USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 46
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The Democratic party has always had the support of Mr. Davis and he has served for the past fourteen years as city attorney with a few intervening spaces of time. He is a director of the Farmers Bank and is secretary of the board of directors of this institution and president of the board of directors of Windsor school district, also is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Robert E. Major, cashier of the Farmers Bank of Windsor, Mis- souri, is a native of his home city. He was born February 17, 1865, and is the son of the late Reuben Major, long a prominent and worthy citi- zen of Windsor.
Reuben Major was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, April 7, 1825,
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and died at his home in Windsor, Missouri, March 8, 1913. During his younger days, he learned the trade of plasterer and later became a farmer. He removed with his parents to Calloway County, Missouri, in 1827 and resided in that county where he was reared amid pioneer surroundings, until 1853, and then came to Henry County, locating in the town of Windsor. He resided in Windsor and vicinity until his death. He was closely identified with the up-building and growth of the city and assisted in the organization of the Windsor Savings Bank, the first bank ever instituted in Windsor, and was the nominal cashier of this bank for some years after its organization. His wife was Nancy Duncan, prior to her marriage with Mr. Major. She was born in Boone County, Missouri, November 23, 1835, and departed this life in 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Major were parents of three children: J. W. Major, auto salesman, Wind- sor, Missouri; Robert E. Major, subject of this sketch; and Orah A., wife of Bert Richardson, Berkeley, California.
Reared in the city of Windsor, his school days were followed by employment in a local shoe store in which Robert E. Major began his active career in 1882. When the Farmers Bank was organized, in 1890, he became connected with the organization and in 1893, he was elected cashier of this bank. The success which has attended the Farmers Bank since Mr. Major first assisted in its organization has been largely due to his initiative, his pronounced financial ability, courtesy of demeanor, and his popularity as a banker and citizen.
September 10, 1884, Robert E. Major and Miss Sarah A. Schwab were united in marriage. Mrs. Sarah A. Major was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, March 14, 1865, the daughter of Samuel Schwab, a native of Switzerland, who first located in Ohio and from there came to Wind- sor in 1867. He was one of the first shoe merchants to establish a shoe and boot-making shop in the city, and he also established one of the first shoe stores which he conducted for many years. Mr. Schwab learned the trade of boot and shoe maker in his native land. He died in Windsor at the age of 70 years. His wife, prior to her marriage with Mr. Schwab, was Sarah Burrier, a native of Ohio.
Four children have been born to Robert E. and Sarah A. Major, as follows: Catherine, at home with her parents; F. Lee, a state bank examiner in Arkansas; Mary, wife of Frank Douglas, Joplin, Missouri; Schwab S., born November 14, 1893, enlisted for service in the Regular
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Army in 1915 and was transferred in 1917 to the Aviation Corps, as lieutenant, and is now a member of the Aviation Corps.
Mr. Major has always been allied with the Democratic party and is a firm believer in Democratic principles of government. He was elected to a membership upon the Windsor board of education in 1904 and is now serving as treasurer of that body, having been a continuous member of the board since his first election. While a member of the board of education he has consistently favored and furthered the cause of educa- tion in Windsor in every manner possible and has become known for his progressive ideas in regard to the proper education of the youth of the city. He is a member of the Baptist Church, of which he is a deacon.
William M. Me Cowan was born on a farm near Evansville, Indiana, in 1828, and died in Henry County, Missouri, in 1875. He was the son of James Mc Cowan, who was a native of Kentucky, and a soldier of the War of 1812. James Mc Cowan moved from Kentucky to Indiana and became an honored resident of the southwestern part of the State, founding a permanent home near the city of Evansville. When news of the great gold strike on Sutter's Mill Race on the slopes of the Sierras in California reached Indiana, Mr. Mc Cowan was one of the first adven- turous spirits to undertake the long and dangerous trip to the Pacific Coast in search of fortune. He remained in California until 1854, was successful in his quest of the yellow metal, and returned home. He then located near Windsor in Henry County, Missouri, and purchased a large tract of land near Calhoun, in Windsor township, which he de- veloped into an important live stock ranch. He was owner of 600 acres of land and became widely known as a successful breeder of race horses and was also an extensive raiser and breeder of cattle for the markets. During the Civil War, Mr. Mc Cowan was a captain of Missouri Home Guards and served until 1863. He followed agricultural pursuits until his death and was a prominent and influential citizen of Henry County during his residence here.
