USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 28
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Mr. and Mrs. Redford are among the honored pioneers of Henry County and are highly respected in the county, which has been their home for over half a century.
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William M. Poynter of Clinton has had an unusual and successful business career, and has been identified with the banking industry for a number of years. He was born in Kentucky, July 7, 1855, a son of William H. and Frances Lucinda (Asbury) Poynter, both natives of Ken- tucky. The Poynter family belong to old Kentucky stock, the great- great-grandfather of William M. Poynter being the founder of the family in Kentucky. He was a native of Ireland, and went to Kentucky about the time that the celebrated Daniel Boone did. He fought Indians where Boonesborough, Kentucky, now stands. He had the characteristic, en- dured the hardships and is entitled to the honor of the Kentucky pioneers of the early days. His wife was a Scotch woman.
William H. Poynter, the father of the subject of this sketch, came to Missouri from Kentucky in 1858 and settled in Holt County, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War, serving as a member of the 9th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry. He was a man of considerable means when the war broke out, but like many others met with heavy financial losses on account of the disturbed conditions created by that conflict. In early life he was a Whig and later became a Democrat. He died August 13, 1909, aged eighty-five years. His wife and the mother of William M. Poynter, pre- ceded him in death a number of years, she having departed this life about the time the Civil War broke out. They were the parents of nine children, three of whom are now living: William M., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Henry Myer, who lives in Holt County, Missouri, and James H., who also lived in Holt County, Missouri.
William M. Poynter was reared and educated in Holt County, Mis- souri, and began life as a farmer, which he successfully followed until 1901, when he sold his farm in Holt County and went to Vernon County. In 1902 he went to Creighton, Missouri, where he organized the Bank of Creighton, and was its first president. He was identified with that bank until February, 1905, when he disposed of his interest and went to Avalon, Missouri, and organized the Citizens Bank of Avalon. He was elected cashier of that institution, and retained his connection with that bank until 1914. He organized the Bank of Bigelow in February, 1902, and his son George W., has been cashier of that bank since its organi- zation. Mr. Poynter was one of the organizers of the Citizens Bank of Oregon, Missouri, which organization was affected in 1890. He was engaged in farming at that time and served as a director of that bank for a number of years. He is a stockholder in the Clinton National
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Bank, Clinton, Missouri, and a member of the board of directors. He is also a stockholder in the Denton Title and Trust Company of Butler, Missouri. In addition to his banking interests, Mr. Poynter owns con- siderable land, much of which is located in Arkansas.
Mr. Poynter was united in marriage April 25, 1905, with Miss Minnie Single, a native of Indianola, Texas, and a daughter of Charles and Mary A. (Studley) Single, the former a native of Stuttgart, Germany, and the latter of Dorsett, England. The father was a soldier in the United States Regular Army prior to and during the Civil War. He was killed by lightning while in his tent at Chattanooga, Tennessee, August 6, 1863. He was first lieutenant in the 32nd Regiment, Missouri Infantry, and at the time of his death was acting quartermaster general. Mrs. Poyn- ter was one of a family of three children born to her parents, the other two being Charles, who lives near Blairstown, Henry County, and John, who lives just across the line in Cass County. The mother married again, March 6, 1867, her second husband being J. B. Weymeyer of St. Louis, now of Henry County, and four children were born to this union, W. H., farmer, Bogard township, Henry County; George S., also a farmer in Bogard township; Annie C., married George Wisely, and is now deceased, and Robert W., who also resides in Bogard township. The mother died December 12, 1903, and her husband now resides with his son, George.
Mrs. Poynter's stepfather and her mother came to Henry County with their family March 10, 1867, settling in Bogard township, and the old home place is still owned by a member of the family. Mrs. Poynter is one of the pioneer teachers of Henry County. In early life she had excellent educational advantages, receiving much of her education in Florida, and later attended Webster's School in St. Louis, Missouri. She began teaching in Henry County when sixteen years old, and during the course of her career as a teacher taught in every school district in Bogard township, except the Blairstown district. She taught the first term that was ever taught in the brick school at Urich, and from the time she was sixteen years of age she taught school every year until she was married. She owns a valuable farm of 200 acres, eighty acres of which is in Henry County and 120 in Cass County, which she bought and paid for out of her earnings while teaching school.
