History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 66

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

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Dec. 15, 1898, John W. King was united in marriage to Anna Hoerl, also of Clarks Fork township, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Henry Morton King, born on Oct. 22, 1899, and John Ewing King, Oct. 26, 1901, both of whom are at home, valued aids to their father in the operations of "Valley View Farm". Mrs. King is a daughter of John and Margaret (Kaiser) Hoerl, who settled on a farm in Clarks Fork township, this county, upon coming to this country from Germany in the days not long after the close of the Civil War and who are still living in that township, now making their home with their eldest son, Adolph Hoerl, who is now owner of the old home farm. Besides this

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son and Mrs. King, Mr. and Mrs. Hoerl have three other children, Mrs. Margaret Jenry, of Saline township, and Leonard and Walter Hoerl, the former a farmer of Clarks Fork township, and the latter of Prairie Home township.

William Jacob McFarland, a well known and successful farmer and stockman of Clarks Fork township, is a native of this county. He was born in Clarks Fork township, Sept. 9, 1864, and is a son of A. W. and Mary Catherine (Hurt) McFarland, a sketch of whom appears in this volume.

William Jacob McFarland spent his boyhood days on the home farm and received his education in the public schools. He has been a farmer and stockman all his life. His farm in Clarks Fork township consists of 188 acres, and is one of the pretty and well improved farms of that sec- tion of the county. The residence is a 10-room, two-story structure, and was built in 1907. It is surrounded by a well-kept yard with several splendid maple trees, which Mr. McFarland planted himself. Mr. Mc- Farland has two good barns on his place, one of which was built in 1900 and the other two years later. He also has a silo 14x30 feet which he built in 1914, machine shed, garage and other buildings to facilitate mod- ern farming methods, are to be found on the place. Mr. McFarland bought his first land, which consisted of 70 acres, in 1886; later he pur- chased 85 acres, to which he subsequently added 30 more. He carries on general farming and raises cattle and hogs. He feeds a number of cattle each year, although he does not pretend to make feeding a business.

Mr. McFarland was married Nov. 2, 1884, to Miss Mollie Eller, a daughter of David and Martha Eller, of Boonville township. Her parents are both deceased and their remains are buried in the Boonville Ceme- tery. Mrs. McFarland is one of the following children born to her par- ents: Nannie, Bunceton, Mo .; Mrs. Malvina Shirley, Palestine township; Mrs. Lucretia Moore, Palestine township; Mrs. Bettie Kepner, Henry County, Mo .; Mrs. Mattie Knaus, Henry Co .; Mollie, married to William Jacob McFarland, the subject of this sketch, and William, Fayette, Mo.

To Mr. and Mrs. McFarland have been born the following children: Percy Eller, died at the age of 19 years in 1908; Wilbur J., a farmer in Clarks Fork township, married Chloe Hobrecht, who died in Jan., 1919; Eula Marie, married William Mersey, who served with the 35th Division in France during the World War and participated in the battles of Ar- gonne, Marne, Chateau Thierry, and was in the trenches 90 days or more;

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Mary, resides at home with her parents, and Alice, is a student in the Boonville High School.

Mr. McFarland is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Boonville, and the McFarland family are members of the Presbyterian Church at Bethel. Mr. McFarland is a public-spirited citizen and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the public welfare and the advancement of the community.

David Wendleton, proprietor of a well-improved valley farm of 106 acres in the north part of Palestine township, has resided on his farm for the past 40 years. His present large residence was built to replace a house which had been built by former owners, and was 80 years standing. He placed the last addition to his home in 1893.

Mr. Wendleton was born June 6, 1850, on a farm near his present home place. His father, David Wendleton, was a native of Holland, who married a Miss Sieback, and emigrated from his native country in 1833. He first rented land from Hiram Corum, and later purchased a farm, most of which was covered with timber. He cut down trees, built a log cabin from the cut timber, and laboriously cleared the ground for his crops. When he first bought the place there was an old log cabin in the clearing. On the very night that Mr. Wendleton had made his prepara- tions to move in with his belongings, some miscreant set fire to the house and it burned to the ground. This necessitated the building of a new cabin. David Wendleton, the elder, reared a family of five sons and two daughters: Cecilia, deceased wife of Fred Nunn, an extensive Cooper County farmer; John H., deceased; Archibald, living in Bates County, Mo .; William, Fortuna, Morgan County, Mo .; Mrs. Amelia Allison, living near Proctor, Me .; David, subject of this review; Henry, a large land owner in Palestine township.

