USA > Missouri > Cooper County > History of Howard and Cooper counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages : together with a condensed history of Missouri, a reliable and detailed history of Howard and Cooper counties-- its pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens, general and local statistics of great value, incidents and reminiscences > Part 104
USA > Missouri > Howard County > History of Howard and Cooper counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages : together with a condensed history of Missouri, a reliable and detailed history of Howard and Cooper counties-- its pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens, general and local statistics of great value, incidents and reminiscences > Part 104
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Dr. W. T. SIMONDS,
a native of St. Charles county, Missouri, was born on the 20th of November, 1851, his parents being J. W. and Eliza Goodrich Simonds, the former of Rockbridge county, West Virginia, born in 1816, and the latter of St. Charles county. Their family consisted of two children : W. T., and Margaret J., now the wife of Silas Miller, of St. Charles county. The subject of this sketch, after leaving the common schools and having settled upon the practice of medicine as his future profession, began his preparatory studies at Westminster college, of Fulton, Callaway county. Leaving this school he began his professional studies in 1873, graduating from the Missouri medi- cal college, on March 4, 1875, in the regular course with high honors. February 27, 1878, the doctor was married to Miss Martha Potter, a
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daughter of Jacob Potter of St. Charles county. They have two children : Wallace, born January 22, 1879, and Nora, born January 12, 1881. Dr. Simonds came to Otterville on the 20th day of March, 1880, and has rapidly secured a well deserved reputation from the citizens of the place.
T. J. SMALL,
owes his nativity to Tennessee, where he was born in 1834. His parents were Mathew B., and Mary Small, nee Stone. The former born in 1812, emigrated to Tennessee in 1832 or 1833. To them were born seven children, of which number five are now living. The senior Small came to Missouri in 1852, and located in Otterville, where he resided at the time of his death in 1854. T. J., the eldest of the surviving children, remained with his father until 1852, at which time he went to Oregon, stopping there until 1857. Return- ing that year to Otterville, he lived here for three or four months, went back to Tennessee, and made his home there until 1860. Coming again to Otterville, he resided here until 1862, when he took a trip south. After two years he took up his permanent location at this place. In 1867, Mr. Small was married to Miss Margaret Finley, a daughter of Milton O. Finley, of Morgan county. They have had five children : John E., Lettie, William, Laura G. and Mary. Mr. S. is a democrat, and as such served three terms as deputy sheriff. He has been marshall of Otterville for fourteen years, and has made a most capable official.
GEORGE W. SMITH,
the oldest settler in Otterville, was born in Albermarle county, Vir- ginia, May 10th, 1810. His father, John Smith, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, under the direct command of Washington. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1747, and married Miss Martha Wallace, a daughter of General Wallace, and lineal descendant of the cele- brated English family of that name. George W., the youngest of a family of four boys and three girls, left home when fourteen years of age, and went to Augusta county, Virginia, to learn the trade of black- smith, at which he worked for several years. While there he was married in 1831 to Miss Margaret Beard, who bore him five children : Ephraim G., died on the plains near Cottonwood Springs, in the spring of 1860 ; Virginia A., wife of Joseph Finley ; Ellen, now Mrs. Henry Wagonish ; Eliza J., wife of Frank Arni. Mr. Smith's second marriage was to Miss Nancy E. Neal of Cooper county, and a daughter of Nathaniel Neal. They have had six children : Joseph
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
L., died in the fall of 1882, from the effects of a well-damp ; James W .; Peter F., married a Miss Corda; Albert N., married a Miss Bain ; Martha J., wife of M. L. White, and Rosa L. In October, 1837, Mr. Smith, leaving Angusta county, Virginia, removed to Illinois, and one year later came to Cooper county, Missouri, located in Palestine township, and on the 13th day of February, 1839, entered the present village of Otterville, then known as Elktown, and for forty-four years has made this his home. After coming here, then a poor man, he followed his trade for thirty years. Now he has about 600 acres of land in different parts of this and Lebanon townships, and in Morgan and St. Clair counties. During the war he furnished beef for fourteen regiments for about three weeks, when the state contract was let to a St. Louis firm, who sub-let this portion to Mr. Smith. For three months his house was the head- quarters of Generals Palmer, Davis, Pope and Turner. Politically he is a democrat. Farming and raising stock now ocenpies his atten- tion.
