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 86

Author: National Historical Company
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1198

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 86
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 86

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OWEN CARVILLE.

Mr. Carville was a youth sixteen years of age when his parents, John and Rosa ( Murry ) Carville, emigrated from Ireland with their family in 1849, and settled in Boonville, this county. Owen, who was one of eight children, was born January 1, 1833, and in early youth

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

assisted his father on the farm in his native country, and attended the parish schools, which were of a superior quality. After his arrival here he followed various occupations until, some years before the late war, he enlisted as a soldier and went to Salt Lake, Utah, where he was under the commands, successively, of Colonels Alexander and Johnson. Returning home from Salt Lake, he enlisted in 1862 in the union service, becoming a member of company B, 5th Missouri state militia, in which he served for three years, being promoted from the ranks to the position of first lieutenant during his second year of ser- vice, which he held until his term expired. After the war he turned his attention to farming, and now has a comfortable homestead of 130 acres of good land, substantially improved. November 11, 1867, he was married to Miss Mary Edds, a young lady originally of Ken- tucky. They have six children, Arthur F., Cecilia A., Thomas, Mamie, Rosa and Alphonso. Both parents are members of the Catho- lic church.

JUDGE B. C. CLARK,

probate judge of Cooper county. In this world of antagonisms, changes and weaknesses, it is of rare occurrence, very rare, that one holds an elective position through life, and, when he dies, whose son succeeds to the same trust by the preference of the people, and retains it through a long, unbroken chain of years, and until he declines to continue in it longer. Such a record of father and son is a eulogy upon their good names that the art of rhetoric cannot approach. And such is the record of the lives of Judge B. C. and his father, Robert P. Clark, of Cooper county. Robert P. Clark was a man prominent in the affairs of his native county in Kentucky before he came to Mis- souri. A short time after he came to Cooper county, this state, he was made county clerk of the county, which then included also the pre- sent offices of county and circuit clerk and recorder. He was the first clerk after the organization of the county in 1818. This position he held by regular re-elections for twenty-three years and until his death in 1841. He was also a delegate to the first constitutional convention to frame a state constitution. His son, now Judge Clark, who had been in the office from childhood almost, succeeded his father, and continued in the position, by the repeated indorsements of the people, for twelve years, and until he resigned, in order to discontinue official life. From 1853 to 1878 Judge Clark led a quiet, retired and success- ful life on his farm, but in the fall of the last named year the people elected him to the office of probate judge, and in 1882 he was re-elected. Judge Clark was born in this county, July 13, 1819, and as far as

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

known was the first white person born in the county after its organi- zation. His father was originally of Clark county, Kentucky. He came with his family to Howard county, Missouri, in 1817, and to Cooper county, in 1818. Mrs. Malinda Clark, the judge's mother, was a daugh- ter of Stephen Trigg, of Kentucky, and died in Cooper county in 1828 or 1830. Judge Clark was the fourth of a family of six children. After Mrs. Clark's death, Mr. Clark was married a second time, of which union one child was born. Judge Clark has lived in this county continuously from infancy, except a short stay made in California in 1849-50, whither he was attracted by the gold excitement of that time. He now resides in Boonville, having moved to the city from his coun- try residence on his election to the office of probate judge. Of course, he has not travelled thus far along life's way without a companion to share his pleasures and sorrows ; but, fortunately, with him far more of the former than of the latter, although the throb of grief has not been a stranger to his breast. In order of time we should have given his marriage before, for he was united in wedlock to Miss Margaret, daughter of James Hutchison, an early and respected citizen of this county, formerly of Bourbon county, Kentucky, ou the 9th of Septem- ber, 1841.

GEN. HENRY M. CLARK.

For nearly forty years General Clark has been connected more or less continuously with the official affairs of the people of Cooper county, and few men have led a life of less reproach, or one that has been characterized by greater fidelity and efficiency in the discharge of public trusts. He is of Virginia parentage, but of Kentucky birth, having been born in Jessamine county, that state, January 28, 1825, and was principally reared in Illinois. His father, James Clark, who was brought up in Virginia, where he married, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and settled in Kentucky in an early day. From Ken- tucky, in 1829, he emigrated with his family to Illinois, stopping first near Jacksonville, and then near Rushville, but finally making his permanent home in Hancock county, where he laid off the town of Plymouth, and lived there until his death in 1835. In 1840, Mrs. Clark, with her family, moved to Cooper county, and here she died six years afterwards. Henry M. was the tenth of a family of eleven children, and after he came to Cooper county, being at the time a young man twenty-two years of age, entered a newspaper office in Boonville, where he learned the printer's trade, and subsequently worked in that occupation in all about four years. In the meantime he had begun to take an active interest in public affairs, and, in 1845,

