History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens., Part 34

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1156

USA > Missouri > Platte County > History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 34
USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 34

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

habits and business qualifications, and possesses a high social and business standing in the community.

THOMAS H. FRAME

(Editor and Proprietor of the Liberty Advance).

Mr. Frame was a son of Col. Thomas T. Frame, of Daviess county, this State, and was reared and educated in that county. He com- pleted his education at the Gallatin High School, where he graduated in the spring of 1861. Following that, he began an apprenticeship at the printer's trade in the office of the Sun, at Gallatin, having de- cided to devote himself to the profession of journalism, and desiring to become familiar with the practical details of printing in order to make his success as a journalist the more assured. Mr. Frame worked at the case about three years and during that time also did consider- able work as a writer for the paper in both its local and editorial de- partments. In 1865 he bought the Torch-Light newspaper, and afterwards was editor and proprietor of. that paper for five years. While in charge of the Torch-Light he greatly improved it, both in mechanical make-up and influence, and its circulation and patronage steadily increased. Under his management the Torch-Light was brought to an enviable position among the country newspapers of the State. In 1870 Mr. Frame sold his newspaper office in order to ac- cept a position at the head of the local department of the Kansas City Times, which had been tendered him. There, as in charge of the Torch-Light, his services were of much value to the paper. For five years he was connected with the Times as local editor, and it is well known to every one at all familiar with newspaper affairs in this State that while he was connected with the Times its local department was generally remarked for life, enterprise and ability. The Times be- came the popular local paper of Kansas City, and was looked upon as a model in this respect. But it is one thing to work on a salary, with little or no hope of accumulating means or establishing one's self in life, and another thing to have a business of one's own, the growth and increase in value of which is one's own profit. Mr. Frame pre- ferred to return to country journalism, in the hope of securing a good paper and building it up. An opportunity of this kind was offered at Liberty. Accordingly, in 1875, he came to this place and took charge of the Advance, and two years later he purchased the office. His long experience in newspaper life enabled him to bring the Advance, by a few years of hard work and good management, to an enviable position of influence and prosperity. Its history for the last eight or nine years is one of gratifying progress in every feature that renders a newspaper valuable and influential. The circulation of the paper has largely increased. The office has been greatly improved by re- peated purchases of new and additional material, and its advertising patronage is more than ordinarily large, considering the general busi- ness of Liberty and the county. The Advance is one of the leading Democratic country papers of the State, and Mr. Frame, himself, is

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

recognized as a prominent and influential member of the Democratic party of Western Missouri. In 1884 he was delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Chicago. He is an earnest, consistent Democrat, but not an extremist, and as an editor he is a vigorous, pungent writer, one who gets his subject in hand before putting his views in print, and who expresses himself clearly, briefly and with more than ordinary pointedness and vigor. Mr. Frame is justly recognized as one of the representative, public-spirited citizens of Liberty. Twice he has been elected to the office of mayor, and in all matters of public advantage, either to Liberty or the county, he is ever ready to do his full share by contributing both his means, as far as he is able, and his time and personal exertions. February 4, 1871 Mr. Frame was married to Miss Rosa L. Riggins, a refined and ac- complished daughter of B. L. Riggins, Esq., of Kansas City. They were married at Glasgow, Mo., where Mrs F. had been attending the Pritchett Institute for some time. Mr. and Mrs. F. have three chil- dren, Fredonia, Callie and Olin. He and wife are members of the M. E. Church. Mr.Frame's father, Col. Thomas T. Frame, was orig- inally from Virginia. He was married in that State to Miss Myriam C. Catlett, and removed to Missouri with his family in 1830, locating in Daviess county. In a few years afterwards he was elected circuit and county clerk, and subsequently held one or both of these offices almost continuously for a period of nearly twenty years. In 1856 he was a candidate for State Treasurer, but was defeated by the Dem- ocratic nominee. He died at Jefferson City in 1861.

WILLIAM J. FRANCIS

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Liberty).