ELIAS P. STONE,
originally from Tennessee, was born June 11th, 1833. His father, Eli Stone, and, also his mother, Mary (Jones) Stone, were both natives of Tennessee; the former born in Murray county in 1806, and the latter in 1808. They were married in 1826. To them were born seven children : Milton ( now deceased ), Louisa, Elias P., Thomas, Amanda, William and Mary. In 1839, leaving Tennessee, Eli Stone emigrated to Missouri, and settled in Cole county, but one year later came to Cooper county, in 1840, living here until 1866 ; then he went to Bates county, where he died ; his widow now resides there. Elias P. Stone, when eighteen years of age, went to California in 1852, and stopped until the fall of 1864, when, returning to Missouri, he again settled in Cooper county', at Otterville. After two years he moved into Bates county, which was his home for six years, and, upon the expiration of that time, he came to Clifton City, embarking in business on January 1st, 1883. He was appointed postmaster of this place, having previously been assistant for two years. In connection with his official duties, he conducted a general grocery and queensware business. He is a member of the Masonic Order, at Otterville. In 1868, Mr. Stone was married to Mrs. Ann E. Homan, widow of Samuel Homan, and a daughter of D. R. D. Dobbins. They had three children, all of whom are deceased. She died in 1872, and Mr. Smith was again married in 1880 to Miss Ann E. Cole, a daughter of John Cole, of Cooper county, and a member
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of the pioneer family of that name. They have one son, Willie. Politieally Mr. Stone is conservative, never having cast a vote.
T. M. TRAVILLION,
a native of Albermarle county, Virginia, was born on September 20, 1815. His father, James Travillion, was born in the same county, in 1788, and was married to Miss Mildred Carr, in 1814. They were the parents of six children, of whom T. M. was the oldest. His father dying in 1825, he lived with his mother until eighteen years of age, then taking up his residence with a man by the name of Sneed. After five years, or in 1838, he came to Missouri, settling near Otter- ville. He was married on the 25th of August, 1842, to Miss Ann Williams, and to them were born four children -James, Wallace, John and Henry. Mr. Travillion is a farmer by occupation, and owns 126 acres of land in this township, about a mile from Otterville. In his political affiliations he is a democrat.
JASPER M. WHEELER,
a Kentuckian by birth, was born in Morgan county, May 13, 1855. His parents were Amos H. and Hannah ( Morris ) Wheeler, the former also of Kentucky, and they had twelve children, of whom Jasper was the youngest. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler; with their family, re- moved to Lawrence county, Missouri, in 1858 or 1859, where the senior Wheeler died in 1862. His widow, with the children, then went to Pettis county, and she subsequently married Archibald Lovelace. When twenty-one years of age the subject of this sketch left home, removed to Cass county and lived there four years, soon returning to Clifton City, where he entered into the drug business. Since that time he has been engaged in the same occupation, having started his pres- ent store in September, 1879. This is the only one in the place, and Mr. Wheeler has, through his own efforts and progressive business spirit, acquired a firm standing among the people of this vicinity, and is much thought of by all his acquaintances. He owns town prop- erty in Clifton, and is a part owner of 260 acres of land in Barton county. Mr. Wheeler is a member of Otterville Lodge, No. 203, I. O. O. F., and he belongs to the Missionary Baptist church.
A. L. ZOLLINGER,
a native of the state of Maryland, was born August 30, 1825, being the son of George Zollinger, of the same state, born in 1791. His wife was formerly Miss Catharine Myers, of Pennsylvania, and they had nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth child. When twenty-three years of age he accompanied his father to
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
Missouri, in 1848, and in 1850 he went to California and remained for seven years, having been occupied in merchandizing and the stock business. In 1857 he returned to this county, and in 1858 began the mercantile business at Otterville, which he continued until the late civil war. Then he enlisted as captain of the 2d Missouri cavalry regiment, Chalmers' division and Forrest's corps, and served four years. Upon his return he resumed the life of a merchant at Otter- ville, which has since been his occupation without intermission. He is the senior member of the firm of Zollinger & Homan, the leading merchants in the place, they carrying a most complete stock, valued at $10,000. They also deal in all kinds of grain, produce, etc. The building now occupied by them is a brick structure, 25x110 feet, and was erected in 1872 at a cost of about $5,000, it being the second largest store-room in the county. In 1870 Mr. Zollinger was married to Miss Louisa Mayfield, a daughter of J. M. Mayfield, of Cooper county. They have been blessed with five children - George, Stella, Augustus, Elma and John, constituting a most interesting family. Politically he is a democrat of the old type, and he is a man who has done much to promote the prosperity of this section of the country.
