USA > Missouri > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Missouri > Part 24
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five years old, had been run over by an electric car of the Kansas City Electric Line, and both legs cut off. The Circuit Court gave a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $30,000, and this sum was reduced by the Supreme Court to $27,000, including interest. Mr. Southern received the check from the company for $27,000 when he had passed the 80th milestone of his long life.
In 1884 Mr. Southern was elected Presidential elector from this dis- trict on the Democrat ticket, and cast the vote of his district in the elec- toral college for Grover Cleveland.
Mr. Southern was associate attorney with the county counselor and conducted the defense on behalf of Jackson County in the suit brought to enjoin the county court from appropriating two-thirds of the dram shop revenue for the public road fund. His contention was sustained by the Supreme Court, and the act of the Legislature authorizing the appropria- tion of the funds for said purpose was declared constitutional.
He was also attorney in behalf of the county to have declared uncon- stitutional the legislative enactment which provided for taxing Jackson County for the building and maintainance of a reform school in the county. He won this suit, and the Supreme Court declared the act unconstitutional.
For 35 years Colonel Southern resided on his farm east of Independ- ence, and had erected thereon a stone dwelling house, built of stone quar- ried on his land. For the past 15 years he has resided in the city.
For 50 years he has been a member of the Presbyterian Church, and has been an elder of the church for 35 years. He is the oldest living Mason of the oldest Masonic Lodge in the county, Lodge No. 76, of Independence. He became a member of this lodge in 1869. His three sons are also mem- bers of the order.
Colonel Southern was severely wounded while serving with the Confed- erate forces. He received his wound while executing an order given by General Longstreet, in the spring of 1864, and was incapacitated for fur- ther service with the army. When the war was over and he was dis- charged from the hospital at Bristol, Va., the railroads were torn up and he had to contrive a way to get to his home at Morristown, Tenn. He se- cured an old buggy, hitched to it an old army horse, and started on the long drive to his old home. On the way he passed through the camp of a division of Federal soldiers at Greenville, Tenn., and learned for the first time that President Lincoln had been assassinated. Grief stricken over the news, the men were all bowed down with sorrow, and Colonel Southern recalls that throughout all the vast encampment hardly a sound could be heard. It was the most solemn and impressive sight that he had ever
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witnessed-a great body of soldiers going about their tasks so quietly that not a sound could be heard. He, himself, was grieved to hear of the death of the President, and sorrowed with his former enemies.
John Nelson Southern comes of an old and distinguished American family of Virginia. His great-grandfather, with whom he conversed in 1860, fought in the American Revolution, and was 100 years old on the day that he related to Mr. Southern incidents of his war service. An ancestor of his mother also fought at the Battle of Brandywine, under Washing- ton. His great-grandfather fought with General Jackson and other Ten- nesseeans in the Carolinas.
Dr. Oliver Caldwell Sheley, a prominent physician of Independence, Mo., has practiced his profession here for over 40 years and in years of service is the oldest practicing physician in Independence. He is a native of Jackson County and a descendant of pioneer families of this state.
Dr. Sheley was born on a farm, two and one-half miles southwest of Independence, June 23, 1855. He is a son of James K. and Mary Ann Elizabeth (Smart) Sheley, both natives of Kentucky. James K. Sheley was born in Scott County, Ky., March 17, 1815, and died in Nov., 1893. He was a son of Horace Sheley, a native of Virginia, who came from Ken- tucky to Missouri in 1828, and located near New Bloomfield. He died in Calloway County. Mary Ann Elizabeth (Smart) Sheley, mother of Dr. Sheley, was born in Kentucky in 1821, and died March 4, 1872.
James K. Sheley came to Jackson County from Calloway County in 1852, and settled two and one-half miles southwest of Independence, where he bought a farm from Joseph Moon. During the Civil War he returned to Calloway County, where he remained until 1867, when he returned to Jackson County. He was a man of strong character and deep convictions and was a prominent factor in the affairs of Calloway County and also prominently identified himself with Jackson County after coming here. He served in the State Legislature, representing Calloway County in the forties. After coming to Jackson County, he was appointed judge of the Probate and Common Pleas Court by Governor Sterling Price. He was also a member of the State Convention, which was called at the beginning of the Civil War, to decide whether Missouri should secede from the Union. He was elected to the State Legislature from Jackson County in 1872 and served two sessions.