Mr. Francis came to this State when in childhood, away back in the " twenties." The family first settled in Gasconade county, where the father, Pearle Francis, died in 1850. The mother died in that county in 1863. William J. Francis was born in Lincoln county, Ky., in 1825. Principally reared in Gasconade county, Mo., he was married in 1852 to Miss Martha Waller, a daughter of Judge J. G. Waller, of Warren county, but originally of Henry county, Va. Meantime Mr. Francis had begun life for himself as a farmer, and was then engaged in that occupation. But during the Mexican War he had served a part of the time under Gen. Doniphan, but principally under Gen. Price, being nevertheless under Gen. Kearney also a short time. Mr. Francis removed to Clay county in 1866, and has been a resident of this county continuously ever since. His business has been that of farming and raising stock, and also dealing in stock. He has a good farm of 360 acres with more than average improvements. His farm is almost devoted exclusively to stock-raising, and is run in blue grass principally. In 1873 Mr. Francis had the misfortune to lose his first wife. She had long been a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and was a true-hearted Christian lady and a devoted mother and wife.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

She left six children : William W., Louisa B., wife of James Collier, of Fort Worth, Texas; Mary A., wife of French Boggess ; Leoma A., Sarah E., wife of Gen. Price Boggess, and Emmet L. Mr. Francis' present wife was a Miss Abbie E. Ecton, a daughter of John Ecton, of Clay county. They have one child, Betsey Brooks. Mrs. Francis is an estimable lady, and she is a member of the Christian Church. Her husband belongs to the Missionary Baptist Church.

CAPT. WILLIAM G. GARTH (Stock-dealer, Liberty).

The Garth family, or rather that branch of it to which our subject belongs, were early settlers in Central Missouri. His grandparents were from Virginia - the Russels on his mother's side, she being Miss Mary Ann Russel before her marriage to Jefferson Garth. Capt. Garth was born near Georgetown, Ky., November 19, 1832. His father moving to Missouri in his early childhood, he was reared on a farm overlooking the town of Columbia, where his father still lives, and even yet in his old age holds a prominent place in public enter- prise. Capt. Garth's education was mostly received in the State University, to the location of which institution his father was a liberal

contributor. In 1847 Capt. Garth enlisted in the U. S. army for five years or during the war, serving as a private under (now ) Col. Will- iam H. Royal, of the U. S. army. The surrender of New Mexico returned him home at the end of the year, from which place the next year he started to California, making the overland journey of over 2,000 miles on the back of a mule. After a sojourn of two years in that then wild country he again turned his face homeward by way of Vera Cruz and the city of Old Mexico. The next three years . he remained at his father's, farming and stock-raising, when, again leav- ing home, he located in Holt county, Mo., where he bought land and lived some two years. In the year of 1856 he was married to Miss Katharine Berry, daughter of John Berry, a prominent citizen of Liberty, Mo., to which place Capt. Garth removed and settled down to a useful, busy and active life, devoting himself to the handling of live stock. Successful in most his efforts, he is known in the various markets as a shipper whose judgment and ability can be relied upon. He owns three handsome farms ; a substantial citizen of his county, his home for 24 years has been in the town of Liberty, identified with all its interests and enterprises. He served three years during the war as captain of a company of militia, which was organized and stationed in this county, and represented his county during one term of the Legislature. Capt. and Mrs. Garth have had two boys born to them, but reared but one (John B. Garth), who is now a young man, engaged in stock-raising in New Mexico. They are members of the Christian Church, and he is a member of the Blue Lodge of the A. F. and A. M.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

CHRISTOPHER GEIB

(Dealer in and Manufacturer of Harness, Saddles, Etc., Liberty).