STEPHAN ZUMSTEG,
a well-known representative of the mercantile interests of Otterville, owes his nativity to Switzerland, where he was born February 14, 1836. His father, Xavier Zumsteg, originally from the same canton, was born in 1812, and in 1831 was married to Verena Steinakker. They were blessed with six children-Verena, Frank, Stephan, Ro- salia, Maria and Sigmund. Stephan, the second child in the family, leaving his father in 1853, emigrated to the United States and located at Cleveland, Ohio, from whence in a short time he moved to Chicago, remaining in Cook county, Illinois, for five years. Then he went to St. Louis, stayed two years, and subsequently served two years in the army, in company E, 1st Missouri infantry. After returning from the war he settled near the northern boundary of Montgomery county, on the Missouri river, making his home there until 1872, when Se- dalia became his place of residence. After eighteen mouths he came to Pleasant Green, Cooper county, and in 1879 located at Otterville, where he has since lived. In 1864 Mr. Zumsteg married Miss Dora Kiser, of Gasconade county, Missouri, a daughter of John and Mary Kiser. They have an interesting family of six children-Frank, John, Peter, Charles, Verena and Elizabeth. Mr. Zumsteg is quite successful in his business operations. He is a member of the school board and city council, and in politics is a democrat.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
PALESTINE TOWNSHIP.
W. F. BOULWARE,
farmer. William L. Boulware, the father of W. F., was for many years one of the prominent farmers and leading landholders of Pales- tine township. He was a native of Virginia, as was also his wife, for- merly Miss Lucinda Terrell, but they were of different counties. She was of Culpepper, he of Caroline county. They removed to Missouri in 1836, and first located at New Franklin, in Howard county, but two years afterwards came to Cooper county and settled in Palestine township. He died here in 1849. He was a man of good education, of more than ordinary intelligence, and took an active interest in general affairs, political, church, etc. Personally, he had no aspira- tion for advancement to public position, but in politics he always took a decided stand for his convictions. He was a zealous member of the church, being identified with the Baptist denomination, and contrib- uted liberally of his time and means to all movements calculated to further the cause of religion. He had a family of eight children, of whom W. F. was the only son. The son was given good school ad- vantages. He took the usual course in the common schools, and also attended school at Boonville. He was twenty-three years of age at the time of his father's death, and had completed his education, hav- ing been born in Caroline county, Virginia, January 1, 1826. After- wards he was married, in Randolph county, Missouri, in 1860, to Miss Hannah J., daughter of Edward Owens, of that county. After their marriage they lived in Randolph county until 1866, and then removed to Palestine township, this county, and the following year located on their present farm. Their place contains nearly 300 acres, nearly all under fence and substantially improved. While in Randolph county, Mr. Boulware was running a flouring mill, but it was burned during the war by military incendiaries, as was also his residence. Mr. and Mrs. Boulware have a family of four sons and five daughters : William L., Robert E., Fannie M., Lucy L., Catherine B., James F., P. G., Edward G. and Laura L. Both parents are members of the Mount Nebo Baptist church.
JAMES JESSE BYLER,
farmer and stock dealer. Judge Joseph Byler, the grandfather of James J., came to this county with his family from Pennsylvania, of
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
which state he was a native, in 1820, and here he became, as he had been in the Keystone State, a prominent and influential citizen. His son, Abraham Byler, was then a lad ten years of age, and after he grew up was married in this county, in 1832, to Miss Mary Bowman, a daughter of one of the early settlers of the county. Eight years afterwards, however, she died, and of the family of six children by this union, three are now living. In March, three years afterwards, in 1843, Abraham Byler was again married, his second wife having been, before her marriage to him, a Mrs. Penelope Wood, a native of Kentucky, but reared in this county. She was born in 1811, and was but three years old when her parents came to this county. Three children bless this marriage : Sarah A., wife of Christopher Colwell, residents of Bates county ; Thirza R., wife of M. P. Gallagher, and James J., the subject of this sketch. James J. was given a good education in his early years. He had the advantage of good local schools, which he did not fail to improve, and he also attended col- lege two years. After his college course he devoted himself to the life of a farmer, which he has since followed. His farm is the same place on which his father settled before the latter's first marriage, in 1831, fifty-two years ago, and the son now lives in the house in which he was born. His mother is still living, and they reside together on the old homestead. Besides farming, Mr. B. has been engaged in feeding stock and stock trading about four years, and with excellent success. He and his mother are both members of the Baptist church.
