USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 38
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Major James Armstrong .- The late Major James Armstrong was born in Walker County, Georgia, May 17, 1837. When he was ten years of age the family moved to Macon County, Alabama. He was educated at Mercer University, a famed Georgia college. He graduated at the Lebanon, Tennessee, Law School with the class of 1860.
Major Armstrong entered the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the Civil War as a private, and was discharged, at the expiration of the war, as a major, before he received his commission as a lieutenant-col- onel. In 1865 he settled at Prestonsburg, Floyd County, Kentucky, where he practiced his profession until he moved to Harrisonville, Missouri, in 1869. He served as prosecuting attorney of Cass County, 1875-76. He continued the practice of law for some twenty years and retired to his farm, near Main City.
Major Armstrong was united in marriage at Prestonsburg, April 3, 1868, with Mary Margaret Martin, daughter of the Hon. John P. Martin, a member of Congress. The children of this union, now living, are: Nellie Armstrong, Notasulga, Alabama; Harvey Armstrong, Long Beach, California ; Frank Armstrong, Harrisonville; and Breckenridge Armstrong, Chicago. His first wife's death occurred June 9, 1880, and he married Mary Hume Hume, of Rome, Georgia, who now resides at Rome. There were no children by this union. Major Armstrong died at his home November 16, 1897. The remains were interred in the family's burial lot,
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Oakland Cemetery, Harrisonville. Major Armstrong was one of the most thoroughly educated citizens of Cass County. He was a polished orator, and a writer of much merit, who enriched the belles-letters of the county. He had many traits of character that distinguished him among men. He loved the companionship of young people and of books. He despised demagoguery. He made no pretentions of being perfect and had precious little use for those who did. He ever kept the flowers of mercy blooming within his heart. He hated naught but hypocrisy. With his wealth of learning he was easily capable of wrenching gold from the open hand of toil, of wielding the cudgel of power over man, but he scorned such things. He often said he hadn't the time to make money. His was an unselfish spirit that left an impress on his intimates, inspiring them to attempt to make the ways of man more beautiful.
Major Armstrong worshipped in the sanctuary of the world, under the spangled, and the splendor-shot skies. No other dome was high enough, no other church was broad enough for him. He was wont to wander in the cathedral of contemplation, withdraw into a recess, and with bowed head seek a solution of the great riddle, while knowing it could not be read; he would stop at the shrine of Intellect; he loitered at the fane of friendship; he laved his hands in the baptistry of brother- hood; he knelt at the chancel of constancy, and when he passed from the temple, for the last time, he smiled as he unravelled the riddle.
John Nelson Willett, a Cass County pioneer and successful man of affairs, died March 28, 1916. He was born September 16, 1822, in Roane County, Tennessee. His father, Enoch Willett, died when he was only nine years old, and as he was the eldest child, he did all he could to assist his widowed mother in the care of the family. Of that immediate family he was the last member. His mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Ford Willett, died when he was eighteen years old. That was in 1840, and he then went to Bledsoe County, Tennessee, to live with his grandfather, Ford, learning the tanners' trade. In the spring of 1841 he went to Rhea County, Tennessee, to follow his trade, and in 1842 he came to Van Buren County (now Cass), Missouri, in company with the late Robert A. Brown, at whose place he made his home until 1849. He followed the tanners' trade the greater part of the time while there, some of the vats that he used still being at the old Brown homestead.
Harrisonville and vicinity had been his home since 1842, and he had never cast a vote except in Harrisonville. In 1849 he decided to go to
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the California gold fields. The route of the wagon train, with which he journeyed through, took him north of the great Salt Lake. After suf- fering many hardships, and being on the way for six months, he ar- rived in Sacramento, California, in the fall of 1849. In the gold mines of that vicinity he remained until 1851, when he started back to Harri- sonville. At San Francisco he took a ship for Panama, from which place he walked across the Isthmus to Aspinwall, or Colon, to take a ship for Havana, Cuba. There he again shipped for New Orleans, changing boats for the trip up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, thence up the Missouri River to Arrow Rock, from which place he took the stage to Indepen- dence and completed the trip to Harrisonville, arriving here in the fall of 1851.
