USA > Missouri > Cedar County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 84
USA > Missouri > Dade County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 84
USA > Missouri > Barton County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 84
USA > Missouri > Hickory County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 84
USA > Missouri > Polk County > History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton counties, Missouri > Part 84
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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He then studied law with Judges John A. Richie and John Lynch, two of Maryland's brightest and ablest jurists. Mr. Chis- well was admitted to the bar in 1869, and the next year he came West, locating at Lamar, and was soon thereafter elected prose- cuting attorney, which position he held with marked ability until 1882, when he refused further honors. He then purchased the Progress, which he changed to the Lamar Democrat, and this he has owned partly ever since. Mr. Brandon has been his partner since 1888. Since his connection with journalistic work Mr. Chiswell has spared neither energy nor means to make his paper the equal of any in Southwest Missouri, and much of the improvement, intellectually, morally, and financially, of Lamar and vicinity, is due to the energetic measures taken by him. Although quite young at the breaking out of the war, he saw something of the hardships of war, both in the field and in prison. Two elder brothers, Benjamin and William, were in the Confed- erate Army; the former died at home during the war from expos- ure in service, and the latter served all through the war. Mr. Chiswell has been a Democrat all his life, and an active politician from youth. He is Past Master of Lamar Lodge No. 292, A. F. & A. M., and is also a member of Lamar Chapter and Command- ery, and the A. O. U. W. He was married in 1873 to Miss Ann B. Hall, a native of Ohio, and the daughter of A. and Martha Hall, natives of Ohio, who came to Lamar in 1871, and are still living there. To Mr. and Mrs. Chiswell have been born four children, a son and three daughters.
John E. Cleveland, groceryman, and dealer in boots and shoes at Lamar, Mo., is a native of Orleans County, N. Y., where he was born January 6, 1841, being a son of John F. and Margaret (Lawrence) Cleveland, who were born in Massachusetts and York State, respectively. After their marriage they resided in York State until 1847, when the father died, having been a mechanic throughout life. In the fall of the same year the mother and her four children moved to Michigan, where she died. John E. is the eldest child, and, as his father died a poor man, he was put out to work at the early age of seven years. When sixteen years of age, he began working for wages, and after he was twenty-one he learned the mason's trade, at which he worked somewhat irregularly for eighteen years, carrying on farming at the same time. In 1862 he married Maria Flatt, a native of Michigan, by whom he is the father of three children: George H. (deceased), Lillie M. and Willie H. Both he and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Church, although in early life he united with the United Brethren Church. In 1865 he and wife moved to Hancock County, Ill., and here he worked at his trade until 1871, when he came to Barton County, and bought a farm, on which he worked until 1883, since which time he has resided
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in Lamar. In connection with S. J. Minnice he opened a gro- cery store, but in 1888 sold out to his partner, and bought an- other stock, which he is managing, and is doing a good business. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and in his political views supports the principles of the Republican party. Through his mother he inherits English blood.
Herbert F. Coffin, of the firm of McMurtry & Coffin, notion dealers at Lamar, was born on the 4th of July, 1867, and is the only surviving member of a family of three children born to the marriage of Reuben S. and Sarah (Pierson) Coffin, the former of whom was a carpenter by trade. He served in the Union army during the late war, and in his political views was a Democrat. His death occurred at the age of fifty-eight years, but his wife still survives him. She is a member of the Congregational Church, as was her husband. Herbert F. Coffin was educated in the schools of Lamar, and, when about fifteen years of age, he entered a store as clerk, so continuing until January, 1889, when he became a member of the firm of McMurtry & Coffin. He is a young man of energy and intelligence, and, as he possesses excellent business qualifications, bids fair to become one of the wealthy citizens of the county. He is a Democrat, and a worthy member of the Congregational Church.
