USA > Missouri > Dunklin County > History of Dunklin County, Mo., 1845-1895 Embracing an historical account of the towns and post-villages of Clarkton, Cotton Plant, Cardwell, Caruth [etc.] Including a department devoted to the description of the early appearance, settlement, development, resources With an album of its people and homes, profusely illustrated > Part 10
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was for a time Enrolling Clerk of the State Senate ; six years Clerk in the State Auditor's Office, then official reporter of the House, and served one year on the reportorial staff of the " St. Louis Republican." Afterward for eight years he was editor and publisher of the " Index," a Democratic paper at Medicine Lodge, Kansas; and for the next two years was in the book and job printing business at Carthage, Mo.
In May 24, 1893, he came to Kennett and began editing the " Dunklin Democrat," since which time that paper has steadily grown in favor, and now has the largest circulation of any paper in Southeast Mis- souri. Mr. Caruthers has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Mary Fleming of Madison County. She became the mother of his four living children, and died at Carthage, Mo., November 15, 1891. He was again married on January 25, 1894, to his present wife, Miss Minnie L. Chandler, of Kennett, Mo., a daughter of Thomas Chandler of this county.
Mr. Caruthers is a member of the Masonic frater- nity, president of the Southeast Missouri Press As- sociation, a member of the State Association, and is a man who makes and retains many friends.
WILLIAM M. CATES, merchant at Cotton Plant, Mo., was born June 26, 1849, in Orange County, North Carolina. His parents were Nancy A. and John William Cates, natives of the above mentioned State. Mr. Cates emigrated to Tennessee and there married Eliza A. Short, February 26, 1870, Rev. David Hali- burton, a Baptist minister of Gibson County, officiat-
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ing. They came to Dunklin County in 1878, going to Texas shortly after ; there they remained two years, when they returned to Dunklin County, where they have since remained. (Sec Photo., p. 195. )
They have had born to them four children, Amanda Melvine, John William, Lena R., all of whom died in infancy; their only living child, Ella F., is a bright young girl of fifteen summers, well calculated to honor and make her parents happy in their old age. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cates are members of the Baptist Church and of the Rebekah Degree of I. O. O. F.
Mr. Cates has devoted most of his time to farming and stock-raising, but went in the mercantile business at Cotton Plant in 1893. He is a careful and discreet business man and carries a full and complete line of general merchandise. He is a Democrat in politics.
RILEY CLARKSTON came to Dunklin County in 1834, with his father, Wiley Clarkston, and this was the third family to settle on Horse Island. When he came here there was nothing representing a church, house, school, post-office or physician in the bounds of the county. He was a lad nearly grown when he first heard a sermon preached, and the old Liberty church was the first one he ever visited, in the later forties or early fifties. He used to go to Gainesville, Arkansas, for a physician for the family, even in the night if it were necessary, crossing in a canoe himself but swimming his horse through St. Francois River at Bowlen's Ferry. He says he has helped to kill as many as sixteen buffalo from one herd on Buffalo
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Island and that these huge animals were so tall that " He could ride clear under a limb on which a buffalo would hang his hair," and that in those days he killed from fifty to seventy-five bear each season before Christmas. They baconed the bears, dried their venison hams, and strained their wild honey and always had plenty to divide liberally with a new neighbor. Mrs. Clarkston says she has many times pounded their bread and coffee in a mortar in the way she learned from an Indian squaw before there was any horse mills and when they could not afford a steel hand mill. Mr. and Mrs. Clarkston reside near Senath on Horse Island, are fairly strong and healthy for their age, and are true pioneers of Dunklin County.
WILEY N. COLE, born September 22d, 1854, is a native of Carroll County, Tenn. His parents, John and Mary A. Bivins-Cole were also natives of Ten- nessee.
W. N. Cole, the subject of this sketch, married Mollie Woody in 1874, who died in the same year. In 1875 he married Elizabeth Ballard. By this mar- riage he has one son, Richard E., who is a young man about twenty years of age. Mr. Cole came to this county in 1877, and married his present wife, Miss Margaret Clifford, in 1878. The children of this mar- riage are Lula B., Hettie M., Sir Wallace, John Palmer and Pearl ; they also have two little boys dead. Farming is his principal occupation, and he owns 160 acres of good land near Hornersville, although he holds the tenth edition of a master's and pilot's cer-
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 177
tificate for a steamer of one hundred and twenty-five ton capacity to run on St. Francois and its tributaries. He has also run on the Mississippi river as clerk of the G. M. Sivley, a boat of about 130 tons.
