USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 58
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Fletcher Smart, a former sheriff of Cass County, and prominent farmer and stockman of Peculiar township is a native of Indiana. He was born in Hendricks County, November 12, 1852 and is a son of Isaac and Hannah (Deffenbaugh) Smart, natives of Fairfield County, Ohio. They removed to Indiana in 1849 and settled in Hendricks County where they remained until 1865. During that year they came to Missouri and three weeks after arriving in Cass County the father bought a farm in Peculiar township which is now the home of Fletcher Smart. The Smart family came to Kansas City from St. Louis on the first regularly scheduled passenger train which went through the entire distance between those points. One of the sons had been here prior to the Civil War. He drove the entire distance from Hendricks County, Indiana, to Cass County.
Isaac Smart was a farmer and stockman and was very successful in his endeavors along that line. Both he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives in Cass County after coming here. He died in August, 1896, aged eighty-seven, and his wife passed away in June, 1915, aged eighty- nine. They were the parents of six children as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth Stimpson, Valparaiso, Indiana; Fletcher, whose name introduces this sketch; Mrs. Ella Bailey, Shawnee County, Kansas; Mrs. Rilla Abbott, Nickerson, Kansas; O. B., Kansas City, Missouri, and Grant, resides in California.
Fletcher Smart was reared on the farm and received a common school education. He remained with his father until he was about twenty-two years of age when he engaged in farming for himself. Some years later when his father became old and infirm, Fletcher sold his place and returned to the home farm which he operated in connection with his father. The place contains two hundred and sixty-three acres, is well watered and especially adapted to the stock business. Mr. Smart has met with very satisfactory results in raising high grade cattle and Poland China hogs, although he makes no special effort to keep registered stock. Much of his place is devoted to blue grass and he feeds a great many cattle for the market which he has found to be very profitable.
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FLETCHER SMART.
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Mr. Smart was united in marriage February 26, 1874, with Miss Cynthia A. Smith, a native of Illinois, born near Carlinville, Montgomery County. She is a daughter of John E. Smith who is now deceased. The Smith family settled in Cass County in 1868. To Mr. and Mrs. Smart have been born six children as follows: Effie May, married O. C. Atterbury, Harrisonville; Ray S., farmer, Peculiar township; Bessie Lee, married Charles H. Pearson, Wichita, Kansas; Herbert I., Wichita, Kansas; Hat- tie, married Arthur Austin, Waterloo, Iowa, and Albert H., better known as "Ted", a student in the Harrisonville High School and a member of the Class 1918.
Mr. Smart is a Republican and takes a reasonably active interest in politics. In 1904 he was elected sheriff of Cass County on the Republican ticket, and notwithstanding the normally great Democratic majority of this County, he was elected by a majority of three hundred. His election to this important office under such circumstances was a great tribute to Mr. Smart. It goes to show the confidence and esteem in which he was held by his neighbors and fellow citizens regardless of political creed. During Governor Hadley's administration, Mr. Smart was appointed one of the county judges to fill out an unexpired term of thirteen months. In what- ever trust has been imposed in him he has filled it with entire satisfaction to the people. He has always given public affairs the same conscientious and careful attention characteristic of his conduct in private affairs.
Mr. Smart is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Woodman of the World, and Central Protective Association. He is president of the subordinate organization of the Cen- tral Protective Association, and was one of its local organizers some thir- ty years ago. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
In addition to his regular agricultural pursuits, Mr. Smart has dealt extensively in live stock and other farm products, as did his father before him, and he probably has bought and sold more cattle, hogs and corn than any other man in Peculiar township. He is one of Cass County's most substantial citizens, to which his many friends will testify.
T. Dade Terrett was born in old Virginia, across from the city of Washington, D. C., on January 1, 1854. Terrett's father was a Confeder- ate soldier and was killed early in the war. Thus was Mr. Terrett born
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and reared in these troublous times. His mother was born in Wash- ington, D. C., and reared in Fairfax County. She moved to Cass County, Missouri, arriving here in April, 1871, her son, T. Dade Terrett, having preceded her to this county in December, 1870. Wm. Terrett was edu- cated in the schools of old Virginia and the public schools of Cass County and for years after his arrival in this county taught school here. He spent one year at the State School at Rolla, Missouri. In 1886 Mr. Ter- rett was stricken with paralysis, from which he has never entirely recov- ered. In 1894 he was elected recorder of deeds for Cass County, Mis- souri. On retiring from office he again returned to his home in Garden City. Cass County has never had a more painstaking, accommodating and satisfactory official.
