USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 38
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Mr. Witherspoon was married in 1893 to Miss Lena L. Taylor, a daughter of Dr. M. B. Taylor of Brownington, Missouri. He is a Demo- crat and he and Mrs. Witherspoon are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Witherspoon is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and other fraternal societies.
The Bank of Deepwater was organized as a State banking institu- tion on February 13, 1889. The principal organizers were W. F. White, C. N. White, J. H. Yentzer, Matthias Hageman and Isaac Shaffner. J. H. Yentzer was chosen president and served for a number of years, until his death in February, 1905. M. B. Witherspoon succeeded J. C. Smith as cashier in 1905. Mr. Smith is now in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. J. C. Yentzer was succeeded by Robert Terrill as president. Mr. Terrill was
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succeeded by Wesley Griffin, who was followed by J. M. Marmaduke, who in turn was succeeded by Jacob Rhoads, the present incumbent of the office, who is a substantial man of affairs.
The Bank of Deepwater is in a very prosperous condition. This bank has a capitalization of $10,000; a surplus of $10,000; undivided profits of $9,000, and deposits exceeding $145,000. The present officers are Jacob Rhoads, president; Fred C. Hill, vice-president; M. B. Witherspoon, cash- ier; F. A. Houston, assistant cashier. The directors are: Jacob Rhoads, Fred C. Hill, George S. Hovey, F. A. Huston, M. B. Witherspoon and L. L. Shaffer.
James F. Plecker .- In every county are individuals who have been able to accomplish more than ordinary success. Whether it is because of exceptional ability or the power to take advantage of opportunities which present themselves is a moted question. If one were to ask the most successful men of Henry County as to the reason for their suc- cesses in the agricultural field of endeavor, we are of the opinion that the answer would be the same as that given by James F. Plecker, retired farmer and stockman of Deepwater and one of the largest land owners of Henry County, "Hard work, keeping everlastingly at it, raise lots of live stock, buy land and make the land help pay for itself." It is practically the truth of the matter and the only agriculturist who achieves more than an ordinary success is the fellow who is not afraid to work, com- bined with good business management in order to make good.
James F. Plecker was born in Augusta County, Virginia, August 29, 1843, and is the son of John W. (born 1819, died 1877) and Eliza (Craum) Plecker (born 1820, died 1887). Mr. Plecker's parents were both natives of Virginia. They emigrated to Missouri and arrived in Henry County March 20, 1866, and until his death John W. Plecker was engaged in farming pursuits. He first settled upon 160 acres of land east and south- east of the Moyer place, where he lived for two years, and in 1868 moved to a tract of prairie land four and a half miles southwest of Deepwater, near the Pleasant Valley district school, and improved the land.
To John W. and Ann Eliza Plecker were born eight children: A. H. Plecker, an artist, Lynchburg, Virginia, an ex-Confederate soldier, aged seventy-eight years; James F., of this review; Mrs. Margaret Ann Moyer, Clinton township; Mrs. Mary Pomeroy, a widow, living at Kokomo, Colo- rado; Mrs. Augusta Virginia, wife of Jacob Rhoads, Deepwater; David Brown, Nowata, Oklahoma; Edward Jackson, Minot, South Dakota.
James F. Plecker enlisted in Company H, Valley Rangers, Confed --
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arte Army, in 1862 and served for the Southern cause for three years under Gen. William H. Lee, in the 10th Virginia Cavalry under Captain Newham. He took an active part in many battles and skirmishes, among them being the great Battles of Gettysburg and Cold Harbor, and dur- ing a greater part of his time he was on skirmish and picket duty with cavalry detachments.
After the close of the war he returned home and began farming on forty acres of prairie land in 1868. From this small beginning, fifty years ago, he has become owner of 1,000 acres of land in Henry County. Seven hundred acres of this land is rented and he and his sons are farm- ing the remainder. Mr. Plecker is also owner of 720 acres of land near Mt. Zion in St. Clair County, Missouri. He has some land in Texas. He has always been an extensive feeder of live stock and his success can be attributed to the fact that for years he has kept large herds of cattle and hogs on his farms. Mr. Plecker left the farm in 1913 and now makes his home in Deepwater, but continues to visit the farm daily and take a considerable part in the farming operations. In 1910 he located in New Mexico and farmed there for a few years but found that old Missouri was the best place after all, and he returned here in 1915.