To James K. and Mary Ann Elizabeth (Smart) Sheley were born the following children: Mrs. Sally Henderson, died in 1917; William S., died in California, about 1880; James K., Jr., died in Texas in 1891; Horace, an
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attorney at Independence; Lizzie, married H. H. Noland and died at Inde- pendence in 1891; Robert, died at Independence in 1891; and Dr. Oliver Caldwell Sheley, the subject of this sketch.
Dr. Sheley was educated in Independence and after receiving a good preparatory education entered the Kansas City Medical College, where he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1876. In 1891 and 1897 he attended the New York Polyclinic. In 1876, shortly after completing his medical course, Dr. Sheley practiced in Kansas City for a short time. He then went near Blue Springs, Mo., and later practiced at Pink Hill. In 1889, he came to Independence, where he has since suc- cessfully devoted himself to the practice of his profession. He has been a life long student of the science of his great profession and his careful and well directed professional efforts have been rewarded by uniform success.
Jan. 17, 1878, Dr. Sheley was united in marriage with Miss Lucinda J. Warren, a daughter of Nelson A. and Lucinda (Robertson) Warren. Nel- son A. Warren was born at Cape May, New Jersey, Jan. 19, 1812. He came west in early manhood and lived in Indiana for a time and in 1833 settled in Jackson County, Mo. In 1834, he received a government appoint- ment in connection with the Indian service in Nebraska and remained there three years. He then returned to Jackson County and bought some land and entered some from the government six miles east of Independence. This farm is now owned by W. W. Fields. Mr. Warren died in 1891 and his wife died Nov. 12, 1856.
To Dr. Sheley and wife have been born five children as follow: Mary Emma married A. M. Hoyt, Independence; Oliver Caldwell, Jr., the present county surveyor of Jackson County ; James K., Jr., an electrician, Bakers- field, Calif .; Ada, married Fred H. Briggs and Dr. Nelson Warren, now a surgeon in the United States navy. He is a graduate of the Independence High School, the Missouri State University, and the Washington Uni- versity. He entered the service of the United States navy in 1917 and at the present writing is in the Orient with the navy.
James C. Noel, member of the firm of Noel and Yankee, real estate loan and insurance, 127 West Lexington street, Independence, was born on a farm near Lone Jack, Mo., July 23. 1884. He is a son of James W. and Maretha (Cox) Noel, old settlers of the Lone Jack neighborhood. A
James W. Noel was born Sept. 18, 1841, on the old Noel homestead, near Lone Jack, moved to Lees Summit, Mo., in 1901 and died Sept. 19, 1919. Maretha Noel died April 18. 1900 and her remains were interred in the Lone Jack cemetery. James W. Noel was the son of James Noel, who
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settled near Lone Jack in 1834. His grandson, James C. Noel, owns the old farm. The children of James W. and Maretha Noel are: James C. of this review ; William Lee, died at the age of 11 years ; and Forrest R., residing on the home place.
The education of James C. Noel was obtained in the district school and the Lees Summit High School and William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo. For ten years he filled the post of assistant cashier of the Citizens Bank of Lees Summit. In June, 1917, he came to Independence and en- gaged in the real estate and insurance business with W. K. Yankee.
Mr. Noel was married March 3, 1908 to Miss Maggie Barkley Lee, a daughter of Dr. J. C. and Fannie (Hearn) Lee, of Lees Summit. Dr. Lee came to Jackson County from Cynthiana, Ky., when a young man and prac- ticed medicine at Lees Summit for many years prior to his death. He became prominent in medical circles in this section of Missouri. His widow resides with her daughter, Mrs. Maggie Noel. Mr. and Mrs. Noel have a son, Lee Noel, born May 7, 1914.
Mr. Noel is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Independence and is a Royal Arch Mason.
Lynchburg Adams .- One hundred years ago this fertile landscape on the banks of the mighty Missouri River was a wilderness of forest, valley and plain. Indians were then encamped along the streams and the terri- tory now known as Jackson County was a great hunting ground. It was a hunter's paradise. A rich and fertile soil awaited the husbandman to build the homes and begin the creation of a new civic section of the great state of Missouri. Lynchburg Adams was the first real pioneer in what is now Jackson County. He was the first citizen to establish a permanent home in this county. He was a great hunter and rifle shot, as well as a good farmer who made a success of his affairs. The first farm which Lynchburg Adams owned in Jackson County has long since been washed away by the Missouri River, but his descendants are still living on the land which he owned at Atherton, Mo.
