USA > Missouri > Henry County > History of Henry County, Missouri > Part 67
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J. L. Hunt is one of six children born to his parents, the others being as follow: J. A., Blairstown, Missouri; T. M., Kankakee, Illinois; A. D., whose address is unknown; Mrs. Jennie Lee White, Lamoni, Iowa, and G. C., Phoenix, Arizona.
J. L. Hunt was reared on a farm in Johnson County, Missouri, and received a good common school education. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age, when he engaged in farm- ing on his own account in Johnson County. Two years later he came to Henry County and purchased his present place, which is located one mile southeast of Blairstown. He settled here January 4, 1886, where he has a valuable and productive farm of forty acres. While Mr. Hunt is not what might be called a large land owner, he is one of the successful and well to do farmers of Big Creek township. In addition to his general farming he also has a splendid orchard which has been a profitable source of income. Mr. Hunt believes that less land, better cared for and better farmed, is the best method of getting good agricultural results.
August 14, 1884, Mr. Hunt was united in marriage with Miss Minnie B. Davis, a native of Madison County, Ohio, and a daughter of Daniel and Margaret Davis, pioneer settlers of Big Creek township and a sketch of whom appears in this volume. The mother died April 30, 1915, and the father is now in his eighty-seventh year. They were the parents of
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the following children: James M., deceased; Mrs. Edna Farnsworth, Holden, Missouri; Minnie B., the wife of J. L. Hunt, the subject of this sketch; D. H., deceased; Apps, on the home place in Big Creek township; William W., deceased; John, a farmer in Big Creek township; Mrs. Bertha Jackson, Holden, Missouri; Lydia, the wife of Robert Wall, Blairstown, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Hunt have been born the following children: Florence, died in infancy : Osee Frances, married Don Cochin, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Iva Edna, married Warren Ellis, Point Marion, Pennsylvania ; Lydia Oleto, who resides at home with her parents.
The Hunt family are well known and prominent in the community. John C. Davis, a prominent citizen of Big Creek township and a lead- ing farmer and stockman, was born on the place where he now resides in October, 1875. He is the son of Daniel and Margaret (Hill) Davis, pioneer settlers of Big Creek township. The mother died in 1915 and the father now resides on the place where he settled in Big Creek township upon coming here after the close of the Civil War. They were the parents of the following children: Monroe, deceased ; Mrs. Edna Farnsworth, Holden, Missouri; Mrs. Minnie Hunt, Big Creek township; Hill, deceased; Apps, on the home place; William, deceased; Mrs. Bertha Jackson, Holden, Mis- souri; John C., the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Lydia Wall, Blairs- town, Missouri.
John C. Davis was reared on the home place and received his educa- tion in the district schools of Big Creek township. He remained at home with his parents and was engaged in farming on the home place until he was twenty-nine years of age, when he purchased his present place from Tobias Doak. His farm consists of one hundred acres of well im- proved land, eighty acres of which is situated in Big Creek township and twenty in Bogard township. The residence, however, is in Big Creek township, one and one-half miles southeast of Blairstown. The residence and other farm buildings are modern and the place in general presents a neat and well kept appearance. Mr. Davis is engaged in general farm- ing and stock raising and has met with a well merited degree of success.
January 11, 1905, John C. Davis was united in marriage with Miss Maud E. Albin, a daughter of D. L. and Hattie M. (Hough) Albin. Both natives of Ohio and now residents of Chilhowee, Missouri. D. L. and Hattie M. Albin are the parents of the following children: Alice, married Oscar Ward; Charles, resides at Greenfield, Oklahoma; Maud, the wife of John C. Davis, the subject of this sketch; Ethel, married Walter Doak,
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Greenfield, Oklahoma; Gertrude, married Howard Waugh; Roy Albin, Big Creek township; Myrtle, died at the age of eighteen, and Edith and Edna, twins; Edith resides at home and Edna is now the wife of Fred Shiel, Greenfield, Oklahoma, and Nadine resides at home. To John C. Davis and wife have been born three children: Frances Alberta, Dorothy May and Elmer Lee.
Mr. Davis is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America No. 2888, Blairstown, Missouri, and Mrs. Davis belongs to the Royal Neighbors. The Davis family are well known and are numbered among the leading citizens of Henry County.
Jefferson A. Hunt, a prominent farmer and stockman of Bogard town- ship, is a native of Missouri. He was born in Pike County in 1865, a son of A. J. and Margaret Jane (Keifer) Hunt. The mother is now deceased. She died in October, 1893, aged fifty-four years. The father now lives with J. A., the subject of this sketch.
