History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 75

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

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MR. AND MRS. GEORGE W. MELLOR

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

child, the child also dying, and he later married Mary Jane Talbot, who was born in Virginia and who died in 1894 at the age of 66 years. To that union two sons were born, the subject of this sketch having a younger brother, John Paul Mellor, also a resident of LaMine township.

George W. Mellor was reared on the home farm in LaMine township and completed his schooling in the high school at Boonville. He early turned his attention to Cable Railway system and for two years he worked at Los Angeles and for two years at San Diego in that business. He was married in the former city in 1891 and the year following his mar- riage returned to the old home in this county, the operations of the farm requiring his attention, and has since made his home there, owner of a fine farm of 210 acres which he inherited at the death of his father. In 1898 he erected on that place a fine, modern eight-room house and his farm is equipped in keeping with the same. Mr. Mellor is a stockholder in the National Bank of Boonville. He is a democrat and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America at Blackwater. He and his family are members of the Christian Church.

Aug. 19, 1891, at San Diego, Cal., George W. Mellor was united in marriage to Charlotte Stiles, who was born in Leavenworth, Kan., Dec. 6, 1870, a daughter of Hiram and Mary Ann (Hovey) Stiles, natives, re- spectively, of New York and Ohio, who moved with their family to San Diego in 1886, spending the rest of their lives there. Mr. and Mrs. Mellor have four children, namely: Bessie O., wife of G. H. Neiderjohn, of Nel- son, Mo .; Thomas E., now at home, having but recently returned from service in the United States army, receiving his discharge at Camp Funs- ton, Kan .; Mabel S., wife of P. M. Floyd, of Boonville, and Bernice, wife of William G. Weekley, of LaMine Station.

Judge George W. Morris, a prominent farmer and stockman of Mon- iteau township, former member of the Board of County Judges of Cooper County, is a native of this county, and belongs to one of the pioneer fam- ilies. Judge Morris was born in Kelly township, Oct. 22, 1863. He is a son of Hugh B. and Juda A. (Davis) Morris, early settlers of Cooper County.

Judge Morris was reared in this county, and educated in the public schools at Pisgah. He received a very good common school education, having been fortunate in having some very good instructors, among whom was James Groves. Judge Morris was reared on a farm, and has made farming and stock raising his life's occupation. He has lived on his present place in North Moniteau township since 1885. The place con-

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

sists of 700 acres, a part of which was formerly the old McCulloch place. It is located in North Moniteau and Clarks Fork townships, and is one of the valuable farms of Cooper County. There are three sets of improve- ments on the place. The farm is nicely located, and an extensive view can be had from the home residence. From here one can easily see the water tower and court house at California, Mo., when atmospheric condi- tions are favorable.

George W. Morris was united in marriage Dec. 30, 1885, to Miss Matilda McCulloch, a native of Cooper County, born in Kelly township, Oct. 13, 1860. She is a daughter of Col. Robert A. and Mary (Mahan) McCulloch. Col. Robert A. McCulloch was born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1825, and came to Missouri with his parents, Thomas and Mary McCulloch, who first settled in Howard. County. They remained there but a short time, when they came to Cooper County. Robert A. McCul- loch served in the Confederate army during the Civil War and became a lieutenant colonel. He served in General Forest's brigade. He was known as "White Headed Bob" McCulloch, and a cousin of his, Col. Robert McCulloch, who was also a Confederate veteran, was known as "Black Headed Bob" McCulloch. They crossed the plains together and went to California with ox teams during the gold excitement of 1849. Col. Rob- ert A. McCulloch died in 1911, aged 86 years. His wife, Mary (Mahan) McCulloch, was a native of Cole County. She died several years prior to her husband's death, aged 45 years. They were the parents of three children as follows: Mary, married George A. Carpenter, and is now de- ceased; Matilda, wife of George W. Morris, the subject of this sketch; and Albert J., who resides at Winfield, Kan.

Judge and Mrs. Morris reared an orphan child, Ola McDonald, who is now the wife of Warren Carpenter, of Prairie Home township. Judge Morris is one of Cooper County's most substantial citizens. He has an extensive acquaintaince, not only in Cooper County, but in this section of the State, and he and Mrs. Morris have many friends and are univer- sally respected. Judge Morris served as a member of the County Court from 1915 to Jan. 1, 1919, having been elected on the democratic ticket in November, 1914.

William Edgar Wolfe, of Prairie Home township is a native of Cooper County whose ancestors were very early settlers in this section of the State. Mr. Wolfe was born near Overton, Nov. 14, 1868, and is a son of Wesley and Sallie (Street) Wolf. Wesley Wolfe was also a native of Cooper County, born near Wooldridge, where he was reared to manhood.

