USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay County, Missouri > Part 45
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Mr. Henderson is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. the Modern Woodmen of America and the Mutual Benefit Association. He is a Democrat and he and Mrs. Henderson are members of the Baptist Church and for the past three years he has been superintendent of the Sunday school. He takes a commendable interest in local affairs and is public spirited and progressive. He has served on the city council.
Samuel C. Greenfield, president of the Kearney Commercial Bank, who for a number of years was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising, is a native of Clay County. He was born at Liberty, May 9, 1848, a son of James T. and Martha A. (Hadley) Greenfield.
James T. Greenfield was a Kentuckian, born in Todd County, and came to Clay County, Missouri, in 1844. He was accompanied by his brother. G. T. Greenfield, and his sister, Mary (Greenfield) Millen. After coming to this county, James T. Greenfield worked at blacksmithing at Liberty for a time. He then bought a farm south of Smithville and fol- lowed farming and blacksmithing there until the time of his death in November. 1851; his remains are buried in Little Shoal Church ceme- tery. His wife was born in Todd County, Kentucky, and they were mar- ried in Clay County, Missouri. She is buried at Liberty, Missouri. They were the parents of four children of whom Samuel C., of this review, is the only one living.
Samuel C. Greenfield atended the subscription schools of the early days. He was about three years old when his father died and he and his mother then went to live with his grandfather, Samuel Hadley, who died in 1861. He then lived with his great uncle, E. C. Tillman. until he was seventeen years old, when his mother was married to John S. Groom. After that he made his home with his mother and stepfather
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until he was married. In 1872, he located on the farm which has father had owned. This place consisted of 210 acres and after remaining there a year, he traded it for 136 acres southeast of Kearney. Later he moved to a place near Kearney which he made his home until 1918, since which time he has lived with his son. Mr. Greenfield has carried on general farming and stock raising and has been a breeder of pure bred stock, although he never engaged extensively in that specialty. He has been a large land owner, at one time owning over 500 acres. He has been presi- dent of the Kearney Commercial Bank for a number of years.
Mr. Greenfield was married in 1872, to Miss Sarah Leavell and three children have been born to this union: Mattie, married Edgar N. Petty, of Clay County ; Samuel L., lives near Kearney ; and James S., lives near Kearney.
Mr. Greenfield is a Democrat and a member of the Baptist Church.
L. W. Leavell, a prominent farmer and stockman who owns and oper- ates 380 acres of land in Kearney township, is a native of Kentucky, although he has practically spent his entire life in Clay County. He was born in Todd County, Kentucky, January 18, 1854, a son of L. W. and Harriet B. (Winn) Leavell.
L. W. Leavell, the father, was born in Kentucky in 1821, and came to Missouri with his family in 1854. He settled in Kearney township, near where his son, L. W., now lives and owns a part of the old home place. Here he followed farming and stock raising and raised some cele- brated thoroughbred race horses. He was a great lover of thoroughbred horses and owned some very valuable ones during his time. He was also one of the pioneer breeders of Shorthorn cattle. He was a very success- ful man of affairs and widely known throughout this section of the country, as Judge Leaveli. He was a member of the Baptist Church. His wife was a native of Kentucky and they both died in Kearney town- ship.
To L. W. and Harriett B. (Winn) Leavell were born the following children: Lycurgus, deceased; Fannie L., deceased; Lula, deceased ; Georgia, married Dr. Denham, Kansas City; Sarah, married S. C. Green- field, Clay County, Missouri ; Daniel W., lives in Kansas ; Eugenia, married William Rust, deceased; L. W., the subject of this sketch; Montgomery D., deceased; Llewelyn L., lives near Excelsior Springs and Robert E. Lee, lives in California.
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L. W. Leavell was educated in the district school and the Kearney High School and later attended the University of Missouri at Columbia. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years old and farmed for a time in partnership with his father. He then bought 110 acres and later bought more land; he is now the owner of 380 acres. He has made substantial improvements on his place and carries on general farming and is also one of the successful breeders of the county. He raises Short- horn and Hereford cattle and also raises a great many hogs and at this writing, has about 300 on hand. He has been very successful as a feeder and buys and ships stock quite extensively. He has three sets of build- ings on his place and his is one of the valuable farms of Kearney town- ship.
