USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 67
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George H. Cable came to Cass County from Illinois in 1867, and settled in Everett township, and purchased two hundred and forty acres of land, for which he paid sixteen dollars per acre. This same land sold in 1917 for one hundred and ten dollars per acre. George H. and Minerva J. (Foster) Cable were the parents of the following children: M. M., died in 1905; C. C., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Eva Lacy, Kansas City, Missouri; and George E., Harrisonville.
C. C. Cable received a good public school education and in early life was engaged in teaching school during the winter months, and followed farming in the summers. In 1880 he and L. T. Dorsett bought out a
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store and engaged in the mercantile business at Everett, Missouri, where they remained one year. Mr. Cable then went to Louisburg, Kansas, where he sold goods for a year and then returned to Cass County, and in partnership with M. M. Cable and W. L. Lacy, purchased the general store from W. W. Mardis, and in 1892 Mr. Cable and others organized the Drexel and Freeman Mercantile Company, and Mr. Cable was at Freeman in connection with this business until 1899. He then became extensively interested in the Inter-State Bank of Drexel, becoming its cashier, and for the past several years has held the office of president and been actively identified with the management of that institution. This bank has had a substantial growth since Mr. Cable has been con- nected with it, which reflects great credit upon him as the active head of this well-known financial institution. When he came here the deposits of the bank amounted to about fifty thousand dollars, and the loans were about forty-two thousand dollars, as compared with the following state- ment of the bank, issued March 5, 1917: Resources-Loans and dis- counts, undoubtedly good on personal collateral, $233,860.21; loans, real estate, $2,260.50; overdrafts, $4,089.72; bonds and stocks, $1,500.00; real estate, banking house, $2,500.00; furniture and fixtures, $2,500.00; due from other banks and bankers, subject to check, $75,163.81; cash items, $5,202.92; currency, $4,008.00; specie, $4,033.02. Total, $325,118.18. Liabilities-Capital stock paid in, $25,000.00; surplus fund, $25,000.00; undivided profits, net, $6,012.80; individual deposits, subject to check, $241,549.84 ; time certificates of deposits, $27,555.54. Total, $325,118.18. In addition to his banking interests, Mr. Cable owns a section of valuable land in Everett township, and has a nice home in Drexel.
Mr. Cable was married in 1877 to Miss Dora George, a daughter of F. M. George, of Archie, Missouri. They have one son, J. Ray, an in- structor in the University of Missouri.
While Mr. Cable is a comparatively young man, many changes have taken place in this section of the country within the scope of his mem- ory. When the Cable family settled here, there was not a settlement between the Cable homestead in Everett township and the present site of Drexel. Pleasant Hill was the nearest railroad station, and Mr. Cable has hauled hogs to that point for shipment. He has seen numbers of deer, wild turkey and prairie chickens. He remembers his first teacher at the Cable school, a Mr. King. He recalls the early day pastimes, when the principal amusements were singing schools, spelling bees, horse races and the like.
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A. J. Bradbury, of Everett, is a native son of Cass County, and be- longs to one of the real pioneer families of this county. The Bradburys were among the first settlers in what is now Cass County. A. J. Brad- bury was born in 1847, a son of Leonard and Nancy Bradbury. Leonard was a son of Walter Bradbury, who was a native of Scotland and settled in Kentucky when he was a young man. He took part in the Cherokee Indian War and was wounded three times. In 1833 Walter Bradbury, grandfather of A. J., came to Missouri from Kentucky and settled in what is now Cass County. Here he spent the remainder of his life and died in 1852. His son, Leonard Bradbury, was born in St. Charles, Mis- souri. He came to this section with his parents in 1833. In 1844 he bought a tract of land, which was the first permanent settlement in Coldwater township. In 1846 he homesteaded a farm, where he was en- gaged in farming until the time of his death, in 1903. He was a man of high integrity and esteemed by all who knew him. He was one of the promoters and original members of the Old Settlers' Association of Cass County.