Mr. and Mrs. Poynter have no children but by a former marriage Mr. Poynter has eight children, as follows: W. L., engaged in the oil business, Clinton, Missouri; George W., cashier of the Bank of Bigelow, Bigelow, Missouri; James A., Kansas City; Mrs. Ethel Clayton, Carney,
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Missouri; Emery C., cashier of the Minden State Bank, Minden, Missouri; R. F., cashier of the Bank of Fortesque, Missouri; Samuel C., farmer in Holt County, and Harold L., bookkeeper in the Cameron Trust Company at Cameron, Missouri.
Mr. Poynter has been a life long Democrat and is a member of the time honored Masonic Lodge.
John Nicholson Pierce, a prominent retired minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, residing at Clinton, is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born twenty miles south of Pittsburg, December 12, 1834, a son of Andrew and Sarah (Nicholson) Pierce. The Pierce homestead in Penn- sylvania is located on what is said to have been a grant of land by the Government of 4,000 acres to Andrew Pierce, for services rendered in the Revolutionary War, and the homestead is still owned by his de- scendants.
John Nicholson Pierce grew to manhood on the Pierce homestead farm and here in the fresh air of farm life developed a sound body and mind. After receiving a good preparatory education, he entered Alle- gheny College at Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he was graduated in the class of 1857 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Later this same in- stitution conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. After leav- ing college, Mr. Pierce spent one year at the head of public schools at Mckeesport, Pennsylvania. He then began preaching in the Methodist Church on a circuit which consisted of eight preaching places in eastern Ohio, receiving $185 for his first year's work. This was in 1858 and the membership of the church on this circuit was largely increased during his labors. One church was built and dedicated in New Waterford, where there had never been a Methodist organization before, and that church is still standing and in a flourishing condition. During this period he held a successful revival at Columbiana, Ohio, which was followed by the building of a new church which is now in a prosperous condition. After a trial year spent on this circuit, Reverend Pierce was admitted on trial into the Pittsburg Conference and given a good place, and success continued to crown his efforts. At that time a Methodist minister was permitted to remain only two years in charge of the same church. Rev- erend Pierce was given charge at Dayton, Pennsylvania, and before his time was out there he was taken to New York and ordained both a deacon and elder and appointed to take charge of a mission in Arizona. But before he could reach the location of his new field the Civil War broke
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out and he went to Washington as chaplain of the 85th Regiment, Penn- sylvania infantry, and served in the capacity as chaplain throughout the war. At the close of that conflict he was sent by Bishop Ames into Mis- souri to do ministerial work for the church and his work in this State has all been south of the Missouri River. He was the first pastor of the Grand Avenue Church in Kansas City, Missouri, and preached the first sermon and the last one ever preached in that church, a period of forty- two years intervening between them. Trinity Church in St. Louis was built and dedicated under his pastorate. He was pastor and presiding elder in Sedalia and Clinton and pastor in Carthage, Springfield and Warrensburg.
Few ministers of the Gospel have had a more active career, a career crowned by results equaled only by the efforts put forth, than Rev. John . Nicholson Pierce. He did his part in building churches and parsonages for thirty of the best years of his life, and at the close of this long and successful career he retired with more achievement to his credit than can be said of but few men in any line of endeavor.
After retiring from the regular work of the ministry, Mr. Pierce engaged in the lumber business and was later interested in the Industrial Iron Works of Clinton. He has also been interested in other industrial and financial affairs. He was largely interested in Oklahoma City during its early days and built more than forty houses there, which was no small contribution to the up-building of that city of marvelous growth. Mr. Pierce has been successful in his business undertakings and is now living practically retired, with the exception of the personal attention which he gives his investments.
