USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 69
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After the death of his father, George W. Johnson's uncle, Dick John- son, was appointed his guardian, George W. being the only child, and from that time lived with his guardian.
Dick Johnson came from Platt County to Belton, in 1877. Here he bought two hundred and eighty acres of land which is now the home of Judge West. He followed farming and stock raising and was prominent in local affairs. He served as postmaster of Belton through both of Presi- dent Cleveland's administrations and has been postmaster of the Missouri State Senate every session since 1903. He now owns a farm near Belton, where he and his son, Benjamin, are making a specialty in raising Hamp- shire hogs and White Leghorn chickens.
In 1885 George W. Johnson went to Arizona, where he was employed on a cattle ranch. Later, he returned to Missouri and traveled for the St. Louis Wrought Iron Range Company for a time. He then located at Belton and engaged in the hardware business until 1896, when he rented the old Bales farm which he operated for ten years. He then bought a farm north of Belton where he was engaged in farming. Five years later he sold that place and bought one hundred and sixty acres of the old Bales place where he is now engaged in farming and dairying. He keeps Jersey cows in his dairy and is also successfully engaged in raising Hamp- shire hogs. His farm is unusually well improved with a splendid resi- dence and other farm buildings.
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Mr. Johnson was married in 1896 to Miss Kate Given, a daughter of Rev. J. C. Given, a well known and greatly beloved Methodist minister, who preached for a number of years in Cass County, four years of which were at Harrisonville. He died at Springfield, Missouri, while pastor of the Methodist church there. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born three children as follows: Cowen Wilson, Mary Catherine and Dixie Lee. The Johnson family are well known and representative Cass County people.
F. W. Barker, a well known farmer and stockman of West Peculiar township has been prominently identified with Cass County for a number of years. He was born in Washington County, Virginia, and is a son of S. M. and Katie Barker. The great grandfather of F. W. Barker immi- grated from England and settled in Pennsylvania at an early day. Mr. Barker's mother bore the maiden name of Barker, but was of German descent. S. M. Barker was an ordained Baptist minister and will be remembered as one of the able preachers of that section in the early days. He died in 1892 and his wife passed away in 1894. They were the parents of eleven children.
F. W. Barker received a good education in the public schools of Illi- nois and began life as a teacher and taught a number of terms in Cass County. He taught his first school in the Rodman school district. Mr. Barker bought a farm in West Peculiar township and engaged in farm- ing and stock raising. Shortly afterwards he was appointed highway engineer of Cass County and served in that capacity for two years. He was then elected County surveyor and highway engineer and thus served the county for six years. During that period he introduced concrete as a bridge and culvert material. He met with much opposition in this innova- tion, as it was untried and there were very few who understood using it at that time, however, it has proved a success. Mr. Barker also abolished the old custom of letting contracts to contractors and thereby encouraged the enmity and opposition of that element. However, he succeeded in having built about one thousand bridges and culverts while he had charge of this department of the county work and his introduction of concrete and elimination of contracting proved a valuable experiment to the tax- payers of the county.
At the close of his period of public service Mr. Barker returned to his farm in West Peculiar township, where he has since been engaged in
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farming and stock raising. Mr. Barker was married to Miss Hattie Broadbooks of East Lynne, Missouri, three children being born to that union; Madge, Mabel and Arthur. Madge died while young; Mabel is now Mrs. Thompson, Kansas City, Missouri; and Arthur is a student in the Peculiar High School.
Mr. Barker is a Democrat and has always taken an active interest in politics. He has served as assessor of West Peculiar township for four years and has been a member of the school board for many years and is at present a member of the township board. He is a member of the Baptist church and holds membership in the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a public spirited citizen and any progressive measure the object of which is for the betterment and upbuilding of the community finds a staunch supporter in him.
N. M. Bremer, although a resident of Cass County, but a few years, has become an important factor in West Peculiar townhsip, where he resides and is one of the substantial farmers and stockman of that section of the county. Mr. Bremer was born in Jefferson County, New York, in 1855, and is a son of Jacob and Abigal Bremer. The Bremer family are of old American stock and date back as residents of New York state for a number of generations. William Bremer, grandfather of the subject of this sketch was a farmer in that state.
