USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay County, Missouri > Part 33
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John M. Blevins was reared in Jefferson County, Kansas, and edu- cated in the public schools at Oskaloosa, the Oskaloosa College and Spald- ings Commercial School of Kansas City, Missouri. He was engaged in farming in Jefferson County for five years and came to Clay County, locating at Linden. He bought his present place in 1896. It is a part of the old Hiram Fugitt farm and contains 120 acres. Mr. Blevins has made extensive improvements and has erected good farm buildings and made other improvements of a substantial character, and has one of the attractive places of Clay County. There are a number of natural shade trees on the place which add greatly to its comfort and general beauty. and the place slopes gently which affords natural drainage.
John M. Blevins was married January 10, 1893, to Miss Anna Beeler, of Louisville, Kentucky, the youngest of fourteen children of Presly Beeler. Mrs. Blevins died in 1907 and is buried in Fairview cemetery at Liberty, Missouri. To John M. Blevins and wife were born four children. as follows: Beeler, Esther M., William Edwards and Fred.
Beeler Blevins served in the Aviation Department of the United States Army during the World War. He enlisted in January, 1918. and was first sent to Ft. Wayne, near Detroit, Michigan, then to Ithaca, New York, and later to Arcadia, Florida. After the close of the war he was discharged, July 10, 1919, with the rank of second lieutenant. He was married May 24, 1917, to Viva Gray, of Olathe, Kansas, and they have one daughter, Helen E.
Esther M. Blevins married J. J. Sevage, and they have one daughter, Mary Ann.
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William Edwards Blevins was one of the American boys who won a gold star with his life in the World War. He was born July 28, 1898, and at the age of twenty he enlisted in Company B, Third Regiment, Kansas Infantry, April 4, 1917, and received his honorable discharge from the Kansas National Guard, upon entering the Federal Service, August 5, 1917. He left Oskaloosa with his company September 24, 1917, for Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and went overseas with his command in April, 1918. He was killed in the battle of Argonne Forest September 28, 1918. He was a member of the Christian Church at Barry, Missouri.
Fred Blevins enlisted in the United States Army in July, 1918, and was sent to Maine as a member of the Fifth Anti-Air Craft Battalion. He was sent overseas in September, 1918, and remained in France until after the armistice was signed, when he returned to the United States and received his honorable discharge. He is now in Kansas City.
John M. Blevins takes an active interest in local affairs. He has served as justice of the peace of Gallatin township since 1918. He was one of the organizers of the Bank of Linden and has been a member of the board of directors since the bank was organized. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, Rising Sun Lodge No. 13, Barry, Missouri; Con- sistory, Kansas City, Missouri; Ararat Temple, Mystic Shrine, also of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Blevins belongs to several lodges.
Walter Carpenter, who is successfully engaged in small fruit farm- ing near Randolph. Missouri, is a native of Indiana. He was born near La Grange, Indiana, and was reared in Wills County of that state. His parents were Lyman and Elizabeth (Cothrell) Carpenter, both natives of New York. They were married in Michigan and afterwards removed to Indiana and both spent their lives in that state. The father died in 1905 and the mother in 1912.
Walter Carpenter was one of the following children born to his par- ents : Albert, lives in Ft. Wayne, Indiana ; Charles, Ft. Wayne, Indiana ; Mrs. Emma Cline, Ossian, Indiana; William, died while serving in the Union army in the Civil War; Walter, the subject of this sketch; Newton, died about fifty years of age at Ossian. Indiana : Orlando, died at Ossian, Indiana; and Frank, died in southern Missouri.
Walter Carpenter was reared in Indiana and attended the public schools there. When he was eighteen years old, he started in life for himself and shortly afterwards came to Clay County, Missouri, arriving
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here in 1869. For several years, he followed saw mill work, for which he received thirty dollars a month. In 1898, he bought his present place on the river bottoms near Randolph. He met with considerable loss dur- ing the flood of 1903, much of his land being washed by the river. How- ever, he has been successfully engaged in truck farming and raising small fruits, vegetables and alfalfa.
Mr. Carpenter was married January 5, 1871, to Miss Frances Curry, a daughter of Leroy Curry, a pioneer of Clay County, further mention of whom is made in this volume in connection with the sketch of Alonzo Macken. To Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have been born three children as follows: Mabel, married Thomas Williams and they live in Los Angeles, California; William Jewell, who is employed by the Standard Oil Com- pany at Sheffield, Missouri; Letta, married Robert Morgan, of Moscow, Missouri. One son and a daughter died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Car- penter have the following grandchildren: Carl, Ralph and Helen Car- penter; Lynn, Lucile, Frances, Margaruite, and Thomas Williams; and Robert Jewell and Geneva Morgan.