Lynchburg Adams was born in Lynchburg, Va., Feb. 22, 1804. A few years after his birth his parents and the Adams family moved to Kentucky. Here amid primitive surroundings, Lynchburg Adams was reared.
The early settlers who were endeavoring to wrest the "Dark and Bloody Ground" from the Indians in those days were a hardy and adven- turous lot and Lynchburg Adams grew up with a knowledge of the use of firearms and was inured to the hardships of the pioneer life. In 1819
LYNCHBURG ADAMS.
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he set his face to the westward and traveled down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to the vicinity of Boone's salt works near Cooper's Fort opposite Boonville, Mo. He spent the winter of 1819 and 1820 at this point, and when spring came he moved up the river and crossed at Arrow Rock, arriving there March 3, 1820. He camped at the foot of the hill just east of Fire Prairie Creek and just on the line of what is now known as Jackson County. The family settled near Fort Osage. John and Joseph Mckinney in the following year, 1821, planted 20 acres of corn and Mr. Adams helped them gather it from the field just above the mouth of Fire Prairie Creek. His wages for this work was three pecks of corn daily. The nearest grist mill in those days was in the Miami River bottom in Carroll County, and Lynchburg Adams traveled there to get his grist of corn ground. In the summer of 1822, in com- pany with John Ross and his son Mike he camped and lived under a shelv- ing rock, a mile below Mize Ferry and near the old Berry Hill place. They hunted all summer long. Deer were plentiful and they saw herds of as many as 300 deer. Bee trees were plentiful in the woods and all that was necessary was for them to cut down a bee tree and gather the stores of honey. Six to twelve bee trees could be found easily in a day's search. The wax obtained after rendering the honey could be sold for 25 cents per pound and Mr. Adams earned his first real money in this county in that manner. Ammunition in those days was very high in price and the hunter had to be very sparing in its use. A turkey was never shot unless the settler desired a change of diet and turkey would mean a change from venison. Emigrants began to arrive in 1824 and 1825 and in the latter year, Mr. Adams, working with Isaac Allen, cut the logs for the first house and raised the first house and cultivated the first ground west of the Little Blue in this county. This settlement was near the Old Blue Bot- toms camping ground.
Mr. Adams was married Jan. 1, 1827 to Elizabeth Drake, who was born in Missouri and came to Jackson County in 1825, her parents settling on the Blue bottoms. Mr. Adams was handicapped by lameness but man. aged to pay for a farm of 120 acres upon which he made his first real home. Along came the great flood of 1844 and washed away all of his possessions. He must start anew and he began the work of improving a farm and settled on the place now owned by his son, William Carroll Adams. He died, honored and respected by all who knew him, in Decem- ber, 1873.
Lynchburg Adams learned to read in his old age and derived much
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enjoyment from the perusal of newspapers and books when too old to toil. He was a rugged and determined character whom no misfortune could daunt. He was honest, conscientious and was a true friend to all with whom he associated. Imbued with pluck and determination he suc- ceeded in amassing a competence and his spirit was passed onward to his descendants who occupy high places among the citizenship of Jackson County.
Samuel H. Woodson, an attorney at law, and former mayor of Inde- pendence, trustee for estates, with offices in First National Bank building, Independence, Mo., is a native of this city. He was born in Independence, Sept. 29, 1857 and is a son of Judge Samuel H. Woodson.
Judge Samuel H. Woodson, the elder, was born in Jessamine County, Ky., in 1815, and was a son of Samuel H. Woodson, a prominent citizen of that county who succeeded Henry Clay to his seat in Congress in 1820, and was re-elected in 1822, serving two terms in the national house of repre- sentatives from his district. Mr. Woodson, father of the subject of this sketch came to Independence in 1840 and practiced law in this city. A few years after coming here he formed a partnership with William Chris- man and Abraham Cummings. In 1856 he was elected to represent this district in Congress and was re-elected in 1858, resigning his seat in Con- gress in 1860 on account of impending civil war between the North and the South, his sympathies being with the cause of the Southern states. In 1875 he was appointed to the office of circuit judge and was elected to the office in 1881, serving until his death, in June, 1881. Judge Woodson held court on the very day of his death. His wife was Margaret Ashby, a cousin of General Ashby, of Virginia. She was born in Madison County, Ky., and died at the age of 92 years in Independence, where she had made her home for 72 years.
