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 116
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 116
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
of Albert Hoberecht : Emma, widow of Hosenbach ; Herman A., Bertha and Otto G. Mr. Schmidt died Jannary 4, 1880, regretted by all who knew him, and mourned by his family and a large cirele of friends. The management of the farm -a large grain and stock farm - has since devolved on his son Herman H., a young man of great promise as a successful agriculturalist and useful citizen. At his father's death he was just preparing to enter Prairie Home Institute ; but at once resigned his purpose, and entered actively upon his farm duties. He is rapidly proving himself a worthy successor to his father, not only on the farm, but as a public-spirited, enterprising citizen. He is an ardent republican, and east his first ballot for that party. The family are all members of the Lutheran church, as was also the father.
HENRY CLAY SIMMS,
farmer, carpenter and undertaker, homestead, seetion 20. The sub- ject of the present sketch, was born in Boone county, twelve miles north of Columbia, October 9, 1844, and was the only son of a fam- ily of four children reared by William and Vienna ( Hagdon ) Simms. The father was originally from Virginia, but the mother was a native of Kentucky. In 1865 the family removed to Cooper eounty, and after living in Boonville awhile settled in the bottom near Overton. The mother died in 1875, and her husband followed her four years afterward, in 1879. William Simms was a carpenter by trade, and to this occupation Henry Clay, the son, was brought up, which up to the last six years has been his principal employment in life. On the 29th of June, 1867, he was married to Miss Mary Louisa Virginia, only daughter of Lewis Eager, of this county, and in 1881 he came to his present farm, the old " Eager Homestead." He has something over three forties of good land comfortably improved, and besides this has an eighty acre tract a short distance from the homestead. He also has on his farm a carpenter's and wagonmaker's shop, and does a general undertaking business. His interests in all these lines are perhaps the most important in the eastern part of the county, and to keep them in progress he employs no less than eight hands all the time. Mr. and Mrs. Simins have a family of three children : Hattie May, aged fourteen years ; Annie Louisa, aged ten years, and Wil- liam Lewis, aged six years. Mr. S. is a member of the Baptist church.
JOHN B. SPADY,
farmer, seetion 12. In 1849 Frank J. Spady and wife, formerly Miss Catherine Keller, emigrated with their family from Alsace, France
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
(now Germany ), of which province both were natives, and after stop- ping in Kentucky a short time came to Missouri and settled on the farm where they now live, in Saline township, of this county. Here their family of six children, including John B. the subject of this sketch, grew up, and all but two who had died from the effects of a stroke of lightning, received in 1857, have since married and have families of their own. The father is about seventy-three years of age and the mother seventy-one, yet they are in comparatively good health and have the promise of still more advanced leases of life. John B. was born in the Land of Vines, November 27, 1848, and was therefore but one year old when his parents immigrated to this coun- try. His whole life thus far has been spent on the farm, having been reared to an agricultural life, which he adopted permanently after arriving at the age of majority. February 22, 1870, he was married to Miss Mary, daughter of Conrad Cash, of Pilot Grove, and four children have blessed their union : Frank, John, Anna and Clara. During the late war Mr. Spady was a member of the Missouri state militia, under Captain Shoemaker, and was captured while General Price was at Boonville, but was released on account of being under military age, and rejoined his company immediately after his release. Mr. Spady follows farming in a general way, raising grain and stock. The farm being the old family homestead of his father contains nearly a quarter section of good land, and is comfortably improved. He and his wife are both members of the Catholic church of Boonville.
F. E. SPIELER,
farmer, section 1. Among the educated, enterprising, and successful citizens of Saline township, of German birth, the name that heads this sketch is worthy of special mention. Mr. Spieler was fifteen years of age when his parents, John A. and Christiana ( Riese ) Spieler, emigrated from Germany to this country in 1846, having been born January 28, 1831. His parents located near Pleasant Green, in this county, where they are still living. They reared but three children. Theresa, wife of Harmon Smith, Ernst, the subject of this sketch, and Otto, now at the family homestead. Ernst received a good educa- tion in youth, and afterwards taught school two terms of eleven months with excellent success. After this he engaged in milling, which he followed eight years, and then returned to farming, to which he had been brought up. In this he has been not less successful than in school teaching and milling. His place contains 400 acres of ex- cellent land, and is devoted mainly to grain raising, principally wheat
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
and corn, although he also grows considerable quantities of other cereal products, and raises some stock. In 1862 Mr. Spieler en- listed in the state militia, and in 1864 was wounded near Big Lick, by that " destroying angel, " Bill Anderson, who swooped down ou our subject, with ten other militiamen, while they were out looking for a stray mare, killing seven outright, F. Hofferberg, D. Huth, E. Blank, H. Weber, J. Edir, Peter Diehl, and Lieutenant B. Diedrich ; four escaped, Ernst Spieler, Otto Spieler, John Blauk, and Jacob Blank. Mr. Spieler was wounded in the right arm and severely cut in the right shoulder. March 9, 1862, Mr. Spieler was married to Miss Elizabeth Young, a native of the city of New York. They have nine children, Emma, Maggie, Sophie, Louisa, Oscar, Theodore, Ida, Richard and Nora.
