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 50
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 50
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COLONEL NEWTON G. ELLIOTT, DECEASED.
Colonel Elliott was born in Howard county, Missouri, March 3, 1812, and died in his native county, where his whole life had been
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spent, January 3, 1877. Between these dates was lived a life, if not as conspicuous as some, by no means obscure, and as useful to those around him and as honorable as any whose name deserves a place in the history of Howard county. He was a man possessed to a marked degree of the stronger and better qualities of mind and heart. Reared at a time when school advantages in this section of the state were very indifferent, and so situated that it was impracticable to attend distant schools, such was his thirst for knowledge and his force of character even in carly youth that, mainly by study at home and while not employed in farm duties, he succeeded in acquiring a good, practical education. Nor did this taste for the refining and elevating influence of learning desert him in later years. Through his whole life he was a devoted lover of literature and an unfaltering and ardent friend to general education. He supplied himself with an excellent library, in which many of his happiest hours were spent, and when he became surrounded by a family of children he was careful that they should not suffer for the want of opportunities, as far as his means would justify, to qualify themselves for the active' duties of life. But while he was more than ordinarily attached to letters, he was also a man of the world - industrious and restlessly enterprising, and above all, just and generous in his dealings with men. Having been brought up on a farm, not unnaturally much of his after life was de- voted to agricultural pursuits, although trading and public affairs claimed a large share of his attention, and later he became exten- sively interested in railroad matters. In a business point of view his life was a marked success, and as a man and neighbor, as a citizen and public officer, none around him stood higher than he. Having lived a life of nearly three score and ten years in one community - a life of unusual activity - he died without a known enemy, sadly re- gretted by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances and deeply mourned by family and relatives. His unyielding honesty, his gen- erosity and hospitality, his open, frank and candid bearing, his kind- ness for all, both in word and deed, shone forth with undiminished brightness from the morning until the closing hour of his life, That such a man was popular with those around him, it is needless to say. And possessed of unusual ability, and industrious and enter- prising almost to a fault, his success in life followed as a matter of course. His public spirit and earnest interest in all matters relating to the general welfare made him always a leader in movements de- signed for the public good, and thus, when the railroad interests be- came matters of importance to the people, he was naturally called upon to take a prominent and responsible position in the management of the road then projected, now the Missouri, Kansas and Texas, for the final success of which the public is largely indebted to his fore- sight and resolution. Colonel Elliott's father, John Elliott, was born and reared in Virginia, and when quite young came to Kentucky with his father's family and settled in Madison county. There he after- wards married Miss Polly Glasgow, and in 1811 they removed to Howard county, making the entire journey on horseback, bringing
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their bedding, cooking utensils, etc., with them. This fact illustrates one of the strong points in his character - unfaltering resolution - so conspicuously shown in the life of his son. Coming here at so early a day, John Elliott bore a leading and brave part in the Indian wars that followed. As a man and as a citizen he was exceptionally popular, but had no taste for public life and steadily refused the many solicitations of his friends to enter the sphere of politics. Colonel Elliott's first diversion from farm duties was when quite a young man. Full of enterprise, he was naturally attracted to the business of stock driving to the south, and made as many as thirteen trips to that sec- tion with mules and horses for the southern markets. His wide pop- ularity advanced him to many leading positions in local and public affairs. Politically he rose from the position of a justice of the peace in 1837, when quite a young man, to that of representative of his county in the legislature in 1852, holding, in the meantime, other re- sponsible offices, among which was that of sheriff for two terms, from 1848 to 1852. In 1838 he was elected captain of a company enlisted against the Mormons, and subsequently became commander of the expedition that expelled them from the state. In October, 1839, he was elected major of the 14th regiment, 1st brigade, Missouri state militia, and in the fall of 1840 was made lieutenant-colonel of that regiment, which was then of the 1st division, Missouri state militia. His prominence in publie enterprises was well recognized, and in 1869 he was made a director of the Tebo and Neosho railroad, now the Mis- souri, Kansas and Texas, in which he served with great ability for five years, and in 1872 he was made a director of the Boonville bridge company, the position he held at the time of his death. Colonel El- liott was twice married. His first wife, formerly Miss Elizabeth Wilkerson, was taken from him by death, and six accomplished and beantiful daughters, the children of that union, all of whom grew to womanhood, also passed away. Miss Martha W. Stewart, daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth Stewart, became his second wife. She still survives her lamented husband, and six sons and two daughters of this marriage are living.
