History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 77

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

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Henry Louis Muntzel, one of LaMine township's best known and most progresive farmers and the owner of a well improved farm of 275 acres in that township is a native of Cooper County. He was born on a farm south of Boonville on Dec. 17, 1866, son of Christian and Lavinia (Meyer) Muntzel, the latter of whom, also a native of Cooper County, is living with the subject of this review.

Both the Muntzels and the Meyers are of Hanoverian stock and among the pioneers of Missouri, settling first in St. Louis County and then com- ing to Cooper County. Peter Muntzel, the founder of the family in this state, was born in Hanover in 1799 and came to America in 1843, locat- ing on a farm in St. Louis County, where he remained until 1856, when he came to Cooper County. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the remainder of his life. He and his wife were the parents of four sons, Henry, Albert, Daniel and Christian.

Christian Muntzel was born in 1840 and was but a child when his parents came to this country. He was 16 years of age when the family came to Cooper County. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Union army and went to the front as a member of Company A 29th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, with which command he marched with Sher- man to the sea and was mustered out at the close of the war as one of the nine survivors of his company. He then returned to his home in Cooper County and Sept. 10, 1865, was united in marriage to Lavinia Meyer, who was born in this county on April 1, 1846.

CHRISTIAN MENTZEL AND WIFE, LAVINIA

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

Mrs. Lavinia Muntzel is a daughter of Henry and Anna (Baldwin) Meyer, Hanoverians, who came to this country shortly after their mar- riage and settled in Cooper County about 1840, where Henry Meyer bought 320 acres of Congress land, he and his wife spending the remainder of their lives here. He and his wife were the parents of 10 children: Mary, Elizabeth, Katherine, Lavinia, Sophia, Louise, Annie, George, Henry and William. Following his marriage to Lavinia Meyer, Christian Muntzel settled on a farm south of Boonville and there spent the rest of his life. He died in 1886. His widow still owns the home place of 340 acres.

To Christian and Lavinia (Meyer) Muntzel were born four children: Henry L., Matilda, Ida and George, all of whom are still living. Matilda Muntzel was born in 1869 and completed her schooling in the Pilot Grove High School. In 1893, she was married to C. H. Phillips, and now resides in Kansas City, where Mr Phillips is cashier in the city water department. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have two children, Charles, who is now (spring of 1919) still in France, a member of Base Hospital Unit No. 28, which was called on for much active service during the progress of Amercia's partici- pation in the World War, and Frances, a senior in the Central High School. Ida Muntzel was born in 1873 and completed her schooling in Missouri Valley School at Marshall. In 1899, she married Dr. W. H. Gentry, phy- sician, of Carthage, Mo., who in 1918 was called to the colors in the World War, was commissioned captain and stationed at Camp Taylor, Louis- ville, Ky., and now lives at Carthage, Mo. George Muntzel was born in 1876 and completed his schooling at the Haynes School in Boonville and in the Gem City Business College, Quincy, III. In 1901, he married Fannie McNulty, and made his home on a farm south of Boonville. They have three children, Frances, Wilbur and Charles, who are now attending high school at Boonville.

Henry L. Muntzel was reared on the home farm south of Boonville. Upon completing the course in the Pilot Grove High School, he took a supplemental course in the International Business College at St. Louis, from which he was graduated in 1886. He then farmed on his own ac- count on the home place until in 1895, when he bought his present farm east of Blackwater, and has since resided here. Mr. Muntzel carries on general farming and gives considerable attention to raising hogs. His farm of 275 acres is well improved.

Dec. 23, 1893, Henry L. Muntzel was married to Margaret Rudolph, who was born in this county. Dec. 20, 1868, and who died on Aug. 27, 1904. Mrs. Margaret Muntzel was a daughter of George and Anna (Bow- man) Rudolph, Virginians, who settled in Cooper County before the Civil

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

War, and the former of whom is residing seven miles south of Boonville. To Mr. and Mrs. Muntzel were born three children: George, born in 1894, attended Central College at Fayette, and who died in 1916; Robert, born in 1896, also attended Central College, and died in 1915, and James, who was born in 1900, is now attending Boonville High School. Mr. Muntzel is a member of the Baptist Church, and is a republican, and for a number of years served as committeeman from his precinct.