The children born to Judge Samuel H. and Margaret Woodson are as follow: William H., an attorney at Liberty, Mo., who has served as prose- cuting attorney of Clay County for eight terms; Meade was an attorney and banker at Kansas City, now deceased; Margaret, widow of Henry C. Harper, who died at Liberty, Mo .; Nellie, widow of B. E. Reese, Inde- pendence, Mo .; Sallie W., widow of A. F. Sawyer, who was president of the Chrisman-Sawyer Banking Company, of Independence, Mo.
Samuel H. Woodson, the youngest son of the family, was educated in the Independence public schools and William Jewell College at Liberty, Mo. He then pursued a course at the Albany Law School, Albany, N. Y., and began the practice of law in 1881 at Kansas City, Mo. After several years
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of successful practice, he retired on account of failing health and has since devoted his attention to the loan business and serving as trustee for estates. He was elected mayor of Independence in 1898 and served in this capacity until 1902.
Mr. Woodson was married to Miss Jennie McCoy, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Stewart) McCoy, the former a pioneer of Independence, coming here with his brother, William, in 1838. The brothers first en- gaged in the mercantile business. Later, William McCoy embarked in the banking business and John McCoy established a woolen mill. Both pros- pered and were very successful. For 55 years, the late John McCoy was superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School, a record which has probably never been equalled for fidelity to service anywhere. Mr. and Mrs. Woodson have two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret.
Miss Elizabeth Woodson was prominently identified with the Y. W. C. A. work at Waco, Texas, during the World War, and during the demobil- ization of the army she has been engaged in similar work at Oklahoma City and Kansas City, Mo., specializing in social betterment work.
Miss Margaret Woodson was connected with the Red Cross in Europe during the World War and was in charge of the entertainment department in the hospitals in France. Both ladies are graduates of the State Uni- versity at Columbia and the National Park Seminary at Washington, D. C.
Mr. Woodson is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and he is a member of the board of managers of the Pythian Home at Springfield, Mo.
Rowland Thomas Procter, deceased, former civil engineer, and county surveyor of Jackson County, was born in Independence, Aug. 8, 1862. He was a son of Rev. Alexander and Caroline (Shaw) Procter. Rev. Alex- ander Procter was born in Fayette County, Kentucky, in 1825, and was the second son of Rowland T. and Diana (Chapman) Procter, both of whom were born and reared in Kentucky.
Rev. Alexander Procter came to Missouri in 1836 and settled in Ran- dolph County with his parents. When 18 years of age he entered school at Paris, Mo., to obtain higher learning. Having joined the Christian Church at an early age, he was educated at Bethany College, through the bounty of Alexander Campbell, founder of the Christian Church. Rev- erend Campbell donated the proceeds of a book which he had written to the purpose of defraying the expenses of a ministerial student. The choice fell upon young Procter, and he studied for the ministry under Reverend Campbell, who was at that time president of Bethany College. He preached
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his first sermon at Huntsville, Mo., and filled the pulpits in many Mis- souri counties during the pioneer days. He assisted in the organization of many Christian churches. He was married in 1857 to Mrs. Caroline Pre- . witt, nee Shaw, of St. Francis, Mo.
During the Civil War days Rev. Procter did much to keep the peace between the friends of the South and the Union adherents in Independ- ence, where he resided during the later years of his life.
Rowland Thomas Procter was educated in Woodland College, and studied for the profession of civil engineering, a work which he had taken up in his boyhood. He served as city engineer of Independence for some years. In 1901 he was appointed superintendent of Swope Park, under Mr. Kessler, and had much to do with the planning and construction of the driveways, the boulevard and the main entrance to the park. He had charge of practically all of the construction work, and uncovered a deposit of fine stone, which was used in the work done in the park. He found this rock deposit after the authorities had received a report from an expert that the park did not contain any available stone deposits, and the expert had advised purchasing Carthage stone. This discovery enabled the park board to save thousands of dollars in park construction work alone. Mr. Procter was elected county surveyor of Jackson County in 1908, and was again elected in 1912. He died Jan. 5, 1915, while serving his second term in office.