Steamboating is no doubt his best loved profession, and he is exceedingly well acquainted with both St. Francois and Little Rivers. Mr. Cole is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Democratic in politics. Mrs. Cole and daughter, Miss Lula, are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
DR. R. G. COOK AND WIFE.
Dr. RALPH GUILD COOK was born August 1, 1837, in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., and was the son of Nathaniel and Mary Clark-Cook. He came to Dunklin County and located at Hornersville in 1865, but soon after removed to Cotton Plant where he spent
12
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the remainder of his life. He was a graduate of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, at Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and was as good a physician as any in the county. For many years prior to his death, which occurred February 5, 1882, he had an extensive prac- tice. August 8, 1866, he married Miss M. K. Wagster, daughter of Critenden and Kiddy Jones-Wagster, who came to Dunklin County about 1850. The children of Dr. and Mrs. Cook are Arvellah and Amasso S., deceased, Thomas J., Mary Kiddy, Zellah, Mrs. John Night, Ralph Vaumeter and Guild Davis. Dr. Cook was a zealous worker in the Christian Church, of which he was a member, and he was equally zealous in advocating the teachings of Odd Fellowship, and his presence in the lodge room always insured an inter- esting and entertaining meeting.
He helped to organize the Rebekah Degree, the degree for ladies, of the I. O. O. F., at Cotton Plant, and named the lodge in honor of his daughter, Arvel- lah. He was as enthusiastic in the ladies', as in the gentleman's degrees, of sanguine temperament, and jolly as a boy up to the time of his death. This county has had few better men or citizens. Mrs. Cook is also a member of the Christian Church, and of Arvellah Lodge No. 36, Daughters of Rebekah, Cotton Plant, Mo. She has since the death of Dr. Cook resided on her home at Cotton Plant, which Dr. Cook left to his family. It is one of the most beautiful homes in the county, surrounded by a fine grove of forest trees. Mrs. Cook owns Old Hicka- hod, the famous white stork of Dunklin County.
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The bird was captured by Alf. Hector, on Big Lake, Arkansas, in 1861. The tip of one wing being shot off, Mr. Hector gave the bird to Dr. Linamood, and shortly before his death, Dr. Linamood gave him to Dr. Cook. He is a tall white stork, and must be very old. Because of his age and associations, Mrs. Cook and family are very proud of Old Hickabod.
JOHN B. COOK.
JOHN B. Cook, of the firm of N. N. Rice & Co., Kennett, Mo., was born March 5, 1858, in Murray County, Tennessee. He is the son of Robert J. and Celia Beakey-Cook, natives of that State. In January, 1860, he came to Dunklin County, and located on Horse Island when that island was very sparsely settled.
He married Lucretia, daughter of Hon. David Rice. She was born March 20, 1857, and is a native of this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Cook have two children, Rosetta A., born April 17, 1876 - now the wife of Will Haislip,
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of Horse Island - and Christopher Columbus, born July 25, 1879. Mr. Cook has been a farmer up to February, 1895, when he went in business with his brother-in-law in the above mentioned firm. He owns about two hundred acres of good land near Senath, about ninety of which are in a good state of improvement, with good farm buildings, orchard, etc. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he, wife, and son are members of the Missionary Baptist Church; his daughter having joined the M. E. C. S. with her husband.
D. R. Cox, attorney at law, Malden, Mo., was born in Marshall County, Tennessee, August 7, 1852. His father, Moses Cox, was a native of North Caro- lina, but emigrated to Tennessee, where he married Miss Sarah McWherter, a native of that State. During the civil war Mr. Cox, Sr., was an officer in the Con- federate army under Col. Lon Freeman for the entire period of four years.
D. R. Cox, the subject of this sketch, came to Dunklin County, January 3, 1868. He was just six- teen years of age at that time, and the meager educational facilities of the county was a great dis- advantage, but he managed to obtain a fair common school education. In 1870 he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of this county by J. H. Barrett. Before he reached his majority his friends advised him to make the race for Constable of Cotton Hill Township, dis- regarding his age. He became a candidate and was successful. In 1874 he engaged in the mercantile
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business, but in 1876 moved to Johnson County,
Texas. While there he worked in the office of the Sheriff of that county, remaining until 1880, when he returned to Dunklin County, and again engaged in the mercantile business, this time as a salesman for Levi & Plant and J. S. Levi & Co. of Malden. While selling goods he commenced the study of law, and in 1887 was admitted to the
