USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay County, Missouri > Part 59
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Dr. Enoch H. Miller received his preliminary education in the public schools of Liberty and then entered William Jewell College, where he was graduated in the class of 1872 with the degree of Bachelor of Art. He then entered the Washington Medical University, at St. Louis, Missouri, and was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1874. Later
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he took post graduate work in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. Doc- tor Miller engaged in the practice of his profession immediately upon graduating from medical college in 1874, and for the past forty-six years has been thus engaged in Liberty and Clay County. He is an able phy- sician and during the course of his professional career he has lead a busy life and had a large practice. He has never ceased to be a student and has ever been active in medical associations and other movements for the advancement of the science of medicine and surgery. IIe is a member of the State and American Medical Association and has served as president of the State Medical Association. He was a delegate from Missouri to the National Convention of the American Medical Associa- tion at Atlantic City and also at San Francisco.
Doctor Miller was united in marriage in 1876 with Miss Belle Wy- more and two children have been born to this union, as follows: James Allen Miller, who was a graduate of William Jewell College, and was with the Union National Bank at Kansas City, Missouri, for several years, was burned to death in the Mark Twain Hotel fire at Hannibal, Missouri, when he was twenty-six years of age, and Cathryne, married Mr. Julian. a consulting engineer for a mining corporation at Piedmont, California. To Mr. and Mrs. Julian have been born one son, John Gordon Julian, age seven years.
Doctor Miller takes a keen interest in the welfare of the public schools and the advancement of education. He has been a member of the Liberty School Board for the past fifteen years and is now president of that organization. He has served on the State School Board Association for four years, and has recently been appointed by President Wilson a member of a committee to invite closer co-operation between the State Teachers' Association and the medical profession for the promotion of better health conditions in the public schools.
Doctor Miller is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Phi Gamma Delta College Fraternity, being a charter member of the latter organization. He is a director of the Citizens Bank of Lib- erty and ranks as one of the first citizens of Clay County.
Ernest L. Capps, one of the foremost breeders not only of Clay Coun- ty, but of the State, has within a few years, won a wide reputation for the excellence of his stock, and is known as a leading breeder of pure bred Big Bone Poland China hogs. Mr. Capps is a native of Clay County,
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born in Gallatin township, August 29, 1888. He is a son of Ellis and Ger- trude (Holt) Capps.
Ellis Capps was also born in Gallatin township, a son of John Q. Capps, a very early pioneer settler of Clay County. Ellis Capps was a farmer and stock raiser in Clay County all his life. He died in 1896, and his remains are buried in Little Shoal cemetery. Gertrude (Holt) Capps was also born in Gallatin township, a daughter of William H. and Madeline (Pence) Holt, early pioneer settlers of Clay County, who came from Tennessee. Mrs. Capps now resides in Liberty and is seventy-seven years old.
Ernest L. Capps was the only child born to his parents. He attended the public schools of Clay County and was graduated from the Liberty High School in the class of 1907. He lived with his grandparents for fifteen years and since early boyhood has had a natural tendency to the live stock and breeding industry. In 1910 he began breeding pure bred Big Bone Type Poland China Hogs and pure bred cattle, but since 1918 he has devoted his attention, exclusively, to breeding hogs and he has met with unusual success in this field of endeavor and the product of his breeding pens find a ready market over a broad scope of the country, and some of the most discriminating stockmen of the country are num- bered among his customers.
Mr. Capps has one of the most valuable herds of pure bred registered Big Bone Poland China Hogs to be found in the country. He usually' keeps on hand from 150 to 200 and holds two sales each year and has buyers from practically every state in the Union. He is a regular ex- hibitor at the local and State fairs where the excellence of his stock meets with well merited recognition. "Liberty Big Jones" and "Liberty Buster," two of the most valuable male hogs of the country, head his herd.
Mr. Capps' breeding farm adjoins the city limits of Liberty on the south and consists of thirty-seven acres, and this plant with its equipment is easily worth $50,000.00. The place is well improved and the buildings are of a substantial character and conveniently arranged for the care of these valuable animals, all buildings are electric lighted and supplied with city water. The farm residence is a neat modern bungalow and every- thing about the place presents an attractive appearance.
Ernest L. Capps was married October 5, 1910, to Miss Georgia D. Hall, a daughter of Judge George Hall, of Clinton County, Missouri. Judge
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Hall is deceased and his widow resides at Liberty, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Capps has been born one son, Joe Hall Capps.
Mr. Capps is one of the best posted breeders in the country and an authority on this subject. He is a special representative of the "Ameri- can Breeder" as a feature writer. He has an extensive acquaintance throughout the country and is a substantial and enterprising citizen.