William Mc Cowan was twice married, his first wife being Mattie Huston, who bore him three children: Cincinnatus, a farmer in South Dakota; Major Thomas B. Mc Cowan, a surgeon of the American Army Hospital Corps, stationed at El Paso, Texas, as district surgeon, a service in which he has been engaged for the past eighteen years; William H., Deepwater, Missouri, engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. The second marriage of William M. Mc Cowan occurred in October,
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1874, with Miss Fannie C. Page, who was born in Logan County, Ken- tucky, in August, 1848, the daughter of Thomas and Isabella (Catlett) Page, both natives of Virginia. Thomas Page was the son of James Page, a soldier of the Revolution. One child was born of this second marriage, Miss May Mc Cowan.
When eleven years of age, May Mc Cowan removed with her widowed mother to Oakland, California, and there she received a high school edu- cation. She graduated from Oakland high school in 1895. Miss Mc Cowan has studied at the Warrensburg Normal School, specializing in history. She and her mother returned to Windsor, Missouri, in 1895 and she began her successful teaching career. Miss Mc Cowan first taught in her old home district school in 1900, this school being at that time the oldest school house in Henry County. In 1902 she was selected to teach the primary department of the Windsor public schools and in 1906 she became teacher of English and algebra in the Windsor high school. She next taught near Warrensburg, Missouri, and in 1908 became princi- pal of the schools at Shawnee Mound, Henry county. In 1910 she re- turned to Windsor and taught English and mathematics in the local high school for the ensuing three years. Her next position was as teacher at Rodelia high school in 1913. Since 1913 Miss Mc Cowan has been teacher of history in the Windsor high school.
Miss Mc Cowan is a member of the Henry County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and takes a keen and absorbing interest in the affairs of this chapter, of which she is the local official historian. In her work as historian she has gathered and published con- siderable history of Windsor and vicinity and Henry County which is considered as authentic, reliable and written in an entertaining and read- able vein. She is a member of the Baptist Church, and is affiliated fra- ternally with the Order of Eastern Star, of which order she is a past matron and is now serving as chaplain of the order.
William A. Shelton, United States marshal for the Federal District of Western Missouri, residing at Windsor, Missouri, is a member of one of the oldest and most prominent of the Missouri pioneer families. He was born at Camp Branch, Warren County, Missouri, June 22, 1855, and is the son of the Hon. Pines H. and Mary O. (Scales) Shelton, natives of Henry County, Virginia.
The late Hon. Pines H. Shelton was born July 18, 1809, in Virginia and died at his home in Henry County, January 25, 1888. He was reared
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and educated in his native State of Virginia and migrated to Missouri in 1830, making a settlement in St. Charles County, where he became a manufacturer of tobacco products in a small way. He erected the first brick residence in St. Charles County and was prominently identified with affairs of that county during his residence there. He served as a member of the Missouri Assembly from St. Charles County, both as repre- sentative and State senator. Upon his removal to Warren County, Mis- souri, he became an extensive farmer and resided in that county until he located in Hill County, Texas, where he was engaged in ranching and also became prominent in local public affairs, serving as a member of the Texas Legislature from Hill County, Texas, and was also State senator. He came to Clinton, Missouri, in 1868, and one year later he located at Windsor, becoming owner of a large farm of 800 acres of land, three miles west of Windsor in Windsor township. This farm he improved and made into a valuable property. Mr. Shelton died at his home in Windsor, an honored and respected resident of the city and county.
Sixteen years of the life of Pines H. Shelton was devoted to public service. Besides his legislative experience he served as an official State tobacco inspector, being one of three tobacco inspectors appointed by the governor when the law went into effect prviding for tobacco in- spection and inspection of factories throughout the State. Mr. Shelton was three times married. His first wife was Rebecca Carter, who bore him seven children. and was born January 29, 1813. His second wife was Mary E. Wyatt, who bore him three children, who are deceased. Mrs. Mary Wyatt Shelton was born in Missouri, March 20, 1828, and died in St. Charles County, Missouri. His third marriage was with Mary O. Scales, who was born in Henry County, Virginia, June 4, 1839, and de- parted this life January 30, 1907. To this marriage were born two sons as follows: William A., subject of this review, and Thomas Marvin Shel- ton, deceased.