Mr. Geib commenced his trade as saddle and harnessmaker at the age of 15 in 1854 at Mineral Point, Wis., and has been at work at it as workman, foreman, or proprietor ever since. There is probably not a man in the State who understands the business better than he does. He served an apprenticeship of three years and a half at Min- eral Point, Wis., and then worked in a large establishment at St. Louis until he entered the government service, May 5, 1860, and became foreman of the harness establishment at Fort Leavenworth Arsenal, and remained foreman 13 years. Since that time he has worked at differ- ent points, and once again for the government at Rock Island, Ill., being for a time at the head of a harness and saddle establishment for a company at Kansas City. During this time, until he located at Liberty in the spring of 1877, he has been at Wichita, Kas., Leaven- worth, at different points in Iowa, at Rock Island and Kansas City. For a time he carried on business himself at Allerton, Iowa. When he began business at Liberty Mr. Geib had strong competition to meet, but being a fine workman, economical and an upright man, he soon gained the confidence of the people and overcame all opposition. He carries a good stock of saddles, harness and other goods in his line. Mr. Geib was married in 1862 to Miss Maria J. Johnson, daughter of Greenup Johnson, formerly of Kentucky. She was reared in Platte county. They have six children : Mary A., Annie, Emma, Christopher, Thomas and Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Geib are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Geih was born in Luxemburg, Germany, September 13, 1839. His father was John Geib, and his mother's maiden name, Mary Rume. The family came to America in 1847 and settled at Mineral Point, Wis., where the father still resides. The mother died in 1877. Mr. Geib was educated at the common schools and a private academy.

MAJ. JAMES A. GILLESPIE

(County Collector, and late Proprietor of the Arthur House, Liberty).

When a lad about 11 years of age Maj. Gillespie was left an orphan by the death of his father. He was one of a large family of children. Some of the older children of the family had already grown to mature years, and one had married. In 1855, on the death of his mother, James A., with two others of the children, went to live with their married sister, Mrs. R.A. Stout, of Woodford county, Ky., where the family had long been settled. In 1856 Mr. Stout removed to Mis- souri and settled in Clay county, young James A., who was then in his nineteenth year, coming with him. Some years afterwards Mr. Stout returned to Kentucky, but young Gillespie remained in Clay county. In 1858 he obtained a clerkship in a general store at Liberty, and in 1860 engaged in business with Richard Evans, at Liberty (firm

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

of Evans & Gillespie), until the breaking out of the war. He then enlisted in Thompson's regiment, of Stein's infantry brigade, under Gov. Jackson's call, and became second lieutenant of Capt. L. B. Dougherty's company. After about five months' service under Col. Thompson in the State Guard, he resigned and re-enlisted in the Southern service, becoming a volunteer in the regular Confederate army. At first he was a member of Col. John T. Hughes' battalion, but afterwards became a private in Co. B, Third Missouri infantry, but was shortly promoted to a first lieutenancy and ordered to report to the Twelfth battalion of Arkansas sharpshooters. He was with that battalion until the fall of Vicksburg, when he was directed to report at Washington, Ark., to reorganize his command, and was there given charge of a regiment with the rank of first lieutenant. At the battle of Saline river, though only holding a lieutenant's commission, he commanded a regiment, being made a brevet-major for the occasion. His brigade commander especially commended his gallantry and im- portant services in this engagement. Subsequently he went to Northern Arkansas where he recruited a battalion for the Confederate service, and was elected its major. He served in that position until the close of the war, surrendering finally at Natchitoches, La. In the course of the war, among other engagements in which he par- ticipated were the battles of Lexington, Pea Ridge, Corinth, Iuka, Baker's Creek and Vicksburg. At Baker's Creek he received quite a severe flesh wound and was disabled for service for about a month. At the fall of Vicksburg he was, of course, captured, but was shortly paroled and exchanged, and, as stated above, was thereupon ordered to rejoin his command at Washington, Ark. After the war Maj. Gilles- pie returned to Liberty, and having lost all he had by the war, he shortly accepted a clerkship at Kansas City, where he was employed about six months. On the 2d of November, 1865, he was married to Mrs. Alice Breeden, daughter of Capt. John Sullenger, of Woodford county, Ky. In 1867 Maj. Gillespie engaged in the grocery business at Liberty for Mr. Dearing, which he continued for about six years. Returning to Kentucky in 1875, he made his home in Woodford and Scott counties until 1880, when he came back to Liberty and en- gaged in the hotel business. He had charge of the Arthur House for two years, and by his good management, hospitality and fair dealing as a landlord, placed the house in the front rank of popular hotels in this part of the State. Maj. Gillespie is an ardent Democrat, and takes an active and public-spirited interest in political matters. In 1884 he was a candidate at the general election for county collector, and was elected by a large majority. He is now (1885) serving the first year of his term in that office. He is a man of high standing, good business qualifications and justly popular wherever he is known. Maj. and Mrs. Gillespie have two sons : Elmer Lee and Willa John- son. Maj. Gillespie was born in Woodford county, Ky., July 11,

