USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Dade County and her people : from the date of the earliest settlements to the present time > Part 35
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Since coming to Greenfield he has purchased a neat little cottage on Wells street, and is enjoying a good practice in his chosen profession.
DAVID HIGGINS.
The early life and history of the subject of this sketch was one of poverty, sorrow and adversity. He was born at Fayetteville, Ark., March 20th, 1858, son of Lin- ville Higgins and Sarah ( Woodrow) Higgins. Both his parents were married in North Carolina and were among a number of families who came west from the old "Tar Heel" state, and located in Arkansas in an early date, where land was cheap and plentiful. His father took up land when David was vet a very small boy. His mother died about the year 1860, and about a year later the next tragedy of his life occurred. His father was called to the door of his home at the dead hour of midnight, and, without warning, was shot seven times and instantly killed. The dastardly deed was the work of "Bush- whackers." David was sleeping with his father at the time, and can well remember the bloody incident. His father had two sons in the Civil war, one wearing the blue and the other the gray. John was in the Con- federate service, and afterward died near Greenfield, and his widow still lives in that city. His brother, Moses, joined the Union forees and died of disease in the service. Besides David, there was one other brother, William, who died in Dade County about 20 years ago, and three sis- ters, viz: Jane, who first married JJohn Grider. He died, and she afterward married Martin Van Horn of Dado County. Both are now deceased. Nannie, his second sis-
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ter, died in Dade County, single, when about 23 years of age. Nina, his youngest sister married Witt Vaughn. She died about the year 1900, leaving a family of three children.
David Higgins, at the age of 4 years, was brought from Arkansas to Dade County by his older sister and brother, William. They came overland, and, in company with a number of neighbors, settled near Greenfield.
Young David, during these years, was buffeted from pillar to post, living first with one family and then with another, until finally an old settler by the name of Paten Gardner took pity on the boy and gave him a home for five years. David was 9 years of age when his oldest brother returned from the war, rented a farm, and, in company with his oldest sister, established a home. It was in this home that David grow to manhood. attending the neighborhood schools, working out for his board, farming during the summer season and supporting himself while attending Ozark College in Greenfield.
At the age of 22 years he married Eliza Cates, a native of Dade County, who was born December 5th, 1853, a daughter of Newel Cates and Mary (Snaden) Cates, the former being a native of North Carolina, while the latter was a native of Kentucky. Mr. Cates was a saddler by trade and came to Greenfield at a very early date, when there were but few houses in the town, and opened a store. He did not follow the mercantile occupation long, but became a farmer upon a tract of land containing 80 acres, which he purchased and which is now within the corpo- rate limits of Greenfield. I a few years he sold this tract of land and moved to a farm of 640 acres which his wife heired from the estate of William Snaden, the grandfather of Mrs. Higgins.
David Higgins and Eliza Cates were married on the 6th day of Angust, 1879. Two children were born of this marriage, Lydia Mary, who married James Carr of Green- field, Mo., and L. D. Higgins, each of whom are given an extended mention in another chapter in this history.
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Mr. Higgins purchased his first land in Dade County in 1881, a 40-acre tract, all in cultivation, which he still owns. It is located in South Township and comprises a part of his present farm. Since moving upon this land, Mr. Higgins has been prosperous to such an extent that in 1891 he bought 100 acres in Washington Township. He also occupied and cultivated a splendid farm of 180 acres which his wife heired from her mother, a daughter of William Snaden. Mr. Higgins has added to his origi nal purchase, until he now has 380 acres in his home place, the 140 acres that he first purchased, or 520 acres in all, after having given a farm to his son, L. D. Higgins. Mrs. Higgins also owns in her own right an undivided one- fifth interest in 320 acres in South Township, which came to her from her uncle, William Snaden, now deceased.
Mr. Higgins is still actively engaged in farming enter- prises, raising graded Whiteface cattle, buying and selling horses and mules, raising, feeding and shipping one or two carloads of stock each year.
In politics Mr. Higgins has always affiliated with the Democratic party, and in church membership he belongs to the M. E. church (South.) His office-holding career has been confined to that of school director, which office he has filled for 12 years. He is a director of the R. S. Jacobs Banking Co. of Greenfield, and was one of its original stockholders. He has always been an ardent sup- porter of the public schools, and exemplifies his road- boosting by personally grading the roads adjoining his farms. His real estate holdings are among the most desir- able, as well as valuable, in Dade County, and he is one among the many old settlers to enjoy the luxury of riding in an up-to-date equipment manufactured by Henry J. Ford.