A. J. Bradbury grew to manhood on the old homestead in Coldwater township, and attended school near Morristown. He recalls the times when there was much unoccupied territory in Cass County, when there were only a few scattered families in the southern part of the county. He can name almost all the settlers who lived in that vicinity when he was a boy. He recalls Beck, Dudley, Patton, Hollis and Shipley. The settlers received their mail about once a week, and then had to send a boy to Harrisonville for it. At that time "mail day" was considered quite an event. Game of all kinds was in abundance. Mr. Bradbury has seen deer frequently. Wild turkeys and prairie chickens were to be found most any time. He also recalls the devastation wrought by prairie fires. Indians were still here when Mr. Bradbury was a boy and he re- members having frequently played in the wigwams of the Indians. He remembers Rev. Shaler, who preached to the Indians in the early days, and Rev. C. C. Wood, another pioneer preacher, who preached the gospel to the pioneers on numerous occasions before the Civil War. Mr. Brad- bury recalls many events of the pioneer days and can tell much concern- ing the hardships, amusements and various incidents of pioneer life. He recalls the days when spelling bees, singing schools, and the old-fashioned dances were the principal amusements of the young people. He tells of having seen a family go to church in a cart drawn by a team which was
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composed of a horse and a cow. That, compared to modern-day trans- portation, is a striking illustration of the progress made in Cass County since Mr. Bradbury's earliest recollections.
Mr. Bradbury was united in marriage in 1871 to Miss Mary A. Hocker, a daughter of B. D. Hocker, a native of Kentucky, who settled in Cass County in 1869. He was a successful farmer and stockman and for nine years was engaged in the mercantile business at Brosley, Mis- souri, where he also served as postmaster for six years. To Mr. and Mrs. Bradbury have been born three children: Lee A., Drexel, Mis- souri ; Mrs. E. Maud French, Archie, Missouri; and Mrs. Sallie P. Limpus, Drexel, Missouri.
Mr. Bradbury is a successful farmer and stockman of Everett town- ship. He has a well-improved farm of one hundred twenty-one acres. The Bradbury residence is in Everett. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Christian church and active in the work of their congregation.
Fred Unnewehr, a successful farmer and stockman of Austin town- ship, was born in Germany, September 17, 1862. He is a son of Herman and Wilhelmina Unnewehr. The father died in Germany in 1914, and the mother now resides there. They were the parents of six children, two of whom came to this country and the others remained in their native land.
Fred Unnewehr remained in Germany until he was nineteen years old, when he immigrated to America, landing at Baltimore, Maryland. He went from there to Breese, Illinois, where he worked as a farm hand for four years. He then came to Missouri, and worked on a farm at Nor- borne, Carroll County. His work consisted mostly in caring for and feeding cattle, and he worked in that capacity for about three years. He then engaged in farming in Carroll County, where he remained until 1907. He then came to Cass County and purchased two hundred sixty- five acres of land in the northern part of Austin township. Since that time he has bought more land and now owns three hundred forty-six acres of well-improved and valuable land. Eighty acres of his farm are under blue grass, and altogether his is one of the valuable farms of Cass County. He is a successful farmer and has been especially successful in stock raising. He keeps high-grade Angus cattle, having a registered animal at the head of his herd. He is also one of the most successful hog raisers in Cass County, and has some of the finest registered Poland
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China hogs to be found any place. He is also a successful horse breeder and raises some very fine Percheron horses.
Mr. Unnewehr was married in 1890 to Miss Minnie Theener, a daugh- ter of Ferdinand and Catherine (Dittmer) Theener, the former a native of Germany and the latter of St. Louis, Missouri. The mother died in 1907, and the father is now engaged in farming in Grand River town- ship, near Lone Tree. Mrs. Unnewehr was reared and educated in Illi- nois. To Mr. and Mrs. Unnewehr have been born six children, as follows: Herman, died 1910, at age of nineteen years; Fred, resides in Idaho; Carl, George, Henry, and Wilhelmina, all of whom reside at home.
Mr. Unnewehr is of the thrifty type of the American farmer, who, by his industry, has won his way to success. Politically he is a Repub- lican, and the family are members of the German Evangelical church.
