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 49

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 49
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 49

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BENJAMIN A. ATCHISON

(Farmer and Fine Stock Raiser, Post-office, Kearney).

Mr. Atchison is engaged in the same pursuit which his father, William Atchison, made a life occupation. His father was a very successful farmer, and was one of the first men of Clay county who introduced the breeding and raising of fine stock. He became a large landholder, and at one time owned over 1,500 acres of choice lands in the county. Mr. Atchison, Sr., was twice married. His first wife was a Miss Catherine Baker. She left him six children at her death : David R., James B., William, Lewis C., Catherine and Mary. His second wife, who is still living, and the mother of the subject of this sketch, with whom she makes her home, was a Miss Sarah Robertson. There were two children by this marriage: James F., the other one besides Benjamin A., died in March, 1882. The father died in 1871. He was a brother of Hon. David R. Atchison, ex-United States Sena- tor from this State, and for whom Atchison county, Mo., was named. In July, 1881, Benjamin A. Atchison was married to Miss Ella Lee Trumbo, a daughter of John A. and Ora Trumbo, formerly of Wood- ford county, Ky. Mr. and Mrs. A. have two children : James F. and Ora Lee. Mr. Atchison's farm contains 260 acres.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

DAVID M. BEVINS

(Retired Farmer, Stock-raiser and Mechanic, Post-office, Kearney).

Mr. Bevins, now (February, 1885, ) just past the age of 80 years, has been a resident of Clay county for nearly 60 years, and has been closely and usefully identified with the history of the county throughout all this time. He was born in Madison county, Ky., January 17, 1805, and was the eldest in his parents' family of 12 children. They were pioneer settlers of that county. When in his seventeenth year his father sent him to Missouri to enter land for the family, and begin the improvements of a farm. He came here horseback in 1821, and after leaving the settlements in the eastern part of this State he found the country so sparsely populated that several days he rode from dawn until nightfall on the main route of travel without passing even a soli- tary house. Mr. Bevins came to what is now Gallatin township, in Clay county, and entered a tract of 160 acres in the timber. That winter he cleared eight acres, and the following spring put in a small crop, building, in the meantime, a comfortable log cabin. He also entered an additional 160 acres, and in the summer of 1822 his pa- rents, Truman and Annie Bevins, with their family of children, came out from Kentucky. He continued with the family two years longer, and then went out for himself to work with a whip saw, the day of circular saws not yet having dawned in this part of the country. He sawed lumber for several years, and furnished the lumber for the first business house ever erected at Liberty. In a short time he also took up the carpenter trade, and followed contracting and build- ing for several years. He built the old arsenal building at Liberty away back in 182 -. In 1830 Mr. Bevins was married to Miss Hulda C., a daughter of James Riley, who came out from Fayette county, Ky., in 1828. In the meantime he had entered and bought consider- able land, and soon turned his attention to farming and stock-raising, at which he was very successful. He raised and handled all kinds of farm stock - horses, mules, cattle, hogs, sheep, etc., -and is still interested in farming and stock-raising. From time to time Mr. Bevins continued to add to his landed estate, until it aggregated over 5,000 acres, all choice land, specially selected by him. He and his good wife, however, have reared a large family of children, and in providing for them they have been very liberal. Mr. Bevins has divided his lands among his children until he now has only about 1,000 acres left. Of these 807 acres are in the family homestead. As these facts show Mr. Bevins has been abundantly successful in the affairs of life, and has an ample competency. Although now past 80 years of age, one would hardly take him to be more than 65, and he still takes an active interest in the conduct of his farm. He is making a specialty of sheep, and has a fine stock of 300 head. Mr. and Mrs. Bevins have reared a family of nine children, namely : Harriet, the wife of John S. Martin, deceased ; Mary A., the wife of Hon. E. C. Cook, ex-representative of Clinton county ; Oliver P.,

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

David R., who was killed in the Southern army, at the battle of Franklin, Tenn. ; Thomas T., of Clinton county ; James, Alice, wife of Cass Atchison, nephew of Gen. Atchison, and Riley E. Three others died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Christian Church. The family of Mr. B.'s parents were David M., Walker W., Tyra T., Malinda, Minerva, Mary Ann, Martha, Margaret and America. Malinda married a Mr. Hudson ; Minerva married a Mr. Merryman ; Mary Ann married a Mr. Karey ; Martha married a Mr. Cain ; America married a Mr. Reed, and Margaret married a Mr. Ad- kins. All except Tyra are living,

GEORGE E. BISHOP

(Butcher and Dealer in Country Produce, Kearney).

