USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 65
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W. S. Callaway, a Civil War veteran, now residing at Peculiar, is a native son of Cass County. He belongs to one of the pioneer families of this section of the state. Mr. Callaway was born in 1847 and is a son of John F. and Mary C. (Marrow) Callaway. The Callaway family came from Tennessee in 1844, and the father entered six hundred acres of government land in Bates County, although the family lived in Cass, which at that time was Van Buren County. Some of the early members of the Callaway family came from North Carolina to Virginia.
W. S. Callaway has one brother living, Hugh Callaway, who resides at Carrollton, Missouri. The date at which the Callaway family settled in Cass County was an early period in the settlement of this section and at that time the settlements were confined to streams, as the pioneers in those days were not inclined to venture out into the open prairie to make their permanent home, for various reasons. Mr. Callaway spent his boy- hood days amidst the primitive pioneer surroundings of considerably more than a half century ago. As a boy he has a distinct recollection of much of the pioneer life of Cass County. In those days the broad prairies stretched out for miles until the horizon limited the vision, and there was not a sign of a fence to be seen. Mr. Callaway has seen deer by the herds. Various kinds of small game, such as quails and prairie chickens, were so plentiful that they scarcely attracted passing notice. Most of the supplies in those days were hauled from Kansas City, or rather West-
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port. The neighbors would arrange to make up a six ox team and wagon and in that way haul their supplies. They hauled their wheat and corn to Hickman's Mills to have their flour and meal ground. Mr. Callaway remembers when Kansas City, the present metropolis of the west, was no larger than Harrisonville now is. He says that the years of hardship which followed immediately after the Civil War were even worse than the pioneer days which preceded that period by several years.
Mr. Callaway was a mere boy when the Civil War broke out. How- ever he served more than two years in the Confederate army, during that long and fearful struggle, and gallantly fought for the right as he saw it. The principles of "the lost cause" have ever been a part of his nature and dear to him. In 1873 he began life for himself as a farmer and has met with success both as a farmer and stock raiser. He now owns two hundred acres of valuable land which he rents, although he and his wife reside in their old homestead and retain ten acres of the home site.
Mr. Callaway was married in 1873 to Miss Lizzie Wills, a daughter of Alpheus and Lacy Ann Wills, who were early settlers in Missouri, com- ing here in 1857.
To Mr. and Mrs. Callaway have been born seven children, as follows: Mrs. Mary C. Wilburn, Peculiar; John F., Peculiar; Mrs. Cora J. Funk, Alberta, Canada; T. A., Peculiar; H. T., Harrisonville; Lacy, Fulton, Mis- souri; and W. S., Peculiar.
Mr. Callaway is one of Cass County's substantial citizens. The members of the Callaway family are prominent in the community.
J. F. Callaway, senior member of the firm of Callaway & Welborn, general merchants of Peculiar, Missouri, is a native of Cass County. He is a son of W. S. and Elizabeth Callaway. W. S. Callaway, the father, was a son of John and Mary Callaway, natives of Tennessee, who settled in Cass County in 1844.
J. F. Callaway was reared and educated in Cass County. January 20, 1900, a partnership was formed with J. F. Garrett, and they engaged in the mercantile business at Peculiar. In 1902 W. A. Welborn succeeded to the interest of J. F. Garrett and the firm became Callaway & Welborn. Two years later, Mrs. Alice Hockaday became a partner in the business and since that time the business has been conducted under the firm name of Callaway & Welborn. They do an extensive business, carrying stock worth about ten thousand dollars. Their methods of square dealing have
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won the confidence of the buying public and they are rewarded by a large trade which covers an extensive scope of territory.
Mr. Callaway was united in marriage December 29, 1898 with Miss Ollie Welborn, a daughter of J. H. Welborn and a sister of his partner, W. A. Welborn, a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
Mr. Callaway belongs to that type of successful merchants whose methods inspire confidence and spell success.
