History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 69

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

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Julius J. Fahrenbrink was reared on the home farm and educated in the Jefferson school and parochial school of Lone Elm. Since he was 18 years of age he has had charge of the home place and has demonstrated his capability as a manager and successful farmer and stockman. He raises Shorthorn cattle, Spotted Poland China hogs, and brown leghorn chickens.

The Fahrenbrink farm was one of the first places settled in the vicinity of Lone Elm Prairie. At the time Colonel Pope located on this land it was generally believed by the settlers that prairie land was not productive, or, at least, that it was impractical to undertake to farm it. This theory was one of the many delusions of the early pioneers. When Mr. Fahrenbrink bought this land he paid $24.50 per acre for it. The place is well improved with a good residence, ample barns and other farm buildings, although one of the barns was destroyed by fire March 22, 1918.

The Fahrenbrinks are numbered among the leading citizens of Cooper County and Julius J. Fahrenbrink is one of the progressive young men of the community.

A. J. White, a prominent farmer and stockman of Kelly township, was born in Moniteau County, Dec. 25, 1865. He is a son of Stephen and Martha (Robertson) White.

A. J. White was educated in the public schools of Moniteau County, and since early manhood has been engaged in farming and stock raising. He purchased his present place in Kelly township, which is known as the Tipton Loop Farm, in 1899. This farm was formerly the property of

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Charles Dunaway and since buying the place Mr. White has made many valuable improvements, including a good eight room residence, a barn 40x50 feet and a silo built of concrete block, with a capacity of 135 tons. Mr. White raises cattle, hogs and horses, and carries on general farming, and has met with success. He is one of the prosperous farmers of Kelly township.

March 8, 1898, A. J. White was married to Martha Bear, a daughter of J. H. and Mary D. (Morris) Bear. To Mr. and Mrs. White have been born two daughters, Blanche, married George Tutt, Bunceton, and Maude, resides at home with her parents. The White family are members of the Baptist Church at Tipton, and rank among the representative families of this section.

William F. Schmalfeldt, proprietor of "Alfalfa Valley Farm," in Clark's Fork township, is one of the leading farmers of Cooper County. He was born on a farm near Lone Elm in 1871, son of Otto and Polly (Arnold) Schmalfeldt, the latter of whom is living at Lone Elm.

Otto Schmalfeldt, a Union veteran of the Civil War, was born at Honerkirchen, Germany, March 4, 1842, and was about 18 years of age when he came to this country accompanied by his sister and brother John. another brother dying while crossing the Atlantic. He settled in this county, where he was living when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in the Union army, and served until the close of the war. The gun which he carried is still preserved in the family, now in the posses- sion of his grandson. Otto Schmalfeldt. At the close of the war, Otto Schmalfeldt located on a farm at Lone Elm and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on Jan. 14, 1874, and his body lies in Clarks Fork Cemetery. His widow later married Peter Smith. She was born in Holmes County, Ohio, Dec. 18, 1850, and was about 16 years of age when she came to this county with her parents, Daniel Arnold and wife, after the close of the Civil War. By her marriage to Otto Schmalfeldt she was the mother of three children: J. H. Schmalfeldt, who died at the age of 32 years ; William F., and Mrs. Christina Freiling, of Speed, Mo. By her marriage to Peter Smith she was the mother of two children. Mrs. Mar- garet Friedmyer, now living at California, Mo., and M. D. Smith, who owns the old Schmalfeldt farm at Lone Elm.

William F. Schmalfeldt was reared on the home farm, and received his early schooling in the public school at Lone Grove and the parochial school at Clarks Fork and Prairie Home Institute. From boyhood, Mr. Schmalfeldt has followed farming, beginning on rented land. He con-

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tinued as a renter until 1900, when he purchased from Frank George the farm of 184 acres, in Clarks Fork township, on which he has since lived. This land was entered by Peter T. Bowler, who in 1840 sold 120 acres, the tract on which the farm house stands, for $600 to David Smith, who in 1882 sold the same tract to Frank George for $1,800. In 1912 he pur- chased a 60-acre tract of Levi Arnold, and later, in 1918, he bought 76 acres from J. T. Patterson. Mr. Schmalfeldt has given the very appro- priate name of "Alfalfa Valley Farm" to his place, owing to the luxuri- ance of the growth of alfalfa there, his fields having given him as high as five cuttings a season, the first cutting coming in the middle of May. Mr. Schmalfeldt has remodeled the buildings, erected a new tenant house, built adequate fences, and made other improvements. He has his house piped for both hard and soft water, has an acetyline gas plant for light- ing purposes, and his basement is fitted with furnace and laundry. In addition to his general farming he gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock. Mr. Schmalfeldt has 180 head of pure-bred Chester White hogs. He has been a breeder of O. I. C. hogs since 1902, and in 1918 began to sell registered hogs. He is making a specialty of regis- tered stock, and has some of the best hogs in Missouri. An accurate record of the "Alfalfa Valley Drove" is kept by Mrs. Schmalfeldt.

