USA > Missouri > Cedar County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 64
USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 64
USA > Missouri > Barton County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 64
USA > Missouri > Hickory County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 64
USA > Missouri > Polk County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 64
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
P., Mary T., who died in 1886, at the age of twenty-seven years, the wife of David Rogers, of Greene County; and Finis Lee, are deceased. Mr. Ralph has been an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for over thirty years, and in his political views is a stanch Republican. During the late war he served as second lieutenant of Company E of the Enrolled Militia, in Col. Johnson's regiment.
Henegar Roberts, a prominent old resident of Polk County, Mo., was born in Anderson County, Tenn., April 11, 1831, and is a son of Moses and Maria Roberts, who were Virginians. They both died in Illinois when their son Henegar was a small lad. The latter was then taken by an uncle, Stephen Porter, back to Tennessee, but he only remained with him one year, and then made his home with his grandfather a short time. He con- tinued to make his home with his relations until twenty-two years of age, and then began depending on his own resources to obtain a livelihood, and engaged in farming, which occupation he has followed in connection with stock-raising up to the present time. In 1856 he came to Polk County, Mo., and was engaged in tilling the soil on rented land until 1865, when he came to his present location, which is one of the most fertile and well-tilled farms in the county. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and is a stanch Republican in politics. He at all times supports the cause of education, religion, as well as all public enterprises of worth, and commands the respect and confidence of his neighbors and acquaintances. In 1855 he was married to Miss Martha Rule, a daughter of Henry Rule. She was born in Knox County, Tenn., November 17, 1838, and is the mother of eight children: William H., a farmer and school teacher ; Leroy, also a farmer and school teacher ; Nancy J., wife of Henry Rusk; Sarah Ann, wife of Columbus Williamson ; Adaline, wife of Henry Vest ; Joseph M., Orlie O. and Arthur J. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
William S. Roberts was born in McMinn County, Tenn., March 25, 1821, his parents being Benjamin and Judah (Meadows) Roberts, both of whom were supposed to have been born in Virginia. They were married in Middle Tennessee, on the Cumberland River, in Jackson County, and about 1819 moved to McMinn County, where they spent the remainder of their days, the father dying soon after the war at the age of eighty-five years, and the mother in 1840, when some fifty-five years old. They were earnest workers for the cause of Christianity, and had been church members for many years. Although usually voting the Democratic ticket, he was not deeply interested in politics. His father, Edwin Roberts, was a Revolutionary soldier, and was a participant in the battle of Brandywine. Benjamin was a successful farmer, and after the death of his first wife married a
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Mrs. Coffee. William S. Roberts was the eldest of three sons and four daughters, and after attending the common schools of Tennessee until he was twenty-two years of age, he left home and began depending on his own resources for obtaining a liveli- hood, being engaged in farming. His means at first were quite limited, but by determination and energy he has been quite suc- cessful, and now ranks among the leading agriculturists of the county. After residing in McMinn County until 1843 he moved to Bradley County, where he resided four years, then returning to McMinn County. In 1854 he drove through to Missouri with a two-horse wagon, and after renting land on the Sac River, in Polk County, for two years, purchased the farm on which he is now residing. In November, 1842, he married Catherine Walker, a daughter of Robert Walker. She was born in McMinn County, Tenn., June 9, 1822, and eight of ten children born to her mar- riage are living: Pinkney C., Sarah, wife of John Stanley; James P .; Franklin F., a physician of Bolivar, Mo .; Minerva L., wife of Bynen Lunsford, a miller of Benton County, Ark .; Tennessee, wife of Burr Rainey, a blacksmith and farmer; Amanda, wife of James Johnson, a farmer of Polk County; and Thomas E., who resides at home, and is now attending school at Bolivar Catherine and Larney are deceased. Mr. Roberts is a Democrat, a member of the Masonic fraternity, a member of the Masonic Benevolent Society, and he and wife are consistent members of the Methodist Church.