Rowland T. Procter was married Nov. 12, 1901. to Maude Millard, of Independence. To this union was born a daughter: Miss Elsie Rowland, now a sophomore in Independence High School. Mrs. Maude (Millard) Procter is a daughter of Alden C. and Elsie (Tower) Millard, natives of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
After their marriage in 1860, at North Adams, Mass., Mr. and Mrs. Alden C. Millard removed to Chicago, Ill., and were living in that city at the time of the great fire. Mr. Millard was connected with the firm of Millard and Decker, printers and binders. In 1879 Mr. Millard removed to Saline County, Kansas, and after a residence of a few years near Salina, he came to Kansas City, and took charge of the Peru Plow and Wheel Company, in the West Bottoms. For 25 years he had charge of the pub- lication of the Millard Implement Directory, a valuable trade magazine, which he originated and published. He made his home in Independence for a number of years prior to his death, and was elected mayor of the city on the Republican ticket and served one term. Alden C. Millard was born July 17, 1838, and died June 8, 1909. Mrs. Millard was born July 19,
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1840, in North Adams, Mass., and died Nov. 23, 1916. They are buried in Mt. Washington cemetery, where Mr. Millard had purchased one of the first lots sold in this cemetery.
The Procter family residence is situated at 1235 Main Street South. Rowland Thomas Procter was a useful citizen, whose life was well spent in behalf of his county and city. One of the things which he did in connec-' tion with his work in beautifying Swope Park is well worth recording. He had charge of the arrangement of a box buried in the cornerstone at the entrance of the park, which contains a history of the late Thomas Swope, the donor, and the names of the parties connected with the undertaking.
Edward E. Kirby, chief deputy county clerk of Jackson County is a native of Jackson County and a member of one of the old and prominent pioneer families of this county. He was born on a farm three miles south of Buckner on June 19, 1870, and is a son of William R. and Susan R. (Capelle) Kirby.
William R. Kirby was born in Kentucky, May 6, 1831, his parents being descendants of the first settlers of the United States. When quite a young man he moved to Texas. Coming to Missouri in 1858. he settled in the Pink Hill neighborhood and later located on a farm south of Buck- ner in 1868. He purchased 160 acres of land for the sum of $285. He later sold 40 acres of the farm, the remainder being in possession of the family until 1915 when it was sold. In 1862 Mr. Kirby went to California by the overland route, the trip requiring five months and 23 days across the plains and mountains. He remained on the Pacific coast until 1867 and then returned home by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Upon his return to Jackson County he settled down to farming. Mr. Kirby died Jan. 7, 1908 and his remains are buried in Blue Springs cemetery.
To William R. and Susan Kirby were born three children, as follow : Edward E. Kirby of this review ; Mrs. Sallie A. Slaughter, living near Grain Valley; Durward B. Kirby, a farmer north of Grain Valley; Truston W. Kirby, cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Blue Springs. The mother of the foregoing children, Susan R. (Capelle) Kirby was born in Jackson County and was born and reared on the farm now owned by Edward E. Kirby nearly a mile west of Grain Valley. She was a daughter of Britton Capelle, a pioneer of Jackson County who came to Missouri from Kentucky in 1839. Britton Capelle was born in North Carolina, Oct. 12, 1809. When a child, his parents moved from North Carolina to Kentucky and after Britton had located in this county, his father came here and lived in this county until his death in 1850. Britton Capelle died in 1889 and is buried
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in the Lobb cemetery. His wife, Sarah (Clayton) Capelle, died in Aug- ust, 1872, and is also buried in the Lobb cemetery.
Edward E. Kirby attended the Long Branch School and studied for two years in Woodland College, Independence. He attended business col- lege in Kansas City for one year. In 1895 he was appointed deputy county treasurer and served for two years in that capacity. He then returned to the farm and followed this vocation until 1907, when he went to Oklahoma and secured a farm in Comanche County, remaining there for two years. For the past seven years he has filled the office of deputy county clerk and was appointed chief deputy in the county clerk's office, Jan. 1, 1919. Mr. Kirby's farm west of Grain Valley consists of 60 acres and is devoted to fruit growing. The Kirby orchard consists of 15 acres of apple trees which produced 4,000 bushels of apples during the season of 1919.
Mr. Kirby was married in 1898 to Hattie M. Smith of Pink Hill, Mo., a daughter of Sterling and Ida Smith, the former of whom is deceased and the latter lives in Phoenix, Ariz. Two children have blessed this union: Lena Rue, a graduate of Independence High School, now a student in Kan- sas University, Lawrence, Kans .; C. E. Kirby, a student in second year high school, Independence. The Kirby residence is located at 803 West Maple street.
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