Mr. Bishop is a native of England, born in Kent county March 24, 1838. He was the eldest in a family of ten children of Edward and Eliza (Ditton) Bishop, both of old English families. His father died there in 1871 in his sixty-first year, but his mother is still living, a resident of England. Nine of their family of children are also still living. Mr. Bishop, the subject of this sketch, is the only one in this country. He was reared in Kent county and brought up to the occu- pation of raising sheep, which his father followed. He received an ordinary school education, and at the age of 27 years began keeping a public inn, or tavern as we use to call them in this country, now de- nominated hotel, as it sounds more fastidious and Frenchy. He followed that business for five years, or until he came to the United States in 1871. In this country he at once located at Kearney, and for a time was engaged as a laborer, doing also, however, some- thing in the line of trading in stock. In 1878 he opened a butcher shop, which he has since carried on with success. For some years he has furthermore been engaged in handling country produce, buying all kinds of farm products commonly classed as produce, including butter and eggs, hides, etc., and shipping them to the wholesale markets. In 1869 Mr. Bishop was married to Miss Martha A. Frampton, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Frampton, of England. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop have five children : Ellen M., Bertha E., Fredie F., Edmond and Albert J. They have lost two, Katie, aged six years and ten months, and Emma, ten months old. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop are members of the Episcopalian Church. Mr. Bishop has a fine city residence ; also a small place of 30 acres, and makes a specialty of raising fine hogs and brown Leghorn chickens. His purpose is to give his entire attention to Durock Jersey-red hogs and brown Leg- horn chickens.

CHARLTON B. BURGESS

(Farmer and Breeder of Short Horn Cattle, Post-office, Kearney).

Among the younger agriculturists of the county who have become prominent in their calling, through their own efforts, is C. B. Bur- gess, comparatively a young man, now but thirty-six years of age.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

He was brought to Clay County, Mo., by his parents, while still in infancy, and grew up in this vicinity, attending, in common with sons of other farmers (for his father was a farmer) the common schools. He was favored, however, with more of an education than could there be obtained, attending for some time the Mount Gilead High School, where he received an excellent course of instruction. He had been born in Mason county, Ky., March 8, 1849. His father, Joseph V. Burgess, and his mother, Charity (Morris) Burgess, were Kentuck- ians by birth, and were reared and married in that State. They came to Clay county in 1850, and before the father died, November 24, 1858. The mother is yet living. They were both members of the Christian Church, as the mother still is. Charlton was the youngest of the three children in the family. On the 10th of November, 1874, Miss Margaret Anderson, daughter of Joseph D. and Mary Anderson ( whose maiden name was Young), of Clay county, became his wife. She was also a native of this county, and was educated at Mount Gilead High School. They have two children, Nora and Mary A. Mr. Burgess owns a farm of 210 acres, well improved, and in a good state of cultivation. He makes a specialty of the stock business, and particularly of short horns, and at this time has upon his place about 50 head of thorough bred short horn cattle. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.

JAMES COSTELLO

(Of Burnes & Costello, Dealers in Lumber, Etc., Kearney).

Nearly 35 years ago Michael Costello came to Missouri from Ireland, settling at Liberty, in Clay county, where he married Cath- arine Keatley. They made that place their permanent home, and the father, after a residence there of nearly 30 years, which was well occupied with useful industry, died December 15, 1868. He waas life-long member of the Catholic Church. The mother is still living, a resident of Liberty. Five of their children are living, namely : Mary, Katie, Annie, Nellie, and the subject of this sketch. Two others died in early years. James Costello was born at Liberty, February 3, 1856. His parents not being people of means, his educational advantages were quite limited. At the age of 12 he left school and was employed in different kinds of work for some time. In 1880 he was employed in the lumber business in Liberty, which he followed until early in 1883, when he formed a partnership with P. B. Burnes, under the name of Burnes & Costello, and engaged in the lumber business on their own account at Kearney. They carry a full line of lumber and all kinds of building material, and also lime, hair, doors, sash, blinds, mouldings, etc. Their experience has been quite successful in the lumber business and their trade, already a good one, is steadily increasing. Mr. Costello, who is of Irish ancestry, is a young man entitled to much credit for the energy and success with which he is making his way up in life. The qualities that have brought him to his present position in business, and as a respected,

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

useful citizen, at his present early age, will doubtless carry him for- ward through the long years before him to a much more advanced station in life.

