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 12
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A. J. LANGDON was born February 25, 1865, is a native of this county and the son of Edwin J. and Sarah A. Glasscock-Langdon, pioneers of Dunklin County. He was educated in his native county and at the high school of Ironton, Mo., and also at the State Normal, Cape Girardeau, Mo. He worked with his father in the store at Cotton Plant for about three years and was afterward a member of the firm of E. J. Langdon & Company. At that place, January 14,
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1893, he married Mary Tennie Moore, a native of Dunklin County, who was reared and educated at Mount Calm, Texas; she is the daughter of E. H. Moore, formerly an old citizen of this county. To this marriage have been born Maude E., Nellie A. (deceased), Hettie P., E. Senter and Wesley M.
Since the death of his father, Mr. Langdon has devoted much of his time to the matters of the estate, he being the administrator. He is also a dealer in live stock and, of course, devotes considerable time to looking after his own estate, as he owns a number of well improved and valuable tracts of land in this county. Mrs. Langdon is a member of the M. E. C. S.
CHARLES LANPHER is the son of G. W. and E. V. Parkins-Lanpher; born August 12, 1871, and is a native of Fredericktown. His father is a well-known citizen of that place, and Charles Lanpher was reared and educated in Fredericktown, and came to Dunklin County in August, 1893, to take a partnership in the firm of L. Riggs & Co., at Kennett. This firm keeps a full and up-to-date line of stoves, tinware, sash and doors, sporting goods, and, in fact, everything usually kept in a hardware store. They enjoy a thriving business and will further enlarge the same by estab- lishing a branch store at Caruthersville, Mo.
JAKE S. LEVI came to Dunklin at about the begin- ning of Malden and his business career may be traced in this county through the firm of J. S. Levi & Co., and other names to the Levi Mercantile Co., of Malden
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and Kennett. Every enterprise of which Mr. Levi has taken hold of in this county has seemed to prosper and has outgrown firm names and business houses in a remarkable manner. The first brick business house erected in Dunklin County was that of J. S. Levi, erected in 1889, in Malden. This is one of the best business houses in that town, and it is certain that the firm who own it do a very extensive business, in fact
J. S. LEVI.
the Levi Mercantile Company of Malden and Kennett is one of the most popular firms in Dunklin County.
J. S. Levi is president of the Levi Mercantile Com- pany, Joe N. Arends, vice-president, and A. Lebermuth, secretary and treasurer.
Mr. Levi is also president of the Goldman & Levi Land Company, and J. D. Goldman, of St. Louis, Mo., is vice-president.
Mr. Levi resides most of the time in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has been known and identified with the business interests of Dunklin County for about fifteen years
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and has resided a considerable portion of that time in this county. Mr. Levi is unmarried, but Mr. Leber- muth and Mr. Arends have both married since coming to this county.
GEORGE W. MARSHALL, farmer and stock-raiser, of Clarkton, was born in Olive County, Tennessee, June 23, 1849, and is the son of Bennett and Mary Mar- shall, natives of Middle Tennessee. The parents came to Dunklin County in 1857 and located on the farm where the son, George W., now resides. They lived here for several years and then removed to Arkansas, where the father died in 1872. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and a well-known pioneer of this county.
George W. Marshall attained his growth on a farm in this county, working with his father until his majority. January 30, 1869, he was united in mar- riage to Mary L. Lasley, daughter of the pioneer, Mr. Lasley, who located near Clarkton in 1863.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall commenced their married life on a very small scale with a small farm, one milk cow and a plow horse. Mr. Marshall, however, soon began to raise corn, cattle and hogs, not having grown any cotton since it fell below ten cents per pound in the markets. He is now the largest stock-raiser and ship- per in the county and the owner of about nine hundred acres of land, part of which lies in New Madrid County.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are the parents of a large family, and have perhaps the nicest home in the
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county, a very handsome residence among a magnificent grove of forest trees, and a fine orchard. They reside about two miles south of Clarkton.
