USA > Missouri > Cooper County > History of Cooper County, Missouri > Part 95
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Thomas L. Fairfax was educated in the local schools and the State Normal School at Warrensburg and in 1901 began teaching a profession
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he has followed during season ever since, his work in the school room covering five districts. During the past 10 years he has been engaged as principal of the Clifton schools and in that capacity has done much to elevate the standard of education in the schools over which he has had charge. Mr. Fairfax also has for years been actively engaged in the real estate business and in the buying and selling of live stock at Clifton City. He is one of the town's progressive and wideawake business men. Politic- ally, he is a democrat, and is affiliated with the Otterville lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Modern Woodmen of America and Royal Neighbors.
April 24, 1917, Thomas L. Fairfax was united in marriage with Mary L. Sweeney, also of this county, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Thomas L., Jr., born Feb. 8, 1918. Mrs. Fairfax was born at Clif- ton City, Mo., a daughter of Dennis and Lucy (Mullens) Sweeney, who are now living on a farm north of Clifton City, where they have lived the past 36 years.
Dryden L. Starke, one of Cooper County's prominent farmers and stockmen is a native son of this county. He was born on a farm in Leb- anon township on Dec. 1, 1867, son of John D. and Mary A. (Stratton) Starke, both now deceased and a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
Dryden L. Starke was reared on the home farm in Lebanon township and received his schooling in the district schools and the Boonville High School from which he was graduated in 1887 under the preceptorship of Professor Haines. Upon leaving school he returned to the home farm and there remained until his marriage in 1891, in which year he took up his residence on the farm on which his wife was born, the old John Davis farm in Kelly township, a mile north of Bethlemen Church, and has since been very successfully engaged there in general farming and cattle rais- ing, long having been recognized as one of the most extensive cattle feed- ers in Cooper County. Mr. Starke and his wife are the owners of a fine farm of 500 acres. Since taking charge there Mr. Starke has made many substantial improvements on the place. He is a democrat, as was his father, and has ever taken an interested part in civic affairs. He served in the capacity of inspector of meats at the state prison at Jefferson City, during which time he and his wife made their home at the state capital. Mr. Starke is affiliated with the Masonic lodge at Bunceton, with the Boonville lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the
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Modern Woodmen of America. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Oct. 23, 1891, Dryden L. Starke was married to Bertha May Davis, who was born on the place on which she is still living, May 19, 1871, daughter of John A. and Mary (Booth) Davis, the former of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of Cooper County's pioneer families and the latter in Sardis, Miss. John A. Davis was reared in this county and in time became a substantial farmer in Kelly township, owner of the place on which the Starkes now reside, and was also for years ex- tensively engaged as a dealer in the mule market, one of the best known dealers in that line in central Missouri. He married in Mississippi and thereafter made his home in this county, where he and his wife spent their last days. They were the parents of four children, of whom Mrs. Starke was the third in order of birth. To Dryden L. and Bertha M. (Davis) Starke four children have been born, namely: Mary, who is at home; Maurice P., also at home, a valued assistant to his father; Dick D., who is now (spring of 1919) with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, and Virginia, deceased. Dick D. Starke, the soldier son, was born Nov. 22, 1898, had finished his studies in a school of civil engineering at Kansas City and was a student at Washington University, St. Louis, when this country declared war against Germany. He at once enlisted and served in a machine gun company attached to the 138th Infantry of the United States army, with which command he sailed for overseas service in April, 1918, and served in the rank of corporal. He was dis- charged in June, 1919, and is now at home.
Oliver L. Cordry, who has a well-improved farm in Lebanon town- ship, was born within a half mile of the site of his present home, a son of William F. Cordry, who is still living on the old home place, and has lived thereabout all his life. He is a grandson of James Cordry, the pioneer, who came here with his family in 1830 and settled on a tract of government land he had entered here, becoming a useful and influential residents of that community. The little log cabin set up there in the clearing by James Cordry back in pioneer days is still standing and Is treasured by the family.
