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 90

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 90
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 90

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JOHN OTTEN,

with William Johnson, clothier and merchant tailor. From boyhood, nearly forty-five years, Mr. Otten has been engaged in the clothing and merchant tailoring business, either as proprietor or clerk, and he is recognized as one of the best posted men in these lines in central Missouri. He was born in Hanover, Germany, April 12, 1828, and was the eldest of a family of four children reared by Henry Otten and wife, previously Miss Mary A. Dohrman, both natives of that country. When John Otten was a boy eleven years of age his parents came to this country, bringing their family, and after spend- ing eighteen months in St. Lonis, young Otten came to Boonville and engaged in the tailor's trade with C. H. Dobrman, with whom he con- tinued until Mr. Dohrman's death, about two years and a half after- wards. He then took charge of the business himself, and conducted it until 1850, when he went to Fayette, Howard county, and engaged in the same line of business. But about one year afterwards he had an advantageons partnership offered him with Mr. Millinbrook, of Boonville, which he accepted, and this firm carried on the clothing and merchant tailoring business nearly three years, when Mr. Otten became established in business alone, and so continued nntil 1854. That year, however, he sold out and accepted a clerical position, and since 1855 has been continuously engaged in clerking in his chosen calling until the present time. January 19, 1849, he was married to Miss Johanna Wertman, originally from Germany, and they have four children : Hannah, Mary, Frank W. and Sophia. Mr. O. is a

906

IIISTORY OF 110WARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

member of the M. E. church, and was a member of the city council in 1845. Mr. O.'s father died in 1877, but his mother is still living.

JAMES Q. RAGLAND,

of Smith & Ragland, livery. The above named firm, of which Mr. Ragland is a member, succeeded Whitelow & Shimer in business in March, 1882, and now carry on one of the best and most complete livery establishments in Boonville. Their building is large and well constructed, and they have forty head of horses and over twenty different vehicles, both their live stock and rolling stock being of the best quality, and everything is kept in the best of order. James Rag- land is a native of Boonville, and was born February 5, 1854. His father, William N. Ragland, was originally of Virginia, but came to this county in 1843, and here he lived until his death, which occurred March 10, 1867. Mrs. Ragland, James' mother, whose name before her marriage was Miss Bettie Quarles, was also from the Old Domin- ion, and is still living in Columbia at an advanced age. James was brought up in Boonville and was educated in Kemper's well known family school. In 1874, then twenty years of age, he engaged in farming in this county, in which he continued until he became a part- ner in his present business. Besides his livery business, he is also largely interested in farming, he and his brother now being the owners of 1,000 acres of good land. December 19, 1876, he was married to Miss Helen Corbyn, daughter of the Rev. A. D. Corbyn, and they have two children : John K. and Helen.

GEORGE REPPLEY.

The subject of this sketch was born in Baden, Germany, Decem- ber 22, 1827, being the son of George and Mary Reppley, both of Germany - the former born in 1798 and the latter in 1808. Of their original family of ten children - five sons and five daughters - but three sons and one daughter survive -George, Jacob, Mattix and Lena -the three latter being residents of Germany. George emi- grated to America in 1848, and the same year settled in Boonville. In 1851 he became employed by R. D. Perry, of that place, taking charge of a vineyard, which he conducted for twelve years. Entering into a copartnership with Mr. Perry, he subsequently leased this vineyard for a term of ten years, later purchasing the lands. He is now ex- tensively engaged in the culture of grapes, and also has a good orchard. His annnal manufacture of fine wines amounts to about 800 to 1,200 gallons, his apples finding a ready sale among home consumers. The

907

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

different varieties of grape include the Concord, Catawba, Delaware, Virginia seedling and Herbemont, besides sundry others. On Easter Tuesday of 1846, Mr. Reppley was married to Miss Helena Sahm, and to them were born eight children -Dora, wife of Henry Grym, of Boonville ; Herman, now in Connersville, Illinois ; Laura, Frank, a resident of Grafton, Illinois ; George and Lena, twins, the former also in Grafton ; Willie and Tena. Mrs. Reppley died January 4, 1872. Mr. R. was again married on Easter Tuesday, 1874, to Mrs. Christina Kemp, of Boonville. They have three sons: Albert, Otto and Oscar. Mrs. R. has one son by a former marriage - Emil. George Reppley, Sr., departed this life in 1872, and his widow in 1876 or 1877.