JAMES R. ESTILL.
Mr. Estill, on the father's side, is of Scottish origin, the founder of the family in this country, having come over from Scotland prior to the revolution. His grandfather, Captain James Estill, was one of the early settlers of Kentucky, to which he emigrated as early as 1780. The following extract concerning his life in that state is taken from Collin's Kentucky: "Captain James Estill, in honor of whom Estill county was named, was a native of Augusta county, Virginia. He came to Kentucky at an early period and settled on Muddy creek, in the present county of Madison, where he built a station which re- ceived the name of Estill's station. In 1781, in a skirmish with the Indians, he received a rifle shot in one of his arms by which it was broken. In March, 1782, with a small body of men, about twenty-
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five, it is believed, he pursued a similar number of Wyandotts across the Kentucky river and into Montgomery county ; there he fought one of the severest and most bloody battles on record when the num- ber of men on both sides are taken into account. Captain Estill and his brave Lieutenant South, were both killed in the retreat which succeeded. ' Thus fell,' says Captain Morehead in his Boonsboro address, ' Captain James Estill, one of Kentucky's bravest and most beloved defenders.' " He was only thirty-two years of age when he fell in defence of the state by the bullet of the savage. He was mar- ried in Virginia, to a Miss Campbell, by whom he had five children. Wallace Estill, James R.'s father, was in his infancy at the time of his father's death. He was reared to habits of industry by his mother, and when he reached manhood had acquired a good education and was a practical surveyor. He was twice married. His first wife, Miss Mary Hardin, daughter of Colonel Hardin, survived their mar- riage only about three months. About five years afterwards he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Rodes, a prominent business man and a large farmer of Madison county. From this union five sons and a daughter were reared. Between 1815 and 1819, he visited Missouri several times, buying lands in Howard and Boone counties. On one of these visits he, with some others, laid off the town of Columbia, the present county seat of Boone county. Though he often expressed a purpose so to do, he never settled in Missouri, but continued to reside in his native state until his death, which occurred in Madison county. His wife preceded him to the grave about five years. Early in life they both connected themselves with the Baptist church, but after the Christian denomination was established they united with that church, with which they ever after- wards held the closest und most exemplary relationship. James R. Estill, the subject of this memoir, was born in Madison county, Keu- tucky, January 30th, 1819. He was reared to manhood in his native county and there afterwards served as sheriff two years. In 1843, he came to Howard county, and here, two years subsequently, purchased 460 acres of land on which he still resides. This purchase embraced the farms improved by Drake, Brown and Cooley. Some of it has been in cultivation since 1816, sixty-seven years, and is said to be as productive now as when first broken. His farm, however, at this time, contains 1,450 acres, all finely improved and in excellent condi- tion. What is not in cultivation is in grass, either blue grass, clover or timothy. He has several large orchards - one of fifteen acres, devoted to a single variety of fruit exclusively, the " Ben Davis " apple. He also feeds for the markets several hundred head of cattle every season. Mr. Estill now owns in this county about 2,800 acres of land. Ile also owns large amounts of real estate in Chariton and Saline counties, and valuable property in the city of St. Louis, besides his landed interests in Kentucky. As a citizen he is as useful to the county and as public-spirited as he has been successful in his private affairs. But he has never sought office nor aspired to any position of prominence except as a leader in the development of the resources of
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the county, and in this he has taken conspicuous and active parts. He was prominently identified with the movement that resulted in the construction of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railway through this county, and contributed as much and perhaps more than any other citizen of the county to that result. In recognition of zeal for this enterprise and of his special fitness for the position, he was appointed agent for the county by the county court, to manage its stock sub- scribed to the road. And in further recognition of his services in this enterprise, Estill station, on the road in this county, was estab- lished and named in his honor. His chief ambition has been to make himself a useful citizen, and to contribute his share toward the material development and social elevation of the community in which his life and fortune have been cast. He is a steadfast friend of education and of every movement that tends to enlighten or ameliorate the condition of the people. As a farmer and stock raiser he belongs to the ad- vanced progressive school that believes in farming on intelligent princi- ples and raising none but the best class of stock. Such has been his business and social life - his life as a citizen. Mr. Estill was united in marriage to Miss Mary Turner, daughter of Talton and Sallie Turner, March 20th, 1845. Eight children were born as the fruit of this union, four of whom are still living: Wallace, married and set- tled in Franklin township ; Ellen, William R. and Mary C. Alice died about six months after her marriage to Mr. Lewis C. Nelson, son of James Nelson, of Boonville, and at the time a banker in Fort
Scott, Kansas. The others died in infancy. Talton Turner, the father of Mrs. Estill, was a native of Kentucky, but came to Missouri in an early day, and for many years was one of the leading citizens and traders of central Missouri. He was a practical surveyor also, and surveyed several counties of this part of the state for the govern- ment. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, enterprising and energetic, and was a leader among the men of his time.