J. B. Urton, who is now engaged in the hotel business at Peculiar, has had much to do with the progress and development of this thriving Cass County town. Mr. Urton is a Virginian and was born in Hamp- shire County in 1845. His parents were William and Martha Urton. The family came to Cass County in 1872, but on account of sickness, returned to their native state, Virginia, in a short time. J. B. Urton engaged in carpenter work there and remained in Virginia until after the death of his mother, when he returned to Cass County and settled near where Peculiar now stands. In 1888 the town was laid out and here Mr. Urton constructed a great many buildings, among which were the Presbyterian church and residences for John Bickhouser, Ed Lane, Mr. Smith and many others. Mr. Urton built the first hall in Peculiar for Taylor Wills and constructed the first scales in Peculiar. Since that time he has built twenty-five others. In 1897 Mr. Urton built the first hotel in Peculiar, which he conducted for some time. The same year, he erected the public school building. He afterwards sold his hotel and bought forty-four lots near the depot where he built another hotel of which he is now proprietor. It is a fourteen room structure and well arranged for the purpose for which it is intended. Mr. Urton conducts a nice little hotel which is a credit to the town and highly appreciated by the traveling public. He endeavors to supply his people with the best the market affords. The hotel is well furnished. The rooms are kept in a neat and sanitary condi- tion. Mr. Urton proceeds on the basis that a satisfied customer is the best advertisement. In addition to the hotel business Mr. Urton is quite a successful poultry man and he has gone quite extensively into that important industry. He was the first to introduce the telephone in Peculiar. In 1900 he bought two instruments and installed one in his hotel and the other in the depot.
Mr. Urton was married in 1867 to Miss Frances Hoffman, a native of Virginia. Four children have been born to this union, as follows: Mrs.
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Dora Wills, John E., Mrs. Addie Loffiand, all of whom reside at Peculiar, and one son, Rodney, died at the age of five months.
Mr. Urton has seen much of the development of Cass County. When he came here there was vast, unbroken prairie in the vicinity of Peculiar. He has taken a commendable interest in public affairs. Since the town of Peculiar was started he has had its civic well-being at heart. He has also done much to aid the development of this section of Cass County. He loaded the first carload of hogs shipped from Peculiar in 1888 and the same year he loaded the first carload of cattle at that point for John W. Urton, a cousin of his. Since that time Peculiar has developed into one of the important shipping points of Cass County and Mr. Urton has surely done his part towards making it so. He is one of the most progressive men of the town. He has held several local offices of trust and responsi- bility, having been constable for two years, for several years was town marshall, and he has also been a member of the town board. It may be truly said of Mr. Urton that in whatever capacity he has served he has always given the best that was in him, and his efforts have been crowned with success. He is a stockholder in the Woodmen Hall and is ever ready to support any worthy local enterprise.
W. A. Welborn, of the firm of Callaway & Welborn, general mer- chants at Peculiar, Missouri, is a native son of Cass County. He was born in 1866 and is a son of J. H. and Margaret (Sabins) Welborn. The Welborn family were natives of South Carolina who, at an early day, removed to Kentucky. Margaret Sabins was a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Washington Sabins. Both the Welborn and Sabins families are of English descent.
J. H. Welborn came to Missouri in 1855 and located near Harrison- ville. The ensuing year he was married and the following children were born to that union: Mrs. Mollie Hockaday, Peculiar, Missouri; Alice Hockaday, Peculiar, Missouri; Mrs. Ollie Callaway, Peculiar, Missouri; W. J., Peculiar, Missouri; and W. A., the subject of this sketch.
W. A. Welborn received his education in the public schools of Cass County. The first school which he ever attended was the Walnut Grove school, at that time taught by Allen Glenn, the editor of this work. Mr. Welborn remained on the home place until his marriage. He saw much of the early day life in Cass County. He has herded cattle on the open range and experienced many of the ups and downs common to the early
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settlers. He remembers well the devastation wrought by grasshoppers, prairie fires and other devastating visitations, which broke the dull monotony of life on the plains in the early days.
Mr. Welborn was married in 1896 to Miss Mollie Callaway, a daughter of W. S. and Lizzie Callaway, natives of Missouri. Four children have been born to this union, as follows: James, Frank, Elizabeth and Hallie.
Mr. Welborn followed farming until 1902, when he bought an inter- est in his present business and since that time has been actively identified with the firm of Callaway & Welborn. They carry an extensive line of general merchandise and are progressive and up-to-date merchants. Mr. Welborn is one of the progressive business men of Cass County and, in addition to his mercantile interests, owns a valuable farm of one hundred sixty acres, three and one-half miles southeast of Peculiar. Mr. Welborn devotes no part of his time to his farm.
