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 55

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 55
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 55

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.

proved. In the matter of religious conviction Mr. Barnes is a disciple of Nature, believing that the only true idea of God is to be formed from the visible manifestations of His works, in the beauty and har- mony and order of Nature. He is entirely content to let sectarians differ and contend over written creeds, whilst he looks up and does reverence and honor to the majestic God of the Universe, regardless of bibles, korans and all the other books that have been prepared in the distant past for the guidance of the highest and best interests of humanity.

JUDGE JOHN BROADHURST

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, and Judge of the County Court, Post-office, Acme).

The Broadhurst family were early settlers in Western Missouri. The Judge's parents, John Broadhurst, Sr., and wife, whose maiden name was Mary Teemer, came to this State away back in 1816. They were from North Carolina, and on coming here first located in Howard county. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and he fol- lowed his trade at Old Franklin for about eight years .. But in 1824 he pushed on up the river with his family, and made his permanent home in Clay county. Here he followed blacksmithing for some years, but finally turned his attention to farming. He became a substantial farmer and stock-raiser of the county. He had served under Gen. Jackson in the War of 1812, and in his old age drew a pension on account of his services. He died on his homestead in this county in 1876, at an advanced age. His wife preceded him to the grave in 1875. At the time of her death they had been married 65 years, having been married in Buncombe county, N. C., in 1810. Six children were the fruits of their married life, all of whom lived to be grown, and two of whom are still living. Judge Broadhurst was born in this county, October 24, 1826. He was reared to the occupation of farming and stock-raising. This he adopted as his permanent calling after he grew up, and has been fairly successful in his chosen pursuit. Judge Broadhurst is comfortably situated. He has a good farm well stocked and well improved. On the 10th of October, 1844, he was mar- ried to Miss Melinda D. Faubion, a daughter of Rev. Jacob Faubion, an early settler of this county. The Judge and wife have had 11 children, eight of whom are living : James H., Sarah F., wife of A. F. Tetton ; Martha A., wife of John A. Holt ; Thomas H., John R., Ruth I., George W. and Mary H. Mary A., Cynthia E. and Franklin S. are deceased. The Judge and his family are members of the M. E. Church South. In 1860 Judge Broadhurst was elected to the office of justice of the peace, the duties of which he discharged for four years. Eight years afterwards he was elected a member of the county court, and held that office for six years. . In 1882 he was re-elected to the county bench for a term of six years, and is now serving out his second term. He takes a commendable and public-spirited interest in the affairs of the county, and the fact that they are conducted on prin- ciples of business intelligence and economy, and are in an enviable

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

condition, is due to the close attention, efficiency and good judgment which characterize the official conduct of the members of its county court. Judge Broadhurst is a man of good business qualifications and high character, and is one of the highly esteemed citizens of the county.

DAVID T. BRONAUGH

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

Among the prominent agriculturists of Gallatin township may very properly be mentioned the subject of the present sketch. Mr. Bron- augh has an excellent stock farm of 320 acres, which is largely run in grass, but enough being reserved for grain to answer his purposes as a stock-raiser. He is a man of industry and enterprise and al- though he has hardly yet more than reached middle age, he has suc- ceeded, by his sterling qualities and good judgment as a business farmer, in coming to the front. Mr. Bronaugh was born in the county April 25, 1843. His parents were John and Hannah ( Morton ) Bron- augh, both from Kentucky. They came here in 1842. His father was a man of considerable business prominence. In Kentucky he was cashier of a bank for some years. He then went to Louisville, and for a time was connected with one of the leading wholesale grocery houses of that city. After coming to Missouri he gave his entire time and attention to farming and stock-raising. He died here in 1883. His wife is still living. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, as she still is. They have five children, but David T. is the only one living. He was reared on the farm in this county, and in 1861 en- listed in the Southern army under Gen. Price, continuing in the ser- vice until the close of the war. He was in nearly all the battles in which his command took part, including those of Springfield, Mo., and Corinth, Miss. After the war Mr. Bronaugh returned home and engaged in farming and raising stock, which he has continued ever since. In 1871 he was married to Miss Mary Newler, a daugh- ter of E. M. and Jane Newler. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Christian Church. They have two children, John and Newler.

CHARLES W. BUSTER

(Farmer, Post-office, Blue Eagle).