LYNVILLE D. HIGGINS.
Born in Dade County, Missouri, July 11th, 1882, son of David and Ann Eliza (Cates) Higgins, the former being a native of South Carolina and the latter a native of Dade
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County, being a daughter of Newell Cates, who was one of the leading pioneer citizens and office-holders of Dade County.
Lynville D. Higgins entered upon the game of life when he was 18 years of age, following the ancient advice to go west, which he did, landing in Colorado, and for four months worked in a lumber yard, when thoughts of the home land and his father's house brought him back to Dade County, where he engaged in farming with his father on the home place till 1904, when he purchased 120 acres in Washington Township. At that time the land was poorly improved, but in 1910 he added SO acres to his original purchase, and in September, 1916, his wife pur- chased 120 acres adjoining, making a fine farm of 320 acres in one block. In 1915 they erected perhaps the finest farm residence in the county, consisting of eight rooms, all elegantly furnished, modern in every respect, hot and cold water throughout, the admiration and delight of everyone who visited them. In less than two years, however, the fire fiend claimed this elegant structure for a victim, causing a total loss, except a few articles of fur- niture.
Splendid barns and outbuildings were constructed in keeping with the other appointments of the farm.
Mr. Higgins is an extensive feeder and shipper of live stock. In politics he is a democrat, but not an office- seeker, is a booster for good roads, financially as well as verbally.
On the 5th day of March, 1904, he was married to Capitola Johnson, a daughter of J. F. Johnson, one of the wealthiest as well as most distinguished citizens of the county. He was a native of Pennsylvania, but came to Dade County in an early day, engaged in milling, farming, banking and money-lending, being successful in every line and at the time of his death left a large estate, both here and in Pennsylvania.
Capitola was born November 2nd, 1884, an educated lady of refined tastes and queenly habits, active in Coun- try Club work and sagacious in business.
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To this union two children were born:
(1) Eloise, born December 8th, 1908.
(2) Mary Frances, born Angust 26th, 1911.
Mrs. Iliggins is a member of the Presbyterian church.
L. B. HIGGINS.
One of the very prominent men of the western side of Dade County is L. B. Higgins of Cedar Township. He was born in Allegheny County. North Carolina, October 13th, 1858, a son of William and Mary Ellen (Andrus) Higgins, both natives of North Carolina, where they were married, and came to Dade County, Missouri, in 1873, buying a half section of land in Cedar Township. This was raw land, the only improvement being a small house. He and his family went to work industriously to break and improve the place. They fenced the entire tract with rails.
When William Higgins and his wife came to Missouri they brought a family of seven children, and had one child born to them after their arrival in this country. A brief record of this family is as follows: Valegia is now Mrs. C. C. Duncan of Dade County. Calvin J., who died in 1894, was one of the early school teachers of Dade County; he married Sarah Martin, who is also deceased; they raised a family of three children who are now prominent citizens of this part of Missouri, being Mrs. Gertrude Gray, R. W. Higgins and Grace E. Pearson; the first two named are teachers of Barton County, Missouri. Aby, now Mrs. R. J. Taylor of Barton County. David R. lives in Easton, Colo., where he is farming. Joseph HI. is a farmer of Dade County. Mollie, now Mrs. R. M. Cross of Dade County. Phoeby is now Mrs. C. A. Martin of Colorado. L. B. is the subject of this review.
1. B. Higgins received some schooling in early life, but, of course, was not given the advantages that our chil- dren of today are receiving. He is, however, a well-edu- cated man, having always been a great reader and has profited by observation. He has always lived on the home place, known as the old Higgins homestead, which he now
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owns. His father passed away about 1895, who at one time owned as much as 640 acres of good land. He gave each of his children a good start in life in the shape of 40 acres each. He was a soldier in the Confederate army, in which he was conscripted, but only served a short time. Ile was a republican in politics and a member of the Bap- tist church, and, taken altogether, was a highly-respected Christian gentleman. His wife passed away July 19, 1908.