John H. Terrett, a brother of T. Dade Terrett, makes his home at Grand Forks, North Dakota. A sister, Julia E. Terrett, married Henry L. Ferrell, a native Missourian, in 1876. T. Dade Terrett never married.
George W. Wade, a pioneer settler of Sherman township, was born in Warren County, Kentucky, October 8, 1840. He located at Wades- burg as early as 1857, and saving his absence during the War of the Rebellion, resided there continuously to the date of his death. He died February 10, 1917.
Mr. Wade was twice married and left a large family of children. He was a reliable democrat in politics, while most of his kinfolks were of other political persuasions. He was a union soldier and a good one. In early life he united with the Baptist church and to his death was a faithful adherent to his church. He was never half hearted; whatever he espoused, that he was.
Berton L. McFarrin and Rev. Samuel G. Porter were each early set- tlers of Van Buren (Cass) County. The lives of these two worthy pioneers and early associations were so closely interwoven that we consider them together. These men with their wives came from Rutherford County, Tennessee, settling in what is now Cass County as early as 1832. They were both of Scotch-Irish ancestors, coming to America in 1750. They first settled in New York state and were foremost in the early wars for the liberation of the colonies from European domination. After the struggle of 1776, the ancestors of these subjects moved to Old Virginia, thence to Tennessee.
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These men were not dependent on cheap homes and frontier life, for in their veins ran the blood of the Scotch aristocracy and they were men of means and force of character from whence they came. They preferred to build new homes in the then western plains of American country and there to impress their personalities upon the formation of this new and growing empire. Berton L. McFarrin brought with him the name of Judge, and was referred to by his neighbors as "Judge" Berton L. McFar- rin. In 1832 he entered and bought lands well up on Sugar Creek, in the present township of Dayton. Here he made his homestead until the date of his death in 1862. Nearby settlers today refer to this tract of land as the Judge McFarrin homestead. On this farm he reared his family, all of whom became useful members of society and good citizens of the country.
Judge Berton L. McFarrin from his earliest settlement here held high place in the council of his pioneer country men. His judgment was valuable. His experience was extensive. On the establishment of Bates County, the Missouri General Assembly by resolution designated Berton L. McFarrin as one of the commissioners to locate the seat of justice for Bates County.
Samuel G. Porter was a Methodist minister and coming to the county about the same time with McFarrin and from the same neighborhood in Tennessee, settled close to the McFarrin homestead, about four miles northwest of McFarrin's on the head waters of what is now known as Eight Mile Creek. In early settlements people thought it was not best to settle so close to one another, so as not to cramp or congest the settle- ment. For this reason these old neighbors put four miles between their homesteads. The Porter homestead was south and a little east of the present railroad town of Daugherty. What is now called the Reed ceme- tery is located on part of the old Porter homestead and contains the remains of Porter, McFarrin and several of their children and their descendants. Two of the Porter boys took McFarrin's daughters to wife and one of the McFarrin boys married Porter's daughter. Some of the descendants of these two families of steady pioneers now reside in the county.
All of these people were intensely religious. The elders were Meth- odist, belonging to what is now called M. E. South church. The elder Samuel G. Porter was a minister of the church. The duties of a pioneer minister were countless and varied. There were no church buildings in
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the country. Preaching was done altogether at private homes of some brother or sister, a class organized and set to work with a leader. These classs assembled sometimes twice a week at different homes sometimes widely separated. The class leader would serve the purpose of preacher in exhorting at these meetings. People were intensely religious and strong adherents to their several denominations. This man Porter did his hardest and most arduous work before the advent of the circuit rider. From these McFarrin and Porter families have sprung some of the strong- est preachers and most useful Christian workers. Rev. Samuel G. Porter, after ten years of arduous work among these people died in 1843.
