USA > Missouri > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, Missouri > Part 70
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Mr. Kemp was married in 1881, to Rosetta Rakestraw, now deceased. To this union six children were born, four of whom are now living: Mary, married Oscar Baker, of Grant Township; Charles, a resident of Kansas City, Kansas; Minnie, married to Nelse Hahn, of Grant Township; and Effie May, married to John Morris of Salt Lake, Utah. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Kemp married Alberteen Bridges, whose first hus- band was Lon Eaton. Mrs. Alberteen (Bridges) Kemp was a resident of Ridgeway at the time of her second marriage. A son, Elza Eaton, was born to her first union, now living at Holly, Colorado.
Mr. Kemp is a member of the Methodist Church and has been a Democrat all of his life. Mr. Kemp is one of the substantial citizens of his community.
Harry Thomas, a progressive and enterprising farmer and stockman of Grant Township, is one of the successful men of Harrison County. He . began life as a poor boy and by hard work and close attention to business he has become one of the well-to-do men of the county. He is the owner of 280 acres of valuable and productive land.
Mr. Thomas was born in Monroe County, Indiana, May 2, 1875, and is a son of James Benjamin and Amanda (Foreman) Thomas. The father was a native of Indiana and the mother was born in Ohio, and both spent their lives in Indiana. They were the parents of six children.
Harry Thomas was reared to manhood in Indiana and came to Mis- souri in 1904, and located in Harrison County. He first worked as a farm hand for Mr. Ines and was thus employed for two years. He then operated rented land for eight years and in 1914 he bought 160 acres of land which constitutes his home place. Later he bought 120 acres more
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and now owns a splendid farm of 280 acres. His place is well improved and he carries on general farming and stock raising. He usually has on hand about twenty-five head of cattle and now has forty head of sheep and forty-five head of hogs and keeps nine horses and mules. In addition to operating his own place he operates some rented land and the past season he raised twenty-five acres of oats on land which he rented.
Mr. Thomas was married in 1904 to Miss Pauley, of Indiana, and three daughters have been born to them: Edith Merle, Nellie Agnes and Nora Belle, all of whom reside at home with their parents.
Mr. Thomas is a Republican and a member of the Methodist Church. He is a dependable citizen and is well known and highly respected in Harrison County.
Dr. E. L. Stoughton, a prominent physician of Harrison County, who is engaged in the practice of his profession at Ridgeway, Missouri, is a native of this county and a descendant of early settlers here. He was born in Trail Creek Township about three miles west of Moriah, February 16, 1881, and is a son of N. N. and Emma (Stodden) Stoughton, both natives of Ohio.
The Stoughton family is an old American family of English origin. N. N. Stoughton was reared in Ohio and served in the Union army in the Civil War. Shortly after the close of that conflict he came to Missouri and settled in Trail Creek Township, Harrison County, where for a num- ber of years he was engaged in farming and stock raising. However, dur- ing the last fifteen years of his life he was engaged in the mercantile business at Mount Moriah. He was a Democrat and took an active part in local politics. He served as Democratic committeeman of Trail Creek Township for a number of years. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died June 11, 1904 and his wife preceded him in death a number of years. She died in 1886 when Doctor Stoughton, the subject of this sketch was about five years old. They were the parents of seven children, four of whom are now living.
Doctor Stoughton was reared in Trail Creek Township and received his education in the public schools. After acquiring a good public school education he entered the Keokuk Medical College at Keokuk, Iowa. After studying medicine in that institution two years he entered the College of Physicians at Chicago, Illinois, where he was graduated with a degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1903. He then entered the Kansas City of Pharm-
(48)
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acy and Natural Science and was graduated from that institution in 1904. He then engaged in the practice of medicine at Mount Moriah and at the same time conducted a drug store there. He continued the practice there until 1906 when he removed to Ridgeway and engaged in the prac- tice and conducted a drug store until 1917. During that year he dis- posed of his drug business and since that time he has devoted himself exclusively to his large and growing practice. He is a capable physician and has won the well merited confidence of the public by his exacting devotion to his professional duties.
Doctor Stoughton was married August 31, 1904 to Miss Edna Mae Riley, of Kansas City, and a native of Chicago. To Doctor and Mrs. Stoughton has been born one son, Riley.
