USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay County, Missouri > Part 32
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Henry Kimbrell was married September 18, 1868 in Powell County, Kentucky, to Miss Elizabeth Anderson, a daughter of Meredith and Delilah (Johnson) Anderson. She was born in Clark County, Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Kimbrell have been born the following children: Anna, married Ed. Smith, Linden, Missouri; Ella, married Frank MeClary, Smithville, Missouri; Carrie, died in Chariton County at the age of three years; Otis, further mention of whom is made in this sketch ; and Dollie.
Otis Kimbrell, the only son of Henry Kimbrell, was educated in the public schools of Smithville, Missouri, and was engaged in farming and stock raising until 1913. Since that time he has followed carpenter work and building. He owns a pleasant home at Belleview Station where he has a small, although valuable, fruit farm, where he raises apples, peaches and berries. He is also successfully engaged in raising standard bred White Leghorn chickens.
Thomas Benton Rogers, Jr., a successful farmer and stockman of Gallatin township, is a native of Clay County. He was born on the place where he now resides, November 20, 1890, and is a son of Thomas Ben- ton, Sr., and Nannie (Asher) Rogers.
Thomas Benton Rogers, Sr., was born in Tennessee in 1834, and was brought to Clay County, Missouri, by his parents when he was three years old. He was a son of David S. Rogers who settled in Gallatin township, on the place near where the Rogers family now reside. David S. Rogers spent the remainder of his life here, after settling in Clay County and is buried in Crowley cemetery.
Thomas Benton Rogers, Sr .. was county surveyor of Clay County for over twenty years. He died in 1908, and his widow now reside. on the home place with her son, Thomas B, Jr. Thomas Benton Rogers, Jr., was the only child born to his parents. One child was born to a former marriage of Thomas Benton Rogers, Sr., Florinda, ho married W. M. Leitch, of Kansas City, Missouri.
Thomas Benton Rogers, Jr., was reared and educated in Clay County and has made farming and stock raising his occupation. He raises sheep extensively, giving special attention to this branch of animal husbandry
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and usually keeps about 500 head or more. The Rodgers home place con- sists of 212 acres which Mr. Rogers operates himself, and he owns another farm of 160 acres which he rents.
Rogers Climax Spring, which is located on the Rogers place, is becom- ing widely known as a mineral water of merit and is becoming very popular. A chemical analysis of this water shows that it is a moderately alkaline chalybeate water of value; the amount of iron it contains, is large enough to give it its special characteristic, while each one of the other constituents increases its therapeutic virtues. The silica, though , reported as such, is probably in combination with one of the alkalies and the amount of carbonic acid is large.
Thomas B. Rogers, Jr., was married August 31, 1910 to Miss Pearl Griffing, a daughter of John and Sallie (Hines) Griffing, of Liberty, Mis- souri, former residents of Caldwell County, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have been born two children: Flora Belle and Merle Bernice.
Mr. Rogers is a member of the Masonic Lodge and one of the well known and substantial citizens of Clay County.
Thomas C. Gordon, deceased, was a pioneer settler of Clay County, and during the course of his career was prominently identified with the early development and progress of this county. He was a native of Ken- tucky and was reared and educated in that state. He was married there, July 25, 1830, to Miss Charlotte Grigsby, and in 1834, with his wife and two children, came to Clay County, Missouri, and settled in the then unbroken wilderness, eight miles northwest of Liberty, and here spent the remainder of his life. He became an extensive farmer and stock raiser and also bought and sold cattle. He became a large land owner and was well-to-do at the time of his death, leaving each of his children a farm. He took an active part in and was prominent in public affairs, and represented Clay County in the State Legislature several terms, and was a member of that body at the time of his death.
Thomas C. and Charlotte (Grigsby) Gordon were the parents of the following children: William F., born in Kentucky, June 24, 1831; Mary C., born in Kentucky, May 9, 1833, married James M. Clay; John Lewis, born in Clay County, Missouri, March 30, 1835; Sarah F., born in Clay County, Missouri, April 2, 1837: Catherine M., born in Clay County, Missouri, July 28, 1839, married A. B. Jones, and died January 24, 1920; Arzelia, born in Clay County, Missouri, April 6, 1841, married William M.
THOMAS C. GORDON
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
Pleas; James T., born in Clay County, Missouri, March 31, 1843: and Baylis Thornton, born in Clay County, Missouri, July 28, 1815.