After his marriage in 1877, David Wendleton rented land for three years and then purchased his farm. He was married on Nov. 14, 1877, to Miss Sarah J. Lowry, who was born in Athens County, Ohio, April 11, 1855, and is a daughter of Jehiel and Melissa Lowry, who came to Cooper County, Mo., in 1866. Ten children have blessed this marriage: Alice C., is the wife of T. C. Crosswhite, Boonville; Ada Melissa Clark lives in Boonville; one child died in infancy; William Henry died in November, 1918; Stella Lee is at home; Lon V., a farmer and land owner, living on the former Henry Wendleton home place: John Estill. a student in the State University, Columbia, was a member of the S. A. T. C. during the

DAVID WENDLETON AND WIFE

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World War. Ollie May and Forrest Lowry are at home; Eugene Monroe, is deceased.

Mr. Wendleton is a democrat; has reared one of the large families in Cooper County, and is one of the best known of the native born pioneer residents of Cooper County, who is highly respected in the county.

Erle S. Mills, proprietor of "Fair View Stock Farm," in Clarks Fork township, is one of Cooper County's prominent farmers and stockmen, and a descendant of an early pioneer family of this county. Mr. Mills was born in Prairie Home township on the farm known as "Dunlora," April 7, 1864. His parents were Henry W. and Susan V. (Lewis) Mills, natives of Virginia. Henry W. Mills was born July 27, 1815, and died Feb. 12, 1898. He came to Cooper County in 1842, and after living about a year in Saline township, he went to Mississippi, and two years later returned to Cooper County. He acquired a great deal of land and at one time was the owner of 1640 acres. He was a very successful stockman and general farmer. He was married shortly after coming to Cooper County, Aug. 20, 1842, to Miss Susan V. Lewis. She was born in Vir- ginia in 1825 and died Feb. 14, 1896. She was a daughter of Charles Q. Lewis, who was a very early settler in Cooper County in the thirties. To Henry W. and Susan V. (Lewis) Mills were born the following children: William H., died at the age of 70 years; Charles T., died at the age of 40; James T., died at the age of 65; Hunter N., died at the age of 65; Au- gustus K., Boonville, Mo .; Judge J. Add, died at the age of 60; Walker M., died at the age of 24; Erle S., the subject of this sketch; Mary and Bettie, twins, the former dying at the age of 20, and the latter married R. E. Maxwell, who is now deceased; Florence M., married O. C. Byler, and is now deceased; Helena, married John E. Elliott, who is now de- ceased; and Carrie Lee, married Dr. J. D. Potts, St. Louis, Mo. All of these children were married and reared families, excepting Walker M.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Mills celebrated their golden wedding anni- versary Aug. 20, 1892, and on this occasion there were present 65 grand- children, and six great grandchildren. A few days after the wedding anniversary, United States Senator Roger Q. Mills, a cousin of Henry W. Mills, made him a visit, which was the occasion of another reunion of the Mills family.

Erle S. Mills was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools. He has made farming and stock raising his life occupation, and is one of the thorough and practical stockmen and farmers of Cooper County.

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He has lived on his present place since Jan. 19, 1887. Here he owns 290 acres of land which is well improved and under high state of cultivation. It is located just north of Clarks Fork store on the Jefferson City road. The place is well watered, having an inexhaustible well, 178 feet deep, and Clarks Fork Creek courses its way across the place. The farm resi- dence is a large well built structure and Mr. Mills has erected two new stock barns within recent years. He keeps high grade Angus cattle, Shropshire sheep, and Big Bone Poland China hogs crossed with Duroc Jerseys. He is an extensive feeder, and has made this branch of animal husbandry profitable.

Erle S. Mills was united in marriage Sept. 3, 1884, to Miss Annie L. Tucker, a daughter of J. W. and Virginia A. Tucker. The Tucker family were pioneers of Saline township. The father died in 1885, and the mother now resides at Marshall, Mo. Mrs. Mills has one sister, Mrs. E. G. Utz, of Marshall, Mo. To Mr. and Mrs. Mills have been born the following children: Layton Tucker; Erle H .; Roger Q., and Virginia, who died at the age of two years.

