USA > Missouri > Cedar County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 82
USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 82
USA > Missouri > Barton County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 82
USA > Missouri > Hickory County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 82
USA > Missouri > Polk County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 82
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Mrs. Susan F. Ash, widow of James Ash, and a resident of Newport Township, Barton County, is a milliner by trade, and carries a fine assortment of goods, her establishment being in the town of Newport. She was born in West Virginia, on the 17th of February, 1850, and is a daughter of William F. Clarke, and Sarah Ann (Batton) Clarke, natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, born in March, 1810, and 1822, respectively. The father is still living, and resides in Nebraska, but the mother died in her na- tive State, in 1864. Seven of their nine children are now living: John A. Clarke, who owns a steam saw and planing mill on Cheat River, Point Marion, Penn .; Edgar J. Clarke, a merchant, stock, and real estate dealer, of Nebraska; M. J. Clarke, a farmer and fine stock-breeder, of Nebraska; Sarah A. Clarke, wife of Dan Chisholm, a merchant of Uniontown, Penn .; William M. Clarke, a farmer and stock-raiser of Nebraska; Martha M. Clarke, wife
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of Rudolph Newman, a farmer of Nebraska; and Susan F. Clarke, who was married to James Ash, on the 22d of May, 1873, by whom she became the mother of three children, two now liv- ing: Martha E., who was born June 27, 1874, and is now in Pennsylvania attending school, where three generations of her grandparents of the Batton family passed away; and Charles Brown, who was born October 4, 1879. An infant died, unnamed, on the 14th of June, 1877. James Ash was born September 17, 1842, and died on the 29th of November, 1879, being a son of Abraham and Hannah (Logue) Ash, who were Pennsylvanians by birth, and at an early day moved from their native State to Ohio, from there to Indiana, and then to Dade County, Mo., where the father was engaged in farming until his death in 1874, still survived by his widow. He was twice married, and to his first union were born two sons: Joseph, living at Ozark, Mo .; and Amos, who was killed in the army. His second union resulted in the birth of twelve children: Annie, wife of John Ernest, of Miami County, Ind .; Telitha (deceased): James, Elizabeth, wife of Henry Lowery, of Dade County; Mary, wife of John Smith, of Indiana; Andrew, also in Indiana; Upton, who died leaving two children, one living in Dade County, and one in Greene County, Mo .; William, a farmer of Dade County; and Eliza, wife of J. L. Dantice; Atsey, wife of William Harmon; and Ella, wife of Joshua Ridge, are living Northwest, in one of the Territories. James Ash left his widow in good circumstances, and, to all appearances, she has proved as good a farmer as her neighbors. She has 175 acres of fertile land, on which are good buildings and orchards. Mrs. Ash is energetic and enterprising, and for a number of years has been a member of the Christian Church. She remained on her farm two years after her husband's death, and then purchased her present property, and engaged in milli- nery work, which enterprise has proven quite a success.
Samuel Baker is a native of Shelby County, Ohio, and was born in 1838. His parents, George and Susan Baker, were mar- ried in Ohio, removing when our subject was a small boy to Morgan County, Ill., and afterward to Logan County of the same State, where they died. Mr. Baker was a farmer by occu- pation, and his wife was a member of the church. Samuel Baker is the sixth of twelve sons and two daughters, and was educated in the common country schools of Ohio, his boyhood days being spent on his father's farm. At the age of twenty years he began doing for himself, and, when the war broke out, left the plow to enlist in the army, joining Company C, One Hundred and Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and operated in Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas, and in 1862, while at Jackson, Tenn., was cap- tured while guarding a railroad, and was held in captivity in St. Louis for about nine months before he was exchanged. He
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rejoined his command at Little Rock, and participated in numer- ous skirmishes. He was mustered out at Pine Bluff, Ark., in July, 1865, and reached home just three years to a day after his enlistment. In 1866 he was married to Lucinda, a daughter of Thomas and Martha Simpson, the latter being a native of Illinois, in which State she also died. Mr. Simpson is residing at El Dorado Springs. In 1875 Mr. Baker removed to Bates County, Mo., and from there in 1877 to Barton County, and located on his present well cultivated farm of ninety-three acres, which was then raw land. His farm is underlaid with a good quality of coal, which he mines to a considerable extent at times, for neigh- borhood use. He and wife have five sons and two daughters.
