USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 73
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In 1878 Mr. Holloway was married to Maggie A. Ambrose, a daughter of J. H. and Mary (Dawley) Ambrose. Mrs. Holloway is one of the following children born to her parents: J. D. Ambrose, Crossocanna, Texas; Mrs. Sarah H. McSpadden, Springfield, Missouri; W. S. Ambrose, McAlester, Oklahoma; Mrs. Winnie A. Holloway, Alva, Oklahoma; Mrs. Nannie M. Hess, McAlester, Oklahoma; and Maggie A., wife of W. A. Holloway of this sketch. To Mr. and Mrs. Holloway have been born the following children: Mrs. Mary Berry, Belton, Missouri; Genevieve Dot; W. A., Jr. Thomas Holloway Berry is the only grandchild in the Hollo- way family and is four years old.
Mr. Holloway is a staunch democrat and takes a keen interest in local and political affairs. He has been trustee of Mt. Pleasant township for ten years and has been a member of the Belton school board ever since he has lived there, and is at present chairman of the board. He is of the genial type of man and has many friends.
J. L. March, of Belton, Missouri, is a native of Kentucky and a Mis- souri pioneer who saw much of the pioneer life of the early days. He was born in Jasamine County, Kentucky, in 1836, a son of George and Mary (Gregg) March, natives of Kentucky, both of whom were descendants of Kentucky pioneers. George March, the father of J. L., migrated from Kentucky to Illinois when the latter was two years old and in 1844 the
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family came to Missouri, settling in St. Louis County. Here he bought a farm and lived there until 1855, when he sold out and moved to Boon- ville, Cooper County, where he died the same year. The family then moved to Jackson County.
J. L. March remained at home until 1858, when he went west. This was an early day in the West, which was wild and woolly, almost in its primitive state. Mr. March drove an ox team to old Santa Fe, New Mexico, returning home in the fall, and remained at home until 1862. The Civil War broke out in the meantime and Mr. March then went to Colorado. In 1868, Mr. March returned to Missouri and settled in Pettis County where he was engaged in farming until 1895, when he came to Cass County. He owns a valuable farm which is situated a mile and one- half south of Belton. He rents his place although he is active and gives his place close personal attention. He has lived in the town of Belton since 1908.
Mr. March was married to Miss Mary Dobbins in 1872, a native of Missouri, who died in 1880. To that union were born three children, as follows: James, Marshall, Kansas; Mrs. Susan Blair, Belton, Missouri ; William, resides in California. Mr. Marsh married for his second wife Sarah Cregger and to this union was born one child, Frances, who resides with her father at Belton. She is a gifted musician and of a literary turn of mind.
In 1909 Mr. March bought one acre of land in Belton, where he erected a cozy cottage where he and his daughter, Frances, reside. He is one of the substantial men of Cass County who has made good.
Fred G. Majors, the capable manager of the George D. Hope Lumber Company at Belton, Missouri, is a native of this state. He was born near Holden, Missouri, in 1884, and is a son of James W. and Eliza J. Majors. The father's family came from Tennessee and the mother's people from Iowa and both were of English descent. The father was a farmer and died in 1904, and the mother now resides near Adrian, Mis- souri. They were the parents of two children: Mrs. Della Spencer, Pleasant Hill, Missouri; and Fred G., the subject of this sketch.
Fred G. Majors attended the public schools at Lees Summit where he was graduated from the high school and later took a course at the Warrensburg Normal School. In 1903 he taught school near Lonejack and afterwards finished an unexpired term near Harrisonville, where he
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later taught a full term and then completed an unexpired term in Lone- jack.
In 1904 Mr. Majors entered the employ of J. C. Jones & Sons, who conducted a lumber yard at Lees Summit, and was in the employ of that firm for two years and there is where he received his initial training in the lumber business. He then entered the employ of the Sanders- Turner Lumber Company at Lees Summit and then was engaged in the lumber business at Drexel, Missouri, for three years. In 1913 he became manager for the George D. Hope Lumber Company at Belton and has held that position to the present time.
Mr. Majors is a progressive business man and unusually well posted in the lumber business which of itself covers a broad field of industrial activity, and acts as a barometer to the country's prosperity. When he engaged in the lumber business, or first became identified with it, ordi- nary lumber was five dollars a thousand feet, cheaper than it it today. All forms of lumber have advanced about twenty-five per cent; paints, seventy-five per cent and hardware, fifty per cent.