Mr and Mrs. Carpenter celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on January 5, 1921. They are highly respected citizens and stand high in Clay County. Mr. Carpenter is a member of the Anti-Horse Thief Protective Association.
E. B. Land, a successful farmer and stockman of Liberty township, is a native of Virginia. He was born in Hanover County, July 25, 1853, a son of William and Helen (Snead) Land. The father died in Virginia in 1858, when E. B. Land of this review was about five years old. Later E. B. Land, his mother and sister, Helen, and a cousin, Pole Binford, came to Clay County, Missouri. This was in 1869. Helen (Snead) Land was a native of Hanover County, Virginia, and died in Burlington, Kan- sas, in 1884, while there visiting his daughter.
A. E. Higginson, a half brother of E. B. Land, graduated from Beth- any College and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Con- federate army in 1861, serving throughout the war. After the war closed, he came to Missouri and settled in Platte County and taught school in Platte and Clay counties for a number of years. He died in 1916.
E. B. Land was one of three children born to his parents, the other two being Mrs Sophia Fitzgerald, deceased, and Mrs Helen A. Woods, of
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Liberty. E. B. Land has lived in Clay County for the past forty years, with the exception of about five years when he lived near Barry in Platte County. He began farming and stock raising in early life and has de- voted himself to that vocation. For the past twenty-six years he has operated the Captain Dougherty farm in Liberty township as lessee. Mr. Land, with his son, Fred W., also own a valuable farm of eighty acres in Liberty township and that place is operated by his son. He also owns residence property in Kansas City, Missouri.
September 16, 1875, E. B. Land was married to Miss Ida L. Wilson, a daughter of John and Martha (Arnold) Wilson. John Wilson was born near Barry, Clay County, in 1824. He was a son of John Wilson who was one of the first settlers in Clay County and entered government land here. John Wilson, Mrs. Land's father, spent his entire life in Clay County on the place where he was born. He died in December, 1900. Martha (Arnold) Wilson was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1830. and came to Clay County with her brother-in-law and sister. She was educated in the old college in Liberty and spent the remainder of her life in this county after coming here. She died in 1911 and she and her husband are buried in the Barry cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Elizabeth Waller, William A. Wilson, John V. Wilson, Mrs. Jessie Givens, deceased; Mrs. John Harris, deceased ; and Mrs. E. B. Land. of this review.
To Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Land have been born three children: Helen Maude, married C. M. Kilgore, Nashua, Missouri: Fred W., a farmer and stockman of Liberty township; and Albert W. who is engaged in the cloth -. ing business at Liberty, Missouri. The following are the grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Land: Edwin Allen, Charles Anthony, John Barker, Helen and Mary Frances Kilgore; and Mary Helen, Albert, Jr. and Charlotte Land.
Mr. Land is a Democrat and has been a candidate for the nomination of county assessor. He takes a commendable interest in local affairs and is public spirited and progressive.
Claude F. Knighton, an enterprising and successful merchant who has been engaged in the mercantile business at Gashland, Missouri, for the past twenty years. is a native of Clay County and a descendant of one of the pioneer families of this section of Missouri. He was born a half mile north of Gashland, February 8, 1869, and is a son of Ezra F. and Margaret (Johnson) Knighton.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
Ezra Knighton was born in Morristown, New Jersey, May 3, 1823, and died in Clay County in 1908, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. He came to Missouri in 1842, and settled at Parkville. He was a car- penter and worked at his trade in Platte County and was employed in the construction of the first court house in that county. His father was a native of England and settled in New Jersey at an early date.
Margaret (Johnson) Knighton was born in Kentucky and came to Clay County with her parents at a very early date in the settlement of this county. The Johnson family entered government land in Gallatin township about one-half mile north of Gashland and this land is now owned by the Knighton brothers, whose grandfather entered it from the government. Mr. Johnson spent the remainder of his life on this farm and he and his wife are buried in a private cemetery. Margaret (John- son) Knighton died in 1880.