Addison Baker. Among the residents of Barton County, Mo., who have won an enviable reputation in the estimation of their fellow-men, and deserve especial mention, is Mr. Baker, who was born in White County, Tenn., November 15, 1840, and is one of eight children, four now living, born to the union of Kilby Baker and Jane Suttle, who were born in Ashe County, N. C., and White County, Tenn., in 1818 and 1817, respectively. Our subject's brothers and sisters are as follows: M. S., a farmer of Barton County; Henry S., ex-deputy sheriff, and now a hotel landlord at Lamar; and Elvira (McNary). Addison Baker was educated in McDonald County, and, in April, 1862, entered the employment of the Government in the quartermaster's depart- ment and the express department between Springfield and Cass- ville. The following year he enlisted in Company C, Third Indian Territory Infantry, and served until May 31, 1865, holding the rank of sergeant, and participating in a number of engage- ments. Before going into the regular army he was taken prisoner between Neosho and Mount Vernon, and was confined one month at Fort Smith. After being paroled he remained in St. Louis until December, 1862. In 1866 he came to Barton County, and has since been engaged in farming in the neighborhood of where he now lives. In 1877-78 he served as county assessor, and is
now justice of the peace. On the 12th of March, 1876, he was married to Miss Sarah Bell Castor, a daughter of Stephen L. . Castor, of Barton County, now a resident of Webster County, Mo. She was born in Fulton County, Ill., September 20, 1860, and is the mother of six children, four living: Nora, Sarah, R. M. and George. Those dead are: John and Carrie. Mr. Baker is a Republican, and a member of the G. A. R., and I. O. O. F.
H. O. Baker, a school teacher and farmer of Barton County, Mo., was born in Schuylkill County, Penn., June 25, 1850, his parents, William H. and Catherine (Thompson) Baker, being also natives of that State, and of Irish and English descent, respectively. The family came to America prior to the Revo- lutionary War, and in this struggle the grandfather took an
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active part, being a member of the American army. William H. Baker was a school teacher during his youth and middle age, fol- lowing this occupation until he was nearly fifty years of age, and was superintendent of the schools of Tamaqua, Penn., for eight years, being one of the most thorough instructors of his day. In 1868 he came to Missouri and bought 240 acres of land in Bar- ton County, on which he farmed and raised stock for seven or eight years, and then about 1877 went into the mercantile busi- ness, in which he was engaged at the time of his death at Ver- della in 1885. His wife died in 1851, leaving two children: A. W., born August 9, 1847, and H. O .; and in 1856 he was again married, this wife's maiden name being Mary Olmstead, of Pennsylvania. She is still living, and resides on the old home- stead in Barton County. William H. Baker was a Republican, but afterward became a faithful worker of the Union Labor party. H. O. Baker, whose name heads this sketch, began working for himself at the early age of fifteen years, and, after following the plow for one year, commenced teaching school, which occupa- tion he has followed up to the present time. At the age of seventeen he took charge of a select school, and, since coming to Missouri, has won an enviable reputation as an able instructor in Wright, Barton, and other counties. In 1869 he went to Southern Kansas, among the Osage Indians, as preliminary sur- veyor for the Government, and was thus employed fourteen months. He was married in 1874 to Miss Laura Nichols, a daughter of Capt. J. W. Nichols, of Confederate States Service, who lost a leg at the battle of Wilson's Creek. Mrs. Baker died in 1875, and in 1881 Mr. Baker took for his second wife Miss Addie Russell, a native of Maine, by whom he has three children living: Leon, born August 23, 1882; Kingsley, born December 31, 1885; and Lawrence, born March 19, 1888. Mr. Baker and wife were members of the Baptist Church, but became firm believers and strong advocates of Substantialism as advocated by Dr. Hall. In his political views he is a Republican. He belongs to the I. O. O. F. He and wife were married in Texas County, Mo. She is a daughter of Eben Russell, and niece of B. F. Russell, editor of the Steelville Mirror, who is known throughout Southern Missouri as a poet of considerable merit.
Moses L. Barth, the leading clothier of Lamar, Mo., was born in Germany March 8, 1865, being a son of Solomon and Caroline (Lyon) Barth, also natives of Germany, where they are still living, the father being engaged in stock shipping and trad- ing. Moses L. Barth received an excellent German education, and, when fifteen years of age, started for America, and, after arriving in Columbia, Mo., entered the State University, which he attended one year in order to acquaint himself with the En- glish language. He then began clerking for his cousins, J. and
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V. Barth, in Columbia, and soon became head clerk. In 1887 he came to Lamar, where he has the largest clothing and gents' furnishing establishment in the city. He is a Knight of Pythias, a member of the I. O. O. F., and in his political views is a Democrat. On the 15th of February, 1888, he was married to Pauline Barth, who was born in Germany, and came to America when ten years of age. Her parents reside at Boonville, Mo.
