USA > Missouri > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Missouri > Part 24
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To James L. and Nancy (Ross) Solomon the following children were born: Etta C., now the wife of U. G. Gibson of New Hampton; A. H., the subject of this sketch; Anna, the wife of C. B. Robins of Bonilla, South Dakota; Mary, now Mrs. G. E. Scott of New Hampton; Katie, died at the age of twelve; J. C., a poultry dealer and restaurant owner at Blythedale, and Ola, now Mrs. Eddie Linch of McFall.
A. H. Solomon was educated in the public schools of Martinsville and New Hampton and the Normal School at Stanberry. After finishing school, he worked on a farm for two years and then went to New Hampton where he worked at blacksmithing for more than twelve years. The next two and one-half years he worked in a grocery store and meat market, and following that time, he became manager of the Miner Frees lumber yard. He kept this position for two years, then left New Hamp- ton and was on a farm for four years. After that he with the Rowland Mercantile Company for a year and then accepted the position as cashier of the Bank of New Hampton on April 5, 1920, and served in that capacity until August 9, 1921. He then entered into partnership with George E. Scott. They manufacture ice and are engaged in the general produce business and handle coal. They buy produce wholesale and retail over a large scope of territory. Their building is of brick and concrete, floors are concrete, and has a frontage of thirty-five feet and 110 feet deep; their ice factory supplies ice for this city and also the refrigeration plant. Their plant is easily worth $40,000. This is one of the best equipped plants in Northwestern Missouri.
Mr. Solomon was married March 30, 1898, to Fannie E. Barger, a daughter of Alex H. and Nancy Barger, both deceased. Mrs. Solomon was born in New Hampton and received her education in the New Hamp- ton schools and the Normal at Stanberry.
Mr. Solomon is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons with the Royal Arch and the Knights Templar Degrees, and he is a member of the Shrine. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias Lodge.
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His early surroundings and his varied experience in business have given him a wide acquaintance. Throughout his life he has been associated with the development of Harrison County and has always held high stand- ards and progressive ideals in civic affairs.
J. M. Kelly, a former County Judge, reliable citizen and popular garage owner of New Hampton, Missouri, was born in Gentry County, April 25, 1863, the son of Francis M. and Tabitha J. (Magee) Kelly, both deceased.
Francis M. Kelly was a native of Kentucky and his wife was born In Indiana. They were married in Harrison County, Missouri, and lived in the southwest corner of White Oak Township where they owned 107 acres of land. They improved their farm and lived on it for nineteen years. Francis M. Kelly died in 1880 and is buried in Caldwell, Kansas. His wife died a few years before, and is buried in Foster Cemetery. To Francis M. and Tabitha J. (Magee) Kelly the following children were born: Catherine, now Mrs. Wallace Walton of Leedy, Oklahoma; J. M. the subject of this sketch; Martha, now Mrs. Rawley Clark of Denver, Colorado; William, a resident of Springfield, Missouri; and Tazwell F., of Butler Township.
J. M. Kelly came to Harrison County with his parents and has spent his life in Butler and White Oak townships. He owns a farm of 120 acres in Holt County, Missouri, and also owns 480 acres of land in Custer County, Oklahoma. Mr. Kelly has lived in New Hampton for the last fifteen years. For the last five years he has been in the garage business doing general repair work and keeping from three to five men employed all the time.
J. M. Kelly was married August 2, 1885 to Eva R. Walton, a daughter of T. F. Walton, of Butler Township. Both her mother and father are deceased. To J. M. and Eva R. (Walton) Kelly the following children have been born: Delbert F., married Pearl Smith of Oklahoma, and lives in New Hampton ; Sylvia May, wife of Eugene Coster, living in St. Paul, Min- nesota; Ray R., married Madge Taylor and lives in New Hampton; and Linnie E. at home. Ray R. Kelly is a World War veteran, having been one of the first of the Harrison County boys to go overseas. He was in France for sixteen months, attached to a French Division and serving as a mechanic.
J. M. Kelly and his sons are members of the Independent Order of
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Odd Fellows, and Ray R. is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge and of the American Legion.
Mr. Kelly was the constable and collector of Butler Township for eight years, justice of the peace of White Oak Township for two years, clerk and assessor for two years, and served two term as county judge of Harrison County. These offices given him by the vote of his fellow citi- zens, as well as the flourishing business which he conducts, indicate the very high regard and respect in which he is held by the community.