Mr. Buster has a good farm of 480 acres, well improved and well stocked. He is engaged in both general farming and raising stock, and is one of the enterprising farmers and highly respected citizens of Gallatin township. Like most of the older residents of this part of the county, he is of Kentucky parentage. His parents, James J. and Lucy D.(Younger) Buster, came to Missouri from Kentucky away back in 1820. They first located in Howard county, but in a short time settled in Clay county. However, it should be said by way of correction of the above that the father, James J. Buster, came to this county in 1822. He married Miss Younger, who had pre- viously come out with her parents, November 25, 1824, in Clay

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

- county. They had eleven children, three of whom are living. The father died in April, 1851; the mother in 1876. She was a mem- ber of the Primitive Baptist Church. Charles W. was born Febru- ary 26, 1833, in Clay county. He was reared on his father's farm in this county, where he followed farming and handling stock until 1853, when he went to California. There he was engaged in mining for two years. Returning then to Clay county, he resumed farming and stock raising. For four years preceding 1863. he was mer- chandising at Kearney, but since then has given his undivided atten- tion to farming. December 23, 1851, he was married to Miss Georgia A., a daughter of John and Harriet Minter. Mr. and Mrs. Buster have had ten children, eight of whom are living: Harriet E., Charles E., James R. (deceased), Helen, John, Lucy, Mattie, Emma, Bradley (deceased ) and Lillie.

WILLIAM C. CAMPBELL (Farmer, Post-office, Harlem).

Mr. Campbell is a native of Kentucky, born in Madison county, March 22, 1820. His father, also named William, was a Virginian by nativity, and came from Bedford county, that State, when a boy with his parents to Madison county, Ky., in 1789. He there grew up and was married to Miss Elizabeth Snoddy, and in 1834 they came to Missouri and settled in Clay county. He was an energetic farmer and was for a number of years magistrate of his township. He died here in 1859. His wife died in 1857. They had nine children. Six lived to be grown but only two are now living. William C. Campbell was 14 years of age when his parents came to this county. He was brought up to the occupation of farming and handling stock, which he has followed ever since. In 1851 he was married to Miss Amanda, a daughter of William and Amelia Evans. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have had three children, but William C. is the only one living. The others were Ella and Emma. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Campbell is still living on the home- stead which his father improved on coming to this county. It is a good place of 560 acres, well improved, including a substantial brick house.

DAN CARPENTER

(Dealer in General Merchandise, Barry, Mo.).

Dan Carpenter was born at Hanging Rock, Lawrence county, Ohio, March 7, 1825, and received what education he could get in the common schools of his native and adopted State. At the age of 18 years he emigrated with his parents to Clinton county, Mo., in 1843. In 1845 he was established in merchandising at Randolph, Clay county, Mo., with his elder brother, Amos Carpenter. In 1847 he removed to Barry, in the same county, where he has continued in mercantile pursuits until the present. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California with an ox-train of merchandise. Selling most of his

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

goods in Salt Lake City, he arrived in Placerville, California, the 22d of September, just five months from his departure - as many months as it now requires days to make the same trip. Returning to Missouri in 1851, via Panama and New Orleans, he re-engaged in merchandising with a reasonable degree of success, and has won for himself a good reputation for fair, honest and honorable dealing. In merchandising, and buying and selling produce, he has had business frequently amount- ing to $50,000 per annum. In December, 1853, he was married to Miss Pauline Gash, daughter of Joseph D. and Eliza Gash, who was born in Buncombe county, N. C. While an infant her parents emi- grated to Missouri, settling in Clay county in 1832, and by industry and economy, became of easy circumstances. Her father died in 1851, and mother in 1865, both being substantial and influential mem- bers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Carpenter is an estimable Christian lady, and prominent in every good work for the promotion of the interests of society, and especially for the good of the young, having been a prominent Sabba thschool teacher for thirty years, and an instructor of young ladies in music. In 1859 Mr. C. professed faith in Christ, united with, and was soon made an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which office he still holds. In 1860 he was elected a superintendent of a Sabbath school, which position he still occupies, and has seen over 150 of his pupils united to the church. Has been postmaster at Barry, with two intermissions of about four years, since 1852, serving under every administration from Franklin Pierce to Chester A. Arthur, and hopes to be honored by a continuance under Mr. Cleveland, of whom he was an ardent ad- mirer and earnest supporter - being thoroughly Democratic in every political sentiment, unless in being a prohibitionist in principle and practice for over thirty years, he differs with the principles of that party. Believing its principles to be misunderstood, he holds to the party that has ever advocated " the greatest good to the greatest number." In 1866 he began improving, and in 1869 moved upon a good farm of 160 acres, and engaged in fruit raising and general agriculture, having one of the largest orchards in the county.

