USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 58
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John W. Morgan, a well-known farmer of Honey Creek township, is. a member of a Henry County pioneer family. He was born on the place where he now resides, in 1864. His parents were Reuben and Amanda J. (Addison) Morgan, both natives of Kentucky. They came to Henry County in 1862, although the father had purchased land here in 1859. At one time he owned 420 acres. He died in 1908. His wife preceded him in death a number of years, having departed this life in 1884. They were frugal and industrious people and did their part nobly and well in the opening up and development of this section and laying the foundation for the present and future greatness of Henry County. They were the par- ents of the following children: James, deceased; John W., the subject of this sketch; and R. M., a farmer and stock raiser who occupies a part of the old home farm in Honey Creek township.
John W. Morgan received his education in the district schools and has made farming and stock raising the chief occupation of his life. He has always resided on the old home place which his father purchased upon settling in Honey Creek township; he has a good farm of 110 acres, which is located on Big Creek, six miles east of Urich.
Mr. Morgan was married in May, 1903, to Miss Amanda Belle Hen- dricks, a daughter of James and Mary Hendricks. The father was born in Henry County and now resides in Big Creek township. The mother died in 1901. The following children have been born to them: Charles, John, James, Lizzie, Martha and Sarah, Millie Hendrick.
Mr. Morgan has seen over half a century of development in Henry County and few if any of the later generation have any conception of the marvelous changes that have been brought about within the scope of his memory and observation. He has seen Henry County grow up, and as an industrious, conscientious citizen and a good neighbor he has contributed his part to the upbuilding of his township and county,
T. B. R. Hackney, a well known and progressive real estate and loan man of Urich, is a native of Henry County and a descendant of a pioneer family of this section. Mr. Hackney was born in White Oak township Janu- ary 28, 1871, a son of George H. and Joseph E. (Riggins) Hackney, both natives of Cole County, Missouri. George H. Hackney served in the Union Army during the Civil War, being a member of Company E, 10th Regiment Missouri Cavalry, serving four years. He died in 1906 and his wife de- parted this life in 1914. George H. Hackney was prominent in the affairs of Henry County and for a number of years was one of its best known
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citizens. He served as a justice of the peace for many years and was county judge from the north district at one time. He served as a mem- ber of the Legislature in the Forty-third General Assembly. He was a man of unusual ability, capable, conscientious and won the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens.
George H. Hackney and wife were the parents of the following chil- dren: Emmett Z., died at the age of sixteen; Jennie C., died at the age of two years; T. B. R., the subject of this sketch; Nannie C., died at the age of twenty-one years ; and William L., died at the age of twenty-seven years; Dr. George B., of Magdalena, New Mexico, is now a member of the Medi- cal Reserve Corps, United States Army; Berthner B., manager of the Kauns Department Store, Urich, Missouri; and Grace B., died at the age of twenty-two years. T. B. R. Hackney received his education in the com- mon schools of Henry County and later attended the University of Mis- souri at Columbia. He then returned to Henry County and was engaged in farming and stock raising for fifteen years. In 1909 he engaged in the real estate and loan business at Urich and is one of the successful men in his line of endeavor in Henry County. During the course of his real estate and loan business he has handled many important transactions.
Mr. Hackney was united in marriage in 1895 with Miss Mary B. Har- ness, daughter of William and Mary (Mullen) Harness of Walker town- ship, Henry County. They were among the early pioneers of this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Hackney have been born three children, Nannie May, Marie A., now the wife of S. R. Taylor, Magdalena, New Mexico ; and Jessie G., who resides at home.
Mr. Hackney is one of the substantial business men of Henry County and the Hackney family are well known and highly respected in the com- munity.
H. B. Ingham, a Union veteran of the Civil War and an interesting pioneer of Henry County, is a native of Ohio. He was born at Chillicothe, Ohio, September 22, 1842, the son of Jonathan and Mary (Miskimims) Ingham, both natives of Ohio. The Ingham family moved to Indiana about 1848 and in 1868 came to Missouri, locating in Henry County in White Oak township. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Nancy J. McClure, died in Topeka, Kansas, in 1915; H. B., the subject of this sketch ; William, deceased ; Oliver Perry, deceased; Rachel M., now living in Urich, Missouri; Mary C., Urich, Missouri; Clara, married Doctor Hod- sell, Clinton, Missouri; and J. C., Urich, Missouri.
