History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 93

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

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the most powerful and influential institutions in Boone county is no flattery of Mr. Stephens, whose labors to that end are not only known but appreciated by his numerous patrons. Devoted to his profession, earnest in his efforts to promote the welfare of the people of Boone county, consistent and true to his principles, he has earned and re- ceived the active support of the people regardless of politics or opin- ion. With a bright future before him and a past history of which he may well feel proud, he can rest assured of the kind support of a gen- erous and appreciative public.

JAMES F. STEWART.

The subject of this sketch is the son of Samuel and Emeline (Hol- man) Stewart. He was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, October 18, 1844, and came to Pike county, Missouri, in 1850, and to Boone county in 1854, where he was principally educated at the public schools. In April, 1863, he enlisted in the Federal army, joining Company B, Ninth regiment Missouri militia, under Gen. Guitar. His company was commanded by Capt. Adams. August 4, 1864, he reënlisted in the Thirteenth cavalry, Missouri volunteers, for three years ; but was mustered out January 3, 1866. While a soldier he participated in the battles of Price's raid. His com- mand met Price at Pilot Knob and pursued him to Fort Scott, where the subject of this sketch was placed in charge of Con- federate prisoners. Next went to Waynesville, Missouri, and from there to Colorado, where the Indians had been giving trouble. Re- turned to Fort Leavenworth and were ordered thence to St. Louis where they were mustered out of service. Mr. Stewart came home and learned the carpenter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years under Runkle & McAlister. After finishing his trade, he went to work as a builder and contractor with Tansey & Matheney, who built the Methodist church and the brewery buildings. Was with this firm for about one year, then formed a partnership with George McDaniel. They worked together for three years. From 1873 to 1877 he was alone in the business. He next formed a partnership with John Crist, under the firm name of Stewart & Crist. They now employ six or eight hands and do a large per cent. of the contracting and building in Columbia and surrounding country. Mr. Stewart was married December 29, 1868, to Miss Martha Jane, daughter of Miles Bald- ridge. Two children were born of this marriage, James E. and Mary L. The first wife died October 10, 1872, and is buried at New Hope

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church, Audrain county, Missouri. July 30, 1874, he was married to his second wife, Miss Mattie F., daughter of John A. Reed. By this marriage they had three children : Lawrence F. (deceased ), Eva and Onie. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are members of the Methodist church. He is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias. Mr. Stewart's father was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in Boone county, Missouri, January 19, 1877, aged fifty-five. He is buried on the old home place. His mother is living on the old homestead, five miles west of Columbia, on the Rocheport gravel road. There were eleven children in the family, James F. being the oldest. Five of the children are living. Mr. Stewart has worked at his trade almost without intermission since returning from the war. He was superin- tendent of plank roads while a citizen of Pike and Moniteau, and has held the same position in Boone.

BENJAMIN F. STEWART.

Benjamin F. Stewart is the son of Charles and Elizabeth (Lincoln ) Stewart. He was born in the State of Ohio, November 10th, 1845, and came to Boone county, Missouri, in the autumn of 1855. He grew to manhood and was principally educated in this county. He was married, March 26th, 1868, to Miss Sarah M., daughter of William and Martha (Williams) Milhollin. They have five children, three sons and two daughters : Charles W., Thomas B., Mary A., James A. and Linda L. Mr. Stewart learned the carpenter's trade with Ruckel & McAlister in 1866. Worked at his trade in Columbia until 1875 when he went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he stayed for one year. Came back to Boone county and worked two years in partnership with his brother, J. L. Stewart, in the saw-milling business at Ashland. In 1879 he went to Idaho Springs, Colorado, but did not remain long. Came back to Ashland and commenced contracting and building, remaining there until the summer of 1881 when he returned to Colum- bia and entered in partnership with Alonzo Duncan as contractors and builders. In 1864 he enlisted as a private in the Federal army, join- ing Company A, Second Missouri cavalry, under Col. Lewis A. Mer- rill. Was in the army thirteen months. He is a member of the K. of P. and the Odd Fellow orders. Charles Stewart, the father of Benjamin, was born in Pennsylvania in 1819 and moved to Ohio about the year 1842, and from there to Pike county, Missouri, in 1850. He returned to Ohio soon after, and finally came to Boone county, Mis- souri, where he died in 1871. Mrs. Stewart is still living at the age

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of sixty-three years. They had eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Eight of the children are now living. Mr. Stewart is a superior workman, and, as a contractor and builder, has won the confidence and patronage of the public. He has all the work he can do and of the better class of carpenter's work.