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During the Civil War he entered the Confederate army and served for two years, until that great conflict closed. He returned to Cooper County, where he was engaged in farming until his death, Feb. 10, 1875. His wife was a native of Virginia; she died Jan. 21, 1878. Their remains are buried in the Clayton Cemetery. Wesley Wolfe's father was a Pennsyl- vanian, and settled in Missouri about 100 years ago. Shortly after com- ing here he entered the island just east of Wooldridge and lived there for many years. To Wesley and Sallie (Street) Wolfe were born the follow- ing children: Lucy, deceased; James, deceased; Charles C. resides at Overton ; Mrs. Eliza Anderson, deceased; Columbus, lives in Illinois ; Mrs. Lavina Isom, Carrollton, Mo .; Mrs. Julia Ward, lives in Carroll County ; William Edgar, the subject of this sketch, and Pressley, Overton.

William Edgar Wolfe was reared and educated near Overton, and in early life worked as a farm laborer for about 10 years, receiving from $15.00 to $16.00 per month. He worked for C. C. Eldridge, who is now living retired in Boonville, for six years. Mr. Wolfe bought his first land in 1901, which he later sold and bought his present place in Prairie Home township in 1911, which he purchased from H. F. Fricke. The place con- sists of 1091/2 acres, and is nicely located on the Jefferson Highway. Since he bought the place, Mr. Wolfe has built a good substantial eight- room residence and other farm buildings.

June 26, 1892, William Edgar Wolf was united in marriage with Miss Annie Dishion, a daughter of James and Nancy Jane (Adair) Dishion, the former of whom died Sept. 16, 1911, and the mother now resides on the home place in Prairie Home township. James F. and Nancy Jane (Adair) Dishion were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Laura Deuel ; Anna, wife of William Edgar Wolfe; Mrs. W. C. Kirschman; Ada, died at the age of 12 years; Margaret, died at the age of seven years; Alvin, resides in Prairie Home; Silas, Prairie Home ; Minnie May, Prairie Home ; Mrs. Myrtle Richie, died at the age of 27 years in Colorado; Edna Ritchey, Prairie Home; and Speed, Prairie Home.

To Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have been born the following children: Blanch, married Fred L. Grostedt, Clarks Fork township; Oral Wilson Wolfe, served in the World War in France and Germany, a member of Company L, 356th Infantry, 89th Division. He entered the army April 24, 1918, was trained at Camp Funston, Kan., and sent to France June 3, 1918, and arrived there June 24. He took part in the important engage- ments in which the 89th Division participated, including the battles of the Meuse, Argonne and St. Mihiel, as well as other continuous fighting.

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He was wounded at St. Mihiel, and was discharged from the service June 24, 1919. Louis Edgar Wolfe entered the army Oct. 21, 1918, and was sent to Camp Bowie, near Ft. Worth, Texas, and was on detached service there when the armistice was signed. The other children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe are: Elva, at home; Serelda, deceased; John J., died in infancy; Nancy J .; Leith Alexander; Willie Franklin; Ewing C .; Champ Clark; Charles K., died in infancy ; and Allen B.

Mr. Wolfe is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and one of Cooper County's substantial citizens.

John Paul Mellor, proprietor of "Cape Verde" stock farm along the Missouri River in LaMine township, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life, having developed an excellent piece of property. He inherited the old home place which was established by his father many years ago and has done much toward the improvement of the same since it came into his possession. Born July 23, 1857, Mr. Mellor retains dis- tinct recollections of the Civil War period and has some interesting souvenirs of that struggle picked up on his farm, including a grape-shot that was fired from Boonville. He also has some quite interesting relics of the days of Indian occupancy, the collection which he maintains at his home attracting much attention on the part of those interested in such matters. Mr. Mellor's father was a cripple during a part of his life and was thus incapacitated for service during the Civil War. He had a freight warehouse on the river front at the mouth of the LaMine River and this warehouse was once attacked by Federal gunboats which fired as many as 300 shots at the place. The Mellor place also was raided by Federal soldiers, who took the horses out of the stable, emptied the smokehouse of its stored meats and took the bedclothes and such other articles from the house. The elder Mellor, Thomas Mellor, was of English birth and was 12 years of age when he came to this country with his parents, the family locating in New York state. When 20 years of age he went to New Orleans and a few years later came to Missouri and settled near Rankin's Mill in Boonville township, this county. In 1849 he went to California and on his return made a visit back to his boyhood home in New York, after which he returned to Missouri and in this county spent the rest of his life. On the home place, "Cape Verde" farm, now owned by the subject of this sketch, the elder Mellor created a good piece of property and the same has been much improved since coming into the possession of the present owner.

