USA > Missouri > Gentry County > History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri > Part 87
USA > Missouri > Daviess County > History of Daviess and Gentry counties, Missouri > Part 87
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V. E. Knight, a successful farmer and stockman of Union Township, Daviess County, was born Feb. 21, 1872, in this township, a son of James and Sarah (Peniston) Knight.
James Knight was a native of Virginia, born Jan. 8, 1843. During the Civil War he was a soldier, and came to Daviess County, after the war and settled in Union Township, where he farmed the remainder of his life, owning at his death, June 21, 1889, 120 acres of well improved land. Sarah (Peniston) Knight was a native of Livingston County. She died in 1883. To Mr. and Mrs. James Knight seven children were born, as follows: Oma, wife of George Jones, Jamesport ; Verona, deceased, was the wife of George Ginder; V. E., the subject of this sketch; M. N., Jackson Township; Jesse, Bates County ; Elizabeth, the wife of Eugene Roeark, Sedalia; Mary, de- ceased, was the wife of Robert Williams.
V. E. Knight was reared on a farm, and at the age of 16 years he be- gan farming for himself. He rented land for a number of years and in 1915 purchased his present farm in Union Township, where he has been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. He owns 791/2 acres of well improved land, and is widely known as a breeder of Duroc Jersey hogs. His farm is improved with a modern residence and newly built barns.
On April 9, 1896, Mr. Knight was married to Julia Nicholes, who was . born April 1, 1876 in Jackson Township, Daviess County, a daughter of
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John and Belle (Snyder) Nicholes, natives of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Nicho- les were among the early settlers of Daviess County.
To Mr. and Mrs. V. E. Knight seven children have been born, as fol- lows: Hazel, deceased; Jesse, married to Grace Carter, Aug. 6, 1921 ; John at home ; Glenn M., deceased ; Maybelle, at home; Mary F., at home; Virgil Ellis, at home. Jesse Knight enlisted for service in the World War, and was stationed at Cameron, in the Student Army Corps. He was never called into active service.
Mr. Knight is a Democrat, and has served on the school board for nine years. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Mercantile Company of Gallatin. Mr. Knight is a member of the Methodist Church, a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a public spirited citizen who takes an active interest in local affairs, and the Knight family is very prominent in the community.
M. H. Patterson, a prominent farmer and stockman of Jackson Town- ship, Daviess County, was born Sept. 3, 1856, at Indianola, Iowa, a son of H. H. and Jane (Patterson) Patterson.
H. H. Patterson was born in Tazewell County, Va., Sept. 2, 1824. In October, 1844, he was married in Virginia. His wife was born in Tazewell County, Va., Oct. 12, 1831. She died in 1903. Mr. Patterson during his early life was a carpenter and cabinet maker. Before the Civil War he went west to the gold fields. He came from Livingston County, Mo., in 1866 and to Daviess County, where he was successfully engaged in farm- ing. He purchased and improved many farms in Missouri, and had retired many years before his death at Gallatin, Feb. 22, 1914, having been a resi- dent of Gallatin for about 40 years. He was a Democrat, a member of the Methodist Church, and a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson were the parents of four children, of whom M. H., the subject of this sketch, is the only survivor.
M. H. Patterson was reared on a farm and was educated in the public schools. At the age of 12 years he came to Daviess County, with his par- ents. In 1883, Mr. Patterson bought his present farm and made extensive improvements.
On Sept. 2, 1875, Mr. Patterson was married to Laura J. Martin. a daughter of Elisha and Margaret Ann (Miller) Martin, natives of Platt County. In about 1865, Mr. and Mrs. Martin settled on a farm in Jackson Township, where Mrs. Patterson was reared. She was educated in the dis- trict schools and taught one year of school. Mrs. Patterson was born Oct. 16, 1856.
Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are the parents of the following children:
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Oscar M., Pasadena, Calif .; Albert H., deceased; Frank W., deceased; Daisy, Gallatin; Guy S., St. Joseph ; Leonard E., at home; and Lillie B., at home. Leonard E. Patterson was drafted during the World War, having the first number to be drawn in the draft at Washington, D. C., from Daviess County. He was sent to Camp Funston, and sailed with Company C, 89th Division, 356th Infantry, as a sergeant. At the end of the war, he was sent to Germany with the Army of Occupation, and was stationed at Schweich, near Coblenz. He was discharged from the army June 18, 1919, at Camp Funston, Kan., after which he returned home. During the entire war Hemery Ramsbotton was his "buddy." They were together constantly until the Battle of the Argonne when Ramsbottom was wounded. They were with a company of 75 or 80 men that were thought lost for three days and nights. In the meantime they had advanced toward the German lines, capturing a German officer. Later they were joined by the rest of their company.
