USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 26
USA > Missouri > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 26
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Amasa Samuel, married Jennie Walker, and died at Port Huron, Mich., 1919, where his remains are buried. Mr. Newberry died in 1873, and Mrs. Newberry died Oct. 26, 1921.
To the union of Edwin Franklin and Ella P. (Newberry) Darby the following children were born: Walter Newberry, mentioned later in this review; Helen, graduated from Cameron high school and was a student for a year at Monticello College in Illinois; Amasa Franklin, died at the age of 13 years; and Cornelia, attended school at Cameron and later was a student for two years in Central College for Women at Lexington.
Walter N. Darby is one of the energetic and successful business men of Cameron. He was born on March 11, 1886, and attended the public school. He later became a student in Missouri State University for a year, and then spent two years in the University of Michigan, where he studied electrical engineering. After he left school, Mr. Darby entered the auto- mobile business in Cameron in 1910, and has been engaged in that busi- ness ever since. In 1919 he founded the W. N. Darby Motor Company at 312 Walnut street. He has the agency for the Ford automobiles and tractors, carries a full line of accessories, and does all kind of automobile repair work. He employs nine men and the Darby Garage is one of the busiest places in the town.
Mr. Darby is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Lodge, belonging to the Blue Lodge and Chapter and Commandry at Cant- eron and the Shrine at St. Joseph. He is captain general of the Com- mandry. He is a member of the Elks at St. Joseph and of the Kappa Sigma fraternity at Ann Arbor, Mich. On April 4, 1922, Mr. Darby was elected an alderman of Cameron. He is a man of alert and keen business sense and a citizen of excellent repute. The Darby family has been widely known in Cameron and Clinton County for many years and has always been regarded as an asset to the town and the surrounding country.
Susan Z. (McCorkle) Harris, one of the prominent pioneer women of Cameron, was born one mile east of the present site of Cameron on Dec. 17, 1839.
Judge Elisha Cameron for whom the town of Cameron is named, was the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Harris. He came to Missouri in 1808 and settled in Howard County, later moving to Clay County. He died at Liberty.
Samuel McCorkle, father of Mrs. Harris, came from Christian County, Ky., and located in Clay County, Mo., in 1815. He came to Clinton County
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in 1837, where he became one of the prominent men of his time. He was an extensive slave holder, and owned 1,000 acres of land adjoining the site of Cameron. Soon after he located in Clinton County, he erected a four-room, one and one-half story log house, the largest and most preten- tious home in the community at that time. The rooms were large and there was a huge stone chimney at each end of the residence. The site of the old homestead is now a part of the place owned by John Barry. The only neighbors that the McCorkle family had in those early days were: Ned Smith, living four miles northwest of the McCorkle farm, and John Richey, living one-half mile to the east. Samuel McCorkle gave the site of the City Park to the town of Cameron. The city has erected a foun- tain in the park and a picture of the fountain is to be had in this volume. Mr. McCorkle believed most heartily in the future possibilities of the devel- opment of Cameron. He was a man of marked ability and a citizen of the greatest worth. He died in 1856 and his remains are buried in the McDaniel Cemetery. His widow died in 1888, and her remains are buried by those of her husband.
To Samuel McCorkle's union with Miss Cameron the following chil- dren were born: Susan Z., the subject of this sketch; Frank, deceased; A. J., died in Montana, was married to Sarah Stokes, who is also dead; Elizabeth, now dead, was married to Maj. O. P. Newberry, also dead, and some children who died in infancy.
Mrs. Harris recollects happenings in the town of Cameron ever since its founding in 1856. In those early days some of the friendly Indians came to Missouri to hunt in the Grand River district, and on their return trip to Kansas they always stopped at the McCorkle home for apples. The Indians liked the red apples and Mr. McCorkle always saw to it that there was a goodly supply of that variety of apples ready for his Indian friends. Joseph Smith, the Mormon leader, came through this part of Missouri and Mr. McCorkle knew him quite well. The McCorkles traded at Plattsburg, Lexington, and Kingston before Cameron became a trading point, and Mrs. Harris recalls well the trips her father made to Lexing- ton to Barter becon or homespun cloth for needed household supplies. One of Mrs. Harris' prized possessions is a coverlet, the pioneer "coverlid," made by her mother in 1845. In those early days, the present site of Cameron was covered with tall prairie grass, which grew so thick that one could scarcely ride through it, except by following the deer paths. The first child born in Cameron was Cornelia Newberry, daughter of O. P.
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Newberry and his wife, born in 1858. A little later that same year, Michael Adams was born, the first boy born in Cameron.