Mr. Mills has been a member of the Christian Church at Walnut Grove since he was 14 years old, and has been an elder for 20 years. The Mills family are all members of the Christian Church and the youngest son, Roger Q., is also a deacon. Since Mr. Mills has been a member of the Walnut Grove Church, he has seen three different church buildings erected on the same ground and dedicated. June 5, 1916, a cyclone de- stroyed the church, which had been built three years previously, and it was immediately reconstructed. Mr. Mills has some very interesting family heir-looms, and historical documents in his possession, one of which is a list of his grandfather's children, Dr. William Mills, dated March 8, 1774. It was written with a quill, and is a specimen of perfect penmanship. He also has an old deed made out to a member of the Mills family under date 1760.

The Mills family is one of the pioneer families in which Cooper County takes a just pride and Erle S. Mills is one of the leading citizens of this county.

Vivian Hunter Mills, a progressive farmer and stockman of Saline township, is a member of one of the early pioneer families of Cooper County. Mr. Mills was born in Saline township, Dec. 9, 1888. He is a ,son of Hunter N. and Mary Ella (Thomas) Mills, both natives of Cooper County. More extensive mention of the Mills family is made in connec- tion with the sketch of Robert William Mills and Erle S. Mills, which ap- pears in this volume.

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Vivian H. Mills was reared in Saline township and educated in the Fairview district school and the Boonville High School. He was then em- ployed in a wholesale dry goods store in Kansas City, Mo., for one year. He then returned to Cooper County and engaged in farming and stock raising. He moved to his present place, which is a part of his father's old homestead, in 1914. His farm consists of 250 acres. All the build- ings are practically new, having been built since 1914. The residence is a modern cottage of eight rooms, with spacious porches, with a neatly kept and nicely fenced yard. The other farm buildings include a metal barn 45x50 feet, metal garage, grain barn, machine shed, ice house and a tile silo. All in splendid condition, which gives to the place an excellent appearance. In addition to general farming, Mr. Mills raises and feeds cattle and also pure bred Duroc Jersey hogs. He ships about two car- loads of hogs annually, and about one and one-half carloads of cattle. Mrs. Mills is interested in the poultry industry and has about 250 Rhode Island Red chickens. She makes a specialty of furnishing eggs for hatch- ing purposes, for which she receives from $1.00 to $3.00 per setting. The Mills farm is well equipped for the poultry business, having a modern metal poultry house.

Vivian H. Mills was married Sept. 17, 1914, to Miss Martha Shannon, a daughter of E. B. and Jennie (Johnston) Shannon, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Mills is one of the following chil- dren born to her parents: Martha, wife of Vivian H. Mills, subject of this sketch; Lewis, Georgia, and Noye. By a former marriage of E. B. Shannon, the following children were born: R. A., and E. M. Mrs. Mills was born in Clarks Fork township in 1891, educated in the Washington school district, and the Boonville High School, where she was graduated in the class of 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Mills are well known in Cooper County and stand high among their many friends and acquaintances.

Lawrence C. Meyer, a progressive young farmer and stockman of Clarks Fork township, is a descendant of one of the pioneer families of this county. He was born in Cooper County, Aug. 25, 1883, and is a son of George H. and Elizabeth (Molan) Meyer, a more extensive sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.

Lawrence C. Meyer was reared in Cooper County and spent his boy- hood days on his father's farm. He received his education in the Fair- view School in Clarks Fork township, and later attended the Kemper Military School at Boonville. He has made farming and stock raising his chief occupation, and has met with success in his undertaking, and is recognized as one of Cooper County's citizens of sterling worth.

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Mr. Meyer was united in marriage, Aug. 30, 1904, with Miss Pauline Mills, a daughter of James T. and Bettie Mills, pioneer settlers of Saline township, Cooper County. To Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have been born four children, as follows: James Henry, born June 26, 1905; Randall W., born Feb. 8, 1907 ; Lawrence, Jr., born Oct. 26, 1910; and Doris Elizabeth, born Aug. 27, 1917.

Mr. Meyer is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, of Clarks Fork and is a member of the Lutheran Church, and Mrs. Meyer belongs to the Christian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer are well and favorably known in the community, and rank high in Cooper County for their integrity and worth.

William John Cochran .- The individual success of a worthy citizen is deserving' of attention and should be a matter of record in the history of his native county. W. J. Cochran, contractor and builder, Boonville, has won a place in the business world of Cooper County and central Mis- souri, second to no man in his vocation. Born in Cooper County, his father before him having been a builder and contractor, Mr. Cochran has forged to the front by the exercise of diligence, energy, good financial judgment and management, and the policy of giving to a patron the maxi- mum service in a strictly honest and capable manner. W. J. Cochran was born in Boonville, Oct. 1, 1866, and is a son of John Cochran, a native of North Ireland, who came to America in 1851, at the age of 17 years, with his parents, John and Elizabeth Cochran. The Cochrans first settled at Patterson, N. J., and one year later came to Cooper County, where John Cochran (I) followed farming pursuits south of Boonville.