A. L. Funk, the efficient and well known manager of the New Hampton Lumber Company, was born in Indiana, but came with his parents to this county in the fall of 1863, coming through in wagons. His father, John R. Funk, settled one mile south of New Hampton and bought about 300 acres of land, the crop, stock and machinery, for $2,800.00, and lived there until about 1894 when he moved to New Hampton, where he died in 1897, in his eighty-ninth year. He is buried in Foster Cemetery, and his wife, Elvira Ringo Funk, who was born in Kentucky in 1816, died about four years previous to her husband's death.
Mr. and Mrs. John Funk were the parents of the following children: Joel H., who died when forty-two years of age; Mrs. Martha J. Rader, who died in 1919; Mrs. Margaret Swope of Butler Township; Mrs. Lydia Swartz, John W. Funk, Mrs. Sarah Reed, William, Peter, all deceased; A. L. Funk, the subject of this sketch; and four children who died in infancy.
A. L. Funk was educated in the public schools of this township, and, at the age of eighteen years, married Emma Yocum, a daughter of William Yocum and wife, both deceased. Mrs. Funk was educated in Illinois, and died December 5, 1919, at the age of fifty-eight years.
Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Funk were the parents of the following children : Essic, the wife of Dr. O. G. Weed of St. Joseph, Missouri; Ova Ellen, who died at the age of twenty-four years, and who was a clerk in Magee and Stevenson's store at New Hampton; Beatrice Elvira, the wife of Edward Kipp of Long Beach, California; Ruth D., who lives at home, and teaches in the New Hampton schools. For six years, Ruth Funk has taught in the schools here, and taught one year at Grant City, in 1920. She received her education at the State Teachers College at Warrensburg and Maryville, Missouri.
A. L. Funk has filled the office of justice of the peace of White Oak
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Township, and has also been mayor of New Hampton for three years, and was on the school board here for more than fifteen years. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World.
Mr. Funk is manager of the New Hampton Lumber Company, which is owned principally by the farmers of this vicinity, and was established April 11, 1902. A. B. Martin was the manager for nearly one year, and then Mr. Funk was hired and has been with this firm ever since. This yard carries a complete line of building material, except hardware, and the capital stock is $8,000.00. The officers are: John H. Magee, president ; John T. Green, vice president; W. R. Clelland, secretary; Joseph Funk, treasurer. These four, together with E. A. Carter, W. A. Denny and J. R. Chenoweth, constitute the board of directors.
Mr. Funk has taken but two vacations in eighteen years, and has given his entire attention to the success of the business. He has had a large experience in millwright work, also as a builder of houses, and this experience has been of much value to him in conducting the lumber yard.
Scott and Solomon, leading dealers in poultry, produce of all kinds and coal, of New Hampton, with a branch house at Matkins, Missouri, have been in business in New Hampton since April, 1908. The building con- sists of one story with basement, and artificial cooling rooms are estab- lished with the plant, and, in every way. Messrs. Scott & Solomon are well equipped with the best machinery for handling goods.
George E. Scott is a native of Virginia, born September 19, 1882, and came to this county with his parents, James L. and Mary P. Scott, in 1884. James L. Scott is a pioneer merchant of New Hampton, having been in the harness and shoe repairing business here for thirty years. He was born in Smith County, Virginia in 1842, and was married there in 1874 to Mary P. Davis, a daughter of D. Davis of Smith County. James L. Scott enlisted in the Confederate army in July, 1861, from Tazewell County, Virginia and remained in the army until Lee's surrender. Mr. and Mrs. Scott were the parents of six children, as follows: Mrs. Sallie Morgan of New Hampton; Mrs. Fannie Gross of Miami, Florida, the prisi- dent of the State Missionary Society of Florida, and the wife of Rev. J. M. Gross; George, the subject of this sketch; Elmer and D. Scott of Har- rison County ; and James L. of Grant City, Missouri.
George E. Scott was educated in the public schools of New Hampton,
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and, after finishing school, worked for a few years for different people. He went into business for himself with C. E. Swartz, and for four years they conducted a produce business with the firm name of New Hampton Produce Company. At the end of four years, Mr. Scott sold out his in- terest and purchased an interest in the produce house of Rowlett & Sexton, buying Mr. Rowlett's interest in February, 1907, this firm being known then as Scott & Sexton, when one year later, Mr. Sexton sold out to Mr. Morgan and since that time, the business was under the name of Scott & Morgan, until August, 1921, when it became Scott & Solomon.