N. M. Bremer removed from New York to Iowa with his parents in early life and the father was engaged in farming and stock raising in that state during the remainder of his life. He was a conscientious and honest man and had a host of friends. He died in 1908 and his wife departed this life in 1915. They were the parents of four children as follows: Mrs. Ella Seward, Pierre, South Dakota; Mrs. Ida Morris, Maryville, Mis- souri; Nora Bremer, Peculiar, Missouri; and N. M., the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Bremer received most of his education in the public schools of Iowa and at the age of twenty-two began life for himself as a farmer. In 1884 he bought eighty acres of land and later added eighty acres more, following farming and stock raising in Iowa until 1912. He then came to Cass County, Missouri, and bought three hundred and twenty acres, one mile south of Peculiar which is one of the valuable and well kept farms of West Peculiar township. Since purchasing this place Mr. Bremer built an eight-room modern residence, which is one of the finest
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appearing homes in the township. It stands on an eminence which together with its striking architectural effect gives the place a beautiful and imposing appearance. Ninety-five acres of Mr. Bremer's place is devoted to blue grass; he raises cattle and horses quite extensively and also Duroc Jersey hogs and is also quite extensively engaged in the dairy business.
Mr. Bremer was married in 1887 to Miss Nancy Throckmorton, daughter of John and Nancy Throckmorton of Iowa, and the following children have been born to this union: Lois, resides at home with her parents ; Mrs. Merva T. Mosier, Derby, Iowa; Lavede, Parksville, Missouri; Olive, Parkville, Missouri; Fred N., Peculiar ; Forest T., Peculiar ; Rose J., Peculiar; and John J., Peculiar.
Mr. Bremer is a progressive citizen and one of the substantial mem- bers of the community.
Frank Young, a well known citizen of Cleveland, was born in Gray- son County, Virginia, in 1837. He is a son of Fielden and Irne Young and a descendant of Colonial ancestors. Frank Young's grandfather, Ezekiel Young, was a native of Bristol, England, and stole his passage to America on a ship prior to the French and Indian War. After landing in this country, having no money, he was sold into bondage to work out the cost of his passage. Later he served under General Braddock and was at the battle of Ft. Du Quesne. Later he hired out to hunt deer in the Saltworks Valley, principally for their hides and earned his first horse in that way. He married a Miss Whitehead and settled on Fox Creek, Virginia and spent the latter part of his life there. The following sons were born to this marriage: Robert, Joseph, William, Ezekiel and Thomas. Robert and Ezekiel went to Kentucky and settled in Green County on Green river and died there. Their children all left that sec- tion and went further west. William had one son, Joseph, who went west of the Rocky Mountains and was never heard from. Joseph was married and reared the following children: William, Fielden, the father of Frank, Ezekiel, Timothy, Jesse and Eli.
Frank Young was one of a family of fifteen children. He was reared to manhood in his native state and in 1870 came to Missouri and settled in Jackson County. He was engaged in farming there for about twelve years, when he went to Miami County, Kansas, and bought one hundred
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and sixty acres of land where he specialized in raising Poland China hogs for a number of years. He also dealt extensively in cattle and bought and sold cattle on a large scale. In 1910 he sold his Miami County farm and returned to Missouri, settling at Cleveland, where he and his wife now reside.
Mr. Young was married in 1860 to Miss Sarah C. Wolf, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Wolf. To this union were born seven children as follows: Mrs. Irene E. Paisley, Arco, Idaho; Charles F., Cleveland ; Mrs. Myrtis A. Knight, Bucyrus, Kansas; Mrs. Martha M. Kircher, Louis- burg, Kansas; Mrs. Virgie McAnnally, Cleveland; W. H., Arco, Idaho; and T. C., Arco, Idaho.
When Mr. Young settled in Jackson County, some parts of that county were in a wild and primitive state and he had many experiences in the early day with wolves which were inclined to carry off his chickens. He advertised for hounds and hunters and organized wolf hunts, but they proved ineffectual. Finally he raised several wolf hounds which he trained for the chase and had many exciting wolf hunts all by himself. His dogs became famous and were frequently loaned to chase wolves out of different neighborhoods.