Later he opened a mercantile business in this town, conducting this general store for eighteen months. In 1853 he quit this business and followed the real estate, loan and collection business until 1861. In the spring of 1863 he left for Santa Fe, New Mexico, remaining there about seven months, and returning to Harrisonville in the fall of that year. Later he went to Denver, Colorado, and remained about two months, following the freighting business. From there he drove a team to Omaha, Nebraska, and there remained until the close of the Civil War.
He returned to Harrisonville and was married to Mrs. Mary E. Price on October 21. 1865, who survives him and resides at Harrisonville. To this union there was one child born, Vernon John Willett, of Harrisonville.
Dr. H. A. Brierly, a successful physician and surgeon of Peculiar, is a native of Cass County. He was born in Polk township, November 11, 1868, son of Henry Ambrose Brierly, a more complete history of whom appears in the sketch of James Brierly, in this volume.
Dr. Brierly was reared in Polk township and attended the public schools there. He was graduated from the Harrisonville High School, in the class of 1889. He then taught in the rural schools of Cass County for two years. In 1892 he entered the Medical University of Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1895, and located at Peculiar, Missouri, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. Dr. Brierly has a large general practice, and he has been very successful.
September 30, 1896, Dr. H. A. Brierly and Miss Hattie Warner were married. Miss Hattie Warner was born February 12, 1872, in Bath County, Kentucky, daughter of John J. Warner, a sketch of whom ap-
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pears in this volume. One child, Lucie Ailine, has been born to this union, February 27, 1910.
Dr. Brierly is a member of the Masonic lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Modern Woodmen of America. He also holds membership in the County, State, and American Medical Associations. He and Mrs. Brierly are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Dr. Brierly has been superintendent of the local Sunday school for twenty years. He and Mrs. Brierly are active in the work of their congregation. Mrs. Brierly is also active in the club work of her home town. Dr. and Mrs. Brierly are well known and popular throughout a large section of western Missouri.
William E. Walton, who now resides at Butler, Bates County, Mis- souri, is much interested in the preservation of the western Missouri history, and is largely interested in Cass County. He is a descendant from old-time Missouri stock on both sides of his family. His mother's father, Samuel Turley, moved from Madison County, Kentucky, and set- tled near Boonville, Missouri, in 1813. They did not come by railway nor automobile, but by flatboat and ox wagon. His mother was born in Cooper County, Missouri, in 1824. His father, William P. Walton, settled in Missouri in 1837, coming from old Virginia. His parents were married in 1840, and the subject of this sketch was born in 1842. Thus he became a double Missourian and claims that he "must be shown."
Mr. Walton's first wife was Nellie Kincaid, a native of Cass County, who, with her parents, moved from Cass County by reason of Order No. 11. Mr. Walton has resided at Butler since 1870. He has been a suc- cessful business man and has amassed a fortune by his own thrift and energy. He largely owns and controls one of the largest and most sub- stantial banks and trust companies in Missouri. These institutions are located at Butler, Missouri. Mr. Walton's high standing and character is well known throughout the business and social circles of Missouri, and profoundly respected and accepted throughout the country. Largely by his push and energy western Missouri is what it is today.
Edward Webber, a pioneer business man of Cass County, was born September 9, 1844, a native of England. In 1855 came with his father's family to America, settling in Livingston County, Illinois. He was edu- cated in Will County, Illinois; came to Missouri in 1872, and spent two years in Bates County ; returned to Illinois, where he spent ten months,
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then back to Missouri, locating at Harrisonville, where he entered the restaurant business. Later he became the proprietor of the Blair House, then the leading hotel. In 1878 he added the livery business and estab- lished the first bus line.
Mr. Webber married Marietta Van Riper, January 29, 1872. He was a lay reader in the Episcopal church. He died in Harrisonville about 1885, survived by his widow and three children, all of whom are living. Mrs. Webber is highly beloved by a wide circle of acquaintances and is one of the grand old ladies of Cass County. She resides at Harrisonville. The children born to Edward Webber and wife, are: Cora May, married Charles L. Harris, prominent Republican of Harrisonville, and former newspaper man and postmaster of that place for many years. Arthur Leroy Webber, editor of "Cass County Leader" for the past fifteen years, married Mary Belle Doron, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Doron, former residents of Harrisonville, now residing in Celina, Ohio; and Edward Earl Webber, assistant superintendent of shoe factory, Ft. Dodge, Iowa, married Virginia Christopher, daughter of W. C. Christopher, justice of the peace and formerly a prominent merchant of Harrisonville.