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

became deputy postmaster of Boonville, and the following year was appointed postmaster himself. He held this position for fifteen years through all the changes of administrations, and until 1861, when he entered the Confederate army. Prior to his retirement from the post- office, however, he had been appointed inspector-general of Governor Jackson's staff, and on the commencement of hostilities entered the field in that capacity. He served through the entire war, being under General Price part of the time, but was afterwards under Gen- eral Smith, in whose command he held the position of inspector- general. After the close of the war he returned to Cooper county, and was pardoned by President Johnson. In a short time he went to Texas, but returned in 1871 and engaged in the insurance business. He continued in this until 1873, when he was appointed deputy col- lector of the county, and in 1878 was elected to that office, which he filled for two terms, being re-elected, and until March, 1883. He js now acting as deputy in the same office. He was married Jnue 11, 1857, to Mrs. Virginia A. Lewis, daughter of N. W. Mack, of this state. General Clark is a member of the Masonic order, and a lead- ing member of the Royal Arch Chapter.

JOSEPH COMBS,

farmer, section 4. That the days when Cooper county might justly be called a " new country " have long since passed away, is apparent from the fact that so many of its citizens

" On whose visage, middle age Has pressed its signet, sage,"

are the sons of fathers who were reared in the county, and who are now in the twilight of old age, where

"Life's shadows are meeting Eternity's day."

Mr. Comb's father, Christopher B. Combs, came to this county with his parents, or rather was brought by them, from Kentucky, when but two years of age, and is now an old man, rapidly nearing the allotted age of three score and ten. His father, John Combs, who was born February 17, 1800, immigrated here with his family, consisting of his wife, formerly Miss Mary B. Clark, and children, in 1822, and in 1833 settled in the place where Joseph Combs now lives. He died June 3, 1857, but his widow is still living at the advanced age of eighty, having been born in March, 1803. Here, Christopher B., born in Kentucky, August 4, 1820, grew up from his second year, and subsequently married and reared his family. He is now a resident of Lamar, Bar-

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

ton county, Missouri. Joseph, the subject of this sketch, was born where he now lives, March 25, 1848, and was reared on the old home- stead before his parents removed from the county. After the usual course in the common schools, he attended Kemper's well-known school during the sessions of 1857-58-59, and also the terms of 1865- 66-67. He then entered the state university at Columbia, where he had the benefit of a still higher course of studies. October 23, 1868, he was married to Miss Rachel, daughter of Moss Prewitt, of Column- bia, Missouri. They have one child, a son, John. Farming has con- stituted Mr. Combs' life occupation, and he is now one of the prominent farmers of this county. Thoroughly educated, he farms according to the most approved methods, and everything around him bears the im- press of an enterprising, progressive agriculturist. His farm contains 600 acres, and is well improved. Mr. C. is a member of the Masonic order and a Knight Templar.

HON. JOHN COSGROVE,

member of congress from the sixth district of Missouri. For every young man without the advantages that ample means afford, who has an honorable ambition to rise in the world, there is a lesson in the life of Hon. John Cosgrove worthy the closest study. It illustrates, by a striking example, that early opportunities are not indispensable to a useful and honorable career. His father, although a substantial farmer, was not wealthy, and in youth the son had only the advan- tages afforded by the common schools. But notwithstanding this he determined to raise himself to an honorable place in life. How well he succeeded is shown by the position he now occupies in the public affairs of the country, and by the consideration with which his name is regarded wherever he is known. John Cosgrove was born near Alexandria, in Jefferson county, New York, on the 12th day of Sep- tember, 1839. On his father's side he is of Irish descent, his grand- father, James Cosgrove, having been a native of Ireland. John was the fourth of a family of nine children born to James Cosgrove, Jr., and wife, previously Miss Mary Forrella. Both parents were natives of New York, his father having been born in Jefferson county, June 18th, 1798, and his mother in the same county, December 25, 1806. The father died in that county, November 16th, 1879, but Mrs. Cos- grove still survives her husband and is now living in her native state. John Cosgrove remained at home or in the county where he was reared, attending the usual sessions of the common schools as he grew up, until 1859, when, being of an enterprising disposition, he