Mr. Leavell was married in 1877, near Excelsior Springs, to Miss Flora B. Moore, who died in 1911. To their union were born two chil- dren: Nora, married Clarence Michalucine, Kansas City, Missouri; and Maggie May, deceased.
Mr. Leavell is a Democrat and a member of the Owls and the Loyal Order of Moose.
Samuel H. Smith, a farmer and stockman of Kearney township, who for many years was a teacher of Kearney township, is a native of Clay County and is a descendant of very early pioneers of this section. He was born in Kearney township, just north of his present place, March 10, 1861, and is a son of George and Mary A. (Harris) Smith.
George Smith was born in Caswell County, North Carolina, April 22, 1822. He was a son of William Smith and came to Clay County with his parents in 1830. They drove here with ox teams. William Smith entered government land near Smithville and here he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. George Smith grew to manhood in this county and was a successful farmer. Early in life he entered a number of acres of government land, some of which cost $1.25 an acre. He became well-to-do and was the owner of 700 acres of land. He was public spirited and prominent in the early day affairs of Kearney township. He died in 1897 and is buried at Mt. Gilead Church cemetery.
Mary A. (Harris) Smith was born in Jessamine County, Kentucky, March 26, 1827. She was a daughter of Samuel Harris, a Kentuckian, and a pioneer settler in Clay County. He came here in 1832 with his family and settled near Smithville. She died August 5, 1902, and is
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buried in Mt. Gilead Church cenietery. George and Mary A. (Harris) Smith were the parents of the following children: Isabelle, now the widow of Louis O. Riley and she resides at Kearney; Lucy, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Samuel H., the subject of this sketch; George W., Kearney, Missouri; Adeline, married George Riley, Kearney.
Samuel H. Smith was reared on a farm and educated at the Mt. Gilead district school. This was one of the few schools of this section that was not closed during the Civil War. Samuel HI. Smith remained at home and assisted on the home place until he was twenty-one years old. In early life he engaged in teaching and at the same time maintained his interest in farming. He taught the Bodock school for three years and then taught the Wagy school. Later he became principal of the Kearney school and held that position for three years. During that time he re- organized the Kearney school and made of it a graded school. He was successful in his school work and regarded as one of the capable teachers of the county. In addition to the above mentioned schools he also taught the Mt. Gilead school for five years and his last teaching was in this school. His career as a teacher covered a period of thirteen years, prior to 1897. He moved on his present place in 1882. He proceeded to make improvements and the following years replaced the old log cabin which stood on the place with a good six-room residence. He has successfully carried on farming and stock raising and is the owner of a valuable farm of 232 acres.
Mr. Smith was married March 29, 1882, to Miss Maggie Froman. who was reared in the same locality with Mr. Smith and they were school- mates. She is a daughter of James II. and Mary (Sullinger) Froman. James H. Froman was a native of Kentucky and an early settler in Ray County, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been born one son, George Harvey Smith, born October 15, 1887. He married Margaret Thomason, October 19, 1912, and they have one son, George Harvey, Jr., born March 18, 1920.
Samuel H. Smith is a Democrat and usually takes a keen interest in political matters. He was a member of the state convention which nominated Joseph Folk for governor. Ile is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was the first Noble Grand of the Kearney Lodge. He and Mrs. Smith are members of the Christian Church. He is widely and favorably known and the Smith family stand high in Clay County.
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Dr. Thomas N. Bogart. a prominent physician and surgeon of Excel- sior Springs, is a native of Missouri. He was born on a farm near Green- field, Dade County. Missouri, February 15, 1868, a son of Daniel and Mary F. (Gambill) Bogart.
Daniel Bogart was born south of Excelsior Springs, and was a son of Alexander Bogart, a native of Tennessee. Mary F. (Gambill) Bogart was a native of Tennessee, and died in 1888, at the age of forty-eight years. To Daniel and Mary F. (Gambill) Bogart were born the following children: Dr. Thomas N. Bogart, the subject of this sketch; J. C., de- ceased; and A J., of Buckner, Missouri. After the death of the mother of these three sons, the father married Mrs. Rachel Baird, and the follow- ing children were born to this union: Bessie, married F. B. Clark of Rayville, Missouri; Jennie, married James Mosby, Liberty, Missouri; and Wallace. married Samuel King, of Oklahoma.