L. B. Higgins has made a success of farming and stock raising. He started his farm operations for himself on 80 acres of the original homestead, 40 acres of which he had received from his father, and an adjoining 40 he purchased from one of his brothers. He later bought 80 acres adjoining him on the south, making 160 acres in a body, which is one of the fine farms of Cedar Township. This place is all fenced with wire and has good outbuild- ings, and in 1897 Mr. Higgins built a large frame resi- dence. On March 27, 1881, he was married to Lydia L. Taylor, who was born March 28, 1864, in northern Mis- souri, a daughter of Perry H. and Mary R. (Allen) Taylor, who were married in Chariton County, Missouri, and came to Dade County in 1873, settling in Cedar Township, where he carried on farming and merchandising. He was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war. He died October 13, 1914, while his wife is still living, at the advanced age of 75, at Milford, Mo. They were the par- ents of a fine family, five of whom are now living. They are as follows: Matilda, who is now Mrs. Dr. T. H. Duekett of Milford, Mo .; John W. Taylor is a resident of Colorado; Molly, now Mrs. J. A. Rector of Barton County, Missouri; Laura, now Mrs. W. M. Crookston of Rock Springs, Wyo.
To Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Higgins have been born two children, as follows: Eva, born October 18, 1884, married E. W. Wagaman, a farmer, of Barton County, and they have three children, May, Blanche and Hester; Willa, born November 26, 1587, married J. F. Wagaman of Fruita, Colo., where they reside, and have a fine family of five children, named Roy, Paul, Orval, Hazel and Earl
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Bryant. Mr. Higgins is an active Republican. In 1894 he was elected as county assessor, serving two years, dur- ing which time he lived in Greenfield. He has served two years as township assessor, was elected this year (1917) to the same office, and for thirty years has been a member of the school board. He and his wife are consistent mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church (South) at Cedar- ville. Fraternally Mr. Higgins is a member of the A. F. & A. M. at Milford, and the Modern Woodmen of America at Jerico. Too much cannot be said of the high standing of this fine family. As a general farmer and stock raiser, Mr. Higgins ranks second to none. He has lived a Chris- tian life, and morally his entire record is above reproach, and he numbers his friends by the hundreds in both Dade and Barton Counties He is a broad-minded, courteous Christian gentleman, who it is a pleasure to meet and know, and we do not hesitate to place him in the front rank of Dade County's very best citizenship.
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WILLIAM M. HOEL.
Born at Loekwood, Mo., November 28th, 1881, son of William B. and Mary J. (Hollowpeter) Hoel, being the youngest of a family of four children, three of whom are now deceased. His father was a native of New York of English ancestry. Enlisted in the One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment, and served three years in the Civil war, when he was discharged for disability. Came to Dade County about the year 1870, located at King's Point, where, in company with his brother, Charles E. Hoel, he conducted a general merchandise store, until the building of the railroad through the county and the founding of Lockwood, 1881, when they moved to the new town and established one of the first general merchandise stores in the place, under the name of Hoel Bros. Of late years, William B. Hoel has been engaged in the real estate business at Lockwood, where he now resides, at the age of 74 years. He is a member of the M. E. church, a local preacher, an Odd Fellow, and also a member of
HOME OF W. J. DAVIS, LOCK WOOD. Taken Six Months After Work Was Started.
SAME HOME TWO YEARS LATER.
FRED HODDE AND WIFE AT THEIR COUNTRY RESIDENCE.
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HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
the G. A. R., and a Republican in politics. His wife, Mary J. Hoel, was born in Pennsylvania, of Dutch parentage, daughter of Mathias and Mary Hollowpeter, farmers, originally from Holland. She is now deceased. They were the parents of five children, their oldest dying in infancy:
(2) Cora, married Benjamin Laughlin, a Colorado ranchiman, both of whom are now deceased. They had four children.
(3) Katherine, married C. T. Wooldridge, a real estate man in Kansas City. She is now deceased, leaving two children.
(4) Gertrude R., married Homer Laughlin, a Colo- rado ranchman. She is now deceased, leaving one child.
(5) William M. Hoel.
William M. Hoel was reared to manhood in Lock- wood. He attended the public schools of the city, entered Marionville College in 1896, taking the scientific course, graduating in 1900, after which he entered a medical school in Kansas City, graduating in 1906. after which he located at Sheridan, Wyo., in the practice of his pro- fession. In 1912 he returned to Lockwood and took up the general practice of medicine, with splendid success.