Oct. 4. 1894, William F. Schmalfeldt was united in marriage to Anna Brandes, who was born in this county on April 23, 1873, daughter of Christian H. and Sarah (Willshire) Brandes, the latter of whom, born in New Zealand and reared in Melbourne, Australia, is still living, making her home at Lone Elm. She was born on Feb. 28, 1847. Christian H. Brandes, who died at his home in this county, Nov. 9, 1902, and is buried at Lone Elm, was a native of Germany, and in young manhood went to Australia, where he married Sarah Willshire, and later came to this country to join relatives who had located in this county. The trip from Australia occupied six months, and he made a careful record of the inci- dents of the long journey, that record now being carefully preserved by the family. Upon his arrival here, Christian H. Brandes became engaged in farming, and here spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife had 10 children, as follows: Mrs. Chris T. Smith, of Bunceton; Mrs. Sophia Hall, of Cotton; E. N. Brandes, of Kansas City ; Mrs. Schmalfeldt ; Mrs. Florence Martin, deceased; Mrs. Emily Mansager, of Jewell, Iowa; Esther, wife of Andrew C. Smith, of Lone Elm; Henry, of Macon, Mo .; Walter, of Lone Elm; and Speer, on the home place. To Mr. and Mrs.

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Schmalfeldt five children have been born, namely: Ethel G., born on June 21, 1896, married Henry Toellner, of Clarks Fork township; Emma C., March 25, 1898, wife of P. W. Loesing, of same township; Edward L., June 20, 1899, on the home farm; Florence N., Jan. 17, 1904, also at home; and Helen E., Sept. 28, 1912, died Sept. 13, 1915. The Schmal- feldts are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Clarks Fork, and Mr. Schmalfeldt is a member of the board of trustees.

John N. Whitlow, proprietor of a well improved farm of 265 acres in LaMine township, was born in Metcalf County, Ky., April 4, 1867, son of James A. and Martha L. (Pedigo) Whitlow. James A. Whitlow was born in Metcalf County, Ky., Jan. 24, 1830. He grew up a farmer in his native state and remained there until in 1874, when he came to Missouri and located in Cooper County, arriving here with his family February 14th of that same year, settling on the farm now owned by his son, John, who has thus been a resident of that place for 45 years. There James A. Whitlow was begining to develop his farm when death interrupted his lab- ors in Jan., 1876. His widow kept the family together and is still living on the home place. She was born in Henry County, Va., Jan. 24, 1830, and was 11 years of age when her parents moved into Kentucky, where she grew to womanhood and married. To James A. Whitlow and wife were born 10 children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the eighth in order of birth.

John N. Whitlow was eight years of age when he came with his par- ents to Cooper County from Kentucky and here he has resided ever since. He was but 10 years of age when his father died and he thus early had to take his part in the labors of maintaining the home place. About 1889 he bought 100 acres of his present farm, a part of the place which his father had bought upon coming to Cooper County, and to this he has added until now he is the owner of a fine farm of 265 acres, which he has im- proved in excellent fashion, the improvements including a new and inod- ern dwelling house, a silo and other improvements in keeping with the same. Mr. Whitlow is a Democrat.

Feb. 26, 1902, John N. Whitlow was united in marriage to Ada L. Gorrell, who was born in this county April 30, 1872, daughter of Amos Gorrell and wife, of whom further mention is made in this volume, and to this union seven children have been born, namely: Martha C., Jesse E., Wilbur R., Louise L., Ada S., Linnie Oma and Woodrow.

Andrew C. Smith, proprietor of an excellent farm in Clarks Fork township, is one of the progressive and wideawake farmers of Cooper County. He was born on a farm in the Lone Elm neighborhood, Oct. 10,

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1878, son of Henry and Julia (Hosp) Smith, both of whom live in Boon- ville, where they have resided since their retirement from the farm. Henry Smith is a native of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and was a grown man when he came to this country with his father, Claus Schmidt, and located in this county. A few months after coming here, in 1877, he married Julia Hosp, twin sister of Julius Hosp and daughter of Andrew and Amelia (Sombart) Hosp, and after his marriage settled on a farm near Lone Elm, where he lived until his retirement some years ago and removal to Boonville. Mrs. Smith was born at Boonville, where her father had located upon coming to this country from his native Germany. Her mother also was born in Germany and was about three years of age when her parents came to America. To Henry Smith and wife were born four sons, the last born of whom, Charles, died when two years of age, the others, besides the subject of this sketch (the first born), being Wil- liam, of Bunceton, and George, who continues to make his home on the Henry Smith farm, near Lone Elm.