Henry W. Oerly, postmaster and general merchant at Overton, and one of the influential citizens of that section of Cooper County, postmaster at Overton for nearly 15 years, was born in this county, April 7, 1882, son of Samuel and Mary A. (Schunck) Oerly. He received his schooling in the Highland Schools in Saline township, and continued making his home on the home farm until his appointment to the office of postmaster at Overton in August, 1905,and has since held that office. When he took charge of the postoffice Mr. Oerly started in connection with the same a local jewelry shop and watchmaking establishment and maintained that business until in June, 1916, when he opened a grocery store and moved the postoffice into the building he erected at that time, and has since been engaged in the grocery business in addition to looking after the affairs of the postoffice. Starting his grocery with a $450 stock, Mr. Oerly has increased his business until he now has a well stocked and well equipped store, carrying a full line of goods required in the general trade of the community. In October, 1915, he bought the T. L. Tucker residence at · Overton and he and his family have since resided there. Besides this property and his store building Mr. Oerly is the owner of six half-acre lots at Overton and one smaller lot.

June 16, 1908, the twenty-seventh anniversary of the marriage of his parents, H. W. Oerly was married to Sara Martha Grannemann, who was born at Morrison, Mo., and to this union one child has been born, Laura Marie. Mrs. Oerly was born on July 9, 1887, a daughter of Louis and Minnie (Noltensmeyer) Grannemann, both natives of Missouri, now deceased. They are buried at Wainwright. Mr. and Mrs. Oerly are members of the Evangelical Church at Boonville. Mr. Oerly is one of the leading factors in the business life of his home town.

W. H. H. Rowles, a prominent farmer of Kelly township, is a descend- ant of early pioneers of Cooper County, both on his father's and mother's sides. He was born May 29, 1841, and is a son of Reuben and Margaret (Stephens) Rowles. Reuben Rowles was born near Baltimore, Md., in

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

1814, and came to Cooper County, Mo., in 1835. Margaret Stephens was born in Cooper County and was a daughter of Joseph Stephens, one of the very first settlers of Cooper County. Reuben and Margaret (Stephens) Rowles were married in Cooper County in 1840, and spent their lives in this county. He died at Bunceton in 1900 and his wife de- parted this life at Bunceton in 1905. They were the parents of the fol- lowing children: W. H. H., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Catherine Stephens, Tipton, Mo .; Alpha Marge, deceased; Mrs. Sallie Barber, de- ceased; Joseph died in Oklahoma; Reuben on the home place, Kelly town- ship; John on the home place, Kelly township; Charles Ochiltree, Texas, and Mrs. Maggie Carpenter.

William H. H. Rowles was reared in Cooper County and attended such schools as were in the neighborhood when he was a boy. His first school was held in a log building in the Davis school district and was taught by his uncle, John D. Stephens. Later he attended school at the Dublin dis- trict, north of Bunceton, and recalls among early teachers, Mary Chilton, Thomas Bridges, Mr. Hogue, Benjamin Hickman and Mrs. Smoot. He also attended school at the Hopewell Church school, which was taught by Jack Stephens and B. R. Cully. Mr. Rowles has always lived in Cooper County, except three years spent in California and 18 months in Texas. He bought his present home in 1873. This farm was entered from the Government in 1819 by Joseph Stephens, grandfather of Mr. Rowles. The home place consists of 1471/2 acres and Mr. Rowles owns two other farms, one of 80 acres and one 240. The home place is well improved, with a neat six room residence and good substantial barns and other buildings. Mr. Rowles carries on general farming and stock raising.

Dee. 26, 1871, W. H. H. Rowles was united in marriage with Miss Perlina J. Arnold, a daughter of James S. and Malvina (Lahue) Arnold, both natives of Indiana. They went from their native state to Iowa in early life, and in 1864 came to Missouri. The father was born in 1823 and died in Benton County, Texas, in 1887. His wife was born in 1824 and died in Oklahoma in 1896. They went to Texas in 1872. They were the parents of the following children: Perlina J., the wife of W. H. H. Rowles ; Mrs. Mary Miller, Denton, Texas; Willard, Dallas, Texas ; George resides in Colorado; Mrs. Dorcas Stephens, deceased; Mrs. Lola Morgan, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Rowles have been born two children: A. D. married Alta Yarnell and lives three miles west of Vermont Station, and James R. lives near Hopewell Church. He married Pauline Walge. There

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

are 12 grandchildren in the Rowles family, each of the sons having six children.

Mr. and Mrs. Rowles are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Rowles family are prominent in the community.

Samuel Y. Thornton, president of the Farmers Stock Bank of Black- water, and one of the best known stockmen in Cooper County, proprietor of the great "Rose Hill" Stock Farm in LaMine township, and recognized throughout the country as the most extensive breeder of Duroc Jersey hogs west of the Mississippi, is a native of Ohio, but has been a resident of this State since the days of his boyhood, and therefore regards him- self as a Missourian "to the core." He was born in Clermont County, Ohio, Dec. 23, 1851, son of Dr. Samuel Y. and Frances (Clarke) Thorn- ton, the latter of whom also was born in that county and both of whom spent their last days in Missouri.

