USA > Missouri > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Missouri > Part 67
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I. D. Purdun attended the Victor district school and was reared on his father's farm. He inherited 233 acres of land which he has since sold and bought his present farm in 1915. It is located one and three-fourths miles west of Akron. Mr. Purdun has improved the place and operates it as a general farm with marked success. He also raises and sells stock successfully.
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Mr. Purdun married Martha Ann Oxford, November 22, 1896. Mrs. Purdun is a native of Clay Township, the daughter of William R. and Mary (Zimmerman) Oxford. To the union of I. D. and Martha Ann (Oxford) Purdun ten children were born: Lloyd Oxford, living at home; Mabel, the wife of Void Shoots of Colfax Township; Oscar, deceased; Velma Ruth, married Benjamin Clark of Clay Township; Hosea Blue, William Robert, Lawrence Dale, deceased; Mary Ile, and Ona May, and Harvie Woodrow, deceased.
Mr. Purdun is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Chris- tian Church. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge. He served as township treasurer and trustee and is now a member of the township board. Mr. Purdun is a substantial citizen who has built up a successful farming business by his integrity and progressive methods.
William Perry, an enterprising farmer and stockman of Colfax Town- ship, is a native of Staffordshire, England, where he was born October 11, 1862.
Mr. Perry's parents were William and Sarah (Boswell) Perry, both natives of England. William Perry left his native land in November, 1868 and came to the United States and settled in Kewanee, Illinois and worked in the coal mines. In 1869 his wife and three children joined him and the family later moved to Decatur, Iowa and located on a farm of eighty acres. There was a large family of children, only six of whom grew to maturity. William Perry died at Lamoni, Iowa, in 1906 at the age of sixty-eight years. His widow, now eighty-three years old, is now living at Lamoni.
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William Perry, the subject of this review, was the third child born to his parents. He grew up on a farm and worked as a miner, paper hanger, and painter at various times. He was educated in the rural schools. He rented land for farming at Decatur, Iowa and, in 1894, moved to Harrison County. In 1913 he bought his present farm of 160 acres in Colfax Township and has been improving this land steadily. In 1914 he erected a large barn and has added sundry other buildings since that time.
William Perry was married in What Cheer, Iowa, to Bertha Rhodes and to this union nine children were born: William H., living in Decatur County, Iowa; Mattie, wife of Ross Thompson, Topeka, Kansas; Earl, residing at Mount Ayr, Iowa; Charles, of Shenandoah, Iowa; Bert, living
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at home; Zelpha, now living at Topeka, Kansas; and Lee, Carl and Virgil, all living at home. Three of Mr. Perry's sons are veterans of the World War. William H. was in the supply train and served in France for four- teen months. Earl entered the government service and was assigned to duty driving and transfering trucks from Detroit to the ships docked close by. Charles was trained at Detroit eight months for navy service and was at sea for ten days.
Mr. Perry is an independent voter and is a member of the Latter Day Saints Church. He is a man who through pluck and industry has estab- lished his present success in his work.
G. W. Bishop, owner of 127 acres of land in Clay Township and re- tired farmer, is one of the group of sturdy and enterprising men who came to Missouri in the days when it was a frontier state and by virtue of pluck, foresight, and determination achieved success in the new land.
Mr. Bishop was born in Knox County, Ohio, November 29, 1844, the son of Daniel and Johanna (Larison) Bishop, the former born in Rhode Island and the latter a native of Pennsylvania. Daniel Bishop was born July 5, 1814, and died December 29, 1884. He was a farmer all of his life and made a success of his work. His wife was born June 23, 1821, and died September 18, 1890. To their union ten children were born only three of whom are now living: Mary Ellen, wife of Edward Robertson of Knox County, Ohio; Orin, a resident of Fredericktown, Ohio; and G. W., the subject of this sketch.
G. W. Bishop grew up on a farm. He left Ohio in the fall of 1868 and came to Harrison County where he settled near Akron. The next spring he moved to his present farm in Clay Township and has lived here ever since. He has improved his land, its value having been enhanced greatly since the time Mr. Bishop bought it.
Mr. Bishop is a veteran of the Civil War. He enlisted for service in 1863 as a "Hundred Day" soldier at Camp Delaware, Ohio. He served in Company A, 142 Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged in September, 1864.