Mr. Patterson owns 160 acres of land in Jackson Township and 60 acres in Union Township, and has been very successful in farming and stock raising. He is a Democrat and one of the progressive and enter- prising citizens of Jackson Township.
Lew Wallace Powell, a successful farmer and stockman of Union Township, is a native of Daviess County and was born on the farm where he now resides, March 13, 1875. He is a son of W. L. and Mary (Miller) Powell.
W. L. Powell was a prominent pioneer citizen of Daviess County. He was born in Montgomery County, Ind., Feb. 25, 1837, his parents both be- ing natives of Kentucky. His father died when W. L. Powell was nine years of age, and early in life the responsibility of assisting his widow mother fell upon him. His mother afterwards married and removed to Boone County, Ind. W. L. Powell received a meager common school edu- cation and came to Missouri in 1857 and settled in the Civil Bend Country where he worked at the carpenter's trade for a few years. On April 1, 1860 he was married to Miss Mary Miller and in the fall of that year they moved into a one room log cabin on his wife's farm of 240 acres, two miles southeast of Gallatin. Here they resided until Mr. Powell enlisted in the Union Army on Feb. 3, 1862, becoming a member of the First Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, State Militia. He was a non-commissioned officer and was in active service until the close of the war.
After receiveing his honorable discharge from the army, Mr. Powell returned to the farm and was successfully engaged in farming and stock- raising for many years. He gave special attention to raising fine horses. By his thrift and industry he accumulated more land and made substantial
MR. AND MRS. LEW WALLACE POWELL AND DAUGHTER. MARY LUCILLE
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improvements on his place. He remained on the home farm until April, 1903 when he moved to Gallatin with his family where he died July 11, 1905. He was a member of the Christian church, having united with that denomination at Old Union in 1858 and for a number of years was a mem- ber of the board of trustees of the Christian Church at Gallatin. He was a member of the school board of his district for years. He was a staunch Republican and well known and highly respected in Daviess County.
Mary (Miller) Powell, wife of W. L. Powell was born in Liberty Town- ship, Daviess County, July 4, 1843. She was reared in this county and re- ceived a common school education and has always resided here. She now lives in Gallatin. Mrs. Powell has been a member of the Christian church for 63 years, having united with that church at Old Union in 1859. She is a daughter of Tobias and Catherine (Brawner) Miller, both natives of Garrard County, Ky., the former born Jan. 27, 1807 and the later Feb. 22, 1825. They were married in Clay County, Mo., Nov. 6, 1839, and the fol- lowing children were born to them: Elizabeth, now Mrs. John P. Sweaney; Caroline, married W. P. Heyser and is now deceased; Jacob Miller, de- ceased; George W. Miller, Norman, Okla .; and Mary, married W. L. Powell. The father died Aug. 9, 1851 when Mrs. Powell was eight years old, and the widowed mother with her five small children resided on the home place until the death of the mother, Sept. 22, 1854. After her death the chil- dren were reared and educated by David Henderson and wife, prominent citizens of Marion Township.
Tobias Miller was one of the earliest settlers of Liberty Township, coming from Kentucky in 1834. He was one of the prominent men of Daviess County, owning several hundred acres of land; he was also a botanic doctor and was noted for his honesty and integrity. He held sev- eral offices of trust and responsibility. He was appointed county commis- sioner in 1840 and held that office for years. In 1842 he was appointed commissioner of public buildings and served in that capacity when the first court house was erected. In 1846 he was elected county judge and served until 1849 when he resigned to engage in the mercantile business with Philip Wirt. While in St. Louis buying goods he died from cholera, Aug. 9, 1851.
To W. L. and Mary (Miller) Powell were born the following children: Sarah Frances, born April 22, 1861, married M. P. McNamee of Harrison County, Feb. 11, 1883 and died Aug. 21, 1884; Elizabeth Ann, married H. C. Butts of Carroll County, Sept. 16, 1891 and they reside in Chillicothe and have two children, Lottie Lucile and George C .; James Henry, born May 28, 1866 and died Aug. 27, 1873; Dora, resides in Gallatin with her mother; Lulu J., married E. E. McCue of Harrington, Wash., March 2,
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1908, died at Walla Walla, Wash., March 15, 1913; Lew Wallace, whose name introduces this review; and Mamie, born Oct. 2, 1883, died Nov. 6, 1886.