Hon. John Bryant Cole, attorney, and representative of Barton County, was born in Kanawha County, W. Va., October 29, 1854, and is the son of Samuel and Mary F. (Kennett) Cole, and grandson of John B. Cole, who was an extensive planter of Virginia, and who was the owner of many slaves, but freed them all before the war. He was of English descent, was in the Revolutionary War as commissary agent for the colonies, and was a man of education. He was a natural artist. His wife was a relative of Gen. Stark, of Revolutionary fame, and was of Scotch descent. Samuel and Mary F. (Kennett) Cole were married in Kanawha Valley, were they lived until 1866. In early life the father was a river pilot on the Kanawha, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. In 1866 he and his wife moved to Scotland County, Mo., and in 1883 to Lamar, where they are still residing, he in his seventy-second year, and she about sixty. In their family were six children, three sons and three daughters. Hon. John Bryant Cole, the second child of the above-mentioned family, received his literary education in the district schools of Virginia, in T. J. Musgrove's private school at Alexandria, Mo., and at the Missouri State University, graduating from the Normal course in 1874. For about seven years he taught school, spend- ing his leisure hours in the meantime in reading law under Judge Ben. E. Turner, of Kahoka, Mo. He later turned his attention to editing newspapers, ran the Kahoka Gazette a year, and then the Kahoka Democrat two years. In 1881 he graduated
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from the law department of the Missouri State University, when he came to Lamar, opened an office, and continued alone in the practice of the law until 1888, when he formed a partnership with Capt. R. J. Tucker. He was nominated by the Democratic Convention for representative without opposition. His work while in the Legislature aimed at the general good of the com- monwealth, rather than his personal aggrandizement, and his efforts to avoid useless expenditure of public money. His efforts in revising the statutes to remove the disability of married women, and to establish a Normal school at Lamar, Mo., deserve special mention. October 5, 1884, he married Miss Bettie F. Musgrove, of Clark County, Mo., and the daughter of Prof. T. J. Musgrove. To this union were born two children: Eldon R. and Mattie, the latter deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Cole are members of the Baptist Church. He is a Democrat in politics, and is one of the leading attorneys at the Lamar bar.
Thomas H. Combs is a native of Perry County, Ohio, where he was born on the 6th of May, 1839, his parents being James and Mary A. (Stoker) Combs, the former a native of Maryland, and the latter of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, John Combs, came from England, and was one of the early settlers of Hagers- town, Md. In the early history of the State he moved to Perry County, Ohio. Grandfather Stoker was a German, who first set- tled in Pennsylvania after coming to America, and later moved to Fairfield County, Ohio. The parents of our subject spent the most of their lives in Perry County, Ohio, and the father was an extensive farmer. He was a drummer in the Black Hawk War, and his drum is still in possession of the family. He was a Whig in politics, then a Republican, and for many years of his life was a member of the regular Baptist Church. He died at the age of fifty-seven years. His wife was a Methodist, and died when seventy-four years old. Thomas H. Combs is the fifth of their nine children, and attended the common schools in his youth. When his father died he left his property to his two eldest sons, with the understanding that they should educate and support the younger children and their mother, but the boys forgot their promise, and, at the early age of thirteen years, Thomas H. began earning his own living, working on a farm. In 1858 he emi- grated to Knox County, Mo., and the following year to Sanga- mon County, Ill. He then returned to Ohio, and October II, 1861, enlisted in Company D, Sixty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, U. S. A., and served a little over three years, and rose from a private to captain of his company. He was soon after transferred to Company H of the same regiment, and took part in the battles of Winchester, Port Republic and Fort Wagner. In the last named battle a charge was made after night, and all the officers of his regiment were either killed or wounded. He,
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as second sergeant, ordered his regiment across the ditch onto the fort, and he and another man, in the dead of night, carried the wounded of the regiment to a place of safety. In recogni- tion of his meritorious conduct he was commissioned captain. After this he was in the battle of Deep Bottom, Va., and many minor engagements. Early in the service, while unloading goods, he injured himself for life. After receiving his discharge in Vir- ginia he returned home, and was married, on the 28th of Feb- ruary, 1865, to Miss Hattie N. Shaw, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, and by her became the father of these children: Tonah A., Dora B., Orpha O., Orrin P., Mary A. and Elmer C. Mr. and Mrs. Combs are members of the Methodist Church, and in his political views he is a Republican, and cast his first presiden- tial vote for Abraham Lincoln. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. In 1865 he moved from his native State to Shelby County, Ill., from there to Kansas in.1867, and to Barton County, Mo., in 1869. Although he received very poor educational advantages, he has taken great interest in educating his children, two of whom are successful teachers.