William A. Shelton was reared in Texas and Missouri. He received his early education in private and subscription schools in Windsor and studied in the State Normal School at Warrensburg, Missouri. For one year after completing his education, he was engaged in tilling his father's land. After a season or more as a clerk in a general merchandise store at Windsor, he became a traveling salesman in 1881 for a ready-made clothing house and continued in this capacity until 1913. March 10, 1915, he was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the important post of
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United States marshal for the Federal Judicial District of Western Mis- souri, embracing fifty-seven counties. He has measured up to the exacting requirements of this very important official position and nothing but words of commendation have been heard of the manner in which Mr. Shelton has faithfully and conscientiously performed the duties of his important office. Mr. Shelton has ties of a commercial and home nature in Windsor, although his headquarters are necessarily in Kansas City, his presence there being required the greater part of his time. He is owner of a splendid farm of two hundred and seventy acres of land in Windsor township which he has supervision. Mr. Shelton is a director and vice-president of the Citizens Bank of Windsor and takes a keen interest in the welfare and general progress of his home city where he is popular with the citizens.
December 3, 1884, William A. Shelton and Miss Cora Stark were united in marriage. Mrs. Shelton was born in Pettis County, Missouri, the daughter of Captain Washington and Martha (Whitledge) Stark, the latter of whom makes her home in Windsor.
Mr. and Mrs. Shelton are rearing a nephew, Philip Kilpatrick, whose mother is deceased. She was a sister of Mrs. Shelton and the boy's father is a cousin of Mr. Shelton.
Fred W. Olson, cashier of the First National Bank of Windsor, Mis- souri, was born at Manistee, Michigan, October 14, 1873. He is the son of Andrew and Carolina (Benson) Olson, both natives of Sweden, having been born near Stockholm. When a young man, Andrew Olson immi- grated to America and settled at Manistee, Michigan, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years. He later went to South Dakota and became a tiller of the soil in that State when it was still in the infancy of its development. He died in South Dakota in 1879. Four years later his wife followed him in death. Two children were born of this union: Fred W., subject of this review; and Mrs. Anna O. Aaker of Ruthton, Minnesota. After the death of Andrew Olson his widow married Ole Amdahl, and to this marriage were born two children.
Fred W. Olson was reared to young manhood in South Dakota and attended the Moody School, completing his high school course at Flandreau. Left an orphan at the death of his mother, he was compelled to make his own way in the world and hired out as farm hand until he was eighteen years old. He then became a clerk in a dry goods store at Flandereau for-
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three years. After managing a clothing store in that city for a period he became owner of a store. Mr. Olson remained in South Dakota until 1900 and then came to Clinton, Missouri, to undertake the management of the stores of the Coon Creek Coal Company, a position which he held for five and a half years. Following this employment he became assistant cashier of the Bank of Deepwater, for two years, following which he held a similar position with the Clinton National Bank until 1913, when he came to Windsor as cashier of the First National Bank. Mr. Olson ranks high among the banking fraternity of Henry County.
October 26, 1904, Mr. Olson was married to Miss Mabel Spangler, the daughter of Levi A. and Frances (Houston) Spangler, of Fields Creek township, the former a native of Cass County, Missouri, and the latter of Henry County. Two children have been born to Fred W. and Mabel Olson, as follows: Frederick A., born July 23, 1908; Frances G., born July 12, 1910.
Mr. Olson is a Democrat. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Eastern Star, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and the Modern Woodmen of America lodges. Personally, Mr. Olson is one of the most popular citizens of Windsor, agreeable, obliging and propressive, he has won a distinct and honorable place in the business and social life of the community. He is ever found in the forefront of progressive movements which are intended to advance the best interests of his home city and county.
David Barth, a progressive young farmer and stockman of White Oak township, is a native of Henry County, and a descendant of pioneer parents. He was born in White Oak township on the place where he now resides, September 16, 1897, and is a son of John Barth, a Henry County pioneer.