G. W. Bishop was married March 11, 1868, to Martha Elizabeth Tur- ner, who was born in Newton Township, Muskingum County, Ohio, June 26, 1841, and died in Harrison County, October 20, 1919. To the union of G. W. and Martha Elizabeth (Turner) Bishop seven children were
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born: Estella, deceased, was the wife of James Cline; Etta Ellen, mar- ried to Canby Beebe, living in California; Arthur T., living in Idaho; Frank, deceased; Bertha, deceased; and Walter G., a resident of Los Angeles, California ; and Amy Ruth, living at home where she keeps house for her father. Mr. Bishop has seven grandchildren.
Mr. Bishop votes the Republican ticket and is a member of the Chris- tian Church. He was formerly a member of the Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons. He is a man who weighs a question with due care and from every angle before he makes up his mind. Having espoused a cause however he is willing to uphold it vigorously. He is a reliable and substantial member of his community.
W. S. Dale, a farmer and stockman of Colfax Township, has been intimately connected with the occupation of farming all of his life. He belongs to a family that has had in it successful farmers for three genera- tions. Mr. Dale therefore grew up amidst the problems that he has met in his later life.
W. S. Dale was born in Hart County, Kentucky, January 1, 1865, the son of James J. and Amy Elizabeth (Shirley) Dale. They were the par- ents of three children : S. R., living in Dallas, Texas; W. S., the subject of this sketch; and Maud L., deceased, married to R. F. Richardson, a review of whose life appears in this volume.
James J. Dale was born in Hart County, Kentucky, September 17, 1831, and was engaged in farming all of his life. He was a veteran of the Civil War in which he served three years and six months. He enlisted in Company I, 26th Volunteer Infantry, July 1, 1862, and was discharged June 13, 1865, after being wounded in the left shoulder. After the close of the war he brought his family to Harrison County. They drove through from Kentucky in a wagon and located in the northeast part of Colfax Township where they remained for a while. During the winter of 1865, Mr. Dale built a log cabin on a farm near Eagleville to which he moved his family in the spring of 1866. In 1896 he moved again to a house near his farm and remained at this place until the death of his wife when he made his home with his children. Mr. Dale was a Republican and a mem- ber of the Christian church. He belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic Post Reuben Dale at Eagleville. This post was named for a brother of James J. Dale, Reuben Dale, killed in the Civil War. Mr. Dale's wife, Amy Elizabeth (Shirley) Dale, died May 30, 1897, at the age of
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sixty-seven years and James J. Dale died May 9, 1908. The remains of both are buried in the Masonic Cemetery. W. S. Dale attended the dis- trict school and was reared on the farm. He began working for himself when he was a young man and rented land for a year. Then he bought 100 acres east of Eagleville, made improvements and farmed there until he traded with his father and got the home place. He has added to his holdings until he now owns 220 acres of land, 140 acres of which is located in Colfax Township and eighty acres in Trail Creek Township. In 1918 he bought a farm from Mrs. Kate Brown and built a bungalow which is modern throughout. Mr. Dale has raised stock for several years and he attributes much of his success to that particular line of work.
W. S. Dale was married September 8, 1889, to Sarah A. Mitchell, born in this county, June 18, 1872, the daughter of David S. and Eliza (Matthews) Mitchell. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were natives of Indiana who settled in Harrison County after the Civil War. They are both now dead. Mrs. Dale died January 16, 1921. To her union with W. S. Dale four children were born, only one of whom, is now living; Lora R., mar- ried to Gladys Riley and living on the Dale farm. Mr. Dale has two grandchildren, Creighton R. and Jack S. Dale.
W. S. Dale is a republican and a member of the Christian church in which he is an elder. He is a stockholder in the Citizens Bank of Eagle- ville. He is a man who maintains an active interest in his various lines of activity. In his farm operations, in his stock raising, in his connection with the bank, and in his relation to the church of which he is an officer, he has put energy, thought and time. He merits the marked success which he has made.
Albert Richardson, deceased, was a well known farmer of Colfax Township. At the time of his death he owned 200 acres of land where his widow now lives. He was a native of this county and spent all of his life here so he was an integral part of the community where he was known as a substantial and reliable man.
Mr. Richardson was born in Marion Township, February 20, 1852. His parents were John and Abigail (Bridges) Richardson to whom eight children were born, Albert, the subject of this review being the third child. John Richardson was a native of Kentucky, an early settler of Har- rison County, an account of whose life may be found in the sketch of the life of R. F. Richardson in this volume.