The Webbers are one of the prominent pioneer families of Cass County.
Rev. Abner H. Deane, who departed this life November 18, 1912, was one of the pioneer ministers of Cass County, and deserves due recog- nition in a work of this character. He was born in Bracken County, Kentucky, January 27, 1828, and was one of a family of seventeen chil- dren. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, his grandfather, Michael Deane, having come to this country from the north of Ireland in 1774. The name of his father was John T. Deane, who for more than half a century preached the gospel in the state of Kentucky.
When Rev. Abner H. Deane was fourteen years old his parents moved to Breckenridge County, Kentucky. Here he was converted at the age of sixteen years and joined the Lost Run Baptist church. He removed to Woodard County, in the same state. While there he mar- ried Sarah A. Manning, in 1851. Five years after the marriage they left Kentucky and came to Missouri. They reached Independence on March 20, 1856. The following September they moved to Austin, Cass County.
When the war came on, and in June, 1861, he enlisted in the Union
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Army, and was immediately commissioned major of his battalion. He served two years and was then mustered out. When he returned home in the summer of 1863, he found his children motherless, his wife having died a few months before his discharge. He soon took up again the work of the ministry. As in the beginning, his efforts were signally blessed. For fifty years he did the work of pastor and evangelist. In some of his pastorates he served as long as twenty years. During his long ministry he baptized in all three thousand, two hundred and eighty- two people, and married more than two thousand couples.
Maria McCowan became his wife in June, 1863. He left three sons, Edward W., Harrisonville; John M., Harrissonville; and George, resides in Kansas City.
Charles Bird, a prominent real estate and loan man of Harrisonville, Missouri, is a native of Ohio. He was born near Lancaster, Fairfield County, November 12, 1861, and is a son of David P. and Elizabeth (Young) Bird, both natives of Ohio, the former of Guernsey, and the latter of Fairfield County. The Bird family is of German descent, and was founded in America during Colonial times.
David Bird came to Cass County with his family in 1869. He bought a farm near Gunn City, where he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising until his death, May 9, 1900. His wife died January 28, 1911. They were the parents of five children, three girls and two boys.
Charles Bird was educated in the public schools of Ohio and Cass County, and later attended the. Fort Scott Normal School, at Fort Scott, Kansas. He began teaching in Cass County in 1887, and taught school until 1894, when he was elected clerk of the circuit court of Cass County, and re-elected to succeed himself in that office in 1898. At the expira- tion of his second term, Mr. Bird engaged in the hardware business at Harrisonville in partnership with Will Clemments. Three years later he sold his interest to his partner and engaged in the real estate and loan business, and is one of the leading real estate men in Cass County today. He handles both town and farm property and many important real estate transactions are handled through his agency.
Mr. Bird was married March 6, 1892, to Miss Ellis Hudson, a daugh- ter of Dr. Hudson, of Olathe, Kansas. She was born near Gunn City, Missouri, October 19, 1873. To Mr. and Mrs. Bird have been born the following children: Harry Hudson, private secretary of Frank Phillips,
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a banker at Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Forest D., manager for the United States Tire Company, Louisville, Kentucky; and Charles Urless, resides at home with his parents.
Mr. Bird has been a Democrat all his life and a staunch supporter of the policies and principles of that party.
Ed. F. Kennedy, owner and proprietor of the New Method Laundry at Harrisonville, started the first steam laundry in this city, over twenty years ago, and, in fact, is the only man who ever has conducted a steam laundry here. Mr. Kennedy is a native of Cass County and was born five miles north of Harrisonville, December 17, 1875. He is a son of William and Nannie (Lowery) Kennedy, the former a native of Ken- tucky, and the latter of Illinois, both of whom came to Missouri with their respective parents. William Kennedy, the father, was a farmer and was also interested in operating a threshing machine and saw-mill while he lived in Cass County. He now resides at Yellow Jacket, Colorado. He and his wife are the parents of four children, as follows: Ed. F., the subject of this sketch; Zed, lives at Kansas City, Missouri; Minnie, mar- ried C. L. Plain, agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad at Harrisonville ; and J. W., who resides at Yellow Jacket, Colorado, with his parents.