SAMUEL WILSON RAVENEL,

editor and proprietor of the Advertiser. That young men of promise have not ceased to be attracted to Central Missouri from the south, whence this section of the state has, from the beginning, drawn the main current of its talent and energy, becomes apparent upon the slightest investigation. In every community are found those whose presence verifies this fact. In Boonville, a prominent instance of its truth may be cited in the person of Mr. Ravenel, the subject of the present sketch. He is from the solar star of the southern constella- tion of states-South Carolina, and came out to Missouri in 1871. His character and the record he has made, young as he is, are alike worthy of the hero land that gave him birth. He was born in Charleston, that fired the opening shot of the civil war, April 12th, 1848. He was, therefore, but thirteen years of age when his ears were made familiar with the clash of arms in deadly conflict. Up to that time, great pains had been taken with his education, for his father was a man of superior intelligence and enlture, and was fully alive to the importance of giving his son a thorough education. Even for sometime after the war began, he persevered in keeping the son at school. Young Ravenel had the advantage of courses of study in the higher branches, in both Pineville and Wellington academies, of his native state. But soon the heavy smoke of war, like a pall of death, settled over the whole state, and the light of knowledge which was wont to radiate from the schools, as from a constellation of mid- noon suns, was lost in the Cimmerian blackness of deadly strife. Who could teach or who could study, when every breeze that floated across the state came laden with the clang of arms and the groans of dying friends - perhaps brothers, sons or fathers? When firesides were to be defended there was no time to talk of schools. A call

908

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

came for sixteen-year-old boys to volunteer their young lives in the defence of their Southern homes, and one of the first to respond to this call, with an alacrity and intrepidity, worthy of the youths of South Carolina, was Samuel Wilson Ravenel, then just sixteen years of age. He became an accepted and honored young soldier of the South, and followed the flag he had sworn to defend wherever it led, until it went down in a maelstrom of death to rise no more. He was paroled with Gen. Johnson's army, at Greensboro, North Carolina, April 26, 1865, being then on the staff of Major General W. B. Taliaferro, of the regular Confederate army. After this he returned to South Carolina, and was engaged in cotton planting until he came to Missouri, in 1871. In this state he became connected with the civil engineer corps of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railway company, and was connected with it in the construction of the road as far south as Denni- son, Texas. In 1873 he came to Boonville, being identified here with the engineering service, in building the railroad bridge over the Missouri. On the completion of the bridge Mr. Ravenel engaged in business, in this city, and on the 15th of April, 1878, was elected general manager of the Boonville Advertiser, acting, while manager, as its local editor also. In March of the following year he leased the office, and has since been conducting the paper as editor and proprietor. His success thus far as a newspaper man has been very successful, both as business manager and editor, and he is rapidly taking rank among the influential journalists of the state. As a writer he is clear, vigorous and to the point in whatever he discusses-a style that never fails to make a lasting impression upon the reader ; in the treatment of matters of public concern he is independent, frank and outspoken, but never vulgar, abusive or discourteous. His paper is democratic, as he himself is. Mr. Ravenel com- manded the Waddill national guards, Boonville, from 1879 to 1882, the full term of service. He is a member of the R. A. C., of the A. F. and A. M. and also of the A. O. U. W. He represents Cooper county on the democratic congressional committee. Mr. Ravenel's parents, Thos. P. and Elizabeth M. ( Wilson ) Ravenel, are both natives and residents of South Carolina; the father born Jan, 4, 1824, and the mother, Feb. 7, 1827,

HON. THERON M. RICE.