Doctor Stoughton is a progressing and enterprising citizen and has a number of interests outside of his profession. He was one of the five citizens of Ridgeway who built the new Ridgeway Hotel. As a matter of civic pride and public convenience. He is a director in the First National Bank of Moriah and takes an active part in all movements, the object of which is for the betterment and upbuilding of the community. He is a member of the Masonic lodge.
William S. Walker a well known merchant of Bethany and pioneer of this county, was born in Rockingham County, North Carolina, October 16, 1842, the son of Daniel and Mary Jane (Edmonson) Walker, who came to Harrison County, Missouri, in 1843, driving through by wagon and were three months on the road. When they first settled here the postoffice at which they received mail was Liberty, Missouri, more than 100 miles south of here. They located one-half mile east of the present site of Matkins in Butler Township and entered 160 acres of land, which he im- proved, but later sold and bought the Edmonson farm adjoining. He died there about 1864 and is buried in Matkins Cemetery. His wife died in Andrew County, Missouri and is buried at Flag Springs.
Daniel and Mary Jane (Edmonson) Walker were the parents of the following children: William S., John G., of near Matkins, Missouri ; David N., who died in New Haven, Connecticut ; and James M., who died in Clay County, Missouri.
William S. Walker was educated in the public schools of this county and engaged in farming until forty years of age, when he bought a store
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at Flag Springs in Andrew County, going in partnership with John L. Yates. He was there for eight years and sold out and moved to King City, Missouri, where he was in business for eight years. He came to Bethany in 1898 and opened a general store on the south side of the square and moved to the present location in April, 1916.
William S. Walker was married the first time November 1, 1866 in Concord, Kentucky, to Catherine Calvert, a daughter of Clifton and Mary J. Calvert. Mrs. Walker died April 30, 1902 and is buried in Bethany, Missouri in Miriam Cemetery. Their children were Mary J., the wife of J. B. Slemmons of Bethany ; Robert L., of Kansas City, Missouri; James M., a partner of this firm; and George P., also a partner. By a second marriage in 1903 to Emma Hubbard, a daughter of E. L. Hubbard and wife of Bethany, Missouri, Mr. Walker had two children: Walter, who died at the age of seven years and Ralph, a student in the Bethany High School.
Mr. Walker was postmaster of Bethany, Missouri for seven years under Woodrow Wilson's administration, being appointed in 1913. He made an excellent official. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
William S. Walker served three years in the Confederate army dur- ing the Civil War. He enlisted from Harrison County with Company G under Captain Patterson. This company was reorganized at Springfield, Missouri, at which time Mr. Walker was put in Battalion No. 1 under Captain Chiles and later was under Colonel Gates. He was wounded in the neck at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, by a grape shot. At Champion Hill he was taken prisoner and a month later escaped while at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on his way to Point Lookout. While at Har- risburg he met an Irishman who came to the train and asked the prisoners if they wished a drink. The Irishman indicated to Mr. Walker that he would assist him to escape if he and one other could manage to get out of the car that night. Mr. Walker and a Mr. Lynn climbed out as the train was leaving the yards and lay down on the track until the train was out of sight and then met the Irishman at a nearby hedge. He took care of them in his home, procured clothing for them and assisted them in getting out of town and also in getting work. After the war closed Mr. Walker returned to Bethany, Missouri, where he has since lived. He has many friends throughout the county and is one of the highly re- spected and honored citizens.
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The Slemmons-Walker Department store occupies three floors and carries a line of dry goods, clothing, ladies' ready-to-wear, groceries, queensware and is one of the fine stores of northern Missouri. James B. Slemmons, James M. Walker and George P. Walker comprise the present firm, the brothers being sons of William S. Walker.
George P. Walker, a prominent citizen of Bethany, and a member of the firm of Slemmons and Walker, leading merchants of this city, was born in Andrew County, Missouri, December 5, 1875, the son of William S. and Catherine (Calvert) Walker. George Walker was educated in the King City grade school and spent one year in the high school there. At the age of fifteen he began working in his father's King City store and has been engaged in the mercantile business all of his life. George P. Walker is in charge of the dry goods department, Mr. Slemmons the cloth- ing department and James M. Walker is head of the grocery and queens- ware department.
George P. Walker was married April 3, 1910 to Lois E. Barnes, a daughter of C. S. and Emma Barnes of Bethany, Missouri. Mrs. Walker was born near Bethany and was educated in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have a daughter, Emma Nadine.