John Bates, secretary of the Lamar Abstract and Trust Com- pany, was born in Macoupin County, Ill., on September, 18, 1842, and is the youngest of two children born to James W. and Martha (Will) Bates, who were Tennesseeans by birth, born in 1812 and 1818, respectively. Both the paternal and maternal great-grandfathers served in the Revolutionary War, and the for- mer was born in Ireland, and came to America in 1877, settling in South Carolina. The grandfathers on both sides served under Jackson in the War of 1812, and were early settlers of Tennessee. James W. Bates moved to Greene County, Ill., with his parents, in 1834, and the mother, with her parents, in 1829. They mar- ried and spent their lives in that State, the father following farm- ing and school teaching, and died there in 1845. He was an old-time Democrat. His widow still resides in that State. John Bates, the subject of this sketch, only received a few months' schooling, and, when old enough, was put to the plow. He assisted on the home farm until nearly thirty years of age, but, from the time he was nineteen years of age until he was twenty- nine, he was engaged in teaching school during the winter months. In November, 1869, he was married to Edna J. Johnson, who was born in Illinois, and in 1872 moved to Barton County, Mo., and improved a farm, which he sold for fifty dollars an acre, it being the first one in the county to bring that price. From 1881 to about 1888 he ran a livery stable in Lamar, and now owns 290 acres of land in the county. He is a member of the Union Labor party, and from 1878 to 1882 held the office of presiding judge of the county court. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.
J. H. Baugh, a farmer, residing near Lamar, Mo., was born in St. Charles, Mo., in 1833, and has always been a resident of Missouri. His parents, James F. and Louisa (Baldridge) Baugh, were born in Kentucky and Missouri, respectively (J. F. moved to Missouri in 1829, and married in 1830), the paternal grand- father, William Baugh, being a Virginian, and the maternal grandfather, James Baldridge, a native of Ireland. William Baugh served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. J. H. Baugh was reared to manhood on a farm in St. Charles County, Mo. At the age of twenty-two years he was married to Mary Cahall, a Virginian, and soon after moved to Warren County, Mo., where he bought a farm, and lived twelve years.
BY THE BROOKSIDE.
BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX. 857
After one year's residence in Vernon County, he went to Mont- gomery County, and bought some raw land, which he afterward greatly improved, and resided here nine years; then moved to Barton County, and located on his present farm of 120 acres, which was then also raw land, but is now a finely cultivated farm. He is a blacksmith by trade, and now has a shop on his land. To his marriage three children have been born: Heale, who is attending school at Morrisville, Mo., and will enter medical college after graduating; J. D., in Nevada, Mo .; and James F., at home. Mr. Baugh and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, taking active interest in church work.
John Beam, principal of the school of Iantha, Mo., and com- missioner of the public schools of the county, is a native of Hardin County, Ky., born September 22, 1856. His father, Simeon Beam, was born in Kentucky in 1833, and, in early life, was a farmer, but for the past twenty years has been a minister of the gospel, preaching the doctrine of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He located in Monroe County, Mo., in 1857, where he resided until 1884, since which time he has been a resident of St. Clair County. His parents, Jacob and Lucretia Beam, were born in Pennsylvania, and died in Kentucky in 1835 and 1861, respectively. Catherine Fields, wife of Simeon Beam and mother of our subject, was born in Kentucky in 1841, and became the mother of twelve children, of whom John is the fifth. He lived with his people until twenty-one years of age, then entered the Collegiate Institute in Shelby County, Mo., which he attended two years, and spent the next two years in Colorado, after which he returned to Barton County. Since that time (1881) he has been engaged in teaching school and farming, and, since 1887, has been principal of the school at Iantha. His recent election to the position of commissioner of public schools (with head- quarters at Lamar) was a well-deserved compliment. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and is a Democrat in politics, being elected on that ticket, in 1887, to the office of township assessor. In 1882 he was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Brown, who was born in Macoupin County, Ill., September 21, 1863, and is a daughter of Hon. Robert Brown, whose sketch appears in this work. She and Mr. Beam are the parents of three children, and are worthy and consistent members of the Christian Church.