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

was attracted to Colorado by the Pike's Peak excitement. Reaching Leavenworth, Kansas, he and four others started with a hand-cart from that place across the plains, but when the Kickapoo reservation in Kansas was reached, two of the five became disheartened and re- turned. Young Cosgrove and the two remaining companions, how- ever, persevered, and finally reached their destination, Pike's Peak. After remaining there a short time he came to the conclusion that the life of a miner was not the life for him, and returned to New York, resolved to prepare himself for the legal profession. But he was without means or influential friends and his education was still in- complete. Nothing daunted by this unfavorable outlook, he secured a district school which he taught in order to obtain the means to ad- vance his education. He then attended Redwood high school in his native county, and after this, in 1861, entered the office of Hubbard & Lansing, a prominent legal firm of Watertown, New York, where he remained as a student until 1863, when he was admitted to the bar. But even before his admission to the bar he took an active in- terest in local politics, being an ardent democrat, and was regarded as a leader among the young democrats of the place. In 1864 he was made lieutenant in what was known as the " Seymour National Guards, " a political military organization of young men. In the fall of 1865 he determined to seek his fortune in the west, and picked on Missouri as the place of his future residence. In this state he stopped, first in St. Louis, thence in Jefferson City, but was advised to locate in Boonville. Receiving a letter of introduction there from Hon. Allen Richardson to Colonel Joseph L. Stephens, of this city, he came on here, reaching Boonville on the 19th of November. He had previously stopped at this place in 1859, when on his way to Colo- rado. He was without a single acquaintance. He at once entered upon the practice of his profession, and although young and compar- atively inexperienced, and at a bar where many of the best lawyers of the state practised, he soon won an enviable position as an attorney, and secured a lucrative practice. Some years afterwards he was elected to the responsible office of prosecuting attorney, which he filled with marked distinction, and for a number of years held the position of city attorney of Boonville. Becoming more popular, both as a lawyer and a citizen as he became better known, in 1882 there was a strong demand made upon him to become a candidate for the demo- cratie nomination for congress, to which he yielded, and in the eon- vention that followed was nominated with great enthusiasm. In November he was duly elected, and with a majority eminently flatter-

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

ing to him personally. Mr. Cosgrove is a man of strong natural ability, of untiring industry, and of the most unquestioned integrity. As a lawyer he is widely and well known, careful and painstaking in his practice and more than ordinarily successful in the practical man- agement of cases in court As a speaker he is clear, logical and forci- ble, and often rises to a high order of eloquence when he becomes thoroughly imbued with his subject. On the 18th of December, 1873, Mr. Cosgrove was united in marriage to Miss Georgia Augusta Bliss, a refined and accomplished young lady of Brattleboro, Vermont. They have been blessed with an interesting family of four children : John B., James W., Gertrude and an infant. Mr. C. is a member of the I. O. O. F. order of this city.

JOHN W. CUNNINGHAM,

farmer, section 8. Mr. Cunningham, although comparatively a new comer to Cooper county, has been a citizen of the state of Missouri for the last forty years, having settled in St. Charles county, this state, from Virginia, in 1843. His parents were both natives of the Old Dominion, and he was the eldest of their family of four children. His father, John Cunningham, was born August 29th, 1800, and died in his native state August 29, 1836. His mother, formerly Miss Mary Kissinger, was born May 20th, 1810, and lived to her fifty-ninth year, dying in 1869. John W., who was born in Berkeley, Virginia ( now a part of West Virginia ), January 1st, 1826, was raised in his native county, that is up to his eighteenth year, when he came west and located in St. Charles county, this state. There he continued and followed farming with excellent success for nearly thirty years. He was married in that county October 5th, 1852, to Miss Ellen Spencer, and a family of six children has been granted to them. William W., Ida, Anna K., John N., Milton S., and Thomas W. In 1872 Mr. Cunningham removed to Howard county, but, remaining there only a short time, came over to this county, and settled on his present place. His farm contains five hundred acres of the best quality of land. Having no political am- bition, he has never sought prominence in public affairs, and has never held any office except that of school director of his district. He is a substantial, successful farmer, and a highly respected citizen.