Mr. Plecker was married in 1876 to Miss Millie A. Whitford, who was born in Moultrie County, Illinois, on January 9, 1859, and is the daughter of George W., a native of Illinois, and Henrietta (Hedrick) Whitford, a native of Kentucky. Henrietta Hedrick Whitford was born July 30, 1839, and was a daughter of John and Eliza (Fletcher) Hedrick, who removed to Illinois from Kentucky in 1839. George W. Whitford was born in 1834 and died October 12, 1903. Three children were reared out of seven born to Mr. and Mrs. George W. Whitford: Mrs. James F. Plecker; William Alonzo, Nowata, Oklahoma, and George Franklin, Great Falls, Montana. The Whitfords came to Missouri in the fall of 1868 and settled in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood. After some years they went to Colorado, thence to Oklahoma and from there to Arkansas, where Mr. Whitford died.
James F. and Millie A. Plecker have reared a large family of nine children: Ida May, Etta May, Roberta Mendora, Olive Frances, Naomi Alvira, Estella, Bessie Virginia, George Washington, Archie Lee. Ida May married William Cannon, resides near Windsor, Missouri and has one son, Orville. Etta May married Will Craig and lives in Kansas City, is mother of three children: Imogene, Marjorie and Roy Lee. Roberta Medora is the wife of William Bradley, Kansas City, and has seven chil-
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dren: Jewel Fern, Ernestine, Glenn, Helen, Wilma, Joseph, Eugene and Mark. Olive Frances married Harvey Switser, Lawrence, Kansas, and is mother of a son, James David. Naomi, wife of James Eames, Denver, Colorado, has a daughter, Virginia Louise. Bessie Virginia, wife of Clyde Jackson, Denver, Colorado, has a son, William Benton. Estella is keep- ing house for her brothers on the home farm. George Washington Plecker is a farmer on the home place, married Maggie Huffman of Artesia, New Mexico. Archie Lee is on the home place. Mr. and Mrs. Plecker have fourteen grandchildren and up to a few years ago there were five genera- tions of the family living on Mrs. Plecker's side and including her chil- dren and grandchildren.
The Democratic party has always had the allegiance of Mr. Plecker but he has never devoted much time to political matters. He and Mrs. Plecker and all of the family excepting one are members of the Christian Church and they are hospitable, jolly and kindly people who are highly respected and esteemed in Henry County.
Woodson A. Hastain .- The Hastain family is one of the oldest if not the oldest pioneer family living in Henry County at the present time. It is one of the old, honorable and well established families of the county, members of which have always taken a prominent and influential part in Henry County affairs. The late Woodson A. Hastain of Clinton was a worthy representative of this fine old family and left a record behind him of which his family and descendants can well be proud.
Woodson A. Hastain was born October 8, 1835, and departed this life February 18, 1914. He was born at old Tebo, five miles north of Calhoun, Henry County, and he was a son of Daniel McCumskey and Anna (Green) Hastain. Daniel McC. Hastain was born in White County, Tennessee, and came to Henry County in the early twenties, being among the very first pioneers of this county. He died here during the early seventies. Anna (Green) Hastain was born December 15, 1815, and died April 13, 1839. She was a daughter of Reverend John and Rachel (Mackey) Green. The Rev. John Green was born in North Carolina and died in Tennessee. He was the son of Jarvis and Sarah (Griggs) Green. The former was a private under Capt. Robert Porter, North Carolina, and enlisted in the Army of Independence for service in the American Revolution in 1777. He was killed in a battle with the Indians some time later. Daniel Mc- Cumskey Hastain was the son of David, who was born in 1772, and Mar- garet M. (Roddy) Hastain, born September 23, 1775, natives of Virginia who were in the vanguard of the early settlers of Tennessee. It will
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thus be seen that the Hastains are of the purest and oldest American stock of undoubted colonial ancestry of English origin.
Daniel McC. Hastain had children as follows: James Preston and John Green, deceased; Montgomery died in California; Mary Ann, wife of Abner Dice; Woodson A., subject of this review. All were reared in Henry County. Daniel McC. Hastain was twice married, his second wife being Martha Jane Wade, who bore him children as follow: Thomas Jef- ferson, died near Calhoun,, Missouri; Minerva Jane, Almira Elizabeth, deceased; Susan Melvina (Pigg) Ruhl, Denver, Colorado; Purlina Jack- son, deceased; Mrs. Sarah Frances Schirk, died in Sedalia; Joseph Co- lumbus, deceased; Mrs. Jennie L. Reese, Los Angeles, California; Pleas- ant Dawson, deceased.
