USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 27
USA > Missouri > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 27
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J. B. Russell attended the public schools and graduated from Gem City College at Quincy, Ill., in 1885. He worked at the carpentry and con-
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tracting trade for eight years at Cameron, and then entered business, in 1894, with Otto de Steigner. The latter sold his interest to Robert T. Russell and the firm continued business under the name of Russell and Russell. Robert T., the father, died in 1902, and J. B. Russell bought the interest of the heirs in the business and has continued to operate the busi- ness with success. The firm business is conducted on three lots facing the City Park. The business is the pioneer lumber enterprise of Cameron, and the present excellent condition of the company is due, in no small measure, to Mr. Russell's progressive, yet careful business methods.
Mr. Russell was married in 1888 to Inez L. Fountain, a daughter of G. W. and Mary C. (Peters) Fountain of Cameron. Mrs. Russell, who was born in Elmwood, Ill., in 1868, died at Cameron in 1908 and her remains are buried in Packard Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Russell had the following children: Cecil L., graduated from Cameron high school and from Missouri Wesleyan College in music, marride Henry I. Sifers of Kan- sas City, Mo .; Robert M., now with his father in business ; and John Paul, living in Kansas City, Mo. By a second marriage of Mr. Russell to Char- lotte Lucas, a daughter of Mrs. Charlotte Lucas of Cameron, he has a son, James B., Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Russell were married in March, 1911.
Mr. Russell is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge and of the Imperial Encampment, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. He served as the Grand Patriarch of the Encampment in 1915; his installation taking place at Carthage. The session during which he served took place at Moberly. He is also a member of the Masonic Lodge.
J. B. Russell has served on the Board of Aldermen since 1892 and has acted as city collector for eight years. In 1911 he was elected to serve out the unexpired term of W. J. Stoner as mayor of Cameron and was re-elected to the office in 1912, serving in all three years. During his term of office he exercised the greatest care in the expenditure of the money of the town. He paid off two judgments that had been standing against the city for several years, thus saving the town the expense of further litigation. He was the promoter of the first sewage system for Cameron and, during his term of office, the contract for paving Third street from Cherry street to Mead street was let.
Mr. Russell says that his first recollection of candy was of the striped sticks in the candy jars in Dansenberg's store, which stood then on the east side of Walnut street on the present site of Atkinson's blacksmith shop. When he was a child of four years, his parents had as breakfast
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guests four Indians from the West, who were on their way to Washing- ton, D. C.
J. B. Russell has grown up and spent his life near and in Cameron. He has thus been an integral part of the development of the town to which he has given devoted service and to which he has been an asset.
Andrew Adams, a Civil War veteran, and prominent farmer and stock- man of Clinton County for nearly half a century, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, Jan. 6, 1844, a son of Thomas and Margaret (Gilmor) Solan Adams.
Thomas Adams came to Missouri in 1854, bringing his wife and chil- dren. They settled ten miles west of Kingston, in Caldwell County, where they purchased land. Mr. Adams was a successful farmer and stock- man of that section for a few years. He died soon after moving to Mis- souri. His widow died in 1870, and they are buried in Mirabile Cemetery.
Andrew Adams was reared in Caldwell County. During the Civil War he enlisted at Plattsburg in the Missouri State Militia, and served for nine months. At the close of the war, Mr. Adams returned to Caldwell County, where he became engaged in farming and stock raising. At one time he owned 700 acres of land. He has lived on the old homestead of 25 acres for 40 years, which is located south of the city limits of Cameron. Mr. Adams was one of the largest feeders of cattle in the county for more than 40 years, shipping from Cameron. About seven years ago he retired. He now owns 625 acres of land, 200 acres being six miles south of St. Joseph.
On May 13, 1866, Andrew Adams married Miss Martha Smith, a daughter of John and Angelina Smith. John Smith settled ten miles west of Kingston in 1856, and was one of the first settlers of Caldwell County. He was killed in the battle of Lone Jack, during the Civil War. His wife died in Cameron in 1898, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery. To Andrew and Martha (Smith) Adams 10 children were born, as follows: Oliver, Cameron; Mrs. Adelia Meyer, Shoal Township, Clinton County ; Florence, at home; Arthur, Hudson, Colo .; Smith, Pleasanton, Kans .; Oscar, Cam- eron; Emmett, St. Joseph; Clarence, Cameron; Mrs. Mabel Coon, Cam- eron, at home; and Grace, at home. Two other children died in infancy. All of the Adams' children were educated in the public and high schools of Cameron, and also attended Missouri Wesleyan College. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have eight grandchildren, as follows: Lola; Omar; Corinne;
ANDREW ADAMS
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Andrew; Edmond; Lyle; Mrs. Olive Elrod; and Roy Adams. They have two great grandchildren: Charles Elrod; and Delores June Elrod.