M. DIRINGER,

wagon making and general blacksmithing. In 1859 Mr. Diringer, then sixteen years of age, commenced work in a blacksmith shop to

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

learn the trade, at which he continued, without interuption, about two years, and until the breaking out of the war. Then, like most young men of Boonville, of German antecedents by birth or descent, he took the side of the Union, and in July, 1861, joined the home guards, with which he served five months, and then enlisted, Deceni- ber 21st, 1861, in a company of Federal calvary, commanded by Colonel Eppstein, under whose command he served three years, or until December 21st, 1864. After that he resumed work at his trade, and carried on blacksmithing exclusively in this city until 1870, when he engaged also in manufacturing wagons, which he has kept up until the present time, and has been very successful in both lines of industry. He was a son of Ignes and Magdaline Diringer, both natives of Alsace, Germany (formerly part of France ), and was born in that province, November 12, 1843. When he was eight years of age the family came to this country, and his father engaged in farming and the vineyard business, to which occupation the son was brought up, and followed until he commenced work at the blacksmith's trade. On the 29th of October, 1868, Mr. M. Diringer was married to Miss Margaret Mitchell, formerly of Chariton county. They have three children, Frank J., Emelia, and Catherine. Mr. D. is a member of the Catholic church.

JAMES W. DRAFFIN,

of Draffin & Williams, attorneys at law. There are few men who know anything of the judicial annals of central Missouri for the last twenty-five or thirty years, to whom the name of James W. Draffin is not as familiar, almost, as a household word. He is the second oldest practictioner at the Cooper county bar, and for years has ranked among the foremost lawyers in this section of the state. To attempt to give an outline of his professional career -the important cases he has tried, his relations with the bench and bar for the last quarter of a century and more - would be to enter upon a field which the nature and limits of this work forbid. Nor is it necessary ; for his life as a lawyer is written in the records of the courts, from the supreme judicial forum of the state to the circuit and minor tribunals of this and other counties, and with far greater justice to him, and the name he has made, than we could possibly hope to perform it. Suffice it, therefore, to say, that his reputation as an upright, conscientious practitioner is not less enviable than his standing as an able, successful attorney. James W. Draffin was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, March 4th, 1830. His father, Thomas Draffin, and mother, whose maiden name was Mary Douglass, were also both natives of that state, where

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

they married and lived until James W. was about twelve years of age. Then, in 1836, they emigrated to Missouri, and settled on a farm in this county. Two years afterwards James W. entered Kemper's well known school in Boonville, in which he continued as a student two years, applying himself with great energy and diligence. His uncle, John Draffin, was at the time a prominent lawyer of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and thither young Draffin went ou quitting Kemper's school in 1846, and there began the study of law under his uncle. He kept up his law studies with the latter until his admission to · the bar in 1852. Returning then to Boonville he entered the law office of Judge Wash Adams as a student and young practitioner, where he remained two years, when he began the practice alone. His thorough preparatory course had well fitted him for the active duties of his profession, and he soon became known as one of the best posted young lawyers at the bar. This fact, together with his perfect re- liability, and the reputation he soon established as a good speaker, and zealous advocate, was not long in bringing him a lucrative prac- tice. Afterwards he was the partner, successively, of John Hennwig, Esq., William Douglas, Esq., Hon. G. G. Vest, now United States senator, and W. D. Muir, Esq. With the last named gentleman he was associated a number of years, or until 1872, when Mr. Muir died. W. M. Williams, Esq., is his present partner. Mr. Draffin has never been the aspirant for office, preferring rather to give his whole time and study to the law. However, several official positions of minor importance, the duties of which did not interfere with his pro- fession, he was prevailed on to accept, which he filled with singular fidelity and ability. He was married in July, 1859, to Miss Louisa Tichenor, daughter of Samuel Tichenor, of Newark, New Jersey. They have eight children, David T., Edward, William M., Willington J., Whitlow M., Frank D., Martin T. and Mary.

JOHN DURR,

dealer in saddles, harness, etc. Mr. Durr has a business in the above named line that would not suffer by comparison, either as to stock or trade, with any house in a city no larger than Boonville, in this State, and he has built it up by his own industry and enterprise. When twelve years of age, he came to this country from Germany, where he was born November 4, 1837, and disembarking in New York pushed on to Newark, New Jersey, in which place he worked in such em- ployment as he could get for about six or eight months. He then came west to Chicago and worked there about four months, going

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

thence to Louisville, where he learned the saddlery and harness makers' trade. He remained in Louisville working at his trade until 1856, when he came to St. Lonis and thence to Boonville. He worked here for various parties until the spring of 1859, or nearly two years, at which time he opened a shop of his own, and his business has since steadily grown until it has attained to its present importance. At the beginning, however, he had a partner for a short time, and for five years he was city treasurer of Boonville. On the 28th of December, 1858, he was married to Miss Mary A. Sombart, originally of Ger- many. They had two children, John W. and Charles F. Mr. Durr is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the A. O. U. W. His parents, John and Mary Durr, were both natives of Germany.