Mr. Scott was married April 1, 1906 to Mary B. Solomon of New Hampton, a daughter of James L. and Nancy M. Solomon. Mr. and Mrs. Scott have seven children: Margaret O., who died at the age of four years ; Dorland R., Maxine, Kathleen, Edwin, Erwin and Verl.
Mr. Scott is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias at Bethany.
E. C. Morgan, formerly of this firm, is the son of George and Frances E. (Frazier) Morgan, who came from Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1861 and settled in Clay Township, where they bought and improved a farm. Mrs. Morgan died in New Hampton, October, 1914 and Mr. Morgan died December 10, 1919, and both are buried in Akron Cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: Mary L., the wife of W. H. Evans, of Blythedale, Missouri; Charles, a traveling salesman of Omaha, Ne- braska; W. L., a farmer of Mercer, North Dakota; G. W., a farmer of Akron, Missouri; R. F., a traveling salesman of Des Moines, Iowa; and E. C.
E. C. Morgan was educated in the county schools and at Park College, Parkville, Missouri. Prior to being connected with this firm, he was engaged in farming in Iowa.
Mr. E. C. Morgan was married March 22, 1902 to Sallie D. Scott, a daughter of James L. and Mary P. Scott of New Hampton. Mrs. Morgan was born in Virginia and came here with her parents in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have a son, George Thurston, born May 2, 1902.
Mr. Morgan is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Morgan sold his interest to A. H. Solomon September 20, 1921 and the firm is now known as Scott and Solomon.
The business was changed to its present location, and ice manufactur- ing business acquired October 6, 1921.
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Edward Smyth, the well known postmaster of New Hampton, who is now serving his second term as postmaster, was born in County Meath, Ireland, August 10, 1864, the son of Edward and Margaret Smyth, both of whom died in Ireland.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Smyth were the parents of the following chit- dren: Ann, of Sydney, Australia; Margaret, of Ireland; Patrick, who died in Australia; Chirstopher, who died in Ireland; Oliver, of County Meath, Ireland; Edward, the subject of this sketch; John, who died in New York; Thomas of Australia; Michael of County Meath, Ireland ; Mrs. Mary Sheridan, deceased; and James of County Meath, Ireland.
Edward Smyth was educated in County Meath, Ireland, and grew to manhood there, coming to America in 1885 and locating near New Hampton, where he engaged in farming until he was appointed post- master. In 1900, he bought thirty-six acres of land adjoining the town site of New Hampton, and successfully engaged in horticulture, specializing in the raising of apples, cherries, pears and grapes. Mr. Smyth closely follows bulletins and agricultural papers and adopts the latest ideas and methods in raising fruit. He sells to shippers at his orchard.
Edward Smyth was married in 1892 to Martha Jane Johnson, a daughter of Mark and Ann Johnson of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Smyth are the parents of three children: Bonnadene, assistant postmaster and graduate of New Hampton High School of class 1910; Dallas E. of St. Joseph, Missouri, a graduate of New Hampton High School of class 1917; and Meta, a student of New Hampton High School. During the World War, Dallas E. Smyth was in a motor mechanic school at Des Moines, Iowa, and was also in camp in Georgia, Alabama and Camp Taylor, Ken- tucky, he was in training at Camp Taylor when the armistice was signed.
Edward Smyth has also been constable and collector of White Oak Township. He is an efficient public official, who stands the test of respon- sibility and measures up to a high standard.
Frank Jones, the well known and enterprising proprietor of Jones and Company grocery store, located on the west side of the square in Bethany, Missouri, was born in Harland County, Nebraska, October 18, 1885, the son of Jonathan and Sarah (Charlton) Jones. Mrs. Sarah Jones lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her daughter, Mrs. Nettie Wernett.
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Jones were the parents of the following chil-
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dren: John L. of Gilman, Missouri; Frank Jones, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Nettie Wernett of Tulsa, Oklahoma; R. L. of Tindall, Mis- souri; L. M., of Spickard, Missouri; Mrs. Dora Newman of Delta, Colo- rado; and Mrs. Viola Hobbs of California.
Frank Jones was educated in the public schools of this county. After finishing his education, he engaged in farming near Blue Ridge, Missouri, until December, 1920, when he bought his present grocery from Paul G. McGowen. This store was formerly located on Main Street, but was moved soon after Mr. Jones purchased it to its present location, next to the post office. Mr. Jones carries a general line of groceries and meats and has a first class grocery. The goods are neatly displayed and convenient for rapid work. Mr. Jones has a full line of fresh and cured meats and has an excellent patronage from both city and country.