In 1906 he was married to Ella E. Stetzler, a lady of refinement and culture, born at Abilene, Kas., in 1886. She was a daughter of George W. and Jane Stetzler, who moved from Illinois to Kansas and then to Kansas City. He was a general contractor by occupation.
William M. Hoel and wife are the parents of one child, Luella May, born in 1908. They are both members of the M. E. church. Mr. Hoel united with the Elks at Sheridan, Wyo., is a member of the local W. O. W., and is its physician, also a member of the American Medical Association. He is a Republican in politics.
His cottage home is one of the most picturesque in the city, being among the first of the bungalow type to be erected. Mr. Hoel and wife are noted for their hos- pitality and are active in church and civic circles.
He is now a First Lieutenant in the U. S. Army located at Camp Doniphan, Okla.
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HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
FREDERICK HODDE.
Germany has given to this country thousands and thousands of her native sons to enrich our citizenship, and to the sons of Germany we are indebted to a large extent for the wonderful advancement of these, the United States of America.
Frederick Hodde was born in Westphale, Germany, October 4, 1851, a son of Charles Frederick Hodde and Mary Whemenn, his wife. He was born in France in 1501, and she in France in 1802. His father, grandfather of our subject, Frederick Hodde, was a soldier under General Napoleon, and was in the Russian campaign, where he was frozen to death near Moscow, Russia, in 1509. Charles Frederick Hodde in later life was a farmer of Germany. They were Lutherans in religious belief and were forced into Germany from France by the Catho- lies, who confiseated their property about the year 1812. They received land from the German government, and here he grew to manhood, was educated and lived until he died, in 1982. His wife preceded him, in 1881.
Frederick Hodde received his education in Germany, and followed the occupation of farming up until he was 30 years of age. He married there a Miss Louise Bock. who died abont 1879, after bearing him one son, named William Hodde, who is now a prosperous farmer of Dade County, where he married Mary Brunner, and they have five children. Frederick Hodde married as his second wite in Germany Miss Louise Winkelmann in 1879, and in 1-50 emigrated to America, coming to Missouri, bringing his new wife and his small son, William. They spent some two years in St. Louis, where he worked at carpentering and in the Iumber business, and came to Dade County in 1552. For the first three years they rented land in Marion Township, then bought 160 acres, upon which they lived for 20 years. Here Frederick Hodde prospered exceed- ingly. He first added an 80-acre tract, joining, then a 99 pere traet, then a 55-acre tract, and built him a very fine house. In 199 he bought 40 acres, where he now lives, and to this he has added a 20. He owned at one
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time as many as 454 acres of some of the best land that Dade County affords, which speaks volumes for Frederick Hodde, and also for Dade County, for he began with prac- tically nothing. His second wife died in September, 1896, leaving six children, as follows: Henry, of Texas; Charles, of North Missouri; Frederick, of Iowa; Minnie, now Mrs. W. W. Bohne. of Lockwood Township: Mary, now, Mrs. Fred Pepinbrink, of Grant Township, and Emma, now Mrs. Ernest Rosenthal, of lowa. Again, on September 20, 1911, Mr. Hodde married Anetta (Duncan) Cornell, the widow of W. F. Cornell, who died in 1904, leaving four children, as follows: Lee Cornell of Colorado; Ara, now Mrs. R. C. De Vault of Nebraska, and mother of one child, Viona; James Cornell of Nebraska, and Lloyd, who was accidentally killed in 1915, at the age of 12 years.
Frederick Hodde has given all of his children the advantages of fine educations, as well as material help with land, money, etc. He has sold some of his land, but he is still a hard-working man. He manages and works some 220 acres, with his usual success. He also owns land in Germany. Fred Hodde is a red-hot Repub- lican, but he does not care to hold office. He ranks first among our citizenship, into which he was naturalized in the year 1895. It is indeed a pleasure to meet and know this fine gentleman. His home is hospitable, and one can learn much along all lines during a few hours' conversa- tion with this German-American of such wide experience. We are proud to own Frederick Hodde as a citizen of Dade County. He and his kind have been a blessing to this part of the state of Missouri, and our earnest wish is that he may live long and always remain a citizen of this county, where he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him, and they are many.
MARTIN VAN BUREN HOLMAN.
