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 35
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 35
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CAPT. JOHN S. GROOM
(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Liberty).
The family name of the subject of the present sketch is one so long and worthily identified with Clay county, that no history of the county could fairly be considered complete which failed to make proper allusion to the Groom family. Capt. Groom's father, Joseph Groom, was a Virginian by nativity, but was reared in Kentucky. His father was a pioneer settler of Clark county, in that State, having removed there from Virginia during the latter part of the last century. Joseph Groom was reared in Clark county, and in early manhood was mar- ried to Miss Nancy Hudtison, a daughter of Col. Hudtison, another pioneer from Virginia and a brave old veteran of the Revolution. After their marriage Joseph Groom and wife removed to Missouri and settled in Clay county, back in 1824. The inhabitants of what is now Clay county could then have been numbered on one's fingers, so few and far between were the settlements in the county. He bought land and improved a farm and resides on the place he then improved to this day, now closely approaching a continuous residence on one farm of sixty years. His life, during the years of his activity, was one of industry and much usefulness, and from the beginning he has always preserved a character and good name that reflect only credit upon himself, his family and the community with which his life has been so long identified. Although now in his eighty-ninth year, he is still well preserved in mind and body, uncommonly so consider- ing his advanced age. His good wife passed away some years ago, a motherly, noble-hearted old lady, loved and venerated by all who knew her. They reared a numerous family of children, all of whom are now worthy members of their respective communities. Capt. Groom, the subject of this sketch, was born about four years after his parents came to Clay county, November 28, 1828. He was reared in the county, and in youth attended the common schools of his neigh- borhood. On the outbreak of the Mexican war, early in 1846, he enlisted in the service under Col. A. W. Doniphan, becoming a mem- ber of Capt. O. P. Moss' company. With his command Capt. Groom took part in the expedition to Santa Fe, being finally ordered to New Orleans at the close of the war, by way of Matamoras, where he was honorably discharged. In common with his command he participated in the battles of Brazeta and Sacramento and in some lesser engage- ments. After his return from the Mexican War Capt. Groom engaged in farming, to which he had been brought up, and on the 24th of February, 1848, was married to Miss Catherine Hadley, a daughter of Samuel Hadley, deceased, an early settler of this county from Todd
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
county, Ky. Capt. Groom continued farming after his marriage, and with good success. He bought a farm eight miles west of Liberty, where he resided some eight years, and in 1859 bought a place a mile from Liberty, west of town. The same year he was elected assessor of the county, and discharged the duties of that office something over a year, when the Civil War broke out. Like the great body of the property holders and the intelligence and character of the people of Clay county, he warmly espoused the cause of the South, and promptly enlisted in the Southern service. He organized Co. A, of Col. Thompson's regiment, being elected captain of the company, and soon, for the second time in his life, was taking part in the trials and dangers and hardships of war. He was in the active service for nearly three years, and during that time participated in the battles of Lexington, Pea Ridge, Independence and Lone Jack. In the latter, one of the deadliest and most resolute engagements of the war, though not a great battle in point of numbers, he was shot through the shoulder and disabled for further service. The battle lasted for nearly eight hours, and every inch of ground was resolutely contested. Col. Vard. Cockrell commanded on the Southern side, and Maj. Emory S. Foster had command of the Federals. Both were Missou- rians, and had been reared neighbor boys together, and their men were all of neighboring counties. So, there, Greek met Greek, and it was a matter of personal pride in each side to win the battle. The Southerners, however, finally won the field. According to the num- bers engaged, there were more men killed than in any other battle of the war. With the exception of two other fights, it is believed that this is true. After the battle Capt. Groom returned home for a short time and soon recovered, at least became strong enough, as he thought, to re-enter the service. He thereupon organized another company in Clay county, and at once started South with his men to rejoin the Southern army. But when about five miles from Liberty he was met by a body of Federals, and a fight ensued. During the fight Capt. Groom's horse was killed under him, and his men were routed and scattered, he himself barely escaping with his life; and for nine days afterward he was compelled to secrete himself in the brush, whilst the woods were literally " driven " for him, as hunters say when on a deer hunt. From Clay county he made his way to Denver, in Colorado, and remained there and in Nebraska until the close of the war, principally engaged in merchandising. After re- turning to Clay county he resumed farming again, but in 1866 estab- lished a store at Kearney, where he sold goods for about eight years. He was then, in 1874, elected sheriff, in which office he served for two terms. Immediately following that he was elected county col- lector, and served in that office for four years. He then bought the place where he now resides, in the vicinity of Liberty, a good farm of about 40 acres, where he is engaged in farming. He also has another farm of 320 acres, and other lands on the Missouri river. Capt. Groom is engaged in raising fine thoroughbred short horn cattle to some extent, and is having excellent success. On the 11th of August, 1864, he had the misfortune to lose his first wife. She left
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
him four children : Fannie, wife of Richard Myall, of May's Lick, Ky .; Ruth, deceased, late wife of A. S. Brown; Jennie, wife of Charles Mosby, and Walter. To his present wife Capt. Groom was married in 1866. She was a sister to his first wife. There are no children by this union. Mrs. G. is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and her husband of the Christian.