D. R. Cox.
bar by Hon. John G. Wear, judge of this, the 23d Judicial Circuit of Missouri. Since that time he has enjoyed a splendid law practice and been quite suc- cessful. In April, 1891, Mr. Cox was elected Mayor. of the city of Malden, and re-elected to the same office in 1893. Has been Notary Public since 1884. In 1874 he married Miss Fannie L. Sarver, of Clay County, Arkansas. To this union have been born Robt. A., now a young man just graduated from the Searcy Military College of Arkansas; Mattie M., in the graduating class for 1896, of the Galloway Female
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College; George Leslie, Jessie G., Ollie and Inez. Mrs. Cox is one of the leading members of the M. E. C. S. of Malden, and the family are all of that faith. Mr. Cox is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and was Worshipful Master of the Malden Lodge in 1884. He is a real Dunklin County Democrat, always support- ing the ticket, and is wont to say "there is not a black sheep in the family " of a large number of relatives on both his mother's and father's side. This of course means there is not a Republican in his family. He is, however, liberal-minded, and counts many Republicans among his host of friends.
ISHAM F. DONALSON was born August 31, 1847, in Gibson County, Tennessee. He is the son of Judge and Judith Davis-Donalson, natives of Wilson County, Tennessee, but pioneers of Dunklin County, coming here in 1855. The father was a well-known and highly respected citizen and died in this county in 1882, the mother died in 1888. I. F. Donalson grew to manhood in Dunklin County and received the principal part of his education at home and since coming to the years of maturity.
Mr. Donalson has a long and praiseworthy record in public and official affairs in the county, and few men are known better or have more friends than I. F. Donalson of Kennett. From the beginning of Malden until 1882, he was a clerk in a general store in that town. In November, 1882, he was elected to the office of Sheriff and Collector of Dunklin County ; he was re-elected to the same office in 1884, and perhaps
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
no man ever served in such a capacity with more gen- eral satisfaction than did he. In April, 1885, he married Miss Penola Rayburn, daughter of Maj. W. C. Rayburn, and a native of this county, where she was reared and educated. From 1887 until a very recent date Mr. Donalson did a general mercantile
I. F. DONALSON.
business in Kennett ; he was quite successful but owing to his health was obliged to retire from public affairs.
Mrs. Donalson is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Mr. Donalson is a Democrat in politics and a member of the I. O. O. F.
To this union were born the following children : Thomas. H., Mable ( deceased ), Davis, Isham ( a little girl, deceased ), and Madge.
ASA B. DOUGLASS, surveyor of Dunklin County, was born July 26, 1834, in Wilson County, Tennessee, and
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
is the son of Asa B. and Fannie M. (Barksdale ) Doug- lass, natives of South Carolina and Tennessee. The parents removed to Missouri in 1856, and in 1863 the father went to Texas, where he died in 1864. The mother died in Dunklin County, Missouri, in 1861. The son, Asa B. Douglass, grew to manhood in his native State and received an excellent education in the higher English branches, mathematics and surveying, and has taught in the schools of Dunklin County. He was for some years a clerk in a dry goods store in Clarkton. About 1861 he purchased his present home near that town. June 15, 1859, he was married to Mary H. Marshall, daughter of Bennett and Mary Marshall, pioneers of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Douglass are the parents of the following children : Fannie (Westfall), Ella (Gwin ), Benjamin H., John A., Walter E., Rosa Lee., Kittie Pearl, Asa B., Earl H., Norwell A. and Harry M., also Mary D., wife of W. Y. Taylor, who is deceased. In 1884, Mr. Douglass was elected to the office of county surveyor, which position he is still holding. He is Democratic in pol- itics, is well posted in the affairs of the county and is by all who know him considered a most estimable gentleman.
He and Mrs. Douglass are members of the M. E. C. S. and their home near Clarkton is an exceptionally nice one, with a good residence, fine orchard, etc.
ELIZABETH MOTT-DOUGLASS was born June 12th, 1821, in Jessamine County, Kentucky. In early childhood her parents, James and Hetty Mott, removed
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to Moscow, Ky., and here the subject of this sketch was married to Alex. T. Douglass in 1837. Thev removed to Montgomery County, Tenn., but in 1839 returned to Kentucky. In 1850 they emigrated to Dunklin County, where Mr. Douglass died May 8th, 1876. His life in this county was one of usefulness,
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MRS. ELIZABETH (MOTT) DOUGLASS AND GRANDSON R. S. DOUGLASS.
he was always interested in public affairs, fearless in advocating what he believed to be right and con- demning wrong. He united with the Missionary Bap- tist Church at Shady Grove in 1869, and was baptized by Elder Jas. H. Floyd. Just after the Civil War, when Democrats could not vote, he was appointed judge of the County Court of this county, but would not take the oath then required, and returned his commission to the Governor. A. T. Douglass was born in 1811 in
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Bedford County, Va., and at the age of 19 years came with his parents to Tennessee.