1837. His parents were George E. and Louisa ( Campbell ) Gillespie, the father originally from Virginia, and the mother of a former Vir- ginia family. James A. was the eighth in a family of 10 children,

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

namely : Melvina, now Mrs. M. L. Wallace, of Hayes county, Texas; Fannie, the wife of R. H. Stout, present sheriff of Woodford county, Ky. ; John W., present judge of the county court of that county ; Charles, assistant in the Secretary of State's office at Jefferson City ; the others now being deceased. The mother died in 1855.

JOSEPH C. GOODWIN (Dealer in Furniture, Liberty).

Joseph Goodwin, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a gallant soldier in the War of the Revolution, and commanded a com- pany of brave Virginians in that long and terrible struggle for inde- pendence. He participated in a number of the leading battles of the war and assisted to win the final triumph of the Revolution at York- town. His son, Capt. William Goodwin, became the father of the subject of this sketch. Capt. William Goodwin was an officer in the militia organization of Virginia, holding the rank of captain. He married in that State Miss Mary Wells, and made Virginia his perma- nent home. Joseph C. Goodwin, the subject of this sketch, was born in Henrico county, near Richmond, March 27, 1824. Up to the age of sixteen his time was principally spent at school. He then began an apprenticeship of five years at the cabinetmaker's trade. Completing this, he subsequently worked at different places in Vir- ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Ten- nessee. Later along he located at Bowling Green, Ky., and after awhile at Lexington, that State. There he was married July 15, 1853, to Mrs. Rosana, relict of John Young, and daughter of Will- iam Rickets. In 1853 Mr. Goodwin came to Missouri and located at Liberty. A year later, in 1856, he established a shop of his own which he carried on until the outbreak of the war, having a full stock of furniture. He also had a stock of dry goods and groceries. But during the war his business house was robbed. After that he removed to Lexington, Ky., and in 1864 to Illinois, engaging in mer- chandising at Zanesville. From there Mr. Goodwin removed to Au- gusta, Arkansas, and sold goods with a partner under the firm name of Goodwin & Bost, for about four years. But in 1869 he returned to Liberty and the following year resumed the furniture business and has been in business ever since. Mr. Goodwin is a substantial property holder at Liberty, owning a good business house and three residence houses. Recently he has been engaged in shipping apples, and this year shipped about 12,000 barrels. Mr. Goodwin's wife .. died in 1866. She left him one daughter, Rosana, who is the wife of Thomas Gasney.

JUDGE WILLIAM F. GORDON

(President of the Liberty Savings Ass'n, and Farmer and Fine Stock Raiser, Liberty).

The history of every community is made up, so far as its more inter- esting and important features are concerned, of the events and trans-