E. E. Parsons, a successful farmer and stockman of Grand River township, traces his lineage through a long line of honorable American ancestors. He is a native of Illinois, born in 1851, a son of Elisha and Orpha (Sirpless) Parsons. The Parsons family is of English origin and was founded in this country by Joseph Parsons, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1635. He bore the distinction of being the first color-bearer of the first military organization in America. The line of descent from Joseph Parsons to Edward E. Parsons, the subject of this sketch, is as follows: Joseph, second son of Joseph the first; Daniel, son of Joseph the second; Aaron, son of Daniel; Elijah, son of Aaron; Elisha, son of Elijah; Elisha the second, son of Elisha; and Edward E., the subject of this sketch, son of Elisha. Elijah J. Parsons, great-grand- father of Edward E., was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving in Washington's army, and Elisha, his son, the grandfather of Edward E., was a soldier in the War of 1812. The members of the Parsons family have mostly been farmers for generations, and as a rule have been thrifty and successful citizens. Orpha Sirpless, mother of Edward E. Parsons, was of Irish descent. Both she and her husband are now deceased.
E. E. Parsons was reared to manhood in Illinois, where he was edu- cated. He began life as a farmer and stockman. He engaged in farm- ing and stock raising in Indiana, where he owned a valuable farm of three hundred twenty acres, which he sold in 1902, and came to Missouri. Here he bought what was known as the Sulzer farm and began opera- tions on this place in 1904. Five years later he sold this place and
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bought a farm near Lone Tree, which he improved and sold in 1912. He then bought one hundred twenty acres about a mile east of Lone Tree, where he now resides. This is one of the valuable farms of Cass County and is conveniently located and well improved. Mr. Parsons is a successful combination of the scientific and practical agriculturist. He understands maintaining the fertility of the soil by the practical appli- cation of scientific methods. He is a close observer and watches the lit- tle details. He raises stock quite extensively, specializing in pure-blood Aberdeen Angus cattle. Mrs. Parsons has won a reputation as a suc- cessful chicken fancier. She raises the Buff Plymouth Rocks, and has made of this venture a profitable enterprise. Mrs. Parsons has the very best strain of these birds that money can buy.
Mr. and Mrs. Parsons were married in 1875. She bore the maiden name of Sarah Roberts, and is a native of Illinois, a daughter of William Roberts. They have no children. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons are well known in southern Cass County and are prominent in the community.
Charles S. Nelson, the present State Representative from Cass County, is a successful farmer and stockman and belongs to one of the pioneer families of this county. Mr. Nelson was born in Cass County in 1869, and is a son of H. L. and Elizabeth Nelson, natives of Kentucky. H. L. Nelson was the son of Reuben Nelson, who was also a Kentuckian and a descendent of old Virginia stock. The Nelson family originally came from England and settled in the Virginia Colony and belong to the same family as Lord Nelson. Reuben Nelson, grandfather of Charles S., came from Kentucky to Missouri in 1839 and settled in Cass County, then Van Buren County. He entered one hundred twenty acres of land from the government, which is a part of the present home place of Charles S. Nelson.
H. L. Nelson, the father of Charles S., was a farmer and stock raiser and spent practically all of his life in Cass County. He was a successful man of affairs and at the time of his death, in 1900, was considered well- to-do. His widow resides with Charles S., the subject of this sketch, and is one of the few pioneer women of Cass County left to tell the story of the early settlement of this county and the vicissitudes and hardships which the early settlers here endured. H. L. and Elizabeth Nelson were the parents of the following children: Horace, resides in Oklahoma; Joseph P., Henry County, Missouri; Bureguard, Big Springs, Texas; J.
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T., Freeman, Missouri; Mrs. Laura F. Roberts, Mound City, Kansas ; George C., Freeman, Missouri; Mrs. Ellen Van Meter, Freeman, Missouri; and Charles S., the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Nelson was reared on his father's farm and attended the dis- trict school in that locality and later took a course in the State Normal School at Warrensburg, Missouri. He then engaged in teaching and taught school in Missouri, Texas and Mexico for fifteen years. He then engaged in farming and stock raising on the home place in Dolan town- ship. Mr. Nelson is considered one of the scientific farmers of the mid- dle west. He has given special attention to "seed corn breeding", and is authority on this subject and in this line of work he is frequently called to speak at agricultural meetings and conventions throughout the country. Mr. Nelson owns a splendid farm of two hundred ten acres, and in addition to his grain farming gives special attention to raising Percheron horses and Poland China hogs.
Mr. Nelson was united in marriage in 1895 to Miss Georgia Gear- hart, a daughter of Jonathan and Nancy Gearhart, of Everett, Missouri, and one child has been born to this union, Charles Orville, who resides at home with his parents.