CAPTAIN LEWIS CASTLEMAN,
farmer and breeder of Alderney cattle. In the acquisition of Captain Castleman and his family as residents of Cooper county, the people of the county have received an addition to their economic and social life upon which they have every reason to congratulate themselves. They represent, by descent, several of the first families of the county, and themselves occupy an enviable position in social life. But, more important than this, Captain Catleman is a business man, and an in- telligent, progressive agriculturist whose influence upon the material progress of the county cannot but prove of marked value. He was born in Lafayette county, Kentucky - that cardiac centre of the blue grass regions and of the culture and refinement of the state - in Octo- ber, 1832, and was a son of Colonel David Castleman, a wealthy mer- chant and leading citizen of Lexington, by his second wife, formerly Miss Virginia Harrison. Colonel Castleman was a native of Wood- ford county, Kentucky, but when a young man went to Lafayette
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
county, in which he made his home until his death, in 1852. For many years he merchandised in Lexington, but later in life, having acquired a comfortable fortune, he retired to a country estate, near that city, which he owned -" Castleton," as it was known " - where he spent the remainder of his days. As has been suggested, he was twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary Breckinridge, daughter of General John Breckinridge, originally of Virginia, but afterwards of Lexington, Kentucky, the grandfather of General John C. Breck- inridge, the democratic candidate for president in 1860, and himself a United States senator from Kentucky, the attorney-general of the United States in President Jefferson's brilliant cabinet, and, above all, the distinguished author and advocate" of the celebrated Virginia resolutions of 1798-1799 - scarcely less famous than the Declaration of Independence itself. Colonel Castleman's second wife, the mother of Captain Castleman, was also of an eminent family - the Harrisons. She was a daughter of Hon. Robert C. Harrison, originally of Vir- ginia, who was a first cousin of President Harrison, of which state the latter was also a native, and of Thomas Jefferson, the third pres- dent of the United States. Hon. Carter H. Harrison, of Chicago, who was born and reared in Fayette county, Kentucky, is also a near relative. Captain Castleman's mother is still living at the advanced age of seventy-seven, and although the mother of fourteen children, ten of whom are living, she is remarkably well preserved in mind and body, and as active and bright as women usually are at sixty, or even younger. Coming of the family he did, it goes without saying that in youth Captain Castleman enjoyed the best advantages ample means could command. He took a thorough English and classic course and graduated at Jefferson college, of Pennsylvania, receiving the degree of A. M. in the class of 1851. Though used to city life, with all its glittering yet empty attractions, his tastes were and have ever been decidedly agricultural. Accordingly, on returning from college, he became interested in agricultural pursuits, and also dealt in hogs and carried on a pork-packing establishment at Louisville, Kentucky. In 1858 he removed to Arkansas and conducted a large cotton plantation there. He was engaged in this in 1861, when the war burst upon the country with all its fury. His antecedents foretell the side he took in that unfortunate struggle. He became the captain of a company in the 13th Arkansas Confederate states army, and served until the final surrender. However, in the fall of 1861, he was transferred to the quartermaster's department, in which he continued during the remain- der of his service. Upon the restoration of peace, Captain Castleman
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
returned to Arkansas and resumed cotton planting, but two years af- terwards went to New York city, where he was engaged in merchan- dising for abont twelve months. In the fall of 1868 he removed to Kentucky and there followed merchandising some seven years. In Kentucky he experienced two heavy losses by fire, against neither of which was he insured. In 1879 Captain Castleman removed to Mis- souri, and after living in St. Louis for two years, in April, 1881, bought his present farm, in Palestine township, this county, upon which he at once located. Here, in addition to farming in a general way, he is making a specialty of breeding and raising fine Alderney cattle, of which he has some of the highest and best grades. On the 29th of March, 1871, Captain Castleman was married to Miss Susan M., daughter of William T. Herndon, a prominent merchant and bus- iness man of Franklin county, Kentucky. Mrs. Castleman was born and reared at Frankfort, the county seat of that county, but was edu- cated at Vassar college, New York. She is of the well known Hern- don family, of the Blue Grass state. Captain and Mrs. Castleman have two children : Dayton and William Herndon. One died in in- fancy : George. Both parents are members of the old school Presby- terian church.