Andrew C. Smith received his schooling in the local parochial school and in the Washington District School in Clarks Fork township. In 1901 he bought the farm on which he is now living and after his marriage, in the following year, established his home there. Mr. Smith has a well cultivated place of 120 acres, six miles east and north of Bunceton and since has made numerous substantial improvements on the place, includ- ing the rebuilding of the farm house, the erection of a barn, the drilling of a deep well, the erection of a garage and other buildings. In addition to his general farming, he gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock. He has served on the local school board. He and his family are members of the Lone Elm Lutheran Church.

In 1902 Andrew C. Smith was united in marriage to Esther Brandes, who was born in this county, daughter of Chris and Sarah Brandes, the latter of whom is still living ncar Lone Elm. Chris Brandes died in 1902. He and his wife had nine children, of whom Mrs. Smith is the youngest, the others being as follows: Edward, Kansas City; Henry, Macon; Wal- ter, Bunceton ; Speer, Bunceton; Augusta, wife of Chris T. Smith, of this county ; Sophia, wife of John Hall; Emalina, married M. J. Mansager, resides in Iowa; Anna, wife of William Schmalfeldt, Clarks Fork, and Mrs. Florence Martin, deccased. To Andrew C. and Esther (Brandes) Smith have been born two children, Raymond and Elvadene Ruth. B .- sides these, they are rcaring two children of Mrs. Smith's deceased sister Florence, Edna and Spencer Martin. Edward Martin, father of these children, is now living in St. Louis.

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William Meyer, one of Cooper County's most prosperous and promi- nent farmers and stockmen, was born in Moniteau County, April 9, 1858, a son of Henry and Anna (Bahlmann) Meyer, the former a native of Hanover, Germany, and the latter of Oldenberg, Germany.

Henry Meyer immigrated to America after his marriage to Anna Bahlmann, in 1842, and he and his wife located in New Orleans, La., moving thence to St. Louis, and from there to Moniteau County, where Mr. Meyer entered a tract of land comprising 200 acres, to which he later added 100 acres, acquired by purchase He sold the farm in Moniteau County after farming there for several years, and moved to Cooper County, where he settled on the farm now the country place of his son, William, the subject of this sketch. Henry Meyer resided in Cooper County from 1867 to the time of his death. During the Civil War, he served with the Home Guards in Moniteau County. He was a very suc- cessful farmer and stockman, and was highly regarded in Cooper County. The children of Henry and Anna Meyer are as follows: Mary, who died in childhood; Catherine, the wife of John Schnuck, of Boonville; Eliza- beth, who died in infancy; Levina, the wife of Christian Muntzel, of Black water; Sophia, the wife of Henry Friedmeyer, and she is now de- ceased; Louise, now deceased, the wife of Henry Molau; George, deceased ; Henry, Jr., and Ana, twins, deceased; and William, the subject of this sketch.

William Meyer was educated in the public schools of Cooper County. Practically his entire life thus far has been spent in farming and stock- raising in Clarks Fork township. He is the proprietor of "Buena Vista Stock Farm," located eight miles southeast of Boonville in Clarks Fork township, a place comprising 425 acres of valuable land, equipped with two sets of improvements, all of which have been placed on the farm by Mr. Meyer, the buildings including a handsome two -story residence, three barns, and a tenant house. The farm is very neatly kept, the land is well watered and stocked, an ideal stock farm. Mr. Meyer has, at the time of this writing in 1919, 400 head of sheep of good quality, Jersey cattle, and Poland China hogs. Mr. Meyer and his son, Elmer, in part- nership, have conducted stock sales at the "Buena Vista Stock Farm," in connection with W. B. Windsor and C. N. Menefee, and in cataloguing the stock, the Meyer cattle and hogs invariably ranked as the best quality.