James K. Belk, a retired farmer residing at Liberal, Mo., was born in Russell County, Ky., in 1837, and is a son of John and Nancy (Stanton) Belk, who were born in Virginia and Kentucky in 1811 and 1815, respectively, and were married in the latter State. In 1839 they removed to Buchanan County, Mo., where Mrs. Belk died in the spring of 1856, and the family moved to Brown County, Kan., where the father is still living, having been a farmer throughout life, and a prominent man wherever he has
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resided. He is a German by descent, and is a member of the Methodist Church. James K. Belk is the fourth of eight children, and was reared to a farm life and received a fair education in the common branches. During the war he served in Northwestern Missouri with a battery of Missouri troops, under Maj. Joseplis, and soon after the cessation of hostilities, he took the overland route to California and was engaged in teaming in that State for eight years. He then returned to Brown County, Kan., and a short time after to Smith County, Kan., in which county he built the first house. He was married there in 1874 to Miss Charity, a daughter of Aaron and Catherine Palmer, who were born in Ohio in 1815, and Kentucky in 1817, respectively, and removed to Indiana, thence to Iowa, and afterward to Smith County, Kan., where they have lived since 1873. Mrs. Belk was born in Indiana, in 1849, and she and Mr. Belk are the parents of one daughter, Lillian Myrtle, born in 1875. Since 1881 Mr. Belk has resided in Liberal, owning a fine farm of 120 acres adjoining the town, and four houses and about thirty acres in town. Besides this he owns 160 acres in Kansas. He is a Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln, in 1860. From July, 1883, to January, 1886, he was postmaster of Liberal, and while in Kansas was assessor and trustee for some years. He has been a successful financier, and is now looking after his real estate.
William S. Boyd deserves honorable mention as one of the successful farmers and stockmen of the county. He was born in Fayette County, Penn., in 1828, being a son of William and Elizabeth (Stevens) Boyd, who were also born in that county. About 1841 they went to Pickaway County, Ohio, where they both died. The father held numerous county offices, among which was county judge, and was a farmer and stockman by occupation. In the War of 1812 he was on Commodore Perry's fleet on Lake Erie. His father, William Boyd, was born in Ire- land, and when a young man came to America, and after his mar- riage spent his life in Fayette County, Penn. The maternal grandfather, Dr. Stevens, was a leading physician of that county, and there spent his life. William S. Boyd, the seventh of eleven sons and two daughters, five of the family being now alive, received his education in the common schools, and was reared on a farm. He went with his parents to Pickaway County, Ohio, where he remained until 1849, then going to California via Cape Horn, and spent about five years engaged in mining and gardening in that State. He then returned to Ohio via the Nica- ragua route, and shortly after went to Illinois, where he was occupied in farming for some time, then went to Kansas, but soon returned to Ohio. He again went from that State to Illinois, and in 1868 came to Barton County, Mo., where he has since lived, being now the owner of 160 acres of good farming land. He
BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX. 859
has broken about 1,300 acres of prairie land. In March, 1884, he returned to Ohio, and was married to Martha L. Stivison, who was born in that State, and was for eleven years one of Pickaway County's best school teachers. Her parents, Jacob and Margaret (West) Stivison, were born in Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1816 and 1820, respectively, and are still living in the house in which Mrs. Stivison was born, and only one and one-half miles from where Mr. Stivison was born. They reared seven children. They are members of the Christian and United Brethren Churches, respectively, and he is a son of Jacob Stivison, of Penn- sylvania. Mr. Boyd is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Pierce.
C. W. Bozarth, M. D., was born in Jacksonville, Ill., December 25, 1860, and is the son of Abram J. and Olive (Tickner) Bozarth, both natives of Illinois. Abram J. Bozarth was a trader and stock dealer by occupation; was a soldier in the War of 1812, and captain of a company in the Twenty-seventh Illinois during the late war, being in twenty-two engagements. He is still living, is a resident of Johnson County, Mo., and is sixty-five years of age. The mother died in 1865. Mr. Bozarth is a Republican in politics. After the death of his wife he mar- ried again, and has one son. By his first union were born six children, of whom three are now living, two sons and a daughter. Of this family Dr. C. W. Bozarth is the eldest son. He received his literary education at the State Normal, Warrensburg, Mo., and when twenty-two years of age began to read medicine with Dr. W. L. Hedges, Warrensburg, Mo. Later he entered Hahnemann Medical College, from which he graduated in 1884. He then located at Lamar, where he has since been contin- uously engaged in the practice of his profession. Although a young man he has worked up a good practice, and is accounted a substantial physician. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and in politics is a Republican.