Dr. Bogart was about six months old when his parents moved to Ray County, Missouri, and settled near what is known as Bogart's Bridge. In 1878, they moved to Dade County and afterwards to Henry County. and later returned to Ray County, where the mother died. The family then removed to Crab Orchard, Missouri. Dr. Baird remained on the home farm until he was nineteen years old and received a good prelim- inary education in the country school, known as the Nicholas School. His teacher was R. L. Hamilton, now a physician of Richmond, Missouri. After having mastered all the common English branches Dr. Bogart was granted a certificate to teach and secured a school in the Hannah school district. He continued his studies, and later taught the Hall School. He then attended the State Normal School, at Warrensburg, Missouri, and afterwards taught school for six terms. While teaching, he took up the study of anatomy and physiology, and in the fall of 1891, he entered Marion Sims Medical College at St. Louis and after attending college one year, he taught another term at Hall School. Later, he entered Barnes Medical College, where he was graduated April 3, 1893. He was secretary of his class when a senior and after graduation was elected president of the Alumni Association.
After receiving his degree, Dr. Bogart engaged in the practice of medicine at Elkhorn and Crab Orchard, and in 1898, returned to St. Louis and completed the four years medical course. He then located at Excelsior Springs, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession. with marked success, and in recent years he has been giving special at-
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tention to diseases of the kidneys. In 1906 and 1907. he went to Europe and took special courses at Vienna, and while in Europe, he visited the principal health resorts including Carlsbad, as well as other celebrated springs. This has proven of inestimable value to him in the study of the waters of Excelsior Springs, from a comparative standpoint. Dr. Bogart has an extensive practice. He is the local surgeon for the Wabash and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad companies, and is recog- nized as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of this section of the country.
Dr. Bogart was married in February, 1896, to Miss Utie S. Russell, of Millerville, Ray County, and a daughter of George W. and Sarah J. (McDonald) Russell. To Dr. and Mrs. Bogart has been born one child, Utie S., born June 6, 1898.
Dr Borgart is a member of the American State and County Medical Association and has been President of Clay Medical Society and Vice- President of the State Medical Association. He has served on the Board of Education and taken an active part in the progress and development of Excelsior Springs. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Elks.
J. Byron Bethune, a successful farmer and stockman of Kearney township who owns and operates a farm of 120 acres of land, is a native of this state. He was born in Mississippi County, April 9, 1881, a son of Henry and Julia (Bridges) Bethune.
Henry Bethune was born in Tennessee in 1835. Early in life he came to Missouri and located in Mississippi County. He bought several thousand acres of land there and was prominent in the affairs of that county for a number of years, having served as a public official for twenty- eight years. He held the offices of county clerk, circuit clerk, and re- corder of Mississippi County. In 1887, he removed to St. Louis and dur- ing the rest of his active career he was a railroad construction contractor. He helped construct the Missouri Pacific Railroad from Jefferson City to Boonville, Missouri. He died in St. Louis in 1905.
Julia (Bridges) Bethune was born in Mississippi County, Missouri, in 1853 and was married to Mr. Bethune in 1867. She died in St. Louis in 1902. To Henry and Julia (Bridges) Bethune were born the follow- ing children : Florence, married A. S. Barnes, St. Louis ; Irene, deceased ; Inez, married Marshall Hall, St. Louis; J. Byron, the subject of this sketch ; Henry, died in infancy; and Ora, married J. F. Johnson, St. Louis.
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J. Byron Bethune was educated in the St. Louis High School and William Jewell College at Liberty, Missouri. He remained at home until 1904, when he engaged in the grain business until 1910. In 1911, he located at Liberty where he was in the insurance business until 1916. He then engaged in farming rented land until 1918. He then bought his present farm of 120 acres in Kearney township where he has since been engaged in farming and stock raising.
Mr. Bethune was married at Liberty, in 1904, to Miss Ruby Bevins of Liberty, Missouri. She is a daughter of Riley E. and Mary P. (Major) Bevins.
Mr. Bethune is a Democrat and a member of the Baptist Church.
John S. Morton, a prominent merchant of Smithville, who is the owner and proprietor of the John Morton Mercantile Company, is a native of Smithville and a descendant of one of the prominent pioneer families of this section of Missouri. He was born in Smithville, September 22. 1867, a son of Dr. C. H. and Sarah J. (Brasfield) Morton.