Hon. Theron M. Rice, member of the forty-seventh congress from one of the wealthiest and most populous districts in Missouri,

909

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

owes his commanding usefulness in life and his political elevation to the exercise of those sturdy virtues, which were a part of his charac- ter, and to unwearied diligence in the pursuit of worthy aims. The energy and devotion with which in early life he applied himself to the learning of the schools, and which led him to the acquisition of a learned profession, were followed by similar earnestness and vigor, in the serious conflicts of later years, making his record a noble one, and pointing him out as one of the honored citizens of a State that has not been slow to recognize and reward the achievements of her sons. Theron M. Rice was born September 21, 1829, in Mecca, Trum_ bull county, Ohio, a section of that State noted for its intelligence and for the strong abilities of numbers of her citizens, who have dis- tinguished themselves in state and national politics. Favored by good common school advantages, and working on his father's farm in the intervals of study, the young man grew to mental and physical vigor, with such surroundings as stimulated his ambitions and gave them proper direction. At the age of eighteen he entered Chester academy, in Geauga county, in his native state, and for four years maintained himself in that institution by teaching in winter and prosecuting his studies in summer. Four years of this discipline were followed by a period of teaching exclusively, but in later years he had carefully studied law, and prepared himself with all the re- sources at his command for work in his chosen profession. At the age of twenty-four he was admitted to practice, and immediately thereafter formed a law partnership with his former preceptor, and opened a law office in Canfield, Ohio, continuing two years with a fair share of success. He had, however, decided on removing to the West. The career of Joshua R. Giddings, in whose district he was born, and of Ben F. Wade, led him to believe that young men increased their chances for promotion in a new country. In 1858 he disposed of his interests, in Ohio, and removed to California, Moniteau county, Missouri, where he entered upon the law prac- tice and continued with success until the breaking out of the civil war. At the beginning of that conflict he organized a company which afterwards became a portion of the 26th Missouri infantry, under the command of Colonel George B. Boone. The history of this regiment of Missouri troops is well known, as it participated in the siege of Corinth and Vicksburg, the battles of Iuka and Missionary Ridge, the operations around Atlanta and the famous march to the sea, under the lead of Sherman. As a soldier, Mr. Rice performed his duties with the same good judgment which had before distin-

910

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

guished him and with a soldierly daring and intelligence that won him position to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of his regiment. Succeed- ing the war and the disbandment of his regiment, Mr. Rice returned to his old home in Moniteau county, making his residence at Tipton, where he again applied himself to the practice of law and again met with good success. In the fall of 1868 he was elected judge of the first judicial district of Missouri, and served a full term of six years. His course while on the bench was such as to deepen the respect which was felt for him, and to strengthen the hold he had upon the confi- dence of his fellows. At the expiration of his judicial term he again applied himself to the practice of his profession with increased good will and continued success. Although he had never been a politician or sought political preferment, he was prevailed upon to make the canvass for congress on the greenback ticket in 1880, and secured his election over John F. Phillips. His election may be largely at- tributed to his personal popularity, and the desire in his district to secure his services in a legislative capacity. While serving his con- stituents in congress, in 1882, he was nominated by the greenback convention of the state for the office of supreme judge, a nomination conferred upon him without his solicitation, but which he accepted iu obedience to the unanimous desire of the convention. Owing to the fact that two tickets were run in opposition to that of the democrat party in the state, thus dividing the vote that would otherwise have been united npon him, all prospect of his election was sacrificed, but he received a vote highly complimentary to him as a public man and as a citizen. Mr. Rice has been twice married, and has six children to inherit an honored name. The home of Mr. Rice is now at Boon- ville, Missouri, where he resides in the confidence and esteem of his friends and constituents.

E. ROESCHEL,

pharmacist and druggist. Those in the least familiar with the civil institutions and customs of the leading countries of Europe, are well apprised of the fact that the regulations and conditions there are much stricter for admission to any of the regular professions or occu- pations, than in this country. Especially is this true of Germany, where the requirements often seem unnecessarily severe ; yet, when one becomes qualified to meet them, he is then beyond all ques- tion competent and thorough in his chosen calling. Mr. Roeschel, who was reared in Germany, learned the drug business in that country, and graduated in pharmacy in the city of Giessen.