When W. A. Hastain attained young manhood he was married, March 28, 1865, to Miss Sarah Jane Walker, who was born June 22, 1847, on a farm ten miles north of Clinton. She is the daughter of Pleasant (born 1796, died 1879) and Missouri Adeline (Lindsey) Walker (born 1816, died 1855). Pleasant Walker was born and reared in Kentucky and came to Henry County, Missouri, with George Wilcox Walker and made settle- ment in the northern part of Henry County in 1832. Pleasant Walker and George Wilcox Walker were brothers and partners during their en- tire lives. Mrs. Missouri Adeline Walker was a native of North Carolina. By a former marriage Pleasant Walker had a daughter, Mrs. Sarepta Avery, who died in 1917. The children of Pleasant and Missouri Adeline Walker were as follow: Mrs. Bethia or Bertha Middagh, deceased; Harriet Ann, died in childhood; Mrs. Sarah Jane Hastain; Mrs. Mary Doyle, Kan- sas City, Missouri; Almira, died at the age of ten years. Taylor Lindsay died in Henry County, and Mrs. Emily Glasgow, deceased.
After their marriage W. A. and Sarah Jane Hastain settled upon a tract of partly improved prairie land in Henry County, just south of the town of Leeton, and there made their first home and improved a splendid farm of 300 acres. They resided upon this farm until 1870, and then moved to a fine farm of 400 acres situated five miles east of Clinton. At first they bought an eighty acre tract which formed the nucleus around which they built up a large 400 acre farm. They erected a comfortable residence and good farm buildings and beautified the premises with shade trees and shrubbery, which in the course of years made a beautiful country home. Mr. Hastain was an extensive stockman who was a large feeder and grower of live stock and accumulated a comfortable compe- tence in this manner. He took a considerable interest in affairs outside
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of his agricultural interests, and for twenty years he served as vice- president of the Citizens Bank of Clinton. Mr. and Mrs. Hastain moved to Clinton in 1905, but after four years' residence in the city they again moved to the country, this time locating upon a place one mile east of the city, where Mr. Hastain died.
To Woodson A. and Sarah Jane Hastain were born a family of thir- teen children: William T., a farmer living in the northern part of Henry County ; Mrs. Anna Adeline Holst, Los Angeles, California; Pleasant Walker, died at the age of two years; Emma Lena, wife of Thomas Wil- son, Osceola, Missouri; Bertha May, widow of Joseph McCuan, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jennie Lind, died in infancy ; Sarepta, lives in Boston, Massachusetts; George Woodson, Searcy, Arkansas; Mrs. Sarah Frances Ellett, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Sarah Frances had a twin who is deceased; Mrs. Marie Farnham, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Maggie Ella, died in infancy; Maude Glasgow, wife of E. H. Cornick, assistant manager of the Larrabee Mills, Clinton, Missouri, makes her home with Mrs. Hastain. Each of the chil- dren received a high school education and several of them received a collegiate training at Baird College. It is also a matter worthy of re- cording that in 1858 Mr. Hastain, with others, drove a large herd of cattle across country to the Pacific Coast and engaged in milling on the coast for some time. The Hastains were married in Saline County, Missouri, and resided in Johnson County, Missouri, from 1865 to 1870.
Mr. Hastain was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as is Mrs. Hastain. He was a Democrat but took little or no active part in political matters, being devoted to his home and family. All of the daughters of the family are members of the Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution.
Richard B. Wilson .- The Wilson family is one of the oldest and one of the most honored families in Henry County and dates their beginning with the history of Henry County as early as 1841. The striking char- acteristics of this family as a whole is the spirit of co-operation which has manifested itself during all these years among the various members of the family and which has brought prosperity in no small degree to the members of the family. Richard B. Wilson, better known as "Dick" Wilson, postmaster of Montrose, is a worthy descendant of excellent ancestry who has made a success of his life's work.