Frank Jones was married June 16, 1920 to Mabel Darby of Martins- ville, Missouri, a daughter of Thomas Darby and wife of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have a son, Frank Jr., born April 8, 1921.
Mr. Jones is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has many friends throughout the county.
William Avery Miner .- The late William Avery Miner of Ridgeway, Missouri, was during his lifetime a leading factor in the development of Harrison County and through his high minded purposes, indomitable courage and pure patriotism, he not only influenced his own time, but left his imprint upon the institutions of his community and county. He created a condition of independence during his business career as a result of his earnest efforts and the weight and force of his character- istics. If he undertook to accomplish a thing, he gave it his best efforts whether it was a private enterprise or a public service. He belonged to that class of men who accomplish something worth while each day which is always an important factor in the careers of successful men.
Mr. Miner was born at Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin, May 8, 1861. He was a son of Samuel Elbert Miner asd Maria C. (Kelley) Miner. The Miners belong to one of the old New England families. Rev. Samuel Elbert Miner, father of William Avery Miner of this review, went into Wisconsin during its pioneer days well equipped with educational and other qualities which rendered his labors effective among the builders of the commonwealth. Being a minister, he set
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about preparing the way for an effective campaign in spreading the Gospel, with establishing congregations and building churches, at Madi- son, the capital of the state. He was chaplain of the first constitutional convention of the state and his pastorial work was carried on for a period of many years. During his long and effective labors he had at various times charge of the Congregational churches at Madison, Elkhorn, Wyocena, Brodhead and Monroe, but in his later years he gave up his ministerial work and engaged in the retail lumber business. Reverend Miner was known, not only in the affairs of the church and in business in his state, but in politics as well. His Yankee birth and rearing set his heart unalterably oposed to human bondage and when the question of the abolishment of slavery came to, be agitated his radicalism placed him with the Abolitionists of his state. During the period of the Civil War he was appointed a member of the Sanitary Commission, and his duties took him into the South where Wisconsin troops were fighting the battles of the Union. He consented for two of his sons, not yet of military age, to take their places in the ranks, and one of them lost his young life on the bloody field of Gettysburg.
Rev. Samuel Elbert Miner was born at West Halifax, Vermont in December, 1815, and had a long line of New England ancestors who were factors in the Colonial life of Stonington and Groton, Connecticut. His father was Samuel Holman Miner and his mother was Anna Avery. The latter was a daughter ef Captain Thomas Avery, a first lieutenant of the First Connecticut regiment of Revolutionary troops. Samuel Hol- man and Anna (Avery) Miner were the parents of nine children, sev- eral of whom lived beyond the years of "three score and ten", and one of them passed the century mark of time. Rev. Samuel Elbert Miner married Maria C. Kelley, who died in July, 1861, and their children were as follows: Charles E., who died in the uniform of his country at Gettys- burg as a member of Colonel Custer's famous Seventh Michigan Cavalry, and is buried in the National Cemetery there; Edgar S. of Bethany, Mis- souri ; Mrs. George A. Richardson, deceased, of Gilman City, Missouri ; Mrs. B. F. Baker, a resident of Clear Lake, Iowa; Mrs. F. W. Stump of Redfield, South Dakota, and William Avery of this review.
William Avery Miner was reared at Monroe and educated in the high school there and grew up in the home of a scholarly and intellectual father and this fact had its influence in shaping the intellectual train- ing of the son. He began life in Harrison County as a clerk in the
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Bethany yard of Miner-Frees Lumber Company. This was the first unit of this company's system of yards and was established just ahead of the railroad's advent to the county seat. When the road was built to New Hampton, Mr. Miner opened a yard for the company there, re- maining until 1885, when the company purchased a yard at Ridgeway and he established himself here.