Jackson E. Walker, with the Slemmons and Walker Company, of Bethany, was born in Bethany November 14, 1898, the son of R. L. and Bettie Walker of this city. Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Walker were the parents of the following children: Catherine, the wife of Kenneth Robinson; Fred, Robert Lee and Bert, of Bethany, Missouri.
Jackson E. Walker received his education in the public schools of Bethany and enlisted January 29, 1914 in the 4th Regiment of the Mis- souri National Guards, and served until February 4, 1919, being mustered out when a member of the 69th Infantry of the 10th Regiment at Camp Funston, Kansas. He went to the Mexican border with Company G under Capt. Randall Wilson and on January 29, 1917, was furloughed to the reserve. He reenlisted in Company G May, 1917 and went overseas ahead of the division, leaving in March, 1918. He attended the musket and bayonet school at Chauta Sur Seine and was transferred back to the 35th Division and was with them in the Alsace Lorraine sector and was
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in a trench raid while on duty there. He was transferred back to the United States in August, 1918 as an instructor at Camp Funston, where he remained until the close of the war. Since then he has been with the present firm.
Mr. Walker is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Bethany and is well known.
William Thornton Templeman, member of the firm of Cuddy and Dunn and a director of the Bethany Trust Company, is well known in the business circles of Harrison County. He was born at Bethany, December 27, 1872, the son of William A. and Emeline (Allen) Templeman. His father is now deceased and his mother lives at Bethany.
Mr. Templeman was educated in the public school of Bethany. He has served in various capacities in connection with the business world, beginning as a delivery boy for the Cornelison grocery when he was only a boy. Later he, with his brother John A., bought the Bethany Demo- crat which they conducted for some time. While he was working on the paper, Mr. Templeman was appointed a messenger in the House of Repre- sentatives in Washington, D. C. He held this position for two years and was then made the private secretary of Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, Representative from the Third Congressional District of Missouri. Mr. Templeman remained in this position for four years when, in 1899, he returned to Bethany and took up work with the Cuddy and Dunn depart- ment store. His business experience, as well as his broad knowledge of commercial affairs, made his services valuable to the firm and in 1906, he was made a member of the well known and historic company. He is now the head of the clothing department in the store.
His father, William A. Templeman, was born February 14, 1835, in Fauquier County, Virginia and was brought to Moniteau County, Mis- souri in 1839 by his parents, Thornton Hume Templeman and wife, Har- riet (Patton) Templeman. In 1851, the family moved to Grundy County, Missouri and in 1854 to Bethany, Missouri.
William A. Templeman was one of the leading merchants of Bethany for many years and in the early sixties conducted a newspaper, the "Weekly Union", which was afterwards sold to Henry Howe. Mr. Tem- pleman was also county collector of this county for a term of two years. He died at Bethany, Missouri, September 11, 1909. On August 9, 1855, William A. Templeman was married to Emeline Allen, daughter of John
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S. and Nancy (Childress) Allen, of Bethany, Missouri. Of the life of John S. Allen and his part in the pioneer business and official life of the county frequent notice appears elsewhere in this volume. The family of William A. and Emeline Templeman consists of the following named children: Mrs. Rosa A. Vandivert, deceased; Bessie, wife of George W. Wanamaker, of Bethany; John Allen, of Austin, Texas; Harriet, wife of Taylor E. Stone, of Bethany; Nancy Elizabeth, who died in childhood; Mrs. Emma Oxford and William Thornton each of Bethany, and Marion, wife of Virgil E. Yates, of Bethany.
Thornton Hume Templeman was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, May 20, 1806. He was the son of Fielding Templeman and his wife, Han- nah (Hume) Templeman. He came to Bethany in 1854, at which place he resided until his death in 1873. Here he engaged in the mercantile business with his son, William A. Templeman, and also held the office of postmaster for fourteen years. At one time he held the office of mayor and also served the county as probate judge for four years. He was a man of excellent education and at an early day was president of Bethany Collegiate Institute. He was married to Harriet Patton December 17, 1833, in Stafford County, Virginia.
Fielding Templeman's father was Edward Templeman, who was a Revolutionary soldier and was in the battle of Yorktown. He also was a soldier in the War of 1812. The Templemans were an English family and the Humes were Scotch.