MICHAEL A. GROOM
1 (Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Liberty) .
Like a large majority of the people of Clay county, Mr. Groom is of Kentucky antecedents. His father, Joseph Groom, came to this county from the Blue Grass State in an early day, settling with his family about two miles west of Liberty. Mr. Groom, the subject of this sketch, was reared on his father's farm in this county, and in 1861, the beginning of the late Civil War, he entered the State Guard under Gen. Price and served in Col. Thompson's regiment, in Capt. Groom's company, until in 1862, when he entered the regular Confederate ser- vice, serving in the Trans-Mississippi department. During this time he took part in a number of leading battles and many lesser engage- ments and skirmishes until the surrender, after which he returned home, and resumed farming and also engaged in dealing in stock. He was married to Emma P., daughter of D. J. Adkins, in Clay county, November 5, 1867, and in 1882 he had the misfortune to lose his wife. She left him six children, namely : Elma, Ruth, Darwean, Artie E., Minnie G., and Lizzie E. Groom. Mr. Groom feeds cattle for the markets and is one of the energetic stockmen of the township. He has a good farm of about 500 acres, which is well improved, in- cluding a handsome brick residence and a new and commodious barn. His farm is principally run in blue grass for stock purposes. His pres- ent wife was a Mrs. Amelia Collins, widow of the late Jesse B. Collins, of this county, and a daughter of James M. Watkins. She has two children by her first husband, Jesse B. and Martha J. Collins. Mr. Groom is a man of warm domestic attachment and is greatly devoted to his family. With him there is in truth no place like home, and to both his own and his second wife's children he is all that a kind and affectionate father could well be. His first wife was an earnest and life-long member of the Christian Church and a devoted wife and mother. His present wife is a member of the Baptist Church and a worthy, excellent lady. Mr. Groom is a member of no secret order and often remarks that his own family is as pleasant and welcome a lodge as he cares to spend his leisure evenings in. Still, he is not insensible to the great good done by many of the secret orders and warmly approves the object for which they are instituted. He is a member of the Christian Church.
SAMUEL HARDWICKE
(Attorney at Law, Liberty).
For more than 25 years Mr. Hardwicke has been engaged in the active practice of his profession at Liberty and in the courts of this
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
State. A young man of a thorough classical education to begin with, a teacher of the classics in fact, and subsequently qualifying himself thoroughly for the bar by a regular and exhaustive course of study under Judge Norton, then one of the leading practicing lawyers of West Missouri and since 1876 a distinguished member of the Supreme Court, he entered upon his career as an attorney at Liberty immediately following his admission in 1857, under auspices of a successful and honorable future in the legal profession. Nor has his record in the practice disappointed the just expectations that were formed of him at the beginning. For years he has held a prom- inent and honorable position among the leading lawyers of his judicial circuit, and he has long been recognized as one of the first lawyers in point of ability and success at the Liberty bar. Close habits of studiousness have always been one of his most marked characteristics, and while he is thoroughly wedded to his profession, a constant student of the science of law, by which he has become one of the best read lawyers in this part of the State, he has at the same time found leisure to gratify his taste for general litera- ture and the classics. His knowledge of the law and his judgment upon legal questions command respectful consideration from the court and bar wherever his duties as a lawyer call him, whilst his culture, eloquence and ability as an advocate and his integrity, profes- sionally and in private life, are recognized by all. Though an active, successful lawyer, Mr. Hardwicke is a man of unusually quiet man- ners, and of a retiring disposition, more given to the study of his books and to reflection than to the enjoyment of society or the pleasures of conversation. He has a fine law library, where most of his time is spent when not in the court-room or at home with his family. His library is by far the best in the county, and one of the best in the circuit. Samuel Hardwicke was born in Clay county, Mo., September 8, 1833. His father was Capt. Philip Allen Hardwicke, from Brooks county, Va., and his mother, Miss Margaret Gregg (then called " Peggy"), born in Tennessee, but reared in Howard county, Mo. She was the daughter of Hannon Gregg, whom Gen. A. W. Doniphan pronounced one of the strongest men in native intellect he ever met. Her brother, Josiah Gregg, was distinguished in science and as an