missouri and Illinois, also deputy United States surveyor of public lands. In 1830 he was appointed United States recorder of land titles in St. Louis, an office created by Congress for the purpose of settling claims under French and Spanish grants in the territory of Louisiana. He moved to Boone county in 1849. He was one of seven brothers, two of whom, James S. and Elias N., were governors of the same State ( Arkansas ), an incident without a parallel in the history of this country. Henry W., the eldest brother, was an officer in the United States army. While stationed in Arkan-

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

sas territory he resigned and was elected a delegate to Congress. Pending a subsequent election, he was killed in a duel. Dr. John R., another brother, was a surveyor of public lands and commissioner to define the boundary line between Texas and Arkansas. William, the fifth brother, was supreme judge of Arkansas. Thomas, the sixth brother, was a merchant. He died at Huntsville, Missouri, when quite a young man. Ex-Governor Elias Conway is the only sur- viving brother. He is now living at Little Rock, Arkansas. There were three sisters. One became the wife of William Shields, another married a man named Runkle. The third is Mrs. Gen. William Pel- ham, living near Austin, Texas. Gen. Conway first married a widow named Smith. By this union they had one son. She dying a short time after her marriage, he wedded Martha Collins. There were five children by this union : Lucy A., Thomas F., a lawyer in Santa Fe, New Mexico ; Andrew M., Mary E., deceased, and Francis H., who is now running a cotton plantation on the Arkansas river, near Little Rock.

JAMES WILLIAM CONLEY.

James William Conley, son of John and Belila ( Weldon ) Conley, was born in Boone county, Missouri, May 11, 1835. He was brought up on the farm and educated at the common schools of the country. Married, November 5, 1857, Miss Anna E., daughter of Orastus and Mary (Summers) Reid. By this union they have nine children, one son and eight daughters, all of whom are living : Mollie B., born December 22, 1858 ; Maggie Lee, born September 3, 1861 ; Mattie and Minnie, born December 16, 1863; Alva N., born April 19, 1867; Alvin, born July 15, 1870 ; Rosa, B., born November 20, 1873 ; Genie, born January 21, 1877 ; Roy, born December 13, 1879. Mr. Conley taught school in Boone county, beginning in the spring of 1855 and continuing until 1862. In 1870-71, run a saw-mill on the old Prather farm, seven and one-half miles northeast of Columbia, on Clay's Fork. Since 1871 he has followed farming continuously up to the present time. He owns a fine farm of 300 acres, seven miles northeast of Columbia, on the Middletown road. The farm is well watered and timbered. He has lived on this farm since 1858. He has improved the place to the very best advantage. A large portion of the land is in grass and woodland pasture. He devotes about one hundred acres to corn, wheat and oats. He has two of the finest sugar orchards in the county. Has a good coal mine, the vein being from three to four feet in thickness. It was opened some time in 1850. Mr. Conley is

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

a member of the Masonic order, also a Patron of Husbandry. He is a member of the Oakland Christian church. Four of his daughters are members of the same church.

HUGH DEVIER,

Is a son of Allen and Nancy (Turley ) Devier ; was born May 17, 1818, in Rockingham county, Virginia. He is the third of a family of ten children. His father, Allen Devier, was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in the year 1787, and died August, 1850. His mother was also a native of the same county and died in 1861. They are buried in the county in which they were born, married and died. Hugh received his education in Augusta and Rockingham counties, Virginia. He lived at home with his parents until he was thirty years of age, when, in the spring of 1848, he came to Boone county, Missouri, and settled on the farm that was bought by his grandfather, Wm. Devier, of Christian county, Kentucky, in 1818, for $2.50 per acre. When Hugh took charge of the place it was a wild timbered tract, never having heard the ring of the ax, or felt the glebe of the plow. By hard work and skilful management it has been transformed into one of the best farms in the county, containing 428 acres, six miles north- east of Columbia, on the range line road. Mr. Devier was a large dealer in cattle and hogs from 1861 to 1880. He was married March 2, 1847, to Miss Alcinda E., daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Keller) Miller, from Strasburg, Virginia. By this union they have eight children, five boys and three girls : James William, Sarah V., Jacob A., Hugh J., Mary E., Hiram K., Stonewall J., and Nancy T., and are all living at home except James William, who lives in Denton county, Texas. Himself, wife and four of their children are members of the Missionary Baptist church. His brother, Giles Devier, is edi- tor of the Rockingham Register, of Rockingham county, Virginia, established in 1832.

SAMUEL DINWIDDIE.