WALLACE ESTILL,
of Estill & Elliott, breeders of thoroughbred and high grade Aberdeen- Angus and high grade Hereford and Shorthorn cattle, Estill. One of the enterprising citizens and business men of Howard county is Wal- lace Estill of the above firm. He is a son of James R. Estill, of whom mention is made elsewhere, and was born and reared in this county. Being the son of such a father, it goes without saying that he had the best advantages in youth, educational and otherwise, ample means and good judgment could afford. In boyhood he always ocen- pied a seat in the neighborhood schools, and later on he entered the higher institutions of learning. He first attended Kemper's well known school, and subsequently enjoyed the advantages afforded by the schools of Lexington, Kentucky. After his school days were over he returned home and engaged in farming and raising and deal- ing in blooded stock, which he has since followed. However, he be- gan his present business, breeding and dealing in Aberdeen-Angus
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cattle, in 1878. As an intelligent, broad-minded stockman he has been studying the adaptability of the different breeds of cattle to our climate, grasses, etc., for a number of years, and as the result of careful investi- gation and a thorough knowledge of all the conditions entering into the consideration of the matter, has become convinced that the Angus breed is incomparably preferable to all others. This conviction was strongly fortified by the fact that a representative of this breed was awarded the premium at the world's exposition in Paris, France, in 1878, as the best beef producing stock of cattle in the whole eata- logue of thoroughbred and high grade animals. Since then they have grown in popularity everywhere with wonderful rapidity, and nowhere so fast as in the west, from the fact that our climate and feed seems to be better adapted to them than the climate or feed of any other conntry ; and hence Mr. Estill and his partner have begun their busi- ness with great energy and on a large scale. Believing, as he says, that " the best is always the cheapest," he has spared no time, pains or money to get the very finest quality of Aberdeen-Angus stock that can be had in Europe. The nature of this work forbids us from entering into the details of his herds, but suffice it to say that he has one of the finest selections of stock, if not the very finest, in Missouri. Mr. Estill also owns 590 acres in a high state of cultiva- tion. He was born in this county April 6, 1849, and on the 16th of May, 1871, was married to Miss Ettie Forbis, a most excellent and accomplished lady, also of this county. She is a danghter of James B. Forbis and wife, Mary, whose family name prior to her marriage was Hurt. Mr. and Mrs. Estill have a family of four bright children : Alice, Florence, Wallace and Clifton R. He and his wife are both members of the Christian church.
WILLIAM R. ESTILL.
One of the most progressive, enterprising and intelligent young farmers and stock raisers in Howard county, is Mr. Estill, the sub- ject of this sketch. He is a son of James R. Estill, of this county, who has been as prominently identified with its development and prosperity as any man in it. James R. was born in Howard county, Missouri, March 20, 1860. He had a thorough preparatory course in the elementary schools, after which he entered Kemper's well known school in Boonville, where he applied himself with great res- olution and energy, Subsequently he entered Central college in Fayette, and there took a useful and profitable course in the more advanced studies, thus rounding up a substantial and practical educa- tion. Having been reared on the farm, to the farm his tastes natur- ally inclined him, and accordingly, after his college course, he directed his whole attention to agricultural interests. He has a splendid farm of 720 acres. He makes a specialty of blooded stock of all kinds, and there are few farms in central Missouri that can present a finer array of the best class of stock than may be seen on his place. Mr. E. is quite a young man yet and, with the enterprise and public spirit he has
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evinced, he will doubtless prove a valuable citizen to Howard county - worthy to bear the name he inherits from one of the most useful citizens the county has ever had. He is a member of the Masonic order.