The town of Cameron suffered some vicissitudes in the very early days. Water was scarce and the first money made by a public sale of town lots, amounting to $640, was spent in digging public wells, but with- out striking water. The first well was the one now used by the Russell Lumber Company on Chestnut street. The water was sold by Mrs. Pryor for 10 cents a bucket. The first physician to practice his profession at Cameron was Dr. J. F. King. He was also the first man to build a residence in the town. Dr. King moved the house from the McCorkle farm to the present site of the North Side public school.
Susan Z. McCorkle married J. V. Harris, now deceased. To this union one son was born, Perry S., born on Jan. 17, 1861. With the excep- tion of 15 years which he spent in the West, Mr. Harris has lived with his mother in Cameron. Mr. Harris' great uncle, Jack Harris, built and owned the Harris House at Westport Landing, Kansas City, Mo. The Harris House is preserved as an historical object by the Historical Society of Kansas City, Mo.
Susan Z. (McCorkle) Harris is one of the most interesting citizens of Cameron. Her many vivid recollections of the pioneer period of Clin- ton County are both entertaining and instructive. Her life has covered the most dramatic period of the growth of this part of Missouri. From the days of the hardy pioneers with their determined struggle for existence, through the turbulent years of the Civil War, and the trying days of read- justment that succeeded that war, Mrs. Harris has watched the county and the town grow. The story of such a life most fittingly belongs in this volume. Mrs. Harris is a member of the Christian Church.
J. Foster Poland, efficient city treasurer of Cameron, and a veteran of the World War, was born at Carrollton on Oct. 19, 1892, the son of J. W. and Jennie E. (Badger) Poland.
J. W. Poland is the proprietor of the Poland Furniture and Under- taking Company at Cameron and is one of the substantial business men of the city. He came to Cameron from Carrollton and established his present business. J. Foster Poland is connected with the firm.
J. Foster Poland graduated from the Cameron high school in 1912, and later was a student for four years is Missouri Wesleyan College, grad- uating from that institution in 1916. He entered the confectionery busi- ness and, on Sept. 17, 1917, enlisted for service in the World War. He
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was sent to Camp Funston, Kan., for training and sailed with Company F, 356th Regiment, 89th Division, on June 4, 1918. He was stationed first at Lafolle Grande, in France, for training, then was sent to the Toulle Sector on July 4, 1918. He took part in the engagement at St. Mihiel and later in the Argonne Forest movements. He was at the Officers' Training School when the armistice was signed, and received his commission as second lieutenant in February, 1919. He was detailed for special duty at the A. E. F. rifle meet. He arrived in the United States on July 28, 1919, after a service of more than 22 months. Since his return to Cameron he has been with his father in the furniture and undertaking business.
Mr. Poland is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Cameron. He also belongs to the Royal Arch, No. 67; to the Commandry, No. 21; and to the Shrine at St. Joseph. At the city election of April, 1922, he was elected to the office of treasurer. Mr. Poland is a man of alert and keen intelli- gence, an officer of integrity, and a highly respected citizen of Cameron.
S. D. Thompson, since 1896, the efficient president and manager of The Cameron Telephone Company at Cameron, Clinton County, was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, on Aug. 1, 1867, the son of Delos S. and Harriett N. (Davis) Thompson.
Delos S. Thompson and his wife came to Missouri in 1872 and located at .Osborn, where their son, S. D., was reared. Delos S. Thompson died at Cameron in 1916 and Mrs. Thompson died in 1921. The remains of both are buried at Osborn.
S. D. Thompson came to Cameron in 1886 as a clerk for the firm of Goodrich and Middaugh. He later became a partner of Mr. Goodrich in the grocery business. That relation was maintained for four years and then Mr. Thompson and his brother, J. M. Thompson, organized the Thompson Grocery Company, which has been a highly successful enter- prise ever since 1895, when it was launched by the two brothers. For the past 22 years, S. D. Thompson has been given his entire attention to the telephone business.
The Cameron Telephone Exchange, now known as The Cameron Tele- phone Company, was organized by Edgar C. Baker in July, 1896, with an exchange of 80 telephones all located within the town of Cameron. In October, 1896, S. D. Thompson became the manager and has held that position ever since. On Feb. 28, 1898, the business was incorporated under its present name with a capital stock of $10,000. Since that time the stock has been increased twice. In July, 1909, it was increased to
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CAMERON TELEPHONE COMPANY BUILDING
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HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES
$35,000, and in July, 1917, it was again increased to $75,000. The ex- change now handles 1,500 telephones, covering a radius of 14 miles from Cameron. The present home of the company was erected in 1918 at a cost of $20,000. It is a modern plant with a common battery switch- board costing $12,000, new instruments and equipment costing $8,000, cable construction inside of the city limits, and maintaining a force of 17 people regularly employed and five substitute operators. The exchange is one of the excellently equipped and efficiently managed places of that kind and has a record for effective and prompt service. The efficient man- agement of such public utilities is a mark, not only of ability, but also of high ideals of public service. Mr. Thompson merits much praise for his work in this connection.