Joseph M. Elgin, the present sheriff of Clay County, has many years to his credit as a capable and efficient peace officer. He was born in Putman County, Indiana, although he has spent practically all his life in this section of Missouri, coming to Clay County with his parents when he was two years old. He was born January 27, 1851, a son of G. S. and Mary (Tatman) Elgin, both natives of Kentucky, the former of George and the latter of Montgomery County. They were married at Sharpsburg, Kentucky, and shortly afterwards removed to Indiana, and in 1853 came to Missouri and settled on a farm in Fishing River town- ship, Clay County. Later they removed to Platte County, where the father died in 1865. The mother survived him many years. She died February 4, 1904. The following children were born to G. S. and Mary (Tatman) Elgin: Joseph M., the subject of this sketch; Mary, married Ed Miller. Platte County ; William A., Platte County; James W., Mays- ville, Kentucky; Samuel G., Douglass County, Missouri; John, died in infancy ; Robert C., Platte County, Missouri.
Sheriff Elgin was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools. He engaged in farming in early life and continued that occupation until 1900, when he was elected sheriff of Platte County. He took this office January 1, 1901, serving four years. Prior to that time, he had served as deputy sheriff of Platte County for twelve years and he had also served as constable of Fair township, Platte County, for seven years. While sheriff of Platte County he was also engaged in the hardware and implement business for three years, and for a time dealt in horses and was engaged in that business in Excelsior Springs from 1906 until 1911, when he was elected chief of police of Excelsior Springs. He served in that capacity until January 1, 1921. On August 3, 1920, he received the Democratic nomination for sheriff of Clay County over six opponents and was elected to that office without opposition. He is a capable and con- scientious officer and has won a well-merited reputation for doing his duty without fear or favor.
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Sheriff Elgin was married at Sharpsburg, Kentucky, November 22, 1881, to Miss Fannie W. DeJarnette, of Bourbon County. Kentucky. Her parents died when she was two years old. Mrs. Elgin passed to the bet- ter life, November 14, 1917, at Excelsior Springs, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Elgin were born four children: first died in infancy; William T., manager for a telephone company at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Joseph W., in the transfer business at Kansas City, Missouri; and Leila, now deputy sheriff under her father, the first lady deputy sheriff ever to serve in Clay County, resides at home.
William Dallas Creason, proprietor of the "White Lily Dairy Farm," is an extensive land owner in Fishing River township and one of the lead- ing dairymen of Clay County. He was born in Clinton County, Missouri, March 16, 1891, a son of E. W. and Anna B. (Rhodus) Creason.
E. W. Creason was also born in Clinton County, Missouri, and his father, Anderson Creason, was a native of Missouri. E. W. Creason now makes his home with his children in Maysville, Missouri. His mother bore the maiden name of Rosanna Robinson and she, too, was a native of this State. Anna B. (Rhodus) Creason was born in Clinton County, Missouri, a daughter of Overton Rhodus.
To E. W. and Anna B. (Rhodus) Creason were born the following children: William Dallas, the subject of this sketch; Reed, whose pres- ent address is unknown; Dorsey, married James Redding, Union Star, Missouri; Dean, Kearney, Missouri; Nena, married Wiley Smith, Kearney, Missouri. Dean and Nena are twins.
William Dallas Creason was educated at Lawson and in the Liberty High School. After his marriage he engaged in farming on rented land and two years later bought seventy-six acres. This was in 1914, and in 1917. he bought forty acres more, thirty-seven acres in 1918, and in 1919 he bought 167 acres, making a total of 320 acres in his home place, and ninety acres near Mosby. He has four sets of farm buildings on his land and devotes special attention to dairying. He keeps about forty cows and employs three men the year round. He has made numerous and substantial improvements and has under way the carrying out of fur- ther plans which. when completed, will make of "White Lily Dairy Farm," one of the ideal dairy farms of the country.
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Mr. Creason was married January, 1913, to Miss Martha B. Hall, a daughter of Lee P. and lda (Burton) Hall, of Kearney, Missouri. Mrs. Creason is one of five children born to her parents, the others being as follows: Mary, married Ballard Can ller; Lonedia married Reed Crea- son, and Hazel, at home with her parents; and Clarence, Kearney, Mis- souri.
Mr. Creason is progressive and enterprising and one of the leading citizens of Fishing River township.