His chief endeavor is to promote the glory of God and influence his friends to become Christians, and no weather hinders the attendance of himself and wife upon the means of grace or their work in the Sab- bath school. For many years he has been an occasional correspond- ent of his county, church and agricultural papers, discussing with freedom all questions of public, religious and agricultural interest. His father, William Carpenter, was a native of Harrison county, Va., born in 1792, whose father was a Methodist minister, and his mother, Hannah Clark, daughter of Samuel Clark, was born in Spottsylvania county, same State, 1798. Wm. Carpenter was a merchant by occu- pation and surveyor by profession ; was prominent in the affairs of Lawrence county, O., where he came at an early age with his parents ; was colonel of a regiment of Ohio militia, at that time more honor- able than now, and at one time represented his county in the Legisla- ture, but declined re-election to the "muddy pool of politics." He

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

belonged to the "minute men," and was called to the front in the War of 1812. After his death his widow received a pension on account of his services, he persistently refusingto apply for it during his lifetime, declaring the Government needed the money worse than he did. How isit at the present day ? Every thing that can swear or prove the loss of a hair or toe-nail is clamoring to be hung on the pension list. During the late unpleasantness he moved from his ele- gant home in Chester county to Leavenworth City, Kas., on account of his attachment to the Union. After the "cruel war was over" he moved to Weston, Platte county, Mo., where he died in 1873 at the age of 82 years. At one time he had amassed a considerable fortune for that day, before millionaires had become thick as blackberries, but the ravages of war swept a large part of it away. He was a man of large experience, a logical mind, a close thinker and was thoroughly informed in history, science, mechanics, morals, politics and religion, and in his seventy-fifth year was admitted to the bar as a practitioner of law in the Platte County Circuit Court. Mrs. C., his wife, was a pious, Godly woman, who attended strictly to household duties and made home happy as only such mothers can do. She died in peace with God and man in 1882, in the eighty-fourth year of her age. The subject of this sketch enjoys the confidence of his friends and neighbors to an almost unlimited degree, and in the absence of min- isters has held funeral services for about 100 of his neighbors, and their children who have gone the way of all the earth, offering them the consolations of the gospel of Christ, shedding the tear of sympathy with them over the " loved and lost" and assuring them of a " glori- ous resurrection," and a happy home beyond on the golden shore, where friends and loved ones meet to part no more. His prayer is that whether he lives long or dies soon, he may be found doing the Master's will and be ready for the call "Come up higher." With him and his good wife, their highest aspirations are

"To serve the present age Their calling to fulfill. May it all their powers engage To do their Master's will."

SAMUEL DOOLEY

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, and Justice of the Peace, Post-office, Barry).

'Squire Dooley came to this county from Kentucky in 1866. He had been reared in Montgomery county, in that State, and made it his home until he left Kentucky, now nearly 20 years ago. However, during the war he was away in the Southern service about three years. He enlisted in 1862 and most of the time was under Gen. John Mor- gan, the great cavalry leader of the war. On coming to this county 'Squire Dooley resumed farming and stock-raising, which he had pre- viously followed in Kentucky. He has a good farm of 120 acres, which is well improved. On the 9th of September, 1858, he was married to Miss Mary F. Wallen, a daughter of Isaac and America

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Wallen, both of early and respected families in Kentucky. The 'Squire and wife have three children: America B., Amelia J. and Georgia. Both parents are members of the Christian Church. He was elected to his present office, that of judicial magistrate, bailiwick of Gallatin, in 1882. He has made an efficient and upright magistrate and has administered justice to all whose causes have been heard in his court with an even, impartial hand. 'Squire D. was born in Clark county, Ky., February 14, 1837. His father, a farmer by occupa- tion, died in Nicholas county, that State, in 1883. His mother, who was a Miss Rebecca Scohee before her marriage, is still living. It is a remarkable fact that all their ten children are also still living.

WASHINGTON W. DREW (Farmer, Post-office, Barry).