George F. Scott, a prominent farmer and dairyman of Mt. Pleasant township, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Tazewell County, Illinois, in May, 1850, and is a son of John and Mary Jane (Rook) Scott. John Scott was a native of Warwick, England, and a descendant of Scotch parents. His parents, George T. and Sarah Ann Scott, were born in Anman, Scotland, the father being born December 8, 1797 and the mother December 5, 1797. They immigrated to the United States with their family about 1830 and settled at Providence, Rhode Island. Later they went to Massachusetts and in 1843 came west, locating in Atlanta, Logan County, Illinois, reaching that place October 18th. John Scott was the third, in order of birth, of a family of five sons and three daughters and was the youngest born in England. He was born in 1827. He was a quiet, unassuming Christian gentleman and was highly regarded by all who knew him.
Mary Jane Rook, mother of George F. Scott, was born near Troy, Ohio, March 18, 1832, of German parentage. When she was a child her parents moved to Lafayette, Indiana. In 1846 they went to Illinois, where she met John Scott. They were married in 1849. The following children were born to that union: George F., the subject of this sketch; M. Isabelle; John A .; William; Kate; Mary A .; Jennie E .; and Charles R. The mother died November 7, 1869, and the father departed this life May 25, 1882.
George F. Scott has been engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life.
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In 1902 he came to Cass County and bought eighty acres of land in Mt. Pleasant township, where he has since been successfully engaged in dairy- ing. His place is well improved and thoroughly equipped with modern sanitary dairying appliances. His broad, fertile acres are well kept and in an excellent state of cultivation. A great amount of his land is under blue grass. He has a valuable herd of pure bred Jersey cows.
Mr. Scott was married in 1874 to Miss Alice C. Paul, a native of Logan County, Illinois, daughter of H. A. J. Paul, a native of Indiana, who was a very early settler in Logan County, Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Scott have been born the following children: Mrs. Cora B. Short, Emden, Illi- nois; Charles, Grand View, Missouri; Mrs. Pearl March, Belton, Missouri ; Mrs. Effie Samuel, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Mrs. Grace Keeney, Belton, Missouri; and Roy E., Belton, Missouri.
Before coming to Missouri, Mr. Scott was active in political affairs and while living in Illinois served as township treasurer, was a member of the school board for several years and was postmaster of Boynton for some time. He is a kind-hearted, genial gentleman and has the faculty of making many friends. Mrs. Scott is a thoroughly domestic woman and a lover of flowers. She has transformed her home into a veritable greenhouse.
C. H. Scott, son of George F. Scott, a sketch of whom precedes this article, was born in 1879. For a number of years he was engaged in farming and stock raising in Mt. Pleasant township, Cass County. He made a specialty of raising Jersey cattle and saddle horses. He gave much time to training his own horses and is considered a very success- ful horse trainer. He sold his Cass County farm in 1916, and removed to Grand View, Missouri, where he has since been successfully engaged in the grocery business.
Mr. Scott was married in 1902 to Mrs. Pearl Long, daughter of Will- iam J. and Sarah Craig. The Craig family came to Cass County in 1879 and settled in the vicinity of Raymore. Mr. Craig became one of the wealthy men of that locality. He helped organize the Bank of Raymore and was one of its heaviest stockholders.
To Mr. and Mrs. Scott have been born two children: Mildred Fern Scott and George W. Scott. While Mr. Scott was a resident of Cass County he took an active part in local political affairs. He served as township trustee for two terms and was also a member of the school board for a number of years. He is now deputy postmaster of Grand View and one of the progressive business men of that live town.
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J. M. Knight, a successful farmer and stockman of West Peculiar township, is a native son of Cass County. He was born in 1858. His parents were James and Mary Knight, pioneer settlers of Cass County. James Knight, grandfather of J. M., came from Tennessee to Missouri and located in Cooper County, in the early thirties. Later he removed to Johnson County. James Knight, father of the subject of this sketch, came to Cass County prior to the Civil War. He died in 1875. His wife departed this life in 1872. They were the parents of nine children, five of whom are living, as follows: Henry, Decatur, Arkansas; Terrel, Cen- terville, Kansas; J. M., the subject of this sketch ; Mrs. Nannie Hider, San Diego, California; and Mrs. Mary Ramsey, Drexel, Missouri.