Reared on the home farm, within almost a stone's throw of where he is now living, Oliver L. Cordry, who was born on April 29, 1877, re- ceived his schooling in the local schools and remaining at home until his
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marriage, when he built a modern home on the farm where he is now liv- ing, having acquired the tract from his father in 1906. Mr. Cordry has improved his farm in admirable fashion and is doing well in his opera- tions, which he is carrying on in accordance with modern methods.
Dec. 20, 1914, Oliver L. Cordry was united in marriage with Stella Sites, who also was born in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Cordry are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church and take a proper part in the work of the church as well as in the general social activities of the community. Mrs. Cordry was born in East LaMine township, Dec. 5, 1880, a daughter of Capt. L. T. Sites and wife, prominent in the life of that community and of whom further mention is made in this work.
Charles Lester Thomas, a former teacher of this county and who for some years was engaged in the mercantile business at Lebanon, is now a successful farmer and stock man in Lebanon township, where he was born Feb. 10, 1874. His parents, A. G. T. and Eliza (Steele) Thomas, are prominent residents of that community.
A. G. T. Thomas also was born in Lebanon township, Oct. 11, 1848, son of Jonas and Izilla (Woolery) Thomas, the latter of whom was a member of one of the pioneer families in this section of Missouri. Jonas Thomas' father was born in Germany. Upon coming to this country he settled on a farm south of Boonville, where he spent the remainder of his life. On that farm A. G. T. Thomas grew to manhood. After his marriage in 1871 he settled on the farm where he is now living in Lebanon town- ship. He is owner of a fine farm of 190 acres. He is a republican and about the year 1886 was the nominee of that party for the office of county collector, but was defeated. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church and their children were reared in that faith. Dec. 7, 1871, A. G. T. Thomas was married to Eliza Steele, who also was born in this county, Aug. 26, 1851, and to this union seven children have been born as follows: Ximena, deceased; Charles Lester; Carrie, deceased; Ina, who is at home with her parents ; Arthur, deceased; Ira, who is farming in Lebanon town- ship, and Robert, who is at home assisting his father.
Reared on the home farm in Lebanon township, Charles L. Thomas completed his schooling in the Clarksburg schools and for six years was engaged in teaching school in this county, meantime continuing his labors on the home farm during the summers. In the summer of 1903 he mar- ried and not long thereafter became engaged in the mercantile business at Lebanon in partnership with George Vaughn. In 1905 this store was destroyed by fire and for three years Mr. Thomas was again engaged in
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teaching. In 1908 he rented a farm in Lebanon township and two years later, in 1910, bought the farm where he has since made his home, he and his family being very pleasantly situated. Mr. Thomas has a well kept farm of 120 acres and is carrying on his operations in accordance with modern methods. In addition to his general farming he gives con- siderable attention to the raising of live stock and on March 3, 1919, one of his cows, a pure bred six-year-old Jersey, gave birth to four calves, two males and two females, all of which are still (spring of 1919) living and thriving. This successful quadruple birth of calves has attracted much attention among stockmen and is said to be the first case of the kind on record where quadruple calves have lived. Mr. Thomas is a re- publican and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He and his family are members of the Baptist Church.
June 3, 1903, Charles L. Thomas was united in marriage with Eliza- beth Kopp, also of this county, and to this union four children have been born, all of whom are living save the first born who died in infancy, the others being Farrel W., Charles B. and Marvin V. Mrs. Thomas was born and reared in Boonville. She was for a number of years one of the lead- ing teachers of the county. She was a teacher in the Boonville schools when she was married, having held this position for a number of years. She is a daughter of William and Melissa (Mills) Kopp, both know de- ceased, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Ken- tucky. William Kopp was for years one of the best known barbers in Boonville.
Richard Rothgeb, formerly and for years one of Cooper County's best known school teachers, a one time nominee of the republican party in this county for county clerk and for years one of the leading breeders of Duroc Jersey hogs in this section of Missouri, owner of a fine farm in Lebanon township, where he makes his home, was born in that township and has always regarded that as his home. He was born on Jan. 31, 1880, son of Samuel B. and Elizabeth (Carr) Rothgeb, the latter of whom is still living, making her home with her children in this county, being now in the 82d year of her age.