All of the above members of the Gordon family are deceased except Sarah F., who was married to Dr. Isaac Newton Greene, in 1869. He was a native of Bourbon County, Kentucky, and came to Missouri shortly after the Civil War and was engaged in the practice of medicine here about ten years, and is now deceased. Mrs. Greene resides on East Kansas street, where she has a comfortable home, and she has resided there for the past thirty-one years. She was educated in the schools of Liberty, and practically all of her life has been spent here. She still owns the farm which was left to her by her father at his death. She is a member of the Christian Church, as were her parents before her. She is one of the interesting pioneer women of Clay County.
Charlotte (Grigsby) Gordon died in Clay County September 8, 1848, and in 1850 Thomas C. Gordon was married to Mrs. Emily J. Adams, a widow. She had one son by her former marriage, Eugene B. Adams, who married Miss Mattie Drake, and they had three sons, all of whom are now living on the old Gordon home farm in Platte township.
Thomas C. Gordon died January 8, 1866, one of the honored pioneers of Clay County.
George Thomas Compton, of Gallatin township, is a representative of one of the prominent old pioneer families of Clay County. He is a son of James Howard and Mary Ann (Wirt) Compton.
James Howard Compton was a native of Virginia, born in Prince William County in 1815. He came to Platte County, Missouri, in 1834, and for a number of years was engaged in the mercantile business at Platte City. He crossed the plains, following the Santa Fe Trail to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1846, or 1847, hauling government supplies for the United States army during the Mexican War. He removed from Platte County to Clay County and for a number of years lived on a farm near Liberty. Later he removed to "Oak Ridge Farm", a name which he gave the place and which has since been the family home.
Mary Ann (Wirt) Compton was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, in 1820, and died in Clay County in 1895; she and her husband who died in 1878, are buried in the William Jewell College Hill cemetery. She was a daughter of George Wirt who came from Kentucky to Missouri in 1833. His wife hore the maiden name of Sallie Redrick, and they were both
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
natives of Virginia and at an early day wont from Virginia to Kentucky and from there came to Missouri. On their way from Virginia to Ken tucky they stopped to care for the sick wife of one of their cousins, named Reddish. They remained with and cared for the woman until she died. They then took her five motherless boys with them on their journey to Kentucky. They reared and educated thore five boys, all of whom became prominent professional men in Kentucky.
To James Howard and Mary Ann (Wirt) Compton were born the following children: George Thomas Compton. Emma L. Compton. Anna Compton, who married D. J. Coon; and Rosa Compton, who married S. L .. Fugitt all of whom reside at "Oak Ridge Farm", and Helen, the widow of W. D. Oldham of Kansas City, Missouri: and Geraldine, widow of William Newton Winn. Those deceased are Sarah A. Compton. Evelyn Compton. and Bettie, who married James M. Weems.
The Compton children were all educated in a private school which was known as Sugar Tree Grove Academy, which was an advanced institu- tion, having two very competent teachers.
The residence of "Oak Ridge Farm" is one of the interesting historic old buildings of the county. The original structure was built in 1829 or 1830. It was constructed of oak and walnut logs, on the plan of the one and one-half story pioneer home of those early days. It was remodeled in the fifties and sheeted. or sided with walnut siding, which were sawed on the place. The original building was a four room structure, but six rooms have been added. There were originally three fire places and in the course of remodeling and enlarging the old home, another fireplace has been added.
The Compton family has been identified with the development of Clay County since the pioneer days and many memories of pioneer times and early day methods cluster around the tireside of this honored pioneer family.
Albert Vest, a successful merchant of East Kansas City, Missouri, is a native of Illinois. He was born at Colchester, Illinois. December 11. 1863. a son of Daniel W. and Lucy Ant (Rich) Vest, both natives of Kentucky.
Daniel W. Vest was born in Kentucky, March 1. 1833, and now lives at Cuba, Illinois. His wife was also born in Kentucky, May 5, 1840. and died at Colchester. Illinois, in 1884. They were the parents of the fol-
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lowing children: Lou Anna, married A. B. McIntosh, Ottumwa, Iowa; Emma J., married William Dickason, Cuba, Illinois; Mary J., married William Marten, Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Albert, the subject of this sketch.