Dr. Samuel Y. Thornton was born in Maryland in 1807, and early turned his attention to the study of medicine. He began the practice of his profession at Batavia, Clermont County, Ohio, about 1832, and later practiced at Bethel, Ohio, where he remained until 1857, in which year he came to Missouri with his family and located near Jefferson City, where he began farming on 1,000 acres 12 miles south of that city on the Osage River, where he died in 1877. On this big farm there was a tract of 300 acres of "bottom" timber land, which he cleared and brought under cul- tivation. Doctor Thornton's wife died in 1868. She was born in 1809. They were the parents.of eight children, of whom but two survive, the subject of this sketch-the last in order of birth-having a sister, Mrs. Lida McMillan, residing at Jefferson City. One of the sons of Amos B. Thornton, who died in 1880, is well remembered in Cooper County as a newspaper editor at Boonville, and further reference to him is made in the chapter relating to the press of Cooper County elsewhere in this work.

The younger Samuel Y. Thornton was but five years of age when he came to Missouri with his parents, and he grew to manhood on his father's big farm on the Osage. where he became thoroughly familiar with the details of farming operations, and early began to pay particular attention to stock raising. He supplemented the schooling received in the local schools by a course in Westminster College at Fulton and at Missouri State University at Columbia, and after leaving college returned to the farm and became engaged as a partner of his father in the operations of the home place. In 1887. about five years after his marriage, Mr. Thorn- ton bought "Rose Hill," his present fine stock farm of 540 acres in LaMine township, and has since made his home there. For years on that

8. 4. Thornton

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

place he gave much attention to apple growing, having a fine orchard of 80 acres, maintained his own cooperage, and in 1906 raised 10,000 barrels of apples. Of late years, however, Mr. Thornton has devoted his place particularly to the breeding of Duroc Jersey swine and the raising of cat- tle and grade sheep. It was in the latter '80s that he began to give his particular attention to the breeding of Durocs, and it was not long until his success in that line gave his name a high standing among swine breeders throughout the country, the demand for stock swine of the "Rose Hill" herd coming from widely separated districts in the United States. He has for years taken an active part in the deliberations of the Swine Breeders Association, and has been an extensive writer for stock journals, his advice on matters relating to proper breeding of swine being widely sought. The operations on "Rose Hill" farm are carried on in accordance with modern principles of agriculture, and there has been created one of the best farm plants in this section of the State, including three tenant houses, two silos and three feed barns. Of late Mr. Thorn- ton has been relieved of much of the detail of farm management by his younger son, John P. Thornton, whom he made his partner some time ago, and who now is in practical management of the place, thus giving his father more time for the details of other forms of business in which he is engaged. In 1897. Mr. Thornton became a stockholder in the Farm- ers Stock Bank of Blackwater, and in 1909 was elected president of the bank, a position which he since has maintained. In 1910, Mr. Thornton was appointed by Governor Hadley to serve as a member of the Sixth Mis- souri District Board of Horticulture, and he retained that position as long as the board continued, his activities in that connection giving him a wide acquaintance throughout the State. Mr. Thornton is a democrat and has long given his earnest attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the Church of Christ.

May 4, 1882, Samuel Y. Thornton was united in marriage with Fan- nie Collins, who died Oct. 24, 1916. Mrs. Thornton was born in Mont- gomery County. Ky., March 1, 1855, daughter of Samuel R. and Sarah (Tipton) Collins, both natives of Kentucky, who came to Missouri in 1860, and in 1861 settled on the farm in LaMine township, now owned by Mr. Thorton, where they spent the rest of their lives. It was thus that Mrs. Thornton (Fannie Collins) grew to womanhood on beautiful "Rose Hill" farm. She completed her schooling in Farringer Seminary at Boonville, where she was awarded the prize offered her class for excellence in pen- manship. To Mr. and Mrs. Thornton six children were born, namely:

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

Mattie C., who is at home, hostess at "Rose Hill"; Sadie B., deceased ; Samuel C., a substantial young farmer of LaMine township; William B., who died at the age of three years and six months; Lida Frances, who is at home, and John P., who, is also at home and is now his father's partner in the operations of the stock farm.