The subject of this sketch is the son of Samuel and Patsy ( McBride ) Dinwiddie. He was born in Boone county, Missouri, October 25th, 1845. He was educated at the district schools, attending the old brick school house, four miles east of Columbia, and what was known as the Old White school house, four miles southeast of Columbia. Mr. Dinwiddie was married November 11th, 1868, to Hettie, daughter of Wm. H. and Missouri Hickam Garrett, of Linn county, Missouri. He is a farmer, and has followed agricultural pursuits all his life. He

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

resides on the old farm bought by his father in 1840, situated on the Columbia and Cedar creek rock road. He is a member of the Olivet Christian church. His wife, who died May 21st, 1882, was a member of the same church.

JAMES M'BRIDE DINWIDDIE.

The subject of this sketch is the son of Samuel and Patsy ( McBride ) Dinwiddie, and was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, May 11th, 1839. His parents were natives of Kentucky, and emigrated to Boone county, Missouri, when James was about a year old, and settled the place upon which his son Samuel is now living, about four miles east of Columbia. Samuel Dinwiddie was a tanner by trade, but followed farming after he came to Missouri until his death in 1865. His wife, our subject's mother, died in 1868, and they are buried upon the old homestead. They had nine children. James McBride has lived in Boone county all his life, save one year spent in Illinois dur- ing the war. He was educated in the country schools principally, going one term to the University. He was married May 11th, 1862, to Miss Kate, daughter of William Moseley. By this union they have had nine children : William S., Mary Irene, Clara Moseley, John, Julia, Ella, James, Charles and Thomas. Mr. and Mrs. Dinwiddie are members of the Christian church, and he is a member of the Knights of Honor at Columbia. He is of Scotch-Irish descent, and a life-long Democrat. Has farmed all his life, and been quite successful. He has a fine farm, and is accounted one of the substantial citizens of the county.

JAMES C. DYSART.

James C. Dysart, son of Madison and Maria (Cowan) Dysart, was born in Callaway county, Missouri, September 21st, 1836. He came to Boone county with his parents in 1838. He was educated at the common schools of the county, and worked on the farm until 1857, when he was engaged as a salesman at Burlington by J. C. Thompson. The business was afterwards moved to Sturgeon, and he continued with Thompson for a while. Then he formed a part- nership with a man named Croswhite, in the dry goods business. He continued with Croswhite until 1861, when the partnership was dis- solved, and he continued the business alone until 1864, when he sold out and removed to Helena, Montana Territory, where he opened a grocery store. He went by steamer from St. Louis. On the way the vessel sunk near Omaha. His family then returned

HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY. 759

home, while he continued his journey on board another steamer. He landed at Helena City July 12th, 1865, and opened a grocery store which he ran until September of that year. He also engaged in min- ing, having an interest in a quartz mill. Leaving Helena in Septem- ber, he went to Fort Benton. There he took passage on a flat-boat for Sioux City, Iowa, and from there to St. Joseph, Missouri, trav- elled by stage. Returning to Boone county, he engaged in farming near Hallsville in 1867. He continued in the business for about a year, when he came to Brown's Station and engaged in the general mercantile business under the firm name of Dysart & Turner. One year later the firm was dissolved, Mr. Dysart buying Turner's interest in the business. He ran the store alone for one year, when he took W. A. Goodding in partnership, the firm name being Dysart & Good- ding. Two years later Mr. Dysart bought out Mr. Goodding's inter- est, and has since conducted the business alone. He has a good trade, and is doing well. In connection with the store he is running a saw and grist mill, in partnership with James L. Henry. Mr. Dysart was married January 4th, 1849, to Miss Mary E., daughter of Lewis and Sallie ( Barnes ) Reid, daughter of Elder James Barnes. By this union they have eight children, five sons and three daughters, six of whom are living. One of the sons, George R., received severe inju- ries while raking hay, August 5th, 1882, from which he died the day following.

BERKLEY ESTES ( DECEASED ).

This gentleman, though now numbered with the dead, will be re- membered by many as an old settler of Boone county. Mr. Estes was the son of Richard Estes, of Virginia, and was born in Spottsyl- vania county, of that State, in 1797, and resided in his native State during youth. He came to this State and county in 1827, having been reared and educated in Virginia, where he was also married. On February 5th, 1826, he was married to Miss Malinda Estes, and on her death, was a second time married to Miss Mary Smith, April 24th, 1839. He was by trade a brick-layer, though he farmed for many years after coming to Missouri. He bought a farm in this coun- ty, three miles southeast of Columbia, on the Cedar Creek road. When the " War of '12" came on, Mr. Estes was just of the suitable age to take part in that brief struggle against England, and he served his country faithfully under Commodore Barry. By his first wife he had five children, four daughters and a son, of whom only one - Mar- garet E., wife of John R. Boulton - is living at this writing. By the

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second marriage, Mr. Estes was the father of three boys and one girl, of whom William B., and R. S. Estes still survive. Mr. Estes de- parted this life, July 29th, 1869, and he and his wife are both buried in the family burying ground on the old homestead.