S. D. Thompson was married on Jan. 15, 1890, to Miss Claudia F. Baker, a daughter of Marion P. and Carrie (Givens) Baker. Mr. Baker died in 1917, and his remains are buried in the Packard Cemetery.
Mrs. Baker lives with a daughter, Mrs. S. H. Hook, at Cameron. Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Thompson have one daughter, Kathleen M., now the wife of C. F. Adams, of Kansas City, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have two chil- dren, Jack and Bill.
Mr. Thompson is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Lodge and is identified with the Christian Church. For the past 12 years, he has been the superintendent of the Sunday School of that Church. He is the president of the Cameron Building and Loan Association, a com- pany that has an authorized capital of $800,000. Mr. Thompson was a charter member of the organization, which has been of the utmost value in building up the town and in the encouragement of home building and owning. Mr. Thompson is also a member of the Mercer Loan and Insur- ance Company, Ruby Mercer being the other member of the company.
S. D. Thompson is known throughout the county as an excellent and farsighted business man and as a citizen whose ideals for the community are high. He has served the town ably both in business and in his capacity as a private citizen and justly holds the high respect of the entire county.
Seth Hootman, proprietor of Willow Brook Farm in Caldwell County, has been a farmer in the neighborhood of Cameron for 30 years; and for 25 years, has followed also the trade of a carpenter. Mr. Hootman is a native Ohioan and was born in Newcomerstown on May 3, 1849, the son of Isaac and Suffrona (Hamersley) Hootman.
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Christian Hootman, the founder of the Hootman family in America, was born about the middle of the eighteenth century in the principality of Hesse Castle, Germany. He was one of the men sold by the Prince of Hesse to King George III of England to fight in the American colonies. His father was wealthy and could have secured the release of the young man from his military service, but because of a parental objection to young Christian's love affair, the father refused to act. For his refusal to take part as a mercenary soldier, Christian Hootman was taken in charge by the officers and was given 30 lashes for three consecutive days, after which barbarous treatment, he consented to obey the military com- mands. Before the young man left he said to his father, "You forced me to take the lash. I will go, but I shall never fire a gun against the colonists, and I shall never return to the Fatherland." He kept his word. In his first American engagement, he was struck by a gun carriage and suffered a fracture of the leg at the Battle of Trenton, Dec. 25, 1776. He was taken prisoner; at the end of three months he was well, and enlisted with the colonists in a Virginia regiment and fought with them until the close of the Revolutionary War. He was given 800 acres of land for his excellent services. Christian Hootman's son, John, was a pioneer settler in Defiance County, Ohio, and built the first church in that county, a log structure about 40 feet square, located four miles northwest of Hicksville. John Benton Hootman, the great uncle of Seth Hootman, com- piled a history of the Hootman family in 1911. In August, 1918, Seth Hootman attended the Hootman family reunion at Hicksville, Ohio, where he met 175 descendants of the famous Christian Hootman.
Isaac Hootman and his wife went to Indiana from Ohio and remained one winter. They returned to Ohio, where they lived until they died; he at the age of 75 years, and she at the age of 84 years. The remains of both are buried in Ohio. Their Children were: Henry, a Civil War veteran from Ohio, now living at St. James; Rushana, dead, was the wife of George Johnson ; Thomas, living in Ohio; Eliza Ellen, married George McManaway and died at Cambridge, Ohio; Seth, the subject of this review; Jacob, died at the age of 11 years in 1863; George, on the home farm at Coshocton, Ohio; Lydia, the wife of Hamilton F. McClain of Coshocton, Ohio; Amanda, married to Alex Clark of Coshocton, Ohio; Dora Lee, married Henry Smith and is now dead, and Eber Brooks, died in infancy ..