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H. B. Ingham received his early education in the public schools of Indiana, and about the time he reached maturity the great Civil War broke out, and he enlisted in September, 1861, with the warring legions of the North, serving in all four years, lacking two months, in Company B, 46th Indiana Infantry Regiment. His regiment was attached to the army of the Cumberland and he participated in many important engage- ments, including Island No. 10, Fort Pillow and Memphis. He was in the campaign against Vicksburg, Mississippi; Lexington, and numerous other engagements and skirmishes. He was at the battle of Champion Hills. Mr. Ingham was wounded in the left leg by a rifle bullet and lay in the camp hospital for a week, and thence to hospital at Millikin's bend, a few miles north of Vicksburg, recuperating there until Vicksburg surrendered. At the close of the war he was mustered out of service and honorably dis- charged at Indianapolis, Indiana, in July, 1865. He then went to Ohio, where he remained about two years and in 1868 came to Henry County, Missouri. He settled on a farm in White Oak township and for over a half century this was his home. In 1914 he removed to Urich and since that time has acted in the capacity of superintendent of the City Park. However, he retains his farm and is interested in farming and stock raising.
Mr. Ingham takes a special pride in keeping the standard of the Urich Park up, which has a far-famed reputation for the excellency of the land- scape and its general beauty. This park has a special historic interest in Henry County from the fact that the annual reunion of the "Blue and the Gray" is held here, and here once a year is recounted from the lips of those who know the various trials incident to laying the foundation of Henry County-the banner county of Missouri. In this park have met in friendly reunion the old soldiers on the third Tuesday in August each year for the past twenty years. Those who wore the blue and those who wore the gray-no braver men on either side ever fought for a principle or principles which they believed to be right than these battle-scarred veterans of a great national misunderstanding. No doubt it was all worth while. Many of these things are beyond our understanding, and no doubt was beyond theirs. At any rate these brave men of the sixties did their duty as they saw it, and today it would be difficult to find an instance in which they did not commend each other for their valor.
Mr. Ingham is unmarried and his sister, Mary C. Ingham, and he reside together in Urich. Mr. Ingham is one of the substantial citizens of Henry County. He was one of the instigators and promoters of the
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"Blue and the Gray" reunions, and for several years served as the adju- tant. For the past eight years he has been commander of the association.
W. C. Norris, a prosperous and progressive farmer and stockman of Honey Creek township, comes from a family of Missouri pioneers on both his maternal and paternal sides. Mr. Norris is a native son of Henry County, and was born in Honey Creek township November 3, 1862. He is a son of W. A. and Nancy V. (Beck) Norris.
W. A. Norris, the father, was born in Cumberland County, Kentucky, in 1831. His parents removed to Warren County, Kentucky, at an early day and here he was reared to manhood and educated. In 1860 he went to Cooper County, Missouri, and in 1861 came to Henry County, and lo- cated in Honey Creek township. He was a Democrat and during the Civil War served in the Home Guards. He was a prosperous farmer and stock raiser and at the time of his death owned about 400 acres of land. He died November 24, 1907, and his remains rest in the Norris Cemetery. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a man of broad acquaintance and prominent in the county. He married Nancy Virginia Beck October 6, 1853, and his widow now resides on the old home place at the ripe old age of eighty-three, and is one of the noble pioneer women of Henry County. The Norris family experienced all the hardships and privations common to the lot of the early pioneers of Henry County. When they settled here trading points and grist mills were inexcessible and they frequently went as far as Holden to mill. They were among the very first to settle in that section of Henry County.
To W. A. and Nancy V. Norris were born the following children: Perlina F., married S. O. Lotspiech, Yelton, Oklahoma; Nancy, married Noah Redford, Urich, Missouri; J. N. C., Urich, Missouri; W. C., the sub- ject of this sketch; Anna, married J. W. Hendricks, Big Creek township, Henry County ; Lucy, married L. C. Redford, Bates County, Missouri; S. C., Honey Creek township, Henry County, Missouri; Cora, now Mrs. C. A. Hendricks, Big Creek township; Effie, married George A. Moore, who re- sides on the home place.