Jefferson A. Hunt came to Henry County with his parents in 1868 when he was about three years of age. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools. When twenty-one years of age he began farming on his own account. In 1890 he purchased his first land in Big Creek township, which he later sold and for twelve years was in the Government service as a rural mail carrier out of the Blairs- town postoffice. He bought his present farm of two hundred acres in May, 1917. It is located one mile west of Blairstown in Bogard town- ship, and is one of the valuable farms of northwestern Henry County. It is well improved with a good residence and other farm buildings which bespeaks the industry of its owner.
J. A. Hunt was united in marriage in 1887 with Miss Susan B. Lot- spiech, a daughter of John and Caroline (Potts) Lotspiech, both now de- ceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Hunt have been born three children, who are now living, as follow: Walter A., married Goldie Pope, and resides at Blairstown, Missouri; Dorris C. and Howard W., residing at home with their parents.
Mr. Hunt is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America of Blairstown. He is one of the suc- cessful men of the county, and has made good through his own industry and integrity. He began with nothing and by his own unaided efforts. has become one of the prosperous men of the community.
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Jesse C. Merrill, a leading farmer and stockman of Bogard township, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Vermillion County, Illinois, Sep- tember 26, 1853, a son of William C. and Susan (Smith) Merrill. William C. Merrill, the father, was a native of New Hampshire and a very early settler in Illinois. He died at Rossville, Illinois, in 1853. He was a son of Jesse C. Merrill, a native of Ireland. Susan (Smith) Merrill, the mother of Jesse C. Merrill, of this sketch, was a native of England, and came to America with her parents, who settled in Illinois at an early date. Will- iam C. and Susan (Smith) Merrill were the parents of two children: Jesse C., the subject of this sketch, and Florence, who married J. D. Wil- son and now resides in Denver, Colorado. After the death of William C. Merrill his widow married James Carter and the following children were born to that union: Mary Carter, Denver, Colorado; Mrs. Mattie E. Mowery, Rossville, Illinois, and J. Oscar Carter, Mendon, Ohio.
Jesse C. Merrill was educated in the public schools of Vermillion County, Illinois, and the Danville Business College at Danville, Illinois, where he was graduated in 1876. He then engaged in farming, which he successfuly followed in his native State, until 1912, when he came to Henry County, Missouri, and bought his present place in Bogard town- ship. It is located about two miles west of Blairstown and is one of the valuable farms of Henry County. It consists of four hundred acres and was formerly known as the Quick farm. When Mr. Merrill came here he immediately erected a new modern residence which is up-to-date in every particular. It is a two story, eleven room structure, equipped with light, water and heat systems. The other buildings about the place, in- cluding the barns and garage, are thoroughly in keeping with the resi- dence. Mr. Merrill is extensively engaged in stock raising and is one of the successfful stockmen of the county. He has on his place usually about sixty head of cattle, thirty horses and mules and from seventy-five to one hundred hogs. The place is nicely located on the state highway which runs from Garden City to Blairstown.
On February 16, 1876, Jesse C. Merrill was united in marriage with Miss Nancy J. Partlow, a native of Vermillion County, Illinois, and a daughter of Jesse L. and Rachel (Davidson) Partlow, both of whom are now deceased. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Mary E. Anderson, Frederick, Oklahoma; Mrs. Annie Robins, Huron, South Dakota; Nancy J., wife of Jesse C. Merrill, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Lillie B. Sale, Urbana, Illinois; and Mrs. Ida Rush, South
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Wayne, Wisconsin. Two Jesse C. Merrill and wife have been born six children as follow: Dr. Susan R. (Merrill) Cooper, a graduate of the Cincinnati Medical College and now a practicing physician at Aurora, Nebraska; William and Lillie, twins, the former now residing at Gilt- ner, Nebraska, and the latter at home with her parents, and both are graduates of the Rossville High School, Rossville, Illinois ; John R., also a graduate of the Rossville, Illinois High School, is now a farmer and stock- man in Big Creek township, Henry County; Mrs. Grace R. Ernst, Mc- Cook, Nebraska, and Hunter, married Jessie May Waugh, and resided on the home farm until he became a private in the National Army sta- tioned at Camp Funston, August 1, 1918.
The Merrill family rank among the leading people of Henry County and Mr. Merrill is one of our substantial and progressive citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, he is a Republican.