Mr. Majors was married in 1910 to Miss Laura Belser, a daughter of Charles F. and Hannah J. Belser of Lees Summit and natives of Ohio. Mrs. Majors is one of a family of three children born to her parents, and the others are: Mrs. Grace Myers, Lees Summit, and Roy Belser, also of Lees Summit. To Mr. and Mrs. Majors has been born one child, Frederick Belser Majors.
Since coming to Belton, Mr. Majors has invested some in Belton property and while he has lived here only a few years he has an extensive acquaintance and many friends. His straightforward business methods have won the confidence of the public and he has proven himself to be thoroughly capable of holding the responsible position which has been entrusted to him.
Harvey Cunningham, the leading druggist of Belton, is one of the enterprising and progressive business men of Cass County. He was born in Warren County, Illinois, in 1860, a son of James and Martha (Eilen- berger) Cunningham. The mother was a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Jacob Eilenberger. The Cunningham family is also of old Pennsylvania stock and of Scotch Irish origin. They removed to Ohio at an early day and James Cunningham, Harvey's father, served an ap- prenticeship at the blacksmith trade in that state. After serving his
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apprenticeship and when he was twenty-one years old, he came West. He often related that when he came through Chicago it was a mere trading post, situated on a marshy and uninviting locality. He first went to Monmouth, Illinois, and shortly afterwards to St. Paul but later returned to Monmouth, where he worked at his trade for a number of years. He was prominent in local affairs there and held local public office. He was a republican and voted for John C. Fremont, the first presidential candi- date of that party. He was a man who believed in a high moral standard and a square deal. His father owned slaves at one time, but he became convinced that slavery was wrong, whereupon he freed his slaves and after that paid them wages for their labor. James Cunningham died in 1910 and his wife died in 1908. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Anna Clark, Monmouth, Illinois; Mrs. Ellen McMillen, Roseville, Illinois; Mrs. Lizzie Smith, Denver, Colorado; Madison, Mon- mouth, Illinois; and Harvey, the subject of this sketch.
Harvey Cunningham was educated in the public schools of Mon- mouth, Illinois, and Monmouth College. He then went to Ohio, where he was engaged in farming about three years; when he returned to Illinois, following the same vocation for a period of five years. In 1888, he came to Missouri, locating at Chillicothe, where he conducted a steam laundry for a time, and later removed to Nevada, where he also had a steam laundry for five years. In 1900, he came to Belton, Missouri, and pur- chased the drug store from M. K. Barber, a pioneer druggist of that place. He carries a complete line of drugs, stock foods, wall paper, paints and druggists' sundries and has a very complete and well stocked store. In 1914, Mr. Cunningham built a handsome brick building which is occupied on the first floor by his store and the second floor is arranged into office suites.
In 1882, Mr. Cunningham was united in marriage with Miss Lillian E. Timberman of Ohio, a daughter of Martin V. Timberman. Mrs. Cun- ningham has two brothers and one sister, as follows: Mrs. Rena Ly- brook, Eaton, Ohio; Will Timberman, Hamilton, Ohio; and Oliver Tim- berman, Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham have two children: Mrs. Rena C. Huber, Belton, Missouri; and Elmer, who also resides at Belton.
Mr. Cunningham has one of the splendid residences of Belton. He is public spirited and has an extensive acquaintance and a host of friends.
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J. H. Callaway, of Peculiar, is one of the progressive young men of Cass County, and a native son of this county. He was born in 1886 and is a son of T. M. and Kate Callaway, natives of Tennessee. They were the parents of two children who are now living, A. G., Peculiar, Missouri, and J. H., the subject of this sketch. When the Callaway family came to Cass County they bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres three miles south of Peculiar where the father engaged in farming and stock raising. He has met with a reasonable degree of success and now resides in Union township.
J. H. Callaway was reared and educated in Peculiar township and in 1906 engaged in farming on his own account on his father's place in West Peculiar township. Five years later he bought a farm and has since been engaged in farming, and also works at painting and paper hanging. Since attaining his majority Mr. Callaway has taken an active part in politics and is now serving as township collector.
In 1907 Mr. Callaway was married to Miss Clara, daughter of Peter and Sophia Theden. The Theden family came from Iowa to this state in 1898, and consisted of the parents and four children besides Mrs. Calla- way, as follows: Mrs. Ella Ewers, Peculiar; Mrs. Rosa Callaway, Pe- culiar; Mrs. Hattie Knight, Peculiar; and Hugo, Peculiar. To Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Callaway has been born one child, James Vernon.