W. C. Norris spent his boyhood days on the home place with his par- ents and received his education in the district schools. When he reached the age of twenty-five years he located on the place where he now resides, which he bought from his father. At first he had forty acres. This he has increased from time to time until he now owns 165 acres. His place is located three and one-fourth miles east of Urich, and is one of the best
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improved places in that vicinity, which bespeaks the thrift, industry and prosperity of its owner. The place is well equipped with a good, modern residence, splendid barns and an up to date silo, and the general layout of the farm in so far as natural advantages are concerned makes of it an ideal stock farm. Mr. Norris is extensively engaged in raising cattle and hogs and has some registered stock. He is an up to date stockman and recognized as one of the leaders in his section of the county.
Mr. Norris has been twice married, his first wife being Goldena Red- ford, of Bogart township, to whom he was married in 1887. She died in 1891. He was married to Miss Olive Ayers February 21, 1906. She is a daughter of H. S. and Martha J. (Keener) Ayers of Hartwell, Missouri. The following children have been born to this union: H. S .; Martha J. (Keener) Ayers; Olive, wife of W. C. Norris ; Elmer E., deceased; Herschel L .; Clara Myrtle, deceased; Pearl, deceased ; Lucy, deceased; W. G., Garden City, and Ruth, Hartwell.
Mrs. Norris comes from a pioneer family. Her grandfather, Israel Keener, was a pioneer of Bourbon County, Kansas, and located in that sec- tion of the Territory of Kansas on Mill Creek, near what is now the Craw- ford County line, long before the Civil War. He died in 1895. His wife bore the maiden name of Hannah Decker, and she died at Mineral, Chero- kee County, Kansas, in January, 1918.
W. C. Norris and wife have one son, William Glen. Mr. Norris is one of the substantial citizens of Henry County and he and Mrs. Norris have an extensive acquaintance and many friends in this section of the State.
William E. Dunn, a well known and progressive farmer and stockman of White Oak township, is a native of Henry County and was born in the township where he now resides. Mr. Dunn is a son of James A. and Jemima (Herrington) Dunn, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Missouri, and both members of pioneer families of this State. James A. Dunn was born in 1844 and came to Henry County with his parents when he was ten years old in 1854. He was a son of Major Dunn, who settled in White Oak township and who was among the very first settlers of this section. Major Dunn frequently recalled the fact that the day he first came to this vicinity a large band of Indians were on a deer hunting expedition and they killed a deer about where the town of Hart- well now stands. Major Dunn was one of the prominent pioneers of Henry County and was among the influential men of the early days. He died in 1869 and was followed in death by his wife three years later in 1872.
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James A. Dunn, father of William E. Dunn, spent his early boyhood days in Honey Creek township and during his lifetime acquired consider- able land, owning about 700 acres. When the Civil War broke out he was a man of deep southern sympathy and cast his lot with the cause of the Confederacy. He joined General Price's army and among the first engage- ments in which he participated was the battle of Lone Jack and continued his service in the Confederate army until the close of the war. He died in September, 1911, his wife and the mother of the subject of this sketch having preceded him in death many years. She passed away in 1878. They were the parents of the following children: William E., the subject of this sketch; Georgia, died in childhood; Nathan James, whose present whereabouts is known; Mrs. Eliza Maude Blevins, now deceased ; and Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. Thomas Childers, Blairstown, Missouri. After the death of the mother James A. Dunn was married to Martha Tarter, and the following children were born to this union: Mrs. Ida Jagerman, Gar- land, Missouri; Mrs. Stella Coe, who resides in Oklahoma ; Mrs. Tina Swart, Blairstown, Missouri; Grady, Ola, Temple, Mabel and John, all residing at home with their mother.
William E. Dunn received his education in the public schools of Henry County, attending school at the Victor school house. At the age of twenty- two years he began farming for himself. In 1897 he purchased his present place of 240 acres in White Oak township. Mr. Dunn has added to his original purchase from time to time until he now owns a splendid farm of 440 acres, under a high state of cultivation. He ranks among the leading farmers and stock raisers of Henry County, and is recognized as a leader. In addition to farming and stock raising he is one of the extensive cattle feeders of this section of the country and his feed yards are usually occu- pied by about 100 head of marketable cattle. The Dunn home presents an appearance of the thrift and progress of its owner and is one of the fine and imposing appearing homes of Henry County.