J. W. STONE.

Josiah Wilson Stone, a son of Col. Caleb S. Stone, so frequently mentioned in these pages, is a native of Boone county, born in Colum- bia. He was educated in the common schools. In early life he engaged in merchandising, and afterward " learned " the Missouri river and ran as pilot thereon for many years. On the breaking out of the war he took service for a short time on the Southern side. He was in the fight at Mt. Zion church, in this county, in December, 1861, but escaped in safety. Soon after he went back to the river and ran as pilot until the war was over. In 1873 he returned to Boone county, and has here resided ever since. In 1878 he was elected sheriff of the county and reëlected in 1880.

In 1859 Mr. Stone was married at St. Charles, Mo., to Miss Elvira Dozier, a daughter of Capt. Dozier, of St. Louis, now of the firm, of Dozier, Weyl & Co. Mr. and Mrs. Stone are the parents of two children. Mr. Stone is a member of the Christian church, and belongs to the Masonic order and to the Odd Fellows. Boone county never had a more faithful official or a better citizen than Josiah W . Stone. At the Democratic primaries, in August, 1882, Mr. Stone was nominated as the candidate for circuit clerk, after a long, arduous and closely contested canvass against such a strong competitor as W. W. Garth, Esq.

GEORGE CLINTON SWALLOW, M. D., LL. D.

The worthy subject of this sketch, who has served Missouri so long and faithfully in a scientific capacity, was born in Buckfield, Oxford county, Maine, in 1817, and is a descendant of a Norman-French family named Sevallieu, whose chief marched with William the Nor- man into England. One branch emigrated from France to New Orleans, while another came from England to New England, Prof. Swallow being a scion of the latter family. Early in life young George took a deep interest in the mysterious science of geology. He entered Bowdoin College, from which he graduated in 1843, with high honors and was immediately chosen lecturer in his alma mater on the subject

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of botany. In 1848 he established an agricultural college at Hamp- den, Maine, having obtained aid from the State for that purpose. He was elected professor of chemistry and geology in the Missouri Uni- versity in 1850, and 1853 was appointed the first State geologist Missouri ever had. His first official report was published in 1855. He first determined, located and mapped out the boundaries of the geological formations of Missouri, and their mineral contents, as pub- lished in his reports and Campbell's Atlas of Missouri, which reports have been followed by later investigators in working out the minor details of our State's geology. During the war-time the business of the State University and the geological survey were so much broken up that, in 1865, Prof. Swallow accepted an appointment as State geolo- gist of Kansas, and continued in that work two years. He had pre- viously, in 1858, discovered and determined rocks in Kansas belonging to the Permian group of geological series. This was the first time that rocks of this age were shown to exist in America ; and this dis- covery by Prof. Swallow, together with his reports on the geology of Missouri and Kansas, and papers read before the American Association, gave him a high rank and honorable recognition among the learned societies and savans of America and Europe.

In 1870 the University of Missouri was enlarged, reconstructed and reorganized on the true university plan - with coordinate schools or colleges of literature, science, art, law, medicine, mines and agricul- ture. Dr. Swallow was appointed to the chair of natural history and agriculture and made dean of the agricultural college.

In June, 1882, Prof. Swallow was removed from his chair in the University as he claims for his persistent efforts to preserve the agri- cultural college and its funds in their integrity, and on charges which he was not permitted to hear and rebut, and many of which are proved to be false by the official records of the University, the agricultural college and the State Board of Agriculture. [See history of Univer- sity prepared by Col. Switzler. ] For nearly thirty years past he has been a working and leading member of the agricultural and horticul- tural societies of the State, their very existence having grown out of his urgent and eloquent advocacy of such organizations as early as 1852. He has also been an active member of the " American Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science," and has taken an honored and leading part in many of its profoundest discussions. He has always been a staunch opponent of " Darwinism," or the materialistic phase of the doctrine of evolution. His most persistent and useful work is,

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perhaps, his study and classification of Missouri soils as shown by his numerous publications on their chemical and physical properties, and the best modes of culture for the staple crops of the Mississippi valley.

FRANK THOMAS.