L. L. CHAMBERLIN,
farmer and stock raiser. Mr. Chamberlin is an elder brother to Albert M., and a son of J. W. and Eliza ( Headwald ) Chamberlin, mention of whom is made in Albert M.'s sketch. L. L. was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, January 22, 1838, and remained in his native county until after the close of the late war. He was reared on the farm, a homestead that has been in the possession of the Cham- berlin family for nearly 300 years, since about 1600, and is still owned by one of the members of the family. In youth he received an excellent English education in a private academy. On the outbreak of the war he enlisted in company B, 12th Virginia cavalry, Colonel Harmon's regiment, in Ashby's brigade, afterward known as the " Laurel Brigade," and served with his command until the close of the war. The gallant and glorious part the celebrated "Laurel Brigade," led by the noble and intrepid Ashby, took in the late un- fortunate civil war, is too familiar a matter of history to require comment here, even if space permitted, which it does not ; suffice it to say that history has inscribed, upon its blood-stained and tattered banner, more hard-fought battles than any other command on either side participated in during the war. It never surrendered but at the
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
close of the war disbanded, and its members, or those that were left of them, went home, surrendering, if at all, individually. L. L. Chamberlin was in all the battles in which his command took part, and although nearly always in the front rank, doing his full duty with his heroic comrades, he passed through the entire struggle with- out a wound. He was under fire continually for forty days during one of their most severe campaigns. After the war he engaged in farming on the old Chamberlin family homestead, but in the fall of 1865, came to Missouri, and settled in Cooper county. He located on his present farm of 349 acres in 1882, of which he has 290 acres under fence, and has his place well improved with good buildings, etc. August 8, 1867, he was married at Bell Air, to Miss Mary M., daughter of Rev. Jehu Robinson, of Johnson county, one of the purest and best men that ever honored Missouri by their citizenship. Mrs. C. was born in Henry county, but reared in Cooper. Her father had large landed interests in all three counties. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin have five children : Magnus J., Daisy M., Bertha, Min- nie M., Homer L. D. Both parents are members of the Baptist church, and Mr. C. is a member of the I. O. O. F.
ALBERT M. CHAMBERLIN,
farmer and stock raiser. Albert M., a son of J. W. Chamberlin, de- ceased, was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, January 28, 1844. His father was also a native of the Old Dominion, and was born in 1811. His mother's maiden name was Miss Eliza Headwald. They were married in Jefferson county, and there reared their family. The father was a well-to-do farmer of Jefferson county, and followed that occupation in his native county until his emigration to Missouri, in 1861. In this state he located on a farm in Cooper county, having brought a part of his family out with him. He then, however, re- turned to Virginia, to close up his affairs there preparatory to making this county his permanent home. But just then the war burst upon the country with all its fury, and travel to and from the south was effectually cut off, hence he remained in Virginia during the entire struggle. He had three sons in the Confederate army, and, although not in the service himself, he was in such proximity to the chief opera- tions of the war, that he personally witnessed many of the leading battles of that unfortunate struggle. In fact, General Crook's battery, during one engagement, was planted on his farm in Jefferson county. After the restoration of peace he returned to Cooper county, and lived on his farm here, where his son Albert now lives, until his
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
death, October 11, 1881. He was a successful farmer, and left a landed estate of 500 acres - a splendid farm, well improved. He was a singularly generous, kind hearted man, and particularly open- handed to the poor. An appeal for help never went unanswered when he was near, and none were ever turned an hungered from his door. Albert M. came out to this county with his father, in 1861, and remained here until 1863, when public affairs assumed such a temper that it was impossible for him to remain longer. He then made his way back to Virginia, and continued there until 1869, en- gaged after the war in farming. Coming back then to Cooper county, he has resided where he now lives ever since. March 24, 1874, he was married to Miss Bettie, an estimable daughter of Judge Barnett, of Morgan county. They have four children : Albert Sidney, Gracie, Clara Stone and Jennie. Mrs. C. is a member of the Baptist church.
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