Lew Wallace Powell was educated in the district school, the public schools of Gallatin and Grand River College. He has been engaged in farm- ing and stock raising practically all his life and is now part owner and man- ager of a well improved and valuable farm of 350 acres, located 21/2 miles southeast of Gallatin.
On Dec. 5, 1915, Mr. Powell was married to Miss Annabel Pearl Zim- merman, a daughter of Alvah L. and Mary Emma (Shambaugh) Zimmer- man. Mrs. Powell was born at Weatherby, Mo. Her father was born at Six Points, Ind., Sept. 28, 1853 and her mother was born at Weatherby, Mo., Feb. 2, 1862. They were married Dec. 25, 1880, and now reside at Weatherby. To Mr. and Mrs. Powell has been born one daughter, Mary Lucille, born Oct. 27, 1916.
Mr. Powell united with the Christian Church at Gallatin in 1896 and has served on the church board since 1902. He has been a member of the executive board of the Gallatin Y. M. C. A. He is a Republican and one of the widely known and substantial citizens of Daviess County.
J. S. Litton, a leading farmer and stockman of Jackson Township, Daviess County, and owner of 565 acres of land, was born March 12, 1856, in Sampsel Township, Livingston County, the son of Thomas and Maria (Barnes) Litton.
Thomas Litton was born in Laurel County, Ky., in 1831, and came to Missouri in 1847, locating in Livingston County. He lived on the same farm in Livingston County until his death in 1896. Mr. Litton was a mer- chant at Lock Springs for 30 years, but always made his home on a farm. Maria (Barnes) Litton was also a native of Laurel County, Ky. She died in 1910 at the age of 86 years. To Mr. and Mrs. Litton 13 children were born, of whom seven are now living.
J. S. Litton was reared on a farm and educated in the district schools. When a very young man he rented land and carried on general farming and stock raising. He later inherited 40 acres of land. In 1879 he purchased his first farm in Livingston County. Since that time he has bought land from time to time. He purchased his present farm in 1907, on which he has made extensive improvements.
Mr. Litton was married the first time Dec. 27, 1877, to Nancy Ann Bland, a native of Daviess County. She died in 1884, at the age of 22 years. Two children were born to this union: Maria Elizabeth, the wife of Walter Gooman, Chillicothe; Hester, the wife of William Stockesberry, Jackson Township, Daviess County.
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Mr. Litton then married the second time in 1889 to Rosa E. Waters, a native of Indiana. To this union eight children have been born, as follows: Bessie May, wife of William Rupe of Livingston County ; Nannie Bell, wife of Newton Gibson, Livingston County ; John Raymond of Livingston Coun- ty; Ransome Faye, wife of Clarence Richards, Kansas City, Kan .; Elsie Ellen, at home; Lawrence Speed, at home; Charles Oscar, at home; and Delmar Harold at home. Mr. Litton has 16 grandchildren living.
Mr. Litton is a Democrat and a member of the Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, Modern Woodmen of America and Eastern Star, is a reliable and substantial member of his community, and a man known for his integrity and progressive ideals.
W. F. Houston, an efficient farmer and stockman of Jackson Town- ship, Daviess County, was born March 20, 1876, near Lock Springs, the son of James and Fredonia Jane (French) Houston.
James H. Houston was born in Jackson Township, Daviess County. He followed farming during his entire life. Mrs. Houston was born in Ben- ton County, Tenn. Both Mr. and Mrs. Houston are now deceased. To James H. Houston and Fredonia Jane (French) Houston two children were born: Ida, the wife of J. S. Hoskins, Comanche, Okla., and W. F., the sub- ject of this sketch.
W. F. Houston grew up on his father's farm in Jackson Township, Daviess County, and was educated in the district schools. He started out for himself in life at the age of 20 years, and later inherited the old home place, where he still resides. Mr. Houston has been unusually successful in general farming and raises high grade stock on his 197 acre farm, which is modern in every respect.
On Feb. 19, 1902, Mr. Houston was married to Bessie McClure, a na- tive of Jackson Township, Daviess County, and daughter of Abraham and Mary Ann (Litton) McClure. To this union three children have been born, as follows: Dortha, the wife of Olen Stephens, Jackson Township, Daviess County ; Frank F., at home ; and Jewell, at home.
In politics Mr. Houston is a Democrat ; he is a member of the Presby- terian Church. He is a stockholder of the Farmers Co-operative Store at Lock Springs. Mr. Houston is a progressive and enterprising citizen who stands high in his community.