Mr. Drew was born in Todd county, Ky., July 1, 1826. He was reared in his native county up to the age of 17 when his parents re- moved to Clay county, Mo. Here he grew to manhood and at the age of 20 enlisted for the Mexican War under Col. Doniphan. Young Drew was with Doniphan throughout his campaign across the plains through New Mexico and down beyond the further shore of the Rio Grande, to Old Mexico. After a service of something over a year he was honorably discharged and came home to Clay county, where he remained for about three years. But in 1850 he joined the general exodus of adventurous Argonauts from this part of the country to the Pacific coast and made the journey across the plains and through the devious canons of the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Drew did not rush back like a great many who hardly waited as long as a calf would from its mother before starting home again. He resolutely braved the perils and hardships of a miner's life in the wilderness for years and worked like a Trojan, as the seasons came and went, delving deep down into the bowels of the earth and beneath the rock-ribbed moun- tains of the Pacific slope for the treasures hid there for centuries be- fore the ark reached a haven on the heights of Mount Ararat. He re- mained in California for about 15 years, principally engaged in min- ing, and then returned to his old home in Clay county. While there he passed the period of life, when men usually take unto themselves a wife, and having safely escaped through the channel of matrimony up to middle age, he has ever since succeeded in continuing in a state of single blessedness. Mr. Drew is a farmer by occupation and has been engaged in farming ever since his return to Clay county. He has a well improved farm of about 200 acres. Mr. D. is a man well respected in the community, an energetic, good farmer and a worthy citizen.

LEWIS ELLIOTT

(Farmer, Post-office, Barry).

Mr. Elliott still resides in the county of his birth and where he was reared and received his education. The latter was obtained princi- 1

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

pally in the district schools of the neighborhood in which he was brought up. He was reared to a farm life, and thus acquired that taste for agricultural pursuits which subsequently influenced him to make farming his permanent calling. Among all the occupations he prefers the free and independent and manly pursuit of a farmer. He has a good home of 160 acres, which is well stocked and substantially improved. Mr. Elliott is an industrious farmer, and a man of good standing in the community. He was born on his father's homestead in this county in 1847. His parents, Zachary and Margaret ( Endi- cot ) Elliott, were both originally from Kentucky, and came here in an early day. His mother, however, was a descendant of the old Endi- cot family of Massachusetts, who came over in an early day to that colony. Representatives of the family subsequently settled in Penn- sylvania, and thence in Kentucky. Mr. Elliott's father was a farmer and house carpenter, but in the latter years of his life followed farming pretty much altogether. He died in 1862, the mother preceding him to the grave in 1853. They had a family of four children, Lewis Elliott being now the only one living. During the war he served a short time in the Southern army, his service ex- tending through the last year of the war, although he was but 16 years of age. In 1868, September 8, he was married to Miss Adeline A. Williams, a daughter of Edward and Frances Williams. The chil- dren, the fruits of their married life, are : Edward, James, Margaret, Hattie G. and Arthur. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are members of the Christian Church.

JAMES C. EVANS (Farmer, Post-office, Harlem).

Mr. Evans' grandfather, John Evans, was one of the first five householders who settled in Clay county with their families in 1820. He was from Madison county, Ky., and on first coming to this State resided for two years in Howard county. In 1829 he removed with his family to Clinton county, being one of the first settlers of that county. He died there in 1840. William B. Evans, the father of the subject of this sketch, was 12 years of age when his pa- rents came to Howard county from Kentucky. Thence he went with them to Clay county, and with them from Clay to Clinton county in 1829. The following year, however, he crossed .the river into Jack- son county, where Kansas City now stands: There he met and was married to Miss Amelia McGee, a daughter of James H. and Eleanor McGee. That was in 1830, and the same year Mrs. Evans ( his wife) had 80 acres of land set apart to her by her father from the family homestead, the same 80 now forming a part of Dundee place. Mr. Evans settled on this with his young wife, and made it their home for a number of years. The ownership of the land continued in Mrs. Evans' name until two years ago, when the title was transferred to the Dundee Company. Mr. Evans was one of the founders of Kansas City. He established the first ferry there. He helped to survey and

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

plat the place and bought the first lots sold. He early built a house of entertainment down at the ferry, and what is now the foot of Main street, where many and many a traveler stopped in those early days when on their way to and from the great West. He also had a large warehouse and storage buildings. He died at Kansas City in 1855. His wife, however, is still living, at the advanced age of 72. They had 10 children, five of whom are living, including the subject of this sketch. James C. Evans was born on the present site of Kansas City, April 25, 1833. He was reared in Jackson county, and given a good com- mon school education. November 15, 1860, he was married in Clay county to Miss Elizabeth Campbell, a daughter of Samuel W. and Mary Campbell, early settlers of this county. The following year Mr. Evans removed to Clay county and settled on the farm where he now resides. He has been a resident of the county ever since. Mr. Evans has made himself one of the substantial citizens and successful farmers of the county. His home place is a fine farm of 250 acres, on which he has a handsome brick residence, built at a cost of $12,000. Mr. Evans is an active member of the Grange, and has been a member of that organization since it was first established in this county. He takes a warm interest in the welfare of the order. He is also one of the leading horticultur- ists of the West, and is now president of the State Horticultural So- ciety. April 11, 1882, Mr. Evans had the misfortune to lose his wife. She left him eight children at her death. She was an earnest member of the Christian Church.