J. M. Knight's parents died when he was quite young and he was thrown upon his own resources at an early age. He worked at various employments and was thus deprived of many of the pleasures of early boyhood. He distinctly remembers many of the incidents of early life and some of his trials and disappointments made a lasting impression on his youthful mind. He recalls having worked for one man four months who refused to pay him. However he succeeded in getting his pay sev- eral months afterwards. He worked for George Roberts who gave him a silver dollar for one day's work. This was the first money he ever possessed. During the next three weeks he had saved seventeen dollars, with which he bought a suit of clothes.
After his marriage in 1882, J. M. Knight followed farming on rented land for some time and later took charge of the county farm which he conducted for four years. In 1887 he bought one hundred sixty acres of land in West Peculiar township where he has since been engaged in farming and stock raising. He has added to his original purchase and now owns a splendid farm of three hundred forty acres, one hundred seventy-five acres of which are devoted to bluegrass. The place is well improved with good substantial buildings. Every indication about the farm denotes that its owner is one of the thrifty, progressive agricul- turists of Cass County.
Mr. Knight was married in 1882 to Miss Susie Sabin, daughter of Washington and Tobitha Sabin of Kentucky. Three children were born to this union, as follows: John, West Peculiar township; Mary, Peculiar township; and Frank, Peculiar township.
Aside from his successful activities as a farmer and stockman, Mr. Knight is interested in other fields of enterprise. He was one of the
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organizers of the Cass County Bank at Peculiar, and one of the charter members of the organization. He has been president of the bank since that time. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Knight belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. His political affiliations have always been with the Democratic party. He is one of Cass County's substantial citizens who has overcome obstacles and suc- ceeded and whatever success has come to him his wife is entitled to a due amount of credit for her co-operation and encouragement have been his inspiration.
J. M. Powell, now residing in Peculiar, has been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising in Cass County for a number of years. He is a descendant of Cass County pioneer stock and was born here in 1857. His parents were J. R. and Elizabeth C. (Bailey) Powell. J. R. Powell was a native of east Tennessee, who came to Cass County in 1840 and settled in Union township where he pre-empted one hundred sixty acres of government land. He was prominent in the early day organization and development of that part of the county and for a number of years served as justice of the peace. He and his wife, who was also a native of east Tennessee, endured many hardships and inconveniences of pioneer life in Cass County, but it seems that in the eternal fitness of things the work of settling and developing this country fell to the lot of those who were able to proceed with the work before them.
When Order No. 11 was issued the Powell family removed to Pleas- ant Hill, where they remained until the close of the war. They then returned to Union township and rebuilt his buildings which had been burned during the war. He followed farming during the remainder of his life. However the actual operation of the place was carried on dur- ing the latter years of his life by his son, Wyley B., now deceased. The father died about 1897. The mother died on the home place in 1875. J. R. Powell was a man of high moral character, although he never identified himself with any particular denomination. The mother belonged to the Baptist church.
J. M. Powell received his education in the public schools of Cass County. He remembers George Ellis as one of his first school teachers and among the first preachers in Union township recalls Rev. Jerry Farmer, Major Dean, and later Rev. T. L. Powell, a cousin of his. Rev. G. W. Burgess was also an early minister here. In 1882, Mr. Powell went to
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Riley County, Kansas, where he bought one hundred sixty acres of land. He was engaged in farming and stock raising there for twelve years, when he sold his place and returned to Cass County. Here he bought one hundred thirty acres of land. Mr. Powell has bought, sold and traded until he now owns two hundred fifteen acres, located about three miles southwest of Peculiar. His is a very valuable farm. He makes a specialty of raising Shorthorn cattle. In 1916 he bought a comfortable home in Peculiar, where he and his wife now reside.
Mr. Powell was married in 1878 to Miss Saleta Laffoon, a daughter of Druary Laffoon, a native of Tennessee, who bought the old Powell place in Union township after coming to Cass County. To Mr. and Mrs. Powell have been born two children: Delvena, a teacher, who makes her home with her parents in Peculiar and is now teaching at Adrian, Mis- souri, and Mrs. Ora Phillips, Peculiar.