Joseph F. Roberts, M. D., was born in McMinn County, Tenn., December 13, 1850, being the fourth child of William S. and Catherine (Walker) Roberts, both natives of Tennessee. In 1854 they located in this county, where they have since lived, their family consisting of eight children, four sons and four daughters. Mr. Roberts has been a farmer all his life. Joseph F. was raised on the farm, receiving a good education in the public schools and at Bolivar Academy. At the age of nineteen years he began the study of medicine under Dr. J. W. Farmer, in 1871 and 1872 taking his first course of lectures in St. Louis Medical College, whence he went to Texas and practiced there till 1876, when he returned. He then took a second course of lec- tures in Missouri Medical College, graduating in 1877, after which he located in Bolivar, where he has since practiced. Dr. Roberts is a member of the Southwest Missouri Medical Society, Missouri State Medical Association, and of the Examining Board of Surgeons for the Pension Department. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a Democrat and a member of the Presbyterian Church. In 1880 he married Cornelia E. Simpson, a native of South Caro- lina, by whom he has had four children: Nellie C., William W., Sue, and Lydie. Dr. Roberts owns a farm of about 200 acres.
Judge James Rule, presiding judge of Polk County Court,
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
was born in Knox County, Tenn., February 6, 1837, being one of six surviving members of a family of eight children born to Henry and Nancy (Tarwater) Rule, who were born in Virginia and Tennessee in 1813 and 1812, respectively. They emigrated to Missouri in 1866, and have since resided in Polk County. The father learned and worked at the blacksmith's trade when a young man, and was also engaged in preaching the gospel, being a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Since coming to Missouri he has been engaged in farming, and also does local preaching. Their children are as follows: William, a farmer of Kansas; James, the subject of this sketch; Martha, wife of H. Roberts, a farmer of Polk County; Harriet, wife of James Cox, of Knox County, Tenn .; Matthew A., of Knox County, Tenn .; and Nancy J., wife of James White, farmer of Barber County, Kan. Judge James Rule received his rudimentary education in the common schools of his native county, and afterward attended Ball Camp Academy. At the age of twenty-two years, he left his parents and began teaching `school, and at the end of two years opened a grocery store, which he conducted about one year. He then came West, and located in Polk County, Mo., and was engaged in farm work until the breaking out of the Rebellion, and then joined the Home Guards, and after a few months enlisted in Company C of the Eighth Missouri State Militia, and served three years. He was lieutenant the latter part of the war, and was in several skirmishes, and for a time in the quartermaster's department. After his return from the war he engaged in the peaceful pursuit of farming in Pettis County, and then returned to Polk County and began farming on Twenty-five Mile Prairie, buying, in 1866, a farm of 200 acres, to which he has since added 444 acres of as good land as can be found in Polk County; 400 acres are prairie land and under cultivation. Mr. Rule is a Republican in politics, and in 1880 was elected assessor of Polk County, and after serving two years, was elected presiding judge of the county, being re-elected in 1886. He also served some time as collector. He is now a member of the G. A. R. Octo- ber 7, 1866, he was married to Miss Sarah Collins, who was born in Illinois, in 1844, and by her he has a family of four children: Nancy A., wife of George W. Skidmore; Henry W., Grace and Myrtle. Mr. and Mrs. Rule are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Sebern Sallee, Sr., a member of the firm of Sallee & Cowden, proprietors of the Roller Mills at Pleasant Hope, Mo., was born in Marion County, Ark., near Yellville, on the 14th of October, 1854, and is a son of John K. and Permelia (Hudson) Sallee, the former being a native of Schuyler County, Ill., and the latter of Tennessee. The mother died in 1867, and the father afterward married Sarah Looney, and is now living in Greene County, Mo.
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POLK COUNTY.
He has been a farmer all his life, but was a heavy loser during the late Civil War. He served two years and six months in the Federal army, and took an active part in the battles of Wilson's Creek, Prairie Grove and others. His first union resulted in the birth of eight children, seven of whom are living. Sebern Sallee was the fourth child, and received his education in Greene and Polk Counties, and after attaining his seventeenth year began working for Robertson & Bedell, near Ebenezer, Greene County, and, after learning the trade of engineer, followed that calling for five years. During this time he was in the saw-mill business in different places in those counties. In 1881 he came to Pleasant Hope and purchased and operated the mills up to the present time, they being among the best in the county. In November, 1878, he was married to Miss Mary Violet Crockett, a daughter of David Crockett, who was a relative of Davy Crockett, of Tennessee. She was born in Hickory County, and died on the 26th of September, 1888, having borne a family of six children, four of whom are living: Allie, Mayland, Zoe and Louis. Anna and Albert are deceased. The mother of these children was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. Sallee is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, a Mason, a mem- ber of the Wheel, and in his political views is a Republican.