Albert Vest was reared at Colchester, Illinois, and attended the pub- lic schools there as did his sisters. In early life, he followed the voca- tion of coal mining and later he was engaged in farming. In 1800, he came to Missouri and settled at Randolph. Clay County. Here he bought some property and for twelve years was rural mail carrier out of Ran- dolph. October 22, 1919, Mr. Vest purchased his present mercantile business and since that time he has conducted a general store at East Kansas City. He carries a very complete line of general merchandise and has an extensive patronage.
November 1, 1892, Albert Vest was married to Fannie Dawson of Randolph, Missouri. She is the daughter of W. H. and Anna J. (Robin- son) Dawson. W. H. Dawson was a native of Virginia and an early settler in Clay County ; he spent the latter part of his life here. He died in 1904, at the age of seventy-five years. His wife was a native of Ken- tucky and they were married in that state. She died in 1914, and their remains are buried in the Crowley cemetery. Mrs. Vest is one of the following children born to her parents: Addie, married W. N. Lyles, of Kansas City, Missouri; Anna, married Benjamin Cazzell, of Kansas City, Kansas; Luther, lives at Winnwood, Missouri; Beauregard. Kansas City, Missouri; and Mrs. Vest.
To Mr. and Mrs. Albert Vest have been born the following children : Bernard, married Elizabeth Smith, Lathrop, Missouri; Irene, married M. L. McFarren and died in 1918, at the age of twenty-one years, being a victim of the "flu" epidemic of that year; Dewey and Eloise at home with their parent . Mr. and Mrs. Vest have two grandchildren, Jack Vest and Vol G. McFarren.
Mr. Vest is a progressive citizen, as well as an enterprising merchant and he is an asset to the citizenship of Clay County.
Colonel Doniphan Wymore, of Liberty township, is a successful farmer and stockman and one of the well known breeder., of Clay County. He is a native of this county and was born about one and one-half miles south of Liberty, on what is now the Bell farm, November 26, 1874. He is a son of George W. and Sallie (Turner) Wymore.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
George W. Wymore was born near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1829, and came to Clay County, Missouri, with his parents in 1843. He was a son of Samuel Wymore, who, upon coming to Clay County in the above mentioned year, settled south of Liberty on the place that is now owned by John Conley. Samuel Wymore and wife spent the remainder of their lives in Clay County after coming here and their remains are buried in a private burial ground on the Conley place.
George W. Wymore was well known as the most successful horse and mule breeder of his time in Clay County. He raised and sold more high class horses than any other man during his active career. He died in Liberty township, March 12, 1909, at the age of eighty-four years, and his wife departed this life July 17, 1917, in her eighty-fourth year.
George W. Wymore and wife were the parents of the following chil- dren: John, Craig, Colorado; Walter, San Francisco, California; Thomas, Grandview, Missouri; Andrew P., Randolph, Missouri; Lila, married John Donaldson, Liberty, Missouri; Bessie, Chicago, Illinois; Mattie, Kansas City, Missouri; Colonel Doniphan, the subject of this sketch; Nannie, mar- ried Ade Arnold and died at Liberty in 1907; Oscar was killed by a bull in 1899; Charles died in 1911, at the age of fifty-six years.
Colonel D. Wymore was reared in Liberty township and since early life, like his father before him, he has given special attention to breeding high class mules, in connection with general farming and other stock raising. He usually keeps on hand between ten and twenty head of mules and is recognized as one of the breeders of high class mules of the state. Some of his animals are usually exhibited at the Missouri State Fair and other fairs with satisfactory results. The Wymore farm con- tains 160 acres of well improved land and is located five miles south of Liberty on the Birmingham road. It is a well improved place and is con- veniently arranged for stock raising and general farming. The place is supplied by water pumped to a tank by a hydraulic ram and distributed from there by gravity to various points of convenience.
Colonel D. Wymore was married June 22, 1898, to Miss Fannie Ligon, a daughter of Benjamin Ligon and wife, who were early settlers in Clay County and now deceased. Further history concerning the Ligon family will be found in connection with the sketch of Charles L. Ligon in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Wymore have been born four children, as fol- lows: Harold, Frances, Doniphan and George W., all residing at home with their parents.
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Mr. Wymore is a member of the Independent Order of the Odd Fel- lows and is a Democrat.