911

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

This fact alone is a sufficient assurance that he is a skilled druggist and pharmacist, but added to this is the additional fact that he has had nearly forty years' practical experience. It is not more than the truth demands to say that he is one of the finest druggists and phar- macists in central Missouri, and his success in business shows that he is equally capable as a business man. He now has one of the largest retail drug houses in this section of the state. He was born in Germany, March 3d, 1824, and was educated in the schools of the better class in that country. After learning the drug business, he came to this country in 1850 and stopped at Belleville, Illinois, about six months, but then came to Boonville, since which he has followed his regular business and for a number of years has also been interested in grape culture- having now a large and flourishing vineyard near this city. During the war he served about six months in the militia, but still kept up his other interests. In June, 1853, he was married to Miss Mary Hass, originally of Chicago, but she died one year afterwards. In 1855 he was again married, Miss Rosina Hass, sister to his first wife, becoming his second companion. He has three children - one, Mary, by his first wife, and two, William and Henry, by his present wife. Mr. Roeschel is a successful business man and a highly respected citizen.

GEORGE ROEDER,

manufacturer of carriages, buggies, wagons, etc. Mr. Roeder landed in this country from Germany in 1854, then twenty-one years of age, and was without means or other help to make his way in the new, strange land except his own ability and disposition to work, and an intelligent and capable mind to plan and manage business affairs. He had learned the blacksmithing trade in his native country and in that he began work in America, the hardest, and as some think, the slowest of all the occupations in which to accumulate means and to become prominent in business. But industry, economy and good manage- ment will tell in any calling, and accordingly he soon had a shop of his own ; then after a while he was able to engage in the carriage and wagon manufacturing business, and for years past he has been one of the leading, successful, and solid citizens and business men of Boonville. He has a large, handsomely constructed two-story brick manufacturing building, and works about a dozen hands in his estab- lishment. He turns out some as fine carriages, buggies, coupes, etc., as can be made in central Missouri, and his wagons have a wide repu- tation for durability and light running. He keeps a large variety of rolling stock of every description constantly on hand. He was born

912

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

in Germany September 14th, 1833, and at the age of fifteen began to learn the blacksmith's trade. He followed that occupation in his native country until he came to America in 1854. After landing in this country and before coming to Boonville, he worked in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Pekin, Illinois - in each about eighteen months. He then came to Boonville and started a blacksmith shop, carrying it on about seven years, and in 1860 began his present business, which has brought him the most gratifying success. February 14th, 1860, he was married to Miss Wilhelmina Schaeffer, originally of Germany. They have four children - Louis, Emma, Laura and Augusta. Mr. Roeder is a member of the A. O. U. W., and of the Lutheran church.

JOHN F. ROGERS,

sheriff of Cooper county. Those who hold the office of sheriff in their respective counties are usually men of more than ordinary popularity, for it is a position in which personal popularity counts far more than in any other public trust. In other official stations, special knowledge in the line of the duties to be discharged goes very far towards deter- mining one's selection, although personally he may not be so popular. But with the sheriff, if he is a good business man and possesses the qualities to more than an ordinary degree that make one esteemed by all who know him, his tenure of office is secure, at least to the limit of the law. Such a man is John F. Rogers, the sheriff of Cooper county. Indeed, personal popularity is a characteristic of the family wherever they live. His uncle and father were each for many years sheriff of their county in Virginia, and two of his brothers have time and again held the like office in this state and Virginia, his brother, F. A. Rogers, one of the most popular men this county ever had, having been sheriff for three terms, between 1872 and 1878, and, as all know here, the Cooper county brothers merit to the highest degree the popularity they enjoy. John F. Rogers was born in Belmont county, Ohio, April 6, 1840, his parents having immigrated there from Vir- ginia. However, four years after his birth, they returned to Fauquier county of their native state, where the father, Hugh Rogers, had been reared, and for many years was a leading farmer and largely inter- ested in merchandising. In 1857, Hugh Rogers moved to Missouri with his family, and settled in Cooper county. Here he diedt hree years afterwards, his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Simpson, having been borne to her grave a few months before. They left a family of six children, John F. being the third son then living. John had received a good, ordinary English education before leaving Vir-

913

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

ginia, and on coming to this county with his parents, taught school here the succeeding winter and the following spring and summer. He then engaged in farming, which he followed until 1870, when he em- barked in the mercantile business. In this he continued four years, and thereupon resumed farming, to which he adhered until his election, in 1880. He was married December 31, 1861, to Miss Annie, daughter of the late Dr. Harriman, of Pilot Grove, but originally of Woodford county, Kentucky. They have two children : Frank and Etta. Mr. R. is a member of the Masonic order, now master of Cooper lodge No. 36, being also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter. He is a genial, whole-souled, good man, as every sheriff ought to be if he cares to retain the favor of the people ; is a brave-hearted, efficient officer, and a clear-headed, successful business man.