A. F. Shriner, of the real estate firm of J. N. Sperry & Co., and one of the prominent business men of Bolivar, is the son of Allison and Melvina (Smith) Shriner, natives of Ohio, and of. German and English descent, respectively. After marriage they lived in Ohio until 1867, when they located in Illinois, and in 1870 came to Polk County, Mo., settling on a farm, where they are now living. He is a Republican in politics; is a farmer by occupation, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. During the war he served a short time in the Union Army. In their family were six children, three sons and three daughters. A. F. Shriner, the eldest of this family, was born in Vinton County, Ohio, July 29, 1860, and while growing up received a good education, first in the public schools, and after- ward in the Southwest Baptist College, at Bolivar, attending up to the last term of the senior year. At the age of nineteen he began teaching, and for two years was principal of the Buffalo, Mo., public schools, and an equal length of time was princi- pal of Pleasant Hope Academy, Polk County. Having taught until 1888, he became a member of the above firm. He is an energetic and highly respected young business man; is a Knight Templar, an Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias, and in his political views he affiliates with the Republican party.
James G. Simpson, an attorney-at-law and mayor of Bolivar, was born in Laurens County, S. C., December 2, 1846. At the age of sixteen years he entered the State Military Academy of
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BIOGRAPIIICAL APPENDIX.
South Carolina. In the fall of 1864, the corps of cadets to which he belonged was called out into the Confederate service in front of Sherman. His captain was Hugh S. Thompson. Soon after the war our subject read law under W. D. Simpson, chief justice of South Carolina, and was admitted to the bar in 1867. After that he was engaged in railroad surveying, and continued this until 1872, when he came to Bolivar, and has been engaged in the legal profession at this place ever since. From 1875 to 1883 he held the position of probate judge and for two years he has been mayor of Bolivar. He is a Knight Templar, having been presiding officer of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Com- mandery. Politically he is a Democrat, though the county goes over 300 Republican. In connection with his profession Mr. Simpson deals in land. For a companion in life he chose Miss Eliza White, a native of Bolivar, whose grandparents were early pioneers of Polk County. Mr. Simpson is accounted one of the successful attorneys of the county, and is a man highly respected by all who know him. He is secretary of the Polk County Agricultural and Mechanical Society. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is one of the incorporators of the same, and has been one of its trustees.
James P. Slagle, judge from the Eastern district of the Polk County Court, and who now resides a short distance from Slagle, Looney Township, was born November 22, 1828, in Henry County, West Tenn., and is the son of Jacob and Frances (Dunlap) Slagle. The paternal grandparents were originally from Virginia, but emigrated to Polk County, Mo., where they passed their last days, he dying some time in the forties, and she three years previous to his death. The maternal grandparents were originally from Vir- ginia, lived for some time in Kentucky, and afterward moved to Henry County, Tenn., where they passed their last days. The parents of our subject were both natives of Kentucky, born in 1796 and 1801 respectively, were married in their native State about 1818, and soon afterward moved to Mississippi (1820). Here they remained a short time, and then moved to Henry County, Tenn., where the father followed farming for twelve years. In in 1832 he emigrated to what is now Polk County, Mo., locating eight miles south of Bolivar, and soon after served in a company engaged in fighting the Indians. He died on the old homestead in 1851, and the mother died in 1856. James P. Slagle is the sixth of eight children, six now living, and grew to manhood in Polk County, where he received an ordinary common school education. Miss Barbara L. Barham, a native of Kentucky, born in 1833, became his wife in 1855, and to them were born nine children, eight now living: William F., Alice E., Benjamin P., Fannie B., Charles C., Wade H., Ella C. and Emma V. (twins). Mrs. Slagle is the daughter of James F. and Margaret (Holbrook)
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POLK COUNTY.
Barham, and emigrated to Greene County, Mo., with her parents at an early day. She is a member of the Baptist Church. Under the township organization Judge Slagle was elected judge of Looney Township in 1872, but before taking his seat the Legis- lature repealed the township organization system. At the gen- eral election of 1888 he was elected an associate judge from the Eastern district of Polk County on the Democratic ticket, in which capacity he is now serving. He is a member of the Bap- tist Church also.