Aug. 23, 1883, William Meyer and Henrietta M. Steigleder were united in marriage. Mrs. Meyer was born on a farm near Oskaloosa, Iowa, a daughter of George Frederick Andrew and Mary Elizabeth (Hoch-

WILLIAM MEYER AND FAMILY

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stetler) Steigleder, the former, born July 30, 1829, at Michelbach on der Haide, in Germany, and the latter born Aug. 16, 1834, in Holmes County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Steigleder were united in marriage, Jan. 28, 1855, in Ohio, by Rev. J. G. Zohner, and to them were born eight children: William Frederick and George Henry; Anna Elizabeth Wilhelmina, the wife of H. P. Muntzel, of Boonville; Louis Robert, of Big Cabin, Okla .; Matilda H., the wife of subject of this sketch; Martha Amelia Louise, the wife of Elmer George, of Bunceton; Sophia Barbara, the wife of Thomas Etter, of Richville; and Louvina Luella, of Bunceton. Jacob Hochstetler immigrated to America from Rotterdam, and his descend- ents are scattered throughout America, Mrs. Meyer being a lineal de- scendent. The Hochstetlers settled originally in Somerset County, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have been born two children: Elmer C., married Elsie Stumpf, Jan. 31, 1918, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Marie Stumpf; and Stella A. E., at home with her parents.

William Meyer is one of the original "boosters" of good roads in Cooper County, and one of the first to be interested in the establishment of the rural telephone and rural routes. He is a charter member of the Farmers Bank of Boonville, of which he has been a director for 21 years, until the bank was sold. He was a school director in his district for 15 years. Mr. Meyer stands high in the respect and trust of his fellowmen and there is no man in this section of the State more worthy of admira- tion and confidence.

Henry Smith, well known in the Lone Elm neighborhood for many years, now living retired in Boonville, was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Oct. 15, 1847, son of Claus and Margaret (Sulau) Schmidt, the latter of whom died in that country. After the death of his wife, Claus Schmidt came to the United States with his seven children and located in this county, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died in 1896, being then nearly 86 years of age, and is buried in the Clarks Fork Ceme- tery. He was the father of seven children, as follows: Peter, Lone Elm; Henry; Joseph, died in Henry County; John, San Francisco; Heinrich, Petersburg, Mo .; Anna, married Frederick Lohee and is deceased; and Mrs. Margaret Naumann, Lone Elm.

In the spring of 1877 Henry Smith, with his father, located in this county. Nov. 16, 1877, he married here Julia Hosp, who was born in this county, and after his marriage, he followed farming, until his retire- ment and removal to Boonville, where he and his wife are now living at 509 East Third Street. Mr. Smith still owns his farm in Clarks Fork

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township. To him and his wife were born four sons: Andrew C., a farmer, Clarks Fork township; George, farming the home place at Lone Elm; William, Bunceton; Charles, died, aged two years.

Mrs. Julia Smith, the mother of these sons, was born at Boonville, a daughter of Andrew and Amelia (Sombart) Hosp, both natives of Ger- many, whose last days were spent in this county. Andrew Hosp was born in Prussia in 1825, and there remained until he had attained his majority when, in 1846, he came to the United States, locating at Boon- ville. Feb. 1, 1849, he married Amelia Sombart, who was born in 1828, and who had come to this country with her parents when about three years of age. The same year that he was married came the announce- ment of the great gold discovery in California, and Andrew Hosp joined a party and set out for the coast. From there he went to Australia, after about two years of experience in California, and did not return to Cooper County until in 1854, in the meantime having undergone numerous hard- ships, but saved considerable money. Upon his return he bought a farm of 125 acres two and one-half miles south of Boonville, the place now owned and operated by his son, Julius A. Hosp, and there lived until his removal to Boonville, where, for a time, he conducted a hotel. He died in 1916, at the age of 91 years. His wife died in 1904 and is buried in Wal- nut Grove Cemetery. Andrew Hosp and his wife had seven children: Mrs. Smith and her twin brother, Julius; Mary Hosp, Boonville; Mrs. William Kosted, Peoria, Ill .; Dora, died at the age of 58 years; Amelia, married William Allison and is deceased; and Laura, died in infancy. The Hosp children received their schooling in the Mt. Sinai School.

Toler Brothers, O. K. and Grover C. Toler, well known and substan- tial young farmers and stockmen, doing business in partnership on their well improved farm of 200 acres, 14 miles southeast of Boonville, in Clarks Fork township, were born on a farm one-half mile south and have lived there all their lives, proprietors of the place since 1915, when, upon the retirement of their father, who also was born on the farm, they bought the place and have since devoted their attention to its develop- ment. These brothers are sons of Jesse R. and Ella A. (Oakman) Toler, who, upon their retirement from the farm in 1915, moved to Prairie Home, where they are now living. Jesse R. Toler is a son of Elijah R. Toler, who opened for cultivation the farm now owned and operated by his grandsons, the Toler brothers.