Homer A. Graves, of Union township, is one of Cass County's most successful stockmen. Mr. Graves is a native son of this county and was born in 1876. His parents were D. C. and Cynthia (Marshall) Graves, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. In 1864, D. C. Graves, the father, settled in Cass County and bought eighty acres of land. He engaged in farming and raising cattle, mules and hogs, and became an extensive cattle feeder. He prospered in his undertakings and at the time of his death, in 1902, he owned six hundred and forty acres of land. He was a progressive citizen, and took a keen interest in local politics and served as township committeeman for many years. He was well and favorably known and was an active member of the Baptist Church, being a deacon for a number of years. His widow now resides at Liberty, Missouri. They were the parents of the following children: Homer A., the subject of this sketch; Charles W., Hucksley, Canada; and Mrs. Mira S. Hinton of Liberty, Missouri.
Homer Graves received his education in the public schools at Pleasant
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Valley and William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri, and was graduated from the latter institution in the Class of 1899. He then engaged in farming and stock raising in Union township, Cass County, and is one of the successful Hereford and Jersey breeders of Cass County. He now has on hand about one hundred head of Herefords and Jerseys. His place is well equipped for the stock business with ample barns, sheds and silos. He is a strong advocate of the silo. His place is well improved and he has a valuable orchard of peach and apple trees.
Mr. Graves was married in December, 1902, to Miss Margaret Nickell, a daughter of Holly P. and Ella B. Nickell, natives of Kentucky. The Nickell family came to Missouri in 1878, and settled in Bates County. The father died in 1910, and the mother now resides at Lees Summit. They were the parents of the following children: Margaret, the wife of Homer A. Graves; W. Hampton, Walla Walla, Washington; Mrs. Vir- ginia S. McPherson, Lees Summit, Missouri; Robert S., Casper, Wyom- ing; and Leon I., Lees Summit. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have five children as follows: David Allen, Holly Nickell, Margaret Ella, Charles W., and Mrs. Myra Hinton.
Mr. Graves is not only a successful man in his own personal affairs, but takes a commendable interest in local matters of public interest. He has served as assessor of Union township for two years and been justice of the peace for six years. He has always been found worthy of every trust imposed on him. He belongs to that genial type of men who makes friends and retains them.
J. S. Craycraft, a substantial Cass County pioneer and prosperous farmer and stockman of Union township, is a native of Greenup County, Kentucky. He was born in 1846 and is a son of James Madison and Thursey Craycraft. The father was born in Kentucky and in 1867 came to Cass County. He was a farmer and devoted his life to that industry. He died in 1873. His wife bore the maiden name of Thursey Stuart, a daughter of Charles and Mary Stuart, natives of Kentucky.
J. S. Craycraft was one of a family of five children as follows: James Hugh, Sedalia, Missouri; J. S., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Louisa E. Gammon, Harwood, Missouri; Mrs. Susan Reeves, Grandview, Mis- souri; and Robert L., Belton, Missouri.
J. S. Craychaft was about twenty-one years old when he came to Cass County, and soon afterwards rented a farm and began farming on
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his own account. Later he bought one hundred acres of land east of Lees Summit, and after two years sold this and bought a one-fourth interest in a hundred and sixty acre farm. Four years afterwards he bought one hundred twelve acres in West Peculiar township, and lived there six years. In the meantime, he traded his one-fourth interest in the one hundred sixty acres for a farm of one hundred ninety seven acres in West Peculiar township. He now owns two hundred thirty-six acres of well improved land which is very valuable. He is extensively interested in stock raising. At first he raised Poland China hogs, but in later years has raised Duroc Jerseys. He raises Jersey and Shorthorn cattle and also deals in cattle quite extensively. He has met with considerable financial success in buying and feeding young calves. About sixty acres of his land are under blue grass.
Mr. Craycraft was married in 1883 to Miss Susan R. Stayton, a daughter of Thomas and Kaziah Stayton. Her grandfather, John Stay- ton, came from Tennessee to Missouri in 1829. Mrs. Craycraft was born near Independence, Missouri, and saw much of the wild life of border days, when life and property were insecure in that section of the state. She remembers of moving from near Independence, Jackson County, to Clay County, when Order No. 11 was issued, and she says her father saw fourteen houses burning at one time during the days of the Civil War. When the family returned to Jackson County she says that she walked seventeen miles on that trip. Mrs. Craycraft has two brothers living, Thomas A., Post Falls, Idaho; and Archibald A., Lees Summit, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Craycraft have been born five children: Smith I., Grandview, Missouri; Howard E., Justin I., Ethel A., and Sand- ford N., all of Cleveland, Missouri.