John M. Smith. Among the very first settlers of this county were John T. and Mary (Russell) Williams, natives of Virginia, where they were married, and lived until about 1811, when they moved to Monroe County, Ky., and in 1830 to this county, locating one and a half miles west of Brighton. They were the first white family in the county, although the same year five other families came in, viz .: John Mooney, Jacob Yocum, Absalom Renfrow, Cyrus Patterson and Andy Bass. The nearest neighbor to Mr. Williams, when he first located here, was at Springfield. The only living child of that family in this county, and the lady who wove the first piece of cloth in the county, is Mrs. Martha Smith, widow of James H. M. Smith. She was born in Monroe County, Ky., March 31, 18II, and has lived continuously in Polk County since 1830. Nine children were born to her mar- riage, six of whom are now living. Her husband, James H. M. Smith, was born in Mercer County, Ky., January 26, 1806, and with his parents came to the northern part of Missouri, and in 1833 to this county. He was a farmer and stock-raiser by occu- pation, and filled the office of justice of the peace for several years. He and wife were married January 4, 1835, and the names of their living children are: Lenna H., John M., Annie J., Hugh L., William T. and Margaret E. Mr. Smith died Septem- ber 16, 1867. Mrs. Smith's father paid rent to the Indians the second year he was in this county, the rent being two sides of bacon and five bushels of shelled corn. John M. Smith, one of the above-mentioned children, and now postmaster at Morris- ville, Mo., was born in Looney Township, Polk County, Mo., September 7, 1837, was reared on a farm, and educated in the district schools. Having worked at home until September 14, 1858, he married Miss Sarah F. McKnight, a native of Jackson County, Mo., and ten children, nine now living, were born to this union. The children were named as follows: Martha L. B., Mary D., Robert M., Montie L., Homer E., Leda E., Sarah F., Beulah and Georgie A. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In June, 1861, he enlisted in Capt. B. F. Mitchell's company, Clarkston's Confed- erate State Guards, and served six months. Early in 1862 he joined Capt. A. C. Bradford's company, Gibbons' Battalion
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Confederate Cavalry, and soon after his company dismounted and became infantry. In February, 1862, he was commissioned third lieutenant, and served in that capacity until his discharge at Tupelo, Miss., in July, 1862. On his way home he was cap- tured, taken to Springfield and paroled. He was at the battles of Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge. At the former battle a piece of shell struck him, cutting to the bone, in his cheek, and break- ing his collar bone. In December, 1865, he opened a store at Evansville, Ark., and continued in the same for four years, after which he returned to this county, and followed agricultural pur- suits until 1885, when he moved to Morrisville. In August, 1885, he was appointed postmaster, and has held that position since. He is also insurance agent; has been justice of the peace several years, and took the census of Looney Township in 1880. He has lived in this county for forty-six years, and since his majority has voted the Democratic ticket.
J. C. Smith, deputy collector of Polk County, Mo., was born in East Tennessee, in 1844, and is the son of Morris and Amanda (Jarnagin) Smith. Morris Smith was born in Alabama, in 1822, and resided in that State until over fourteen years of age, when he moved with his parents to East Tennessee. He there grew to manhood and there married Miss Jarnagin, who was born in Ten- nessee. After marriage, or in 1853, they emigrated to Missouri and located in Polk County, where the mother died in 1857, and the father in 1885. Mr. Smith was in principle a Union man, serving in the Polk County Home Guards; was a Republican and took an active part in politics. He was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. To his marriage were born six children, four now living, J. C. Smith being the eldest and only son. The latter attained his growth in Polk County, and supplemented a common school education with a course in the graded school at Bolivar. He then needed nothing but discipline to fit him for the teacher's profession, and during the fourteen years that he was in the school-room he was accounted one of the most popu- lar educators in this and adjoining counties. In connection with his school duties he also carried'on farming, and is now the owner of 300 acres of land. He was elected assessor of Polk County, but the township organization took effect, and, as a consequence, he did not serve. He filled the position of deputy assessor in 1872. He was deputy collector of revenue for Polk County, in 1887, and has served two years. During the late war he was a member of Company D, Eighth Regiment Missouri State Militia, for three years, enlisting March 1, 1862, and being discharged March 5, 1865. He is a member of the G. A. R., and was first commander of the post at Fair Play, and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was married to Miss Maggie E. Thomp- son, on September 7, 1869. She was born in Polk County, Mo.,
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POLK COUNTY.