Mr. Young went to Colorado in 1879 and for a few months was engaged in freighting between Colorado Springs and Leadville. He has been a lifelong Democrat and has frequently been a delegate to his party's conventions. He has served in various local township offices and has always been an especial friend of the public schools and has been a mem- ber of the school board for a number of years and served as clerk of the school board.
William W. Chandler, a successful farmer in Union township, is well known in that section as a successful breeder of Shorthorn cattle. He is a native of Cass County, born in 1867, and a descendant of one of the pioneer families of this county. His parents were William J. and Eliza- beth (Brown) Chandler. The Chandler family was founded in America at a very early date. It is claimed by authority that George and Jane Chandler were passengers on the Mayflower and that William W., the subject of this sketch, is a direct descendant of the same English family of Chandlers. George Chandler, above mentioned, died during the voy- age and was buried at sea, and Jane settled in Pennsylvania with mem- bers of this family and lived there during Colonial times and did not
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remarry. William J. Chandler, the father of William W., was one of a family of eight children, only two of whom are now living, D. A. Chandler and Mrs. Anna McCall. Their father was Isaac Hollingsworth Chandler.
William J. Chandler located at Pleasant Hill at the close of the Civil War where he was a commission merchant for a number of years. Later he entered into partnership with J. C. Knorpp and they engaged in the grocery and hardware business. In the meantime Mr. Chandler became interested in the cattle business in Indian Territory and did business there on a large scale. In 1871, he moved to Neosho, where he died the following year. After his death his widow with her children returned to Pleasant Hill.
William W. Chandler was one of three children now living as follows: Charles C., West Plains, Missouri; William W., the subject of this sketch; and Elbert E., Los Angeles, California. William W. Chandler received his early education in the public schools of Pleasant Hill and later took a course at William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, where he was gradu- ated. He then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Mich- igan. After attending the latter institution he engaged in farming and stock raising in Union township. Here he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land where he has since specialized in raising Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. His place is well improved and in 1912, he built a fine modern residence, which is one of the beautiful country homes of the county.
Mr. Chandler was married in 1911 to Miss Lora Wallace, a daughter of Mrs. J. C. Wallace of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Chandler is a man of pleasing address and has a splendid reputation among those who know him best as a substantial and reliable citizen.
The descendants of George and Jane Chandler held a bi-centennial reunion at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in September, 1887, in which were gathered together two or three thousand people from all the avocations of life. Some read poems of their own production, others made speeches and traced their ancestry back to the Mayflower. They told little remin- iscences, one instance as of how the sons of Jane Chandler had a faithful horse which loved its home so well, that being ridden one hundred miles from home and turned loose would find its way back again to its master's house.
The Chandler stock was Norman French and came over to England during the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in the year 1066.
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William James Chandler, the father of William W. Chandler, was distantly related to the mother, Mrs. E. B. Chandler, through the Holl- ingsworths.
Mrs. E. B. Chandler was a great church worker and always worked in the Sunday school mostly teaching the infant class. Father and mother were both members of the Baptist church and were of Quaker stock. Mrs. E. B. Chandler desired at her death that one-quarter of her estate go to the cause of foreign missions. C. C. Chandler, administrator of her estate, carried out her wishes.
C. S. Hockaday, a former county judge of Cass County, has been identified with the affairs of this county for many years and belongs to one of its pioneer families. He was born in Calloway County, Missouri, December 24, 1840, and is a son of George E. O. and Laura C. Hockaday. The mother was a native of Virginia. George E. O. Hockaday was born in Clark County, Kentucky, in 1805. The Hockaday family were very early settlers in Kentucky, Edward Hockaday locating in that state in 1783. He was drowned in 1815. In 1833 George E. O. Hockaday came from Kentucky to Missouri, and settled in Calloway County where he resided until 1869. He then came to Cass County and bought one hun- dred and sixty acres of land where he was successfully engaged in farm- ing and stock raising until his death in 1885. He always took a prom- inent part in politics and while a resident of Calloway County served one term as representative in the state legislature and was also county judge and sheriff of Calloway County. He was a man of considerable ability whose integrity was never questioned and during his career had many friends and supporters.
Judge Hockaday was reared and educated in Calloway County and when the Civil War broke out he was in his twenty-first year. He enlisted in the Federal army and served four years and seven months, during which time he saw much service and took part in a great many important battles. At the close of the war he returned to his father's home in Cal- loway County where he remained about two years and in 1868 came to Cass County. Here he bought ninety-two acres of land and engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has been successfully interested in raising Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs and is today one of the substantial and well to do citizens of Cass County.