Capt. M. Breeden is one of the earliest settlers of Barton County, Mo., having located near where Golden City now stands in 1856. He is a native of Putnam County, Ind., and was born January 28, 1830. His father, who was a shoemaker by trade, and also a farmer, emigrated to Missouri in 1840, settling near Springfield, where our subject grew to manhood, and December 16, 1850, married Miss L. R. Ward, a native of Virginia. He engaged in farming in Greene County, Mo., until 1856, when he removed to Barton County, settling one mile southeast of Golden City, where he entered 200 acres of land, which he improved. At that time the inhabitants of the county numbered not more than one hundred. Mr. Breeden made this his home until the outbreak of the war, when he enlisted, April 1, 1861, serving as a scout until the battle of Wilson's Creek, when he went to Fort
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Scott, Kan., making that his headquarters, and acting in the same capacity, under Lane and Montgomery, until March, 1862; he then returned to Missouri, and raised Company G, Fourteenth Missouri State Militia, of which he was chosen captain. This company was subsequently consolidated with another, and Mr. Breeden became Captain of Company L, Eighth Missouri Regi- ment, where he served until the close of the war. He then
returned to Lawrence County, Mo., where he remained two years, and then located on his farm in Barton County, where he has since lived. He is now serving his fifth term as justice of the peace, and is serving his sixth term as Post Commander of the G. A. R. Capt. Breeden has always taken an active part in public affairs, and is a leading citizen of the county. He now owns a fine farm of 115 acres, and is at present devoting consid- erable attention to the real estate and loaning business at Golden City. His first wife died in 1862, the mother of five children; of whom John is a farmer in Dade County, Mo .; Elizabeth (deceased); George D., a farmer of Lawrence County, Mo .; Dela- ney, a widow, living at Pittsburg, Kan .; and James, who died in childhood. Mr. Breeden afterward married Margaret C. White, a native of Polk County, Mo., and eight children have been born to this union, viz .: Virginia, an accomplished musician, who died in March, 1886, aged twenty years; Abraham L., who died at the age of ten years; Lydia Belle, deceased in childhood; Sherman, now in St. Louis, Mo .; Jackson, Peter Cooper and Alice, all at home; and Russell, who died in childhood.
Marcus Briley, one of the early residents and a substantial farmer of the county, residing in Central Township five miles west of Lamar, is a native of Sumner County, Tenn., born on the 25th of December, 1837, his parents being James and Jane (Bandy) Briley, and his grandparents Samuel and Rachel Briley. The latter couple were born in North Carolina, and were early settlers of Tennessee, in which State they died. James Briley was a farmer by occu- pation, and, after removing to Tennessee with his parents, there made his home until his death, in 1885. His wife was born in Virginia, and also died in Tennessee, her death occurring in 1866. To them were born six daughters and three sons, of whom our subject is the youngest. He lived with his parents until over thirty-one years of age, and received his education in the common schools of Tennessee. In 1857 he was married to Miss Nancy A. Toliver, who was born in Robertson County, Tenn., and died in that State in 1868, having become the mother of three chil- dren: Charles' T., James L. and Laura F. On the 9th of March, 1865, Mr. Briley was united in marriage to Miss Frances E. Senter, who was born in Sumner County, Tenn., February 22, 1841, being a daughter of Luke and Zoritha Senter. To this marriage six sons were born: William F., John F., Edgar D.,
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Robert M., Leonard M. and Corry M. In 1867 Mr. Briley removed with his family to Saline County, Mo., where he was engaged in farming until 1873, then moving to the farm where he now resides, which consists of 1571/2 acres of finely improved land, on which are three living wells. Mr. Briley is a Democrat, and his first vote was cast for Stephen A. Douglas for the presi- dency. Mr. Briley's father, James Briley, and also his second wife's grandfather, William Durham, served through the War of 1812 under Gen. Andrew Jackson, and took an active part in the battle of New Orleans January 8, 1815. Mrs. Frances E. (Senter) Briley's grandparents, William and Frances Durham, were born in North Carolina, and were among the first settlers in Sumner County, Tenn.
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