RICHARD SAMUEL ESTES

Is the son of Berkley Estes, deceased, and was born in Boone county May 27, 1847. He was educated in his native county, and was mar- ried, April 6th, 1869, to Cordelia, daughter of John and Margaret Carlisle. He has followed farming and stock raising, and is living on the old homestead. The farm contains 257 acres, mostly in grass. Mr. and Mrs. Estes have six children, three boys and three girls, all living at this writing. He and wife are both members of the Olivet Christian church. There is a splendid coal bank on his farm of a good quality, which will of course be fully worked at some future time. A stream of clear water, called Limestone Creek, runs through his place, and affords abundant water for his stock.

ARCHIBALD TURNER GARTH.

Mr. Garth is the son of John R. and Kate M. (Turner ) Garth and was born in Boone county, Missouri, February 24th, 1852. His father John Robert Garth, was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, November 10th, 1827. He was married in Boone county, Missouri, in January, 1851, to Miss Catherine M. Turner. He was one of Columbia's most enterprising merchants and best citizens. He died suddenly on the 23d of July, 1877, at the residence of his son, A. T. Garth, and is bur- ied at the Columbia cemetery. Our subject, A. Turner Garth, was educated at the State University and at Bryant & Stratton's Com- mercial College, of St. Louis. In 1873 and 1874 he was engaged in the boot and shoe business in Columbia, and in 1877 and 1878 he was with R. H. Clinkscales in the grocery business. In the spring of 1880 he went back upon the farm and has dealt largely in stock ever since. He handles none but the best blood, and has shipped many young cattle to Kansas and other Western States. He is interested in a very large herd of cattle in Dickerson county, Kansas, and in the spring of 1881 he shipped an extra large lot of stock to the West. He and his brother, S. T. Garth, have a very large farm, well ap- pointed in all modern improvements and well stocked with thorough- breds. The home farm is called the Rose-Bud Herd Farm, and is one of the best upon the celebrated Two-mile prairie. Mr. Garth was mar-

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ried October the 8th, 1872 to Miss Ella M., daughter of I. W. and A. B. McDonald, of Kansas City. They are blest with one child, Ro- berta B. Mr. and Mrs. Garth are members of the Christian church and he is a member of the A. O. U. W. society.

R. BROWN GANS.

R. B. Gans, the celebrated optician and telescope maker, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, July 2d, 1819. He was educated at the common schools of the county, and among other things learned the cabinet-maker's trade from his father, who was a skilful mechanic. He followed this business until the war. About the year 1847, and while yet a citizen of Pennsylvania, he commenced work as an optician. He made some twelve telescopes, one of which he sold to Waynesburg Col- lege, Green county, Pennsylvania. After coming to Boone county he resumed the business. He made the one now in use at the Christian Female College, Columbia, worth $1,000 .. He has one now in course of construction which will, when finished, be worth $2,000. It will be an equatorial instrument, worked by a clockwork governor, ten feet focal length, and seven inches clear aperture. It will be provided with fifteen eye pieces of various kinds, together with a pull-rising eye-piece and micrometer. It will be mounted on a heavy iron col- umn of a half-ton weight, with right ascension and declination circle to five seconds. He also has a small instrument already complete. It is fifty-seven inches focal length and three and one-fourth inches aperture. It is mounted in brass on a heavy try-rod, together with finder and four eye-pieces, possessing a magnifying power of from six- ty to two hundred times. It is adjusted by rack and pivot and end- less screw. This instrument is valued at two hundred dollars. Mr. Gans imports his glass from the same firm that supplies Clark & Son, of Cambridgeport, Massachussetts. He furnished one telescope to Dr. Isaac Ridge, of Kansas City, in 1881, for which he received two hundred dollars. He has an invention of his own for grinding and polishing his glasses and lenses. The old method of grinding by hand took the time and trouble to grind one glass that he would de- vote to five, and his process is more accurate and better. He has a machine lathe, made by Sheppard, of Cincinnati, which cost him two hundred dollars.

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 73

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1220

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220