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Albert Richardson grew up on a farm and engaged in farming all of his life. He was married February 20, 1892 to Ora Hutton, born July 18, 1873 in Clay Township. Her parents were Marcellus and Anna (Graham) Hutton, natives of Indiana who came to Harrison County when they were mere children. To the union of Albert and Ora (Hutton) Richardson six children were born: Blanch, now the wife of Clarence McCoy of Colfax Township; Morris, living in Colfax Township; Lawrence, at home; Charley, a resident of Idaho; Jewell, living at home; Marie, also at home. Mrs. Richardson has three grandchildren. One of them, Morris Richard- son, is a veteran of the World War. He was trained at Camp Funston, remaining in training for eighteen months.
Mr. Richardson died October 27, 1916. He was a Republican in poli- tics and was identified with the Baptist Church. He was a man of in- tegrity and strong business acumen, a believer in progressive methods in his work and always ready to support the best interests of his com- munity.
B. B. Sharp, farmer, land owner, and business man of this county, is a native of Colfax Township, born November 15, 1858, in an old frame house that still stands on the Sharp farm. The house was built of lum- ber native to Harrison County which was sawed up for building purposes by horse power, twelve head of horses and mules being used to operate the mill. It is one of the few early homes now left in the county, although it has not been occupied for many years.
Mr. Sharp's parents were Preston and Elizabeth (Nunns) Sharp to whom four children were born: Jacob H., living at Pawnee in Hamilton Township; Mary E., now Mrs. Arthur Brown, a widow in Canton, South Dakota; B. B., the subject of this review; and Augusta, deceased, was married to Oscar Brown. Preston Sharp was born in Tennessee, Feb- ruary 2, 1831, and was left an orphan at an early age. He was raised by an uncle in Jacksonville, Illinois. He grew up on his uncle's farm and was married; then in 1855 he came to Missouri, driving through from Illinois in a wagon. He settled in Harrison County where he bought 160 acres of land in Colfax Township for which he paid six dollars an acre. He enlisted for service in the Civil War in the 12th Missouri Cavalry and was made lieutenant and later a captain. After the close of the Civil War he was sent to Wyoming, Dakota, and other western points to quell
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Indian uprisings. He was one of the fearless and efficient officers of his time. About thirty years before his death he went to Hot Springs, South Dakota, and lived there for years. He died at Yankton, South Dakota, August 27, 1915.
Elizabeth (Nunns) Sharp was born in Pontefract, England, January 15, 1830. She left her native country when she was ten years old and came with her parents, Thomas and Mary (Bohee) Nunns to the United States. They located in New York where they remained for a while. Mr. Nunns was a tinner by trade and shipped all of his tools and tinware to New York from England, paying more to get the goods across than new tools and supplies would have cost in this country. The family soon left New York and came to Jacksonville, Illinois, and from thence to Harrison County where they lived in a little log cabin on the farm now owned by their grandson, the subject of this sketch. Their recollections of their life in England and of their passage to the United States were interest- ing. They came across from the old country in a sailing vessel which took sixteen weeks to make the trip. To hardy and venturesome spirits such as these the county owes much honor and praise. Their daughter, Elizabeth (Nunns) Sharp died July 18, 1886.
B. B. Sharp attended the district school of the county and grew up on the farm which he now owns. This place of 240 acres has been much improved by the present owner, who has always believed in the efficacy of new and progressive methods.
Mr. Sharp was married September 12, 1888, to Ida A. Jones, born July 20, 1869, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Enoch and Eliza (Whitehead) Jones, natives of Lancastershire, England. They came to the United States in the early days and later settled in Missouri. This was after the Civil War in which Mr. Jones enlisted for service in Philadelphia. He served as a mariner for two years and two years on land duty. In 1870 he settled in Marion Township in this county, locat- ing on a farm two and one-half miles southeast of Blythedale. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones are now living at Hot Springs, South Dakota.
To the union of B. B. and Ida A. (Jones) Sharp the following children were born: Flavius J., Grover C., and Oscar G., all living in Colfax Town- ship; Nellie B., wife of Edwin Bonner of Ringgold County, Iowa; Glenn I., and Ruby J., both living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have three grandchildren : Neva and Rex Bonner, and Donald Sharp.