GEORGE SAHM & SONS,

boot and shoe manufacturers and merchants. This firm is probably the largest manufacturing and mercantile establishment in the line of boots and shoes in central Missouri, the value of its manufactured goods alone footing up over thirty thousand dollars per annum. And it is all the outgrowth of the industry and intelligence of a man who thirty-five years ago, then a mere youth, came to America, practically without a dollar, and apprenticed himself to the shoemaker's trade. George Sahm, then a penniless German apprentice-boy in a strange land and without friends, is now one of the leading business men of central Missouri. Such a record his descendants may well read with pride, and cherish as of more manly honor to their name than if they had inherited a title and a decoration from some noble nobody in their country. George Sahm was born in Bavaria, Germany, August 1, 1832, and remained in his native country until he was sixteen years of age. He then determined to seek his fortune in the new land beyond the Atlantic, and he came and found it. He first worked three years at the boot and shoemaking business in Sandusky county, Ohio, dur- ing which time he became a thorough master of his chosen occupation. From there he came to Boonville and worked here as a journeyman at his trade three more years, at the expiration of which time he set up a shop for himself. That was in the spring of 1855, and by industry and economy he soon became able to add a trade stock of boots and shoes to his establishment. His business steadily grew, and he stood by it as true as a Trojan to the walls of Troy, so that by 1877 he was able to begin the manufacture of his own stocks and also for the gen- eral markets on a large scale. How he has succeeded in this also, is

914

HISTORY OF HOWARD AND COOPER COUNTIES.

shown by the statement made above. In 1876 his son, George W., became his partner, and in 1880, Henry, another son, was admitted to the firm. They now employ constantly over thirty hands in their establishment. If all the German and American and other boys in this country would do as well as Mr. Sahm has, the United States would be the grandest, richest country, beyoud comparison, the world ever saw. He was married July 8, 1854, to Miss Catherine Dick, originally of Germany. Heaven has blessed him with children as he has blessed himself with wealth. He has seven : George W., Mollie, Henry J., Joseph, Julia, Louis and Katie. Mr. Sahm has held vari- ous official positions, among which are those of a school director and city councilman, each several terms.

George W. Sahm, his eldest son and first partner, was born in Boonville on July 16, 1855, and was educated in Kemper's well- known school of this city. In 1870 he began to learn the shoe- maker's trade under his father, which he acquired by two years' hard work at the bench. He then took charge of his father's store and managed it until 1876, when he became a partner in the establish- ment. January 9, 1878, he was married to Miss Rosa, daughter of Colonel Eppstein, of Boonville. They have one child : Corean. George W. is a member of the A. O. U. W.

ANTHONY SMITH AND NICHOLAS MEISTRELL,

of Meistrell & Smith, general merchants, This is one of the principal firms of general merchandise in Boonville, and has a large trade throughout the surrounding country. Their stock of goods includes every variety of articles usually found in a general store, is well se- lected, and is ample to supply the demands of the trade. They also have a large store at Gooch's mill, southeast of the city, about twelve miles, which they established in 1871. Both are enterprising, suc- cessful business men, and both are what may be fairly called self-made, so far as their success in life is concerned, for neither had any means to begin on that he did not earn by his own industry. They now rank among the leading business men of Cooper county, and are respected by all who know them as upright, honorable men, and useful, public- spirited citizens. Anthony Smith was born in Chariton county, Mis- sonri, November 22, 1843, and was a son of John Smith and wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Loch, both natives of Germany, who came to this country in 1839 and settled in Chariton county. Anthony's father was a farmer and blacksmith. That occupation the son followed until 1864, when he engaged in teaming for three years.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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