AARON J. VAUGHAN
farmer and school teacher. Aaron J. Vaughan, born in Big Lick township, May 9, 1833, is descended from two of the pioneer families of this county, the Vaughan and Hammons, both having settled here in 1818. Thomas, the father of Aaron J., was about ten years old when the latter's parents, Thomas, Sr., and Sarah (Jenkins ) Vaughan came to the county from Tennessee, their native state, and located on a portion of what is now known as the J. K. Ragland farm in Big Sa- line township. George Hammons, the father of Thomas, Jr's mother, also settled on a portion of the same farm, and the grandparents on both sides, except Mrs. Hammons, died prior to 1830. She was called away from this life nine years afterwards. But three of the grandfather Vanghan's family of eight children came out to this state with him, however : Thomas, Aaron and John. Aaron died in in 1842, and John in 1850. Thomas Vaughan, Jr., as already inti- mated, married Miss Sarah Hammons, in about 1827, and from this union, eight children resulted, Aaron J., the subject of this sketch, being the third, and follows Eloira, wife of E. Bayles ; Albert B., died iu Gratiot street military prison, in St. Louis, during the civil war; Aaron J. ; Lorenzo D., at Overton ; Sarah J., wife of Wm. Kaley, Pilot Grove ; John J., at Overton ; Catherine, wife of Isaac Henry, Big Lick, and George W., also died in Gratiot street prison, of puenumonia. The mother afterward died, March 22, 1858 ; the father of these died May 4, 1877. Aaron J. Vaughan had no school edu- cation in youth of any practical value. He early became apprenticed to the saddler's trade, at Roanoke, in which he continued until he had acquired that occupation. But anxious to remedy the defects of his
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
early education, he entered school after he bad attained his twenty- third year, and persevered in his studies in the school room, and in private until he had qualified himself to teach school. Then in 1858 he began teaching, and continued his own studies all the time. In a few years he became noted, and everywhere sought after as one of the best teachers, both for his acquirements and thorough practical meth- ods in the school-room, in the county. For twenty-four years he has continued in this calling, intermitting, however, by farming about half of the time, in which he is now engaged. He also merchandised two years from 1872, at Overton. During this time he has served the people of his township as justice of the peace, and is now filling his second commission as notary public. Mr. Vaughan has been a member of the Baptist church for thirty years, and was recently or- dained a deacon. He was married August 11, 1858, to Miss Mary J. McFall, originally of Kentucky. They have three interesting and accomplished daughters : Miss Fannie B., who has been teaching for several terms : Miss Mattie Lee, a most attractive young lady ; and Master Selby B. The young ladies and their mother are all mem- bers of the Baptist church.
H. H. WOOLDRIDGE,
farmer, section 15. Merchandising and farming are the occupations to which Mr. Wooldridge has devoted his energies heretofore, and in both he has been satisfactorily successful. Born in Hardin county, Kentucky, April 12, 1838, he came to this county with his father's family at the age of twenty, and a few years afterwards, in 1863, en- gaged in clerking in a general store in Monitean county. November 4, 1869, he was married to Miss Sallie, daughter of William Eager, of this county, and thereupon settled on his farm in Saline township. In 1871, however, he returned to Moniteau county and sold goods on his own account where he had previously clerked. Subsequently he resumed farming, and followed it until 1876, when he became a men- ber of the mercantile firm of Hayes, Eager & Co., at Overton, with whom he continued about six years. But in the fall of 1882 he sold out his interest in the merchandising business and settled on his pres- ent farm, the old " Wooldridge homestead, " the following spring, where he is farming on a somewhat extensive scale. The place con- tains 400 acres of good land, and besides stock raising and growing general farm products, he raises about 250 acres of wheat and corn, but principally wheat. Mr. and Mrs. Wooldridge have two children : William J., aged twelve years, and Mary E., aged four years. Both
75
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
parents are members of the Baptist church at Big Lick. Mr. W.'s father, Jesse Wooldridge, was a native of Virginia, but removed to Kentucky early in life, where he married and lived until his immigra- tion to this state, in 1858. His mother (H. H.'s) was formerly a Miss Susan Hays, a native of Kentucky. She died on the homestead, in this county, February 25, 1871. Her husband followed her in death just eleven years afterwards, February 25, 1881. They reared a family of seven children including H. H., all of whom are residents of this county.
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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.
ADDENDUM.
Mr. A. B. Thornton, the editor and founder of the Boonville News, was born in Batavia, Clermont county, Ohio, October 2d, 1833. His father, Dr. S. G. Thornton, moved to Missouri and settled near Castle Rock, Osage county, in 1857. Mr. Thornton studied medi- cine, but never entered into the practice of the profession. He was married to Miss Ophelia O. Dow in Boonville, December 22d, 1862. He followed the insurance business in Lexington and Jefferson City where he was appointed special agent of the Life Association of America. After his connection with that company ceased, he became the agent of the Mound City Mutual. He returned to Boonville Sept. 23d, 1875, bought a half interest in the Topic, a democratic organ, and took the editorial chair of that paper in January, 1880. While connected with the Topic he was the more fully persuaded that the financial policy of the leaders of the Democratic party - so called - which he represented, had materially changed the true intent and purposes of that party in the days of Jefferson and Jackson, so he ceased his connection with that paper and founded the News, October Ist, 1880. It was a power in the hands of such a man, advocating the principles of justice, truth and what he thought to be for the public good, let the consequences be what they may ; knowing no fear, he did at all times what he believed to be right. He stood in the front ranks of journalism, firmly believing in the right of the press to expose all frauds and misconduct of officials, ever demanding justice and equality to all men. To know him was to love him ; he was a companion and warm bosom friend of the writer; a loving devoted husband, a kind indulgent father, a warm enthusiastic friend, a bright shining light in his profession, and an honored and firm exponent of the cause he espoused. Under his guidance the News gained in favor and patronage, until, perhaps, no one paper in central Missouri stood higher in the minds of the people as a true represen- tative of the general interest and welfare of the producer, the manu- facturing and the laboring community.
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