These people, coming from the south, naturally sympathized with the Southern cause and suffered much for their bold stand as marauder bands passed through the country. Jackson B. McFarrin was murdered. Their homes were burned and their families were driven into exile. The circuit rider always received a hearty welcome and hospitable entertain- ment at their homes and when they departed took not only the blessings of the entire families, but a financial contribution for the cause of the Master. These pioneer laymen were ever ready to assist their ministers to bear the burden of their works. The useful work of these people in the cause of Christ had an enduring effect upon succeeding generations and is felt in our county to the present date.
Jackson Benton McFarrin, son of Berton L. McFarrin, and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Porter McFarrin, daughter of Rev. Samuel G. Porter, have been dead many years. Samuel Benton McFarrin, son of Jackson Benton McFarrin and Elizabeth Jane Porter McFarrin, and grandson of both Berton L. McFarrin and Rev. Samuel G. Porter, now reside in Butler, Missouri, and to him we are largely indebted for this sketch. In him is focused the blood of these two pioneers. Samuel B. McFarrin and John B. McFarrin are the sole surviving children of Jackson B. McFarrin. Samuel B. McFarrin and John B. McFarrin, and James A. J. McFarrin, son of John Orr McFarrin, son of Berton L. McFarrin, deceased, is the only other grandchild of Berton L. McFarrin not represented by the living ancestors. James A. J. McFarrin, Samuel B. McFarrin and John B. McFarrin are the sole surviving grandchildren of Samuel G. Porter. Jack- son B. McFarrin was the father of Samuel B. McFarrin. Nancy Jane Summers, now deceased; Sarah Ellen Slaughter, now deceased; and Victoria J. McDonnell, late wife of Judge James McDonnell, are brothers and sis- ters of Samuel B. McFarrin, and children of Jackson B. McFarrin.
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Words fail to properly portray the rugged honesty, sincere piety of these old time Methodist families. Such generous hospitality and Christ- like spirit are fast fading from among us. It is too sadly true, the late rescuing of the memory of such pioneer characters from oblivion is shamefully neglected. Samuel Benton McFarrin, now past seventy-four . years of age has been a warm friend of the writer of this book for more than half a century. Both are descendants of the very earliest settlers.
John W. Adams, a native of Virginia, settled in Henry County, Mis- souri, prior to 1844, and removed to Cass County, Missouri, in 1847. Mr. Adams entered 160 acres of land on the upper Clear Fork, one mile east of present site of Clear Fork church. When he came to that locality there were but three settlers anywhere near. These were, Colonel Harrison, Henry Black and a man named Bills.
These men did not live in mansions, ride in auto, nor use telephones. Instead, their homes were cabins, built of logs, hewn out with their own hands. Their mode of travel was a matter of choice between walking or driving oxen. There was an Indian grave on the old Adams home- stead. At this place both Mr. and Mrs. Adams were buried and are, as far as known, the only bodies there.
Mrs. T. A. Beamer, was a daughter of John W. Adams, and was born in Henry County, Missouri, in 1844. Her mother's maiden name was Mary Cartwright. Mrs. Beamer is the only one of the Adams children now living. She married Mark Beamer in 1860. With the exception of the time she was banished under Order No. 11, when she went to Lafayette County, she resided on the old Adams homestead for sixty- eight years. In 1878 their old homestead dwelling was burned, but she rebuilt at once. After Mr. Beamer's death, Mrs. Beamer moved to Gar- den City, Missouri, where she now resides.
Mr. and Mrs. Beamer were the parents of eleven children, viz: Mary Galbraith, wife of J. K. Galbraith of Garden City; John A. Beamer of Lafayette County ; Flora Smith, wife of John Smith, a merchant at Gar- den City ; Jasper Beamer now deceased; Oscar Beamer of Kansas City, Kansas; George Beamer, a farmer near Garden City; Mark Beamer, a farmer near Gunn City; Ada Beaber, a milliner, at Garden City; Carrol Beamer, a merchant in Kansas City, Missouri; Ethel Smith, wife of
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James Smith of Ft. Scott, Kansas, and Dyas Beamer, in the transfer business in Kansas City, Mo.
Thus we see the early settlers women were progressive as well as the men. The Beamers, like the rest of the old settlers, will do to tie to. It is hoped the generations will sustain the reputation of their ances- tors.
Amos J. Hartzler, son of Isaac J. and Magdalene (Gerig) Hartzler, was born January 1, 1855, in Lagrange County, Indiana.