JOSEPHUS COURTNEY

(Farmer, Post-office, Kearney).

The subject of this sketch was the youngest of the family of chil- dren referred to in the sketch of his brother, which is given elsewhere, where something of an outline of the history of the family has been given. Josephus Courtney was born in Clay county in 1844, and like his brother was brought up to a farm life. In 1868 he was married to Miss Nettie Arnold, daughter of J. B. Arnold, who came to this State from Kentucky in 1851, and after a residence of 10 years in Franklin county, removed to Clay county, where he now resides. Mrs. C.'s mother died here in 1863. Her father is still living, now a retired farmer, and formerly, for about nine years, justice of the peace. After his marriage Mr. Courtney continued in the occupation of farm- ing and also engaged in raising stock, in which he has ever since been interested. He has a good farm of 267 acres, principally a stock and grass farm. Mr. and Mrs. Courtney have six children : Ebba, Maggie N., Willie R., Rosa J., Robert B. and Melissa E. They have lost one, an infant. Mr. Courtney's farm is well improved, including a handsome two-story brick residence.

NATHAN E. CRAWFORD

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

The second in a family of 12 children, of Maj. Smith Crawford and wife, née Jane Reed, Nathan E. was born in this county on the 10th of September, 1830. His father, Major Crawford, was well known in an early day in this county. He came from Alabama here, but was a native of Tennessee. After coming to Missouri, he served with distinction in the Black Hawk War, and was major of a regiment of Missouri volunteers. He was also quite active and prominent in public affairs, and was suddenly taken off by death while on a campaigning tour. His death occurred before he could reach home, and his remains were interred at the cemetery, near his old homestead. His wife, to whom he was married in Alabama, survived him several years. Only four of their family of children are now living. Nathan E. was reared on the farm in this county, and in young manhood learned the carpenter's trade. He followed his trade for some years, but subsequently located on a farm, and finally turned his entire attention to farming. In 1881, however, he removed to Holt and engaged in merchandising, but two years later sold out and returned to his farm. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford have five. children : Smith, Hattie, wife of Robert Shackleford ; Andrew J., Lydia and Willis. They have lost three, Lutie and Mollie, at tender ages, and Mamie, at the age of 13 years. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are members of the Baptist Church.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

JOSEPH P. DITTO

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

On his father's side Mr. Ditto is a representative of a family that has been long settled in this country and has rendered valuable ser- vice in time of war as well as being worthily identified with affairs in times of peace. The family settled originally in Maryland and from that then colony William Ditto, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, enlisted under Washington in the War for Independence. He was engaged in that memorable struggle from the beginning until its close, for seven long years. His son, Abraham Ditto, the father of Joseph P., who early went to Kentucky, served in the War of 1812 from that State. His wife was a Miss Martha Foree, and both he and wife were natives of Baltimore. In the War of 1812 he held the rank of a commissioned officer and did valuable service for his country. The Ditto family is of Scotch descent, and came over to this country prior to the Revolution. Mr. Ditto's mother was a daughter of Joseph Foree, originally of Fairfax county, Virginia, and who also served in the War for Independence. The Forees are of French de- scent. Joseph Ditto was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, July 12, 1824. He was the fifth of twelve children, only three of whom are living. Reared on the farm in Kentucky, he remainded there until 1858, and then came to Missouri and located near Plattsburg, in Clin- ton county. The following year he was married to Miss Eliza A. Al- bright, a daughter of Daniel Albright, and in 1866 Mr. Ditto came to Clay county, buying a farm near Kearney, where he settled. He has ever since been engaged in farming and most of the time in trading in stock. He has a good farm of 100 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Ditto's family consists of Bettie, wife of J. N. Hunter ; Prior D., Florence, Erasmus, Lego, Corda, Prentice and Daniel. Three are deceased, two in childhood, and William L., a young man grown, in the spring of 1884. Mr. Ditto is a member of the M. E. Church South. Mrs. D. is a member of the Christian Union.