COLLIN MORGAN, ex-sheriff of Dunklin County, was born January 15, 1844. He is a native of Tennessee, and the son of Miles and Martha Page-Morgan, early settlers of Bollinger County, Mo. They, however,
s
COLLIN MORGAN.
removed to Stoddard County, and located near Bloon- field, Mo., and there principally reared their family. Mr. Morgan died several years ago, but Mrs. Morgan is living in Stoddard County. The son, Collin Mor- gan, was married December 28, 1871, to Miss Effic Harper, of Stoddard County. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have a large family of children, the eldest daughter being Miss Ida, and the eldest son Mr. Fred, both favorites among the young people of Kennett. Mr. Morgan came to this county in 1888, and two years later was elected Sheriff of Dunklin County, and
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re-elected to the same office in 1892. He filled this office to the general satisfaction of all, and has won for himself many friends among the people of this county. His residence (which was one of the finest in Kennett) and nearly all its contents was destroyed by fire in 1895, this being the second time such a mis- fortune has befallen him. He is, however, a man of indomitable energy and push, and burned several kilns of brick from which he expects to build a handsome brick residence on the site of the one destroyed by fire. Kennett has not a man with more go-a-head business energy than Collin Morgan ; he never waits for "soft jobs or good luck," but has pluck enough to keep his head above the waves of any misfortune.
Mr. Morgan was twice elected Sheriff of Stoddard County before coming to Dunklin, and is well-known in both counties. He is a Democrat in politics, Master of the Masonic lodge at Kennett, and a member of the I. O. O. F.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are members of the Christian Church.
LOUIS MCCUTCHEN, druggist and postmaster at Campbell, Mo., was born June 27, 1848, in Jackson County, Alabama. His parents were William W. and Margaret Harrison-McCutchen, natives of Alabama and Tennessee, respectively. The father was surveyor and justice of the peace for a number of years in both Jackson and Marshall counties and resided in Alabama until his death. He was drowned in Tennessee River, in Marshall County, in 1878.
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Louis Mccutchen grew to manhood in Marshall County, Alabama, and received a fair education in the village school. On reaching his majority he left the parental roof and emigrated to Missouri and located at Four Mile, Dunklin County, in 1870. He accepted a position as clerk, which he retained until 1876. He then engaged in the drug and grocery business on his own account and continued at Four Mile until the fall of 1882. He then removed to Campbell, a new town on what is the St. Louis Southwestern R. R., Cotton Belt Route. He has since continued in business at that place. In 1875 he was appointed postmaster at Four Mile and has been postmaster there and at Campbell since that time.
Mr. McCutchen is a director of the Bank of Kennett, a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic lodges at Campbell, is a Democrat in politics and is well known and highly esteemed in this county.
December 20, 1877, he married Miss Martha E. Owen, a native of Dunklin County and the daughter of Judge Given Owen (see sketch). Mrs. McCutchen was reared and educated in this county and is certainly one of the most accomplished housekeepers of which it can boast; her home is always surrounded by beautiful flowers and she is an adept in the culinary art. The children of Mr. and Mrs. McCutchen are: Fannie, William W., Beulah, Owen, Louis and Mary Ellen. Mr. Mccutchen has quite an extensive estate of about 1200 acres near Campbell. His drug store is fitted up nicely and he keeps a full and complete line of drugs in connection with the post-office.
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
VIRGIL MCKAY, County Clerk of Dunklin County, was born in New Madrid County, Mo., July 24, 1858. He is the son of John and Mary Adams-McKay, natives of the above-mentioned county and State. Virgil Mckay, the subject of this sketch, came to Dunklin County, July 28, 1878. He farmed for a few years, then for several years taught school part of the year and attended school the remainder, being principally educated in the Southeast Normal at Cape Girardeau, Mo. December 25, 1888, he married Miss Annie Marlow of Clarkton, a daughter of James Mar- low, who was a pioneer of this county. To this marriage have been born two little boys, Clyde and Landreth. (See photo, p. 236. )
He was elected Assessor of Dunklin Co. in 1886, and re-elected to the same office in 1888. He is holding his second term as County Clerk, being elected to that office in 1890 and 1894.
He is Democratic inpolitics, a member of the Masonic order and of I. O. O. F. Both be and Mrs. McKay are members of the M. E. C. S. Mr. Mckay is exceedingly popular among the masses of the people.
HULDAH A. MOTT was born April 10, 1831, in Hickman County, Ky., was married to Turner G. Chapman, Sept. 28, 1848. To them were born four children, James, Mary, Hettie and Kittie. Mr. Chap- man died June 25, 1859, and Mrs. Chapman was again married March 23, 1865, to Wm. H. Helm. To this couple were born three children, Lizzie, Willie and Fannie. Mrs. Helm is a sister of Mrs. A. T. Doug-
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lass of Senath, and one of the pioneer women of this county. Mr. Helm represented this county in the State Legislature in 1879, is a Democrat in politics, and he and Mrs. Helm and daughters are members of the Christian Church. James and Mary Chapman died in infancy. Hettie was married to J. E. Jones of Nesbit, Mo., April 6, 1870. Kitty was married May 3, 1877, to W. G. Bragg, of Kennett, Mo. Willie Helm died in infancy, and Lizzie was married August 3, 1892, to T. J. Baird of Clarkton, Mo. Fannie was married September 28, 1892, to Charles B. Ruff of Kennett, Mo. (sce sketches elsewhere ).