Dr. C. H. Morton was born in Boone County, Kentucky, near Coving- ton, August 31, 1838. He was a son of John Morton who was born April 4, 1802. John Morton was a son of James and Lucy Morton. James Morton was born December 17, 1782, and Lucy Morton was born, Decem- ber 7, 1780. James Morton was a son of John Morton, who was born November 20, 1733, and his wife was Jean Morton.
Dr. C. H. Morton received his medical education in the Cincinnati Medical College and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Union army and served as surgeon with the 8th Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. After the close of the war he came to Missouri in 1865 and visited at Platte City, where his uncle, Judge Benjamin H. Morton, lived. In a short time he came to Smithville where he also had relatives and acquaintances. Here he engaged in the practice of medi- cine and was well known throughout this section during the remainder of his life. He died at Smithville, November 5, 1885, and his remains are buried in the cemetery there. He was married to Sarah J. Brasfield, in August, 1866. She died November 10, 1910, and her remains are also buried at Smithville.
Dr. C. H. Morton took a prominent part in the early day development of Smithville and vicinity. It was through his efforts and influence that the first school building was erected in Smithville. This building stood
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on the site of the present school building. He was one of the first school directors of Smithville and held that office until the time of his death. To Dr. C. H. and Sarah J. (Brasfield) Morton were born the following children: John S., the subject of this sketch; Bettie Lou, married Sid- ney Williams, Smithville, Missouri; and Alex C., of Smithville, Missouri.
John S. Morton was reared in Smithville and attended the public schools there. Later he attended the State Normal School at Kirksville, Missouri, and the State Normal School at Warrensburg, Missouri. He taught school for a time in early life at the McComas school and the Yates school in Platte County and the Gordon school in Clay County. He entered the employ of Brasfield and Thacher and worked as a clerk in their general store at Smithville for four years and two months. April 24, 1893, Mr. Morton engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with his brother. A. C. Morton. They began business in a store which stood on the ground which is now occupied by the Odd Fellows building. In 1894, they built the store which is now occupied by the Morton Mer- cantile Company and a few years later John S. Morton bought his brother's interest in the business. June 10, 1910, the business was in- corporated under the name of John Morton Mercantile Company and in 1920, Mr. Morton built a furniture store which he also conducts. He has built three residences in Smithville, erecting his present residence in 1895.
February 10, 1892, John S. Morton was married to Miss Martha S. Rollins, a daughter of William Penn and Rosie (Aker) Rollins. Six chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Morton as follows: Lula L., born December 4, 1892, married Lewis Ford Adams, Smithville, Missouri ; Leon M., born June 5, 1894, married Mildred G. Farmer; Katherine L., born February 19, 1896, married Ned McComas; John S., Jr., born November 9, 1898, resides at home; Sidney R., born August 31, 1900, re- sides at home ; and Rosalia F., born January 15, 1902, also resides at home with her parents.
Mr. Morton is a Democrat and a member of the Christian Church. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and Mrs. Morton are members of the Rebeccas and she is a member of the Royal Neighbors. He also holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America. He is public spirited and enterprising and one of the pro- gressive business men of Clay County.
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Henry D. Anderson, president of the Kearney Bank and a large land owner of Kearney township, is one of the successful men of affairs of Clay County. He was born four miles west of Kearney, September 3, 1847, and is a member of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state. His parents were Joseph D. and Mary (Young) Anderson.
Joseph D. Anderson was born in Mason County, Kentucky, January 3, 1813, and died in Kearney township, January 15, 1858. His father died in Kentucky and he came to Clay County, Missouri, with his mother, brothers and sisters, in 1834. They bought 400 acres of land. Joseph D. Anderson followed farming and stock raising in Kearney township all his life; for a number of years he also dealt in mules. The brothers and sisters of Joseph D. Anderson were as follows: H. P .; Elias; Henry, who died at Santa Fe, New Mexico, while on his way to the Mexican War; Betsy, who married a Mr. Waller; Achsa, married James Chancelor; and Belle, married John Lynn.
Mary (Young) Anderson, mother of Henry D. Anderson, was born in Clark County, Kentucky, February 3, 1821. She was a daughter of William and Nancy (Berry) Young, natives of Kentucky, who came to Missouri, settling in Clay County in 1841. She was married to Joseph D. Anderson in 1844 and died in Kansas City, Missouri, April 19, 1909.