Charles Henry Bodamer, a leading citizen of Prairie Home township, was born in Moniteau County, Feb. 2, 1870. He was reared by Charles and William Bodamer from the time he was five years of age. He is a son of Bernard and Catherine (Hens) Keucherer, who both died when Charles H. was an infant.

Charles Bodamer was born in Germany and brought to this country by his parents, who settled in Philadelphia, Pa., when Charles was three years of age. His brother, William B., and sister, Mary, were born in that city. The family lived in Philadelphia for a time when they removed to Indiana. After remaining there seven years they came to Missouri and settled in Moniteau County in 1857. Here the two brothers and a sister lived together during the remainder of their days. Charles died in 1912; William in 1919, and Mary in 1905.

Charles Henry Bodamer was educated in the public schools at James- town, Mo., and has made farming and stock raising his life occupation. He first bought 120 acres of land, which is his present home place, in 1893. Since that time he has acquired 250 acres more, which was given him by Charles and William Bodamer. Mr. Bodamer's place is known as "High View Farm," and is located two miles south of Prairie Home. The place is well improved, with a modern farm residence of 10 rooms, built in 1910. The house is equipped with actylene lights, furnace heat and a hot water system. The barns and other farm buildings are in keeping with the resi- dence. For a number of years Mr. Bodamer specialized in raising Aberdeen Angus cattle, but a few years ago sold his herd to his son, Arthur.

Mr. Bodamer was married April 3, 1895, to Miss Elizabeth Kuhn, a daughter of Henry and Amelia (Scholle) Kuhn, early settlers at James- town, Mo. The father was a native of Ohio, born in 1835. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War. During his active career he was en- gaged in the milling business, and operated a mill at Jamestown for 25 years. He is now 83 years of age. His wife was born in Germany in 1845, and came to America with her parents when she was eight years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Kuhn were the parents of the following children: Alvina, married H. R. Burroughs, and resides at Kingman, Kan .; Henry, cashier of Farmers and Traders Bank, California, Mo .; Emma, married John Reuszer, and resides in Moniteau County; Elizabeth, the wife of Charles

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H. Bodamer, the subject of this sketch; Sophia, married Fred Knorp; and William died at the age of 23 years. To Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Bodamer have been born five children, as follows: Arthur, born April 6, 1896, a farmer and stockman of Prairie Home township; Carl, born June 26, 1897, resides at home; William, born May 12, 1899, a graduate of the California High School, resides at home; Marie E., born April 28, 1914, and Elsia Gertrude, born Feb. 18, 1911. William was at the Washington University Training School at St. Louis, Mo., when the war closed.

Charles H. Bodamer is a progressive and public spirited citizen. He . and Mrs. Bodamer are members of the Methodist Church at Jamestown.

Frank Irving Hale, a progressive and enterprising young farmer and stockman, of Prairie Home township, was born near Gooch Mill in Saline township, March 10, 1896. He is the son of Thomas F. and Sallie Bell (Carey) Hale, both also natives of Saline township. They now reside at California, Mo. Thomas F. Hale was born in 1857, his father being a pioneer of Cooper County. His wife was a daughter of George Carey, who now resides about a mile north of Prairie Home at the advanced age of 80 years. To Thomas F. and Sallie Bell (Carey) Hale were born the follow- ing children: Allie, married Richard Summers, California, Mo .; Bertha, married Arthur Bottom; John, resides in California, Mo .; Oliver M., Prairie Home ; Edna, married Alvin Carpenter ; Frank I., the subject of this sketch ; Charles, Prairie Home; William, California, Mo .; and George, died at the age of six years.

Frank Irving Hale was reared in Cooper County and educated in the public schools. He was reared on a farm and has made farming and stock raising his life occupation. He purchased his present place, which bears the very appropriate name of "Pretty Prairie Farm," from his father in 1919. The farm consists of 160 acres with a good farm residence and other improvements to correspond. Mr. Hale carries on general farming and stock raising, and is meeting with well merited success. Mrs. Hale has developed a department of her own. She is successfully engaged in raising Rhode Island Red chickens.

Sept. 29, 1917, Frank Irving Hale was married to Miss Estella Brandes, a daughter of Theodore and Marie (Knorp) Brandes, of Clarks Fork town- ship, where Mrs. Hale was born, reared and educated. Mrs. Hale was one of the following children born to her parents: George, resides in Boon- ville ; Herman, Boonville; Amelia, married John Banon, of North Moniteau township; Nora, married John Bonhauser, who is now deceased, and she resides at home with her parents; Estella, the wife of Frank I. Hale, of this sketch.