author. Mrs. Hardwicke was brought out to this State by her parents when she was in childhood, and for a time they lived in Cooper's Fort for protection against the Indians. She was a witness to the death of Capt. Cooper, who was shot by the Indians in the fort. Mr. Hardwicke's grandfather was a gallant old Revolutionary soldier from Virginia, and received a grant of land from the State for his ser- vices in the struggle for independence. An incident in this connection is worth mentioning, as it gave rise to two ways of spelling the family name. In the instrument of grant, or patent, the name was spelled " Hardwick " instead of Hardwicke, the proper orthography. £ Since then some of his descendants have kept up the former way of spelling the name. In a very early day the grandfather, Hardwicke, died in Virginia. His son Philip was then a small boy. He was bound out
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
to the cabinetmaker's trade. Before he was grown, however, he went to Logan county, Ky., where he helped to build the first house in Lebanon, a town in that county. About the time of attaining his ma- jority Philip Hardwicke came to Missouri and located in Howard county. There he met and was married to Miss Margaret Gregg (then called " Peggy "), mentioned above. In the early Indian wars Capt. Hardwicke took an active and prominent part, and commanded a company of volunteers through several campaigns. In 1824 he re- moved to Clay county, having land about five miles north of Kansas City, where he improved a large and valuable farm and lived a useful and respected life until his death. He was a very successful farmer, and was a man of marked influence in the community. Often urged to stand as a candidate for official position he uniformly refused, being thoroughly averse to every idea and practice of the politician's life. He had no taste for the turmoil, confusion, slander, insincerity and double dealing incident to politics, and scrupulously avoided every- thing of the kind, though he believed earnestly in the principles of the old Whig party, and never failed to vote his honest convictions. In 1849 he joined the general movement of Argonauts to the Pacific coast, and died on his return the following year on the ocean, and was buried at Acapulco. Mr. Samuel Hardwicke was reared on his father's farm in this county, and received a general and classical education at the Sugar Tree Grove Academy, then an institution of more than local repute, which he attended for a period of three years. After this he was professor, in that institution, of Greek and Latin for a year, at the close of which he resigned his professorship to engage in the study of law. As stated above, he read law under Judge Morton at Platte City, and was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1857. He at once located at Liberty for the practice of his profession, and has been here continuously ever since, except during an absence of about eighteen months while at St. Paul, Minn. Mr. Hardwicke's professional career has already been spoken of. It is only necessary to add here that there has scarcely been a case of any importance in the county for years past with which he has not been identified as one of the counsel. Mr. Hardwicke has given little or no attention to politics, except to vote his honest convictions, and at times to help his friends. He has there- fore neither held nor desired any strictly political position. When a young man he was city attorney of Liberty for a time, and in 1874 his name was canvassed by his friends for the Democratic nomination for circuit judge. His candidacy was very favorably received, and but for political trickery he would have been declared the regular nominee, for he fairly and honorably won the nomination. On the 27th of De- cember, 1860, Mr. Hardwicke was married to Miss Ada Hall, a refined and accomplished daughter of the late John D. Hall, formerly a lead- ing and wealthy citizen of this county. Mrs. Hardwicke was educated at Clay Seminary, where she graduated in the class of '59. Mr. and Mrs. Hardwicke have four children, namely : Miss Maude, a young lady of superior accomplishments, a graduate of the Baptist Female College of Lexington, where she won six medals for superiority in the
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
many different departments of culture, and afterwards taught music in that institution ; Claude, who was educated at William Jewell Col- lege, which he attended for six years - he is now conducting a cattle ranch in Arizona ; Philip and Norton, both youths, still at home and attending school: Mr. H. is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his wife is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. H. is a prominent and active member of the Masonic Order, and founded the Commandery at this place. His mother is still living, at the advanced age of 81, remarkably well preserved in health and mental vigor.
PROF. GEORGE HUGHES
(County School Commissioner, Liberty).