Andrews Adams is a Republican in politics. He voted for Abraham Lincoln while in service during the Civil War. He is a member of the Cameron Protective Association. Mr. Adams is a stockholder in The Cam- eron Trust Company and for the past 16 years has been one of the directors. He is widely known in both Clinton and Caldwell counties and is a substantial and highly respected citizen.
C. Everett Ford, widely known as a successful hardware merchant of Cameron was born here Dec. 25, 1876, the son of Henry Edsell and Clara Jane (Cline) Ford.
Charles I. Ford, paternal grandfather of C. Everett Ford, was born April 6, 1822, in Berkshire County, Mass., where he received a common school education and grew to manhood. At the age of 19 years, he began farming for himself, working by the month for three years. In 1853, he moved to Fulton County, Ohio, and bought a steam sawmill. He engaged in the lumber business there for eight years, sold the sawmill, and resumed his farm work. In 1866 he came to Missouri and located on a farm adjoin- ing the site of Cameron on the south. Here he bought 250 acres of land, 35 acres of which was laid off in town lots prior to 1881. Later he sold several more acres for town lots. In 1873 he erected a handsome brick residence. This building is now used by Missouri Wesleyan College. Mr. Ford was a prominent dairyman and kept 40 cows.
Charles I. Ford was married in December, 1843, to Martha Packard, a native of Massachusetts. To this union 11 children were born, three of whom were living at Cameron in 1881; Sarah J., the wife of E. M. Shaw; Cora A., the wife of George T. Houser; and Henry Edsell, father of the subject of this sketch. C. I. Ford was a member of the Congregational Church and filled the office of school director. He was among the leading citizens of the town, and was well known throughout Clinton County. He was the president of the Farmers Bank for many years and was one of the most public spirited men of his day. He plotted two additions to the town site of Cameron, south of the railroad and gave the present Y. M. C. A. building to the city. He plotted Evergreen Cemetery, which adjoins Packard Cemetery. He filled the office of mayor of Cameron for some years. As a citizen, a public official, and a business man, Mr. Ford was progressive and upright.
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Henry Edsell Ford, father of C. Everett Ford, was born in 1847. He served in the Federal Army during the Civil War enlisting from Clinton County. He came to Cameron with his father and died here in 1902. He started the harness business later known as the firm of C. I. Ford and Son, his father having bought an interest. Some time later, E. F. Darby bought an interest in the business and the firm, known as Ford and Darby, erected the building now occupied by the Hibbs Dry Goods Company. Henry E. Ford remained in business at Cameron for 33 years. He was here at the time of the disastrous fire in 1871. He was a member of the old Fire Company and also of the Cameron Military Band.
Henry Edsell Ford married Clara Jane Cline, a native of Pennsyl- vania. She aied at Cameron in 1912 at the age of 63 years. To her union with Henry Edsell Ford the following children were born: Minnie, now Mrs. McComb of Cameron; C. Everett, the subject of this review; Lillian, now Mrs. Burkett of Cameron; Elma, now Mrs. Burkett of Cameron; Mrs. Martin Gonser of Leavenworth, Kan .; and Lawrence, died in infancy.
C. Everett Ford attended the school at Cameron, and worked at the harness trade with his father for 14 years. He then went into the hard- ware business with I. D. Cottey. He clerked first for Mr. Cottey, and later for Mr. Cottey's successor, George Easterday for one year. He then bought a partnership in the business and the enterprise was continued under the firm name of Easterday and Ford. Four years later, in 1913, Mr. Ford bought his partner's interest and has continued the business ever since. The store is located on Third street one and one-half blocks west of the hotel.
Mr. Ford was married on Feb. 11, 1896, to Ivy Gowdy of Cameron and to this union a daughter, Vuna, was born. She is now married to Har- ley Tindell of Cameron and has a daughter Frances.
The Ford family is one of the old and well established families of Clinton County, where the name has been known and respected for many years.
Thomas Fiddick, dealer in feed, fuel, and ice at Cameron, Clinton County, is a native of Cornwall, England, where he was born on July 21, 1868, the son of James and Elizabeth (Johns) Fiddick.