To Joseph D. and Mary (Young) Anderson were born the following children : The eldest died in infancy ; Henry D., the subject of this sketch; Margaret, married C. B. Burgess, Kearney, Missouri; Virginia, married John Major, Liberty, Missouri; Nannie, married James Hutchinson, Kan- sas City, Missouri; and Alice, married James Henderson and is now a widow living in Kansas City, Missouri.
Henry D. Anderson was reared on the home place and attended school in the Mt. Gilead school district. He remained on the home farm after his father's death until 1874. He then settled on his portion of the estate which consisted of 212 acres. Here he followed farming and stock raising and was also a breeder of Shorthorn and Hereford cattle. He has increased his acreage until he is now the owner of 347 acres and is one of the prosperous men of Kearney township. He has been president of the Kearney Bank since 1895.
Mr. Anderson was married October 6, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Gos- ney, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Joe B. Waller. Mrs. Ander- son's parents were Thomas M. and Susan Gosney. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born the following children: Thomas G., born June
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28, 1881, lives at Liberty, Missouri; Katie May, born November 18, 1884, married Harry Maltby, Liberty, Missouri; Mary D., born October 26, 1886, married Dr. James H. Gonder, Kansas City, Missouri; Helen, born December 24, 1888, married G. G. Hall, Liberty, Missouri; and the oldest child died in infancy.
Mr. Anderson is a Democrat and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Rebeccas and belong to the Christian Church. He is one of the substantial men of Clay County.
Mr. Anderson has retired from farming and is now living at Liberty, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have five grandchildren.
John William Coen, a successful business man of Excelsior Springs, who conducts a first class grocery store and meat market, is a native of Missouri. He was born at Maysville, Dekalb County, Missouri, July 30, 1869, a son of David and Margaret E. (Henderson) Coen.
David Coen was born in Ohio in 1840 and in 1840 was brought to Missouri by his parents, who settled one mile north of Maysville in Dekalb County. He was a son of William and Matilda Coen who were the par- ents of fourteen children, ten boys and four girls. When the Coen family settled in Dekalb County, William Coen entered 320 acres of government land where he spent the remainder of his life engaged in farming and stock raising.
David Coen, after reaching maturity, preempted eighty acres of land in Dekalb County which cost him one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. He was a farmer and stock raiser all his life. He died November 2, 1893, and is buried at Maysville. David Coen was married to Mar- garet E. Hendren at Kingston, Caldwell County, Missouri, in 1865. She died at Maysville, Missouri, in 1891, at the age of fifty-one years. They were the parents of the following children: Frupie, died in infancy ; John William, the subject of this sketch; Susannah, married Herbert Womsby ; and Lola, deceased; and Robert, Cameron, Missouri.
John William Coen was educated in the public schools of Dekalb County and the high school at Maysville. He remained at home until he was about twenty years old, when he worked out by the month. In 1904, he engaged in the meat and grocery business at Polo, Missouri. Two years later he went to Hamilton, Missouri, where he was engaged in the same business for two years. In 1908. he came to Excelsior
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Springs where he has since been engaged in the meat and grocery busi- ness and conducts one of the leading stores and markets of the city. He carries a first class line of goods and is largely patronized.
Mr. Coen was first married in 1893, to Stella Rigdon, of Polo, Mis- souri. She died in 1897. To that union two daughters were born: Hazel, deceased, and Gladys, born January 1, 1897, married Best Dale and now lives at Coyville, Kansas. Mr. Coen was married the second time at Maysville, Missouri, November 5, 1902, to Miss Lillie Mae Kiss- inger. To this union have been born two children: Cranston J., born at Hamilton, Missouri, December 20, 1906, and Thelma E., born at Excelsior Springs, December 16, 1912.
Mr. Coen is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and is a Democrat. He and Mrs. Coen are members of the Methodist Church. He is a substantial business man and by his straightforward methods has won the confidence and patron- age of the public.
W. H. Meservey, president of the First National Bank of Excelsior Springs, has been identified with this institution for some years, and is a prominent factor in the financial affairs of this section of the state. He is a native of Iowa, born at Cherokee, November 11, 1889, and is a son of A. F. and Kate H. (Hull) Meservey. A. F. Meservey was a native of Illinois and his wife of New York. He was a prominent attorney in Iowa, during his active career, having practiced at Cherokee and Ft. Dodge. He is now living retired at Long Beach, California.
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