James Hughes, now deceased, was an early settler in Clay County and for many years, during his active career, was prominently identified with the development of southern Clay County ; three generations of the Hughes family have been worthy citizens of this county. James Hughes was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1837, and died at his home in Clay County, July 27, 1912. He was a son of Patrick and Sarah (McGarr) Hughes.
Patrick Hughes and his wife were both natives of County Tyrone, Ireland. They were married in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1837, when James Hughes, the subject of this sketch, was an infant, his parents came west and located in Clay County. They settled on the place which is now owned by the Hughes family, near Birmingham, Patrick Hughes buying this farm from Larkin Broyles who entered the land from the govern- ment. Patrick Hughes spent the remainder of his life here and died in 1873. His wife preceded him in death a number of years, having died in 1846, leaving her husband with the care of three small children: James, the subject of this sketch; Mary, who married Thomas Ward, of Clinton County ; and Sarah, who died in August, 1882, unmarried. Pat- rick Hughes and his wife are buried in a private cemetery on the home farm.
James Hughes was reared on the home place, in Clay County, and educated in the pioneer schools in that vicinity. At the death of his father, he and his sister inherited the home place which consisted of eighty acres. Later he added about 300 acres to the old home place, which now constitutes the family home. He bought and sold a number of farms during the course of his career, and was a successful man of affairs. He was interested in farming and stock raising all his life and also did some real estate business. He was a successful man in his under- takings and a dependable citizen who had a wide acquaintance and many friends.
James Hughes was married in Kansas City, Missouri, September 6, 1885, to Miss Alice Hope, a daughter of Luke and Alice (Gormley) Hope, both natives of Westmeath County, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Hope were married in their native land, the ceremony being performed at Mullengar, November 4, 1841, by the Reverend Bernard Masterson. Luke Hope and
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
his wife came to America in 1842, and after a short stay in New York, settled in Clark County, Ohio, where they were living when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in the Union army and served throughout the war and about the time the war ended, in 1865, he died in a military hos- pital at David's Island, in New York harbor. Some time after her hus- band's death, Mrs. Hope came west with her family of children and set- tled on a farm four miles north of Liberty, where she died February 27, 1883. Mrs. Hughes has one brother, John T. Hope, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
To James Hughes and wife were born four children: Joseph P., on the home farm with his mother; James L., married Miss Frances Clara Smith, of Kansas City; Charles I. and Mary A.
Joseph P. Hughes, the oldest son of James Hughes and wife, is a veteran of the World War. He enlisted in the United States army, De- cember 7, 1917, at Kansas City, Missouri, and was sent to Jacksonville. Florida, for training. He was in the Remount Department of the army for about seven months when he was commissioned a second lieutenant. Shortly afterwards, he was sent to France with a detachment of 300 men. He was sent to the advance zone for duty with the First Army of the American Expeditionary forces and assigned to duty in the Third Corps in the Argonne. After the armistice was signed, he went with the Third Army of Occupation in Germany. He returned to America, August 25, 1919, and received his honorable discharge after twenty-one months of service.
Mrs. Hughes and her sons have a valuable farm of about 300 acres where they are successfully engaged in carrying on general farming and stock raising. The Hughes place is well improved, having a good modern residence which was built in 1912 and the other buildings about the place are of a substantial character and kept in good condition. The Hughes family is well known and highly respected in Clay County.
David Thomas Bronaugh, now deceased, was a native of Clay County and during his life time was prominently identified with the agricultural interests of this county. He was born near Antioch church in Gallatin township, April 25, 1843, and died May 15, 1914. He was a son of John and Hannah (Morton) Bronaugh, early pioneer settlers of Clay County.
John Bronaugh was a native of Virginia, born at Spottsylvania Court House, August 22, 1798. He was a cashier in a bank at Maysville. Ken-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
tucky. In 1842 he settled in Clay County, Missouri, and at that time bought a place in Gallatin township which is now a part of the David T. Bronaugh estate. He was engaged in farming after coming to Missouri and died on his place in Gallatin township in December, 1883. His wife died June 30, 1890, and they are buried at Barry, Missouri. The children born to John and Hannah (Morton) Bronaugh were: David Thomas, the subject of this sketch; Anna, married John Park; Mary Mildred, died at the age of three years; Virginia Morton, died at the age of one year; and Fannie M., died at the age of twenty-three years. There are no sur- viving members of the John Bronaugh family.