James Fiddick and his wife were both natives of Cornwell, England, the former born in 1824 and the latter in 1826. He was a mechanic and worked on English ships for 24 years. He was sent to Capetown, Africa, as head mechanic at the dock yards and while on duty there was injured.
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He returned to England on a pension from the government, and died there in October, 1873. His widow and her nine children came to the United States and located in Illinois, where she lived for five years. She then went to Floyd County, Iowa, where she died in 1914. Her remains are buried at Rockford, Ill. Her living children are, William, Green, Iowa; Mrs. Emma Maxson, of Marble Rock, Iowa; Thomas, the subject of this review; and Mrs. Bertha Wicks of Monrovia, Calif. Those deceased are: Mrs. Priscilla Pooley of Greene, Iowa; Richard of Green, Iowa; James of Rock- ford, Ill .; Mrs. Laura Glenney, Monrovia, Calif .; and Mrs. Helen Glenney, Monrovia, Calif.
Thomas Fiddick attended school in Rockford, Ill., and later was a student in the Iowa schools. He began working for himself in Iowa in 1891 and afterwards bought a farm there. In 1909 he came to Cameron and opened his present business. For the past four years he has been conducting the business at Second and Cherry streets and has established an excellent reputation among his wide clientage.
Mr. Fiddick was married on Sept. 16, 1891, to Eva Hurd of Floyd County, Iowa. She was a daughter of James and Christina Hurd. Mr. and Mrs. Fiddick have four sons: Darrell C., married Eva Sheldon of Cam- eron, has two children, Clair and Shirley, and is the bookkeeper for his father; Paul T., married Ruth Johnson, served nine months in the World War, was the clerk of his company at Camp Lee, Va., when the war closed, now a rural route carrier at Cameron; George D., married Emma Akey of Cameron, has a daughter, Mary, and now lives at Centralia; and Clifton J., a student in Missouri Wesleyan College. The oldest child of Darrell C. and Eva (Sheldon) Fiddick, Vernon, died at the age of five years.
Mr. Fiddick is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge and of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Cameron was organized in 1903 with 12 members. J. C. Elvert was the first minister. He still lives at Cameron although he has retired from active ministerial duties. The church building was bought from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, congregation and was remodeled in 1918. In 1921 a bal- cony was added to the structure. The second minister was Roy S. Budd, who came to Cameron from Independence in 1917, and has remained here ever since. In 1921 a moving picture machine was installed in the
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church and the organization is one of the strong religious bodies of the community. It now numbers 263 members.
All of Mr. Fiddick's sons graduated from Missouri Cameron high school. Mr. Fiddick has been intensely interested in educational move- ments for many years. He is a progressive citizen, and a man of unques- tioned integrity in his dealings.
J. N. Ellis, of J. N. Ellis and Sons, proprietors of the Plain Price Mercantile Company of Cameron, Clinton, County, was born in Monroe County, W. Va., May 26, 1866, the son of Edgar and Mary (Ellis) Ellis.
Edgar Ellis' parents settled in Pattonsburg, Mo., before the outbreak of the Civil War. His wife, Mary (Ellis) Ellis, died in West Virginia in 1876, and in April, 1886, Mr. Ellis came to Missouri and located in DeKalb County. He bought a farm and remained there for 15 years, then went to Polk County, where he lived 15 years. He is now 77 years old and lives with his daughter in DeKalb County. By his marriage to Mary (Ellis) Ellis he had the following children: J. N., the subject of this sketch ; James, accidentally killed at Cameron while cleaning a rifle prepara- tory to going on a hunting trip, and his remains buried in Packard Ceme- tery; Ida, the wife of N. S. Cutler of Cameron. By a later marriage of Edgar Ellis to Mary Childree two children were born; Maude, now the wife of Thomas Hartford of Cameron; and Thomas J., served in the United States Navy during the World War, was discharged, re-enlisted for two years, and is now at Cameron.
J. N. Ellis attended school in Harrison County, Va., and, after com- ing to DeKalb County, Mo., in 1886, followed farming for three years. He worked by the month one year in Cloud County, Kan., then returned to Missouri and farmed for a year. He was in the employment of the Burlington Railroad for 11 years and, in 1900, started in business with W. H. Kines and worked with him for 19 years. In August, 1919, the partnership between Mr. Ellis and Mr. Kines was dissolved, Mr. Ellis taking the dry goods and groceries, and Mr. Kines retaining the hardware and furniture. Both Mr. Kines and Mr. Ellis have continued in business ever since. The "Plain Price Mercantile Company" is a thriving enterprise, one of the excellent department stores of Cameron, and does a flourish- ing business. Mr. Ellis employs 10 assistants in the store.