Seth Hootman learned the trade of a carpenter from Mr. Glass at Cambridge, Ohio, and followed the trade for 21 years in that state. In
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1876 he went to Rensselaer, Ind., and built a number of houses. He returned to Ohio and, in 1888, located at Kingston, Mo., where he did contracting and building at Polo, and Kingston and Mirabile. In 1889 he began farming on 240 acres of land in Mirabile Township, Caldwell County and followed farming until 1918, when he located at Cameron. Mr. Hootman's farm is well improved and is equipped with an excellent residence, large barn, and other farm buildings. He raised Percheron Norman horses, Shorthorn cattle, Spotted Poland China hogs, and Buff Rock poultry. There are 150 hogs on the farm, all eligible for registry. Tractors are used on the farm, which, since Mr. Hootman's retirement from active life, is managed by his son, Harry. Mr. Hootman comes of a family of practical and progessive farmers. The old Hootman place in Ohio has been in the family for more than 70 years, and all the mem- bers of the Hootman family have been land holders.
Seth Hootman was married on Feb. 13, 1889, to Maria Vanolinda, a daughter of Stephen and Ellen Vanolinda of Caldwell County, where Mrs. Hootman was born. Her father was born in Albany, N. Y., and her mother was a native of Wales. The Vanolinda family came to Missouri in 1866. Mr. Vanolinda enlisted for service in the Civil War at Coshocton, Ohio, and served for four years. He and his wife both died in Caldwell County and their remains are buried in Rockford Township, Prairie Ridge Cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. Hootman ·had five children: Bell, the wife of Bert Pol- lard, a farmer in Rockford Township; Harry, married Mary Kemper and farms the home place; Frank, mentioned later in this sketch; Esther Grace, graduated from the Cameron high school in 1922; and Carl, died in infancy. Frank Hootman was born on Sept. 5, 1895, and enlisted as a private for service in the World War. He entered the service in Septem- ber, 1917, with Company C, 356th Infantry, 89th Division as a machine gun trainer. He went overseas in May, 1918, and was killed in action at the Meuse River at 10 o'clock in the evening of Nov. 10, 1918, the night before the armistice was signed. His body was returned to the United States in March, 1921, and is buried in Mirabile Cemetery. He was made a corporal shortly after entering the service. He came of a loyal and patriotic family and in making the "supreme sacrifice" for his country he carried on the brave spirit that animated his ancestor, Christian Hootman, when he adopted as his own the new country.
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Mr. Hootman is a member of the Security Benefit Association and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has passed the chairs twice in the latter organization. He is identified with the Community Church at Mirabile. He became a member of the Methodist Church at Linton Mills, Ohio, in 1870. Mr. Hootman is a Democrat and has twice made the race on that ticket for County Judge, once in 1904 and again in 1910. Although the district is strongly Republican, Mr. Hootman was defeated by only two votes the last time.
Mr. Hootman is held in high esteem in the community. He is a man of keen business ability, alert intelligence, wide sympathies, and a practi- cal attitude toward civic affairs. He and his family are assets to the towns.
John D. Cox, Jr., deceased, was a well known resident of Caldwell and Clinton counties, for several years before his death. He was born on Nov. 10, 1856, in Caldwell County, the son of James and Sallie (Brown) Cox.
James Cox was a native of Virginia and his wife was born in Ken- tucky. Mr. Cox was a pioneer citizen of Caldwell County, Mo., where he was prominent as a promoter of the farming and milling interests of the county in the early days.
John D. Cox, Jr., spent 10 years of his youth with his uncle, Dennis Cox, at Kingston. While there he acquired the practical knowledge of farming and the habits of thrift and industry which made an integral part of his subsequent career as a successful. farmer. At the age of 30 years, Mr. Cox had land holdings comprising 900 acres of farming and stock raising land in Caldwell and Daviess counties. He improved all of the land and was a widely known stockman. He bought young stock which he sold to feeders, he himself doing very little feeding.
In 1910, Mr. Cox sold his farm in Hamilton Township, where he had lived for 30 years, and, in 1911, he moved to Cameron. In 1914 he built a two-story residence, an attractive and modern home, on West Fourth street, where his widow still lives. He died on Nov. 17, 1919, and his remains are buried at Hamilton. He was one of the markedly successful men of the community, held in high regard for his business alertness and for his high ideals for community betterment.
Mr. Cox was married, Jan. 5, 1879, to Jennie Ford and to this union four daughters were born: Nancy, now the wife of C. F. McClain of Cam- eron, with an adopted daughter, Mary Frances Woolsey; Sallie, the wife of Joseph Allen of Sapulpa, Okla., with a son,. Paul Cox, aged 10 years;
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and Altha Mainor and Annie Laurie, both graduated from the Hamilton high school, and later students at Boulder, Colo., now at home. Annie Laurie Cox is also a graduate of Lindenwood College at St. Charles.