David Thomas Bronaugh was reared in Clay County and educated in the public schools and William Jewell College. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Confederate army in a Missouri company, under Captain McCarty. Later, he was transferred to the 16th Arkansas In- fantry. He took part in a number of important engagements of the Civil War and suffered many hardships and privations, common to the lot of a soldier. Ile was severely wounded at the battle of Corinth, Mississippi. and was left on the battle field and reported as having been killed. Fed- eral soldiers found him and after recovering from his wounds, he escaped but was taken prisoner again by the Federals at Port Hudson and sent to Johnson's Island as a prisoner of war. He was transferred from there and afterwards confined in other Federal prison camps, including Morris Island and Ft. Pulaski. He suffered unusual hardships while a prisoner, owing to the fact that he was one of six hundred Confederate prisoners who refused to take the oath of allegiance. While in the army, he was commissioned a lieutenant and served as adjutant. At the close of the war, he returned to Clay County and was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising here during the remainder of his life.
On May 18, 1871, David Thomas Bronaugh was married to Miss Mary Waller, a daughter of Esme M. and Jane (Moffett) Waller, early settlers of Clay County. Esme Waller was born in eastern Maryland and his wife was a native of Kentucky. The Waller family came from Ken- tucky to Missouri and after spending one winter in the vicinity of St. Louis, they settled in Saline County and after remaining there a year came to Clay County in 1855. Esme Waller died January 18, 1892 and his wife died May 26, 1893. They were the parents of the following children: Alexander H., who served as circuit judge for thirteen years and is now a prominent attorney at Moberly, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Bro-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
naugh of this sketch : and George Cotman Waller, who was born Novem- ber 30, 1850 and died June 15. 1909, served as county collector of Clay County for two terms and was one of the widely and favorably known men of this county.
The Waller family is of English origin and the first records we have of the family in this country appears in the church records in eastern Maryland during the sixteenth century. Esme M. Waller, Mrs. Bro- naugh's father, was a son of Eben Cotman Waller, who was born at Somerset. Maryland, in 1771; his wife, Anne Wałler, was born in eastern Maryland, April 12. 1782, and they moved to Kentucky in 1804.
To David Thomas and Mary (Waller) Bronaugh were born two sons: John Esme and David Waller.
John Esme Bronaugh attended the public schools and afterwards entered William Jewell College at Liberty where he was graduated in the class of 1894. Since that time he has been engaged in farming on the home place and has won a wide reputation as a successful breeder of Shorthorn cattle. He raises pure bred cattle and is recognized as one of the successful breeders of the state.
David Waller Bronaugh is engaged in farming on the home place and is one of the successful farmers and stockmen of Clay County. He mar- ried Miss Stella Scott, a daughter of J. R. and Rosanna (Aker) Scott.
The Bronaugh family is one of the representative prominent pioneer families of Clay County.
John M. Blevins, a well known and highly respected citizen of Galla- tin township, who is engaged in farming and stock raising on his farm. one and one-half miles northeast of Linden, is a native of Kansas. He was born in Jefferson County, Kansas, October 20, 1866, and is a son of William and Martha (Chandler) Blevins.
William Blevins was a native of County Armagh, Ireland. He came to America in 1850 and for a time remained in Ohio, where he was employed as a locomotive fireman. He then went to Ft. Leavenworth and was engaged in freighting across the plains, and made three trips from Leavenworth to Ft. Laramie, in the capacity of wagon master with the overland wagon trains of the early days. He then took up a claim of Government land in Jefferson County, Kansas, proved up on it and made his home there for the remainder of his life. He was a successful farmer and stockman and met with a reasonable degree of success. He died in
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JOHN M. BLEVINS
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
1886 and his remains were buried in Pleasant View cemetery, at Oskaloosa, Kansas.
Martha (Chandler) Blevins was born in Clay County, near what is now North Kansas City. She is a daughter of William Chandler who was one of the very early settlers of Clay County, and entered Government land in Gallatin township. He died in this township and was buried on his old home place. Mrs. Blevins now resides at Oskaloosa, Kansas.
The following children were born to William and Martha (Chandler) Blevins: James C., Kansas City, Missouri; John M., the subject of this sketch; William, was born at Oskaloosa, Kansas, in 1861 and died there in 1918; Elizabeth, widow of E. B. Slade, of Oskaloosa, Kansas, has been engaged in teaching there for the past fifteen years; and Sarah E., mar- ried J. F Hanssen, of Gallatin township.
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