Prof. Hughes is a native of this county, born in what is now Galla- tin township, July 1, 1826. His father was Daniel Hughes, and his mother's maiden name Elizabeth Woods. Both were originally from Kentucky, his father from Bourbon county and his mother from Mad- ison county. Mrs. Hughes was a daughter of Rev. Peter Woods, who early came to Missouri and was one of the pioneer Primitive Bap- tist preachers of the central part of the State. He settled in Cooper county. Mr. Hughes, Sr., came out to Missouri in 1824 and stopped for a time in Cooper county, where he met and was shortly married to Miss Woods. They then came to Clay county and located on land in Gallatin township, where he improved a farm, and where the son, the subject of this sketch, was born. Mr. Hughes, Sr., served as mag- istrate of the township for a number of years. He was also an earnest and useful member of the Primitive Baptist Church. Though not an extreme partisan he was an active and consistent member of the Whig party until its final defeat and disorganization in 1856. After that as against the Republicans he was a Democrat and voted the Democratic ticket. He died at his homestead in Gallatin township July 9, 1875, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. His wife, however, still sur- vives in comparative good health, at the age of seventy-seven, and quite active considering her years. Prof. Hughes is the eldest of five children of the family living, three sons and two daughters. Four others lived to reach mature years, two brothers and two sisters. Prof. Hughes received his general elementary education in the public schools of the county, though afterwards he continued to study outside of the school-room and materially advanced himself in the higher branches. Indeed, he has been a constant studentall his life, as well as a teacher most of the time for nearly forty years. In point of experience he is unquestionably the father of the teacher's profession in this county. In 1854 he succeeded Gen. Doniphan as school commissioner of the county, and has held the office ever since, a period of thirty years. For three years he was a teacher in William Jewell College imme- diately prior to its reorganization after the war. Subsequently he was three years principal of the Liberty High School for young ladies. Under his long administration in the office of school commissioner, the public schools of the county have made remarkable progress in
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
numbers and efficiency. When he took charge of the office they were not considered the chief reliance of the youth of the county for an ed- ucation. Now the public schools of Clay county are among the best and most successful to be found in any of the counties of the State, and are so constituted as to amply qualify those who attend them and complete the curriculum studies prescribed for all the ordinary busi- ness affairs of life. September 29, 1859, Prof. Hughes was married to Miss Margaret, a daughter of the late Andrew Russell, of this township, one of the early settlers of the county. They have two children, Frank and Ralph. The Professor and wife are members of the Christian Church. Prof. Hughes served three years as mayor of Liberty and was councilman for a number of terms. Prof. Hughes gives much of his leisure time to literary pursuits, being an active member of the principal literary societies of the community in which he lives.
DANIEL HUGHES
(Dealer in Drugs, Medicines, Paints, Oils, Etc., Liberty).
Mr. Hughes, who is a regular registered pharmacist and a druggist of experience and enviable reputation, began to learn the drug business nearly 20 years ago, when he was in his eighteenth year. He worked at it as a clerk for five years, and in 1870 formed a partnership with S. W. Warren, and began business on his own account at Liberty, buying out his former employer and succeeding him in business. Two years later he bought out his partner and became sole proprietor of the business, which he has ever since carried on alone, for a period now of over 14 years. He has been satisfactorily successful, and has one of the principal drug stores at Liberty. Mr. Hughes carries a large and well selected stock of goods in his line, and has a good trade. Per- sonally, he is a man of pleasant, popular address, of an agreeable social disposition, and is much esteemed in the community. July 27, 1871, he was married to Miss Annie McCarty, a daughter of William A. McCarty, and niece of Capt. Thomas McCarty, deceased, former State Senator from this district. Mrs. Hughes was educated at Liberty, and is a graduate of the Female Seminary at this place. They have four children : Alla, George, Albert and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. H. are members of the Christian Church. Mr. H. is a member of the Masonic Order, including the Chapter, Commandery and Blue Lodge. Mr. Hughes was born in this county December 6, 1847, and was a son of Daniel Hughes, mentioned in the sketch of George Hughes, on a former page. Daniel Hughes, Jr., the subject of this sketch, was reared in this county and educated at the common and high schools and at William Jewell College.
GEORGE W. JONES
(Farmer and Stock Dealer, Post-office, Liberty).