March 25, 1846, and by her marriage became the mother of eight children: Vida, wife of A. C. Mead; J. Ira, Nora A., Ada M., John M., Eugene, Orlena (deceased), and William. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. The paternal grandfather was a native of Scotland, and emigrated to Alabama, where he died, and the paternal great-grandfather was also a native of Scotland. The paternal great-grandmother was a native of Ireland.
Alexander Snodgrass, his wife Malinda, and their three children - William L., Thomas A. and James C .- emigrated from Sullivan County, Tenn., in the fall of 1854, and settled in Madison Township, Polk County, Mo., on " Jump Off" Creek, near the Cedar County line. The family was very poor, having one old horse, ten dollars in money, and such articles of furniture as could be brought in a two-horse wagon, in which they came upon reaching the county. It was one of those " dry years," consequently this family had a very hard time to get along. The other horse and the wagon belonged to one William J. Lyon, who, with his family, came with them. That winter the meat diet of the family consisted chiefly of rabbits, opossums and the like, which, in those days, were quite plentiful. Their house- hold furniture for several years was of the plainest description, the two bedsteads used being made of hickory poles with one leg - the side railing, a pole, stuck into a log of the house at one end, and the foot-board, also a pole, stuck into another log, and the other end of each put into this corner leg. The bed- cords consisted of smaller poles. The table was made of round poles, and covered with shaved three-foot clapboards. For the first winter the main lights at night were a pile of dry limbs and brush thrown up in a corner of the room to be convenient and ready for use. About three years after their arrival they bought eighty acres of land, also lying on "Jump Off" Creek, for- merly owned by one Louis Igo. This farm the family continued to own, and here the sons were principally reared until 1866. While living there, December 19, 1859, the mother died, and was buried at Red Hill graveyard, then in the woods. The sons of the family received but very limited educational advantages, and the first school attended by William Snodgrass was at " Possum Hollow," a log school-house painted with yellow mud, one log cut out of the side for a window, split logs for benches, the ends of some of them resting on large rocks, answering as bench-legs. This session attended by William was a subscription school, taught by J. J. Gravelly, who afterward became colonel in the War of the Rebellion, and later a member of Congress and Lieu- tenant-Governor of Missouri. William taught his first term of school in 1856, in a similar structure higher up the creek, but in the neighborhood, and received eighteen dollars per month, and
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
could not, at that time, cipher out all the " sums " in Ray's third part of arithmetic. His brothers, Thomas and James, attended school to him at " Possum Hollow," " Red Hill," " Jump Off," and Wesley Chapel, all in the neighborhood. The first certifi- cate given to William to teach was by Nathaniel A. Anderson, school commissioner of the county, and read thus: " W. L. Snod- grass, having produced to me satisfactory evidence of a gocd moral character, was this day examined by me, and I find him qualified to teach orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic, Eng- lish grammar and geography, in the public schools of this county." Mr. Snodgrass continued to teach until the war broke out. Thomas married in the summer of 1860, and moved to Vernon County about the close of the war. William married Miss Melissa L. Marshall, December 4, 1860, and moved, with her, his father and his brother James, to Bolivar, in October, 1865, and, while there, was appointed public administrator, but resigned before any estate was in his charge. In September, 1864, Mr. Snodgrass brought the family back to the farm, but, on the 8th of November, 1864, he was appointed clerk of the circuit court by the Hon. Burr H. Emerson, then circuit court judge of the judicial circuit in which Polk County was situated. On the Ist of February, 1864, he returned, with his family, to Bolivar. The cause of his appointment to the office of clerk came about in this manner: While at Bolivar in the winter of 1863, he set " copies " for the judge's children, and the judge, taking a fancy to his old-fashioned round hand, appointed him to fill a vacancy in the office, November 8, 1864. He continued to serve as such until January 1, 1874, when A. J. Hunter suc- ceeded him, but appointed William L. his deputy. Since that time Mr. Snodgrass has served continuously as deputy under the different clerks, until the present. The father, Alexander Snodgrass, died November 28, 1872. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also his wife, and was a Republican in politics, as are all his sons. James C. Snodgrass died April 26, 1870, and, at the time of his death, was deputy clerk of the circuit court under his brother, W. L.
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