Judge Hockaday has always taken a keen interest in political affairs
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and has served in a number of offices of responsibility. In 1878 he was elected county judge and served in that office for four years. In 1902 he was again elected judge of the county court and during the course of his administration many difficult problems were presented for solution and Judge Hockaday's good judgment and keen foresight proved a valuable asset to the county on many occasions. During both terms he served as presiding judge of the county court. He had many interesting experi- ences in the final adjustment of the county bonds proposition as well as many other important matters. He has served as justice of the peace of Union township for many years.
Judge Hockaday was married in 1870 to Miss Salena E. Young, a daughter of Josiah A. and Elizabeth (Ross) Young. The Young family settled in Cass County about the close of the Civil War, coming from North Carolina. To Mr. and Mrs. Hockaday have been born the follow- ing children: Charles E., Peculiar; Thomas O., Peculiar ; Leon M., Belton ; and Roy F., Peculiar, and three other boys who died in infancy.
The Hockaday family are prominent in the community and Judge Hockaday is probably one of the best known men of Cass County.
J. E. Mossman, a successful farmer and stockman of Union township, is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Mercer County, in 1858, and is a son of Alexander Hunter and Mary Ann Mossman. The Mossman family came to Missouri and settled in Cass County, in 1866. Here the father bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he sold two years later and bought the old Lighthouse farm near Peculiar, Missouri, and spent the remainder of his life there. He died in 1875 and his widow now makes her home with her son, J. E. Mossman, the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Mossman began life for himself on the old home place, farming on shares. He cultivated fifty acres of corn and after harvesting his crop, found at the end of the season that he had eleven dollars left. He then abandoned farming on shares and worked for thirteen dollars per month. About five years later he went to Kansas and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land. A few years later he disposed of his Kansas prop- erty at a good profit and returned to Cass County. He entered the employ of Scott & March, grain dealers, receiving twenty dollars per month. He remained in their employ one year, when he bought a team and rented eighty acres of land and was thus engaged for three years.
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Later he rented a part of the Lofland estate which he operated for seven years. He then bought a small farm and erected a house which has since been his home. He has added more land to his original purchase as oppor- tunity offered and now owns one hundred and fifty-seven acres of well improved and valuable land, where he is successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. He also owns three acres of valuable land in the town of Grand View.
Mr. Mossman was married in 1884 to Miss Rosa J. Lofland, a daugh- ter of Samuel H. Lofland, a Cass County pioneer. To Mr. and Mrs. Moss- man have been born four children as follows: Roy, Cleveland, Missouri ; Leonard, Cleveland, Missouri; and Dale and Alberta, residing at home.
Mr. Mossman is a member of the Baptist church at West Union and is active in local work of that denomination. The West Union Baptist church was first organized and services held in an old log house on the Lofland estate and this is the pioneer church of that section of the county.
. Mr. Mossman is a substantial citizen of Cass County and a pleasant gentleman who is held in high esteem by those who know him.
Wilber C. Hoag was born in Elgin, Illinois, October 11, 1844, son of Asahel W. and Celestine (Dye) Hoag. During his early childhood his family removed to Allamakee County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. He studied medicine but abandoned same and took up farming which he has since followed. He married April 3, 1867, Alvira J. Cantonwine, a member of the Cantonwine and White families of Pennsylvania. At the close of the Civil War he removed with his parents, two brothers and two sisters to Union township, Cass County and since 1869 has resided con- tinuously on his farm near West Union. His family procured the estab- lishment of a postoffice at West Union about the year 1871 and for thirty years he served as postmaster. For many years the mail was carried on horseback twice a week from West Line, the then nearest railroad station. He also conducted a general store at West Union for about twenty years and held the office of tax collector and other township offices for about the same length of time.
E. P. Ziegler, of West Donlan township, is a worthy descendant of a noble old pioneer family of Cass County. He was born in the state of New York in 1860. His parents were George and Catherine Ziegler. They lived for a time in Elias Davis' log house, which at that time accom-
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modated three families-twenty people in all. Later the father built his own house of native lumber. Living along the frontier of Missouri and Kansas in those days was dangerous and required bravery, which they possessed. Mrs. Ziegler, in time of sickness, often went for medical aid alone in the night without protection, save her faithful dog and a club. Such were the trials of these brave pioneers of the early days.