Mr. Ellis was married Oct. 2, 1890, to Della Cable of Cameron, a daughter of J. A. and Barbara Cable. To this union five children were born : Roy E., married Cecil Christian of Rockport, has two children,
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James Newton and Mina Lee, and is now the manager of the dry goods department of the "Plain Price Mercantile Company"; Pearl, married Fos- ter Poland and died Dec. 20, 1920; Elmer, a sketch of whose life appears later in this review; Carl, married Catherine Martin of Cameron, served three months in the World War, was ready to go overseas when the armis- tice was signed and is now the manager of the grocery department of the "Plain Price Mercantile Company"; and Edna, the wife of Wayne Silvis, a farmer in DeKalb County.
Elmer Ellis was killed in the Argonne Forest, France, Oct. 4, 1918. He was serving with the 82nd Company, 6th Regiment Marines, and had received two wounds prior to his death; he was shot in the arm July, 1918, recovered, returned to his regiment, was wounded by schrapnel, and after recovering from that wound, went back to his post and was killed. His body was returned to the United States and is buried in Graceland Ceme- tery. The "supreme sacrifice" made by such young men in the service of their country is one of the heavy prices that must be paid for war. It is fitting that the name Elmer Ellis should appear in this book, which commemorates the valor and courage of the people who built the state. The American Legion Post of Cameron was named in commemoration of Elmer Ellis and is known as the Elmer Ellis Post.
J. N. Ellis is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of Knights of Pythias lodges and is a director of the Farmers Bank. He is one of the energetic and reliable business men of Cameron and both he and his family are held in high esteem in the community. Mr. Ellis has been a member of the Cameron public school board since 1910, and has served as its president since 1916.
W. H. Kimes, since 1900, a well known business man of Cameron, Clinton County, was born in Caldwell County near Mirabile on Aug. 18, 1868, the son of W. J. and Annis (Mccullough) Kimes.
W. J. Kimes was born in Bourbon County, Ky., and his wife was a native of Indiana. They were married in Caldwell County. Mo., where they bought a farm. Prior to his marriage, Mr. Kimes had entered some land southeast of Cameron. He helped stake out the first town lots of Cameron and later located near Mirabile on the farm where W. H. Kimes was born. When he was 16 years old, his parents moved to Cameron and from the year 1883 until the time of their deaths they lived at Cameron. The remains of both are buried in McDaniel Cemetery. Their children
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are: Mrs. Annis Moon, wife of David Moon of Walla Walla, Wash .; and W. H., the subject of this review.
W. H. Kimes attended the rural school and later was a student at Cameron, where he completed his work in Mrs. Tiernan's school. He worked with the fence gang of the Rock Island Railroad for five years, then ran a transfer wagon for three years. In 1900 he formed & partner- ship with J. N. Ellis in mercantile work and continued in that firm for 19 years. In August, 1919, the firm dissolved partnership, Mr. Kimes taking the hardware and furniture stock. He has conducted this business in the I. O. O. F. building ever since. He carries an excellent line of furni- ture, hardware, paints, and oils, and has established a good business.
W. H. Kimes was married in June, 1897, to Anna L. David, born in Hamilton, a daughter of Lewis David and his wife. Mr. David died in 1920 and his widow lives at Cameron. The remains of Mr. David are buried in Evergreen Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Kimes have the follow- ing children: Ernest, enlisted for service in the World War in the Medi- cal Corps of the S. A. T. C., at Kansas City, Mo., completed his studies in dentistry in the Western Dental College at Kansas City, Mo., and is now practicing his profession at Fayette; Herbert, a graduate of Missouri Wesleyan College in the class of 1922; Raymond, a junior in the Cameron high school; Ira and Irene, twins; and Hadley, named for ex-Governor Hadley, who was at Cameron in Chautauqua work when the child was born.
Mr. Kimes is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge and of the Encampment of that order. He has served two years as a member of the Board of Alderman and is a Democrat in politics. Mr. Kimes carries a large and well selected stock of merchandise and has an excellent trade. He is a man of integrity, acumen, and civic pride.
Judge Charles E. Heflin, presiding judge of the County Court and a well known citizen of Clinton County and now a resident of Cameron, was born in Knox County, Ill., July 31, 1867, the son of Martin V. and Jose- phine (Plecker) Heflin.