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

actions of the lives of its prominent, representative citizens. No worthy representative history of Clay county would, therefore, be com- plete which failed to include at least an outline of the life of the subject of the present sketch, and something of the record of his family. Judge Gordon's parents came here among the early settlers of the county. His father, Hon. Thomas C. Gordon, was originally from Virginia, but was brought out at an early age to Kentucky by his parents, who settled in Clark county. Mr. Gordon, senior, grew to manhood in that county and in young manhood was married in Kentucky to Miss Charlotte Grigsby, of an early family in that State. They resided in Clark county for a time after their marriage and while there the subject of the present sketch was born June 24, 1831. The same year of his birth the family came to Missouri and settled eight miles northwest of Liberty, in Clay county. Here the father bought a large body of land and improved a farm. He owned a large number of slaves and engaged in farming quite extensively, which he followed with success. He also dealt in stock and all in all accumulated an ample property. Mr. Gordon, senior, represented Clay county for a number of terms in the Legislature and was a member of the House from this county at the time of his death, which occurred January 8, 1866. He was at the time at home from Jefferson City spending the holidays. For many years he had been a member of the Christian Church and was an earnest worker and liberal contributor in his church. Judge Gordon, the subject of this sketch, was the eldest in his father's family of eight children, four sons and as many daugh- ters ; all grew to mature years, and all, save one, lived to become the heads of families themselves. Two of the brothers and three of the sisters are still living. Judge Gordon was reared on his father's farm, eight miles northwest of this place, and spent his youth at farm work and in neighborhood schools until he was about 18 years of age. At this time the California gold excitement broke out and he was one of the first in the county to determine on crossing the plains and visit the land of stored wealth on the Pacific sea. He started across the Continent early in 1850, and took a drove of 150 head of cattle and a number of mules with him. He had a squad of fifteen men to accom- pany him as help and as guard against the Indians. They were on the way one hundred and ten days up to the day they for the first time grazed their cattle on the height overlooking the city of Sacramento. The Judge's impression of that scene as he describes it would make a sub- ject worthy the pencil of a Diefenbach. There fed his cattle above the valley of the Sacramento, here and there in small groups, with a travel-stained and weary herder or cowboy near each group, either . astride his trusted pony and with a long whip in one hand and his bridle rein in the other while the wide rim of his great sombrero quivered in the breeze ; or, else, lying outstretched on the ground, refreshing himself with a peaceful slumber and naught above him but the clear blue sky, whilst his pony grazed around him all saddled and bridled for use at a moment's call and made secure by a long lariat staked to the ground. Below in the mist of the valley stood the

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

quaint and wierd little city of Sacramento, with the steeple of its single cathedral piercing above into the clear light of the sky. The queerness of the dress of its few inhabitants and the promiscuity of their appearance and nationalities added an additional interest to the scene. Away off, thousands of miles from civilization, with the boundless, boundless sea on one hand and an almost impassable waste of country on the other, stopping there down the distant slope of the Cordilleras with no signs of civilized life near save the little semi- civilized city of Sacramento with its strange buildings, little, narrow, crooked streets and its admixture of people from every quarter of the globe, among the native Mexicans and Indians and half and quarter breeds, it was, indeed, a sight to be seen only in one generation in the history of a country. Judge Gordon remained in California, prin- cipally engaged in freighting and dealing in stock, for nearly two years, and then returned to his old home in Clay county, by way of Panama and New York. On his return home he visited Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis, fully " doing" each city, as young men were then, as they now are, wont to " do " cities on their first visit. Coming on up home he settled down quietly and engaged in farming, having seen the world and interviewed the great " white elephant " to his entire satisfaction. Industry and close attention to his farming interests soon began to bear their usual fruits and in ample abundance. In a word, he shortly became one of the well established and prosperous farmers in the county. He also engaged in stock raising and in handling stock, after awhile turning his atten- tion largely to fine short horn cattle. Judge Gordon finally bought and improved two other farms, the management of which he has been superintending for a number of years. Though engaging in the banking business as far back as 1865, he has nevertheless continued to carry on his farming and stock interests. Judge Gordon now has one of the best herds of short horn cattle in the county. He has been breeding and handling short horns for nearly twenty years, and was among the first farmers of the county to introduce them here. In 1865 he engaged in merchandising at Liberty as a member of the firm of Gordon, Reymon & Co., and continued in the business with success for about three years. He was one of the original organizers of the bank association of this place, which engaged in the banking business in 1865, and started at first on a capital of $1,000, but now has a capital of $36,000. His father was also one of the first stockholders of the association and was its first president. The Judge has been president of the bank since September, 1873. In 1878 he was elected presiding judge of the county court for a period of six years, but held it only two years on account of the change of law. On the 17th of October, 1853, he was married to Miss Rebecca Bland, a daughter of James Bland, formerly of Warren county. She was educated, how- ever, at the Liberty Female College. On the 2d of April, 1872, she was taken from him by death, leaving eight children: Mary E., James B., Katie, wife of S. Burkhead ; Frank Lee, Minnie, Carrie, William and Lena. On the 27th of January, 1875, Judge Gordon

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

was married to Miss Louisa Oliver, a daughter of S. A. Oliver. His present wife was also educated at Liberty. They have one son, Oliver. The Judge and Mrs. Gordon are members of the Christian Church, and he is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Com- mandery, in the Masonic Order.

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Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1156

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1156