JAMES W. EASTIN (Farmer and Fine Stock Raiser, Kearney).

In the matter of fine horses, at least for saddle and driving pur- poses, Kentucky has the reputation for pre-eminence, not only in this country but in Europe. There the breeding and training of fine riding and driving stock was early made a favorite pursuit with farm- ers and others, which they have ever since followed. Thus they not only succeeded in developing the finest horses in their line to be found in any country, but built up a school of fine-stock men who are not surpassed in skill and judgment in any country. Take a : fine-horse Kentuckian anywhere and he stands in the front rank of professional fine-horse men.

Missouri has also attained some reputation as a producer of fine

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

saddle and driving horses as well as other fine stock. But what- ever name she has made for herself in this direction is very largely due to former Kentuckians, who, on coming and settling here, brought their taste for, and skill in, raising and training fine horses and other stock with them. This State has every advantage for the purpose, equal if not superior to the advantages of Kentucky ; and if our farm- ers would more generally turn their attention to this branch of industry, they would doubtless soon make the State a rival of the Blue Grass Commonwealth, a consummation devoutly to be wished by every Missourian who feels any pride in the fame of his State. See- ing, however, that our people do not take the interest in this pursuit they should, we ought to feel only the more grateful to the few among us who do, the worthy, true sons of Kentucky, who, having made homes in this State, are ambitious to make her fame equal to that of their mother commonwealth.

Prominent among Missourians from Kentucky who have virtually devoted their whole lives to the fine-stock interests of this State, par- ticularly to breeding and training fine horses, is the subject of the present sketch, a fine horse raiser, who has done his full share toward placing Missouri in the front rank of fine-stock States. Nor has any- one, even in Kentucky, more reason to feel proud of the record he has made in his branch of industry than Mr. Eastin. He has pro- duced stock whose fame has circled the earth. One of his horses, the celebrated " White Stocking " breed, raised and trained by him in this county, he sold to Dr. Wallace, of New York City, for $10,000 in spot cash. Other horses which have attained a wide reputation have been bred and brought up by him; among fine-horse men in this State he stands second to none, either in point of success, good judg- ment in passing upon the qualities of a horse or skill in training him. Mr. Eastin has a fine-stock farm of 400 acres near Kearney, one of the finest places in the county, devoted exclusively to this purpose. His place is run almost entirely in blue grass, divided up into con- venient pastures and arranged with rare good judgment for handling stock. Its barns and other outbuildings are of a superior class, and in addition he has a handsome, tastily built and imposing two-story brick dwelling, containing ten rooms, a very picture of a home for a successful farmer and stock-raiser. However, he owns good prop- erty in Kearney, including his residence, as well as other dwellings, business houses, etc., and makes his home here as a matter of con- venience in posting himself daily in regard to the markets and in communication with stock men at other points by mail and telegraph. He rides out to his fine-stock farm nearly every day to see his stock and attend to the place.

As has been said, Mr. Eastin is a Kentuckian by nativity, born in Madison county, November 22, 1820. Reared in Kentucky, he was married in that State in 1846 to Miss Kezia Bishop, a daughter of John Bishop, a fine stock raiser of Madison county. Afterwards, in 1851, Mr. Eastin came to Missouri and located for a short time in Platte county, where he engaged in farming. But in 1851 he came

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

to Kearney, then known as Centreville, where he carried on the business of handling fine horses and dealing in stock generally, in connection with a livery stable. He also owned and conducted a general store at this place. Handling fast horses, however, he made a specialty, and his livery stable was run more as being advantageous to his stock business than with any other object in view. He also carried on a stock farm in connection with his stock business. Mr. Eastin bought his present large stock farm near Kearney in 1876.

Considering that he is advancing well along in years, he is a man of wonderful energy and activity, and seems to be as warm and enthusi- astic in the stock business as would ordinarily be expected of a man in the meridian of life. Nevertheless, he is aware that in the usual course of nature he must in a few years more retire from active life, and he is wisely shaping his affairs with that object in view. But he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has an ample competence for old age and has made a name as a fine stock raiser which he can contemplate in retirement without regret, to say the least.