Samuel B. Rothgeb was born in Page County, Va., in 1830 and died at his home in Cooper County in 1890. He had been for many years a resident of this county and was long regarded as one of the influential farmers of Lebanon township. His wife was born in Cooper County, Mo. They were the parents of eight children, all of whom were given
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proper advantages in the way of securing an education and five of whom became school teachers. One of their sons, Daniel L. Rothgeb, was for some time superintendent of schools in Cooper county.
Richard Rothgeb received his education in the public schools of this county and the State Normal School at Warrensburg, after which, in 1901, he began teaching and was, with the exception of one year, thus engaged until 1912. In the meantime he had been continuing his labors on the home farm during the summers and in 1912 he began farming on his own account and at the same time paying special attention to the breeding of pure bred Duroc Jersey hogs and has since been thus engaged. He is now one of the most successful Duroc breeders in this section. When Mr. Rothgeb began his breeding operations the stock sold at his sales brought an average of around $28 a head. He holds two or three sales annually on his farm and the products of his pens, sold at from six to 11 months of age, bring an average of from $70 to $80 a head. At one of his recent sales one of his sows brought $300 and sold later for $800. Mr. Rothgeb has an excellent farm of 122 acres and now (spring of 1919) has in his pens more than 250 head of purebred Durocs, one of the finest droves in this section. For some seasons past he has been an exhibitor at the state fair and has created a growing market for his product throughout this part of the state. Mr. Rothgeb is a republican and has for years been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county. In 1907 he was the nominee of his party for the office of county clerk, but was de- feated in the ensuing election by the narrow margin of 77 votes.
May 7, 1906, Richard Rothgeb was maried to Jessie Sites, who also was born in this county and who for three years prior to her marriage was engaged in teaching school here and to this union eight children have been born, namely: Mabel, born on Oct. 30, 1907; Wilbur H., Dec. 18, 1908; Thomas B., June 17, 1910; Orville L. and Opal L. (twins), Oct. 30, 1911, the latter of whom died on Aug. 1, 1912; Alice M. and Alline M. (twins), Feb. 2, 1913, the former of whom died on March 22, 1913, and the latter July 8, 1914; and Eldon S., born on Sept. 29, 1915. Mrs. Roth- geb was born in Oct., 1880, in LaMine township, this county, and is a daughter of Capt. L. T. Sites, for many years one of the best known and influential residents of Cooper County.
Elmer James Brubaker, one of Kelly township's well known farmers, is a native son of Cooper County and has lived in this county all his life. He was born on a farm in Lebanon township March 25, 1878, son of
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Daniel R. and Frances E. (Gander) Brubaker, both of whom were born in Page County, Va., who were married in that county in 1866 and who came to Missouri in 1873, locating on the farm on which they are still liv- ing in Lebanon township. Daniel R. Brubaker is a veteran of the Civil War, having served in the Confederate army and at the battle of Malvern Hill was several wounded. He and his wife celebrated their golden wed- ding anniversary three years ago. To them 10 children have been born, all of whom are living.
Elmer J. Brubaker received his education in the local schools and the State Normal School at Warrensburg. He assisted in the operations of the home farm until after his marriage when 21 years of age, after which, early in 1900, he located on an "eighty" which his wife owned in Kelly township, a part of his present farm there, and has since resided there. As Mr. Brubaker prospered he added to his acreage and now has an excellent farm of 1771/2 acres, which is well improved. Mr. Brubaker is independent in his political views, but has ever given his thoughtful attention to local affairs and for some time served as director of district, No. 67.