A. H. Weakley, the present superintendent of the Henry County Home has earned the well-merited reputation of being one of Henry County's most efficient public officers. Mr. Weakley was born in Fair- field County, Ohio, in 1867, a son of Harrison and Martha (Messie) Weakley, both natives of Fairfield County, Ohio, and they now reside at Stoutsville, Ohio. They were the parents of the following children: A. H., the subject of this sketch; Effie; Arthur C .; Della and Edward, de- ceased; Mrs. Etta Lest, who resides in Pickaway County, Ohio; Mrs. Lydia Marks, Fairfield County, Ohio; and Lula Belle, deceased. -
A. H. Weakley was reared and educated in Fairfield County, Ohio, and in 1886 came to Henry County, Missouri. He settled at Deepwater, where he was successfully engaged in painting and paper hanging for twenty years. In 1911, he was appointed superintendent of the Henry County Home, which is one of the best conducted institutions of the kind in the State. Mr. Weakley possesses the faculty of not only making the place a real home for the unfortunate whose condition in life necessi- tate such institutions, but he also has been successful in conducting this institution with a minimum expense to the county. This is not because the inmates are not properly cared for and properly fed, for the reverse is quite true of the Henry County Home. Under Mr. Weakley's capable management he keeps the production of the home farm up to the highest state of efficiency. He raises from twenty to twenty-five head of hogs annually for the consumption of the home and also keeps a sufficient
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number of cows to furnish an ample supply of milk and butter, and every field of production is represented here. In 1917 he raised over four hundred chickens. Under his management the Home is as nearly self-sustaining as would seem possible, with from twenty to thirty inmates, which is about the usual number.
Mr. Weakley was united in marriage in 1899 with Miss Inez McGinnis, a daughter of John McGinnis of Deepwater, Missouri; to this union was born the following children: Ray and Fay, twins; Ray is now a soldier in the United States Army, having enlisted in August, 1917, and is now with the American Expeditionary Forces in France; Fay, is a student in the Catholic Academy, at Clinton, Missouri; Clifford; Ruth; and Lula Belle, residing at home with their father.
Mr. Weakley is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is one of the substantial men of Henry County.
John Ream, now deceased, was a prominent farmer and stockman of Fields Creek township. He was a native of Ohio, born in Richland County, October 17, 1839, a son of Henry Ream, a native of Pennsyl- vania, who came to Grundy County, Missouri, in 1853, and here spent the remainder of his life. John Ream received his education in the public schools of Ohio and Missouri. In 1910 he came to Henry County and purchased a farm of one hundred fifty-four acres, about three miles north of Clinton in Fields Creek township. Here he was engaged in farming and stock raising until the time of his death. He was a good citizen and held in the highest esteem by all who knew him, and his death was not only a loss to his family but to Henry County. Mr. Ream died May 10, 1917.
John Ream was united in marriage June 29, 1886, with Miss Eleanor Rhea, a daughter of Archibald and Sarah (Sterrett) Rhea, both now de- ceased. John and Eleanor (Rhea) Ream, were the parents of the fol- lowing children: Ethel, died at the age of two years; Robert Rhea was born in Grundy County in 1889 and resides on the home place with his mother; John S. was born in 1896, educated in the public schools of Hickory County and enlisted in United States Navy at St. Louis, De- cember 27, 1917, and while at the Great Lakes Training Station on Lake Michigan, contracted pneumonia and died April 21, 1918, his remains being interred in the Rural Dale Cemetery at Clinton, Missouri.
John Ream was first married to Miss Elizabeth Casteel of Trenton, Missouri, who died December 23, 1884, leaving the following children:
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Mrs. Anna Smith, Lamar, Colorado; J. M. Trenton, Missouri; B. T., Trenton, Missouri; Lafayette, deceased; Mrs. Nettie Ramage, deceased, and Mrs. Katurah Ramage, resides east of Clinton, Missouri.
Mrs. Eleanor (Rhea) Ream is a descendant of a Virginia and Mis- souri pioneer family. Her father, Archibald Rhea died in 1863 when Mrs. Ream was about one year old, and his remains are buried in the Pickett Cemetery in Mercer County, Missouri. Her mother died in 1896 and is buried in Trenton, Missouri. Mrs. Ream is one of four children born to her parents, as follow: Margaret, deceased; Abriska Stewart, deceased ; Samuel, Adairsville, Kentucky; and Eleanor, who married John Ream, the subject of this sketch.