R. B. Wilson was born in Deepwater township April 9, 1854, and is the son of James R. and Susan (Everett) Wilson, natives of Kentucky
RICHARD B. WILSON
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MRS. RICHARD B. WILSON
WILLIAM W. WILSON
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and Virginia, respectively. James R. Wilson was born November 26, 1803, and died June 7, 1898. He was a son of James Wilson, a native of North Ireland who was of Scotch descent. He was one of the early pioneers of the state of Kentucky. James R. Wilson came to Henry County, Missouri, in 1841 and first settled in Bear Creek township, later entering free Government land in Deepwater township. To his first tract he added a considerable acreage which he purchased from the Gov- ernment, improved his farm and resided thereon until his death. Susan (Everett) Wilson, his wife, was a daughter of John Everett, a native of Virginia. John Everett was a soldier of the Revolution and belonged to a prominent Virginia family. James R. and Susan Wilson reared a family of seven children: John M. Wilson, a miner in the West and in California and who died at El Paso, Texas; Mary Everett, widow of Rev. James H. Houx, former noted minister of Warrensburg, Missouri; Joseph H., of Deepwater township, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Edwin Wilson, removed to Texas after the close of the Civil War, and died in Austin; Susan Elizabeth, residing on the old home place of the Wilson family; William W., born December 26, 1851, Montrose, Missouri, residing with R. B. Wilson; Richard B., subject of this sketch.
During the Civil War the Wilson home was a place of refuge for Bates County people who were forced to abandon their homes. During part of this period the Wilsons lived in Johnson County, returning to their home after peace was declared. Mr. Wilson received such educa- tion as was afforded by the district and private schools of his day and took up the life of a farmer. He is owner of a splendidly improved farm of 160 acres in Deepwater township and also owns another farm of 120 acres in Bear Creek township. He resided on his farm until 1913, at which time he came to Montrose, although his family are still living upon the home place, Mr. Wilson's position as postmaster requiring that he live in Montrose.
December 22, 1892, Richard B. Wilson and Marion Vickers were united in marriage. Mrs. Marion Wilson was born in Bear Creek town- ship, a daughter of William H. Vickers, a pioneer of Henry County and whose people were old neighbors of the Wilsons in Virginia. To this marriage were born three children: Edwin Vickers Wilson, who is tilling the home farm in Deepwater township; Katherine Frances and James Ramsey, at home.
The Democratic party has always had the steadfast allegiance of
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Mr. Wilson. He received the appointment of postmaster at Montrose in 1913 and assumed the duties of his position in July, 1913. Mr. Wilson's conduct of the affairs of the office have been such as to commend him to the many patrons of the office. He is a member of the Methodist Church South, and is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World Lodge of Montrose.
William H. Vickars was one of the earliest of the pioneer settlers of Henry County who was reared in this county and spent practically his entire life here. He was born in Kanawha County, Virginia, Decem- ber 25, 1842 and departed this life in Montrose, August 17, 1911. He was the son of Stephen Decatur Vickers, who was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1813, and died in Henry County, 1895. Stephen Decatur Vickars was the son of James Vickars of Virginia, who was a native of North Ireland and was descended from Scotch Presbyterian stock. When James Vickars immigrated to America, he first settled in Virginia and from that State went to Maysville, Kentucky, about the same period that the Wilsons settled in that vicinity. From Maysville, Kenucky, he went to the Kanawha Valley region of Virginia now West Virginia in company with the Wilsons. James Vickers built the first steamboat and operated it upon the Kanawha River, a feat which did much to open up the Kanawha Valley to settlement and development. He also in company with James Wilson freighted produce to New Orleans down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
Stephen Decatur Vickars left his home in the Kanawha Valley coun- try in 1842 and came to Henry County, Missouri in search of a future home for his family. He entered free Government land in Bear Creek township and spent all of his days in this county engaged in agricultural pursuits, taking a prominent and important part in the early develop- ment of Henry County. His wife, prior to her marriage, was Frances Marion Stewart of the old Stewart family of Virginia of undoubted Revo- lutionary ancestry. She was the daughter of Daniel Stewart, who was also a pioneer settler in Henry County, who enlisted for service in the War of 1812 and received a grant of Government land in Henry County, coming here not long after Stephen Decatur Vickars and his family made a permanent settlement in this county. Mrs. Francis Marion Vickars, was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1821 and died in 1915, one of the best beloved of the pioneer women of Henry County. Her life was devoted to good deeds and she was loved and revered by all the people of the countryside for her goodness and kindliness, a friend to all, all
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were friends of hers. She was deeply religious and an ardent and tireless church worker. It is a matter of history that the first school held in this section of Henry County, was taught in the home of Stephen Vickers and through his influence and liberality a teacher was obtained and the edu- cation of the youth of the neighborhood began and continued through the years. This school was taught by Mrs. Susan Bronaugh. After a residence here of some years the modest pioneer home of the Vickers family was supplanted by an imposing frame edifice erected by Mr. Vick- ars much of the material used in its construction, such as window sash, etc., being brought by steamboat from Cincinnati and then hauled over- land from the landing place at Boonville on the Missouri. This house was one of the very first large residences erected in the county and for many years was a landmark.