Mr. Nelson has always taken a commendable interest in political matters and local affairs and is a staunch Democrat. He has served as assessor of Dolan township for six years, and in 1914 was elected a member of the State Legislature from Cass County. As a member of the State Legislature he served as chairman of the Committee on Agri- culture and distinguished himself in that capacity as a capable repre- sentative of that department of legislation. He was recently called to Jefferson City by Governor Gardner in connection with the recent move- ment to encourage intensified farming and maximum production as a necessary move in connection with the present European war.
Mr. Nelson is a progressive citizen and represents that type of agri- culturist whom the world is regarding more and more as an important factor in modern conditions.
Mark W. Prewitt, a well-known and successful auctioneer and pro- prietor of the People's Auction Company, Harrisonville, Missouri, is a native son of Cass County and belongs to a pioneer family of this sec- tion. Mr. Prewitt was born in Grand River township, December 22, 1872, a son of Robert H. and Martha S. (Wills) Prewitt, the former a native of Montgomery County, Kentucky, and the latter of Mexico, Missouri, of Indiana parentage, who were early settlers in that section of the State.
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Robert H. Prewitt lived in Kentucky until the Civil War broke out when he enlisted in the Confederate Army and served for four years. He participated in a great many battles and lesser engagements and was wounded at the battle of Wilson's Creek. At the close of the war he came to Cass County and settled in Grand River township on the place where Mark W., the subject of this sketch, now resides. He was extensively engaged in the dairy business and for a number of years furnished Harrisonville with its milk supply and frequently kept as many as forty head of cows. Politically he was a Democrat and always took an active interest in local politics. He served as justice of the peace and constable of Grand River township and at one time was a candidate for county recorder. He died in July, 1896, and his wife lives with her son. They were the parents of the following children: Willis D., was a teacher in the west for a number of years and died in Denver, Colo- rado, while engaged in the United States mail service; Mollie, married Proctor K. Owens, and has an extensive art and china painting estab- lishment in Detroit, Michigan; Mark W., the subject of this sketch; and Anna, married E. P. Fulton, Grand River township.
Mark W. Prewitt was reared on the farm in Grand River township and was educated in the district schools and the Harrisonville High School. He was associated with his father on the home farm and when seventeen years of age began teaching and was one of Cass County's most successful teachers for seventeen years, when his health failed. He then decided to take up auctioneering and took a course in the Mis- souri Auction School at Kansas City, where he was graduated in Jan- uary, 1913, and immediately established the People's Auction Company at Harrisonville. In addition to his regular auction business here, he conducts sales over a large section in western Missouri. He specializes in merchandise auction sales, although he carries on a general auction business and in fact conducts all kinds of auction sales and is considered one of the best auctioneers in this section.
Mr. Prewitt was married September 3, 1899, to Miss Louise M. Smith, a native of Illinois, who at the time of her marriage resided at Belton, Missouri. She is a daughter of Henry Smith, who now resides at Harrisonville. To Mr. and Mrs. Prewitt have been born four children, as follows: Bonnie May, bookkeeper for the People's Auction Company ; DeWitt Sherman, Wynona Chiquita, and Faye Louie, all residing at home.
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Mr. Prewitt is a member of the Masonic lodge and a number of fra- ternal insurance orders. He is a Democrat and has served as assessor of Grand River township for four years, and at one time was appointed county assessor by former Governor Joseph W. Folk. He and his family are members of the Baptist church.
E. J. Polk, a member of the firm of Polk Bros. Milling and Supply Company of Harrisonville, Missouri, is a native of Indiana. He was born in 1860 and is a son of Irvin and Elizabeth (Marlette) Polk. Irvin Polk was a miller as was also his father, Cleborn Polk. Cleborn Polk was a native of Kentucky. His ancestors lived in Tennessee and were of Scotch descent. They belonged to the same family as President James K. Polk and General Polk. Elizabeth Marlette, the mother of E. J. Polk, was a daughter of Epperson Marlette, and of French descent.