Mrs. Elizabeth Douglass is about seventy-four years of age and has spent forty-five years of her life in this county. She is hale and hearty and retains all her faculties. She came to this county at a time when log cabins, with puncheon floors and cypress bark ceilings were in common use, but be it said that the hardships of pioneer life never detracted from her refined and progressive nature. In the early fifties she was baptized by one of the pioneer preachers, Elder Sander Walker, uniting with the Missionary Baptist Church, and has since been a faithful member of same. The honest, industrious and progressive lives of herself and deceased husband should be a precious heritage to their descendants. " Grandma Douglass," as she is affectionately called, is the oldest living member of one of the oldest, most intelligent and progressive families of Dunklin County, consisting of herself, seven children, twenty-four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Her children are, respect- ively, Rev. Robt. H., Hettie F. (Mrs. Satterfield ), Judge James M., All W., Jennie ( Mrs. Lawson), Huldah and Lucy (Mrs. J. M. Baird ).
Miss Hulda has never married and resides with her mother at Sennath, Mo. She is notary public, assist- ant postmistress and an acknowledged leader in Sunday-school, church and social functions in her neighborhood. She was educated in the schools of this county and the normal school at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Perhaps she has done as much as any other
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
woman in this county to make her own little corner of the great world wiser, better and happier.
R. S. DOUGLASS was born in Dunklin County, Mo., November 12, 1871, and is the son of Rev. R. H. and Mary E. Douglass, natives of Tennessee and Indiana re- spectively. R. S. Douglass' education was begun in the public schools of the county. In 1893 he graduated from the State Normal School at Cape Girardeau, Mo. He led his class, thereby proving that Dunklin County's young people are not to be left behind. Since his graduation Mr. Douglass has been almost constantly employed in some capacity as teacher.' Two years he has been assistant in the " Teachers' Institute" of this county and is now vice-president of the Teachers' Association. He is one of the many young teachers who have been born and reared in Dunklin County, of whom it is especially proud. In 1895 he was united in marriage with Ottilie Josephine Gase, a native of New Haven, Franklin County, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Douglass are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is a Democrat in politics.
Rev. ROBT. H. DOUGLASS was born in Montgomery County, Tenn., February 7, 1839. He is the son of A. T. and Elizabeth Mott-Douglass, and was but ten years of age when he came with his parents to Dunklin County, Mo., since which time he has spent most of his life in this county. He received only a common school education and is mainly self-educated. He is a deep thinker and a close student even yet. In
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
1858 he married Miss Rebecca J. Wagster, a native of Tennessee. To this marriage was born three children, Thomas J., of Caruth, this county, and two others who died in infancy. In 1861 he enlisted in the Second Mis- souri Cavalry (Confederate States army ), under Col. Robt. Mccullough, until the close of the war.
After his term expired he, however, re-enlisted in the Second Missouri Cavalry in Col. Kitchen's regiment and participated in a number of engagements, the most important being Corinth and Price's Raid through Missouri and Arkansas.
In August, 1866, he married his present wife, Mrs. Mary E. Richerson, who was the daughter of Rudolphus Lamb, one of the early settlers of New Madrid County.
The children of this marriage were Robert S. and Mary E. The latter, known as Miss Mamie, died Sep- tember 7, 1894, at the home of her parents at Caruth. She was very lovable, an earnest scholar and one of this county's most promising young teachers.
Rev. Douglass has been principally engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, until since his ordination as a minis- ter of the Missionary Baptist Church, in September, 1881, since which time he has devoted much time to the ministry. He is the most constant and powerful advocate of Baptist doctrines in the county and is looked upon by all, even those who differ with him in opinions, as a forcible and eloquent speaker and a gentleman worthy of high regard.
He is a Royal Arch Mason and has passed through the chairs of the various offices of that fraternity and
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
is well known all over Dunklin County, having resided near his present place of residence nearly all the time since his parents located there in 1850.
Mrs. Douglass is a member of the Baptist Church and has been for two years postmistress at Caruth. She is a lady of much culture and refinement.