John P Mellor grew up familiar with the practical details of farm

OLD MELLOR HOMESTEAD, NOW OWNED BY JOHN PAUL, MELLOR

THOMAS MELLOR

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life and has always made his home on the place on which he was born, being now the owner of 371 acres of excellent and well cultivated land. He is a stockholder in the Central National Bank of Boonville and in the Citizens Trust Company of that city. He is a democrat and he and his family are members of the Christian Church.

Nov. 28, 1888, John P. Mellor was united in marriage to Nancy Clara Schuster, who was born at Chouteau Springs, Mo., Dec. 19, 1865, daughter of Moritz and Rachel (Hidlebridle) Schuster, the latter born in Maryland. Moritz Schuster was a native of Germany, but had been a resident of this country since the days of his boyhood. Mr. and Mrs. Mellor have six children, namely: George T .; Agnes, wife of Henry Fritz, of Blackwater township; Speed S., who is farming in LaMine township; Grace G., wife of William G. Turley, of LaMine Station, and Ada Marie and Ernest, at home.

George T. Mellor, the eldest son, who was born on Dec. 11, 1889, enlisted for service in the national army in June, 1917, not long after this country's declarations of war against Germany, and as a member of G Company, 140th Infantry, underwent training at Camp Nichols, Leaven- worth, Flat River and Ft. Sill, and was a first class private when he sailed for France with his detachment in the spring of 1918. On Sept. 28, 1918, he was severely wounded during the battle then raging in the Argonne Forest; was discharged and now living at home. George T. Mellor mar- ried Mollie Cramer, also of LaMine township, and has one child, Roy T.

William F. Carpenter, a progressive citizen of Prairie Home town- ship, who is one of Cooper County's substantal citizens, is a native of Mis- souri. He was born in Macon County, Dec. 6, 1874, and is a son of Hugh F. and Rebecca (Buck) Carpenter. Hugh F. Carpenter was also born in Macon County, and now resides at La Plata, Mo. His wife died in November, 1912. Hugh F. Carpenter is a son of Henry Carpenter, who was born in Clarks Fork township. He died at St. Louis. Hugh F. and Rebecca Carpenter were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Ellen Dale, deceased; William F., the subject of this sketch; Emma, mar- ried William Self, Macon County ; James, lives in Montana; Minnie, mar- ried Arthur McKinzey, Macon County ; Ada Mame and Frances reside in Adair County.

William F. Carpenter was reared and educated in Macon County, and since early manhood has been engaged in farming and stock raising. He came to Cooper County from Macon about 1898. In 1919 he bought his present place, which is located one and one-half miles southeast of Prairie

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Home, and consists of 155 acres of fertile and well improved land. He has a nice eight-room farm residence, and the other buildings and im- provements on the place are substantial and in good condition.

Mr. Carpenter was married April 6, 1905, to Miss Dora F. Short, a daughter of Robert and Victoria (Rich) Short. Robert Short was a native of Missouri and died Nov. 26, 1899, aged 50 years, and his wife died in 1885. They were residents of Clarks Fork township, and their remains are buried in Carpenter Cemetery, near Pisgah. They were the parents of the following children: Dora F., the wife of William F. Car- penter, the subject of this sketch; Maude L., married L. B. Amick, How- ard County; Jessie died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have been born children as follows; Myriam Ruth; Helen Louise; Clyde; Gene- vieve, and Marvin Earl.

Mr. Carpenter follows general farming and stock raising, and has met with uniform success. Mrs. Carpenter is quite extensively engaged in the poultry business, specializing in Brown Leghorn chickens, an indus- try which has proven both interesting and profitable.

Mr. Carpenter is public-spirited and enterprising, and takes a keen interest in public affairs. He is one of the directors of the Consolidated School District No. 3 at Prairie Home, and is now serving his second term. He is also a director of the Prairie Home Fair Board. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.