Isaac J. Hartzler was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, on June 10, 1825; died February 11, 1896, in Cass County, Missouri. Magdalene Gerig was born in Germany, December 12, 1829. She came to America at the age of ten years with her parents and died in Cass County, Mis- souri, on November 4, 1884.
Mr. Hartzler was reared on the home farm. His education was limited to the common schools.
Mr. Hartzler was married to Mattie M. Blough, who was born January 20, 1858, at Elkhart County, Indiana, and died on February 17, 1893. One son and two daughters were born to this union who are now living. September 2, 1894, Mr. Hartzler married Mattie M. Hartzler, who was born September 23, 1857, in Elkhart County, Indiana. One son and one daughter have been born to them.
In March, 1885, Mr. Hartzler moved from Elkhart County, Indiana, to Cass County, Missouri, locating on a farm one and one-half miles south- west of East Lynne and is still living on a part of this farm. Mr. Hartz- ler has been a member of the Mennonite church for over forty years. He is one of the substantial citizens of Cass County and has contributed his part to the development of this section of the state.
Charles S. West, one of the present members of the board of county judges and a well known farmer and stockman of Union township, is a native of Cass County. He was born in Harrisonville, in August, 1865, and is a son of Lysander and Ruth S. (Logan) West. The West family came from Kentucky to Missouri in 1856 and settled in Cass County. Lysander West was a carpenter in early life, but after coming to Cass County was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a man of broad acquaintance and of well known honesty and integrity. He was a licensed Baptist preacher and occasionally occupied pulpits in this county.
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He died in 1888 and his wife now resides at Liberty, Missouri. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom are living, as follows: Will- iam L., Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Mary A. Jones, Belton, Missouri; L. B., Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. America Halcomb, Liberty, Missouri ; Charles S., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Lutie B. Van Hoy, Garden City, Missouri; and John K., Kansas City, Missouri.
Charles S. West was reared to manhood in Cass County, receiving his early educational discipline in the public schools. He later attended the State Normal School at Warrensburg. In early life he taught school for twelve years in Cass and Johnson Counties and was regarded as one of the successful teachers of this section of the state. At intervals between teaching, he was also engaged in farming and stock raising and thus in early life he became familiar with the practical side of agriculture.
In 1894 Mr. West engaged in the mercantile business at Latour, Mis- souri, in partnership with J. J. Wright. After three and one-half years of successful business, he traded his interest in that state to J. W. Wright for another stock of goods at Peculiar, Missouri. In 1900, he traded the business thus acquired to F. M. Johnson for two hundred forty acres of land in Union township. Later he purchased two hundred forty acres more and now owns four hundred eighty acres which are known as the "Grand River Stock Farm". This is one of the fine appearing farms in Cass County and Mr. West has brought it up to a very high state of culti- vation. It is abundantly supplied with good water, well improved with good farm buildings. Judge West specializes in raising pure bred Here- ford cattle of the "Anxiety" strain. He is also a successful hog raiser. During the year 1916, he marketed over four thousand dollars worth of hogs. At present he has about one hundred head on hand. Over two hundred acres of his farm are devoted to bluegrass.
Judge West has always taken an active part in politics and since his boyhood has been identified with the Democratic party. He has served as township clerk for a number of terms and in 1914 was elected presiding judge of the county court. He is serving in that capacity at the present time. In the administration of the duties of that office, Judge West has proven himself to be a capable business man and a conscientious public officer and entitled to the confidence of the tax payers of Cass County. He practices the same careful business methods in the affairs of the public as he does in his own private business.
Judge West was married in 1890 to Miss Harriett K. Underwood, a
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daughter of M. B. Underwood, of Garden City. Six children have been born to this union, four of whom are living, as follows: Mrs. Lenora Webb, Peculiar, Missouri; Moses L., Belton, Missouri; Reva and Edith, Belton, Missouri. Mrs. West died in 1906. In 1907 Judge West was mar- ried to Mrs. Clara Birge, a daughter of F. P. Rust, of Peculiar. One child has been born to this union, Mary Eleanor.
Judge West is a member of the Christian church and superintendent of the Union Sunday school at Pleasant Prairie.