Upon coming to Ridgeway, Mr. Miner embraced the opportunity to share in the profits of the Miner-Frees Company and invested what capi- tal he had accumulated on salary and thus secured a foothold which made the results of his labor more effective. It was due to the persistent efforts of the Miner brothers that the Miner-Frees Company has forged ahead and is supplying the building demand over a large area of this part of Missouri. They operate
yards at the following places : Ridgeway, Brimson, Coffey, Spickard, Gilman City, Mound City, Oregon, Bethany, Blythedale, King City, New Hampton, Ford City, Missouri, and Leon, Iowa and also Highland, Kansas. The general offices of the Miner-Frees Lumber Company are located at Ridgeway and the follow- ing are the present officers of the company: E. S. Miner of Bethany, Missouri, president; Elbert S. Miner, vice-president and general-manager ; E. A. Miner, treasurer ; Lawrence M. Crossan, secretary and R. M. Stan- ley, auditor.
In the field of banking, the Miner-Frees Company has been almost a pioneer in Harrison County. In June following Wiliam Avery Miner's advent to Ridgeway, he with his brother and B. M. Frees started a private bank at Ridgeway, known as the Ridgeway Exchange Bank. It was capitalized at $5,000.00 and William A. Miner was the cashier. The institution started with a fire and burglar proof safe which was located in the lumber yard, where it remained until 1902, and in that year the present brick building was erected. In December, 1902, the Ridgeway Exchange Bank had a paid up capital of $15,000.00 and a surplus of $3.000.00 at which time it was converted into the First National Bank of Ridgeday, with a paid up capital of $30,000.00, and a list of more than thirty stockholders. In June, 1914, the bank increased its capital to $60,000.00 from earned surplus. When the bank was organized, Mr. C. C. Fordyce became its president, and upon his retirement in March, 1914, William A. Miner became his successor, which office he capably held until his death, March 22, 1920.
William A. Miner was married in March, 1883, to Miss Martha A.
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Spencer, a daughter of John Spencer, one of the early settlers of Bethany and one of the officers of a pioneer log church of that town. Mr. Spencer came to Missouri from Muskingum County, Ohio, and was reared near Pattonsburg where his parents settled. He married Rachel Alley whose father came to Harrison County in 1844 from Indiana, when she was nine years of age. The Spencer children were as follows: Mrs. Sarah E. Young of Trenton, Missouri; Mrs. Martha A. Miner, of Ridgeway ; Mrs. Susan A. Tull of Ridgeway, Missouri; and G. William of Bethany.
To Wiliam A. Miner and wife the following children were born: Charles F., Elbert S., and Erwin Avery, all of whom reside at Ridge- way, Missouri.
Mr. Miner was a York Rite Mason and a member of Moila Temple. He was a member of the Christian Church, having united with that denomination in 1908, but all his life he was a liberal contributor to all denominations. He was public spirited and stood ready at all times to do his best for the furtherance of any worthy cause which had for its object the betterment and dupbuilding of the community and its in- stitutions. He was instrumental in locating the Ridgeway school build- ing on its present site and gave the ground for that purpose for just what it cost him several years previously. He was the founded of the school library and gave the first money for its establishment. It was through his efforts and encouragement that the Ridgeway Journal was established and in fact he was an active factor in all local progressive movements.
During the World War, Mr. Miner was Chairman of the Harrison County Council of Defense and directed the work of that organization with his characteristic force and efficiency. It was during the campaign for the Second Liberty Loan that he delivered and address at Bethany, which is here quoted, as these words of Mr. Miner show what manner of man he was and best indicates his highminded patriotism, force and foresight:
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY A LIBERTY BOND. A PERSONAL APPEAL :
"We are living in a great crisis in the world's history, a supreme crisis in the history of America. Governments such as ours are threat- ened with annihilation. The right of self-government, for which our forefathers gave their lives is in the balance. Shall future history record that we proved faithless to this great trust, this priceless heritage,
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or shall it go down to our children's children that we met the shock like men, giving our young men and our substance without restraint, freely, yes eagerly that 'Government of the People, for the People, and by the People shall not perish from the earth.'
"Many of you have seen more that 200 of our young men, the flower of our families, go from homes of Harrison County, marching bravely away with laughter and song, with their faces turned toward this awful world conflict, marching away to victory or death under a flag that has never known defeat, that you and I may pursue the even tenor of our way in Peace, Plenty and Prosperity, and that Freedom may not die.
"Shall we be worthy of this sacrifice? Then let us see to it that this SECOND LIBERTY BOND issue be so over-subscribed that notice is served on the Kaiser in no uncertain manner, that the whole inex- haustable resources of these United States of America are behind our fighting men, that we are determined to see this thing through to the last ditch, to the end that LIBERTY may live, that Treaty rights shall be maintained between Governments great or small, and that Might alone does not make Right.
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