DAVID H. MOORE, born July 10, 1832, was the second white child born in Dunklin County. His parents were Howard and Mary Welch Moore, natives of Virginia. They emigrated to Dunklin County in 1829 and were the first white settlers to locate within the limits of this county. They also built and lived in the first white man's cabin, stopping at first about four miles south of Malden, Missouri. Mr. Moore afterward bought the log cabin and improvements of Chilleticaux near Kennett, and it was he who estab- lished the first grist mill at that place in pioneer days. He lived to a good old age and at his death left each of his eight children forty acres of good Dunklin County land. David H. Moore was partly reared in Chilleticaux Cabin, has eaten many of the big Indian peaches grown on the trees planted by that chief. He also, when a lad, helped to grind corn on one of the first grist mills in the county, and prior to that
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time pounded corn and coffee in the mortar made by Chilleticaux in the latter's kitchen, which the chief said was " all built of cypress but one log, which log was of wood."
" Uncle Dave," as he is familiarly called, was first married to Claircy Spurlock ; she died leaving two children, Wesley and Mary. Mr. Moore has lost four
DAVID MOORE.
wives by death, his fifth wife being his present com- panion. She has had three husbands, her first being a Mr. Bird, her second a Mr. Jordan; her maiden name was Ouva Haggard. She and Mr. Moore have two children, Samantha and
There are but three other persons who have resided in Dunklin County longer than David H. Moore. He lives in Kennett, Missouri, and is the oldest citizen of that place. He is a Democrat in politics.
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A. A. MOORE, undertaker, Malden, Mo., was born June 23, 1827, in Union County, Indiana. His father, Morgan Moore, was a native of Virginia, but emigrated to Ohio when a small boy and later in life went to Indi- ana, where he married a Miss Mead. She became the mother of A. A. Moore and soon afterward died. The father was an old soldier in the war of 1812, and
A. A. MOORE AND WIFE.
afterward located in Vermillion County, Illinois, where he died in 1860.
A. A. Moore came to Dunklin County in 1876, and located in Malden, which was then just being commenced. He farmed for some time then became a contractor and builder and assisted in erecting some of the first houses in Malden. Later he was a success- ful grocery merchant and has been for many years a well-known and prominent undertaker. He has also
15
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
been prominent in local politics, having been a mem- ber of the Council for several years and Mayor of Malden. February 14, 1850, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Elizabeth E. Hite, a native of Virginia, and to them have been born S. S., on Aug. 21st, 1851, C. F., March 10, 1853, M. C. and M. A., October 30, 1855 ; M. C., one these twins, and S. W., born April 29, 1858, are both deceased. H. A., the youngest son, was born October 13, 1863.
S. S. Moore married Lucy Shultz; their children are Nellie, Minnie, Ethel, and Fred.
M. A. Moore married Susie Jenkins and became the father of Wilbert and Onie.
H. A. Moore married Emma Herman, and resides in Malden.
C. F. Moore married Mrs. Lou A. Stephens, a daughter of T. B. Reeves. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and a carpenter by trade. On coming to Dunklin County he located in Malden, where he now resides.
THOMAS NEEL is the son of the pioneer, Thomas Neel, who came to this county with the Horners in February, 1832.
Thomas Neel, Jr., was born in May of the same year and was the first white child born in Dunklin County. Mr. Neel has pounded corn in the old- fashioned mortar " Indian style " when it was too bad to go to mill away up on West Prairie or to the Masterson mill near Bernie, in Stoddard County. He has slept on Chilleticaux buffalo robes and is even yet
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
a great hunter. For many years he lived on his farm where the post-office of Lulu now stands, but for several years has resided just across the Missouri line in Arkansas, but he is yet looked upon as a citizen of this county, as he does about all of his buying, selling of produce, etc., in his old home. His present wife was Miss Lizzie Donalson, who is a sister of I. F. Donalson, of Kennett. They have a nice home, which in summer and fall is almost hidden by pretty shrubs and flowers.