In 1877 Mr. Eastin had the misfortune to lose his devoted and good wife by death. She had been a member of the Christian Church for many years. Two sons of their family of children are living, Frank W. and William H.

Subsequently Mr. Eastin was married to Miss Anna D. Burgess, of Clinton county, a daughter of O. B. Burgess, formerly of Mason county, Ky. By his present wife Mr. Eastin has two children, John R. and Walden J.

Mr. Eastin is a worthy member of the Masonic Order. His parents were Reuben J. and Nancy Eastin, who settled permanently in Clay county of this State, from Kentucky, in 1851. Both are deceased. Six of their children are living.

J. C. ENGLAND

(Grocer and Member of the Town Council, Kearney).

Mr. England was one in a family of twelve children of Capt. James and Nancy ( Campbell ) England, of Garrard county, Ky. The father, however, was originally from Virginia. He was a carpenter and farmer by occupation, and died in 1856 at the age of 74. The mother survived up to January, 1884, until her ninety-second year. She had been a member of the M. E. Church for over 60 years. Eight of their family of children are living. John C. England was born in Garrard county, Ky., March 24, 1825, and was reared in Kentucky. At the age of 17 he began to learn the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for a period of twenty years. In 1855 Mr. England came to Grundy county, Mo., but not liking the country he returned to Kentucky. He followed blacksmithing up to 1862, when he began merchandising in the grocery line in Garrard county. In this he con- tinued for twenty years, and then came to Kearney, Mo., and estab- lished his present business here. He keeps an excellent stock of goods, and has a good trade. In 1884 he was elected a member of the

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

town council, and is now serving out his term as a member of the council. In 1849 Mr. England was married to Miss Amanda Smith, a daughter of Jacob Smith, a merchant of Mercer county, Ky. They have five children : Thompson A., wife of Mundy Curd, a farmer of Kentucky ; James W., Alice S., Warren H., in Chicago, and John C., a clerk in a store at Chillicothe. They have lost two children in childhood.

AMBROSE S. GARRETT

(Of Wilhoit, Garrett & Co., Dealers in General Merchandise, Holt).

Mr. Garrett was partly educated at William Jewell College, where he took a course of several terms after quitting the common schools. Havingbeen reared to farm life he continued at that after leaving col- lege until the spring of 1884, when he came to Holt, and became a member of the present firm. He is well respected as a business man and otherwise at Holt, and has a favorable outlook for a successful business experience. His father resides on a farm near this place, and Mr. Holt, Jr., is still interested in farming with his father, and also to some extent in raising stock. Mr. Garrett was reared in Clay county, though born in Kentucky, March 12, 1848, in Shelby county, that State. His parents, William P. and Angeline (Stone) Garrett, removed to Missouri with their family in 1853, locating where the father now resides, near Holt. The mother died in 1877. A short time before his mother's death Mr. Garrett, Jr., was married in this county to Miss Ella Wilhoit, a daughter of Thomas Wilhoit, a sub- stantial farmer and stock-raiser of Clay county. Mr. and Mrs. G. have three children : William G., Pearle H. and Agie. The parents are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.

THOMAS M. GOSNEY

(President of the Kearney Bank, Kearney, Mo.).

Thomas M. Gosney was born in Clark county, Ky., January 13, 1815, his father, Richard Gosney, being of German descent and his mother, Jane, née Lackey, of Irish ancestry, though both were Virgin- ians by birth. They were reared, educated and married in Clark county, Ky., and removed to Clay county, Mo., in 1845, where the mother died August 27, 1846. The senior Gosney then made his home with the subject of this sketch for seven years, after which he removed to Monroe county, Mo., where he was married a second time. He departed this life on the 16th of June, 1856. In early life he was a hatter by occupation, but during later years was engaged in farming. He was a member of the Old School Baptist Church, his wife having been connected with the Christian denomination. They were the par- ents of 15 children, six sons and nine daughters, 13 of whom lived to be grown; eleven were married, but only four are now living. Thomas M. Gosney was the seventh child in his father's family and, like his brothers, grew up upon the farm in his native county, receiv- ing only such education as could be received in the primitive common

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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