W. W. GRAY.
The Gray family, to which the subject of this sketch belongs, has been represented in each of the three principal wars of this country - the revolution, the war of 1812, and the civil war. Richard Gray, the grandfather of W. W., was a soldier under General Washington in the struggle for independence, and crossed the Delaware with him on that memorable Christmas night, 1776, which resulted in the triumph at Trenton the following day. William, the father of W. W., was a soldier in the war of 1812, and W. W. himself, followed the intrepid Morgan, of Kentucky, in his perilous career through the late unhappy strife. Robert Gray was a native of Virginia, but after the close of the revolutionary war emigrated to Kentucky, and was one of the first settlers of Fayette county in that state. His house occupied the site where the court house in Lexington now stands, and there William Gray, the father of W. W., was born -the first child born in the capital of Kentucky. The mother of W. W., before her marriage to William Gray, was a Miss Maria Lamme, a lady of French extraction, her father having come over as a volunteer with Lafayette, and remained here after the close of the war, where he married and reared a family. W. W. Gray was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, February 10, 1837. He was reared in his native county, and after a thorough course in the primary and intermediate schools, entered the State university, from which he was duly grad- nated in 1854. He followed farming in Kentucky until 1867, when he removed to Howard county, where he has since lived and continued to follow his chosen occupation - farming. He has an excellent farm in a good state of improvement and cultivation. In 1857- July 14 - he was married to Miss Harriet Redd, of Fayette county, Kentucky, and they now have four children living - Ida, Archie, Mary and Birdie. Mr. G. is a member of the Christian church and of the A. O. U. W.
H. C. HAWKINS
was born and reared in Howard county, and has followed farming all his life. His father came to this county in an early day and settled in Franklin township, where he made his permanent home. H. C., the subject of this sketch, was born in that township, September 10, 1825, and in youth received a good common school education. He was married March 4, 1855, to Miss Lavinia Alexander, and they have five children living - Mary, William B., Sarah C., Judith F. and John F. He owns an excellent farm of 230 acres. His orchard is one of the best in the township and contains a large variety of ex-
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cellent fruit trees, His parents were both natives of Kentucky, but spent most of their lives in the state of their adoption - Missouri. His father, William Hawkins, died July 8, 1845, and his mother, whose name before her marriage, was Lydia T. Francis, died in 1860. John L. Hawkins, brother of H. C., served through the Florida war.
THOMAS J. HEATH,
son of Judge W. R. Heath and wife, Mary P., whose maiden name was Turpin, was born in Howard county, Missouri, July 29, 1851. Mr. H. was reared on his father's farm, in this county, and was edu- cated in the common schools of the town of New Franklin. He he- gan active life when a young man by engaging in merchandising, which he followed one year. Afterwards, in 1872, he went to Cali- fornia and farmed there a season, and then returned to Howard county, and here he has since given his attention exclusively to farm- ing and stock trading. He is a capable, enterprising business man, and thus far his career has been a successful one. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.
JOHN G. HERNDON.
Mr. Herndon was twenty-three years of age when he bid good- bye to his old home and the friends and acquaintances of his boyhood in the Old Dominion, in 1838, and started for the more inviting fields of labor on the Missonri river. On reaching this section, he first set- tled a short distance northwest of Glasgow, in this county, where he engaged in farming, but eight years afterwards he moved to this place, where he now lives. He has a large farm of 400 acres, well stocked and well improved. His place is an excellent stock farm on account of its adaptation to grass of all kinds and its water facilities, Mr. Herndon was born in Goochland county, Virginia, July 8, 1815. His father, James, was also a native of Virginia, as was his grandfather, John Herndon. His mother's name before her marriage was Nancy Perkins, and she was of the same state. John G. received a good practical education in his native county before coming to Missouri. On the 6th of November, 1837, he was married to Miss Lucy Strange, of Sullivan county, Virginia, where she was born November 23, 1819. They have five children - Gideon S., William J., John H., Birdie and Maggie C.