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B. B. Sharp is an adherent of the democratic party in politics. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Eagleville which chapter he helped to organize. He was one of the organizers of the Citizens Bank at Eaglesville and has been a director of that institution ever since. He has also served as a member of the school board. Mr. Sharp by inheri- tance and by training is a man of varied interests. His foresighted policy in conducting his business, his high standards of citizenship, and his interest in every movement that pertains in any way to the development of the community have made him a man who stands high in the esteem of his fellow citizens.
John J. Grabill, now operating the R. L. Martin farm in Section 20 of Hamilton Township, has lived in this county practically all of his life. In his boyhood during the 70's the entire western part of Harrison County was unbroken prairie. Mr. Grabill often herded cattle, bareheaded and barefooted, on these plains and he says that in those days when a person went to visit the neighbors, he simply "cut across the country" as there were no roads laid out. Mr. Grabill's father and grandfather also were men who saw the possibilities in the development of the frontier land and were among the courageous early settlers.
John J. Grabill was born near St. Joseph, Missouri, November 11, 1866, the son of J. A. and Oregon (Smith) Grabill, to whom nine children were born, John J. being the oldest. J. A. Grabill was born in Clay County, Missouri, in 1845, and came to Harrison County with his parents, John and Sallie S. (Woodward) Grabill, when he was four years old. They were natives of Lee County, Virginia, and came to Missouri in 1844, settling in this county in 1849. Here they homesteaded 100 acres of land in Hamilton Township and set about to break up the new land. This had to be done with oxen and was slow and arduous labor. Their nearest market at first was St. Joseph, later they could trade at Brooklyn and Eagleville. John Grabill died on this old home place twenty-three years ago at the age of eighty-two years and Sallie S. (Woodward) Grabill died at the same place in 1911 at the age of ninety-two years. Their son, John A. Grabill, lived on a farm all of his life and died in 1896. His widow, the mother of the subject of this review, was born four miles west of Bethany and is eighty-one years old. She is still living on the old home place.
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John J. Grabill has always been a farmer. He improved a farm in Hamilton Township which he sold in January, 1919. He then began operating the farm he is now on where he has been successful.
Mr. Grabill was married March 17, 1890, to Emma G. Choat, who was born in Cumberland County, Illinois, and came to Harrison County with her parents when she was thirteen years old. To John J. and Emma G. (Choat) Grabill five children were born: Bessie, deceased; Andrew, liv- ing in Hamilton Township; Charlie, was in camp for six months' training for service in the World War, now living in Hamilton Township; Birdie, wife of Ralph Stilwell, of Hamilton Township; and Mary, at home.
Mr. Grabill is a Democrat and is a member of the United Brethren church. He served as justice of the peace for four years and is now the road overseer for District No. 3. Mr. Grabill is interested in the raising of Rhode Island chickens, in which line of work he has achieved success. He is an enterprising farmer and a man with high ideals of citizenship.
Samuel W. Grabill, an enterprising farmer and stockman of Hamilton Township, is the owner of 160 acres of well-improved land and is a suc- cessful breeder of Shorthorn cattle.
Mr. Grabill was born January 19, 1877, the son of Andrew and Oregon (Smith) Grabill, data concerning whose lives appear in connection with the review of the life of John J. Grabill in this volume. Samuel W. Grabill was the sixth of nine children born to his parents, seven of whom grew to maturity. These were: John J., mentioned above; Effie, deceased, was the wife of John Belden; Mary, married to W. A. Smalley, of Hamilton Township; Belle, now the widow of John Ragan, of Marshall County, Texas ; Margaret, wife of Jess R. Thompson, of Ridgeway ; Samuel W., the twin of Margaret and the subject of this sketch; and Fred V., living in Hamilton Township.
Samuel W. Grabill attended the district school and was reared on the farm. He is a member of a family that for three generations has farmed in this county. He therefore grew up in the midst of the problems which the farmers of Harrison County meet. Mr. Grabill rented land until 1913 when he bought his present farm from his grandfather, John Grabill's heirs. At that time the farm had only a log house on it but Mr. Grabill has made many improvements. He has dealt in stock all of his life and has been successful.