Martin V. Heflin was born in Kentucky in 1837 and was reared in Illinois, where he graduated from Lombard University at Galesburg. He came to Caldwell County, Mo., in 1870, and located at Hamilton, where he farmed. He enlisted for service in the Federal Army during the Civil War from Knox County, Ill., and served during the entire four years of the strife. Several times during the war, his clothing was pierced by
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bullets, but Mr. Heflin escaped injury. He took part in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Chancellorsville, participating in 11 battles and several skirmishes under the command of General Grant. Mr. Heflin died at Qunicy, Ill., and his remains are buried there. His children are: Mrs. Estella Allen of Bolivar; and Charles E., the subject of this sketch. His widow is now married to O. C. Cope of Cameron.
Charles E. Heflin attended school at Hamilton and then worked at Mirabile, where he was married. He located in Clinton County in 1894 on a farm four miles south of Cameron, where he now owns 240 acres of well improved land. He did general farming and stockraising on the farm and specialized in the feeding of hogs for the market. In Decem- ber, 1920, he moved to Cameron and the next year, built his present home, a modern bungalow, at the corner of Prairie and Pine streets.
Mr. Heflin was married Dec. 28, 1892, to Zellette V. Jones, a daugh- ter of T. P. and Nancy T. (Parker) Jones. Mrs. Heflin was born in Cald- well County and educated at Kidder Institute. Her father died Dec. 8, 1915, and her mother, Dec. 6, 1921, at the age of 80 years. The remains of both are buried in Packard Cemetery.
Charles E. Heflin has served as road commissioner for seven years in Shoal Township. He has been a member of the Cameron Trust Com- pany since its organization in 1906 and was one of the first board of direc- tors. In 1918 he was elected judge of the second district on the Demo- cratic ticket and was re-elected in November, 1920. The other members of the County Court are S. F. Thurman of Plattsburg, the presiding judge, and G. T. Ellington of Gower.
The County Court members are doing a great deal of road work just now. The 13 districts of the county have been consolidated into two and all the roads are being rapidly put into excellent shape. Holt and Best tractors and 12-foot graders have been bought by the court and efficient engineers have been employed for the work. The question of bridges, a serious one, has been solved by the use of concrete structures to take the place of the old wooden bridges.
Both Judge Heflin and his wife are members of the Christian Church at Cameron. Judge Heflin received the nomination for the office of pre- siding judge in the August primary and was elected in November, 1922, by the largest majority of any candidate in the county. He is a man of excellent ability and attainments and is an official of unusual worth.
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Judge William Henry, deceased, former judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas, justice of the peace, and police judge of Cameron, was a native of Harrison County, Ky. He was born April 6, 1842, and was a son of William and Sarah A. (Jones) Henry.
William Henry, Sr., was born in Harrison County, Ky., and located in DeKalb County, Mo., in 1849. He and about five other families drove through from Kentucky in covered wagons, his father-in-law, John Jones, being one of the party.
Judge William Henry was reared on his father's farm near Cameron and attended the schools of Maysville. He began practicing law at the age of 19 years. During the Civil War, Judge Henry was a lieutenant in the Missouri State Miltia, and while in the army he continued his study of law. In 1866 he came to Cameron, where he practiced during his entire life. Judge Henry practiced in the courts of four counties, Clinton, De Kalb, Daviess and Caldwell, and also in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals in Kansas City. Altogether, Judge Henry practiced law for 54 years. He was one of the ablest and most prominent attorneys of Missouri.
On Oct. 5, 1871, Judge Henry married Miss Willie Frazier, a daugh- ter of Thomas and Margaret (Baker) Frazier. Thomas Frazier was born Sept. 15, 1819, in North Carolina, and after coming to Missouri, he farmed in Randolph County, near Moberly. In 1870 he removed to Cameron, where he remained until the time of his death, April 13, 1891. Mrs. Frazier died in 1914.
To Judge William and Willie (Frazier) Henry nine children were born, as follows: Carlton, deceased, was an attorney with his father; Wil- liam Paul, mining engineer, residing in Yreka, Calif .; Grace, deceased, was the wife of L. J. Chapman, Kansas City, Mo .; Donald, farmer, resides in Little Rock, Ark .; Margaret, the wife of Albert C. Hulen, editor of the Jamesport Gazette; and Charles M., resides in Minneapolis, Minn. Three children died in infancy.
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