G. S. HERNDON.
Mr. Herndon was reared in this county, his parents having im- migrated here when he was an infant, and having been brought up on the farm, he adopted that as his permanent occupation, which he has since followed except about three years, between 1863 and 1865, that he spent in the mines of California, He owns an excellent farm of 100 acres, well improved, and is regarded as a successful, enterpris- ing and energetic farmer. On the 21st of November, 1868, he was mar-
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ried to Miss Mary E. Stewart, an excellent and worthy lady, and they now have five children - Bettie L., Emma, Carrie, Susan and Gabe. Mr. H. is a member of the A. O. U. W. His post-office is Franklin, Howard county, Missouri.
WILLIAM HOCKER.
For nearly thirty years, from 1832 to 1860, William Hocker fol- lowed school teaching in Howard county. His parents came to this state in an early day, in 1824, when William was but ten years old, and he was reared on his father's farm. In those days not all the young men enjoyed good school advantages in their youth, and the subject of this sketch was one of them that did not. He only at- tended school a few months, but by study at home he acquired a better education than most of the others did who had good school advantages, so that at the age of eighteen years he was well qualified to commence teaching. He made teaching his regular occupation, and followed it until he was able to fix himself on a farm comfortably for life. He has followed farming since 1860, and has a splendid place of 600 acres in an excellent state of cultivation and improve- ment. He was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, September 8, 1814. His father, William Hocker, and his mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Allnutt, were both natives of Maryland. They emi- grated to Lincoln county, Kentucky, in 1790, and there reared a family of nine children, of whom William, Jr., was the eighth. They came to Howard county in 1824, and here the father died July 12, 1849, and the mother November 19, 1852. When the war broke out in 1861, Mr. H. identified himself with the south, and was taken pris- oner subsequently and sentenced to be shot, but made his escape from the detail of soldiers ordered to shoot him - under the fire, however, of the whole posse. On the 7th of April, 1836, he was married to Miss Margaret, daughter of Philip Turner, of Howard county. She was born in this county November 24, 1819. They have six children living-William R., Gerard C., Juliet B. (now Mrs. Wm. Moons), Hattie H. (now Mrs. Jack White), Emma G. ( now Mrs. S. L. Hig- gins ), and Ina. Philip Turner, the father of Mrs. Hocker, died April 22, 1827, and her mother January 28, 1856. Her mother's maiden name was Miss Brezell Hyatt, and both her parents were na- tives of Kentucky and came to Missouri in 1815. Mr. Hocker is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Christian church.
MAJ. H. H. HUGHES,
a soldier of three wars, and one of the most successful farmers of Howard county, now passed the allotted age of three score and ten years, is living in the slippered ease of retirement from all the active labors of life, blessed with a well preserved mind and body, and respected by all who know him. He is a native of Kentucky, but his home has been in Missouri for more than sixty years. His father, Samuel Hughes, and family, settled in this state from Kentucky, in 34
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1820. They first open what is now known as the home farm of Col- onel J. R. Estill, and there the son was principally reared. At the age of twenty-two, in 1834, he eulisted in the 1st Missouri regiment and was made major of the regiment. Afterwards the regiment went into quarters in Jefferson barracks, and thence it was sent to Jackson barracks, New Orleans. From there it entered into active service in the Florida war, in which it continued until the authority of the gov- ernment had been established in that peninsula. Subsequently it did service against the Seminoles in the Carolina and Georgia war, after which it was mustered out. In 1837, having been absent three years, Major Hughes returned home to Howard county, where he followed the peaceful and quiet life of a farmer until 1846. Then the hostile camp of the Mexicans was pitched under the shadow of the national ensign, and the brave sons of Missouri sprang to arms to make them honor its anthority. Major Hughes was among the first to take up the march for the halls of the Montezumas. He was made captain of company G, under Colonel Doniphan, and followed the starry flag to the City of Mexico, At the conclusion of this war, he again returned home and gave his attention to farming until 1861. Then he enlisted in the Confederate service and was made major of the 9th Missouri infantry, serving through the entire war, and finally stacking arms with the last to leave the field at Shreveport, Louisiana. In the three principal wars in which he did service ( for he was in several Indian wars), viz. : the Florida, the Mexican and the civil, he was in many of the hardest fought battles, and received wounds in both the Florida and the civil wars. Notwithstanding he has been a soldier among the soldiers of this country, he has found time and proved the business ability to lead a successful career as a private citizen, and having by industry and intelligent management, accumulated an am- ple competence for old age, in order that the evening of his life might be passed in the most serene tranquility, he withdrew some years ago from all business cares, disposing of his farm, so that now he enjoys
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