George Ziegler was born in New York. George Ziegler's father, Jacob Ziegler, was born in Germany and in early manhood emigrated from his native land to America and settled in New York. Catherine Ziegler was a native of Germany. George and Catherine Ziegler were the parents of four children, namely: Edward P., subject of this review; J. G., West Line, Missouri; Mrs. Clara Smith, Freeman, Missouri; and Nellie J., who makes her home with her brother, Edward P., on the home place, near West Line, Missouri. In 1866 George Ziegler and his family immigrated to Missouri and settled in Dolan township, Cass County, and here the Ziegler children have been reared to maturity. George Ziegler had learned the wagon makers' trade in New York, and in his new home in the west found a great demand for his services. He was also a skillful carpenter and did much work in carpentering. But he was particularly interested in stock raising and devoted most of his time and attention to his farm and to the raising of Whiteface cattle. George Ziegler was industrious and thrifty and succeeded so well in life that at the time of his death, in 1904, he was owner of four hundred six acres of good farm land in Cass County, which estate was divided among his children. Both parents are deceased.
When Edward P. Ziegler was a child six years of age he came to Missouri with his parents in 1866. He recalls the wild, unbroken natural state of the country at that time. Game of all kinds was in abundance and wolf chases and deer hunts were the principal amusements of the early settlers. Wild turkeys and prairie chickens abounded and could be had for the hunting in those good old days. Pleasant Hill, twenty- eight miles away, was the trading point for the Ziegler family.
Edward P. Ziegler spent the days of his boyhood much as does the average lad on the farm. Educational opportunities were limited, but such as there were he took advantage of them and attended school dur- ing the short sessions held in Dolan township. He always lived with his father and it was not until after his father's death that E. P. Ziegler began life for himself.
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In 1912 Mr. Ziegler purchased a threshing outfit and since then has been successfully operating over a large section of the country. Mr. Ziegler and his sister, Nellie J., reside on the home place. In 1905 they took two motherless children into their home: Marie (Belcher) Lee, who is now married and resides in Louisburg, Kansas; and Pauline Belcher, who still makes her home with them.
E. P. Ziegler has made many friends in Cass County, where he has lived for so many years. Honest, capable and energetic, he has succeeded well in his vocation and is a worthy descendant of a grand old pioneer family, whose name will ever be closely associated with the early history of Dolan township.
F. M. George, a highly respected ex-judge of Cass County, is one of the grand old race of pioneers who contributed their lives to the up-build- ing of this county. He was born in Cooper County in 1832, son of Carroll and Sarah (McFarlan) George. Carroll George was one of five brothers who came to Missouri from Tennessee in a very early day. Sarah (Mc- Farlan) George was the daughter of James McFarlan of St. Francois County, Missouri. To Carroll and Sarah (McFarlan) George were born six children, of which family F. M. George, subject of this review, is the only surviving member.
In 1855 F. M. George and Martha J. Williams, daughter of Josiah Williams of Virginia, were united in marriage. This union has been blessed with five children, namely: T. C., a prosperous farmer, who mar- ried Virginia Adcock, and resides on his farm of two hundred four acres near Everett, Missouri; Dora, wife of Mr. Cable, a wealthy land owner, whose holdings comprise six hundred forty acres of fine farm land, near Drexel, Missouri, and they have one son, John R., who has lately been mar- ried to Alma Steele; Josiah W., owner of two well improved farms, com- prising four hundred acres near Everett, Missouri, who married Elsie Liggett, and to them have been born two children: Mrs. Mable Gentry, and Mrs. Vera Cook; Dr. W. F., a well-known and eminent physician of San Benito, Texas, who married Laura Painter, now deceased, who left a son, Ronald E. Later Dr. George was married to Dollie Clerk and son Ronald to Bernice Hayter; John E., of Archie, Missouri, who married Elsie Rosier, and they have one son, Francis Rosier, who lives on home place with his parents. Mrs. Vera Cook, daughter of Joseph W. and Elsie (Liggett) George has one son, William F., who has the distinction of
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