Ex-Judge Isaac A. Comstock, late a well-to-do farmer and stockman of Barton County, was born in Scioto County, Ohio, in 1818, and is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Fox) Comstock, who were born in New York State, and were married there in 1818, and removed to Scioto County, Ohio, the same year. In 1834 they removed to the " Hoosier State," and two years later went by ox-team to Iowa, the country at that time being full of Indians. Mr. Comstock was a member of the first county court of Muscatine County. In 1839 he went to Cedar County, being one of its first commissioners, and afterward went on horseback to Dubuque to enter the land on which to locate the county seat, and helped to lay out the town of Tipton. Here he died on the 19th of July, 1864, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a son of Jeremiah Comstock, of Vermont. His wife died on the 10th of April, 1858, having been a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. Her father, Daniel Fox, was born in New York State, and died in Madison County, Ohio. Isaac A. Comstock, the eldest of four sons and three daughters, was reared on the frontier of Ohio, Indiana and Iowa, receiving but little schooling. He was married in 1840 to Rebecca, a daughter of Goodwin and Jane Taylor, who were born in Virginia and North Carolina, respectively, and were married in the latter State, removing from there to Indiana when their daughter Rebecca was four years old. About 1837 they removed to Muscatine County, Iowa, thence to Cedar County, and afterward to Kansas. Mr. Taylor died in Nebraska in 1881, and his wife in 1879. He was a farmer and stock-raiser, and held the offices of justice of the peace and
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postmaster, and represented Cedar County, Iowa, one term in the State Legislature. To Mr. and Mrs. Comstock ten children were born, eight being now alive: Andrew J .; Mary J., wife of G. W. Fall, of Iowa; Albert; Lewis C .; Laura, wife of George W. Harbour; Josephine, wife of Joseph Raber; Stephen, and Lawrence. Mr. Comstock resided in Cedar County, Iowa, until 1871, then came to Barton County, Mo., and purchased the finely improved farm of 300 acres, where his family now live, which formerly consisted of 800 acres. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California, but at the end of one year returned home via the Island of Cuba and New York City. While in Iowa he was in the mercantile business with his father-in-law, and at the age of twenty-two years he was elected justice of the peace, which position he held many years. In the forties he served two years as county assessor of Cedar County. In 1882 he was elected judge of the county court of Barton County, serving two years. He was a Democrat all his life, and cast his first presidential vote for Franklin Pierce. He belonged to the Good Templars. Mrs. Comstock is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Com- stock died June 19, 1889. His death was a severe loss to the county, and the position he occupied, in both private and public life, will be one hard to fill.
R. A. Conrad, of the milling firm of Conrad, Cartmal & Co., was born in Perry County, Mo., in 1852, and is the son of R. B. and Anna M. E. (Schmalhurst) Conrad, the father a native of Perry County, Mo., and the mother of Prussia. R. B. Conrad was a miller in early life, but later engaged in farming in con- nection with his milling interest. R. A. Conrad has been a resident of Barton County, Mo., since 1869. He was reared on the farm, and also assisted his father in the mill until the above mentioned date, when he came to Barton County. His father and the family followed the next year and settled in Barton Township, where they bought a raw piece of land, which they improved. R. A. Conrad remained at home one year after he was twenty-one years of age, and then, in 1874, he, with a part- ner, bought a mill in LeRoy Township, which they operated for five years. Mr. Conrad then engaged in farming again, con- tinuing at this one year, after which he sold out and came to Golden City. In 1882 he purchased an interest in a mill which had been established in Golden City in 1881, by McCune & Boyd, and in 1885 Mr. Cartmal became connected with the same. The mill has a capacity of seventy-five barrels per day, roller process, has all the latest improvements in machinery, and runs night and day half the year. The mill employs seven men, and does principally a local trade in adjoining counties and Kentucky. Mr. Conrad is also interested in the Greenfield Mills at South Greenfield, also a roller process mill of 100 barrels'
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capacity. He was married in 1873 to Miss Mary E. Janes, a native of Indiana, and they have an interesting family of four children, Clyde, Anna, Lee and Franklin. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad are members of the Congregational Church, and he is a mem- ber of the city council of Golden City, and a member of the I. O. O. F.