In 1857, soon after his graduation from college, John Nicholson Pierce was united in marriage with Miss Emma Curtis of Meadville, Pennsyl- vania. To this union were born two sons and two daughters, as follows: Ida May, now the widow of Rev. Charles Newell, and her son, Charles Newell, is editor of the Dallas, Texas, "Dispatch," and Rev. John T. Newell, prominent Methodist preacher of Des Moines Conference is also her son; Emma C., wife of Dr. A. A. Thompson, district superintendent of the Des Moines Conference, and their only son, A. R. Thompson, is one of the prominent bankers of Nebraska, being vice-president and gen- eral manager of the Nebraska National Bank, Hastings, Nebraska ; Frank R. Pierce, resides in St. Louis and is president of one of the largest lum- ber companies of that city; and Andrew B. Pierce, a retired merchant,
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the youngest son of Reverend Pierce of this marriage, Ironton, Missouri. Mr. Pierce's first wife and the mother of these four children died at Independence, Missouri, in February, 1867. In April, 1868, Mr. Pierce was united in marriage with Miss Lucy Bennett, and to this union have been born the following children: Herbert, a planter in Arkansas; Helen, wife of Espey C. Jones, Boone County, near Columbia, Missouri, and Harold, a lawyer in New Mexico; Mrs. Hallie (Hall), Clinton, Missouri. Mrs. Lucy (Bennett) Pierce was born in January, 1841, at Zanesville, Ohio, daughter of Uriah P. Bennett, who served as editor of the "Zanes- ville Courier" for a period of twenty-five years. For the past twenty- five years Mrs. Pierce has been secretary of the Clinton Shakespearian Club, and is active in literary and religious work. Mr. Pierce has eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Reverend Pierce is now in his eighty-fourth year and is as active in body and keen in intellect as the average man of fifty. He enjoys an extensive acquaintance not only in the immediate vicinity of his home but throughout the country. He numbers among his intimate acquain- tances many of the prominent men and women of the United States. He has just cause, at the end of his active career, to feel that sense of satis- faction that his life's work has been a success, both from a spiritual and a business standpoint. It may be truly said of him that he has not lived in vain.
Dr. W. B. Calvert, a prominent dentist of Clinton, is a native son of Henry County, and a descendant of one of the honored pioneer families of this section. He was born near where Delmar now stands in Davis township, August 20, 1871, a son of Samuel and Mary S. (Beckett) Cal- vert. The father was a native of Kentucky, born in Harrison County, March 1, 1831. He was a son of Isaac Calvert and Mildred (Chambers) Calvert. Isaac Calvert was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, October 18, 1783, and married Mildred Chambers in Harrison County, Kentucky, June 25, 1823. He died near Franklin, Harrison County, Kentucky, July 13, 1853. He was a son of Isaac and Katherine Calvert, the former a native of Prince Williams County, Virginia, born in 1743 and married in 1771. He died February 1, 1809. The Calvert family traced the found- ing of that family in this country to the first permanent English settle- ment in America at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, Doctor Calvert of this review being a direct descendant from a Calvert who was a member of the Jamestown Colony.
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Mary S. Beckett, Doctor Calvert's mother, was born at Chambers- burg, Clark County, Missouri, July 19, 1841, a daughter of Woodford and Duranda (Taylor) Beckett. Woodford Beckett was a native of Pen- dleton County, Kentucky, and an early pioneer of Missouri. He came to this State in 1837 and located near Hannibal, where he remained until 1839, when he went to Clark County and there spent the remainder of his life. He was a surveyor and prominent in Clark County. He was of English descent and traced his ancestors to the same family as that of Sir Thomas Beckett, well known in English history. Duranda Taylor Beckett, wife of Woodford Beckett, was a native of Kentucky, and was related to Zachariah Taylor. Doctor Calvert's parents were married April 18, 1869, and two children were born to this union, of whom the doctor is the eldest, and Ellen, born March 15, 1874, now the wife of William Kious, Kahoka, Missouri.
Samuel Calvert came to Henry County in 1857 and settled in Davis township, where he engaged in farming, which was his life occupation. When the Civil War broke out his sympathies were with the South and he joined the Confederate army, serving under Gen. Sterling Price in Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, participating in all the principal battles fought by General Price's army. He received a gunshot wound at the Battle of Lone Jack. He died November 6, 1896. His wife preceded him in death a number of years, having departed this life in January, 1874, when Doctor Calvert was a little over three years old.