Mr. Jones descends from an old Virginia family, one that has been settled in this county since the earliest days of that colony, as the large
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
number of Jones in every quarter of the Union conclusively attest. He was born in Rappahannock county, Va., September 22, 1825, and was a son of William and Elizabeth E. (Easham ) Jones, his father a veteran of the War of 1812, and a substantial planter of Virginia. George W. received an advanced education, attending New Baltimore Academy, under the tutorship of that distinguished educator Prof. Ogilvie. Afterwards he came West, locating at Buffalo, Mo., where or in the vicinity of which he taught school for seven years. Mr. Jones came to Clay county in 1847. Here he also followed teaching for some years. He had a number of negroes, but these he hired out to other parties for farm work, etc. He married Miss Eliza- beth, a daughter of William Bywater, an early settler of Platte county, from Virginia. He then engaged in farming and raising stock in Platte county, and so continued up to 1862, when, on account of war troubles, he went to Virginia, which seemed a good deal like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Nevertheless, he obtained the favor of both sides in Virginia and was granted free passport through their lines to go and come as he pleased. There he did a thriving business in furnishing stock and supplies for the two armies. In the fall of 1863, however, he returned to Missouri, and located on a farm in Lafayette county. There he followed farming and also handling stock until the spring of 1881, when he came back to Clay county, and bought the place where he now resides. This is about two miles east of Liberty, and contains nearly a quarter of a section of land. Mr. Jones, besides farming in a general way and dealing in stock, makes a specialty of raising Poland-China hogs, of which he has some of the finest to seen in the country. Mr. Jones has been married three times. His first wife died a number of years before the Civil War. His second wife was a Miss M. A. Tillery, who only survived her marriage about two years. He was married to his third wife in the spring of 1863. She was a Miss Belle H. Hudson, a daughter of Capt. J. M. Hudson, of Saline county, this State. She is a member of the Christian Church, as he is, also, himself. By Mr. Jones' first marriage two children were reared : Alline E., the wife of James M. Elliott, of Cooper county, and William E., who was a graduate of the State University and of the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, but died early in February, 1883, being at the time the leading physician of Jamestown, Missouri. Thomas L. Jones, the second son, was born of his father's second marriage. He is a substantial farmer in the vicinity of Liberty. By Mr. Jones' present wife there are four children: Mattie B., Jesse B., Unis B. and Dilburn D. He is a member of the Odd Fellow's Order.
JAMES M. KELLER
(Farmer and Short Horn Dealer and Breeder, Liberty).
Like most of the early settlers of Missouri, Mr. Keller is of Vir- ginia descent. Both his grandfather, John Keller, and father, Jacob Keller, were natives of the Old Dominion. His grandfather served
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
three years in the War of the Revolution and afterwards became one of the pioneer settlers of what became Jessamine county, Ky. There he served in several of the early Indian wars, as did also his son, Jacob Keller. Jacob Keller was married in Kentucky to Miss Mary M. Rice, formerly of Maryland, and became a large farmer and also ex- tensively interested in distilling. He died in Jessamine county, at an advanced age, in 1824. James M., the subject of this sketch, was the third in the family of children. He was born in Jessamine county, Ky., October 13, 1809, and was reared in his native county, with farming experience and at work in the distillery. However, after his father's death he learned the gunsmith's and blacksmith's trades, continuing to work at that in Kentucky for about eight years. Feb- ruary 27, 1833, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Dillingham, a daughter of Henry H. Dillingham of Madison county, that State. Three years later Mr. Keller removed to Missouri, and opened a shop at Liberty, where he soon secured a large custom as a gunsmith and blacksmith. He continued at work in his shop until about 1857, when he bought land about three miles northeast of Liberty, to which he removed, engaging there in farming. Ever since that time he has been actively identified with farming and for many years past has been engaged in stock raising. Mr. Keller has a small herd of fine short- horn cattle, which class of stock he is making a specialty of breed- ing and raising for the markets, and in which he has had good success. Mr. and Mrs. K. have three children, namely : Mary E., wife of James G. Adkinson of Kansas City; Pauline, a widow of Thomas J. Harper, deceased ; Mrs. H. being now a resident of Liberty, and herself the mother of three children; and Amanda B., wife of D. K. Bogie, who resides on the Keller homestead, and is interested in the farming and stock business of the place. He is a native of Ken- tucky and a brother to Dr. Bogie, of Kansas City. He and wife have three children: Marcus, Keller and Mary H. Mr. Keller is a man who has led a life of industry and strict integrity and has brought to him and to the retirement of old age the esteem of all who know him.
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