SIDNEY H. EDSON,

farmer, section 5. Mr. Edson's parents, Homer H. and Snsan (Gobuyld) Edson, were originally of New York, but in an early day settled in Ohio -in Medina county of the last named state. Sid- ney H. Edson was born February 22, 1821. When he was about ten years of age, his parents removed to Coshocton county, the same state, where they remained about eight years, and then went to Tippe- canoe county, Indiana. There Sidney attained his majority, and in 1845 was married to Miss Margaret Nixon, a native of Ireland. He followed farming in Indiana until 1851, when he removed to St. Lonis county, Missouri, and farmed there about four years. From St. Louis county he went to Texas in 1855, but stopping in the Lone Star state only a short time, he returned to Missouri and settled in Cooper county, near where he now resides. He has been very suc- cessful as a farmer and now has an excellent homestead of 335 acres. He has never sought to take any conspicuous part in public affairs, although he was called upon by the people of the vicinity to serve them as school director, which he did to their entire satisfaction. Mr. and Mrs. Edson have eleven children, Mary, Homer, Henry, William, David, Louis, Maria, Albert, Margaret, James and John.

COLONEL JOSEPH A. EPPSTEIN,

postmaster. The wisdom and broad-minded statesmanship displayed by our government in opening the doors of this country to the people of all nations, with the guaranty of citizenship and equal rights to all who came, are eloquently vindicated by the lives of such men as Col- onel Eppstein. A foreigner by birth, and principally reared in a for- eign land, he came to this country over forty years ago, and has made

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HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

a record as a citizen and soldier which no American can read but with pride and satisfaction. As a citizen his life has been active, more than ordinarily useful, and above reproach ; and, as a soldier, he has distinguished himself in two of the great wars of the country by his zeal, courage and unfaltering patriotism. No man in Missouri during our late unfortunate civil strife was more active and successful in or- ganizing volunteers for the union than he. And in a struggle of un- exampled bitterness, which, judging by the crimes committed almost daily on both sides, often seemed to be waged more for revenge and plunder than for the principles involved, he so bore himself that he retained the confidence of all in his honor and integrity, and became widely known as an officer who would protect the lives and property of all law-abiding, peaceable citizens, whatever their predilections or sympathies. Joseph A. Eppstein was born in Germany January 1, 1824. His father, whose name was also Joseph, was a prominent manufacturer of coaches and wagons in his native country, and also had other im- portant interests, including a fruit and vegetable farm, and a ferry across the Rhine. In 1840 he and his wife - previously Miss Barbara Reitz - together with their family of seven children, came to America, disembarking in this country at Baltimore. From there they came west by the Baltimore and Ohio railway as far as it ran - about 100 miles - after which they took the canal to Pittsburg, and thence came by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to St. Louis. In St. Louis Mr. Eppstein, the father, left his family and came on up the river to Mon- iteau county, where he brought his family a month later and settled on a farm. There they lived until 1845, when they moved to Jeffer- son City, where the father died in 1846. However, prior to that, in 1844, Mr. Eppstein made a business trip to Germany and was absent nearly a year. Mrs. Eppstein survived her husband over thirty-five years, but died in Boonville in 1882. Joseph Eppstein, Jr., was the second of a family of eleven children, and was sixteen years of age when he came with his father's family to this country in 1840. Up to that time his youth had been employed in work- ing on his father's fruit and vegetable farm, on the ferry across the Rhine, and in attending school. After they came to this country he remained with the family in Moniteau county until 1843, when he went to St. Louis and engaged as a porter in a store in that city, but was shortly promoted to a clerkship in the same house, which he filled until 1847. Then, in February of that year, he en- listed in company C, 3d Missouri mounted rifles, raised for the Mexican war, in which company he was made sergeant, and served for

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Author: National Historical Company Publication date: 1883 Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1198

Author: National Historical Company
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1198