When his mother died Doctor Calvert went to live with his grand- parents, Woodford Beckett and wife, who resided in Clark County, Mis- souri. His grandfather was a surveyor, and when Doctor Calvert was a boy he assisted his grandfather a great deal in that line of work and became quite proficient as a surveyor himself. He received his educa- tion in the public schools of Clark County and Kahoka College at Kahoka, Missouri. After receiving a good preparatory education he entered the Western Dental College at Kansas City, Missouri, and after studying there one year entered the Keokuk Dental College at Keokuk, Iowa, where he was graduated with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1900. He then engaged in the practice of his profession at Milan, Sullivan County, Missouri, where he remained about six months, and in the spring of 1901 he came to Clinton, where he has since been engaged in the practice. Doctor Calvert is a skillful dentist and recognized as one of the capable professional men of western Missouri, who are schooled and skilled in the great science of dentistry.
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Doctor Calvert was united in marriage June 26, 1902, with Mrs. Lil- lian (Sawyer) Pugh, who was born near Indianapolis, Indiana, of North Carolina parentage. Mrs. Calvert has one son by a former marriage to John Pugh, Joel S. Pugh, who was engaged in the wholesale lumber busi- ness at Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Doctor Calvert is a member of the Masonic Lodge and is a Democrat. He takes an active interest in local municipal affairs and for ten consecu- tive years has served in one capacity or another in connection with the city government of Clinton. He has been councilman for four years and was a member of the public works commission when the electric light plant was built by the city. He is a progressive citizen and a professional man of high standing. Doctor Calvert can always be safely relied upon to co-operate with any movement that has for its purpose the betterment or upbuilding of his city and county.
Joseph H. Wilson .- Among the noted personages of Henry County who have figured prominently in the development of this county since the . pioneer days none has had a more varied nor more honorable and useful career than Joseph H. Wilson, the "Sage" of Deepwater township, who has lived in Henry County since his parents brought him to this county an infant in arms. Well educated, intelligent, progressive and endowed with a keen and discerning intellect, his long life has been filled with deeds well done, not only in enhancement of his own personal interests, but he has accomplished much in behalf of Henry County and his fellow citizens. Reared in the southland, and of decided southern sympathies, he was among the first to take up arms in behalf of what he deemed to be a just and righteous cause. Deeply religious, he has devoted many years of his life to the furtherance of the cause of Christianity and especially delighted in the training of the young in the paths of right living and in giving them a knowledge of the Scriptures. So remarkable is Mr. Wilson's memory and so constant is his reading and study that for many years he was the final authority in settling disputes and questions of boundary lines between farms in his section of the county.
Joseph H. Wilson, pioneer, Deepwater township, was born in Cabelle County, West Virginia, October 31, 1840, and is the son of James Ramsey (born January, 1803, died June, 1897) and Susan (Everett) Wilson (born 1811, died 1875).
James Ramsey Wilson was born in Maysville, Kentucky, and was the son of James Wilson, who was born in Ireland. James Wilson of
JOSEPH H. WILSON
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Maysville, Kentucky, married a Miss Bailey, who was a daughter of Col. Samuel Bailey, a Revolutionary soldier who was killed by the Indians during an attack made upon the settlement by the savages in the early history of Kentucky. James Wilson and his family were among the first pioneer settlers in Kanawha County, West Virginia, and it is a matter of history that James Wilson made the first salt at the Kanawha Salt Works, located above the city of Charleston, in partnership with John Savaryn, a Frenchman. As previously stated the Wilsons came to Henry County from Kanawha County in March, 1841, and established a perma- nent home in this county. The first settlement of the Wilson family was made near the Teays settlement on Marshall Creek in March, 1841. In 1845 they settled permanently in Deepwater township. James R. and Susan Wilson reared a splendid family of sons and daughters: John M., went west when seventeen and had mines in the West, Mexico and South America, died in 1914, aged seventy-seven years, at El Paso, Texas; Mrs. Mary E. Houx, widow of the late Rev. J. H. Houx, Warrensburg, Mis- souri; Joseph H., subject of this review; Capt. Edwin, born 1842, died June 10, 1910, at Austin, Texas; Susan Elizabeth, living on the old home place; William W., makes his home with Richard B. Wilson, and Richard B., postmaster of Montrose.