Mr. Craycraft deserves to be classed among the early pioneers of this section. He has had many experiences and noted many changes during the half century that he has lived in Cass County and vicinity. He remembers when Kansas City was a mere boat landing with a little village nearby, and he recalls the days when Pleasant Hill was an im- portant outfitting point for wagon trains going west, as well as a dis- tributing point for the surrounding country. He has seen as many as one hundred wagons loaded and equipped there in a single night. He recalls the time when the vast stretch of country between Pleasant Hill and where Peculiar now stands was one broad expanse of prairie, and there were only four settlers between those points. He has seen prairie
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chickens and other native game in abundance all over the prairie. Mrs. Craycraft recalls having seen deer in this section as late as 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Craycraft are truly entitled to be reckoned among Cass County pioneers.
F. P. Hennon, a progressive farmer and stockman of Union township, is a native of Indiana. He was born in 1850 and is a son of James and Matilda (Farlow) Hennon. James Hennon was a son of Abe Hennon, a Pennsylvanian, who was a carriage maker, and spent his life in that line of work in Pennsylvania. There are a great many members of the Hennon family in Pennsylvania. F. P. Hennon attended a family reunion in that state some years ago, and there were three hundred and fifty members of the family present on that occasion, and Mr. Hennon has in his possession a photograph of that assemblage of the family. Mr. Hennon's mother, Matilda Farlow, was a daughter of Isaac Farlow of Indiana. When F. P. Hennon was two years old the family removed from Indiana to Iowa, where the father was engaged in farming until the time of his death. The mother is also deceased. Mr. Hennon has one brother, James Hennon, who resides at Green City, Missouri.
Mr. Hennon grew to manhood in Iowa and was educated in the public schools in that state and in early life engaged in farming and stock rais- ing and acquired three hundred twenty-seven acres of land there. He came to Cass County where he has since been engaged in farming and stock raising. He owns three hundred ninety acres of well improved and valuable land in Union township. Mr. Hennon has many original ideas concerning practical farming and soil conservation. He is scientific in his views and practical in their application. He says that the farmer in this section must increase the productivity of his land by fertilizing and tiling or he will perish. He claims that the productive power of the land can be doubled by these methods, and that the first step in that direction is to keep the land under grass more of the time. He says that many people have a mistaken idea as to the effect of tiling when they think that this method does not render the land more producive in dry as well as in west weather. He is a strong advocate of tiling. Mr. Hennon specializes in Duroc Jersey hogs and also raises cattle and horses quite extensively.
Mr. Hennon was married in 1871 and to this marriage were born four children as follows: Franklin H., Amoret, Missouri; Mrs. Lottie
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Jacobs, Hazesville, Iowa; Fred, Hazesville, Iowa; and Malvin H., Cleve- land, Missouri. The wife and mother of these children died, and Mr. Hennon was married to Miss Lydia Scott, daughter of Jesse and Theba Scott, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Pennsyl- vania. Mrs. Hennon is one of six children born to her parents, the others being as follows: Mrs. Jane Comber, Otho, Missouri; Mrs. Olive Knorpp, Selkirk, Kansas; Eli Scott, Santa Rosa, California; Margaret Cheney, Millersburg, Iowa; and John Scott, Sagerney, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Hennon have been born two children: Mrs. Cappy Kennon, Joplin, Mis- souri, and Mrs. Nellie Hawkins, Cleveland, Missouri. The Hennon family is prominent in the community and Mr. Hennon is a leader in his line.
J. G. Ziegler, of West Dolan township, was born in 1862, in the state of New York, son of George and Catherine Ziegler. George Ziegler was the son of Jacob Ziegler, who was born in Germany. Jacob Ziegler emigrated from the fatherland in early manhood and located in the state of New York. George and Catherine Ziegler were the parents of four children, namely: Edward P., West Line, Missouri; J. G., subject of this review; Mrs. Clara Smith, Freeman, Missouri; and Nellie J., West Line, Missouri. George Ziegler brought his family from New York to Missouri in 1866 and settled in Cass County in Dolan township, where he purchased one hundred twenty acres of land. He was a prominent stockman in his days and an industrious, enterprising farmer. He made a specialty of white face cattle for several years. When George Ziegler came to Cass County there were few signs of human habitation. The land was practically all unbroken prairie and wild turkeys, deer and prairie chickens were in abundance. George and Catherine Ziegler were beloved members of the Mennonite Church, whose tireless efforts in behalf of right living and whose noble, pure lives have been a constant source of inspiration to the many who knew and respected them. Both are now deceased. Mr. Ziegler was called away in 1904. Their loss has ever been felt in this community. They will long be remembered in Cass County as good and useful citizens and mourned by the needy who re- member Mr. and Mrs. Ziegler as warm and generous friends.