William B. Couchman is a native of Nicholas County, Ky., where he was born on the 4th of March, 1840. His parents, Andrew and Julia (Henderson) Couchman, were also born in Nicholas County, and died in Kentucky and Barton County, Mo., in 1854 and 1878, at the ages of fifty-four and seventy-five years, respectively. Both were members of the Christian Church, and the former, when young, learned the tanner's and harness-maker's trade, and afterward became quite an extensive manufacturer of saddles, harness, hats, etc., becoming quite wealthy. He was strictly temperate in his habits, and was one of the first to advo- cate that cause in his neighborhood. Politically, he was a Dem- ocrat. William B. Couchman is the fourth of six surviving members of a family of eight children, and resided in his native State until 1857, when he came to Missouri, and located first in Lafayette County, and in 1881 came to Barton County, where he is the owner of some valuable farming lands. In De- cember, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private, and served until October, 1865, two years of this time being spent as lieutenant of Company E. He participated in thirty-five battles, and was wounded three times, first at Corinth, then at Kenesaw Mountain, where he received two wounds. He was taken prisoner on the battle-field at Corinth, but was only kept in captivity a short time. On the 10th of October, 1866, he was married to Miss Sarah Gum, a daughter of H. P. Gum, who was born in Allen County, Ky. To them were born three children: S. B., Mary and Charles B .; the two eldest of whom are school teachers. Mr. Couchman and family are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is a Democrat, and was elected by that party to the office of township treasurer and trustee, which position he is still ably filling. He is a Mason. His wife was educated at Scottsville, Ky., and was engaged in teaching school for a num- ber of years.
John H. Cook, one of the oldest residents of Newport, has been a resident of Barton County, Mo., since 1857, coming here at that date with his parents, John H., Sr., and Margaret Cook, who were native Germans, where our subject was also born, his birth occurring in 1844. They came to the United States in 1852, and settled first in Tennessee, and five years later came to Barton County, Mo., where the father died in 1860, at the age of forty-seven years, and the mother in 1869, aged fifty-five years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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John H. Cook, our subject, was the second of five children, and, after the death of his father, he commenced to fight his own way in the world, and began learning the blacksmith's trade, and followed this occupation till 1863, when he enlisted in the Union army, and served three months, after which he was in the employ of the Government until the close of the war. From that time he worked at his trade in Newport until 1869, then went to Randolph County, Ark., where he rented land and farmed seven years. From that time until the present he has resided in Newport, where he has been fairly prosperous in his calling, and is now the owner of eighty acres of land, and some town property. In 1870 he was married to Miss Susie Gaddy, a native of Clay County, Mo., by whom he has three children : John Lester, Clarence G. and Lena. He and wife are members of the United Brethren Church, in which he is an active worker, and in his political views he is a Prohibitionist.
Frank Cranor, dealer in hardware and farming implements, was born in Wayne County, Ind., July 30, 1844, being a son of Stephen and Rebecca (Patty) Cranor, who were born in Wayne County, Ind., and Dayton, Ohio, in 1822 and 1825, respectively. After their marriage, in Indiana, whither the mother moved when young, they made their home in that State until 1883, when they came to Barton County, Mo., where the father is still living. He is a Democrat. The mother died in 1883, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. Frank Cranor is the eldest of their four children, and received his edu- cation in the common schools. In November, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Fortieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, U. S. A., and served until January 25, 1866, being in the battles of Corinth, Perryville, Stone River, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Siege of Atlanta, Jones- boro, Franklin, and Nashville. He was commissioned sec- ond lieutenant in August, 1864, and first lieutenant in June, 1866. After the war he went back to Indiana, and farmed and dealt in timber. August 15, 1867, he was married to Miss Ettie Hiatt, a native of Randolph County, Ind., by whom he has four children: Bertha, Omer, Dora and Elbert.
In 1883 he came to Barton County, Mo., and has been engaged in the hardware and imple- ment business in partnership with M. R. Lawson, at Lamar, since 1885. He owns 160 acres of land, and a residence in Lamar. He is a Democrat, and belongs to the G. A. R.
H. E. Cross, a farmer, residing near Lamar, Mo., is the owner of 120 acres of land, which place is well tilled, and denotes the thrift and enterprise which have ever characterized its owner's efforts. He was reared to a farm life, and at the early age of six- teen years enlisted in the Forty-eighth Missouri Infantry, U. S. A., and was in numerous skirmishes, but no regular engagements.