William E. Bray, the efficient and well known mayor of Jamesport, was born April 29, 1866, in DeKalb County, a son of Samuel and Mary (Lindley) Bray. Mr. and Mrs. Bray were the parents of 13 children, 11 of whom are now living.
Samuel Bray was born in 1824 near Raleigh, N. C. He was a farmer during his entire life and came to DeKalb County, Mo., in 1859, settling on
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a farm in Polk Township. In 1874 he sold out and moved to Maysville, lo- cating south of there on a farm where he resided for 40 years. He then moved to Maysville, where he lived for eight years before his death in 1911. During the Civil War, Mr. Bray was a soldier, having enlisted in DeKalb, County, in the Volunteer Infantry. He was a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. Mrs. Bray was born near Raleigh, N. C., in 1826. She died in 1904, and both she and her husband are buried in the Mays- ville Cemetery.
William E. Bray grew up on his father's farm and was educated in the public schools and the Maysville High School, later attending the Stansbury Normal and Chillicothe Normal schools. He then taught school for 17 years, and was the principal of the Maysville and Fairport Schools during the last terms of his teaching. Mr. Bray also owned and operated a farm for 20 years. In 1902 he went into the real estate business at Mays- ville, where he was engaged until 1911, when he removed to Jamesport, and conducted a hardware store there for three years. While in Maysville, Mr. Bray was in partnership with his brother, Ollie Bray, in the hardware and implement business. He is now active in the real estate business in Jamesport, and has been very successful in a great many large land deals. Mr. Bray also owns 160 acres of land in Gove County, Kansas.
Mr. Bray was elected mayor of Jamesport, in 1920. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, Royal Arch, Mays- ville, the Blue Lodge, Jamesport, the Eastern Star of Jamesport, the Knights of Pythias, Yeoman, Modern Woodmen of America, and the R. N. A.
On July 12, 1892, Mr. Bray was married to Martha E. Hart, a native of DeKalb County, and the daughter of N. S. and Mary Jeanette (Van Ausdal) Hart, natives of Preble County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Hart came to Missouri in 1880 and located in DeKalb County, where Mr. Hart died. He served as county clerk of DeKalb County for four years. Mrs. Hart is now living at Jamesport.
To W. E. and Martha (Hart) Bray eight children have been born, as follows: Hart W., automobile machinist, Kansas City, Mo .; Jeanette, teach- er at Jamesport, a graduate of Jamesport High Shool and one year at the State University, also a year at Warrensburg Normal School; Barbara, the wife of Clyde L. Robinson, Jamesport Township; Virginia, attending Wash- ington University, St. Louis, Mo .; Margaret, stenographer, St. Joseph ; Gertrude, attending business college at St. Joseph; Priscilla, a senior at Jamesport High School; Caroline, at home.
Mr. Bray is a member of the Methodist Church, and was superintend- ent of the Sunday School at Maysville. He has always had high standards
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and progressive ideals in civic affairs and therefore, stands high in his community and in Daviess County.
George Dowe Harris, M. D. A physician and surgeon of Jamesport, Mo., who has had unusual success since beginning practice at Jamesport, in 1911, and in 1914 was honored by election to the office of vice president of the Missouri Electric Medical Society. Through his grandparents on both sides, Doctor Harris is identified with pioneer times in northwest Missouri, since the families have lived here 80 years or more, and the first to come had to hew homes out of the wilderness.
George Dowe Harris was born in Grundy County, Mo., Jan. 1, 1884, a son of James P. and Jennie (Anderson) Harris, his father a native of Grundy County, and his mother of Livingston County. The father was the first white child born in Jefferson Township, Daviess County.
James P. Harris, the father of Doctor Harris was born July 22, 1839, on the old farm in Grundy County, and has spent the greater part of his life on the same place. When he was a boy he attended a school supported by subscriptions and kept in a log cabin, which had a fireplace at one end, split slab benches, puncheon floors, and the open space that by courtesy was called a window was covered with greased paper. It was the custom of each pupils' parents to furnish one load of wood, and that wood was pre- pared and placed in the fireplace by the boy pupils. James P. Harris lived at home with his parents throughout their lives and at their death became one of the heirs to the home place. Mr. Harris was married the first time to Miss Elizabeth Crockett, two children were born to this union, now de- ceased. His second marriage was to Miss Jennie Anderson, who died shortly after the birth of her only son, Doctor Harris. The third marriage was to a sister of the second wife, Miss Ella Anderson, no children were born to this union. His last wife was Lucenda Coy, she is now living.