To Stephen Decatur and Frances Marion Vickars were born three children: William Henry; Emeline, died at the age of fourteen years; Mrs. Frances Ann, or Nannie, deceased wife of William F. Carter.
William H. Vickers was reared to manhood in Henry County and be- came a farmer, following this vocation until a few years before his death, when he removed to a home at Montrose, where his death occurred. His farm was situated in Walker township. Mr. Vickers was married to Susan Cornelia Peyton, who was born in Boonville, Missouri, in 1846 and died in 1895. She was the daughter of Frederick S. and Lurcetia (Hartt) Peyton, who were natives of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and were early pioneers of Cooper County, Missouri.
Five children were born to William H. and Susan Cornelia Vickers, as follow: Ella Peyton, wife of Harry Armstrong, a farmer in Davis township, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Frederick resides in California; William Carter Vickars lives in California; and Mrs. Marion Wilson of this review.
Mr. Vickars was a Democrat and was a member of the Methodist Church South.
L. E. Grant, retired merchant and live stock dealer of Deepwater, Missouri, was born in Knox County, Missouri, July 25, 1855. He is the son of Samuel Russell, born in 1818 and died in 1871, and Elizabeth (Sharp) Grant. His father was a native of Zanesville, Ohio, and was a son of Samuel F. Grant, a native of Ohio. Mrs. Elizabeth Grant was born in Kentucky June 27, 1818, and died in September, 1910, and her parents were early settlers of Knox County, Missouri, where Samuel
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Russell Grant removed in 1831. They were married in that county, set- tled permanently upon a farm and spent the remainder of their lives in agricultural pursuits. Samuel R. and Elizabeth Grant reared a family of six children: Samuel R., deceased; G. W. Grant, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Abram S., Seattle, Washington; Mrs. Sarah Maria Hicks, Pleasanton, Kansas ; Mrs. Margaret Malvila Bryant, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; L. E. Grant, subject of this review.
Born, reared and educated in Knox County, Missouri, L. E. Grant resided there until 1885, when opportunity beckoned to him and he came to Deepwater, Missouri, and engaged in business pursuits in which he achieved more than ordinary success. For a period of twenty-one years he was engaged in the grocery and hardware business in that city and became well and favorably known throughout Henry County as a reliable and able business man. From his boyhood days he had always been in- terested in live stock and is an excellent judge of farm animals. Along with his other business, he has been engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock and probably holds the record as a live stock shipper in Henry County in the number of live stock he has bought and shipped from this section. Mr. Grant's shipments from Deepwater would aggre- gate from 100 to 150 carloads of stock yearly and his dealings with the live stock raisers were so fair and honest that he was kept busily em- ployed in taking care of the business. He retired from active business pursuits in 1917, but is looking after his farm of 290 acres, situated within two and a half miles of Deepwater, and he is also owner of an- other farm located five miles south of Deepwater in St. Clair County.
February 9, 1881, L. E. Grant was united in marriage with Miss Martha Gorman (born June 17, 1852, died January 7, 1915), a native of Darksville, Berkeley County, Virginia, a daughter of Edwin and Matilda (Vyse) Gorman, the former of whom was a native of Ireland and the latter of Virginia. Edwin Gorman came to America with his parents when a child. The Gormans moved to Edina, Knox County, Missouri, from Virginia in 1857. Mrs. Grant was a true and faithful wife to her husband, devoted to her family, a kind mother to her children and a worthy helpmeet in every sense the word implies. She was an inspira- tion to her husband during the many years of their married life. She became a member of the Methodist Church, South, when but a child, and was a devout Christian woman whose activities and interests outside of her home were mainly in religious works.
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Three children were born to L. E. and Martha Grant, as follow: Russell Lee and Mary Leta, twins, and L. Elmer, Jr. Russell Lee Grant is a successful real estate operator at Tulsa, Oklahoma. Miss Mary Leta Grant is her father's housekeeper in Deepwater. L. Elmer, Jr., is en- gaged in the real estate business with his brother at Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Mr. Grant has always been a worker in the ranks of the Democratic party in Henry County and has served as treasurer of his home city. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Deepwater and the Benevo- lent Protective Order of Elks of Clinton. He is a well preserved, genial, hospitable citizen who is well liked and highly esteemed by his many friends and acquaintances throughout Henry County.
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