Ed. F. Kennedy was educated in the public schools of Harrisonville, his parents having moved here when he was eight years old. When a boy he worked at various pursuits until he was twenty-one years old, when he and J. I. Long entered into partnership and organized the Har- risonville Steam Laundry. This was the first steam laundry in the town. It was located on Pearl street, three doors east of the postoffice. About a year later Mr. Kennedy took in another partner, G. M. Maupin, who succeeded Mr. Long in the business. This partner had been conducting a hand laundry and the partnership consolidated all the laundries in the town. Some time after this Mr. Kennedy bought his partners interest and since that time has been the individual owner of the business. His laundry was located in the Battie building for a time when he took a six year lease on a concrete building which was built specially for his occu- pancy. This lease expired in May, 1915, when Mr. Kennedy purchased the building where his laundry is now located. It is a two-story building with basement, with a frontage of twenty-five feet and fifty feet deep. He has one of the best equipped modern steam laundries to be found any- where. One of Mr. Kennedy's hobbies is machinery and when anything new develops in the laundry business in the way of machinery he can't
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resist the temptation of buying and installing one in his laundry and this accounts for his plant being up to the minute in every detail. He employs about nine people in his laundry and does an extensive business, not only in Harrisonville, but sends work out to a number of adjacent towns.
Mr. Kennedy was married in 1903 to Miss Ethel Woods, of Cass County, a daughter of J. J. Woods, who now resides at Pen Dennis, Kan- sas. To Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have been born three children as follows: Edward Lyle, Don Woods and Claude Eldrid.
Mr. Kennedy is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World, Knights and Ladies of Security and Mystic Work- ers of the World. He is a Democrat and takes a keen interest in political affairs and has served as city alderman for four years. He and his wife are members of the Christian church in which he is a deacon and superin- tendent of the Bible school.
Swimpfield Eidson, a Civil War veteran, and one of the honored pioneers of Cass County, is a native of Tennessee. He was born in Han- cock County, in 1837, and is a son of John and Malinda (Kyle) Eidson, both natives of Tennessee, and of old southern stock.
Swimpfield Eidson was reared in his native state, receiving a good common school education and from early life had a natural liking for horses, of which he was an exceptionally good judge. He gradually became quite an extensive horse dealer and has probably bought and sold more horses than any other man in Cass County. He came to Cass County in 1870, and engaged in farming and stockraising, giving special attention to horses, and while engaged in farming his attention was also directed to dealing in horses. His farm which consisted of two hundred and fifty- three acres was located about six miles west of Harrisonville. After he disposed of his farm, he invested in a livery stable which he conducted for a number of years in Harrisonville. He also owned a farm south of Harrisonville. He was also superintendent of the county farm for a few years. He now owns business property in Harrisonville, where he has a splendid modern residence and is living in retirement after an active and successful business career.
When the Civil War broke out he was a man of decided southern con- victions and in 1862 he enlisted in Company F. Sixteenth Tennessee Cavalry. He was commissioned lieutenant of his company and served throughout the war with distinction. He fought under General Morgan
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and was under orders from that great Confederate leader at the time Morgan was killed.
Mr. Eidson was married in 1876 to Mrs. Sarah Ford Eidson, widow of his brother, John Eidson. Mrs. Eidson was a native of Tennessee and a daughter of Bevelry Ford, a prominent politician of that state. Mr. and Mrs. Eidson were the parents of seven children, two of whom are liv- ing as follows: Nelia, married Charles W. Hight; and Charles D. Eidson, of Harrisonville.
Mr. and Mrs. Eidson are members of the Baptist church and his political affiliations have always been with the Democratic party.
J. N. Hargis, now deceased, was the pioneer banker of Belton and a potent force in the early affairs of Cass County. He was a native of Missouri, born in 1820. The Hargis family is of French origin and was founded in Virginia at an early day. Later six brothers migrated from Virginia to Kentucky, one of whom was killed by the Indians and another one captured. One of these brothers, who later came to Howard County, Missouri, was the father of J. N. Hargis.
J. N. Hargis grew to manhood in Howard County, Missouri, and dur- ing his boyhood endured the many hardships incident to those early pioneer days. He related that he often went barefoot until Christmas before his father could spare the time to make a pair of shoes for him. He obtained a fair education, considering the times and conditions, and in early life became a school teacher. During the gold excitement in California in 1849, like thousands of others he went on the overland pilgrimage to the golden mecca of wealth. The trip proved disastrous to his health where- upon he returned with $500.00 in gold to Missouri and engaged in the mercantile business at Bunker Hill.