Mr. Thomas is the son of Christopher and Jemima K. (Detrow) Thomas, and was born July 1, 1836, in Frederick county, Maryland. He was educated in his native county, and at the age of eighteen he came to Palmyra, Missouri, and there learned the carpenter's trade. In 1855 he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and in 1856 learned the ambrotype picture business, serving an eighteen months' apprenticeship. In May, 1857, he came to Columbia and worked in the picture gallery of J. T. Redmond, and continued in his employ until July 1, 1857, when he, in partnership with E. L. Wright, went into the business for themselves. They continued the business for about eight months, when he sold his interest in the gallery to a man named Bishop, and worked for the firm about three months. He then returned to Pal- myra and worked at his old trade, that of carpentering. In 1868 he left Palmyra and went to Jefferson City and ran a picture gallery for W. H. Douglass until 1859, when he returned to Columbia and went into the picture business for himself until 1861. He next resumed work at carpentering until 1862, when he took his gallery to Syracuse, where there were several regiments of soldiers, and went with them to Jefferson City, Liberty and St. Louis. In 1864 he returned to Colum- bia and was drafted into the Federal army, Sixth regiment, company H, Missouri volunteers, where he served ten months and was dis- charged in August, 1865. He then came back to Columbia and worked for E. R. Childers in 1866. In 1867 he worked for A. R. Butts. Butts sold out to R. J. Booth, and Mr. Thomas ran the gal- lery for him for two years. In 1872 he bought out Mr. Booth and has continued the business ever since. He was a member of the Na- tional Photographic Association of the United States until it col- lapsed in 1876. He is now a member of the Photographic Associa- tion of America, organized in 1880, and was one of its first mem- bers. He attends all conventions of the profession, and keeps pace with all improvements in the art. He was married September 14, 1858, to Miss Louisa F., daughter of Andrew Lukens, of Philadel- phia, Pa. They have had nine children, five boys and four girls, but three of whom are now living. He and his wife are members of

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the Episcopal church, and he is a member of the Odd Fellows, Knights. of Pythias, and Ancient Order of United Workmen Societies.

PROF. S. M. TRACY.

Samuel Mills Tracy was born in Windsor county, Vermont, April 30, 1847. In 1853 removed with his father to Bloomington, Wiscon- sin, where he was partly educated. Graduated at Michigan Agricul- tural College in 1868. After completing his studies, followed horti- culture, and was editorially connected with Colman's Rural World, St. Louis, Missouri ; was also editor of the Practical Farmer, Philadel- phia. In the spring of 1877 was appointed assistant professor of agriculture in the Missouri State University. January, 1881, was made professor of botany and entomology, also superintendent of the agricultural department. Was honored with the degree of M. S. by the University of Michigan in 1876. Prof. Tracy was married in 1874 to Miss Martha A. Terry, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin .. They have three children. Mr. and Mrs. Tracy are members of the Pres- byterian church. The professor is also a member of the Knights of Honor. During the war he served in the Forty-first Wisconsin in- fantry.

G. W. TRIMBLE.

George W. Trimble was born in Randolph county, Missouri, July 21, 1839. His father was Maj. Robert Trimble, of Kentucky ; his mother, Elizabeth (Young) Trimble, also of Kentucky. The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm near Fort Henry, and educated at the common schools of the country. At the age of sixteen he came to Columbia, Missouri, and entered the store of J. Kirkbride as a sales- man. He clerked for his employer until 1860, when he became a member of the firm. He was married, November 12, 1867, to Miss- Martha, daughter of Dr. W. H. Duncan, an old citizen of Columbia. They have two living children, Susie and Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Trimble are members of the Baptist church. He is also a member of the I. O. G. T. He has been a member of the city council. In 1880 came within thirty-three votes of being elected county treasurer in a vote of 3,000. John M. Samuel was his competitor. Mr. Trimble is now a member of the firm of Trimble, Fyfer & Co. He has a pleasant home, made with his own hands. He is an active, energetic man. In addition to his own private business he has acted as admin- istrator for a number of estates, besides transacting other public business of a similar nature.

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HON. SQUIRE TURNER.