The first company of Confederate soldiers enlisted in Henry County in May, 1861, found Joseph H. Wilson enrolled as a member. In the spring of 1862 he was invalided at Lexington, Missouri, ill with typhoid fever and received his discharge from the service in the fall of 1862. He enlisted in the service the second time at Springfield December 25, 1862. Three of his company came home to get horses but storms prevented their accomplishing the task and the effort to capture Springfield failed and General Price's army fell back to Arkansas. Mr. Wilson disguised him- self and went to St. Louis, thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, and from there made his way through Cabelle County, West Virginia, to Red Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, Virginia. He was imbued with the idea of get- ting into the thick of the fight and believed that he could only do so by joining a Virginia regiment. He offered his services to General Williams, brigade commander, and Col. Patton, of the 22nd Virginia Infantry, and was sworn into the Confederate service for a third time. His command marched from Monroe County to the Kanawha River Valley and took possession of the valley, fighting the battles of Fayette Court House and Cotton Hill. He was forced to march without a gun for some time but
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managed to secure a weapon and took part in this fight. Mr. Wilson served until the close of the war but was made prisoner near Boone Court House on the Guyandotte River April 9, 1864. He was paroled and sent back from Camp Chase to Baltimore. From there he went down the bay and up the James River, arriving at Richmond, Virginia, March 9, 1865, just before the surrender of General Lee's army at Appamattox Court House. Mr. Wilson participated in the battles of Carthage, Mis- souri, Wilson's Creek, Drywood and Lexington.
After his return from the battlefields of the South, Joseph H. Wil- son, in November, 1868, settled on a farm on Round Prairie, Bates County, Missouri, where he resided until the spring of 1876, when he came again to Henry County and settled upon the old home place of the family in Deepwater township. In 1888 he removed to Appleton City, Missouri, and in the spring of 1889 moved to his present place near Montrose. This farm consisting of one hundred twenty acres is one of the most pictur- esque and attractive places in Henry County. A handsome brick resi- dence surrounded by beautiful shade trees and shrubbery occupies a commanding site at the top of a gently rising knoll or hill which affords a view of the surrounding country for many miles-a view which is un- surpassed for magnificence and beauty of the landscape in this section of Missouri. A beautiful pastoral scene unfolds to the view as one gazes in any direction. This section which is now dotted with handsome farm homes and waving fields of grain and is unsurpassed in its richness of soil anywhere in the state of Missouri was once a virgin wilderness and Joseph H. Wilson himself has hunted deer and other wild animals and fished in the streams nearby at a period when settlers were few and far between. Geese and ducks were plentiful and it was no trouble for him to bag a dozen or so with ease in a short time. He often visited the Indian camps on the Deepwater during his boyhood days and the height of his aspirations when a boy was to have a gun and a dog. His next am- bition as he grew older was to have a nice home with every comfort and even luxuries and to own a big orchard with trees hanging loaded with big red apples. He has owned several guns and dogs, and has the beau- tiful home and has hunted and fished to his heart's content, and is truly thankful for all the blessings which Providence has showered upon him.
In 1876 he organized the firm of J. H. Wilson and Brothers and dur- ing all these years he has managed the Wilson estate, which has been kept intact and farmed for the benefit and to the great profit of every
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member of the Wilson family, although each has his individual holdings aside from the estate. Mr. Wilson is owner of four hundred acres of land in his own right. This business of Wilson Brothers has been so managed for over forty years that he has never had a lawsuit and has never sued nor has he been sued.
On November 8, 1866, the marriage of Joseph H. Wilson and Miss Susan Cassandra Bruce, a daughter of Simeon C. and Zerilda Catherine (Browning) Bruce of St. Clair County was consummated. Simeon C. Bruce was a native of Tennessee, a son of Robert Bruce of Sumner County, Tennessee. Mrs. Zerilda (Browning) Bruce was the daughter of Dr. Jacob Browning, a native of Tennessee and a Henry County pioneer, after whom Brownington was named. Mrs. Wilson was born November 4, 1844 and has born him twelve children, seven of whom are living: Bruce Mc- Farlan Wilson, farmer and stockman, Montrose, Missouri, married Maud Colson; Kate, wife of D. W. Stewart, Kansas City, Missouri; James En- nels, operates the home farm; Susan R., wife of William T. Lampkin, Payette, Idaho; Walter B., at home with his parents; Henry Everett, St. Louis, Missouri, a stockman and salesman; Anna, wife of Benjamin P. Lampkin, Deepwater township, Bates County, Missouri.
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