Mr. Dunn was united in marriage in 1893 with Miss Belle Walker of Shawnee township, Henry County, a daughter of Washington Walker, a worthy pioneer of that section of Henry County, who is now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have been born the following children: Florence, Opal and Edward.
Mr. Dunn is one of the leading farmers and stockmen of his section of Henry County and the Dunn family are prominent in the community. In politics he is a Democrat and he and Mrs. Dunn are members of the Baptist Church.
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William F. Standke, old settler and prosperous citizen of Henry County, is proprietor of one of the prettiest and best kept eighty acre farms in Henry County. His home is a handsome white cottage surrounded by shrubbery and trees, orchards and vineyards, with all kinds of fruits and everything to make a man pleased with himself and make his out- look on life one of pleasant retrospection and undismayed by what the future may hold for him. The man who owns a plot of ground which will produce his living and something over for a rainy day in these times of war and high prices of commodities is fortunate indeed, and Mr. Standke, in spite of a misfortune which resulted in the loss of one hand and part of his arm which renders most farm work impossible for him, is happy and contented, for the simple reason that he has a devoted and capable wife who is able and willing to take much of the work from his shoulders which he is unable to do.
William F. Standke was born in Brandenburg, Germany, January 18, 1853, the son of August and Christina Standke, who immigrated to America in 1871 and made a settlement in Ottawa County, Ohio. August Standke made his home with his oldest daughter in Ohio when old age came upon him and died at her home. There were four children in the Standke family: Mrs. Minnie Frank, Oak Harbor, Ottawa County, Ohio; Mrs. Hannah Myers, died at Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio; William F., subject of this sketch; Mrs. Augusta Tenke, Pendleton, Indiana.
Wliliam F. Standke was educated in the schools of his native land and after coming to America with his parents he was employed in a saw mill in Ottawa County, Ohio, at a wage of $1.75 per day. This was much larger wages than he could ever have received in Germany, a country of notoriously low wages, and he made the best of his opportunity to save a competence. In 1881 he came to Missouri and bought a farm of sixty acres, to which he later added forty acres, upon which he placed every stick and shrub, every vine, and every flower, with the assistance of his capable wife, and also built the cottage home and other farm buildings. It can be truly said that William F. Standke created his own farm from the prairie.
In 1875 he was married to Caroline Neumeister, who was born in Germany, January 28, 1859, and came to America when a child with her parents, Schik and Christina Neumeister. Seven children were born to this marriage: Charles, a farmer in Clinton township; Mrs. Clara Louise Blatt, Toledo, Ohio; William F., New Orleans, Louisiana; George, Indian-
WILLIAM F. STANDKE AND FAMILY
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apolis, Indiana; Mrs. Emma Neif, Toledo, Ohio; Otto, Kansas City, Mis- souri; Mrs. Minnie Brawn, Fairview township.
Mr. Standke is an independent voter. He and Mrs. Standke are members of the Evangelical Association and are a contented and con- genial couple who have the esteem and respect of their neighbors and many friends.
Henry F. Miller, a pioneer merchant of Urich and a member of one of the pioneer families of Henry County is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Bedford County August 8, 1842, and is a son of Jonathan Miller and Sarah A. (Gump) Miller, both natives of Pennsylvania. The Miller family removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois in 1853 and after re- maining there four years they came to Missouri and settled in Bogard township, Henry County, and here the father purchased a farm of eighty acres to which he added from time to time until he owned 400 acres. He was born June 3, 1818. He died in 1892 at the age of seventy-four years. His wife departed this life in April, 1918, at the advanced age of ninety-six years, three months and seven days, and their remains rest side by side in the Urich Cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: Henry F., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Mary E. McCoy, Creighton, Missouri; J. J., Urich, Missouri; Mrs. Susan Coolidge, who resides in North Dakota ; George W., lives in Barton County, Missouri; Mrs. Rebecca Wells, Urich, Missouri; W. C., Urich, Missouri; James, died at the age of two years; R. F., Urich, Missouri; and Mrs. Emma Howard, Kansas City, Missouri.