Rev. OWENBY, of the Clarkton Circuit of the M. E. C. S., was born March 17, 1854, in Sumner County, Tennessee. He is the son of J. P. and C. A. Owenby, natives of the above mentioned State. Rev. Owenby has been in the ministry and under the control of the St. Louis Conference Methodist Episcopal Church South about thirteen years. His preaching is of the Evangelistic order and he recognizes this as his particular sphere and personally likes it best. He says about 10,000 conversions have been the result of his preaching, including about 668 conversions and accessions to the church in the bounds of the Clarkton Circuit in Dunklin County. Rev. Owenby has been sent to this circuit two years successively. It is claimed by the people of Halcomb, where he resides, that it is largely through his influence and that of a few of the Baptist members that the churches of the various denominations at Halcomb have become so united in their Sunday-school and other Christian work. He undoubtedly has the tact to draw the
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crowds and then gain their attention, to a greater extent than any other preacher in the county. In 1873, he was married to Nannie J. Goad, of Obine County, Tennessee. They have four living children.
JUDGE GIVEN OWEN was born May 9, 1818, and was the son of Reuben and Martha Wells Owens,
DR. GIVEN OWEN.
natives of Georgia and .Kentucky, respectively. Reuben Owen emigrated to Kentucky when a young man and lived there until 1836, when he removed to Bloomfield, Mo., and there resided until his death. Judge, or Dr. Given Owen, for he was one of the pioneer physicians of Dunklin County, grew to man- hood in Hickman County, Ky., receiving a good education in the common and higher English branches. In 1835, when he was just seventeen years of age, he
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commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Carroll at Hickman, Ky. In 1838, he also removed to Bloom- field, Mo., remaining there and continuing the study of medicine for two years. In 1841, he settled on a farm in what was then Stoddard, but what is now Dunklin County. He was shortly elected County Judge. He was Presiding Judge of Stoddard County when this was cut off into Dunklin, and was elected County Judge of this county in 1854. He was elected Judge of the Clarkton Common Pleas and Probate Court in April, 1876, to fill out the unexpired term of Judge Stokes (deceased ); also elected Judge of Pro- bate Court and President of County Court in Novem- ber, 1878. In April, 1877, he was commissioned Notary Public by Gov. Phelps, also by Gov. Critten- den in 1882, and by Gov. Marmaduke in 1886.
Judge Owen was first married in 1840 to Amanda Sullenger, a native of Cape Girardeau County. She died in May, 1852, leaving four children : Dr. Reuben P., A. B., Nancy M., Mrs. E. M. Bray, and Francis E. I. In August, 1852, he married a second time, taking Mrs. Louisiana Bozarth, a daughter of Jordan and Nancy Lacy. Two daughters were born to them, Martha E. (now Mrs. L. McCutchen of Campbell ) and Mary E.
Judge Owen's death occurred December 5th, 1889, after a residence of about thirty-one years, at Four Mile, near Campbell, Dunklin County.
He was seventy-two years of age and was a success- ful practicing physician until a few years before his death - having been so long a judge of different courts and also being well known as a physician, both the
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
title of Doctor and Judge clung to him until his death. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Owen is a member of the Baptist Church and resides with her daughter and son-in-law, Louis Mccutchen of Campbell, whose picture may be seen among the family of those to be found in this volume. She has resided in this county for more than fifty years, and is one of the many living pioneers who enjoys good health considering their old age. She worshiped with the first congre- gation who ever worshiped in a church house in Dunklin County, in 1846; and her first husband, Jonathan Bozart, assisted in building this same house. She, like many other pioneer women, came here before either the horse-power or steam-power mill, and has often ground corn for bread on the little steel hand- mill, of which her father's was one of the first brought to the county. West Prairie post-office, the first in the county, was established after she came here, and many are the interesting events she can relate about the manner of bringing general supplies from Cape Girardeau, Mo. She is a lady whose con- versation is always entertaining, and who knows much of the past history of Dunklin County.
WILLIAM J. OXLEY, merchant at Valley Ridge, Mo., was born November 11, 1837, and is the son of James and Annaretta ( Faulkner) Oxley, natives of North Carolina. The parents came to Dunklin County in 1858, where the father died in 1864. William J. Oxley, the subject of this sketch, began working for
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
himself at the age of eighteen years, and did not come to Dunklin County until 1860. In 1861 he was mar- ried to Winnie M. Bray, a native of West Tennessee and the daughter of Allen Bray ( deceased ). At the breaking out of the Civil War, Mr. Oxley enlisted in Jeff. Thompson's regiment for six months, at the expiration of which time he removed his family to Scott County, Mo., and engaged in the boot and shoe business for a time. In 1865 he returned to Dunklin County and located near Four Mile. In 1868 he removed to his present place of residence, and a few years later established and named the post-office of Valley Ridge. He first engaged in the grain and huckster business, but commenced merchandising about 1879. He also bought and improved land, making himself a comfortable home.