Jefferson Waller Britt .- The hundred years just closing have been the most eventful and phenomenal in history. Particularly is this true as to the United States and her Louisiana Purchase, west of the Missis- sippi river. During this period we have seen the ox wagon displaced by the automobile and the railway ; we have seen the telephone and telegraph bringing close together the whole world. Old ocean is not only traversed by steam and electric ships for commerce and battleships, but the air is now navigated and war vessels and ships of trade pass beneath the waters of the deep. All these things and many more now seem of little conse- quence. . Until recently such matters were considered delusions of a deranged brain. During this period the maps of the world's countries have changed. Napoleon made his star, the Kaiser of Germany has marked his. We have seen the greatest and most cruel wars of time. Our own country witnessed a cruel and destructive Civil War. One whose life has spanned the greater part of this time, has lived more than at any other period of the world's history. A man who was privileged to live during this period and used well his opportunities to make the world bet- ter, is the one who left behind an influence for good to those who might follow.
Jefferson Waller Britt was born in Logan County, Kentucky, April 2, 1824, and lived within a few months of the ripe age of ninety-three years. Mr. Britt was a man who thought out his problems of life and endeavored to live them out. He was of positive character. The con- clusions he studied out before hand were right, as far as he was con- cerned. He followed them whether criticized or approved. This was his character in early life and remained with him to his death. He possessed that quality of fair mindedness which always recognized the right of others to differ with him in opinion. By his thoughtful study he made himself an able and efficient public servant, always having the confidence
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and respect of his neighbors. Early in 1893 serious matters were rife in the affairs of Cass County. The people in looking about to secure a suit- able man for county judge chose Judge Britt. To this office he was chosen by the vote of the people at the November election, 1892. To this office he brought that sober thought that "a public office is a public trust". His honesty, ability, impartiality and efficiency brought to the county bench that quality of character which bode well for the whole people. His services as such public officer are a great legacy, well to be remem- bered and cherished by the generations to follow.
Judge Britt spent the early part of his life at his old home in Ken- tucky. On arriving at the age of twenty-five years, he took leave of the old home to go into the world outside of his native state. He went as far west as the present state of Utah. The trip was made overland with Russell & Waddell by ox teams. It was no pleasure trip; people did not travel in automobiles nor railways as they do now; his was that tiresome hard way of pioneer travel, six months on the road with a train of wagons, drawn by ox teams. He endured this pioneer adventure as became the man he was. This far west trip at this early history of our land was filled with thrilling experiences. The prairies of western Missouri, the present Kansas and Colorado as well as the mountains was the home of the wild Indians and the buffalo. Perils beset the traveler on all sides. On Judge Britt's return from this trip, in 1850, he stopped at Lexington, Missouri. After viewing western Missouri land around Lexington, he made a trip overland to the vicinity of Harrisonville. After a short stay he retraced his way to his native state. In 1855 he closed his business there and returned to Missouri, where he made his home. Necessity, however, com- pelled him to make trips while retaining his home here. He first pur- chased a farm near Harrisonville in about 1855. A few months later he bought and removed to a farm near Austin in this county.
Here he made a home for himself and family until the War of the Rebellion. When that awful gloom of war spread over our land, Judge Britt thought out his duty and in due time cast his influence on the side of the Confederacy. He served first in Capt. Bob Adams' company of Missouri Volunteers. In 1863 he was in Texas getting cattle for General Price's army, located at Little Rock, Arkansas. At the close of the war he sold his farm near Austin, all improvements having been destroyed in the fortunes of war. For four years he farmed in Saline County, near Marshall, then returned to Cass County and purchased and improved the
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farm in Coldwater township, which is still owned by his children. Here he practically raised his family. After thirty years' residence on this farm he removed to Harrisonville, Missouri, in 1899. From this date to the date of his death, February 9, 1917, he was a citizen of Harrisonville. Judge Britt was slow to talk about his own affairs in public, yet it was interesting to hear him talk of his experiences and the many changes in the manner of doing things and happenings which took place during his life time. He was a man who read much, kept in touch with the move- ment of affairs. To hear what he knew of changing events within his memory, not alone in our own country but in the wide world, was of extreme interest to the thoughtful. What a loss to the present and future generation that such men have passed without leaving in writing their experiences and information by them gathered. Herein and by such neglect we are given errors by our best historians. The real and true facts of local and even general history are lost.
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