The following children were born to Ezra F. and Margaret (Johnson) Knighton: Benia, on the home place; Alice, married F. M. Williams of Barry, Missouri; John R., a farmer and stockman, Linden, Missouri; Charles, lives at Hampton, Missouri; Daniel C., Platte City, Missouri; Claude F., the subject of this sketch ; and William S., resides on the home place.
Claude F. Knighton was reared in Gallatin township and attended the Fairview school. His brother, William S., was educated at the same school, but the older children attended school in a log school house which stood across the street from where Mr. Knighton's store is now located. Claude F. Knighton bought a new stock of goods and engaged in the mercantile business at Gashland on April 7, 1901. His business is located in the Carpenter Building and he carries a very complete stock of gen- eral merchandise and does an extensive business. His patronage comes from a large scope of territory surrounding Gashland. During the many years he has been engaged in business here he has built a wide reputation for honesty and square dealing which has been an important factor in the development of his business. Mr. Knighton is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Barry, having been made a Mason in 1898.
Francis Marion Williams, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of a pioneer family of Clay and Platte counties. He was born in Platte County, May 14, 1844, and is a son of Edward and Frances (Turner) Williams, both natives of Kentucky.
Edward Williams was born in Scott County, Kentucky, in 1815, and
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
died in 1891. His wife was a native of Woodford County, Kentucky, and died in 1859 and their remains are buried in Barry cemetery. They were married in Scott County, Kentucky, and came to Missouri, settling near Gashland in 1839. Shortly after coming to Missouri, Edward Williams and a brother chopped wood for forty cents a cord for a man who operated a distillery. After they had completed their work they had to take a barrel of whisky for pay. They took the whisky home expecting to sell it later, but they had so many visitors that winter that in the spring the whisky was gone.
The following children were born to Edward and Frances (Turner) Williams: William Henry, born in Scott County, Kentucky, and died there; Oscar F., born in Kentucky and died in Jackson County, Kansas; George Thomas, died in Salida, Colorado; Francis Marion, the subject of this sketch; Amanda, the widow of John W. Belt, of Norborne, Missouri; Adelia, widow of Richard Elliott, Parkville, Missouri; Jennie, married Henry Wheeler, Columbia, Missouri; Edward, died in Carroll County, Mis- souri; Benjamin, lives at Barry, Missouri; and Kate, married Henry Brown, Randolph, Missouri.
Francis Marion Williams was reared and educated in the vicinity of Barry, Missouri, and at the age of seventeen years he enlisted in the Confederate army in Captain Woodsmall's company and served in Gen. Joe Shelby's brigade. He was taken prisoner in the fall of 1862, while in Texas County, Missouri. He was taken to Rolla, Missouri, and from there to St. Louis where he was paroled. While a prisoner of war he suffered greatly for want of proper food and clothing and his health became very much impaired. He attributes his recovery to the care given him by the Sisters of Charity who found him while he was at the point of death and cared for him and nursed him back to health. Dur- ing the war, he recalls that on one occasion he paid in Confederate money, ten dollars for a postage stamp and envelope with which to write home. He returned home in March, 1863, and in 1864, he made the trip to Den- ver, Colorado, with a herd of cattle. He was in the employ of the gov- ernment as teamster with the United States troops in the west, and in that capacity had much experience with hostile Indians who were on the warpath at that time. He was with the Second Colorado Battery under command of Lieutenant Ayers when they had a hot engagement with Indians on Smoky Hill about forty miles northeast of Ft. Larned, in 1864. Twenty-six men were killed in that engagement. He was also
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in an engagement with the Indians at Sand Creek, where 300 Indians were killed. but none of the troops were lost. In the spring of 1865, he went to Denver where he was employed in a government blacksmith shop until October of that year. He then returned home and since that time has resided in Clay and Platte counties, with the exception of three years when he lived in Jefferson County, Kansas.
April 9, 1876, Francis Marion Williams was married to Miss Alice Knighton, a daughter of E. F. and Matilda M. (Johnson) Knighton, both of whom are now deceased and their remains are buried in the cemetery at Barry, Missouri. Mrs. Williams was born in Barry and reared and educated there. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams have been born two sons: Edward K., married Bertie Spencer, a daughter of R. W. Spencer, of Barry, Missouri, and they have one son, Rollin Williams; and Frank May Williams, resides at home with his parents. He is employed in the railway mail service as postal clerk, between Kansas City, Missouri, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas. During the World War he wanted to enlist in the heavy artillery but was rejected and later was inducted into service and when the armistice was signed he was at Liberty, Missouri, ready to start to Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, but was never ordered there. He received his discharge and a government voucher for one day's service. He never got his voucher cashed, but keeps it as a souvenir.