E. J. Polk was educated in the public schools of Indiana and at the Northern Indiana State Normal School. For a number of years he was engaged in superintending the construction of mills, and in fact, has been engaged in the milling business in one way or another all his life. In 1906 he came to Harrisonville, and in partnership with his two brothers, William C. and Charles L., bought the mill which he has since operated. Polk Bros. Milling and Supply Company was incorporated in 1913 with a capital stock of forty thousand dollars. The mill has a capacity of one hundred and fifty barrels of flour and two hundred barrels of meal daily. They buy a great deal of grain from the surrounding country in Cass County in addition to what they purchase elsewhere. They sell most of their flour in Arkansas and Texas, although they have customers in vari- ous parts of the country.
E. J. Polk is one of a family of four children who are now living, the others being as follows: Mrs. Dovey Pringle, Chicago, Illinois; William C., Hindsville, Arkansas; and Charles L., Sanford, Florida.
Mr. Polk was married in 1881 to Miss Mary Howell, a daughter of H. C. Howell, of Martinsville, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Polk are members of the Baptist church.
Albert W. Wood, a prominent farmer and stockman of Peculiar town- ship, is a native of Illinois. He is a son of William H. and Elizabeth H. (Mack) Wood, both natives of Charleston, Illinois. The Wood family came to Missouri and settled in Osceola, St. Clair County, when Albert W. was about five years old. They now reside at Appleton City, Missouri.
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Albert W. Wood was reared to manhood in St. Clair County, where he received his education in the public schools and the Appleton City Academy. For a number of years he followed railroading and for a time was in the employ of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Kansas City, and has also been in the employ of the Missouri Pacific, Missouri, Kansas and Texas, and the Northern Pacific as brakeman and conductor. Mr. Wood spent eighteen months in the service of the United States at the time of the Spanish-American War. The greater portion of this time being spent in Cuba. He was enlisted in Third Regiment of United States volunteer engineers under Col. David Duboise Gaillard. Mr. Wood was a victim of yellow fever at the time his regiment returned home. After his recovery he was assigned to various duties on the island and served some time there before being discharged.
On May 22, 1913, Mr. Wood was united in marriage with Miss Maude M. Griffith, a native of Deepwater, Missouri, and a daughter of Wesley and Elizabeth (Kirk) Griffith. Wesley Griffith was a widely known and successful farmer and stockman and banker. He came to Missouri in the early seventies and located in St. Clair County and engaged in farming and stockraising and became one of the best known Hereford breeders in the state. He also fed cattle extensively and the product of his farm frequently topped the Kansas City market. He was a successful business man and became a very extensive land owner and acquired over fifteen hundred acres of land in Missouri, besides considerable farm prop- erty in Illinois. In addition to being a farmer and stockman he invaded other fields of profitable enterprise. For a number of years he was presi- dent of the Bank of Deepwater, Missouri. He died May 24, 1909. His wife, Elizabeth Kirk, was a native of Kentucky, removing to Missouri with her parents, who settled in the northern part of the state when she was a child and now resides at Clinton, Missouri.
Mrs. Wood is one of a family of eight daughters born to her par- ents, seven of whom are living. She was educated in Baird College, Clinton, Missouri, and Christian College, Columbia, Missouri, and was graduated from the latter institution with a degree of Bachelor of Letters. She then entered the Missouri University at Columbia, and for three vears studied at that institution. After that she taught five years, two of which were in Missouri and three in Colorado. She then was engaged in the mercantile business for a short time at Pratt, Kansas, and when her father died, in 1909, she returned home to administer her father's
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estate. Mrs. Wood was well qualified to handle her father's estate, hav- ing been confidentially associated with him in his business relations from her girlhood. After his death she took charge of the farm and business affairs, which were conducted under her immediate supervision until the time when the affairs could be gradually closed up without loss or sacri- fice. Mrs. Wood is a woman of unusual ability, and has practical busi- ness ideas, she is thoroughly interested in farming and stock raising, and keeps herself well posted in progressive and modern agricultural methods and has written considerable for some of the leading farm journals.
In 1914 the Woods purchased their place of two hundred seventy acres in Peculiar township, which was formerly known as the old Will- iams place. This is one of the valuable farms of Cass County and is under a high state of cultivation. The farm residence is one of the his- toric old land-marks of Cass County, said to be about seventy-five years old. It is a large, comfortable house of the ante-bellum days, and is in a good state of repair and preservation. While Mr. Wood carries on gen- eral farming extensively, his ultimate object is to specialize in raising Hereford cattle and also hogs.
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