FRANK GARDNER

(Owner and Proprietor of the Capitol Mills, Moscow).

These mills, one of the leading flouring, grist and saw mills of the county, were erected by Mr. Gardner and John T. Ricketts, as partner- ship owners and proprietors, in 1870. Since then Mr. Gardner has become sole owner and the mills have been greatly enlarged and im- proved. Originally they included no saw-mill plant, but this has since been added. The entire mills were remodeled in 1882 and the new process was introduced. Altogether they now form a desirable and valuable piece of mill property. The flour capacity of the mills is 75 barrels every 24 hours. The flour manufactured at the Capitol Mills has made its way into popular favor by its own merits and is now in good demand wherever it has been used. Mr. Gardner is a thorough miller and as careful of the reputation of the mills, particularly of the class of work it does, both in the manufacture of breadstuff and of lumber, as he is of his own good name. Hence he never allows his trade-mark or brand to appear on any goods without he knows they are exactly what they are represented to be Mr. Gardner was primari- ally of Kentucky, born in Nelson county, May 2, 1835. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Brown ) Gardner, his father originally from Virginia. He came out to. Kentucky in an early day, and was an energetic farmer and trader in general produce in Nelson county. He

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

died there in 1873. The mother died April 15, 1839. The father had been previously married, his first wife's maiden name being Annie Brown, a sister to his second wife. She died March 25, 1834. Three children by the second wife are living, including the subject of this sketch. He was reared on the farm up to the age of 20. He then began at the miller's trade, building and running mills, at which he has continued ever since. Mr. Gardner came to Missouri in 1866 and located in Clay county. He was married in Louisville, Ky., April 5, 1865. His wife was a Miss Kate Montgomery, a daughter of Raymond and Hettie Montgomery. Mr. and Mrs. G. have had seven children, five living : Fannie, Vernon, Benjamin, Katie and Lena. Ernest and Hubert, twins, are deceased. Mrs. Gardner is a member of the Catholic Church. She was born in Washington county, Ky., June 28, 1845.

M. LEE GASH

(Farmer, Post-office, Barry).

M. Lee Gash, son of Jos. D. and Eliza Gash, was born in Clay county, Mo., May 20, 1845. He received his education in the common schools of the county and attended one term at a well known college, in Jacksonville, Ill. His father and mother were natives of Buncombe county, N. C., and in 1832 emigrated west and settled in Gallatin township, Clay county, Mo., spending their days on the farm they first owned ; they had a family of seven children, six of whom are still living. 'Squire Gash was an active, energetic business man, accumu- lating what was in that day considered quite a little fortune, mostly landed estate. Prominent in all objects of public good, he served as a justice of the peace for many years. He and his wife were faithful, earnest members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He died in the vigor of manhood in 1851. His widow surviving him, contin- ued all the business, especially farming, in which he was engaged, training her children for usefulness and in all Christian virtuec, and died surrounded by them in June, 1865, trusting in a crucified Savior for resurrection and eternal life. M. Lee Gash was reared on the home farm, trained to agriculture and stock-raising, and has been suc- cessful as a rising man in his community. He has a warm heart and a home open to the needy, is an exemplary member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and labors for the advancement of Christianity unfalteringly. November 6, 1876 he was married to Miss Mary A. Sparks, daughter of Henry and Sarah Sparks, formerly of Kentucky. Henry Sparks, after a life spent in the church, died December 31, 1884, leaving a widow in poor health, with a well founded hope of soon meeting him who has gone before, where partings never come. This marriage has been productive of two children : Dellie C. and Henry Hill. Mr. G. has a fine farm of 240 acres, well improved and stocked with fine cattle, sheep, hogs and horses, with a prospect of a long, happy and prosperous career, enjoying the respect and confidence of all who know him. His wife is an excellent lady, a cheerful and

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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