His dwelling-house and store and all their con- tents were burned on January 28, 1880. This, of course, was a severe loss, but he soon resumed busi- ness and now has a good local trade and carries a com- plete line of general merchandise. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Oxley are: A. R., James M. and Addie V. The family are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Oxley is a self-made man, as when he was mar- ried he could not write his name and did not know one figure from another, never having attended school but three months in his life. By self-application he was soon able to do all his own business, and was post- master at Valley Ridge for about ten years. He is Republican in politics and one of the best known farmers and merchants on the Ridge.
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
COL. DAVID YOUNG PANKEY was born August 22d, 1832, at Richmond, Va. His parents were Young and Rebekah B. Branch-Pankey, natives of Virginia. His father was an old soldier in the war of 1812, and his maternal grandfather was a colonel in the Revolution- ary war. Col. Pankey grew to manhood and was edu- cated in Virginia. In 1858 he emigrated to Madrid
COL. D. Y. PANKEY.
Bend, Tenn., just across the Mississippi River from New Madrid, Mo., and in 1859 came on to Dunklin County, locating near Clarkton.
Prior to leaving his native State, Col. Pankey was married in 1854 to Miss Sallie B., eldest daughter of Paul and Mary E. Jones of Lynchburg, Va. Their oldest child was Mary E , wife of Judge T. E. Bald- win of Kennett, the second daughter was Sallie B., deceased, Mrs. Schruggs of Malden. They also lost by death two other children, Henry Young and Lilian.
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The only living son is David Ballard, cashier of the Bank of Kennett. The mother of these children died in 1866.
In 1870, Col. Pankey married Tennessee Miller, who also died after having borne him four children, all of whom died in infancy. In 1876, Col. Pankey took for a third companion Adaline Grigory, daughter of Rev. James Grigory of this county. She became the mother of Charles, born January 12, 1877, and Stella, and one infant (deceased ). The mother of these children also died, leaving Col. Pankey a widower for the third time. In 1890, he married Mrs. Smith, who is his present wife.
Col. Pankey is one of the oldest and best known pioneers in the county, having taken quite a prominent part in the late War of the Rebellion. He was on the Southern side, and first went into Capt. Picard's com- pany and was elected First Lieutenant. A regiment was soon formed of which he was elected Lieutenant colonel. At the expiration of his term he re-enlisted in the Confederate service. He was in the bombard- ments of Fort Pillow, and after the evacuation of that place, went to Memphis, Tennessee, and with other Missourians was put under Col. Price, and participated in many hard skirmishes and conflicts with the enemy. Col. Pankey has filled the offices of Magistrate and Collector of the Revenue of Dunklin County. He is at present a grain dealer, and is a member of a grain company at Kennett, which ships hundreds of car loads every year. He is a a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Democrat in politics.
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HISTORY OF DUNKLIN COUNTY, MO.
D. B. PANKEY, cashier of Bank of Kennett, was born January 17, 1861, and is a native of Dunklin County, Missouri. His parents, Col. D. Y. and Sallie B. Jones Pankey were natives of Virginia (see sketch ). David Ballard Pankey grew to manhood in this county, was educated in the common schools of Dun- klin County and at Cape Girardeau, Mo .; he also completed the commercial course at the Mound City Commercial College, St. Louis, Mo .; married Miss Josie Rayburn, daughter of Maj. W. C. Rayburn, late of Clarkton. As Miss Josie Rayburn, Mrs. Pankey was one of the leading belles of Clarkton, and is no less a leader in the society of Kennett. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Pankey are respectively Hugh, Blair (deceased), and a baby boy. Mr. Pankey has held a number of public and official positions in this county ; was appointed to fill the vacancy in the county clerk's office caused by the death of C. R. Mills in 1885, and elected to the same office in 1886. When the Bank of Kennett was organized in January, 1891, he was chosen cashier of same and has since held that position ; under his management the bank had a deposit on January 15, 1896, of $96,956.64. Any eulogy of Mr. Pankey is altogether unnecessary, but it is safe to say that Kennett is as proud of D. B. Pankey as any man it has. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities and both he and Mrs. Pankey arc mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church.
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