John Cochran (II), father of W. J. Cochran, was reared in this county, and learned the trade of carpenter under Marcus Williams. He engaged in business for himself as a contractor and builder in the fall of 1865. Prior to this he had served as a Union soldier, as corporal of his company, and for three years he fought to uphold the Union authority in this sec- tion of the country. At first, he had a small shop and began on a small scale. During the building era which followed the Civil War, he pros- pered, and remained in active business until his retirement in 1904. John Cochran was born June 16, 1834, and died Dec. 13, 1899. When a young man he married Mary E. Brown, who was born April 2, 1834, in Flemings- burg, Ky., and departed this life in Jan., 1911. John and Mary E. Cochran were parents of seven children, only four of whom were reared: Mrs. Fred J. Faris, of Kansas City; William John Cochran, of this review;

11€,

W. J. COCHRAN

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

Mamie, wife of George E. Sapp, Boonville township; Mrs. Frank H. Her- ron, Lees Summit, Mo.

When W. J. Cochran was 12 years old he began work under his father, and the only schooling he obtained from that time on was by attending night schools. He learned the builders' trade under his father, and remained in his father's employ until he was 24 years old. From October, 1899, to May 13, 1900, he was in charge of the building depart- ment of the Missouri Training School as superintendent He then fol- lowed his vocation on his own account and established his first shop on Main Street. In 1902, he located in an old wholesale building in front of the courthouse and remained there until 1905, when he purchased the planing mill now owned and operated by him on High Street. Mr. Coch- ran's operations as a general contractor and builder have been extensive. He employs from 40 to 100 men, and his payroll runs into thousands of dollars. He has erected many large buildings in Cooper and Howard Counties and in this section of Missouri. For the past 13 years he has been doing special road work for Cooper County, and has done consider- able railroad work in the vicinity of Boonville. Among the buildings which he has erected under contract are the Cooper County courthouse, $115,000; the Frederick Hotel, $40,000; the Victor building, $40,000; the County Home for Indigents, $25,000; the Citizens Trust Company build- ing, $12,000; Kemper Military School building, $35,000; remodeling old Kemper building and gymnasium, $13,000; new barracks building at Kemper School, $35,000; Kemper power plant and armory, remodeled, $2,500; barn at Kemper, $2,300; sewer through the Kemper grounds, 540 feet, $3,000; grading for the school, $5,000; barracks building and bar- racks, $200,000; the Armour & Company's packing house, $22,000; the Hirsch Wholesale Grocery Company warehouse, No. 2, $7,000; the Harri- man garage, $9,000; the Brownfield garage, $9,000; the E. M. Mueller residence, $12,000; the George Roeder residence, $7,000; the E. A. Wind- sor residence, $12,000; the Pigott residence, $8,000; and a splendid brick residence of his own on Morgan Street. Mr. Cochran also rebuilt the A. H. Sauter residence and the Captain Harris and Johnston homes and many others, too numerous to mention.

Nov. 11, 1890, W. J. Cochran and Miss Mattie Calloway Harrison were united in marriage. To this union have been born children as fol- lows: Laura Mary, wife of W. B. Whitlow, a practicing attorney at Ful- ton, Mo .; Jessie Pauline Cochran is her father's office assistant; Augusta

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Hazel Cochran is at home; William John Cochran, Jr., is assisting his father in his business; Doris Aline, James Robert, and Charles Harrison are at home. The mother of these children was born in Boonville, and is a daughter of William H. and Laura Lundy Harrison, the former of whom was born in Old Franklin, Mo., and the latter was a native of Maysville, Ky. William H. Harrison was a son of Cosby Berryman Har- rison, who married Mary Calloway, a daughter of William and Mildred Calloway. William Calloway was a son of James and Susanna (White) Calloway, the former of whom was a soldier of the Revolution. In the early days of the development of the West, William H. Harrison was a plains freighter. He made three trips across the Plains with Mr. Whit- low, and for several years he drove the mail coach to Lexington, Warsaw, and Springfield. He held various mail carrying contracts with the Gov- ernment and made a business of operating mail routes and running stage coaches.