Dec. 25, 1899, Elmer J. Brubaker married Emma Gertrude Cordry, who also was born in this county, and to this union seven children have been born, namely: Wilbur N., born Aug. 25, 1902; Joseph W., Aug. 16, 1904; Cyrus Eldon, June 28, 1907; Louise F., Jan. 13, 1910; David R., Dec. 16, 1911; Vincil L., Sept. 18, 1913, and Kenneth H., Jan. 25, 1919, who died March 17, following. Mrs. Brubaker was born Feb. 5, 1880, daughter of James Newton and Amanda L. (Woolery) Cordry, of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families and both of whom are living in Kelly township. James Newton Cordry was born in Lebanon township, June 4, 1844. During the Civil War he served as a member of the Missouri State Militia. May 13, 1868, he married Amanda L. Woolery, who also was born in Lebanon township, Nov. 24, 1848, and to that union three children were born, all of whom are living, Mrs. Bru- baker, the youngest, having two brothers, William H. and Joseph C. Cor- dry, both of Kelly township. Mrs. Brubaker received her early school- ing in the schools of her home township and supplemented the same by a course in the Baptist College at Lexington, Mo.
Major Rea Alexander Johnston, assistant superintendent of the Mis- souri Training School, Boonville, Mo., is a worthy descendant of an old and prominent family in Cooper County. Major Johnston was born in
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Boonville, Oct. 28, 1879 and is a son of Col. Thomas A. Johnston, superin- tendent of the famous Kemper Military School of Boonville. A genealogy of the Johnston family and a sketch of Colonel Johnston appears in this volume.
Major Johnston was educated in the Kemper Military School and in 1896 he entered the Virginia Military Institute of Lexington, Va., com- pleting the course of study in that institution in 1899. Upon his return home he served as an instructor in the Kemper School from 1899 to 1909. In 1909 he went to Illinois and engaged in farming until Oct., 1911. In October of 1911 he was appointed military instructor at the Missouri Training School and served as company captain until July 1, 1917. He was then appointed to the responsible position of assistant superintendent of the training school and has given evidence throughout his service that he is thoroughly competent, efficient, diplomatic and well versed in the handling of the youth committed to the institution.
Major Johnston was married in Illinois Aug. 20, 1902 to Miss Grace E. Mosher, of Oneida, Knox County, Ill., a daughter of William J. and Sarah E. (Wetmore) Mosher, both deceased. One child has blessed this union : William Alexander Johnston, born Jan. 3, 1905.
Major Johnston is a democrat. He is a member of Presbyterian church. He has decidedly made good in his present position and has demonstrated a capability which has commended his work to his im- mediate superior. Major Johnston is not only a first class military in- structor and skilled in the handling of growing boys, but he is well in- formed, genial, and has a wide circle of friends and well wishers.
James Madison Sparkman .- Over 20 years devoted by Maj. J. M. Sparkman of the Missouri Training School have capably fitted him for the duties of his present position in charge of a company of small boys at the school. Major Sparkman's first position was that of director of the horticultural department of the Missouri Training School which he held from 1897 to 1907. He then spent nine years as an officer of the Iowa Industrial School and returned to the Missouri Training School in 1916.
J. M. Sparkman was born at Columbia, Tenn .. Dec. 7, 1862, and is a son of James M. and Minerva (Hill) Sparkman. Capt. James M. Spark- man, his father was a captain in the heavy artillery during the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Port Hudson in 1863 while serving with the Confederate forces. He was a son of William Andrews Sparkman of Tennessee, a member of an old southern family. Minerva (Hill) Spark- man, mother of J. M. Sparkman, of this review, was born in 1838 and died in 1908 in Calloway County, Ky. She was born in Tennessee and
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was a daughter of Andrew W. Hill of North Carolina. Mrs. Sparkman removed with her family to Kentucky in 1880. She had two sons: Wil- liam Andrews Sparkman, of Calloway County, Ky., and James Madison, of this review.
Reared to maturity in Tennessee, J. M. Sparkman left home in 1881, and came to Cooper County in 1883 and engaged in farming near Choteau Springs. He followed farming until his appointment to a position in the Missouri Training School in 1897.
Major Sparkman was married in 1886 to Miss Mary S. Meredith, who was born in Cooper County, a daughter of Joseph R. and Rachel (Leith) Meredith, the former of whom was a native of Tennessee and died in Cooper County in about 1908 at the age of 68 years. Mr. Meredith killed the last deer that was killed in Cooper County near Choteau Springs. To Major and Mrs. Sparkman have been born two children: Lois, wife of John Stephens, Lansing, Mich .; and Eunice Lee, stenographer in the office of Col. A. G. Blakey, superintendent of the Missouri Training School.