The mother of Doctor Harris, Jennie (Anderson) Harris was born in Livingston County, in 1850 and died March 3, 1884. She was the daugh- ter of Geo. W. and Jean (Leeper) Anderson, natives of Kentucky, and were early settlers of northwest Missouri, locating in Livingston County. The family and most of their household goods were conveyed in a covered wagon. During the excitement over the California gold discoveries, Geo. W. Anderson made two trips across the plains with covered wagon and ox team. Before coming to Missouri he was a school teacher in Kentucky, and in Livingston County served for more than 20 years as justice of the peace. He was a farmer by occupation, but never owned any land. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Doctor Harris' grandfather was Jesse Harris, a native of Kentucky, who came to Grundy County, 1836 ; he was a farmer. Jesse Harris married
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Mary, known as Polly Embrey. Mr. Jesse Harris was the father of James P. Harris. Jesse Harris came to this country by wagon and oxen team ; he entered a section of Government land in Jefferson Township. This land is now owned by Dr. Harris' father, who inherited it. Both Jesse Harris and his wife belonged to the Baptist Church.
Doctor Harris' great-grandfather was a soldier twice in the Revolu- tionary War, his name was Richmond Harris, a native of Kentucky. The Harris' ancestors came from Wales to the United States about 1600. Dr. Harris' father was a soldier of the Civil War.
Dr. Harris was reared on a farm and attended the district schools and Chillicothe Normal, Cincinnati Night High School at Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1907 he again entered the Normal School at Chillicothe, and graduated the same year. The following fall he was a student at the Eclectic Medical School of Cincinnati, Ohio, and after two years there he entered a regular school of medicine, the Bennett Medical College of Chicago, where he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1911. Prior to his graduation he served as interne in Jefferson Park Hospital at Chicago, his services in that connection altogether being about six months. In July 1911 Doctor Harris returned to Missouri, and located at Jamesport, where he became as- sociated in practice with Dr. Charles Gordon McKinley, under whom he had received his first instructions in medicine. This was one of the best known firms of physicians and surgeons in Daviess County, and they had a large general practice both in Jamesport and in the surrounding country. Dr. McKinley died in 1917.
Doctor Harris has professional associations with the Daviess County Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Society, the Missouri Eclectic Society, of which he was elected vice president in June 1914, and the Na- tional Eclectic Society. He is also serving as a member of the Jamesport Board of Health, and is examiner of several life insurance companies. He is a member of the Baptist church, while in politics he is a Republican, and affiliated with the Masonic Lodge and Knights of Pythias. On December 24, 1911, Doctor Harris was married to Miss Mrytle Sebastian, of Jamesport, a daughter of James E. and Marticia (Ware) Sebastian, her father being a Daviess County farmer. Doctor Harris has one child, Aur- and Harris, born July 4, 1915.
J. H. Robinson, a progressive and enterprising young man of King City, Mo., was born Aug. 13, 1898, in Lincoln Township, Daviess County, the son of D. H. and Dora (Freeman) Robinson. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were the parents of ten children, of whom J. H., the subject of this sketch, was the fifth in order of birth.
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J. H. Robinson was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools of Jamesport. After completing his education, Mr. Robin- son returned to his father's farm where he was engaged in assisting his father until he became 18 years of age. In 1907, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson removed to Jamesport Township, Daviess County, purchasing the farm upon which they now reside. After leaving the farm, Mr. Robinson be- came foreman on the Daviess County Bridge building. In 1918 he resigned and then worked for one year with his father in road grading in various parts of the county, also in Grundy, Livingston, and Harrison counties. After his marriage, Mr. Robinson moved to Jamesport, where he became engaged in the cabinet and carpenter trades. In April, 1922, he came to King City, where he now resides.
On Aug. 17, 1919, Mr. Robinson was married to Mary Fay Wiest, a native of Union Township, Daviess County, and a daughter of Oscar T. and Harriett (Helms) Wiest. Oscar T. Wiest is a native of Penn- sylvania and his wife a native of Union Township, Daviess County. They now reside in Gallatin. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have no children.
Mr. Robinson learned the cabinet making business through study and hard work. He has made some very fine pieces of furniture, among them being a walnut buffet, 60 inches long and 40 inches high. The wood was taken from a residence built about 85 years ago. It is a very attractive piece of furniture, being highly polished and valued at $100.00.
Mr. Robinson is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Christian Church at Gallatin. He is well known in his community and one of the leading representative young men of Gentry County.
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