Mr. Cochran is an independent republican. He and his family wor- ship at the Presbyterian Church. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Blue Lodge, and Commandery, and the Mystic Shrine of Sedalia and is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran and daughters, Jessie Pauline, Mrs. Laura Whitlow and Hazel Cochran are members of the Order of Eastern Star, and Miss Jessie Pauline and Laura and Mrs. Cochran are members of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Mr. Cochran has also achieved a reputation as a farmer and breeder of live stock, and of late years he is credited with taking more interest in his farming operations than his contracting business, which he is shift- ing somewhat to younger shoulders. How he became a farmer can be explained from the standpoint of necessity, although he is descended from forebears who were tillers of the soil and agriculture comes natur- ally to him. His contracting operations require that he maintain a large stable of from 10 to 22 teams of draft animals. With the outbreak of the World War and the rise in the price of feed for live stock, as well as everything else under the sun, the problem of providing provender for so many animals became a serious problem, and the cost of the feeding threatened to wipe out the profits of his business. He thereupon pur- chased a farm and engaged in farming on a considerable scale on a tract of 231 acres in Boonville township, besides renting additional land. For several years most of his land has been devoted to raising hay and corn,

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and during 1918 he cut over 140 acres of hay. A misfortune befell his farm in 1918. A fire destroyed practically all of the buildings in June, and he suffered a loss of $10,000 in buildings and harness, etc. Mr. Coch- ranran is specializing, as all good farmers do, and is building up a fine herd of pure-bred Shorthorn cattle and a fine drove of big boned Poland China hogs.

One of the most important contracts which Mr. Cochran has only recently undertaken, and one which has a bearing on the industrial devel- opment of Boonville, is the erection of the new factory of the Hamilton- Brown Shoe Company. This contract calls for an initial cost of $73,000, exclusive of foundation, which Mr. Cochran has also undertaken, and outside fixing of the grounds, heating and lighting, etc. The factory when completed will have cost in the neighborhood of $115,000, all of which money will have been spent in Boonville for labor and materials.

Henry Lohse, a progressive farmer and stockman of Clarks Fork township, was born near Prairie Home, Oct. 12, 1877. He is a son of Fred and Anna (Smith) Lohse. The mother died about 25 years ago, and the father now resides in Clarks Fork township, at the age of 76 years.

Henry Lohse was reared in Cooper County, and received his educa- tion in the Washington School. He has made farming and stock raising his life's work, and has met with uniform success in his undertaking. He purchased his present place, which consists of 200 acres, in 1905. This property was formerly owned by Henry Fredmeyer. It is located about 12 miles south of Boonville and is one of the valuable farms of Cooper County. The place is well improved, with good, substantial barns, silo, and other farm buildings. Mr. Lohse has recently erected a splendid eight-room, modern residence, and, altogether, the Lohse place is one of the best improved in the county. While Mr. Lohse is engaged in general farming and stock raising, he specializes in Shorthorn cattle and Spotted Poland China hogs, and he is recognized as one of the successful breeders of the county.

Dec. 11, 1902, Henry Lohse was united in marriage with Miss Chris- tine Kahle, daughter of William and Hanna (Conrad) Kahle, both natives of Germany. The father came here when he was eight years of age, and settled with his parents at Lone Elm, where he still resides. To William and Hannah Kahle were born the following children: Lizzie, married Herman Oldendorf, Boonville; Mrs. Clarence Hosp, Boonville; Mrs. Min- nie Twillman, Bunceton; Christine, the wife of Henry Lohse; Stella, who resides at home with her parents; Henry, Bunceton; Albert and Herman,

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twins; Adolph; William and Anna Pauline, deceased. Herman Kahle is now serving with the American Expeditionary Force in France. He enlisted in Sept., 1917, and was trained at Camp Funston, Kans. He went to France in April, 1918, being a member of the 356th Infantry, 89th Division. He took part in much of the severe fighting during the latter months of the war, and was severely gassed at one time. He was in a hospital in France when the armistice was signed. He received his honorable discharge in June, 1919, and is now at home. To Mr. and Mrs. Lohse has been born one daughter, Lorene.

Mr. and Mrs. Lohse are well known in the community, and are recog- nized as being among the substantial citizens of Cooper County. They are both members of the Lutheran Church at Clarks Fork.

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History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 66

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Johnson, William Foreman, b. 1861
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Topeka : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1464