Mr. Powell has seen many changes since the dawn of his memory in Cass County. He remembers when most of the country was open, unbroken prairie and most of the roads consisted of mere trails across the country. When people went from one place to another there were no fences to confine their journey nor a so-called highway or public road, but they proceeded on the mathematical theory that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
Mr. Powell has always taken a keen interest in local affairs and has served on the school board for a number of years. He was clerk of the Fairview district several terms and is now trustee of West Peculiar town- ship. Both Mr. and Mrs. Powell are members of the Baptist church and are active in the work of their congregation. He is a deacon and Mrs. Powell is president of the Ladies Aid Society. The Powells are prom- inent in the community and have a broad acquaintance and many friends in Cass County.
J. B. Hook, an enterprising merchant at Jaudon, Missouri, is a native of Cass County, and belongs to one of its prominent pioneer families. He was born in 1874 and is a son of A. S. and Georgia Hook. The father now resides in this county and is one of the substantial citizens of Dolan township. He is a son of J. B. Hook, a native of Virginia, who settled in Cass County in 1844. He pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of government land and bought additional land, until at the time of his death in 1886, he owned fifteen hundred acres. He was an extensive
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cattle raiser and dealer and during his time was one of the leading stock- men of the county. He had a large acquaintance and was known as "Squire Hook". Like many others, he met with considerable loss and suffered severe privations and hardships during the Civil War, and it is said that at one time during that period he lived on potatoes for six weeks.
J. B. Hook is one of a family of eleven children, six of whom are now living as follows: J. B., the subject of this sketch; Abner, Nevada; Frank, Harrisonville; Ed, Belton; Mrs. May Calbert, Williamstown, Kan- sas; and Fannie Balding, Williamstown, Kansas. J. B. Hook spent his boyhood days on the home farm and was educated in the public schools. When a young man he became superintendent of the Cudahay ranch and held that position for thirteen years. He then bought a farm at Belton, which he later traded for property in the town of Belton. In 1915 he bought a store at Jaudon where he has since been engaged in the general mercantile business. He has also been an extensive produce dealer and, in fact, buys whatever the farmers have to sell in that locality.
Mr. Hook was married in 1902 to Miss Annie Wilson, a daughter of William and Ann (Neilson) Wilson, the former of English and the latter of Scottish descent. Mrs. Hook was born in Canada, in 1883. Her par- ents came to Cass County where they remained about five years when they returned to Canada. To Mr. and Mrs. Hook have been born four children as follows: Charles, Vera, Dorothy and Robert.
Mr. Hook is a progressive merchant and one of Cass County's sub- stantial citizens.
William O. Heivly, a well known and successful citizen of Raymore township is perhaps best known as Cass County's most scientific and suc- cessful bee-keeper. Mr. Heivly was born in Lee County, Illinois, March 17, 1860, and is a son of Peter and Margaret Heivly. Peter Heivly, the father, was a son of Peter Heivly, Sr., a Pennsylvanian. In 1858 Peter Heivly, father of William O., removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois, and in 1868, came to Missouri, and settled in Cass County. He died here November 30, 1914. His wife preceded him in death, she having passed away in 1906. They were the parents of four children as follows: Jacob A., Raymore; William O., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Lizzie A. Beatty, Harrisonville, Missouri; and Howard W., Raymore.
When William O. Heivly was a boy he was always of a scientific turn of mind and when he was twenty-two years old he began farming for himself, and two years later became interested in bee culture, a subject
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which requires the closest kind of observation as well as studious applica- tion. Mr. Heivly soon had an apiary consisting of one hundred and thirty-five colonies. He is an expert on quality and production of honey and has made a very careful study of every angle of the bee business. He says that white clover is the principal material from which high grade honey is made and that when white clover is plentiful and in good condi- tion that one colony of bees will produce from one hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds of honey. He begins to take the honey from the hives about the tenth of June, and continues this process from six to eight weeks. The honey is extracted by a device which makes it a simple and easy process. In the spring time the dandelion furnishes the bees food for brooding and in the fall an excellent dark grade of honey is made from the spanish needle, goldenrod, smartweed, etc. Mr. Heivly never allows his bees to swarm. He has added to a colony as many as five tiers in order to keep the bees busy and producing the honey. Mr. Heivly does not confine himself to the production of honey and beeswax which are important items in themselves, but he is an extensive dealer in bees and has built up a large trade in that connection. He never misses attending a sale where bees are to be sold and is invariably ready to sup- ply the market with high grade bees.
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