Robert Rhea Ream, son of John and Eleanor (Rhea) Ream, was reared and educated in Grundy and Hickory counties, Missouri, and in 1910, came to Henry County, and since that time has been engaged in farming and stock raising on the home place. He was united in mar- riage in 1910 with Miss Addie M. Pierce, a daughter of Charles and Minnie B. Loomis Pierce, who settled in Hickory County, Missouri, sev- eral years ago, coming from Iowa. Mrs. Ream was the only child born to her parents, who now reside in Hickory County. To Mr. and Mrs. Ream have been born three children, Lois Louise, Francis Marion and Robert Pierce. Mr. Ream is one of the progressive young men of Henry County and the Ream family are well and favorably known in this sec- tion.
Thomas J. Bilderback .- The "Walnut Grove Stock Farm," located in Osage township, is owned and operated by Mr. T. J. Bilderback, a pro- gressive farmer who realizes the opportunities of raising and feeding cat- tle in this section. The ideal conditions of living within a corn-growing district where feed of the right sort is plentiful and easy access to the large city markets offers unusual advantages to the stockman. Mr. Bil- derback was born in Laclede County, Missouri, May 7, 1855, and is the son of Thomas B. and Sarah (Rimmers) Bilderback. Thomas Bilder- back was born February 3, 1822, in Pennsylvania, the son of Daniel and Sarah (Castleman) Bilderback. His parents moved from Pennsyl- vania, to Ohio and from there to Illinois and to Laclede County, Missouri, in 1847. They were the first settlers in the vicinity when they settled, the closest neighbor being fifteen miles and the gristmill, twenty-five miles away.
When the Civil War broke out Mr. Bilderback served in the Union
FARM RESIDENCE OF MR. AND MRS. T. J. BILDERBACK
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Army for four years, and at its close returned to his farm in Laclede County and farmed until his death, May 19, 1894. Mrs. Sarah (Rimmers) Bilderback was born in November, 1825, a native of Tennessee. She died July 4, 1890 and was buried in Bilderback Cemetery, where her hus- band was later laid away. They were the parents of seven children: Elizabeth, deceased; Sarah J., deceased; Henry L., Judson, Stephen W., Thomas J., and Elzina.
Thomas J. Bilderback was educated in Laclede County schools and previous to his coming to Henry County in 1885 he farmed there. In 1890 he purchased 120 acres and later added 200 more acres, making 320 acres that he is farming. A small two-room house was on the premises at the time he purchased it, which he replaced in 1894 by a seven-room home. He has two barns and a silo. The first barn used for his cattle is 40x100 feet with a silo. A car track conveys the ensilage from the silo to the feeding troughs. The second barn used for the horses is 60x80 feet. Mr. Bilderback ships three carloads of cattle and two carloads of hogs each year.
On August 4, 1885, Thomas T. Bilderback and Nancy C. Stewart were united in marriage and have the following children: Earl C., married Clara Crabtree, Abbey, Canada; Pearl, wife of Claude Joplin, of Kansas City, Missouri; W. M., deceased; Ada, Katryne and Golson, at home. Mrs. Nancy Bilderback was born November 22, 1867, the daughter of Henry H. and Rebecca F. (Curd) Stewart, who were both born in Henry County, the former now living at Albion, Oklahoma, aged 76 years, and the latter died on December 5, 1876. They were the parents of the following: Ada, deceased; Nancy Katherine, wife of T. J. Bilderback; John H., Albion, Oklahoma; William, Deepwater, Missouri; Francis, Seattle, Washington. Henry H. Stewart was married the second time to Mrs. Lizzie (Rickett) Jackson, a widow, who bore him two sons: George, Romona, Oklahoma; and Earl, Albion, Oklahoma.
The Walnut Grove Stock Farm is indeed a credit to the county and Mr. Bilderback and his family are valuable citizens.
John Martin, one of the leading farmers of Fields Creek town- ship, was born in Germany, June 21, 1867, and as he says, he came to America when he was twenty years old to escape Prussian military servi- tude, and has never regretted the day that he made the decission. He landed in New York City, October 11, 1887. He worked in a cooper shop eighteen months. He then went to Iowa, where he was engaged in farm-
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ing and stock raising until 1913. During that year he came to Missouri- and bought two hundred forty acres of land in Fields Creek township, four miles northwest of Clinton. He has improved this place consider- ably since that time, having built a large barn, a silo and other farm buildings and today has one of the well-improved and valuable farms of the county. He follows general farming extensively and is also well known as a successful stock raiser. He specializes in high-grade Short- horn and white-faced cattle and Poland China hogs. He makes a prac- tice of finishing for the market all the cattle which he raises on the place and usually markets about two carloads of cattle and two car loads of hogs each year.