Francis Marion Williams was a candidate for representative on the Populist ticket about thirty years ago, but later refused to accept the nomination on the same ticket. He has had an unusual experience during the course of his active career and is one of the interesting and substan- tial citizens of Clay County.
P. D. Hodge, cashier of the Security Bank of Avondale, is one of the progressive and enterprising bankers of Clay County. He was born near Mexico, Missouri, May 8, 1888, and is a son of J. R. and Dora B. (Younger) Hodge, who now reside at Laddonia, Missouri.
P. D. Hodge was educated in the States Teachers College at Kirks- ville, Missouri, Central College at Fayette, Missouri, and the Dakota Busi- ness College at Fargo. North Dakota. In 1912, he accepted a position with the Farmers Bank of Laddonia, Missouri, and remained with that institution until 1914. He then went with the Lewiston State Bank at Lewiston, Montana, where he became assistant cashier and remained until
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
December, 1918, when he accepted the position of assistant cashier of the Empire Bank and Trust Company, of that city.
Mr. Hodge became interested in the organization of the Security Bank of Avondale which was effected February 28, 1920, with a paid up capital stock of $10,000.00 and the bank started business with deposits amounting to $31,800.00. At this writing the deposits amount to over $65,000.00. The business of this institution has had a substantial and rapid growth from the start. It is practically a home institution as nearly all of the officers and stockholders live in Avondale and vicinity. The following are the officers and directors of the bank: Charles R. Big- ham, president; W. E. Balkey, vice-president; F. E. Cooley, vice-presi- dent; P. D. Hodge, cashier; and Frank D. Winn, Robert H. Connell and A. C. Watkins, directors.
P. D. Hodge was married June 7, 1915, to Miss Pearle Triplett, a daughter of G. W. and Laura Triplett of Triplett, Missouri. Mrs. Hodge was educated in Howard Payne College at Fayette, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Hodge have been born one daughter, Marjorie Doris.
Charles L. Ligon, a well known farmer and stockman of Gallatin township, is a descendant of an early pioneer family of Missouri. He was born in Gallatin township August 18, 1863, a son of Leonard W. and Elizabeth (Haynes) Ligon.
Leonard W. Ligon was born in Gallatin township, Clay County, in August, 1829. He was a son of Leonard W. Ligon, who was one of the very early pioneer settlers of Missouri. He settled in Howard County in what was known as the Booneslick Country in 1816, which was one of the earliest settlements that far west at that time. In 1819 he came to Clay County and settled in what is now Gallatin township, and here spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife are buried on the farm which is now owned by Lee Story.
Leonard W. Ligon, father of Charles L. Ligon, grew to manhood amidst the pioneer surroundings in Clay County, and was engaged in farming here during his entire life, except the years of 1849-1851 when he went to California during the gold excitement. He made the trip overland but returned by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He died in Gallatin township, March 8, 1908. His wife was born in Clay County and died here in September, 1895, and she and her husband are buried in Little Shoal Church cemetery.
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES L. LIGON AND SON, JOHN H.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
Charles L. Ligon is one of the following children born to his parents : William B., of Kearney, Missouri; John, who was accidently killed by a kick from a horse; Susie, married Alex Davis, died in September, 1886; Alvin, died at the age of thirty-two years: Charles L., the subject of this sketch; Eddie, died at the age of two years; Emmet A., a farmer and stockman, three miles south of Liberty; Leonard W., died at the age of thirty years; Allie, married, Frank Dobbins, ElCampo, Texas; and Walter, Excelsior Springs, Missouri.
Charles L. Ligon was reared in Gallatin township and attended school in the Bell school district. He lived in Clinton County for nine years, and in 1900 he and his brother, Emmet A. Ligon, purchased a farm of 240 acres in Gallatin township, known as the Carr Dougherty farm. The brothers improved the place and brought it under a high state of culti- vation, and in 1909 Charles L. Ligon bought his brother's interest in the farm, which he still owns and operates. It is a valuable farm and well improved. He carries on general farming and stock raising and has been successful. In former years he fed cattle for the market extensively, but in recent years he has given more attention to raising hogs.