Hon. Squire Turner, one of the ablest lawyers of Central Missouri, was born in Boone county, Missouri, December 10, 1836. He is the son of A. W. and Matilda (Stone) Turner, natives of Madison county, Kentucky. The elder Turner was born in Richmond, Kentucky, Sep- tember 18, 1801. In early manhood he studied law under his brother, Hon. Squire Turner, member of Congress, and one of the ablest law- yers of Kentucky. It is worthy of mention that Mr. Justice Miller, of the United States Supreme Court ; Hon. William H. Hatch, mem- ber of Congress from Missouri ; Hon. Thomas Turner, member of Con- gress from Kentucky ; ex-Governor McCreery, of Kentucky ; John B. Gordon, late of Boone county, Missouri, besides many other lawyers of eminence, read law out of the same books, in the same office, and under the same distinguished jurist. Mr. Turner practiced with his brother for a few years. After his admission to the bar he was mar- ried to Matilda R., daughter of William Stone, Sr., of Kentucky. In the fall of 1831, when in his thirtieth year, he emigrated to Boone county, Missouri, and at once entered upon the duties of his profession at the Columbia bar. As a commercial and probate lawyer he never had a superior at the Columbia bar. For a long time he acted as pub- lic administrator of Boone county, settling up during the time 'very large and complicated estates. As a member of the lower house of the State Legislature, he, assisted by Henry S. Geyer and ex-Governor Gamble, may be said to have framed the adminis- tration law of Missouri. Mr. Turner was a Whig in politics until the dissolution of that party, after which he co-operated with the Democ- racy. In 1836 he was elected to the lower house of the Legislature, with John B. Gordon, Thomas C. Maupin and Michael Woods. In 1838 Mr. Turner was elected to the State Senate, in conjunction with Thomas C. Maupin, Boone county then being entitled to two senators. At the same election James S. Rollins, David M. Hickman, John B. Gordon and Alexander Persinger were elected to the lower house. It was during the ensuing session of the Legislature, 1838-39, that the act providing for the location of the State University was passed, under the provisions of which Boone county secured that institution. The bill was bitterly opposed in the Senate, and but for the labors and influ- ence and arguments of Senator Turner, the bill would not have passed that body. The bill organizing and locating the University was the joint work of Mr. Turner and Hon. James S. Rollins. The original

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bill was first offered in the Senate by Mr. Turner. In the struggle to secure the location in Boone, Mr. Turner proved a tower of strength ; he assisted in canvassing the county for subscriptions, and subscribed and paid out of his own funds $1,500. After serving two years in the Senate, Mr. Turner resigned his seat in 1840, on account of sickness in his family. After retiring from the bar, he devoted the remainder of his life to agricultural pursuits and to raising thoroughbred stock. He died in Boone county, March 4, 1874, leaving a widow and three children - the subject of this sketch, William Turner and Mrs. J. Rob- ert Garth. Mr. Turner was an active, enterprising business man, acquiring by his own industry and good management a large landed and slave estate ; his farm on the Two-mile prairie consisted of 3,000 acres ; this farm was divided equally among his three children. Hon. Squire Turner, the subject of this sketch, was reared and educated in Boone county, graduating from the State University, July 4, 1855. After completing his literary studies he entered the law office of his uncle, Squire Turner, Sr., at Richmond, Kentucky ; he was admitted to the bar at Frankfort on examination by Chief Justice Simpson, February, 1858; he practiced law with his uncle until 1860 ; he was married October 16, 1860, in Madison county, Kentucky, to Miss Stone, soon after which he moved to Columbia, Missouri, where he commenced the practice of law, but was interrupted by the war, which closed the courts and put an end to business in his line. In 1862 Mr. Turner, in company with quite a number of the most prominent citi- zens of Boone county, was banished. He went to Vincennes, Indiana, where he practiced his profession in partnership with Hon. William E. Niblack, for many years a member of Congress, and at present chief justice of Indiana. In 1864 Mr. Turner was permitted to return, and has resided in Boone county and practiced at the Columbia bar ever since. In 1872 he was elected to the lower house of the Missouri Leg- islature, after a long and hotly contested campaign with Col. E. C. More. While a member of the Legislature he was made chairman of the committee on criminal jurisprudence and of the committee on the State University ; he was also a member of the judiciary commit- -tee. He redeemed his pledge made to the people during the canvass, that if elected he would use his best endeavors to secure the passage of a bill calling for a constitutional convention to relieve the people of certain odious restrictions riveted upon them during the war, when only Radicals were allowed to vote. The measure failed in the first regular session, but with untiring energy he succeeded in getting the bill