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July 26, 1918, Frank Irving Hale enlisted in the U. S. Army and was sent to Camp Funston, Kan., for training, where he became a member of the 69th Infantry, 10th Division. He was mustered out of service Feb. 26, 1919, when he returned to his home in Cooper County and engaged in farming again.

Amos Gorrell, a retired farmer of LaMine township, for many years justice of the peace, and a veteran of the Civil War, has made his home in this county for more than 50 years. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Beaver County, Feb. 12, 1837, son of Amos and Leah (Wollam) Gorrell, who were the parents of six children, four of whom are living. When he was but six years of age, in 1843, his parents moved with their family to Ohio and settled in Ross County, where they spent the re- mainder of their lives.

Amos Gorrell was reared on a farm in Ross County, Ohio, and his schooling was received in the district schools. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted at Frankfort, Ohio, in July, 1861, in the Union Army and went to the front as a private in Company A, Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. With that command, Mr. Gorrell participated in some of the most important engagements of the war, including Athens, Perryville, Stone River, Davis Cross Roads and Chickamaugua. During this latter battle, Sept. 19, 1863, he was shot in the right arm and for some time was on the invalid list, but early in 1864 was able to return to his regi- ment and continued in active service until mustered out in the fall of that year. Mr. Gorrell then returned to his home in Ohio, where early in 1866 he married. After his marriage he continued to make his home in Ohio for a few months, when he and his wife came to Missouri in the summer of 1866 and located in Morgan County. A year later they came to Cooper County, and here Mr. Gorrell has ever since resided. His first employ- ment here was in the timber, chopping cord-wood, and he continued work- ing as a timberman until 1869, when he bought 40 acres of timber land and proceeded to clear a small farm for himself. He cleared the land and farmed it for several years, when he sold the place to advantage and bought another farm. In 1881, he bought the farm of 80 acres he now owns in LaMine township, and there continued to make his home until his retirement in 1912, when he removed to Blackwater, where he since has made his home. Mr. Gorrell is a democrat, and for 16 years during the time of his residence on the farm served as justice of the peace for his home township. He is a member of the Methodist Church.

Feb. 6, 1866, in Ross County, Ohio, Amos Gorrell was united in mar- riage to Catherine E. Sayer, who was born in that county, Feb. 18, 1835,

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AMOS CORRELL AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF COOPER COUNTY

and who died at her home in Blackwater on Sept. 22, 1918. To that union were born six children, namely: Leula, wife of William E. McMahan; Sarah L., wife of P. Netherton, living on the Gorrell home place in LaMine township; Joseph N., of Carthage; Ada, wife of John Whitlow, of LaMine township; one who died in infancy, and Arthur, also deceased.

M. K. Gentry, a prominent citizen of Cooper County, who has served as county treasurer for two terms, is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Clark County, Ky., Sept. 27, 1855, and is a son of Nelson B. and Francis (Elkin) Gentry. Nelson B. Gentry was born in Madison County, Ky., Dec. 23, 1823, and died in Kelly township, Cooper County, in 1912. He came to Cooper County in the fall of 1865 with his family, and the following spring bought 380 acres of land in Kelly township for which he paid $7,500.00, 95 acres of which is now owned by M. K. Gentry, pur- chased of the other Gentry heirs in 1919. Francis (Elkin) Gentry was born in Jessamine County, Ky., Sept. 12, 1833, and died in Cooper County, in 1897. She and her husband are buried in the Masonic cemetery at Bunceton. They were the parents of the following children, all of whom were born in Kentucky: M. K., the subject of this sketch; Pauline B., deceased ; Lucy Francis, married J. H. Goodwin, Kansas City, Mo .; W. D., deceased, and Orpha P., Kansas City.

M. K. Gentry was educated in the public schools of Kentucky, and D. S. Cully's private academy, which was three miles northwest of the present town of Bunceton. After Bunceton was laid out this school was moved there and occupied the site of the present Bunceton High School. Mr. Gentry was reared to manhood on the home farm in Kelly township, and in 1880 removed to Boonville, and for a time was engaged in the grain business. In 1884 he was elected county treasurer on the Republican ticket by a majority of 48 votes. He was the first republican ever elected to a county office in Cooper County. He was again elected county treas- urer in 1894. He resided in Boonville from 1880 to 1898, and during that time he served as bookkeeper in the Central National Bank for six years, and for eight years he was engaged in the clothing business. Dur- ing the balance of the time, while in Boonville, he served as county treas- urer. Mr. Gentry is now engaged in farming and stock raising, and has a well improved and valuable farm in Kelly township.

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History of Cooper County, Missouri, Part 77

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