JUDGE JAMES M. DOUGLASS, of the firm of Baird, Satterfield & Co., Senath, Missouri, was born October 27, 1847, in Fulton County, Kentucky. Heis the son of A. T. and Elizabeth Douglass and was but three years of age when he came to Dunklin County. In spite of the fact that his early educational advantages were limited to the common schools, he was for a time a successful teacher and has an extensive record in public life. In 1877 he was elected to fill an unex- pired term as assessor of this county and re-elected by a large majority to the same office. In 1884 he was elected judge of his district and unanimously re- elected, not having any opposing candidate. December 25, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Belle, a daughter of lawyer W. G. Phelan of Stoddard County, Missouri. The children of this marriage are Thos G. R. Moses, deceased, Minnie Francis, Allie Manning, and Margaret Elizabeth.
James Mott-Douglass has resided at Senath on Horse Island for fourteen years, put up the first mill and cotton gin at that place, and was the prime mover in getting the mail route to Senath, and has always took great interest in the schools and other public affairs of his neighborhood.
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Mr. Douglass owns quite an extensive estate of 600 or 800 acres and has devoted much of his life to farm- ing and stock-raising, but has for several years been in the mercantile business at Senath. He is Democratic in politics and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
GEORGE T. DUNMIRE was born April 12, 1837, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, removed to Kentucky in 1866, and there married Miss Viana M. Phillips, daughter of John H. Phillips, on September 22, 1868. Their son, John H., was born June 27, 1869, in Clinton County, Kentucky. They also lost one son, David H., in infancy. Their daughter, Miss Hattie, was born in Dunklin County, Missouri, in 1879. (See photo, p. 195.)
Mr. and Mrs. Dunmire came to Dunklin County in 1878, and located at Kennett, where they now reside.
John H. Dunmire, now traveling for Schuh Drug Company, Cairo, Illinois, was married to Miss Fannie Sturges of Kennett, January 11, 1892. They have two children, Clara B., and Marian Irene. Mr. and Mrs. John H. Dunmire are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. and Mrs. George T. Dunmire of the M. E. C. S. Both gentlemen are Republican in politics and highly-respected citizens.
W. B. FINNEY, M. D., of Kennett, Mo., was born January 1, 1858. His parents, James M. and Mary A. Smith-Finney, were natives of Illinois, and Mr. Finney was for several years Sheriff of Johnson County, Illinois.
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
Dr. Finney, the subject of this sketch, received his literary education in the common school and Ewing College, of Franklin County, Illinois. March 10, 1890, he graduated from the Physicians and Sur- geons College, St. Louis, Mo. August 2, 1885, he married Miss Martha E. Clippard, of Cape County, Mo., but resided and practiced medicine at Laflin, Mo.,
DR. W. B. FINNEY.
until December, 1892, when he came to this county and located at Kennett, where he has gained a large and lucrative practice.
Mrs. Finney is a member of the M. E. C. S. Dr. Finney is a Democrat in politics and a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities. Their children are: Willie Ozro, Ernest Green, Hubert Clippard, Earl G. and Mary Eula.
DAVID FINLEY was born September 1, 1820, in Orange Co., Ind. He came to this county in 1834,
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when there were but ten white families in the south end of Dunklin County. He married Miss Margarett McDaniel, who bore him four children. Mrs. Finley and three of the children died with small-pox about the close of the Civil War. The other child had died prior to this time. In 1866 Mr. Finley married Miss Julian Hite, a native of Tennessee. David Edwin and
DAVID FINLEY.
Ellen J. are the children of this marriage. Miss Ellen is a pretty girl about sixteen years of age. Mr. " Edd " Finley lives on the old home place near Cotton Plant, where his father first settled at a time when he could kill elk, buffalo and other large game within a mile of his house. Mr. Finley was a close friend of Judge Edwin J. Langdon, in honor of whom he called his son, who married Miss Mary E. Nelson on December 20, 1885 ; their children are Cordelia J., David M., and Martha J. " Uncle " Dave Finley was a member of the Masonic fraternity and lived just 50
HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO. 193
years, 1 month and 16 days in this county, dying October 17, 1884.
J. Q. A. GARDNER, merchant at Campbell, Mo., was born in 1828, at Selma, Ala. His father, John Gardner, was born in 1802, and was a native of Vir- ginia, but emigrated to Alabama at an early day, where he married Lucy Melton in 1827. J. Q. A., the sub- ject of this sketch, removed with his family to Anna, Ill., in 1863, and came to Dunklin County, Mo., in 1870. He resided on a farm near Four Mile, until seven years ago, when he went into the mercantile business at Campbell, where he keeps a complete and nicely selected stock. In 1848 he married Mariah E, Bobo, a native of South Carolina, and of French par- entage, Their children are : Alice, Hiram A., America and Willie L., deceased, and W. Scott.
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