Aubrey H. Coston, a well known and enterprising farmer of Fishing River township, was born in Jackson County, Missouri, February 8, 1883, and is a son of William and Lucinda (Canady) Coston. The mother died in 1889, and the father in 1886, leaving Aubrey H. Coston and his brother, Tony Coston, orphans at an early age. Tony Coston is now a captain in the United States Army in the Signal Corps service and at present is sta- tioned at Camp Lewis, Washington. He has been in the United States Army for twenty-two years, since the Spanish-American War. He served with distinction in the World War and for eighteen months was in France and with the Army of Occupation in Germany.
After the death of his parents, Aubrey H. Coston, who was only three years old when his father died, and six when his mother died, went to live with Joseph Pettigrew and wife, whose home was in Fishing River township, and was cared for and reared and educated by them. Joseph T. Pettigrew died at Excelsior Springs at the age of sixty-five years and his widow now resides in Excelsior Springs. They were the parents of one daughter, Mrs. B. B. Petty.
Aubrey H. Coston was educated in the public schools in Fishing River township and the Kearney High School. Ile was reared on a farm and after he grew to manhood he engaged in farming on his own account. He is the owner of eighty-five acres of valuable land in Fishing River township, which is one of the productive farms of that section of the county. He carries on general farming and has been successful in his undertaking. His place is well improved. In 1918, he built a six-room bungalow which is one of the pretty homes in that vicinity. His place is located six miles west of Excelsior Springs.
Mr. Coston was married September 26. 1906. to Miss Mabel Riley. a daughter of William Matt and Mollie (Shouse) Riley. Mrs. Coston is a granddaughter of Captain John Shouse, a Clay County pioneer and a Mexican War veteran. She is a native of Clay County and was reared
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and educated here. To Mr. and Mrs. Coston has been born one daugh- ter, Helen.
Mr. Coston is a substantial citizen and he and Mrs. Coston stand high in Fishing River township and Clay County.
Archibald Logan Darby was one of the early pioneer settlers of this section of Missouri. He came to Clay County in 1830, and about 1835 he settled near Antioch Church and spent the remainder of his life in that locality. He died October 14, 1881. He was prominent in the pio- neer life of Clay County and was a man who was widely known for his integrity and sterling worth.
Archibald Logan Darby married Melinda Moore. She was a grand- daughter of Andrew Robertson, Sr., who was a soldier in the Revolution- ary War, and came to Clay County, Missouri, in 1820. He was well-to- do and brought with him his negroes and herds when he settled in Clay County on what was later known as the John Lightburne farm. He served in the Continental Army under General Greene, and was at the battle of Guilford Court House and was with General Washington at the Siege of Yorktown. He was a native of North Carolina and removed from that State to Wilson County, Tennessee, in 1798, and came from there to Clay County, in 1820. He died here May 23, 1837. J. J. Moore and Eli Murry, Mexican War veterans whose portraits appear in this volume, were cousins of Melinda (Moore) Darby.
The following children were born to Archibald Logan and Melinda (Moore) Darby: Mary Ann, married Zattu Todd and died in 1872; Eleanor C., married William Kelsey, was the mother of A. L. Kelsey, of Gallatin township, and died in 1886; Robertson Warwick, further men- tion of whom is made below; James William, who served in the Confed- erate Army under Colonel Dougherty and died in 1867; Lon, was born in 1844, was first married in 1878 to Callie Collins, who died leaving no children, and he was again married November 20, 1890, to Bettie Dale and one son was born to that union, Andrew Leighton, who resides in Kansas City, Missouri, where Lon Darby has resided since 1904; Ruth N. married James G. Pryor, of Clay County, and has two children, Wal- ter and Eugene; and John E. Darby, married Callie Berry of Clay County and two children were born to them, Mrs. Lee Bettencourt who lives in
·
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the West and Lon Berry Darby of Kansas City, Missouri. John E. Darby died in November, 1918.
Robertson Warwick Darby, son of Archibald Logan and Melinda (Moore) Darby, was born in Clay County, one-half mile west of Antioch Church in August, 1839. He was reared in Clay County and was en- gaged in farming and stock raising throughout his active career. He served in the Home Guards during the Civil War. Ile was a Democrat, a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Christian Church.
Robertson Warwick Darby was united in marriage in 1865 with Martha Ellen Todd, a daughter of Zattu Todd and a granddaughter of Judge Benjamin Ricketts, a Kentuckian who settled in Gallatin township in 1831. To Robertson Warwick and Martha Ellen (Todd) Darby was born one daughter, Anna Ellen, who was married to Thomas S. Har- rison, July 7, 1915.
Robertson Warwick Darby died August 28, 1872, and his wife de- parted this life in 1868. She was born December 17, 1845.
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