When J. G. Ziegler came to Cass County with his parents in 1866 he was a child of four years. Schools were scarce in those pioneer days, but when he could be spared from work at home he attended the little country school in his home district. Mr. Ziegler spent his boyhood in
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this county and in this township. The normal lad had keen eyes, a retentive memory and impressionable mind. J. G. Zeigler was a normal lad and he recalls two men who exerted a great influence upon him in the days of his youth, Scott McRoberts, an early day school teacher, and Rev. Sage, a pioneer preacher. Pleasant Hill was the trading point for the Zieglers. They also occasionally traded at a small village called Jonesville, the business district of which consisted of a combined post- office and store. When he was just a youth he began working out by the day. Wages were not then all that could be desired and young Ziegler received, after a long day of hard labor, the munificent sum of fifty cents. In later manhood he made more money speculating in stock, buying calves and pigs and selling them at a small profit.
In 1886 J. C. Ziegler and Sophia Eggenberger, daughter of Christo- pher and Esther Eggenberger, were united in the holy bonds of matri- mony and this union has been blessed with two children, who are living: Mrs. Elsie Wattanbarger, West Line, Missouri; and Ranard, Freeman, Missouri.
Mr. Ziegler has been a resident of Cass County for more than fifty years and well remembers those early days of countless inconveniences and hardships. He has passed through that trying period which is neces- sarily attendant to the settlement and development of a new country. There were no improvements in Cass County when he came. Money was not plentiful, markets were few, and the pioneer settlers had little to sell. Those were days of the open range, the halcyon days of the cattle- men. Mr. Ziegler is a typical descendant of those sturdy pioneers who with much self-sacrifice, courage and industry laid the foundations of Cass County upon the wide, unbroken prairie. And they knew not how well they built.
P. F. Maloney, one of Cass County's most highly esteemed and sub- stantial citizens, is of old Scotch-Irish descent. He was born in Cass County in 1859, son of R. and Rebecca (Franse) Maloney. His parents immigrated to Missouri from Virginia in 1853 and located in Cass County where Mr. Maloney entered a farm from the government. R. Maloney increased his holdings from time to time until he was owner of two hun- dred twenty acres of land at the time of his death in 1899. R. and Rebecca (Franse) Maloney were the parents of five children, four of whom are now living, namely: P. F., subject of this review; J. D., Free-
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man, Missouri; H. A., Freeman, Missouri; and Mrs. Fannie Jones, Meridian, Idaho. Rebecca (Franse) Maloney departed this life in 1909. Mrs. Maloney was a member of the Methodist Church and died as she had lived, a strong believer in its principles and teachings. She was an ideal mother, patient, gentle, and loving, and did her utmost to instill in the hearts of her children the love of good. That her motherhood has been crowned with success is evidenced by the fact that her children are all good and useful citizens, prominent and influential in their respective communities. Mr. Maloney was a warm-hearted man of firm purposes, strong in his beliefs of right and wrong, and fair and honorable in all business dealings. His race is known the world over for certain noble traits of character and R. Maloney was a worthy representative, possess- ing kind, genial manners and a gracious sense of humor which won for him countless friends. Mr. and Mrs. Maloney lived honorable and up- right lives and have left a name of which their descendants may well be proud.
In 1885 P. F. Maloney and Amanda M. Vanmeter, daughter of William and Margaret Vanmeter of Dolan township, were united in marriage. William and Margaret Vanmeter came with their family from Kentucky to Missouri in 1870 and located in Cass County upon a farm in Dolan township. The three surviving children born to William and Margaret Vanmeter are: John, Freeman, Missouri; William Henry, Freeman, Missouri; and Mrs. P. F. Maloney, wife of the subject of this review. Mrs. Vanmeter did not live long in the new western home, her death occurring in 1874. In 1899 William Vanmeter joined his wife in death. To P. F. and Margaret (Vanmeter) Maloney have been born two sons : Henry L., and Ernest R., who live at home with their parents.
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