Mr. Martin was married in Iowa City, Iowa, February 22, 1894, to. Miss Julia Lohrer, a daughter of Lawrence and Elizabeth Rist Lohrer, natives of Germany. Mrs. Martin was born in Germany in 1868 and came to America with her sister, Mary, in 1886. Mrs. Martin has a brother, John, and a sister, Mary, who reside in Lane County, Iowa, and the following brothers and sisters live in Germany, Anthony, Helen, Louise, Leo and Joseph.
To John Martin and wife have been born the following children; Elizabeth, a teacher in St. Matthews Parish, St. Louis, Missouri; Ernest, farmer in Iowa; Herbert, farming in Iowa; George, resides at home and is now a student in the Commercial College at Clinton. Otto, also a stu- dent in that institution; Joseph and Lawrence.
Mr. Martin takes a deep interest in local affairs and is always ready and willing to lend his co-operation to any movement for the betterment and up-building of his township and county. He is the present clerk of School District No. 40. When he left his native land and came to this country he was without capital but the opportunities offered here, coupled with his industry and good management, has won for him a competence- and comfortable home. When he left Germany, he had much difficulty in escaping the vigilance of the officers. In order to escape he made the trip through Switzerland, France and Belgium and in that way evaded the officers. In order to avoid suspicion he carried no baggage what- ever and all his earthly possessions consisted of the clothes which he- wore. His recollection on the military system of Germany is anything but pleasant and he has no patience with any man who has prospered and made a home offered by America that has any vestage of sympathy with any other country. His doctrine is that if they love their native
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land that is where they should have remained. In politics he is a Re- publican. He and all of his family are members of the Catholic Church. Herbert is a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Frank Keck, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Fields Creek township, is a native son of Henry County. He was born in Clinton, February 5, 1865, a son of Constantine and Amelia (Holly) Keck. The former a native of Germany and the latter of Ohio. Constantine Keck came to Missouri in 1836 when he was sixteen years of age and settled in Cooper County. In 1862 he came to Henry County and for a time carried mail between Clinton and Sedalia, before the railroad was built. Afterwards he purchased one hundred twenty acres of land to which he added one hundred sixty acres, which now is a part of the Keck homestead. He built one of the first brick residences in Henry County, in the early days. This is now the home of Fred Keck, and is one of the most substantial residences in the county today.
To Constantine and Amelia (Holly) Keck were born the following children, Frank, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. George Russell; Her- man; John; Fred; who reside on the old home place; and Arthur. Frank Keck was reared and educated in Henry County, and has made farming and stock raising his life work. He has succeeded in his well-directed efforts and today is one of the well-to-do and substantial citizens of Fields Creek township. His farm is located three miles northwest of Clinton, and was known as the Waddell place. Since purchasing this place Mr. Keck has rebuilt the residence and also erected a large barn and made other improvements, which places his farm in a class among the well-improved and valuable places of Henry County. He is extensively en- gaged in stock raising and general farming, making a specialty of regis- tered Shorthorn cattle.
On March 20, 1895, Frank Keck was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Smith, a native of Iowa, and a daughter of George and Cathryn (McVay) Smith; the father died in Iowa in 1866, and the same year the mother came to Henry County, Missouri, where they had purchased a place prior to Mr. Smith's death. Mrs. Smith spent the remainder of her life in this county, and died September, 1910, and her remains are interred in the Englewood Cemetery. Mrs. Keck is the oldest of a family of thiee children, the others being James J., and Edgar, who reside on the old homestead.
To Frank Keck and wife have been born the following children:
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Anna Belle, George C., James H., and Robert H., all residing at home with their parents.
The Keck residence is one of the modern homes of Henry County. It is equipped with an acetelyne lighting system and he has installed a water system and other conveniences which furnish all the conveniences of a city with the freedom of the country.
William M. Meredith, a farmer and stockman of Fields Creek town- ship is a native of Missouri and a descendant of a pioneer family. He was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, November 22, 1854, and is a son of William Dangerfield Meredith and Sarah J. Meredith. The former was a native of Virginia and located in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1833. He was a carpenter and worked on the old State Capitol building at Jeffer- son City. He also donated to the State a part of the Capitol grounds ; he died in Jefferson City in 1860 and his remains are buried there. Sarah J. Meredith was a native of Franklin County, Virginia. She died in 1856. They were the parents of the following children: Henry, died in California; Ed; Mrs. Susan Collins; Mrs. Mary Knisley ; Peter; Louis, all deceased; and Mrs. Sally Woody, Clinton township, Henry County ; and William M., the subject of this sketch.
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