The democratic party has always had the allegiance of Major Spark- man. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights Templar, the Mystic Shrine of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Armour and Company .- One of the most important commercial insti- tutions in Boonville and probably the largest and most extensive of its kind in central Missouri is the plant of Armour and Company, managed by Fred Renshaw. This concern was first established in 1908 by the Adams Produce Company and was purchased by Armour and Company in 1916. It was then enlarged and converted into the extensive packing and produce concern. All of the old buildings were razed and new structures erected. A brick building 90x40 feet was built and the packing plant proper was built, 90x110 feet. From 50 to 60 people are employed in season.
The concern handles poultry, eggs and butter. The Boonville branch of Armour and Company is the central depot for a number of smaller depots in Morgan, Pettis, Cooper, Howard Boone and Saline counties, and an immense volume of business is transacted through this office. Branch buying stations, tributary to the Boonville depot are conducted at Mar- shall, and Fayette. The payroll averages from $800 to $900 per week in the busy months, from April to January, each year.
During all months of the year excepting February, March and April,
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the poultry handled at this plant is killed and packed for shipment. The concern has its own refrigerating plant and all poultry are given a feed of buttermilk for a period of 10 days before killing so as to whiten and render more tender and palatable the meat. The dressed poultry, eggs, and butter are loaded directly into refrigerator cars and every modern appliance for the quick handling of packing house products has been in- stalled in the large plant.
Hon. John D. Starke, a veteran of the Civil War, former county judge, former state senator from this district, former warden of the Missouri state prison, president of the Otterville Bank and for many years one of the most prominent citizens of Cooper County, who died at his home in this county in 1917 and whose family is still substantially represented here, was a Virginian, but had been a resident of this county since the days of his boyhood, he having come here with his parents along in the latter '40s of the past century.
Judge Starke was born in Virginia in 1844 and was but a lad when his parents came to Missouri, a part of that numerous band of Virginians which had so much to do with the orderly development of this section of Missouri in the old days. Here he grew to manhood and was living here when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company H, 45th Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and upon the completion of his term of en- listment re-enlisted and was attached to the 48th Regiment, with which he was mustered out at the close of the war with the rank of corporal. Upon the completion of his military service he returned to Cooper County, here married Mary A. Stratton and settled down as a farmer, a vocation in which he was quite successful, but from which the calls of public duty soon withdrew him, although during the long period of his public service he continued to retain his interest in his agricultural operations and be- came one of Cooper County's most extensive landholders, owner of 900 acres of land at the time of his death. He was an ardent democrat and always took an active interest in political affairs. The first public office of consequence to which he was called was that of judge for the eastern district of Cooper County and upon the completion of that judicial service he was elected county collector, and afterward was elected state senator from this senatorial district. In 1897 Judge Starke was appointed by Governor Stephens as warden of the Missouri state prison at Jefferson City and for four years thereafter served the state in that important capacity. Upon the completion of that service he returned to Cooper County, erected a fine new home on his farm in Lebanon township, as well
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JUDGE JOHN D. STARKE
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as a house in Otterville, and thereafter divided his time between his farm and his business interests in the village. The Judge was president of the Otterville Bank and was otherwise actively identified with the commercial interests of the community in which he lived. He was a member of the Boonville lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and during the time he resided at Boonville when serving as county collector was master of the lodge. Judge Starke died at his home in Otterville in 1917 and his wife died in that same year. She also was a Virginian, born in 1844, as was her husband, and thus the lines of the lives of this couple ran parallel to an unusual degree. Judge Starke and his wife were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these children, of whom six are still living, namely: Dryden L. Starke, a well known farmer and stockman of Kelley township; Blanche, wife of James S. Funkhauser, of Lebanon township, of whom further mention also is made elsewhere; Mrs. Mary Reavis, of Kansas City; Mrs. Nora Lee Tieman, now living at California, Mo .; Mrs. Pauline Spillers, of Otterville, and H. Rodgers Starke, also of Otterville.
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