Mr. Ligon was married in September, 1889, to Miss Elizabeth Leach of Plattsburg, Missouri. She is a daughter of Lloyd and Mary (Haynes) Leach, the father, a native of Kentucky, and the mother, of Clay County. Lloyd B. Leach lived to the advanced age of ninety-eight years, and he and his wife are buried at Plattsburg, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Ligon have been born one son, John Henry Ligon, who was born August 16, 1890.
Emmet A. Ligon, brother of Charles L., mentioned above as having been associated with his brother in the ownership and management of the farm, is now engaged in farming and stock raising in Clay County, south of Liberty. He was married, September 24, 1903, to Miss Mattie Pryor, a daughter of Captain B. B. Pryor, of Smithville, Missouri. He died at the age of ninety-six years, and Mrs. Ligon's mother died when Mrs. Ligon was a child. To Emmet A. Ligon and wife bave been born the following children: Joseph Leonard, Allen Pryor, and Charles P., who died at the age of two years.
Oswald E. Clardy, a well known farmer and stockman of Gallatin township, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of a pioneer family. He was born in Platte County, August 7, 1864, a son of Garland C. and Margaret V. (Waller) Clardy.
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Garland C. Clardy came to Missouri with his parents, Giles C. and Minta Clardy from Kentucky in 1837. He was born in 1836. Upon com- ing to Missouri the Clardy family settled near Mt. Olivett church and later settled east of Gashland on a place which is now owned by the Clardy brothers. Garland C. Clardy grew to manhood in this vicinity and in early life taught school for a number of years and later devoted his attention to farming and stock raising. He died in 1905. Margaret V. (Waller) Clardy was born in Platte County in 1844. She was a mem- ber of a prominent pioneer family of this section further mention of whom is made in this volume. She died in April 15, 1920.
Garland C. Clardy was a man of strong influence who took a com- mendable interest in the affairs of Clay County. He was one of the organizers of the Mt. Olivett Christian church and for many years was an elder in that church. He was a stanch Democrat and a member of the Masonic and Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodges. The Eastern Star lodge of Smithville was named in his honor.
To Garland C. and Margaret V. (Waller) Clardy were born the fol- lowing children: Madeline, married Willis L. Vance and is deceased ; Oswald E., the subject of this sketch; Vivian, married Willis Vance and is deceased; Eliza, married Frank Walker of Colorado Springs, Colorado; George T. lives on the home place; Dora, married William Adams; Mattie, married Bland Adams, St. Joseph, Missouri; Walter, Gashland, Missouri ; Guy, Gashland, Missouri; and Beryl, married William Wilson, Nashua, Missouri.
Oswald E. Clardy attended school at the Gordon school district and since early life has been engaged in farming and stock raising with the exception of four years when he conducted a hardware store at Nashua. Missouri. He now operates some rented land and also his own farm near Gashland. He carries on general farming and stock raising and raises pure bred Duroc Jersey hogs.
December 31, 1902, Oswald E. Clardy was married in Platte town- ship. Clay County, to Miss Mary E. Hart, a daughter of T. B. and Elva (Smith) Hart. T. B. Hart was born in Lafayette County, Kentucky, in 1849. In 1851, he came to Dekalb County. Missouri, with his parents. Edwin N. and Elizabeth (Bryan) Hart. Later the Hart family came to this section of the state and Edwin N. Hart died near Smithville in 1872. His wife died at Liberty in 1867 and their remains are buried in the old cemetery at Liberty. They were the parents of the following children :
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
Mrs. Clardy, of this sketch; Samantha, married Clay Kimsey, of Smith- ville, Missouri; Edwin Claude, died at Pueblo, Colorado, at the age of thirty-four years; Lydia May, married Walter R. Scott and lives near Smithville, Missouri. Three of T. B. Hart's brothers served in the Con- federate army during the Civil War. John Hart was an officer in the Confederate army and was killed at Independence, Missouri, and the other two brothers were Edwin D. and Bryan C.
Mr. Clardy is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Smithville and is a progressive Clay County citizen. He was the organizer of the Linden Bank and is now the heaviest stockholder in that institution. He was elected an officer at the start but declined to accept any position.
Frank W. Steenstry, general merchant and postmaster at Avondale, Missouri, is a progressive and enterprising citizen, and although not a native of Clay County, is a descendant of a pioneer family of Missouri. He was born in Chariton County, Missouri, a son of J. W. and Lena (Partenheimer) Steenstry. J. W. Steenstry, the father, was serving in the Union army during the Civil War and was killed in Chariton County while home on a furlough.
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