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In 1901 Mr. Grabill was married to Bertie E. Thrailkill, born in Fre- mont County, Iowa, the daughter of Gus and Lettie (Luke) Thrailkill, the former a native of Kansas and the latter of Ohio and who settled in this county in the early days. To Mr. Grabill's union with Bertie E. Thrailkill seven children were born: Opal, at home; Oregon, married to Vird Hobbs, of Hamilton Township; Hazel, at home; Mary Belle, deceased; and Garland, Margaret, and Leland, all living at home.
Mr. Grabill is a Democrat. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Hatfield and of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Eagle- ville. He is a reliable citizen of his community, a man who believes in progressive movements both in his occupation and in civic affairs.
C. J. Elliott, a well-known farmer and stockman of Hamilton Town- ship and the owner of 160 acres of land, has lived in this county since he was a lad of thirteen, when he came here with his parents. He was born April 20, 1865, in Mason County, Illinois, the son of J. M. and Sarah (Swick) Elliott, to whom eleven children were born, three of whom are now living: C. J., the subject of this sketch; Allie, now the widow of Mr. Olks, of Los Angeles ; and S. G., living in Colfax Township.
J. M. Elliott was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, April 13, 1832. In the fall of 1849 he went to Chicago where he worked as a farm hand in Cook County, Illinois. He later moved to Mason County, Illinois, and in the fall of 1877 he came to Worth County, Missouri, and located on a farm near Allendale where he remained until 1896, when he came to Harrison County and settled on a farm in Colfax Township. Here he lived until his death, October 22, 1902. Mr. Elliott was a Democrat and was a member of the Baptist church. J. M. Elliott was married March 6, 1856, to Sarah Swick, born in Wheeling County, West Virginia, March 15, 1836, and died March 3, 1909. The remains of both Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Eaglesville.
C. J. Elliott has been a' farmer for twenty-one years. He bought his first land in Colfax Township in 1901 and made improvement on it. This land he sold in 1916 and purchased his present farm. He moved on to this new place in 1917 and has improved it. In connection with general farming, Mr. Elliott handles high-grade stock.
On March 11, 1900, Mr. Elliott was married to Annie Hon, born and reared in Colfax Township. She was the daughter of Jacob and Martha
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(Brooks) Hon, the former born in Indiana and the latter a native of Ken- tucky. They were early settlers of Harrison County. Both are now dead. To the union of C. J. and Annie (Hon) Elliott nine children were born: Ethel, at home; Nora, at home; Jay, deceased; and Alta, Charles, Wayne, John, Dennie, and Ralph, all living at home.
C. J. Elliott is a Democrat but is independent in his politics. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America lodge. Mr. Elliott is a self- made man whose education was obtained largely through experience. He is a man of keen foresight in business and is optimistic in his outlook on life.
A. C. Jones, for many years a farmer in Harrison County, is now the owner of 220 acres of well improved land, a part of which came to him through inheritance and the remainder by purchase.
Mr. Jones was born in McHenry County, Illinois, September 20, 1861. His parents were Charles H. and Margaret (Stowe) Jones to whom five children were born, two of whom are now living: A. C., the subject of this review; and Frank H., living at Scammon, Kansas.
Charles H. Jones was born in Clinton County, New York, August 5, 1833. He was a farmer and also did carpentry work for eight years there. He was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in which church he was a minister for thirty years. He came to Iowa in 1871 and in 1880 moved to Harrison County where he located on a farm west of Pawnee. This was the land now owned by D. H. McLain. In 1888 Mr. Jones came to the farm in section 32 of Ham- ilton Township now owned by his son, A. C. Jones. Here he continued his work in the church and was in St. Louis as a missionary for six years. He died September 20, 1912. His wife, Margaret (Stowe) Jones, was born in Clinton County, New York, February 26, 1836 and died in 1916. The remains of both are buried in Hamilton Township.
A. C. Jones has made all the improvements on his farm and has been successful in his enterprises. He does general farming on the land.
Mr. Jones was married March 25, 1888 to Ada Duke, born in Barren County, Kentucky, and reared in Colfax Township of this county. Her parents were James and Rebecca (Owen) Duke, natives of Barren County, Kentucky. To the union of A. C. and Ada (Duke) Jones four children were born: Nellie, deceased; Earl, living in Hamilton Township; Clara, married to Merry Butler of Ringgold County, Iowa; and Charles, a high school student at Hatfield.
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Mr. Jones is an independent in politics and is a member of the Re- organized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Mr. Jones is a man of integrity and industry. He is one of the reliable and sub- stantial men of his community.
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