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through the adjourned session. It was during this struggle that Mr. Turner delivered his great speech on the " infamous Drake constitu- tion," spoken of by several of the metropolitan journals as one of the ablest efforts ever delivered in the Missouri Legislature. It was widely published, and raised a torrent of indignation against the old consti- tution. This speech placed Mr. Turner in the very front rank of de- baters - a position he holds to-day. The bill calling for a new con- stitutional convention was drawn up in the committee of which he was chairman. In addition to other beneficial results of the new constitu- tion may be mentioned one provision in particular, which puts a limit. to the power of county courts in appropriating the funds of a county towards furthering railroad jobs and enterprises. He is also the author of the bill, passed and entered as a statute, making seduction a felony, and the crime of rape punishable with death, at the discretion of the jury. In politics, Mr. Turner has always been a Democrat of the most rigid, strict-construction school. His course, both as a citizen and representative, has always been one of undeviating consistency. He engaged in the canvass for Hancock and English in 1880, and made a number of speeches in 1878. He refused to vote for Greeley and Brown in 1872, although a candidate for the Legislature at the time, and well aware of the fact that this opposition would, for the time being, prove prejudicial to his canvass. He frankly told the people that he could not support Greeley and Brown, both of whom were bit- ter, vindictive Republicans, having spent the best years of their lives abusing the Democratic party. Few men have the nerve and power to resist a popular hobby of their party while asking its support ; yet Turner not only did this, but was sustained in his position by men who voted for Greeley and Brown, for their conscience told them that Tur- ner was right. Unlike many others of the oldest and most wealthy scions of the early pioneers of Boone, Mr. Turner holds fast to his family real estate on the Two-mile prairie - the fine homestead which he inherited from his father, A. W. Turner. He loves his home and the people and associations of his childhood with a warmth and fervor too rarely seen in this commercial age. In 1878 Mr. Turner was a can- didate for Congress, but his county being divided, he withdrew at the Sturgeon convention to avoid a squabble, and Gen. John B. Clark, ' Jr., was nominated. He was urged by friends in Boone and Howard to become a candidate in 1880, and again in 1882, but there being other aspirants in those counties, he shrank from what he feared would be a disagreeable scramble for office. As a lawyer at a leading bar in

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Kentucky and Missouri, Mr. Turner has always maintained an honora- ble. and lucrative position. In Boone county no leading criminal case is tried in which he has not been counsel -always for the defence. He enjoys such standing now that suitors on the circuit docket do not risk the chances of leaving him out when they make up their roster of counsel. As a scholar, there are few better in the country. His read- ing has by no means been confined to law, but covers the whole field of English literature. As a writer, he wields one of the most vigor- ous, incisive, and logical pens. Having a thorough command of the language, he is never at a loss while writing and speaking. His style is classical, but never burdened with classical allusions. He has never been a favorite among the rich, nor with corporations ; his firmest and truest friends are found among the middle class. He has a thorough contempt for the cringing, truckling sort, who worship at the shrine of fortune. Of him it may justly be said that he never

"Crooks the pregnant hinges of the knee, That thrift may follow fawning."

JOHN DAVID VANHORN.

The subject of this sketch is the son of Simeon J. and Eliza (White) Vanhorn ; he was born in Boone county, Missouri, August 22, 1821 ; he was educated at the public schools of Columbia, and served an ap- prenticeship at the carpenter's trade, working with his uncle, John Vanhorn. In 1850 he went to California, where he remained one year, returning to Columbia in 1851 ; he then engaged in the hotel business, having charge of the Selby House for about two years. In 1853 he sold out and went to work at his trade, which he followed until 1872 ; in the spring of that year he engaged in the livery business, in partner- ship with R. H. Smith. In 1874 the stable was consumed by fire, but the horses, twenty-six in number, were saved. Mr. Smith remained in the business one year after the fire, when Mr. Vanhorn purchased his interest in the stable, and has conducted the business alone ever since. He was married December 1, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth J., daugh- ter of Matthew and Prudence (Lilly ) Culbert. They had eight chil- dren born to them - three sons and five daughters -only two of whom (David and Susan ) are now living. Mr. Vanhorn's father was one of the earliest settlers of Howard county and spent several years in Head's Fort ; he was a native of Winchester county, Virginia ; he is buried some three miles from where he first settled. Mrs. Vanhorn, mother of John David, died about twenty-three years ago and is

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 93

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