Elijah R. Toler was born Aug. 15, 1804, and died on July 4, 1879. He was twice married. His first wife, Sarah Jane Toler, died Sept. 24, 1841,

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and his second wife, Nancy Toler, Feb. 4, 1902, and all are buried in the private burial plot on the old Toler homestead, on the rise of the knoll just north of the residence of the Toler brothers. A single monument carries the essential data relating to those lying there and four beautiful cedar trees shade the well-kept plot. It was on that pioneer farm that Jesse Toler was born and reared, and it was there that after his marriage to Ella Oakman, he established his home and reared his family. To him and his wife were born six sons, as follows: Roy, lives at Sedalia, where he is employed as a carpenter for the Missouri Pacific Railroad; O. K. and Grover C., subjects of this sketch; Frank George, who is now (spring of 1919) with the American Expeditionary Forces in France; Joseph, at home with his parents; and Freeman, at home. Frank George Toler, the soldier son, enlisted in the American Army in June, 1918, and sailed for overseas service, a member of Company A, 351st Infantry, and was at the front when the armistice was signed, his command later being made part of the Army of Occupation, and was discharged in July, 1919.

O. K. Toler was born May 1, 1886, and Grover C. Toler was born Aug. 9, 1888. They received their schooling in the Washington and Jefferson District Schools. With the exception of four years, during which O. K. Toler was employed in the pipe factory at Boonville, the brothers have, from the days of their boyhood, been engaged in farming together on the home place, and upon their father's retirement in 1915, they bought the place and have since been operating the same in partnership. The Toler farm is admirably situated, about 60 acres of the 200-acre place being bottom land and the remainder upland, the drainage thus being excellent. In addition to a 201-foot driven well, there are two excellent springs on the place, affording an ample supply of pure water. About 160 acres of the place is under cultivation and there is a well-kept orchard. The farm house is a substantial two-story structure and there are two good barns with the proper complement of other farm buildings to add to the con- venience of the well-ordered farm plant, these including a 12x32 Dickey silo. Besides the horses on the place and a good herd of milch cows, the brothers have a flock of fifty Shropshire sheep and a good drove of Duroc Jersey hogs, the place being admirably adapted for stock raising. The brothers are carrying on their operations in accordance with up-to-date methods and are doing well. Both are members of the local lodge of the Woodmen of the World at Boonville and of the Mystic Workers at Pisgah.

July 1, 1912, O. K. Toler, the elder brother, was united in marriage with Rosa Miller, daughter of George and Mary (Myers) Miller, of Boon-

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ville, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Alberta Cath- erine. July 26, 1913, G. C. Toler married Lillie Bybee, an orphan, who was reared by her grandmother, Mrs. Graydoff, and both families are making their home together very pleasantly.

Robert Boone Smith, a well known and highly respected citizen of Prairie Home, is a native of Cooper County. He was born in Prairie Home township in 1855, a son of Jeremiah and Lutitia (George) Smith, the former a native of Tennessee, and the latter of North Carolina.

Robert Boone Smith received his education in the public school and Prairie Home College. In early life he engaged in farming and stock raising. His place was located in Prairie Home township, and is now known as "Forest View Farm," the name which Mr. Smith gave it. He improved this place and made of it one of the prettiest stock farms in that part of Cooper County, and for 30 years made his home there. He sold it in 1910 and moved to Prairie Home, where he purchased 10 acres of land within the town limits. He has made extensive improvements on this place, building a modern residence, with garage, barn, poultry house, etc., and has a pretty home.

Mr. Smith was married the first time to Miss Catherine Boswell, a daughter of James Boswell, of Pleasant Hill, Mo. Three children were born to this union: Myra, married William Hurt, Clarks Fork township, and they have one daughter, Wilma; Lena and Ruth, deceased. Mrs. Catherine Smith died in 1895. June 27, 1897, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Anna Yankee, a daugher of Wesley Yankee, a native of Kentucky. He was twice married. His first wife bore the name of Underwood, and to this union were born the following children: Andrew, deceased : Samuel, deceased; Mrs. Eliza Maxwell, Kansas City, Mo .; Amelia, deceased; and Joel, deceased. After the death of his first wife. Wesley Yankee married a Miss Franklin, and the following children were born to this union: Frank, Lone Jack, Mo .; Fannie, now Mrs. Thompson, near Lone Jack, Mo .; Anna, wife of Robert B. Smith. the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Elizabeth Huston, Strasburg, Mo .; Benjamin, Lone Jack ; William, Independence, Mo., and Mrs. Emma Hurt, Lone Jack. Mrs. Smith was educated in Cass and Jackson Counties. Mr. Smith is a mem- ber of the Masonic Lodge, Modern Woodmen of America, Mystic Work- ers, and Mrs. Smith is a member of the Eastern Star. They both belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

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History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 69

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