John Barth, now deceased, was an early settler in Henry County, and one of its successful citizens. He was a native of Germany and settled in White Oak Township, Henry County, in 1868. He bought some land here for six dollars per acre, and paid fourteen dollars for other land. He bought considerable land and at the time of his death was one of the largest land owners in the county. He gave to each of his four- teen children, one hundred sixty acres of land, and besides his real estate holdings he was the owner of over thirty thousand dollars worth of per- sonal property. John Barth's success in life was the result of industry,
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THE BARTH RESIDENCE, OWNED BY DAVID BARTH
VIEW OF THE BARTH FARM, OWNED BY DAVID BARTH
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coupled with keen foresight and business ability. When he was a boy he worked for fourteen cents per day, and his early life's experience taught him the value of a dollar. He was one of the promoters of the town of Urich and contributed land for the railroad there. He was twice mar- ried. Five children were born to his first marriage and ten to his second. He died June 6, 1917, and his second wife, who bore the maiden name of Sophia Rombold, died May 26, 1911. Sophia Rombold was born July 3, 1858, at Logansport, Ind., and was a daughter of David and Frances Rombold, natives of Wittenberg, Germany, who moved to Henry County in 1867. His first wife bore the maiden name of Lebold.
David Barth, who resides on the old home place with his sisters, Josie and Tressie, owns one hundred eighty acres. He carries on a stock- raising extensively and keeps registered Herford cattle and big bone Poland China hogs, and is one of the extensive breeders of registered hogs in Henry County. He is also interested in the breeding of Shropshire sheep.
David Barth was reared on the place which he now owns, and he takes an active interest in everything pertaining to modern agricultural methods. While he was reared a practical farmer, he also regards the science as one involving a broad field of experiment and resarch, and the future agricultural industry of this country becomes more and more dependent upon the type of men of whom David Barth is a representative.
William J. Miller, Sr .- The success which has come to William J. Miller, Sr., of Windsor, Missouri, during his thirty-two years of residence in this section of the State, could only have been attained by hard work. close application to the business at hand, and excellent financial manage- ment of the highest order. Mr. Miller is one of the most successful agri- culturists and stockmen of Missouri, and all of his achievements date from his beginning as a poor man fifty-two years ago. There is consider- able satisfaction in recording a story of the life of an individual who has accomplished, through his own efforts, the tasks which have been completed with honest effort, such as has been done by Mr. Miller. Not only has he made a success of his own life in a material sense and risen to the front rank of citizenship, but he has reared a splendid family of sons and daughters whom he has started in life with farms of considerable size with the handicap of poverty removed. William J. Miller, Sr., was born in Clark County, Ohio, February 17, 1843, and is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Ruby) Miller.
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Jacob Miller, the father, was a native of York County, Pennsylvania, and was a cooper by trade, following this occupation for a number of years, but eventually becoming a farmer in Pennsylvania and Ohio, dying in the latter State. His wife and mother of the subject of this review died in 1845. Of the four children born to Jacob and Sarah Miller, two are living, Jacob, of Fairfield, Greene County, Ohio, born January 1, 1838; and William J. Miller of this review. The Millers are of Pennsyl- vania-Dutch descent, and Mrs. Miller was a daughter of English ancestry.