Frederick Schilb, a well known Cooper County pioneer and Union veteran of the Civil War, was born in Bavaria, March 3, 1845, a son of Jacob and Margaret Ann (Mueller) Schilb, both natives of Bavaria. The father was born March 3, 1799, and died June 30, 1856, and the mother died Dec. 31, 1876, aged 75 years. The Schilb family emigrated to Amer- ica and settled in Cooper County in 1847, when Frederick Schilb was two years old. The father bought a farm near Liberty School. The place consisted of 80 acres, for which he paid $275.00, which not only included the farm, but the growing crops, a cow and a calf and the dog. To Jacob and Margaret Ann (Mueller) Schilb were born the following children: Jacob, deceased; Adam, deceased; David, deceased; Margaret, married Henry Meyer and both are deceased ; Frederick, the subject of this sketch.

Frederick Schilb was reared on the farm and educated in the old Lib- erty School district. A part of the time during his school days, school was held in private residences. He spent his boyhood days not unlike the average boy of his time until the Civil War broke out. In January.

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1862, he enlisted at Boonville in Company A, 1st Missouri regiment, and re-enlisted in 1863, becoming a member of Company F., 13th Missouri cavalry. He experienced an active military career during the war and remained in the service for some time afterward. He was at the battle of Mine Creek, Big Blue and a number of other engagements. When the war closed he was sent with his regiment across the Plains to Colorado against hostile Indians. He was discharged and mustered out of service at Ft. Leavenworth Kan., in 1866. During his service in the army, Mr. Schilb had many interesting experiences. On the campaign across the Plains, he had an opportunity to see the west as it was before civilization had made much progress in that section. In the summer of 1865, Mr. Schilb remembers of having seen 700 covered wagons, or "prairie schoon- ers," leave Ft. Kearney, Neb., in one train, on their way across the Plains. The Government required at that time that emigrants travel in trains of not less than 50 wagons, in order that they might be able to protect them- selves against the attacks of hostile Indians.

After his discharge from the army, Mr. Schilb returned to Cooper County, and the following year he bought his first farm of 95 acres near Guyers Ford, upon which he lived until 1877, when he sold out, and in 1878 he bought 110 acres of land in Prairie Home township, where he made his home until 1911, when he moved to his present place, and has since been living practically retired in the village of Prairie Home. Mr. Schilb was married March 15, 1868, to Miss Mary J. Meyer, a daughter of John and Edna D. (Robinson) Meyer, the former a native of Germany, and the latter of Lynchburg, Va. John Meyer died in 1853, when Mrs. Schilb was about two years old, leaving three children besides Mrs. Schilb. The others were Louis G., Slater, Mo .; John H., Neosho, Mo .; and Sarah Ann, who married Frederick Hertzburg, and is now deceased. After her husband's death the mother married again, and to this marriage was born one child, Louisa Ruth, who married Earnest Klatt, and they are both now deceased.

To Mr. and Mrs. Schilb have been born the following children: Mar- garet, married Henry Kuhn, Prairie Home township; Frederick L .. the present postmaster of Prairie Home; Mary Edna, married William Dietzel, of Moniteau County; Laura Olive, married Ernest Kirschman, Prairie Home township; Clara M., married Oliver T. Haley, resides on the home farm; Stella F., married George Morris, Prairie Home: Nettie, married Frank Renfrew, Wooldridge, Mo .; Lula A., married Oscar Blank, Prairie

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Home township; Ida L. died at the age of two years; and Ernest T., died at the age of 10 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Schilb celebrated their golden wedding anniversary March 15, 1918, an event long to be remembered by the members of this numerous and highly respected family of Cooper County. The Schilb family are members of the Methodist Church and stand high in the com- munity. Mr. Schilb is a member of John A. Hayne Post, Grand Army of the Republic, Boonville.

Martin Luther Weekley, a well-known and substantial landowner and retired farmer living in LaMine township, this county, and a veteran of the Civil War, is a native of the old Buckeye state, but has been a resident of Missouri and of Cooper County since coming here in the latter '60s and has thus been a witness to and a participant in the development of this region for more than a half century. He was born in Belmont County, Ohio, March 23, 1842, son of Henry and Mary (Beckett) Weekley, whose last days were spent in that state.

Henry Weekley was born in eastern Virginia on Sept. 3, 1800, and was but a boy when his parents, William and Susan Ann (Bigby) Weekley, who were the parents of 11 children, of whom he was the seventh in order of birth, moved from their native Virginia over into Ohio and established · their home in the then wilderness He grew to manhood in the new state and after his marriage established his home on a farm and continued farming the rest of his life. He and his wife were the parents of 10 chil- dren, of whom four survive, the subject of this sketch having three sisters living, namely: Mrs. Susan Ann Willis, of Armstrong's Mill, Ohio; Cath- erine Penrose, of Dorsey, Ohio, and Sarah, widow of M. Woodburn, of Canton, Ohio.