Among the venerable citizens of Dade County, none is better known and respected than Uncle Van Holman, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Overton County,
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Tennessee, April 4th, 1840, the son of William and Mary Holman, both natives of North Carolina, where they were married, and emigrated to Tennessee over 100 years ago. Uncle Van was the youngest of eleven children that lived to be grown, but out of this large family he is the only one now living. Uncle Van remained in Tennessee until he was 17 years old, when he started north with a party named Carter. He had a team and a little money, so when Mr. Carter decided to locate further east, he pushed on to Dade County, as did his partner and friend, John Belk. He bought 80 acres of partly improved land in 1859 and stayed on this for some three years, at which time he moved to Cedar County, buying 280 acres adjoining Stock- ton. Farming this for about five years, he decided to re- turn to good old Dade County, and consequently sold his Cedar County holdings, and bought, in 1870, 320 acres in Polk Township. For some seven years he farmed on this place, then bought a tract of 172 acres, where he now lives, later adding a fine 240 adjoining him on the south and east, which he later gave to his son, Oliver. Uncle Van has always been an industrious citizen and has pros- pered through the years, and by fair dealing has not only become one of the wealthy men of the county, but has won for himself the name of being one of our fore- most citizens, beloved and honored by all, young and old alike. He married, November 15th, 1860, Mrs. Jane (Lang- ford ) Holman. She was the daughter of Andy J. Holman, who came to Dade County in 1851, leaving his daughter back in Tennessee, where she had married a Mr. Langford. About 1859 Mr. Langford died, leaving his wife and two children, so Andy Holman, the widow's father, returned to Tennessee, brought her and the children out to Dade, and Unele Van promptly took possession of her as his wife, for he had known her as a young lady in Ten- nessee. To this union there were eight children, as fol- lows: William S., now deceased, and a sketch of him will be found elsewhere; Newton E., born October 23rd, 1864, married Miss Maggie Cowan and lives in South Morgan Township; Ida Isabel, born in 1867 and died in 1884; Zora,
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born August 5th, 1869, married William Dunn, and lives in Polk County; Oliver and Olive, twins, born May 5th, 1872, Olive dying at the age of 7, and Oliver is a farmer of Polk Township (see his sketch in this volume) ; Landen O., born May 31st, 1875, now a farmer of Cedar County; Fannie, born October 23rd, 1879, now Mrs. Mose Anderson of Polk County. Uncle Van has twenty-nine grandchil- dren. The mother of these children died in 1900, and Mr. Holman married as his second wife Mary Jane Stockton, who was born September 11th, 1861, and a daughter of Andrew Jackson Stockton, who was a pioneer of Dade County. Uncle Van served in the state militia for nine months under Captain Morris. He is a Democrat in poli- tics, but never desired to hold office, always preferring to devote his time to his large business interests and his fine family. He is a member of the Christian church. Uncle Van has ranked among our largest land-owners, having held at one time over 2,400 acres. He gave his children good starts in life with fine farms, and so has disposed of all his land except 480 acres, which he rents out, and is taking a well-deserved rest. Mr. Holman has always been liberal with his means and time to further any cause that would help the county. He is in favor of good roads and free public schools. He was one of the organizers of the Citizen's Bank of Walnut Grove, Greene County, and served on its board of directors for many years. He still holds his stock in this bank, but has given up the work on the board to younger men. Truly, this fine old gentle- man is worthy of the high esteem in which he is held. In his declining years he is happy and cheerful, delights to talks of the affairs of the country, and it is a pleasure to visit this kindly gentleman. May he live long. He has been a blessing to our country through all these years, and we appreciate him to the full.
OLIVER H. HOLMAN.
The subject of this sketch was 23 years of age when he commenced business for himself. During his boyhood
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days he had attended the common schools of the county, and later attended the Dadeville Academy. He worked at home with his father until he married, then bought a fan of 200 aeres in Polk Township on Sac river. He remained on this farm five years, when he sold out and purchased another farm of 240 acres, all in one body, in the same township. At the time of his purchase this place was fairly well improved, but Mr. Holman has cleared out some 60 acres, and done lots of fencing and cross-fencing, much of it hog-tight, built new barns, re- modeled the dwelling house, built a 127-ton silo in 1914, and has added 40 acres to his original purchase, so that now his farm consists of 280 acres. He is a breeder of registered Shorthorn cattle, having a herd of 20 cows and one registered male "Master," also twenty yearlings. He also raises hogs quite extensively, being partial to the Poland Chinas. Mr. Holman also handles quite a nice flock of sheep, and finds them to be profitable.
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