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After the close of the war he returned home and remained under the shelter of the paternal roof until twenty-two years of age, when he rented land and began farming on his own responsibil- ity. He continued to farm on rented land until 1881, when he came to Barton County, Mo., and bought eighty acres of land, which he has increased to 120 acres. In August, 1872, he was married to Miss Mary E. Vought, a native of the " Buckeye State," by whom he has three children: Edna, Frederick, and Nehemiah, all of whom are at home. In his political views Mr. Cross is a Republican and takes an active part in politics, as well as school and all worthy public enterprises. His parents, N. F. and Martha (Headen) Cross, were born in York State, and the father was of German descent. About 1858 he moved to McHenry County, Ill., where he rented a farm and lived two years, then moved to Miller County, Mo., and here made his home until the close of the war. He then bought a farm in Bates County, Mo., on which he made his home until his death, Feb- ruary 14, 1877, at the age of sixty-one years. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. His widow still survives him, and resides in Barton County, being a strict member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their union resulted in the birth of six boys: William H., now a farmer in the State of Oregon, was a soldier in the Fourth Missouri Infantry and the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, and served five years; Henry E .; Joshua, a resident of Kansas City, was a soldier in the Forty-eighth Missouri Infantry; Herbert, residing in the State of Oregon; Ambrose, a farmer of Barton County, Mo .; and Norman, also a farmer of this county.
George G. Cunningham, one of the old and prominent mer- chants of Lamar, was born in Washington County, Tenn., August 4, 1839, received his education in the common schools, and at the age of twenty-one began farming for himself. Toward the close of the war he served a year in Company L, Sixteenth Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, U. S A., and in 1866 came to Lamar with Dr. J. W. Wade, opened a drug store, and has been engaged in this business ever since. He is now sole proprietor of one of the largest drug stores in Lamar, and is one of the leading busi- ness men of the place. He was married, March 27, 1876, to Miss Helen J. McArthur, a native of Canada. They have three children: Vida, George G. and Zada. Mr. Cunningham is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a Democrat in his political opinions. He owns the building in which he does business, and has made the most of his property by his own exertions. He is the fifth of twelve children, ten now living, born to James and Rebecca (Billingsly) Cunningham, both natives of East Tennessee, and both of Irish descent. They moved from their native State to Barren County, Ky., and in 1859 came to Laclede County, Mo., where they remained for some
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time, and then moved to Polk County. Here the father died in 1888. He was a farmer by occupation, and he and wife were members of the Baptist Church. He was a Democrat in politics. Mrs. Cunningham is still living, and is about seventy-two years old.
William H. Curless, a pioneer farmer of LeRoy Township, is a native of Clermont County, Ohio, his birth occurring in 1827. His parents, Joseph and Lucy (Hood) Curless, were born in New Jersey and Maryland, respectively, and at an early day were taken by their parents to Ohio, where they were married and made their home until 1846, when they moved to Fulton County, Ill., where Mr. Curless died in 1850. He was a glass blower in early life, but afterwards took up farming, which he continued until his death. His father, Asher Curless, was born in Scotland, and died in Brown County, Ohio, where he had been engaged in farming. The maternal grandfather was also a Scotchman, and died in Ohio. The mother of our subject died, in 1877, at the
age of seventy years. William H. Curless is the second of ten children, and in his youth received a very limited education. He went with his parents to Illinois, but the next year returned to Ohio (1847), and was married to Zanetta, a daughter of Hugh and Margaret Kennedy, who were born in Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, and were married in the latter State. Here the father died, having been a farmer and shoemaker by trade. His wife was born in 1800, and died in Douglass County, Kan., in 1886. Mrs. Curless was born in Brown County, Ohio, and is the mother of these children: Joseph; Catherine, wife of David Hessford; Frank; Josephine, wife of Albert Scovill; Mollie, wife of George Scovill; George, Nellie, Charley, Edward; and Jen- nie, the wife of Arthur Guffee. Mr. Curless lived in Illinois until 1855, then removed to Douglass County, Kan., and in 1866, to Barton County, where he has since lived, being the owner of 320 acres of well improved land. He and his sons have property adjoining Liberal, which is underlaid with an abundance of fine building stone, and also a superior quality of coal, both of which are developed to some extent. When Mr. Curless first came to Barton County, there were only ten voters in three townships, LeRoy, Ozark and Center. At that time there was not a house between his home and Lamar. During the war he was in the Kansas State service. He is a Republican, though formerly a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Pierce, in 1852.
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