Martin L. Weekley grew up on the home farm in Belmont County, Ohio, and was living there when the Civil War broke out. On Dec. 24, 1861, he then being but 19 years of age, he enlisted his services in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front as a member of D Company, 43d Rgiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served as a private with that command until the close of the war, being mustered out with his regiment at Louisville, Ky., in July, 1865. During this time of service Mr. Weekley participated in a number of important battles and engagements and was with Sherman's army on the march to the sea. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Weekley returned to his home in Ohio, but two years later, in 1867, came to Missouri and became engaged in wood- chopping and the making of railroad ties in Cooper County, where he ever

MARTIN LUTHER WEEKLEY

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since has made his home. Two years after coming here Mr. Weekley mar- ried one of Cooper County's daughters and in the spring of 1870, shortly after his marriage, began farming on a small tract of twenty-eight acres of land he had bought in section 28 of LaMine township. There he made his home and as his farming operations prospered he gradually added to his holdings until he became the owner of 506 acres, all but 150 acres of which he has now sold, dividing the proceeds among his children, and is now in a position to "take things easy" in the comfortable evening time of his life. Mr. Weekley is a republican and is a member of John Hain post of the Grand Army of the republic at Boonville, in the affairs of which organization he has for many years taken an active interest. He and his family are members of the Church of Christ and he has long been an elder in the same.

On Dec. 26, 1869, Martin L. Weekley was united in marriage to Martha E. Lewis, who was born at Boonville, this county, Dec. 8, 1845, and who died on Dec. 7, 1905. Mrs. Weekley was a daughter of Jesse and Amelia (McMahan) Lewis, the former of whom was born in the neighbor- hood of Zanesville, Ohio, and the latter in Saline County, Mo., a member of one of the pioneer families in this part of the state and further refer- ence to which family is made elsewhere in this volume. To Martin L. and Martha E. (Lewis) Weekley six children were born, as follows: Charles H., deceased; Alvaretta, deceased; Luther F., of LaMine town- ship; Laura E., wife of Palmer Taggart, living on the Weekley home place in LaMine township; Thomas Alexander, also of LaMine township, and William G., of that same township. Luther, the oldest child, has a daugh- ter, Martha Rose, and second child. Thomas A., two sons, DeWitt J. and Martin R.

Andrew A. Ritchie, a well known and progressive farmer of Prairie Home township, residing at Prairie Home since Jan. 20, 1919, was born in Cooper County, Sept. 29, 1866, and is a descendent of pioneers of this county. He is a son of Abraham and Lizzie (Wood) Ritchie. The mother died in 1869, and her remains are buried in Andrew County, Mo. She was born in Cooper County, in 1846. Abraham Ritchie was born in Prairie Home township, in 1841, and now resides with his son here. To Abraham and Lizzie (Wood) Ritchie were born the following children: J. L., Cole County; A. A., the subject of this sketch ; Mary Ellen, married Charles Hawkins and resides at Gorham, Wash.

A. A. Ritchie was educated in the Salem School and recalls as his

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first teacher, Jennie Adams. Mr. Ritchie has spent his life in Cooper County, except two years, when he was in Arkansas. He has always been engaged in farming and stock raising, and in 1915, purchased the old homestead of 90.5 acres from his father.

Mr. Ritchie was married Jan. 13, 1888, to Miss Dora Sinclair, a daughter of George A. and Rhoda (Stephens) Sinclair. George A. Sin- clair had two half brothers, Joe and Peter Cole. The Cole family was one of the first to settle in Cooper County, and the Stephens family were also one of the very first to families to settle in this county. George A. Sinclair died in 1890 at the age of 55 years. His wife died in 1918, aged 71 years. His remains are buried at Siloam Springs, Ark., and his wife is buried at Walnut Grove Christian Church Cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: Dora, the wife of A. A. Ritchie, the subject of this sketch, was born in Henry County, in 1870; William B .. Tipton, Mo .: Mollie, married Ed. McNair, Siloam Springs, Ark .; John, Boonville; Lizzie, married Hardin Hill, Speed; Anna, Parsons, Kan .; Joe. Boonville; and Emmerett. Parsons, Kan. To Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie have been born three children as follows: Abraham Lee, born in 1889, married Edna Dishion in 1912, and resides on the home farm : George Emil, born 1890, married Myrtle Dishion in 1912, and his wife is now deceased, and he resides on the home farm; Ray P., resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie are members of the Christian Church at Walnut Grove. The Ritchie family is well known in Cooper County and are highly regarded.

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History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 75

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