Harriet (Patton) Templeman was a daughter of William Patton, a soldier of the War of 1812 who died of camp fever. His father, Sgt. George Patton, born in Inverness, Scotland, was a Revolutionary soldier and was in the battle of the Brandywine.
William T. Templeman, the subject of this review, was married to Mary Smith, November 9, 1898. She is a daughter of William and Emma Price Smith, both deceased. William Smith was a son of Robert and Mary Smith and was born in County Antrim, Ireland, April 20, 1845. He came with his parents to the United States when seven years of age, liv- ing at Akron, Ohio until about 1870, when he came to Missouri. During the Civil War he enlisted at the age of eighteen years in Company I, 11th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After coming to Missouri he was engaged in mercantile pursuits almost continually until his death in 1897; at one time he and William A. Templeman were business partners.
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William Smith was married November 5, 1873 to Emma Price, a daughter of Benjamin and Maria (Jackson) Price. She was born October 28, 1854 in Wabash County, Indiana and died in Bethany, Missouri, Sep- tember 5, 1891. Their children are Mary, wife of William T. Templeman; Blanche, wife of B. P. Sigler and two sons, Ross and Charles, both of St. Joseph, Missouri
The children of William T. and Mary Templeman are: Alexander Dockery, born October 5, 1899, now a student at the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Missouri, and Robert Smith, born August 7, 1901, now a student at the University of Missouri.
Jacob J. Francis, deceased, was a native of New York, where he was born near Buffalo in Erie County, May 22, 1833, the son of George and Lucy (Earl) Francis. He was a descendant of an English lord whom the English King had chosen to colonize a coloney in America near where Buffalo, New York was afterwards built.
Jacob J. Francis' father, George Francis, was born May 4, 1799, of English-French and Irish descent and a native of New York colony. He died near Plymouth, Indiana, February 22, 1875, at his old homestead. Jacob J. Francis' mother, Miss Lucy Earl, was born September 24, 1806, of Dutch-Scotch descent and a native of New York colony. She died at her son Jacob J. Francis' home near Ridgeway, Missouri, January 2, 1879.
Jacob J. Francis was three years of age when his parents moved from New York to Indiana, near where Plymouth was afterwards built. Here they took a government homestead. His playmates, when a child, were Indian children, for out of their seven neighbor families, four were Indians. His parents' association and friendship with the Indians saved their lives in many Indian massacres.
He lived with his parents in Indiana until manhood, helping to culti- vate the old homestead. And at the age of about twenty-three he went to Illinois where he met Miss Violet A. Brock, to whom he afterwards was married.
Violet A. Brock, deceased, was born near Atlanta, DeWitt County, Illinois, October 23, 1841, the daughter of Francis Marion Brock and Mary Ann (Ackerson) Brock. Her father, Francis Marion Brock, was born in Ohio, February 6, 1819, of German-Irish descent and a native of Ohio. He died January 4, 1901, near Ridgeway, Missouri at his son
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Charley Brock's home. Her mother, Miss Mary Ann Ackerson, was born in Ohio, November 22, 1822, of Irish-German descent, and a native of Ohio. She died October 24, 1864, at her home near Atlanta, Illinois. Violet A. Brock grew to womanhood near Waynesville, Illinois, in the neighborhood where her parents first settled after marriage. They moved but once during her youth and that less than one-fourth mile from their old government homestead. She remaining at her home with her par- ents until meeting Jacob J. Francis, to whom she was afterwards married.
Jacob J. Francis and his wife, Violet A. (Brock) Francis, followed farming in Illinois for about ten years, then moved overland to Indiana, where they followed farming as before until about 1873, or four years. when they again moved overland to Illinois. Here they followed farming and stock raising until 1876 when they moved, as before, overland, bringing about six horses and about eight milch cows to Harrison County, Missouri. When first reaching their destination in June, 1876, they rented a small house and some land on the north side of the road from what was called the old Buckley Farm, about three and one-half miles south of Eagleville, Missouri. Here they lived until the following March, when they moved upon a 240-acre farm, known as the old Hunt Farm, about two miles east of Lorraine and two and one-half miles southwest of where Ridge- way, Missouri was afterwards built. At this time their family consisted of five girls and three boys. The oldest about sixteen and the youngest less than one year of age. The entire family having quite good health and ready to take part in the farm life of such a primitive country as it was at that time. One could stand near the house and see and hear wild turkey gobblers as they would strut along the bank of an old buffalo wallow, less than three-fourths of a mile west of the house. Besides the wild turkey, there were many other wild animals, such as the antelope, panther, wild-cat, gray and brown wolf and fox, besides many smaller animals which are plentiful in the country today.