Mrs. Cox is a daughter of David and Nancy (Mackintosh) Ford. Mrs. Ford was born in Scotland and went to Canada when she was 13 years old. She was married in Canada and, in 1868, she and her husband with their daughter, Jennie, came to Missouri and located in Kingston Town- ship, Caldwell County. Mrs. Cox attended school at Hamilton, later teach- ing several terms in Caldwell County. David Ford died in Michigan and his remains are buried there. Mrs. Ford died at Hamilton in 1881 and her remains are buried in a Hamilton cemetery.
The Cox family has been highly esteemed and widely known for many years. Mrs. Cox and her daughters are assets to the Cameron community as was Mr. Cox during his lifetime.
R. E. Cater, proprietor of the Cater Greenhouse at Cameron, Clinton County, has one of the well established and popular commercial enter- prises of the city. Mr. Cater was born in Mercer County, Dec. 17, 1883, the son of W. C. and Sarah A. (Barnes) Cater and has been known in Cameron for many years, first as a college student and later as a business man.
W. C. Cater and his wife were both natives of Noble County, Ohio, and came to Missouri in 1871. Mr. Cater was a veteran of the Civil War. He enlisted at the age of 17 years, and served during the last 18 months of the war under General Sherman with the 92nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He took part in the famous "March to the Sea" under Sherman. He died in Mercer County in 1902 and his widow, now 73 years old, lives at Cam- eron. Mr. and Mrs. Cater were the parents of 10 children of whom R. E., this subject, was the eighth.
R. E. Cater attended Missouri Wesleyan College and for 13 years served in the railway mail service on the "Burlington" between Gales- burg, Ill., and Kansas City, Mo. In 1919, he became a student of Ralph W. Ward and learned the florist trade. In 1920, he took charge of Mr. Ward's greenhouse at Cameron and is now the owner and operator of the greenhouse. The grounds comprise four acres, and Mr. Cater has 20,400 square feet of ground covered with glass. He raises lettuce in the winter and one crop of tomatoes in the spring. The main part of the grounds, however, is given over to the cultivation of flowers and bulbs. Mr. Cater says that the most popular flowers in the trade are roses and carnations,
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with chrysanthemums following. Gladioli, sweet peas, and asters are also good leaders. Mr. Cater sells all kinds of bulbs and issue an annual cata- logue of his products for the use of his agents in other towns. He has a good home trade, and ships to the surrounding towns within a radius of 40 miles. Besides himself and his wife, Mr. Cater has four regular helpers in his work, his payrole for the year running to $5,000.
R. E. Cater was married Sept. 9, 1908, to Rosa Nell Thomas, a daugh- ter of Kimball and Rose Thomas of Turney. Mrs. Cater was born in Platte City and was educated in Missouri Wesleyan College. Mr. and Mrs. Cater have a son, Maurice, aged nine years.
Mr. Cater is a member of the Masonic Lodge of the Chapter and the Commandery at Cameron and of the Shrine at St. Joseph. He is one of the most progressive and energetic men in his line of work in this part of the state, and his greenhouse, heated by a steam plant which means the use of 300 tons of coal yearly, and supplied with pipes through which city water is run when it is needed, will bear comparison with any of the greenhouses of northwest Missouri. A scientifically managed greenhouse is not only profitable to the owner, it is also a source of justifiable pride to the community. Mr. Cater is held in high esteem for his very efficient work.
J. B. Russell, well known dealer in lumber and building material at Cameron, since 1894, was born in Morrow County, Ohio, Dec. 17, 1863, the son of Robert T. and Hannah (Goorley) Russell.
Robert T. Russell was born in Loudoun County, Va., in 1822, and his wife Hannah Goorley was born in Brooke County, W. Va., in 1824. Mr. and Mrs. Russell came from Morrow County, Ohio, to Missouri in 1864 and located at Breckenridge. They later moved to a farm four and one-half miles southeast of Cameron and, in 1883, they moved to Cameron, where they both died, she at the age of 74 years and he at the age of 80 years. The remains of both are buried in Packard Cemetery. Mr. Russell was a well known farmer and stockman of the county. To the union of Robert T. and Hannah (Goorley) Russell the following children were born: C. W., was a farmer of Kidder Township, Caldwell County, died at Cameron in 1883; Eliza E., the wife of Henry A. Munson of Cameron; John F., a far- mer died in 1879 at Cameron at the age of 24 years ; Hattie J., the wife of H. H. Merwin of Sacramento, Calif .; and J. B., the subject of this sketch.
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