When Kansas was opened up to settlement, he went to Douglas County and took up government land which he later proved up. In 1857, he located at Lees Summit, Missouri, where he engaged in the banking business in partnership with William Colbern. This was the first bank at Lees Summit. Later he and one of his sons organized the J. N. Hargis & Sons Bank at Belton, which was the first banking institution of that town, and about the same time he bought four hundred acres of land north of Belton, which his other sons operated while he devoted his attention to his banking interests.
Mr. Hargis was united in marriage February 2, 1845, with Miss Mary Finley, a native of Alabama, born in December, 1829, and to this union
MRS. MARY HARGIS.
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were born the following children: Mrs. Malinda J. Smith, Belton, Mis- souri; Mrs. Louisa Thompson, deceased; Benjamin F., Kansas City, Mis- souri; Andrew J., Wichita, Kansas; John C. B., Hazleton, Kansas; Mrs. Viola M. Connelly, Kansas City, Missouri; Josiah N., Woodward, Okla- homa ; William J., Sacramento, California ; Mrs. Mary C. Kenrick, Wichita, Kansas; and Mrs. Lillian Hargis Givens, Belton, Missouri.
J. N. Hargis was a successful business man and financier, and a man of a deep religious nature and broad human sympathy and it may be truly said of him that the world was better for his having lived in it, and the same is true of the memory of his noble Christian wife. He died at Belton, February 11, 1881, and his widow survived him a number of years and passed away July 11, 1914.
Mrs. Lillian Hargis Givens, daughter of J. N. Hargis, was married to George Givens in 1900. He died four years later. Mr. Givens was an extensive coal operator and opened up and developed a great deal of coal land during his business career. He was a native of Kentucky, having been born and educated at Danville. Mrs. Givens resides at Belton and is interested in coal property in Kentucky. She is a woman of unusual ability and is active and influential in every movement that tends to the betterment of the community. She takes a deep interest in the cause of temperance and possesses special talent for newspaper work and is active in that field of endeavor. She is an enthusiastic advocate of equal suff- rage for women and is one of those women whose efforts are unceasing in advancing the great movement of universal suffrage. Mrs. Givens has the rocking chair used by Carrie Nation, who was buried at Belton, Missouri.
Francis M. Wooldridge, former sheriff of Cass County, is not only a conspicuous figure in the affairs of this county but is well known throughout the state, having held the responsible position of warden of the state penitentiary at Jefferson City, Missouri, for four years and is recognized as one of the capable prison men of the country. Mr. Wool- dridge is a native Missourian, born near Cold Camp, Benton County, Mis- souri, October 3, 1856. He is a son of Rev. J. B. H. and Sarah (Henry) Wooldridge, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of North Carolina.
Rev. J. B. H. Wooldridge was a Methodist Episcopal minister and is properly entitled to classification among the pioneer preachers of that denomination in Missouri. He came to this state with his widowed mother in 1835. They settled in Saline County and when a young man he preached
(29)
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the gospel throughout Miller, Morgan, Cooper and Maniteau counties. In 1854 he went to Benton County and was permanently located in that sec- tion for a few years and in 1860 he went to Tipton, Morgan County, and was in that locality when the Civil War broke out. He was taken prisoner by the Federal forces soon after the battle of Boonville and upon his refusal to take the prescribed oath he and four or five other preachers were taken to Jefferson City. In the meantime his wife with the children went to Saline County where they remained until the close of the war.
In the fall of 1865 Reverend Wooldridge came to Cass County and bought a farm nine miles southeast of Harrisonville and brought his family here in the spring of 1867. He continued in the ministry and was active in that work until the time of his death. He was prominent in the reorganization of the Methodist church, south and in that connection was active over a large section of the state. He was the first Methodist preacher in Cass County after the war. He was a hard working conscien- tious Christian gentleman and thoroughly devoted to his calling. He endured many hardships during the storm and stress period of the Civil War for his political convictions, but when he conscientiously believed that he was right he preferred to endure rather than to sacrifice. He died in 1885 and his wife departed this life in 1898.
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