Henry F. Miller received his education in the public schools of Penn- sylvania, Illinois and Missouri. He was seventeen years of age when the family came to Henry County. He spent his boyhood days not unlike the average boy of that time, and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in Company G, 7th Regiment Missouri Cavalry. Most of his military service during the war was in Missouri and for a long time his regiment was sta- tioned at Warrensburg. He was also with his command in Arkansas and at the close of the war he was honorably discharged and mustered out of the service. He then engaged in farming for five years, when he engaged in the mercantile business at old Urich in partnership with a brother. The new town of Urich came into existence in 1885 and he sold out to his brother, R. F. Miller, and opened a general store in the new town where he has since been engaged in the general mercantile business. Mr. Miller is the pioneer merchant of Urich and has to his credit over a third of a
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century of successful mercantile experience, and during the course of that time he has done business with thousands of people and his honesty, in- tegrity and square business methods have never been brought into ques- tion. He has never had an ambition to be a merchant prince of the large centers of trade, but he has always derived a great deal of satisfaction from the fact that his large circle of patrons and customers have learned to regard his representations with absolute confidence and fidelity.
Mr. Miller was united in marriage March 7, 1875 with Miss Nancy E. Poge, a daughter of William and Delaney Poge, pioneers of Big Creek township, who settled here prior to the Civil War and are both now de- ceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born the following children: Mrs. Inez O. Duncan ; J. F .; Erastus, all living at Urich, Mrs. Amy Blevins.
Mr. Miller is a member of the Masonic Lodge and also holds member- ship in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is a charter member, and he has belonged to the Baptist Church for over fifty years.
Mr. Miller is one of the pioneers of Henry County. He recollects when a boy that goods were hauled from Lexington a distance of over sixty miles, to supply the early settlers of Henry County. He has seen Henry County develop from an unbroken plain to the garden spot of the gods, and has done his part nobly and well in this great transformation that has taken place during his sixty-one years of residence within the borders of this, one of the great political subdivisions of the state of Missouri.
James A. Kerr, a prominent druggist of Urich, belongs to one of the pioneer families of Henry County. He was born in Greenville, Ohio, April 17, 1859, and is a son of Hugh C. and Anna M. (Cromer) Kerr, both na- tives of Pennsylvania. The Kerr family came to Henry County in 1879, where the father bought 208 acres of land, and was engaged in farming and stock raising until the time of his death in 1885. His widow now re- sides in Darke County, Ohio, on a place which her father bought in 1824, To Hugh and Anna M. Cromer were born the following children: William J., deceased; James A., the subject of this sketch; J. C., deceased; Mrs. Azora May Livingston, deceased; and John H., deceased.
Hugh C. Kerr, father of James A. Kerr, was one of the early day advocates of good roads more than fifty years ago in Ohio, and was one of the promoters of what was known as the National Turnpike through his section of the country. It is but recently that men have been brought to the proper conception of the value of good roads. Methods of trans- portation have always been one of the world's great problems and the
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wonder and pity of it is that mankind is so short sighted that they cannot, or will not, see the value of road improvement.
James A. Kerr received his education, principally, in the public schools of Darke County, Ohio. After coming to Henry County he followed farm- ing and stock raising until 1885, when he came to Urich and opened a drug store, in partnership with Dr. J. Noble. He studied pharmacy under the preceptorship of Doctor Noble and their business relations continued for three years. At the expiration of that time, Mr. Kerr bought the interest of his partner in the business which he has since conducted. The Kerr drug store is not only the pioneer drug store of Urich but is the principal one there. Mr. Kerr is up to date. He not only aims to cover the field of the retail druggist, but in his store is found a complete line of what is known to the trade as druggists sundries, a line as complete as can be found in any town.
James A. Kerr was united in marriage June 1, 1896, to Miss Rachel Gillson, a daughter of D. Gilson of Appleton City, Missouri. Her father who was well known throughout western Missouri as Captain Gillson, is now deceased, as is also his wife, and their remains are buried at Appleton City, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Kerr have been born two children, Edith, the wife of R. C. Glenn, a son of Judge Allen Glenn of Harrisonville, Mis- souri, and they reside at Powersville, and Hugh Chester, who resides at home with his parents.
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