William J. Miller was reared to farm life and remained at home with his father until he attained the age of twenty-one years. He began his own career at that time. His first work was in making rails and cutting cord wood in order to earn money enough to "go west," an am- bition which had always possessed him. In 1866 he began his own career in Morgan County, Illinois. During the first three years of his resi- dence in Illinois he worked as a farm hand, and performed any honest labor which was obtainable in order to earn money. After his marriage, he engaged in farming on his own account and eventually, by the exer- cise of energy, industry and the strictest economy, became owner of 160 acres of land in Illinois. Land was still cheap in western Missouri in 1886, and the price of farm land in Illinois was on the upward rise. Mr. Miller deemed it expedient to dispose of his Illinois farm and came to southern Johnson County, Missouri, where he traded his 160 acres and invested in a large tract of 714 acres, the "Jim Wall tract," which he transformed into an extensive stock farm. He became a well-known breeder of pure-blood Poland China hogs and specialized in shorthorn and high-grade cattle on a large scale. He brought with him a drove of pure-blood Poland China hogs and achieved a reputation as a hog breeder. He also brought to Missouri a pure-blood male shorthorn, bring- ing three carloads of live stock in all. He sold many males from this shorthorn herd leader. Success came to him from the start in Johnson County and he increased his land holdings to a large extent, becoming one of the largest individual land owners in this section of Missouri, own- ing at one time 1,600 acres in Missouri. Mr. Miller also bred fine horses, having been the owner of the noted stallion, "Kentucky Prince," and the Norman Percheron stallion, "Major House." The fame of his live stock was countrywide and his adherence to the plan of breeding thoroughbred live stock made his fortune or assisted materially in doing so. Mr. Miller has owned land in Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma aggregating 5,126 acres,
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and he continued actively in the live stock business until his retirement to a home in Windsor in 1897.
Mr. Miller has given each of his eight children farms ranging in size from 160 to 190 acres of land, and has invested heavily in town property in Windsor, being one of the largest real estate owners of the city. He is vice-president of the Farmers Bank of Windsor in addition to his other activities and connections. He was one of the first land owners to lease a portion of his land to the Bowen Coal Mining Com- pany for mining purposes. This lease covered 740 acres, 100 acres of which was the coal-bearing land mined by the Bowens. Much of the land which Mr. Miller deeded to his children has been found to be under- laid with coal. On the Lee land is a large deposit of coal. Under the Jackson's farm is a splendid deposit of coal.
In 1869, William J. Miller, Sr., and Miss Mary Cox of Illinois were united in marriage. Mrs. Mary (Cox) Miller died on November 17, 1888. She was the daughter of Charles and Francena (Phillips) Cox, the for- mer of whom was a native of Kentucky, and the latter a native of Ohio. Eight children were born to Willian J. and Mary Miller, as follows : Charles W., residing on the Miller home place; Spencer Lee, who is farming a part of the home farm; Cena V., wife of George. H. Jackson, Windsor, Missouri. A fine vein of coal has been found on their land. Mrs. Lizzie R. Brown, a widow living at Windsor, owning 190 acres; Mary E., the wife of Rev. W. W. Wilson, Mokane, Missouri ; William J., Jr., a farmer living in Windsor township; Viola P., wife of W. R. Wooldridge, farmer and mule dealer, Windsor, Missouri; Miss Daisy I. Miller resides with her parents. Each of Mr. Miller's children received a good school education, the three eldest daughters being graduates of the Lexington Academy. The second marriage of Mr. Miller was in December, 1900, with Miss Emma Brooks, a native of Illinois.
A Democrat in his political affiliations Mr. Miller has never aspired for political preferment, his life having been too busy for aught except casting his vote at election time. He is a member of the Baptist Church and is considered as a leading and exemplary citizen of Windsor and Henry County.
Dr. T. Albert Blackmore, M. D .- As a learned and competent physi- cian, who has kept pace with the great developments in the science and art of healing, Dr. J. Albert Blackmore holds a place in the front rank of the medical profession in Henry County. During the years which he
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has been practicing in the city of Windsor, he has endeared himself to the people, and has made a distinct and unqualified success. Dr. Black- more was born in Lincoln County, Missouri, January 18, 1873, and is the son of Thomas and Rebecca (Evans) Blackmore.
Thomas Blackmore was the son of a Missouri pioneer, Samuel Black- more, who first settled in this State in the late twenties, coming to Mis- souri from his native State, Kentucky. Thomas Blackmore was born in Lincoln County, Missouri, October 20, 1840, and followed farming and stock raising during his entire life. His wife, Rebecca Evans, prior to her marriage, was born near Shelbyville, Kentucky, left an orphan in infancy and came to Missouri when young. Thomas Blackmore was a soldier in the Civil War, having enlisted in a Union volunteer regiment at Calhoun, Illinois, and served for about seven months, receiving an honorable discharge from the service on account of sick disability in- curred while on duty. Soon after his discharge, he returned to Mis- souri and settled on a farm in Lincoln County where he remained until his death, in 1886, peacefully and industriously engaged in tilling his acreage.
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