Jacob J. Francis and wife's home consisted of a log house of one large room and a large garret above it. Also a frame kitchen attached to the log house. Soon after locating here, they built a large one and one-half story frame room joining the old log house on the east. This house they lived in for many years until about the time Ridgeway, Mis- souri was started, when they built the nine-room house that is now on the farm. The old log barn was large enough to hold four horses in each end and contained a space between to store away grain. The barn also
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had a hay-mow large enough to hold about eight tons of unbaled hay. This barn was used until about 1890, when a frame barn 36x40 feet and containing mow room for about sixteen tons of unbaled hay was built. The other improvements were very scant, a few light poultry houses, only about seventeen acres of land broke and about the same number of acres fenced, some of the fence being what they used to call brush fence, a row of brush piled quite high, expecting it to serve as a protection against stock. The entire farm was fenced and cross-fenced in a few years, there being seven miles of fence. The blue grass sod and hazel brush gave away to the plow, until there was about 200 acres in cultivation. Jacob J. Francis was a successful farmer and stockraiser. He was a horticulturist of local fame and had one of the largest orchards in this part of the state at that time. Mr. Francis and family took great pride in the orchard and constantly improved it by the use of progressive methods.
Jacob J. Francis and wife moved to Ridgeway, Missouri, in 1908 and made their home the remainder of their lives, she dying there January 26, 1916, at the age of seventy-four years, three months and three days. He dying at the same house March 31, 1917, at the age of eighty-three years, ten months and nine days. They were buried in the Ridgeway Cemetery. To them were born ten children: Mary L. Francis, deceased; Mrs. Lillia B. Rakestraw, of Prosser, Washington; Orren W. Francis, of Lakin, Kansas; Mrs. Alice A. Peters, of Kansas City, Missouri; George M. Francis, of Ridgeway, Missouri; Mrs. Edith J. Tuggle, of Ridgeway, Missouri ; Oscar S. Francis, of Ridgeway, Missouri; Mrs. Maud B. Hefner, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Mrs. Jeanette G. Korte, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Dr. Harry H. Francis, of St. Joseph, Missouri. Before the death of the parents a part of the old farm was sold to Mr. Dick Glenn, a neighbor, Oscar and George Francis buying 160 acres, Oscar Francis now, December, 1921, living on the old farm.
Dr. George M. Francis was reared in Grant Township, where he at- tended the rural school, later attending the Ridgeway High School and also attending college at Stanberry and Business College at Bethany, Mis- souri. He taught in the rural schools for a while and then went to Kear- ney County, Kansas, where h homesteaded land and taught school in Lakin and Hartland. His services as a teacher covered nineteen years in Kansas and Missouri, two years of which time he taught shorthand and typewriting in the Merwin Normal College at Merwin, Missouri. He was
1
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a student in Carver Chiropractic College, from which he graduated in the three year D. C. course in December, 1920. Since that time he has engaged in the practice of his profession at Ridgeway.
Doctor Francis is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and attends the Methodist Church. He is a thorough, capable man in his profession and is building up a good practice. As Ridgeway is his old home town, he has an extensive acquaintance both there and in the sur- rounding community, and he has the confidence of the public. He is a worthy son of his father, Jacob J. Francis, who was one of the highly esteemed men of his day in the community where he lived.
Charles L. Osmon, a veteran of the World War, whose home is in Union Township, is a native of Harrison County. He was born July 21, 1892, and is a son of Charles L., Sr., and Lucy A. (Peasley) Osmon. Charles L. Osmon, Sr., served in the Union Army during the Civil War, having enlisted in 1862, and served until the close of the war.
Charles L. Osmon, Jr., entered the United States Army during the World War, April 1, 1918, and after a period of training at Camp Fun- ston, Kansas, where he served as a member of the Depot Brigade, and on April 24, 1918, he was transferred to the 89th Division. On June 4, 1918, he sailed with his command on the United States Transport, Coronia, and landed at Liverpool, England, June 18th. Shortly after- wards they crossed the English Channel, landing at La Harve, France. From that point they went by train to the interior of France, and soon after took a position at the front.
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